Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

This was a cozy mystery that I would have loved to read in the fall since in takes place in October (but still enjoyed reading it)!! It was a quick, but interesting read. I liked the little twist and character development throughout the book. I do wish the romance you feel brewing would have developed a bit more. There was one part at the end that I wish would have been revealed and story would have finished being told. I feel like it just abruptly ended on that conversation. I would read the second book to get that missing piece, but I don't feel like it's going to make the second book, so it definitely could have been included in the first book. Overall I liked the book and would read the next in the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital ARC copy.

This was the first book I’ve read from P.J. Nelson. This is a cozy small town murder mystery that takes place in October.

Madeline inherits a book store from her aunt and begins to run it, but someone keeps threatening her to leave town. The gazebo is set on fire when she first moves in. Then someone is murdered inside the bookstore and the entrance is set on fire to cover it up. Maddy then gets into detective mode to find out who murdered her friend and who is trying to run her out of town.

Overall, this was a solid read that kept me entertained even though some parts were predictable. I love reading books about books, so if you’re into that with a hint of murder mystery pick this one up.

This one feels like a trip through home (with a dash of mystery of course). The feeling of the humidity and heat. The pop up storms turning into sunny days and small town gossip circles. There is no such thing as road names in directions. They exist, don't get me wrong. But, if you don't have someone giving directions based on landmarks you haven't talked to a small town person yet. Nothing is secret and everyone knows when something happens regardless of the time of day. This isn't me saying all little towns in GA are gossip mills or feels like the belly of Hell at some points in the year. I'm sure there are a number of y'all who can also declare that too for your own towns. The beginning of this story and throughout most of it really just spoke to the little towns I grew up in in the south. Also, before I jump into the big part of the review, Enigma, GA IS a real place in this state. And just like she says in the book, feel free to check a map! 

The writing for this one was alright. There was smooth conversations amongst the characters. The descriptions were clear and set the scenes fairly well. I think there were a few jokes that fell short for me or maybe came across trying to land. The characters actually comment on them to giving us "tough crowd" moments. Get ready to increase your vocabulary with this one though. There are a few characters who are very well educated and the author scatters their academic vocab words throughout the whole book. So keep a dictionary nearby, because dang. I don't quite understand times when the author over explained scenes. One that stands out is when a character talks to us about writing a letter to another. It goes on and on about the feelings pouring onto the pages, waiting to hear back, etc. etc. It could very well be my age speaking, but that whole moment just felt like I was being talked down to in that whole monologue. It could have been a quick "you all and this instant gratification" shtick, but instead I read about the entire mailing process, and I mean that literally, for a couple of pages.

I personally found Maddie to be abrupt, rude, and a tad self-centered. She was incredibly quick to judge everyone around her and held tightly onto that judgement until something irrefutable slammed into her. The grudges this woman can hold and create would make a priest proud with the level of dedication she commits. There is very little respect for others and their jobs. One example of this is her interactions with the officer helping her the whole time. He is someone she use to babysit, which means he is forever a kid in her eyes. Fuck what he is capable of as an officer or the fact it's been 20+ years and he's a grown adult - wife and family now too. She approaches every conversation and interaction as if he's a kid and doesn't know squat and she can do better. And then the moments when she gets all butt hurt over the little stuff! Like when the fire fighter thought she might have caused a fire because he simply doesn't know her, and it's his JOB to look at all suspects. Or when people aren't taking her seriously with the theories she has. Not to mention that she is changing her "absolutely correct" accusations every other phone call. Or how about when someone else is talking, she cuts them off to talk about her thoughts, then tunes out what they are saying, to find out later they were right and she's upset she was wrong. As a MC, she was annoying to me. I liked that she certainly spoke her mind to everyone. She wasn't afraid to jump into conversations and just jumped straight into every situation that came up, which was nice - no fluff or waiting around, straight doing. But damn, her nosiness was almost on the aggressive side of poking around. That's saying something for a mystery novel too.

