Madeline Brimley left her hometown of Enigma years ago to pursue a dream of a career on the stage first in New York then Atlanta. When her beloved Aunt Rose passes she inherits the eccentric woman's home and quirky The Old Juniper Bookstore. Madeline's happiest memories are of spending time at the store and is determined to keep it open for its long time customers. But it quickly becomes apparent that someone wants it and her gone. First the garden gazebo is burnt and a few nights later the arsonist attacks the premises. Madeline is made of strong stuff refusing to be intimidated. When her sales clerk is murdered and the police are slow to respond Madeline begins her own investigation. Although I am not much of a cozy reader I found this debut novel to be a quick and engaging read. It clearly depicts small town life in the South with the required quirky cast of characters. There were times it read slow and predictable but for a first book it was quite well drawn with action and insight into the charsacters. I would definitely pay another visit to the Old Juniper Bookstore in Enigma, Georgia.

Thank you Netgalley for my ARC of Booked For Murder! Enjoyable read, slow burn. Would recommend if you want a easy read.

Great cozy mystery! The descriptions of Madeline's surroundings are lovely and her thoughts and conversations are insightful. It seemed that every time she bumped into someone she was certain that they were the murderer, and so was I! Great ending!

Cozy mystery. Madeline Brimley inherits a house which includes a bookstore from her aunt and returns to her hometown in Georgia to take it on, leaving her career as an actor behind. After threatening calls, arson which leaves the home's gazebo in a pile of ashes, and finding a dead body in the store, Madeline starts to investigate what's happening in the small town.

I didn't really like any of the primary characters, all of whom felt a bit sketchily developed and prone to overreact. The story bogged down in the middle with unrelated plot details. Madeline didn't seem particularly competent as an investigator, and her insistence the local police couldn't solve the crimes made little sense - they probably would have done as well as she did. I read an ARC of the book; thanks to NetGalley and publisher Minotaur.

I liked a lot of characters in this book and their relationships. My least favorite character in the book happened to be the main character so it puts a little damper on the rest of a good solid read.

You could guess some things coming but the most frustrating part of the book was how headstrong the lead could be about most things with what seemed to be simple or small things that got blown out of proportion.

There were also a few small things that seemed to get started in the book with relationships or seemed like they had a purpose that never really seemed to get answered in the end. That may change if a sequel comes to the series, which if it continues on the stories given I expect it to be a good read.

Overall, good read. Love the supporting characters which was, in my opinion, the best part of the book. I should mention as well I read a pre-release copy of this book.

Wow, would I love to inherit a bookstore. This premise got me excited to read the story. Booked for Murder is a cut above the usual cozy mystery with plenty of twists and turns before the ultimate reveal. I look forward to more from P.J. Nelson.

What a fun cozy mystery. Madeline inherits her Aunt’s home and bookshop, but from the beginning it is obvious someone doesn’t want her there. When someone is murdered in the bookshop Madeline is determined to find out who doesn’t want her there. I cannot wait to read the next installment of this mystery series.

I want to start by thanking the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this book. This book was super fun to read and I kept trying to guess what was going to happen next.

4⭐️ for me. This was a very cute wholesome small town murder mystery. As there were a lot of guessing with who done it you can start to see little pieces forming together. It also has a nice plot of friendship after the passing of a loved one. I do wish it had a little more plot twists but if you are looking for a cozy murder mystery that is also centered around a bookstore, I would recommend checking it out.

I'm a big fan of cozies and I'm a sucker for a book store setting, but I was not a big fan of Booked for Murder. The characters made inexplicable decisions, the setting is not a place I would want to revisit and I guessed the murderer so early that I thought it had to be a red herring. This is the first of a series and I've been wrong about the first in a series before, so I would be willing to read the next one to see if it rounds out the premise a little better. The town of Enigma could use a little charm--a reason that people stay. Maybe we'll learn why Maddy. is so quick to trust and just as quick to cut someone loose if they anger or disappoint her. I received this Advanced Reader Copy of Booked for Murder from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Great debut novel! A cozy mystery for book lovers especially since it’s set in a bookshop! Madeline takes over her aunts bookshop after her death in Georgia. It is clear quickly that this small town is not as welcoming as it seems when someone leaves her a very blunt message. This isn’t just a mystery but a story about personal growth as we watch Madeline move through her new life. The ending felt a bit abrupt but other than that it was wonderful! Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher.

