When Fourth of July weekend coincides with Wenonga Days—the annual celebration of a locally famous Ojibwe leader—the town of Battle Lake double-dips on the tourist trade. This year the hullabaloo hasn’t even started and there’s already a story for reporter Mira James.

The Chief Wenonga statue has disappeared, leaving behind drops of human blood and a big question for How and why would anyone steal a twenty-three-foot monument? Things go from curious to worse when a local man is kidnapped. And from worse to downright gruesome when a corpse is found in the lakeside cabin of a horticultural hottie Mira’s been crushing on from afar.

Mira has no choice but to trail a statue thief, find a missing person, and clear an earthy dreamboat’s name from a murder charge. Not to mention risk her own life to unmask a cold-blooded killer.


Loved this story. Easy to read and the perfect distraction from a bad day. Cannot wait to read more from the author.

Thank you to Jess Lourey and Thomas & Mercer for my ARC. This was a cute, cozy mystery. I kept guessing who the culprit was throughout the book. I think there was a bit too much at times. Just a bit of too much filler, but overall a good book. There were parts that made me laugh. It was a pretty quick read as well. This is my first book in the series. Since this book keeps you hanging at the end, you’ll have to read the next book, August Moon.

Jess Lourey is a go-to author for me. I love that her books take place in Minnesota. Minnesota, especially small town Minnesota, is a character itself in the series This novella series have been fun cozy reads. I read this over 4th of July weekend and liked the setting, characters, and plot. I recommend this if you're looking for an easy summer read!

Book #3 in the Murder by Month cozy mystery series. We're back with Mira as she stumbles into a multitude of mysteries this time. Battle Lake's resident statue of Chief Wenonga goes missing.....at 23ft tall, that's a crime worth investigating.......there's a murder.....can't have a murder a month series without a murder.....and the town's local gardening expert has disappeared without a trace. So what's a girl to do? Pull her slightly screwy cast of characters together and start digging. So far, these books have been quick, entertaining reads that gave me a few chuckles along the way. There's a little bit of all of my favorite cozy mystery series stirred into KNEE HIGH BY THE 4TH OF JULY.

Knee High by the Fourth of July by Jess Lourey

⭐️⭐️⭐️

The third book in this series, and it’s finally warming up a bit to me, but still only three ⭐️’s.

These are all easy, quick reads & good but not very in-depth mysteries. I have enjoyed them, but I wish there was a bit more plot to them.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“When Fourth of July weekend coincides with Wenonga Days—the annual celebration of a locally famous Ojibwe leader—the town of Battle Lake double-dips on the tourist trade. This year the hullabaloo hasn’t even started and there’s already a story for reporter Mira James.
The Chief Wenonga statue has disappeared, leaving behind drops of human blood and a big question for Mira: How and why would anyone steal a twenty-three-foot monument? Things go from curious to worse when a local man is kidnapped. And from worse to downright gruesome when a corpse is found in the lakeside cabin of a horticultural hottie Mira’s been crushing on from afar.
Mira has no choice but to trail a statue thief, find a missing person, and clear an earthy dreamboat’s name from a murder charge. Not to mention risk her own life to unmask a cold-blooded killer.”

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I really like this series. It is cozy and fun. The town is a character in an of itself. I can't wait to read August!

I think I’m well and truly hooked into this series now and this third instalment is a return to the funny form of May Day. My biggest issue with June Bug was that the mystery wasn’t really very interesting but that’s not the case here.
While the plot isn’t overly convoluted, there are enough elements and red herrings to keep the pages turning to the conclusion. This time, the mystery centres around the disappearance of a 23ft statue, and pride of place in the town. As we reach fever pitch for the fourth of July, Mira (who may or may not have commitment phobias) is determined to solve the mystery and bring back the “visually pleasing” (for want of a better phrase) statue.
Our usual cast of characters is here: the central heroine and super sleuth Mira, her crush Johnny, the inimitable Kennie, and even more inimitable Mrs Berns, who is fast becoming my favourite character (and possible role model!).
There’s nothing particularly taxing about these books; they have, to me, the feel of a point-and-click adventure game where we start with a few key locations and the character goes back and forth between looking at every random thing they can find until something clicks – there is that slightly ridiculous feel to them which can sometimes feel trite, but works well here.
I also love how Battle Lake seems to be becoming familiar to me, despite never being there. I think that’s a testament to the author’s appreciation for the place.
As I said, I’m hooked and, while they might not be up for a Booker, I love passing a few zany hours in the world of this series.