It was a cute mystery story for sure despite my conflicts with the MC and some writing choices. The fact we got such an in your face murder and so suddenly (not that murder ISN'T sudden) caught me off guard. It didn't follow the traditional path of a cozy mystery, which isn't a bad thing - nice change of pace. But to happen to someone who seemed like was a developing character was kind of crazy. It had a good little twist and the reveal wasn't badly done either. You can probably guess the "who dunnit" once you've met everyone, so the ending wasn't a big surprise. There was of course a romantic interest, but was strictly flirting and seemed to even drift to a close at the end. There were a few conversations that never concluded and I was hung up on them - there's a joke the reverend kept trying to tell us half of the book that we never got the punch line and who the heck Faye is/was/who knows. So, that complaint is probably is probably putting me in minority opinion there. I am absolutely a person who gets caught on uncompleted conversations, especially if they keep continuously popping up and snagging my attention. Overall, I'm quite happy that I gave this one a chance and read it. If you are looking for a little mystery novel to read, I'd say give it a try. It at least gives you a little look into small town life and has a decent mystery scooting along in the background.

Thank you for the E Arc NetGalley and St Martins Press. Booked for Murder is just what I needed. The characters are interesting although I did want to see the love interest play put a little more. We have murder, we have romance, intrigue, bad guys, good guys and everything in between. We also have found family which I love. Great read all around.

Booked for Murder by P.J Nelson sounded promising . Unfortunately , I found the book to be slow, dull and predictable . I usually can read a book in a couple days if not a few hours but this one took a long time to finish . I had to force myself to finish so I could give an honest review . I love the idea the author was trying to convey but it just didn’t hit for me . This is a miss .

I was selected on #NetGalley to review Booked For Murder by P. J. Nelson and this is my review!

Imagine a warm cup of enticing coffee, as you bring it to your lips and take that first glorious sip… it burns you. That doesn’t stop the coffee from being delicious. You continue on until the last drop. That is this book. It’s cozy, mysterious, and enlightening.

Madeline Brimley returns to the small town in Georgia she grew up in after inheriting Juniper Bookshop from her eccentric Aunt Rose. Right away she runs into trouble. Arson, threatening phone calls, and a sweet local girl is murdered in her store. Madeline is all of us with her impulsiveness; the way she talks to her cat, Cannonball, like he’s a human; and her certainty that a good cuppa can fix just about anything. This book is a quick and easy read that keeps you guessing while warming your soul.

3.5 / 5 ⭐️

A cozy mystery, this book takes you on an adventure to not only discover the killer, but also on one of self-discovery. The one thing that rings true in this story is that “everybody is capable of telling a lie that anybody else will believe”.

Madeline Brimley returns to Enigma, Georgia after leaving it, her recently desceased Aunt Rose, and the Old Juniper Bookshop behind to pursue her acting dreams. She doesn’t know why she truly decided to come back, but in doing so, she gets more than she originally had bargained for. The gazebo is burnt down, she receives phone threats, and sweet Tandy Fletcher is killed, all within the first few days of her return. She then learns that she cannot legally leave, so she decides to take it upon herself to solve the mysteries that have begun to surround her.

Highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a quick and cozy mystery, filled with action, emotion, and cozy-small-town vibes.

In this atmospheric southern cozy debut, Madeline Brimley returns to the bookstore she inherited, discovering that small towns hold deadly secrets.

I loved this book. I will admit that it was slow at certain parts, but I loved the whodunit vibes. I had about 2 people on my suspect list... but it kept changing with all the new information we were getting. The ending was satisfying, and I know there's still so many questions, but I'm positive they'll all be answered in book 2. We just have to wait for a long while. 😩

2.5 stars rounded up to 3, just because the concept was neat and original.

What I liked:
- The concept as stated above
- The different turns and twists

What I didn’t like
- the ending, there were so many unfinished pieces (I thought we’d learn more about Rose and her “secrets”, the story of “Faye”, the firefighter? So many questions)
- it felt like so many things were introduced to never get closure (this might be redundant to my previous bullet point but it was really frustrating)
- the constant references to acting. We get it. She was an actor….
- the random interruptions, finally at the end we THINK we are going to learn about “Faye” and then an interruption about her car? I don’t understand or see the value it added to the story personally
- the main characters arrogance. At one point she’s Lists “lies” told her and one is literally the officer (Billy) has a “hidden” investigation?? He just didn’t tell her? He’s an officer, and there was a murder? Why should he report to her? It wasn’t hidden.
- the predictably; I predicted both “twists” pretty early on


Thank you to NetGalley and P.J. Nelson for this ARC!

