The fifth installment of Jess Lourey's Murder by the Month series perfectly hits every delightfully weird aspect of the "Great Minnesota Get Together," where the murder of a Battle Lake beauty queen draws Mira James into yet another mystery to solve. In her role as a part-time newspaper reporter, Mira is covering one of the state fair's most iconic events: an expert artists sculpts the heads of several dairy princesses in butter. After a hometown dairy princess dies in front of a huge crowd crammed into the dairy building, Mira promises the girl's grieving mother that she'll do all she can to find out what happened - which she does with the help of her salty octogenarian best friend and the mayor of Battle Lake, who both have the hots (big time) for a particular state fair performer. This page-turner is filled with twists, red herrings, and as always, Lourey's thorough research into setting and her authentically Minnesotan characters.

A nice addition to the series, I really enjoy the character and returning to the midwest vibes and strong complex female main character themes. The mystery is once again compelling and the pacing and conclusion are well done!

I have read all of the murder-by-month mysteries so far (6 books), and I love them all. This one takes place at the Minnesota State Fair and Mira finds herself knee-deep in cows, murder, and scandals. She was sent to the Fair by her boss at the newspaper she works for, to cover all things Battle Lake. The newly chosen queen of the dairy is murdered right in front of Mira. She now feels responsible to find out who did it and why. This one takes several twists and turns before the truth is revealed. Mira can take beatings, solve murders, but getting the guy just keeps eluding her. I really hope she finally gets Johnny. I definitely recommend the series.

September Mourn by Jess Lourey is full of murder and suspense, the case twists and turns to keep you guessing right up to the end for a compelling conclusion.

This cozy mystery is book 5 in the Murder by the Month series. It was a quick read. It did feel a little different from the books that I've read in the series so far (maybe from the change in setting?). It still does hit all the points of a traditional cozy mystery, but it didn't quite hit the mark for me, I somehow could not get invested.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Not sure if it's the change of setting for this book, but this seemed different to the rest of the books in the series so far. The characters weren't weighed down by being over constantly over quirky and protagonist Mira had a balance that hasn't existed in the prior books.

The mystery takes place at a state fair, much of the fair being rural in nature. I can relate to that, having grown up in a country area. Maybe that's why I related to this mystery so much. The setting for the murder is inventive and grabbed my attention. But it's not a mystery that will keep you guessing. I think the culprit is quite easy to pick once you meet the character, but the story introduces a lot of new characters that are there to highlight more of Mira's past, a part of the mystery, or a part of the more serious topic of big agribusiness and the methods used to increase animal growth and productivity. Introducing the more serious topic in this mystery gave the story another layer and it's a worthwhile topic to discuss. I do wish the author went even further, but it probably would darken the lighter tone of the story. And the lighter tone did match the setting of the state fair.

I really enjoy this book - it kept me engaged from start to finish and I didn’t have any difficulty understand or relating to the prose. The characters were well developed and easy to like. I’d definitely recommend reading this book!

I love a great murder mystery! September Mourn by Jess Lourey is a gripping thriller that masterfully weaves suspense with emotional depth. The narrative, set in a small town haunted by secrets, is both chilling and engrossing. Lourey’s character development is notable; the protagonist’s journey is compelling and authentically portrayed. While the plot twists are engaging, some may find a few predictable elements. The pacing is brisk, keeping readers on edge throughout. Overall, Lourey's skillful storytelling and atmospheric setting make September Mourn a standout in the genre. It's a captivating read that will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers and suspense.

I love this series, I think it’s so cute that it’s a monthly mystery. This is the second book I’ve read in the series and I am definitely going to read the rest. Any book that is humorous but there’s mystery - is an automatic win for me.

Times flies, and another month is here! Funny crew with plenty of laughs and yes, another dead body under nefarious circumstances. A fast and light cozy read, great for the weekend or vacation.

In September Mourn, the fifth novel in Jess Lourey’s Mira James Mystery series, the excitement of the Minnesota State Fair is overshadowed by a chilling crime that thrusts Mira James back into the spotlight. As she covers the fair for the Battle Lake Recall, the festive atmosphere turns dark when Milkfed Mary, the newly crowned Queen of the Dairy and a local icon, is found murdered amid her butter sculpture. Balancing her investigative duties with romantic moments with her charming beau Johnny Leeson, Mira dives into the case with her trademark humor and tenacity.

