Thank you to NetGalley and P.J. Nelson for giving me a chance to read this book, sorry my thoughts are late! This was a nice cozy mystery, with a slower pace which is served well when it comes to a cozy book.

Booked for Murder is the first book in the An Old Juniper Bookstore Mystery and it does not disappoint. This was a cozy mystery that follows Madeline Brimley who returans to the bookstore she inherited and discovers that small towns hold secrets. The author did a wonderful job writing this one and I look forward to reading the next book in the series. All of the characters in this were amazing and I liked Madeline a lot. This is one that I loved and would recommend to any reader especially to those who love cozy mysteries. Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this read in exchange of my honest review of Booked for Murder by P.J Nelson.

this,book was a great little introduction to Maddie and the town of Enigma. We immediately are engaged in finding out what's going on, after Maddie's first night garners a burned-down gazebo, and a creepy night caller.
Many crossed wires and mistakes, TBH Maddie gets a little annoying with her Nancy-Drew-ishness, but hey, there has to be a baseline for there to be growth, right?
I would definitely enjoy reading more stories with this eclectic group of people.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this story. This one was really hard for me to get into. The story just was not holding my attention and I put it down multiple times and forgot to pick it back up. Giving it two stars just because there are some in this genre that I believe will enjoy it but I think right now it was just hard for me to enjoy.

I won't be reading this. I've tried multiple times and haven't gotten into it. Thank you though for the opportunity. If I read it in the future I will come back and change this review.

A cozy mystery with a clever twist that kept me engaged with its charming characters. I liked Madeline and look forward to seeing her character develop further in the next installment. The writing is engaging and descriptive.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for giving me early access to this title in return for an honest review.

Booked for Murder is the first in a new Cozy Mystery series, and it does not disappoint. It opens with our main character, Madeline Brimley, coming back to a small town in Georgia after her Aunt Rose passes away to settle her estate, and run The Old Juniper Bookstore. After some recent setbacks Madeline is looking for a new start and Old Juniper might be just what she needs. But after threats, fire, and a murder she's not so sure. With the help of some old and new friends, Madeline starts looking into who's trying to chase her out of town, exploring the towns many unique personalities.

I really loved this book. It's very atmospheric and the characters are really well balanced. Madeline is a delight and feels fully developed. I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

Overall this was a very disappointing read. I wanted to like it, but it definitely fell short for me. I didn't connect with the main character, I didn't understand her behaviors, and I think it was all just too unbelieveable.

Thank you Netgalley and the author for providing me with a copy for an honest review. It was just the kind of cozy book one needs when trying to hide inside during winter snow storms! I loved it from the beginning to the end. Madeline returns to her hometown after her aunt's passing, inherting her bookstore (and all the secrets it comes with). Small town drama starts fast and doesn't let go until the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere presented and the characters coming together to solve a big mystery. The ending does leave you wanting to find out what's next and I hope the cast of the next book brings back the main characters.

Just couldn’t do this one. The characters felt boring and annoying. Madeline needed to take a chill pill, every decision she made wasn’t very thought out. The story wasn’t much of a hook. I loved the small town vibes though.

A cozy mystery set in a southern town that was better than I thought it was going to be. This is an engaging story about a girl who inherits her aunt's book store and right away, is entangled in a murder mystery.
Great characters, and a great story that keeps your interest all the way to the end. Some places in the book get a bit redundant but overall, I enjoyed this book.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I sincerely hope there will be more in the little town at the bookshop in the future! The characters were so likeable, their issues were relatable, and their relationships felt real. It was cozy and mysterious, but not overly cheesy.

An engaging cozy mystery that manages to blend in the perfect amount of suspense., humor and charm. Nelson’s writing is witty and the book is filled with relatable characters. The plot kept me guessing and there are plenty of plot twists. I was like say the book is a slow to medium pace book but overall it was fun and entertaining and keeps you hooked until the end.

BOOKED FOR MURDER
Recently finished this read by P.J Nelson, courtesy of Netgalley and St. Martins Press. I knew I wanted to read this when I saw it takes place in rural Georgia as that’s where I live currently!
I really enjoyed this book and Madelines character. She’s sweet but slightly chaotic and relatable to say the least. It’s really twisty in ways you would expect and not expect both. Some are right in your face and others take you off guard. It’s interesting to watch Maddy as she learns all the secrets of her hometown and learns how to process all this information. Reminds me of growing up and finding out all the things about your family and friends you didn’t know before. It did sometimes feel a little slow development wise and that did make it seem longer to finish than it actually was, but nothing too hard to fight through to finish.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Booked for Murder by P.J. Nelson!

After Madeline inherits a book store, she moves home to small town Georgia. It isn't long before things start happening and a body is found at the bookstore. Determined not to let it get the best of her, Madeline sets out to solve the murder.
Opinion
This is a sweet cozy mystery with some punches. This book doesn't follow the typical recipe for a cozy mystery. There were some surprises with "who done it." Overall, this was a great beginning to a new series and I cannot wait for the next book in the series (set to release at the end of 2025.)
Many thanks to Net Galley and to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Madeline (Maddy) has spent her adult life distancing herself from Enigma, Georgia. Her aunt, Ruth, is her one remaining tie to the town. When Ruth dies, Maddy is surprised to learn that she has inherited Ruth’s bookstore. The night Maddy arrives, a gazebo in the backyard is set on fire. Maddy receives a threatening phone call telling her to leave town or else they will burn the house down – with her in it! The book has a cast of characters including Ruth’s friend Wilhemina, a preacher Gloria, Billy the policeman (Maddy used to babysit him), and several college students including Tandy who becomes an instant friend. When someone does try to burn the house down, Maddy finds Tandy’s body in the bookstore stabbed to death. Maddy, Wilhemina and Gloria decide they need to solve the case. Maddy does some crazy (dumb) things while trying to solve the murder. The ending has twists that I didn’t see coming. I’m looking forward to the next chapter in this series.

Aunt Rose willed her house and bookstore to her niece, Mabel. On her first night the gazebo in back is set on fire. Phone calls come warning, Madeline to leave before the house is burned. Next, her aunt's friend, Philomena, shows up. Maddie is strung out, stressed over the fire, phone calls, and then murder of a college helper, Fanny, in the house. This is all too much. Philomena takes her to Gloria, a priest. These three decide to find the murderer. Maddie has a temper, too, which puts her in danger.. Too many potential suspects...who did it? Read and discover the surprising twists.

I thought this book was cute and enjoyable but I found the main character to be a bit dense at times and annoying at other times. I loved Gloria and Phil, I would have loved to see the trio of Rose, Gloria, and Phil together. I liked how the whole town missed Rose and talked about her. I wish I would have seen more of the romance between her and David. Overall, not awful but not my favorite.

Booked for Murder is the first book in what I hope becomes a long running series! I enjoyed the cozy, southern atmosphere and the characters that have personalities as wide and big as the stage.