📝 Quick Summary:
Madeline’s aunt has passed away, and she inherits her Victorian home that houses a bookstore. As she spent a lot of time there as a child, it almost felt like coming home, however, for the past few weeks, the store has been closed due to her passing. The old and dusty home doesn’t have electricity, and she thinks it’s a slip up due to her aunt not making payments. As she walks through the house, and looks through the empty cabinets and fridge, she has a sense of being watched. As a fire, threatening phone calls, and a murder take place in her home in the first two days she has moved back, she is determined to find out who this person is. As she finds two alliances to work with, they set off on securing her home, and her safety, while hunting down the mysterious caller.

💡 Thoughts and Feelings:
The first 20% of the book literally jumpstarts all the madness and I felt like I didn’t know many of the characters quite that well. I wish there was some more development on their relationships, so I could feel differently when things went down. Madeline has a lot of confidence for someone who should be terrified…. Or is it just me, thinking I would be absolutely terrified, if I was going through her ordeal? This mystery isn’t very thriller-ish, but more of a cozy, small town mystery vibe where the main character wants to solve the mystery herself and be a badass. She did have a lot of growth throughout the novel.

👍🏻or👎🏻: This was definitely a cozy mystery read, nothing too terrifying, but easy to read and get into. If you want a lighter, can probably determine the twists and turns, type of novel, this one’s for you! It’s the first in a series too, so I’m hopeful for the next one to become a little more deep.

⭐️ Overall Rating: 3.5 🌟

This arc was provided by the publisher, via Net Galley, in exchange for my honest review.

Having escaped the small town of Enigma, Georgia to pursue a career as an actress, Maddie finds herself right back where she started when her eccentric Aunt Rose dies leaving her the old house in which she lived and ran the local bookstore. Finding that acting jobs are drying up for women past a certain age, and having no real home of her own, Maddie takes over running the bookstore and meets all the small town characters that were involved in Aunt Rose's life. Unfortunately, one of those people wants her out of the house and attempts to burn the house down. With telephone threats, fires, and the murder of a young girl in the bookstore, Maddie is determined to figure out who is the murderer before the local police officer, (who she actually used to babysit) does.

With a cast of small town locals (who often have more knowledge then they present), author P.J. Nelson keeps the reader guessing which potential suspects had the right amount of motive to commit a murder. A chance or two at possible romance sneaks into the plot with both a handsome landscaper/builder and a hunky firefighter. Assuming there will be more books in the series, readers will have to wait to see how Maddie's romantic life develops in a place called Enigma.

Booked for Murder by P.J. Nelson This was a fun cozy mystery with well developed characters. The main character wasn’t as likable as I think she should be. But entertaining nevertheless. Thank you to NetGalley.

I reviewed this book for honest feedback.

This had a lot of potential. I felt like parts were very well done, and others felt more like incomplete thoughts. Some of the relationships between characters were choppy feeling. I honestly liked the idea behind this whole story, I just felt cheated at times.

3.5 stars

This was a fun read, good pacing and setting was well chosen. I always enjoy following characters returning to their hometowns after a long absence, especially when they have complex feelings about it. With a relatively minimal cast of characters, it still kept me guessing (and second-guessing) until the final reveal.

I do feel like some plot threads were dropped at times, but overall it's a satisfying, cozy read.

This was a cute book. I enjoyed the story, but it just wasn’t for me. I know some people who will really enjoy this. I say if it sounds interviewing take the plunge to read.

P. J. Nelson’s debut novel, Booked for Murder, is a story with suspense, mystery and surprises. Madelyn Brimley returns to her grass-roots southern Georgia hometown after 20 years of pursuing a career in stage acting. She has inherited her aunt’s home and book shop.

Within hours of having arrived, Madelyn immediately becomes aware of danger as someone has set fire in her backyard. After threatening phone calls, an attempt is made to burn her house down and a young college girl inside the house is killed. The mystery unfolds and takes several unexpected turns as Madelyn and 2 of her aunt’s friends attempt to figure out who would be threatening her life.