I enjoy a good mystery book, and the premise of this story was interesting. Mira is witness to the death of the newest Queen of the Dairy, at the Minnesota State Fair. Who is responsible for this tragic death? The book offers up several possible culprits, and we follow Mira's investigation as she tries to solve this case.

I realise this book is part of the 'Murder by Month Mystery', however it is the first in the series that I have read. I am clearly missing Mira's backstory and the history to her relationships with people like Mrs. Berns and Johnny. I found her indecisiveness with Johnny to be confusing, but believe this is likely due to me not having read the previous books.

It's a rather relaxed murder mystery, previous books I have read have been much more intense. I found whilst I didn't dislike the book, I wasn't as captivated by the storyline. It wasn't a book that had me desperate to finish to find out who the killer was. Thats not to say its a bad book, but I think it's shown me that I prefer murder mystery thrillers that have more complex storylines.

Overall, it was a good read. There were humorous moments throughout, and I thought the characters were likeable. It was well written, touching on important issues without being overwhelming. I'm rating it 3.5/5☆, as I liked the book, but have definitely read better.

**Thank you to NetGalley, for an early copy of the book to read**

I just finished this book, and it was nothing like I expected. From the very first page, you are hooked. I mean, who wouldn't be when a State Fair Queen is murdered in front of people and reporters, and no one knows how it happens. No, I'm not giving anything away. That's the very first chapter. The book follows a reporter on her quest to find the truth and her journey at the state fair. It keeps your attention, and while you think it's one person, the book then gives you hints it could be another. Pair that suspense with two older characters that break the main character out of her shell, and you have a very entertaining story. If you like mystery but also wholesome content and old lady antics, this book is definitely for you. It's a very easy read that took no time to finish. #netgalley #SummerMourn #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookreviewer #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booklover #bookcommunity #booknerd #bookblogger #bookish #bookworm #bookaddict #readersofinstagram #bookreviews #booksofinstagram #bookrecommendation #bibliophile #booksbooksbooks #books #bookphotography #bookblog #bookshelf #bookaholic #booklove #reading #bookclub #igreads #goodreads #bookobsessed #bookreviewersofinstagram

September Mourn by J. Lorey is book 5 in the Murder-by-Month-Mystery.
One dead dairy queen, one reporter who has dead bodies following her.
The author is master at building tension and in keeping the reader hanging on the edge of his seat. A fantastic read, 4.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Part of a fun series but set up as an easy read as a standalone, September Mourn follows local Minnesota reporter and library Mira as she finds herself caught up in solving a crime at the state fair. With the odd death of not so nice Milk Maid (a local beauty pageant) Ashley, Mira has to hunt down a killer. While this story and the mystery seemed fairly simple (surely it was the elusive runner up to blame) it quickly got a lot of more complicated as Mira finds herself uncovering a conspiracy and a lot of characters who were part of Ashley’s not so simple world.

This was a highly entertaining story, and I loved the supporting characters in Mira’s life. I’m going to check out other books in this series, and I’d highly recommend it as one that will be fun to pick up if you’re in the mood for a funny who dunnit.

September Mourn is book five in the Murder-by-Month series and probably my least favorite thus far. There weren't as many laughs as in her previous books, and the investigation that Mira undertook was kind of boring and confusing to follow due to its extremely lengthy descriptions of dairy farms. Some of the subject matter was interesting and disgusting to say the least. If I wasn't lactose intolerant, I would definitely steer clear of consuming milk or large quantities of dairy. Yuck! Mrs. Berns and Kennie, as always, were their normal silly selves, and made up for the parts of this book that were lacking. The story ended on a good note...finally!!! Even though I didn't enjoy this one as much as her others, I still look forward to reading the next in the series.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for granting me early digital access in exchange for my honest review!

September Mourn was a funny mystery read. I very much enjoyed it and it reminded me of works by Janet Evanovich. If you’re looking for a good time pick up this book.

I really enjoyed the characters of mira, mrs.berns and Kennie. The setting of the Minnesota state fair was fun to read about since I grew up spending time at the Wisconsin fair. There were a lit of interesting details about the dairy industry also and adding in the potential budding romance between Johnny and mira made for an interesting read.

I cannot get enough of Jess Lourey’s writing and the murder by the month series is perhaps my favourite. September Mourn again delivers with a clever mystery entwined with much hilarity, including ridiculous situations and characters - both new and known. This mystery was especially appealing to me as it touches on the terrible world of commercial animal exploitation and does so in a realistic and non-preachy way.

This is such a fun series & I’ve enjoyed them all so far! Author has a great sense of humor!
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.