I’m not gonna lie I guessed the killer since the beginning, it was just obvious but I really enjoyed this book. I felt so sad for Tandy because she had such a bright future ahead of her, but I’m glad she got some justice. I would really like to hear more about this inherited bookstore and the more adventures. I do feel like the story dragged on for a little too long, at some point it was like get to the point? But at the same time I didn’t want it to end.

All the goodness you expect from a cozy mystery! Author, P.J. Nelson does a great job of setting the stage for a charming southern mystery. We begin with the likeable main character, Madeline Brimley returning to her hometown of Enigma, Georgia upon the passing of her dear Aunt Rose. Madeline has inherited her aunt’s home and Old Juniper Bookstore located together in an old Victorian house. Madeline’s barely arrived in town when we dive right in with a crime to solve!

This was a quick read with a delightful cast of characters. The author shined the spotlight on the small-town of Enigma, full of quirky citizens, which I expect we’ll get to know better in future editions as this has hints of a book series. I enjoyed the story and look forward to future books!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has a great cast of characters and an interesting setting. I hope there will be more books to come.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, St. Martin’s Press.

The book caught my attention from the beginning, but I did find it predictable and slow in spots. Still recommend giving it a try, it's a quick read.

Thanks Netgalley!!

I really enjoyed the characters, the storyline and the small town setting of ‘Booked for Murder’. I look forward to the next book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the ARC for an honest review.

Madeline left small town Georgia in search of success as an actor - success that alluded her. At a time when she isn’t sure what her future will bring, she unexpectedly inherits her aunt’s home and bookstore in the small town she left behind at 17. Madeline encounters old friends who help her get the bookstore back up and running, but encounters a slew of problems: arson, threatening phone calls, and a murder that was clearly meant for her. Madeline can’t seem to sit back and let the police do their job without intervening, so she pulls on her overconfident acting skills to help her solve the mystery. Happy endings abound!

There were several elements of this story that bothered me, but I just could not let go of the very first major issue: after a murder and arson occur in the shop, while Madeline and the victim are alone, and Madeline is really a newcomer to the town, no one stops to block off a crime scene or identify Madeline as a suspect? Maybe she was right not to trust the police, because clearly they have no idea what they are doing. And the death of this victim, well loved and known across the small town, seems to be no big deal to the characters. It just, happened, and there are brief moments of characters expressing sadness, but no grief, no outrage, it’s very… a point to move the plot along. And it really tainted the whole story for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book reminded me of movies I have seen on the Hallmark channel that were filled with cliché and improbable plot challenges. It was hard work for me to get through to the end of the book, but I had agreed to write a fair review for the privilege of reading the book. Perhaps a younger demographic could enjoy some of the outlandish challenges the heroine is faced with from page one when she moves to Georgia to take up residence in the house left to her by a favorite aunt. Quite a number of bad things happen from the start when the young woman moves in such as major fires and life threats.

Thanks to Macmillan for this advance reader copy

What a fun read! I loved the characters in this story! Mystery kept me interested from the very start. I can’t wait for more of this series. Thanks so much for the opportunity to read!

A special thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A gripping tale with an impeccable writing style that would keep you on the edge of your seat. The plot twists are brilliantly executed, and kept me guessing until the very end. I love how the author builds tension and delivers a satisfying conclusion. A true page-turner that deserves all the 5 stars!

Booked for Murder by P.J. Nelson on Netgalley (on sale 12/10/24, Minotaur Books)

Mystery, spirited story, and a little sleuthing.

I love mysteries that take place in bookstores, especially some where there are chairs and sofas for lounging, and mostly antiques that had been in the house for more than a hundred years. Where books are everywhere and music is in the air.

A perfect story, a perfect murder, a perfect partnership and a perfect ending. Buy it in December and enjoy!

This book had an enjoyable story with a mystery in a small southern town. I found it entertaining and an enjoyable short read

The first book in a new series always seems to be hard to read. There's a lot to know while trying to understand the dynamics of the characters. While there were parts that seemed a little slow, I did like the story and I'm eagerly waiting for the next book.

