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.

A great new cozy, the first in what I hope is a series, about Maddie, an actor who has struggled for success in the Atlanta theater world, but moves to her tiny hometown of Enigma, Georgia, because she has inherited her aunts bookstore. Someone is trying to scareher off by setting fire to her property, and when a murder happens, it looks like Maddie was actually the intended victim. She sets out to solve the case, and in the meantime, begins to build a new life for herself in her picturesque little town.

Madeline returns to Enigma, Georgia after the death of her beloved aunt Rose. She isn’t convinced that she can continue running her bookshop, but with few alternatives, she is willing to try. Until someone sets fire to the gazebo and gives Madeline an ominous message to ‘get out’. Then a former friend of Rose’s who just might make the best biscuits in the world is murdered. Madeline is ready to pack up and go when the terms of her aunt’s will put that option out of reach. Madeline has to figure out what is going on before she is the next victim.
There was more than one good twist in the story. I will admit to looking in the wrong direction for the whodunnit and why. I’m curious to see if there will be a second book and if so, where Madeline will go next. There was still a lot I wanted to know about Rose. Maybe more information will come out in future books.

This one was a miss from me. I found the main character very unlikeable. She just did not feel genuine at all to me. It made it difficult to really care about the story. Honestly, all of the characters felt a bit flat. I hop that the author continues to improve in subsequent novels.
Thanks to Net Galley for the book to review.

What a fun book! Haven't read anything by PJ Nelson before, so didn't know what to expect going in, but this was great. Ended up reading the book very quickly over 2 days and enjoyed it. Will keep an eye out for more by Nelson. Thanks for the ARC!

Booked for Murder is P.J. Nelson’s debut novel, following former star Madeline Brimley as she returns to her hometown of Enigma, GA. After inheriting her aunt's bookstore, Madeline starts receiving death threats, leading to the unraveling of small-town secrets.

I really loved the concept of Booked for Murder. P.J. Nelson does a good job of hooking the reader in the beginning scenes of the book. The author truly nails the depiction of small-town life when crime and gossip start to arise.

There were a few slower spots where I expected something bigger to happen, but it never did. While I enjoyed the book, I wish it had a bit more suspense. Although it's a cozy mystery, some parts were a bit predictable. I also wish some of the characters were developed a little more throughout the story. We got pieces of people’s stories, but I was left with some questions at the end. Since this is labeled as mystery #1, I'm hopeful there will be more installments to develop the story further.

Overall, this was a good book that I enjoyed reading, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries.

A new cozy series, set in a Bookshop!

Madeline has finally come home to Enigma, Georgia. Leaving New York and Atlanta behind with her stage career.

After the death of her much loved Aunt Rose, Madeline has inherited the house and the bookshop. She has also inherited a host of quirky characters and a houseful of secrets!

Oh, and someone wants to burn her out.

I enjoyed these characters and will definitely read the next one!


Thank you!

NetGalley/ St. Martin’s Press December 10, 2024

The twists and turns hidden in her hometown keep Madeline on her toes after she is called home to deal with the affairs of her aunt who has passed away. Arson, murder and drugs are all hidden in the small town. The story takes a few interesting turns but it keeps the reader occupied. Not bad for reading by the pool or next to the fire (no pun intended).

Overall, I found this to be a very fun read. I was surprised to find that the author was a man, because the female point of view felt very well captured.

What I liked:
* In spite of the fact that Madeline did have a potential love interest, this did not turn into some stupid romance book.
* The cast of characters were all given rich, layered personalities and interests. There was plenty of opportunity to lean into tired "Southern hillbilly" tropes, but the author allowed them the dignity of existing as people, not stereotypes.
* Madeline was an imperfect lead. She made stupid mistakes, she wasn't always her best self, and she could be petty and stubborn. But she was self-aware enough to realize when she was acting like a jerk, and she was able to recognize how dangerous some of her choices were in hindsight. She learned from her experiences.

There's nothing that I actively disliked. It felt a little bit long but I can't think of anything that could have been cut without ruining the flow of the story. And I am not really a fan of Book series so I appreciated that this could be taken as a standalone book for readers like me. The central mystery was solved conclusively, but the worldbuilding provided a lot plot threads to follow into the next book for those who are so inclined.

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for access to a digital ARC. My honest review is my own opinion.

When Aunt Rose died, Madeline inherited the house and bookshop. After arriving back in town, someone tried to burn the gazebo down, then there were threats. Lastly her employee being killed onsite was one step too far. Madeline is determined to figure out who is behind this. With a wacky cast of characters, lots of drama and jazz this story will keep you guessing until the end. This was just a wonderful read with laughs, sorrow and hope all rolled into one fabulous novel.

This was a quick read about Madeline, former actress and niece of well loved Aunt Rose who died and bequeaths Madeline the bookstore in Enigma Georgia. Returning back to this small town where she was looked after for a good portion of her young life by Rose, Madeline is only in the shop/house for half a minute when suddenly the 100+ year old gazebo in the back of the property is ablaze and not long after that, she receives a mysteriously threatening phone call telling her to "get out!" More odd things follow over the next few days as she tries to navigate ownership of this bookstore which is very close to a small liberal arts college and frequented by the students especially Tandy who looked after the shop with Aunt Rose, so it's a huge shock when sweet souled Tandy is tragically murdered while staying the night there. It's a small town with lots of secrets and a lot of resentments so along with Madeline's "aunt" Phil (a professor at the college) and Father Gloria (the new minister at the church), the three of them set out to find out who could have done this to Tandy and why.
I liked this story well enough but there were some flaws for me: not enough suspenseful build up, the dialog was sometimes sarcastic and unrealistic (especially for someone so new to town as Madeline is), so much happens in such a small timeline, for someone as worldly as Madeline seemed to be, she took so many foolish chances. The scene where the drunken men gather outside the church and attempt to burn it and Gloria, Phil and Madeline are the only ones there to diffuse it, was very unrealistic. I mean, it could have gone so terribly wrong. And the fact that Madeline reports the fire to the structure but not the two threatening phone calls, how dumb is that??
But, it makes sense now all the references to musical theatre, Shakespeare, jazz music when you find out the author (using a pseudonym) is a former performer. That does add a nice bit to the storyline.
Loved the cover art! Very eye-catching.

A young woman returns to the home and bookshop she inherited from her aunt to find there's someone calling to get her to move away, as well as fires breaking out on the property. Then, another young woman is killed.

Based on the description I was super excited to pick up this book! I think it really had the aspects that made a good book but just lacked a little development. It had the potential to be a 5 star read but fell flat. I did enjoy the book and it was a fast read for me but I did expect more. I would read more from this author in the future.

Madeline is drawn back into her hometown after the passing of her beloved grandmother. Unfortunately for her, there's not exactly a welcome party waiting for her...unless you account for a mystery person threatening her & a murder happening right under her nose! This book follows her journey in sleuthing her way into solving what the police are too slow to put together. You'll see her find herself within this story as well! I love a good mystery book & this one had a plot twist that made me cry then laugh then say "WHAAAAT?!"