This fourth book in this series is the best so far in my opinion. This series has been a bit more difficult to get into than other cozy mysteries. The storylines are good and generally keep you interested. On the whole the characters are pretty well developed too. So why do I struggle with connecting to the series? It has a lot to do with the main character, Jen. She lacks maturity, is often self absorbed and often is rash, making poor decisions, putting herself in danger. She hasn’t grown significantly over the span of these four books, which is disappointing. The series as a whole is improving and is worth continuing reading. I do want to see where the author takes the series.

What a beautiful cosy mystery story with great storyline and great characters. Really liked the writing style and the cover is beautiful will definitely read more from this author.

She loved writing the perfect murder mystery, but she never wanted to be written into one . . . What a great way to get my interest and so I began to read and I couldn't put it down. This is a cosy mystery with all the twists and turns you expect from a good mystery along with a clever plot and great characters.

The small town setting is something I do enjoy in any book and I I enjoyed H=Jen's story of writers block and her book store not doing so well. But then she is implicated in a murder and now has to be a sleuth and find out the truth. There is action, excitement, thrills and more in this great read and although quite long it certainly didn't feel it as I read it in a matter of days. A great read.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Unfortunately I just didn't enjoy this book at all
I really didn't like the main character. She wasn't a likeable or endearing character. She had no sense of self preservation and kept poking her beak into everyone else's business.
For me, the charm of a good cosy mystery is in likeable characters, and a good mystery. This fell short for me
Thank you to netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Another very enjoyable read in thIs cosy mystery series. I love the small town setting, and by reading the books in order it is satisfying to see the relationships develop between the characters, though it could still be read as a stand alone novel. The story moves along at a good pace as Jen tries to prove her innocence. I’m eagerly waiting for the next tale of this book shop!

Princess Fuzzypants here: This is the first book in the series where I was not spending part of the time in disbelief about why our protagonist was doing the things she was doing. Jen, once more has writers block and the book store she inherited is still holding on by its fingertips. Her nemesis has her in her investigative sights in spite of her boyfriend being a detective as well. But this time, even Jen admits, the circumstantial evidence is strong including her standing over the corpse of the woman who threatened to destroy her business.

Jen has a legitimate reason for wanting to find the killer. She is even arrested and remanded. This time it is serious but she does not go half-cocked putting herself in ridiculously dangerous situations. Yet, she does end up in some very dicey spots and it adds excitement rather than frustration. Well done, in fact. I enjoyed the story very much both the mystery and the Ravenous Readers plot. Jen will always be a character who has her quirks but this time, I can see why the other characters rally to her defence.

Five purrs and two paws up.

Jen could not believe what was happening to her. She was framed for murder and hadn’t the faintest clue as to who was responsible. Things were looking bleak indeed, and her business seemed to be looking at closing down. It was action-filled, intensely gripping, and excitedly intriguing.

A Cover for Murder by Sue Minix

Small town mystery and who’s in to solve the mystery?

A wonderfully plotted cozy mystery with lots of clues, but you can’t see what’s happening next. I did write down all the hints down and solve the case together! I truly enjoy it.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Avon and the author for my copy.


Pub date: Jan 18, 2024

Jen gets into an argument with Mara a new Riddleton citizen who threatens to open a rival bookstore and drive her out of business. Jen finds Mara dead and is discovered by police close to the corpse. Her boyfriend policeman Eric cannot help her as he is off the case. A Cover for Murder is an intriguing small town cozy with lots of clues and suspects. Jen is also a writer with 2 books due soon. How does she cope? Whodunit?

Writer and accidental bookshop owner Jen is back for a fourth instalment of this cosy mystery series. As her writing career progresses, it looks like the bookstore - inherited from a friend - might be in danger from more than one source. But all of that is about to become a surprisingly low priority when Jen is accused of murder...

I've been a little so-so on this series. I like the setting and the mysteries have been interesting, but there's also a lot of reliance on Jen making not-great decisions and putting herself in danger. Sometimes being in her head gets a little annoying, alas. She's also in that weird spot of having incredibly unlikely bad things happen to or around her - which is kind of how plots work, so fine - but also everything else is just so 'all going to work out' overly smooth. For instance, her bookstore is staffed by people who don't seem to mind if they don't get paid, and are willing to step up and do even more work! Hmm.

That aside, and the drama of the series really is ramped up by having Jen the main suspect - and it's going to be hard work for her to prove otherwise. The vaguely Mafiosi family is a little over the top, as is the mysterious stranger wandering around time - he might as well have 'Red Herring' printed on his t-shirt, frankly... although, are things that simple?

So, far from perfect, and yet probably my favourite from the series to date. You do have to go in with an expectation of not taking it too seriously, however, and have a little fun with it.

Jen Dawson is juggling writing her latest in a mystery book series with running a bookstore in sleepy Riddleton, South Carolina. The bookstore is barely staying open, with Jen working on a solution to increase its profits. So, a rival opening a used bookstore is the last thing she needs. When the rival is murdered, Jen is the prime suspect. She needs to find the killer because she can’t meet her book deadline from jail.