Booked for Murder is the debut of a new series, featuring Madeline Brimley, a college graduate whose life in the theatre is coming to an end.
Madeline finds out her aunt has died, leaving her The Old Juniper Bookstore, but her inheritance comes with some conditions.
Finding herself involved in a murder investigation wasn't part of her plan, but now it's up to Madeline to uncover the secrets and settle in to her new life.

My review is 3.75/5.00 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.

Where do I even begin? This debut novel promised an atmospheric southern cozy mystery but somehow manages to miss the mark. The setting, however, does have potential. The idea of an old Victorian mansion housing an eccentric bookstore is wonderfully atmospheric. However, even this charming backdrop cannot save a story so poorly constructed.

Madeline Brimley, our protagonist, returns to her small hometown to inherit her aunt’s bookstore and immediately finds herself embroiled in a series of "mysteries." Unfortunately, calling them mysteries is being generous. The story meanders without purpose, dragging the reader through a series of predictable and uninspired events. Fires, threats, and a murder that’s about as thrilling as finding a typo in a dusty old book—none of it manages to build any real suspense or intrigue.

If you're a fan of awkward, stilted conversations that sound like they've been plucked from a badly scripted daytime soap, then you're in for a treat. The dialogue is so wooden that every interaction feels painfully forced and unrealistic. The conversations lack the natural flow that makes characters come alive.

As for the execution of the mystery itself, there’s no clever build-up, no carefully placed clues, and certainly no satisfying payoff. The twists are telegraphed so far in advance that they might as well come with neon signs. The pacing is sluggish, with long stretches where nothing of consequence happens, making it difficult to stay engaged. Clues are scattered haphazardly, red herrings are more annoying than misleading, and the ultimate resolution is so poorly executed that it feels like an afterthought. Instead of a cleverly woven tapestry of suspense, we get a disjointed mess of missed opportunities.

This book fails to deliver on every front. The dialogue is cringe-worthy, the plot is a snooze-fest, and the mystery is so poorly constructed that even the most novice of sleuths will see right through it. If you’re looking for a gripping southern cozy mystery, keep browsing the shelves. This one isn’t worth your time or your library card.

This debut novels follows Madeleine as she goes back to her hometown after her aunt dies. She inherits her bookstore, but soon after trouble starts brewing when she receives death threats. The beginning of the novel initially hooked me. I thought the author did a great job mixing small town gossip and crime to create an accurate setting. I did enjoy this book, but wish there were more big plot surprises instead of some of the more predictable ones. It felt slow at times, but was overall a nice mystery read. I was left with some questions at the end specifically relating to character development, which is why I rated this three stars.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

What a great book. It did take me a few chapters to get in to it but I am glad I finished it. Such a good cozy mystery. I really enjoyed it.

This book was slow for me to get into but I really enjoyed the pacing, the depth of the characters and how the author wove the story together!

This is such a cozy, wholesome murder mystery which would be perfect for fall. (I believe it releases October so that’s absolutely perfect) The writing style absolutely stuck out to me first. The author had me hooked from the start of the first chapter all the way until I was considering my choices when I shut off my kindle a day later. This book will go places, and I can say that confidently.

✨ARC Review✨

I haven’t read many cozy mysteries, but I do enjoy them when I do. What is it about them that makes it feel low-stakes when we’re talking about *murder*?!

Booked for Murder takes place in a small, south Georgia town (I imagined it taking place in my husband’s hometown of Hahira, GA).

Madeline has been called back home after her beloved aunt died, leaving her the local, oddball bookshop. On the day she arrives, someone sets fire to the gazebo and we’re off to the races.

There’s the “you can’t go home again” feelings, the grieving of family and newfound friends, a hint of a romantic triangle(?), and a murder to solve. I think it’s everything one wants in a cozy mystery. I’ll definitely read the next one in the series.

I received an arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are mine alone.

#mystery #smalltownmystery #arc #netgalley #smp

I enjoyed the book but will not be providing a full review due to the St. Martin’s Press bias and failure to hold employees accountable for their racism and Islamophobia, as well as support of genocide.

3.5/5 stars. Theatre kid turned book shop owner in a murder mystery? What’s not to love? I liked this a lot. I loved the small town feel and was able to figure out some parts of the mystery but I feel like there were two many little mini plot points going on and it was hard to keep them all straight. But still a solid read.