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer, via NetGalley, for the eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one! Life got in the way, and I wasn’t able to read it in a timely manner, but getting to know Mira and her Battle Lake, MN friends was a treat. I laughed out loud more than once and was definitely engaged when I had a moment to dive back in.
Looking forward to catching the other monthly mysteries!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my review copy.

I recently finished another Jess Lourey book, and really enjoyed it so I thought I’d give this one a go. It was an interesting enough story, with a few good laughs, but I didn’t feel it delivered on its promise of being a thriller with a lot of action.

This was a slower read with softer twists and turns, and didn’t quite pack the oomph I was hoping for.
I would definitely read more from this author, but I don’t think this series is for me.
Having said that, if you like Scooby Doo style twists and cozy mysteries, this might be one for you!

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

This lacked the level of excitement and intrigue I liked. Although it was mildly engaging, it makes for an interesting read nonetheless.

I cannot tell you how excited I was to see that I received this ARC. Knee-High by the Fourth of July is a delightful and heartwarming read that masterfully blends humor with poignant moments. The book offers an engaging narrative that captures the essence of summer through the eyes of its endearing characters.

Jess’s writing is both witty and insightful, bringing to life a small-town setting where community and personal growth are at the forefront. The characters are well-developed and relatable, each contributing to the story’s rich tapestry with their unique voices and experiences.

The plot is engaging and filled with charming details that make it a joy to read. However, the pacing occasionally slows down in parts, which may detract slightly from the overall momentum. Additionally, some plot points feel a bit predictable, but this doesn’t overshadow the novel’s many strengths.

Overall, "Knee-High by the Fourth of July" is a beautifully written and enjoyable novel that captures the magic of summer and the importance of community. It’s a solid 4.5-star read that will resonate with anyone who appreciates a heartfelt and well-crafted story.

I am loving this series. The quirky characters and intriguing mysteries make these quick and easy reads. As a Minnesotan librarian, My patrons and I have been loving this series and can't wait for the rest to be re-released!

All of the books in the Murder by Month series have a quirky cast of characters that I love and the crimes and capers just keep getting better. I love Mira the main character, but sometimes my love for Mrs. Berns blinds me to everything else. I love the new cover designs for the books too!

Went in not realizing it was a series book, this is the 3rd, but it was easy enough to still read alone which I liked but definitely made me want to go back and read the other two for more background after. It was a cute easy murder mystery around Fourth of July to read. Was a good cleanser book between series or genre for me. Would recommend to my friends that read seasonal books. 3.5 star. Thank you netgalley and publishers for letting me read for an honest review.

Mira as a reporter for a weekly newspaper in the tiny town of Battle Lake is rather a scatterbrain who is also supposed to be the local librarian.

The focus this installment is the theft of the Chief Wenonga statue, all 23’ of him, leaving behind a base with obvious blood drops. I like the atmospheric location of the little town in Minnesota, apparently an actual lake town.

I thought it was an interesting storyline and the quirky characters made for some snappy, snarky dialogue. It wasn’t so much the mystery as the writing style, phrases, and colloquial words I hadn’t seen or heard in a long time.

On the whole, a rather simplistic cozy with a side focus on gardening and animals (no recipes)!

I enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek sense of humor and found it to be a fast, easy read. Yes, it bends toward silly but it’s fun. I’ll have to check out August Moon—whenever it’s released—and give this one a 3.5 rounded up to 4.

Knee High by the Fourth of July by Jess Lourey is book 3 in the Murder by the Month series. I absolutely love the main character and plot points of this series and this book specifically i smy favorite. I am hooked! I plan to read them all. This series is one of my fav cozy mystery series because while it is a traditional cozy mystery it has an edge to it as well as flawed characters which I absolutely love. I plan to invest in every book in the series.

This is book 3 in this great cozy mystery series. I’ve loved them all and look forward to each.
Jess Lourey is an amazing author with a wonderful range of genres to please all readers.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was unaware that this is the third installment in the series. However, I encountered no issues, and I don't believe it's necessary to read the previous books to enjoy this one. You might consider doing so, given the book's charm. It's a quick read, straightforward, with excellent humor and a compelling storyline.

This was one of the funniest books I've read in a while. I've read a book by this author before, but never one from this series. And, I totally missed out. After I finished this one I went back and got the first two. I'm loving Mira and the town with all the quirky people. Read it only if you like funny heroines and saucy old ladies.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for giving me a copy to review.