As an older Gen Z I was super excited to read this book. I grew up watching Halloween town and I was not disappointed. I don't want to give too much away but I don't give out a lot of 5 stars and this definitely deserves it

This was such a cute book! I love all the fall and Halloween vibes so much. This was a fun cozy mystery with loveable characters and a wonderful setting.

Finding not one, but two dead bodies is not the best way to celebrate the Halloween holidays. Liked this one overall, but at times felt there were a few too many red herrings trying to find connects between the past and present. Still though, liked it enough to see how it ends and would recommend.

Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop by Emmeline Duncan is set in an Oregonian town that celebrates Halloween themes year round. As Bailey, the owner of the bookshop runs the book festival, while searching for her birth father and incidentally finds a body or two, she also has to find the murderer to keep herself out of jail. With the funky town location and characters this is a fun addition to the cozy genre.

CHAOS AT THE LAZY BONES BOOKSHOP is the first book in the brand-new Halloween Bookshop Mystery series by Emmeline Duncan. With a super cute theme and pun-y shops and titles, this new book brings Halloween fun to the pages with a crafty murder to solve. Protagonist Bailey Briggs has taken over her grandfather’s bookshop, Lazy Bones Books. Besides gearing up for Halloween, Bailey is hosting a Spooky Season Literary Festival on top of a ghost-hunting reality TV show haunting the town. Ms. Duncan has created a strong cast of characters surrounding Bailey, and they’re people you’d enjoy hanging out with. And most adorable is Jack Skeleton, Bailey’s fashionista Great Pyrenees dog, who steals each scene he inhabits. The author has also taken great care to bring the Halloween-themed town setting to life with a strong descriptive voice. It’s too bad Elyan Hallow, Oregon is only a fictional town because it would be a great fall destination!

When the host of the ghost hunting show is murdered, Bailey becomes a person of interest. It’s no secret around town that she had strong words with the man, not long before his body was found. The clues are there for a reader to follow, and there are plenty of suspect to keep them guessing. In amongst the murder mystery, a thread of family issues surrounds Bailey and seems like they will be continued in the next book. The emotional family angle only adds to the appeal of the storyline and makes Bailey seem more relatable. I enjoyed this book and the introduction to the residents of Elyan Hallows and Lazy Bones Books and look forward to reading more in the series!

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop by Emmeline Duncan is the first book in a new cozy mystery series: A Halloween Bookshop Mystery. This was cute.

I love Halloween and Fall more than any other time of the year. I always have, and always will. My heart will always be attached to cozy mysteries as they are my favorite genre. Of course that means I had to read this new book.

It is an adorable start to a new series. It is unique, quirky, cute, and entertaining. Sure it needs ironing out, but it is just the first entry and sometimes the groundwork and foundation needs to be laid out before the characters can begin to grow.

It still kept me entertained, engaged, and coming back for more. I consider that a success and will definitely check out the next book. I like Bailey, the MC, and the Oregon location. A perfect place for the theme and vibe.

Good start.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Kensington Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 7/23/24.

Bailey Briggs is the manager of Lazy Bones Booke in Elyan Hollow, Oregon, a Halloween-themed town. She also runs the Spooky Season Literary Festival and it’s time for the Festival and Halloween, but this year’s festivities begin with a murder and Bailey discovers the body. The cast and crew of “Gone Ghouls,” a ghost-hunting reality TV show is also in town. Can Bailey (and her dog, Jack Skeleton) solve the murder?

The Halloween-themed town is a cute little conceit for this first in a planned series cozy mystery, and any book set in a bookstore is always welcome. The author includes nice descriptions of fun extras in the store and of the whimsical little stores that make up downtown Elyan Hollow. The whole package makes for a cute murder mystery….would like to see a bit more of Bailey’s dad.

#ChaosattheLazyBonesBookshop #NetGalley is the first in a new series that really grabbed my attention.
Bailey Briggs is an interesting character and I found myself immediately connected to her.
Bailey has an incredible background and despite everything, she seems very happy in her life.
This is her first time hosting a large literary event, and when someone ends up dead, Bailey becomes a suspect. Bailey is determined to find the truth and it was exciting to discover all the secrets the small Halloween town holds.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
I'm looking forward to reading more in this new series.