A Cover for Murder is a fast-paced, well-plotted cozy mystery. Jen is an inquisitive and determined amateur sleuth who’s not afraid to get involved in police business. While the cast of characters, and in particular, the list of suspects is small, the whodunnit keeps the reader’s interest without making it too easy to guess the culprit. The characters are distinctive and likable, and Jen’s relationships with them grounds her in the story very well. In particular, Jen’s German Shepherd Dog Savannah is an adorable scene-stealer. The small-town cozy vibe was well done, but a little more humor and exploration into the quirky aspects of its characters would be appreciated. Additionally, there was a missed opportunity to integrate tidbits about well-known mystery and crime novels, given the bookstore theme and the lead character being a mystery writer. A Cover for Murder is a quick and enjoyable read for fans of small-town cozy mysteries.

The main character's and the town people's close resemblance to lorelai gilmore and stars hollow was what kept me hooked throughout other than that the mystery plot was actually predictable.

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of A COVER FOR MURDER (Book 4 of the Bookstore Mystery series) by Sue Minix in exchange for an honest review. Jen struggles with on-again off-again writer’s block. Jen is also struggling with keeping her bookstore afloat despite grants giving her shop cash infusions. Jen finds herself in more trouble when interpersonal struggles result in her being a murder suspect. Since Jen is on the hotseat, finding the real killer is a matter of self-defense.

I liked the book and enjoy the series. I recommend this book to fans of the series and the series to fans of cozy murder mysteries featuring bookshops, authors, and doggy sidekicks.

Sue Minx delivers another delightful and entertaining cozy mystery that I enjoyed and kept me guessing,
Well plotted, surprising, it kept me hooked.
Can't wait to read another story in this series
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fun cozy mystery series set around a mystery author who inherited a bookstore. This time Jen is arrested for the murder of a rival bookstore owner. With the help of her friends she has to clear her name - if she can. The mystery is intriguing and I like seeing Jen make the choices she thinks are best for herself and the bookstore. One thing that I don't like is the relationship with Eric. It is so toxic.

First thank you netgalley for allowing me a copy of the ARC . Ok in to business, I was not aware when u started this book that it was part of a series, until past events starting happening but reading it I didn’t feel as if I was missing something within the MC storyline so that was a good thing, yes I will go back and start from the beginning of the series at some point just to catch up because I did enjoy this book, the only thing that bugged me was the flow of the story, it’s kinda like it didn’t flow well from one event to the next, for example one minute MC found some important evidence and the next minute she’s at home. Like umm what happened in between to connect the events did she take the information to the police did she put it somewhere safe. The flow from one event to the next was all over the place and I’m not sure if it was because it was an arc . Or if this is just how the author writes, but other then that I enjoyed the story

Jen is trying to figure how to stretch very little money and also bring more money into the bookstore she inherited from a friend. She then finds herself the suspect in the murder of a rival bookstore owner. Can she find the real murderer and save herself and the bookstore she loves and be able to finish the new book she's trying to write and do it all from outside a jail cell?

This is the 4th book in this series and it didn’t disappoint. A great cozy mystery read with depth and substance.

Jen who owns the book shop in town finds out there is going to be competition with a used book store opening too. She goes to talk to the new owner, but finds her dead instead. She is now charged with her murder, but who did it if she didn’t,

I liked the characters in this book, they all fitted perfectly into the story, it’s a quick read that will keep you guessing.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

Interesting cozy mystery.... Minix skillfully balances suspects, clues, and red herrings, keeping the reader engaged until the satisfying conclusion. The novel's charm lies in well-crafted characters, from Jen's determined persona to the endearing supporting cast, including a lovable German Shepherd named Savannah. While the mystery's resolution might be anticipated by some, the novel's true allure resides in the characters' unpredictable behavior. Despite minor distractions like references to unnamed characters and occasional discrepancies, A Cover for Murder stands as a delightful addition to the cozy mystery genre, offering a swift and enjoyable escape into the world of Riddleton. Fans of Agatha Christie and cozy mysteries will find themselves hooked until the final page, eager to unravel the layers of this engaging whodunit.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book.

This book is the fourth book in a series but can be read as a standalone. There were mentions to characters and events that obviously came from the other books but the author did a great job of explaining anything relevant to the current novel. I don’t think reading the other books would have affected my rating.

Overall, I liked this book. It was a quick read, a fun mystery, some likable characters and a nice conclusion.

I didn’t quite connect to the main character Jen and I don’t quite understand why. She’s a dog lover, a writer and owns a book store. All things I find highly positive. While I understood her motives for investigating the murder, her lack of awareness and putting herself in dangerous situations irked me to no end. In some cases, it wasn’t even necessary to keep the story going. Leaving her apartment unlocked, leaving the bookstore unlocked when she’s alone in the middle of the night and a murderer is loose… just stupid mistakes. The plot could have proceeded with the criminals breaking into these places but she constantly put herself in danger by being purposely reckless or downright forgetful.

I liked the side characters and wanted more of their adventures. Charlie felt so fun and interesting, Eric was adorable and such a wonderful love interest and of course Savannah was the star of every scene. Love me a well behaved spoiled German Shepherd.

As far as the mystery goes, I suspected the murderer early on and didn’t feel like the plot had many surprises or convinced me of any of the false leads.