P.J. Nelson’s *Booked for Murder* is a charming and suspenseful cozy mystery that blends small-town drama, quirky characters, and an old Victorian bookstore brimming with secrets. It’s a perfect read for fans of whodunits with a literary twist.

Madeline Brimley is a captivating lead, her flair for the dramatic adding humor and heart as she navigates the unexpected inheritance of her eccentric Aunt Rose’s bookstore. The setting—the picturesque yet mysterious town of Enigma—is as much a character as the townsfolk themselves, full of charm and shadowy secrets.

The mystery unfolds at a satisfying pace, with enough red herrings and twists to keep readers guessing. From arson threats to a chilling murder within the bookstore, the stakes are high, but Nelson balances the suspense with moments of wit and warmth.

While the resolution is satisfying, some character motivations could have been fleshed out more deeply to add emotional weight. However, the cozy atmosphere, the delightful blend of humor and tension, and the bookish backdrop more than make up for it.

*Booked for Murder* is a fun, engaging read that will leave you eager for more adventures with Madeline and her quirky bookstore. A must-read for cozy mystery fans!

I requested this on NetGalley because of the cover and the concept but DNFed at 30% because it made no sense. Actual police are going to investigate a murder in the 21st century. Someone trying to make it as an actor anywhere is ABSOLUTELY going to have a cell phone. It seemed like the Philomena character was always yelling at everyone—the descriptions of how she talked made me wince. And you don’t come out of a swamp with no schooling and get to go directly to seminary. No sense at all.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary copy of this novel!
Madeline’s Aunt Rose has passes away and has left Madeline her Victorian style mansion that serves as a bookstore to the community and as her home. But when Madeline arrives to claim her inheritance, some people don’t seem too keen on having her here. The gazebo behind the Old Juniper Bookstore gets burned to the ground. Then Madeline receives a call threatening her with even more destruction if she does not leave. With her resolve to remain, more incidents happen, including another fire and even a death in the bookstore! Now, it is up to Madeline to find the arsonist and killer before more threats come to fruition and she becomes the killer’s next victim!
This was a cozy mystery novel and I felt that it was paced very nicely! It kept me wanting to read more to figure out who was the killer!
AVAILABLE December 10, 2024

It definitely held my attention. Rose, Phil, Gloria, and Madeline have a lot to work out between them, past and present. Fire burning the gazebo, fire in the bookshop, a murder, and a fire at the church lead the women to track down Tandy’s killer. Lots of possible characters and plentiful motives. Add in real estate fraud and the codicils of Rose’s will. Who is Faye? How do car repairs and meth production by Elbert and Bo factor in the small town murder? The characters were developed and easy to relate to. I hope this becomes a series. I would like to revisit Enigma and Maddy.

This was a good book that had some twists and turns that were unexpected. While there were a few times i was bored and ready to be done, I kept going in hopes it would pick up the pace.
Madeline inherits her Aunts bookstore. Once she moves in weird things start happening like a fire in her gazebo, at the front door, a murder and weird phone calls. She tries to figure out who is harassing her and why with the help of her Aunt's friends. The police don't believe that she isn't behind it but eventually she figures out what is going on and so do the policy. She went to some extreme lengths that would not be suggested as they were very dangerous. Luckily she survived and in the end saves the bookstore and gains a fantastic community.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Thanks so much for the ARC! I thought that this book was really interesting - there were several twists, grand reveals and mystery. I really liked how it all tied up in the end, but also left room for another book. This was a very cozy mystery read and was perfect for fall.

I really wanted to love this book, especially because I love cozy mysteries. However, this one didn't really do it for me. There were many parts of the book that weren't super believable (such as the fires and the response to them) but I did like the bookstore element. It often felt like characters were just dropped into the book without their backstory being set up in a way that added to the plot. This book had promise, but fell short for me.

This is my honest review of an early copy provided by Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books.
Madeline Brimley is thrown a lifeline when she inherits her Aunt Rose’s bookshop. But all is not ‘rosy when she arrives in town. Hot maybe, but not good. A fire, late night threatening phone calls and
murder are harbingers of someone definitely wanting her gone. Refusing to give up the bookstore, Madeline decides to find the perpetrator on her own. With quirky characters and lots of suspects, this book is a good start to a series for those who will love reading about a small town and a character that knows nothing about running a bookstore!

Madeline is in her mid-thirties and returns to her small southern town to take over her late aunt's bookstore only to find out that there is someone in that town that wants to keep her away.

A lot of disasters and chaos to prevent the bookstore from succeeding take place. So there's a very nice balance of dark and light cozy in this book. In any cozy mystery series, there is a wide array of small town characters and this book was definitely nailing that part. Some of the side characters were just delightful to read. They were also little teasers like there might be some romance happening later in this series.

All in all this was a very good first book in a series. I can definitely see myself picking up any more books from this series. If you're looking for a new cozy mystery series with a little bit more grit, I would definitely check this one out.

I love a cozy mystery, and Booked for Murder, was a cozy mystery with a Southern Gothic twist. I really liked Madeline, the main character, and appreciated a woman in her mid 30s who has grey hair! I'm already excited for the second book, and a return to the small town!