If I am anything, it is a sucker for a cozy mystery. Booked for Murder is set in a lovely southern bookstore that is inherited by our main character, Madeline Brimley. Madeline quickly realizes that this small town holds many secrets, and some are deadly.

This was a fun debut book and had me guessing throughout what really happened. There is a perfect blend of intrigue, mystery, and suspense mixed into this whodunnit. I found myself wanting to keep picking this story up to find out what happens next! I hope that P. J. Nelson continues to make more fun mysteries for me to read late into the evening.

Thank you P. J. Nelson and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

This drama had all the elements I like in a cozy mystery, a heroine, a villain, an eclectic cast of characters, a small-town atmosphere and suspects, clues and secrets just waiting to be uncovered. The author did a great job in presenting this tale with visually descriptive narrative, engaging dialogue and enough suspense to keep me intrigued throughout. There were a few twists that I did not see coming that enhanced my reading pleasure. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I look forward to the next book in this delightfully appealing series.

This is a top notch cozy mystery that will have special appeal for book lovers. Returning home to Enigma, Georgia, Madeline Brimley, is looking for a fresh start running her aunt's bookstore. She wasn't sure what to expect, but her homecoming isn't as joyful as she'd hoped as she experiences two fires, a murder and a near riot at the church just down the road from the bookstore. As she investigates the events she finds that the small town holds big secrets and bigger emotions which all come out. The characters are well developed, Madeline is very smart, brave and likable. The plot is fast paced and the story is well written.

I read this ARC from NetGalley in a day. I loved the characters in it as well as how much you were kept guessing. When her Aunt Rose passes away, Madeline moves back to take over the bookstore her Aunt owned. She isn’t there for more than 15min when chaos ensues. This book will keep you guessing and provide some comic relief along the way. I highly recommend it!

I got this book through Netgalley, which I appreciate and thank you, for me to read and give a review. I genuinely did like this book and thought it was well written, but I did not care for the ending. I felt like there was a little warm-up, and then it abruptly ended, and I was left wondering what was going to happen. I'm not sure if there is a second part of the book, which would make sense because it kind of did leave on a cliffhanger. The characters throughout the novel were definitely different and interesting with twists that I was not expecting, so that's a plus. I did like that it was mostly female characters with a really strong emphasis on independence and willpower. I like how the author threw in mental health struggles and how to deal with those emotions. Definitely going to read the second book if there is one!

Light-hearted fun read for a quiet afternoon.

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

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of *Booked for Murder*! This delightful cozy mystery takes readers on an engaging journey filled with intrigue, self-discovery, and just the right amount of charm.

I thoroughly enjoyed the blend of light-hearted moments and the suspense of uncovering a killer. The pacing was just right, making it a quick yet fulfilling read that leaves you eagerly turning pages.

What I loved most about *Booked for Murder* is that it's not just about solving a mystery—it's also a heartfelt exploration of personal growth.

If you're looking for a captivating escape into a world where wit meets mystery, I highly recommend picking up *Booked for Murder*. It's the perfect blend of cozy atmosphere and thrilling suspense that will leave you craving more!

As someone who acts when not devouring books, I *really* wanted to like this. But when Madeleine says on page one she’s “too old for the ingenue, too young for the character parts” I knew she was going to be a hard heroine to like. Character role =\= old. Therefore, I was really surprised to read at the end that Nelson was an “award-winning actor”.

Luckily, Phil and Georgia were decent foils, but their conversations all felt superficial; too many theatrical quotes tossed around to feign personality — and again, I say this as an actor married to an actor so I should have loved that!

Billy got an arc, which was neat — I was glad he finally told Madeleine to let him do his dang job — but I felt this was too much like the theatre Madeleine claims to hate “style over substance, spectacle over story”. We learned so much about Mike Jordon and then he was barely there, and the fumbled discussion over Faye — who I can only presume is a non-issue, given Madeleine’s multiple other misplaced priorities — does not leave me yearning for the answer or a romance in the next book.

Madeline is living my dream- inheriting a lovely old house turned bookstore. At least right until her guest is murdered. This was a fun and cozy read that I’ll be recommending to everyone.