Things become more complicated as Madelyn realizes that every path she follows only provides partial proof of the truth. Could there be several culprits? During her investigation, several closely held secrets are revealed; hidden motives by unsuspected people are uncovered and there are several surprise suspects.

Nelson’s vivid, colorful descriptions and metaphors contribute to the richness of the story and the scenery lights up, placing the reader in the middle of the activity. There are no dull moments as Madelyn makes some risky decisions that not only jeopardize the investigation, but also subject her to immediate danger. However, she is determined to discover who would kill an innocent young girl in her home in the middle of the night. The reader will be engaged in this fast-moving excitement until the very end.

Madeline, a retired actress, has just been informed that after her Aunt Rose had passed, she was mentioned in the will to take over her aunt's house/bookshop. Madeline arrives in Enigma, Georgia to the house/bookshop and a fire occurs after just arriving. A few days after, one of the local girls, Tandy, stays in the house/bookshop with Madeline. That night a murder happens along with another house fire. It is then that Madeline, Philomena ( best friend of her Aunt Rose), and Gloria (also a newcomer into town, and pastor of the Episcopal church) take the investigation into their own hands to try and find the culprit of the arson fires and the murder.

I thought the concept of the book was really interesting and it was entertaining to read. I like that it gives us some background into who the characters are throughout the book. It is told in first person POV throughout. Although I feel like the beginning was a tad bit rushed, it did get better towards the middle of the book. The inly issue I had was that Madeline was just too confident and a little cocky at times to other characters. I am glad that she eventually found the culprit and got to have a happy ending.

Madeline Brimley, a struggling actress, returns to her small hometown Enigma in Georgia to sort out her late aunt's affairs after her passing. Madeline assumes it will be easy and stress free, in fact she is looking forward to getting back to the house that hold her happiest memories. Unfortunately as soon as she arrives she starts receiving menacing phone calls threatening her life if she doesn't leave. Once the caller tried burning her house down and townsfolk start to mysteriously die, Madeline and her friends set out to figure out who is behind all of it.

This book is a great cozy mystery for those seeking a story that is intriguing and atmospheric without being graphic or frightening. I will say content warning for death as there is a few mentions of it. I enjoyed the variety of characters and the overall story. It was clear from the first few pages that this was a male author trying to write a woman (many women, actually) which isn't always a bad thing but it was just pretty noticeable and I couldn't see past it which ultimately impacted my reading experience. But overall I liked the story and I would recommend this book to those looking for a cozy mystery in the south.

**Spoiler Free Review of Booked for Murder out December 10th**

3.75⭐️

This cozy mystery had me pleasantly surprised with the mystery. Set in a small town, Madeline inherits a bookstore to run. However, when she gets to town and starts receiving threats, only coffee can help her get down to the bottom of a murder and an arsonist’s attack on her house.

This book is for those seeking a cozy setting, a mystery with different turns and unexpected outcomes, and for coffee and book lovers. This has much higher stakes than expected for a cozy mystery, and my jaw dropped within the first 50 pages.

The characters were quirky and lovable. The writing was solid. However, the thing I loved most was Madeline attempting, sometimes failing, to solve the mystery. It gave realism to the story. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and I can’t wait until it’s out in the world this December! It would be a perfect read on a snowy day or by the fire, with of course a cup of coffee in hand.

Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Publishing Group for the ARC!

Madeline Brimley is a bit of a rebel. Not just because she comes from rural Georgia. But because, like her precious Aunt Rose, she can't wait to get out. Like her aunt, she sets out to find the stage. But, after a semi-successful run, she feels the call to return to her roots. Her aunt has passed away and willed to Madeline her bookstore.

Returning to Georgia, she renews acquaintances with several friends including Philemon and the boy she used to babysit. He's now the local policeman. She also meets new people, including the new priest.

But not everyone welcomes her return. She begins receiving mysterious, threatening calls. Her Gazebo is burned down. Then, her volunteer worker is murdered and someone tries to burn down the whole bookstore. Madeline doesn't believe her former babysittee has what it takes to solve the crime. So, she sets out to do it for him.

By and large, I enjoyed this book. The characters are enjoyable and well-constructed. The pace of the book is good. I found the ending to be a bit predictable. But maybe that was just me. I would recommend this book for a good time!