This a new series and author for me. It is not your typical cozy mystery. Actually, it's very quirky. Our main character comes back to her southern hometown in Georgia to inherit her Aunt Rose's Victorian Mansion/Bookstore. As soon as she arrives, all heck breaks lose. If you like a setup for your stories, you won't find it here. Maddy's in the house 15 minutes when someone sets the gazebo in the backyard on fire. She gets threatening phone calls and just would like to sell and leave until she's told there is a condition in the will that requires her to live there at least six months before it actually becomes hers. She opens the store with help from her aunt's friend Philemena and meets some college students, her main customers, from the nearby college where Phil teaches, one student catches her fancy, obviously someone her aunt had taken under her wing. When the student, who was spending the night after she had a fight with her roommate, is murdered while she sleeps upstairs and another fire is started to cover the crime, all our heroine wants is to figure out who the killed the young lady, spend her six months and get out. Needless to say, this is a long, strange, and convoluted story that is not you usual cozy. Strange but still charming in its own way. Thanks to #Netgally, Minotaur, and the author for an opportunity to read. #BookedforMurder #PJNelson #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader

P.J. Nelson’s Booked for Murder, is an easy-to-love set up of an inherited bookstore in a small town and a complicated mystery that rolls out under neath it. When Madeline, a failing actress, is forced to return to her hometown, she arrives to a gazebo on fire, and it’s clear we are in for an intriguing mystery—complete with a cat!

The cast of characters adds for a multi-layered mystery and when the first on-page murder happens, our connection to the character makes it an even more important murder to solve. There are some slower bits and The Old Juniper Bookstore while certainly centric to Madeline’s inheritance, is not really the main event of the story. Definitely gave some cozy vibes, page turning suspense, and an attractive set-up for a potential romance for the continuing series.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press / Minotaur Books for an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Booked for Murder was a delightful and quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed. The small-town setting and its charming group of characters really drew me in. I was particularly captivated by the relationship between Phil and Madeline, which added a lovely dynamic to the story.

While I was saddened by what happened to Tandy, the plot twists kept me engaged throughout. The author did a fantastic job of creating a sense of community and intrigue. I can’t wait to see what happens next in book two!

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

5 stars / This review will be posted on BookwormishMe.com & goodreads.com today.

One of the most enjoyable mysteries I’ve read in a while. I wouldn’t exactly call it a ‘cozy’ mystery, but it definitely wasn’t much of a horror mystery either. Truly loved the story of Madeline and her return to Enigma, Georgia.

After pursuing a career in the theatre, Aunt Rose opened a bookstore in Enigma. It’s an old Victorian home where the first floor serves as a store, and the second floor as a home. Rose had a successful run selling books and textbooks for the local college. When she passed, the bookstore went to her niece Madeline.

Madeline returns to Enigma after her own somewhat successful career in the theatre. Kindred spirits were Madeline and her Aunt Rose. Madeline isn’t quite sure what her next act is, so she latches onto the inheritance and heads home. She isn’t in Enigma but minutes, when the gazebo behind the house is in flames. Arson. Then she gets a troubling phone call late at night threatening to burn the rest of the house down.

Not the return she imagined.

With her Aunt Rose’s best friend Philomena and the new Methodist minister Gloria, Madeline is going to tackle figuring out who wants her out of Enigma. Along the way she’ll also have a murder to solve. It does get sticky down in those parts.

Very fun. Very engaging. With so much humor and grace, this story was a pleasure to read. I don’t think I’ve read any P.J. Nelson before, but I can guarantee this won’t be the last.

This book was fine. The FMC is kind of irksome. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. I don't think I'll carry on with the series.

Madeline Brimley has come home to Enigma, Georgia. Madeline is at a loose end in her life, when her Aunt Rose dies and leaves Madeline her bookstore. With nothing else to do, Madeline decides to go home to Enigma for a little while. However, what she finds is a tangle of lies and the dead body of Rose's former assistant. Feeling like the police can't handle the job, Madeline sets about to investigate with two of Rose's close friends.

Oh my, this mystery absolutely drew me in! I love a mystery in a bookstore setting and this one is an absolutely stunning whodunnit. Enigma has more secrets then most small towns, and Madeline quickly realises that this is not the Enigma she left many years ago. Along with Madeline, I tried to untangle the secrets and lies and solve the mystery. And, boy was that hard to do! I usually solve cozy mysteries fairly easily but this one had me stumped right up to the final reveal!!

If you enjoy a good mystery then you can't go wrong with Booked for Murder. It has all the elements of a perfect cozy mystery, with a picturesque small town and interesting characters that will have you wanting to visit again.

This was a cute, cozy mystery. I’m fairly new to the cozy mystery genre, but I had a good time with this one. There are several characters I fell in love with, and I can’t wait to get to know them better in the next book.

A slice of life mystery story set in the south with all of the unique characters and a cozy mystery. Highly enjoyable and I strongly recommend this read.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

I am always down for a cozy murder mystery book, this was no exception. The setting of the book was in a bookstore and involved a cat, so that is already points in favor for this book. The main plot of the book is similar to others I have read, woman has something happen that forces her to go back to this small town and take over the bookstore. I loved how the author was able to hook the reader into the book and kept me wanting more. I did feel like the ending was rushed and unresolved and some of the characters I wish were fleshed out more so we could learn more about them. But overall this was a wonderful experience.

I DNF at 40%. The plot and storyline in general was uninteresting and the character development was only surface level. There were also some odd reactions by some of the characters and it seemed it needed a bit more editing to make it all flow smoother.