When I saw that Ellie Alexander was coming out with a new series I was pretty excited. Then I saw that ARCs were available on netgalley and I ran there to request one! I was lucky enough to get accepted and read it as soon as I could!

I really liked the start to this series in this amazing new town of Redwood Grove. There are basically two mysteries going on here with one being older and one newer. The characters are amazing and I loved the festival!

I'm really looking forward to the next one and having another series to keep tabs on.

Excellent read! Redwood grove seems like a cozy town. I love Annie and her drive to save the bookstore. The twists were amazing. I can’t wait to go back to visit and find out more about Liam and if they solve the murder.

Ellie Alexander has started a new mystery series set in Northern California. Annie Murray works at a mystery bookstore and lives in a small cottage with her feline, Professor Plum, in the charming town of Redwood Grove. Annie had originally planned to be a criminologist but the tragic murder of her best friend a few days before her college graduation led her to seek a calmer life in the bookstore. But, the bookstore is in financial peril, so Holly and her workmate Fletcher come up with the idea of a town-wide mystery festival. All is going well until three of her college classmates, none who were close friends, show up for the event. When one of them turns up dead in the bookstore, Annie puts her criminologist hat back on and tries to solve the crime. Well written and suspenseful, it left me looking forward to the next book. I was lucky enough to be given an advanced reader copy by NetGalley but the opinion is my own.

I am already a long time fan of Ellie Alexander so I was thrilled to receive an advanced copy of this first book in her new series. I love that this one revolves around a bookstore and the premise of different mystery themed festivals is a fun idea. Looking forward to that. The location sounds promising and I hope it gets more descriptive in the next book. I am slowly warming to the characters. Annie came off somewhat weak and depressing at first but she got better. The romantic possibility seemed a little off and didn't really work but hopefully that will come around as well. I enjoyed this first and very much look forward to the next one.

Annie Murray, content with her life as a bookseller in the quaint town of Redwood Grove, is shaken when business slows down. Determined to revive her bookstore, she organizes a large mystery book festival with the help of the town's small business owners. However, the joy of the festival is shattered when a young woman, a former classmate of Annie’s, is discovered murdered amongst the mystery shelves of the town's most celebrated bookstore.

Annie moves full speed ahead to save the festival. With the help of her old criminology professor, now a detective, and her numerous friends, she pulls together a list of suspects. Among them are a boutique store owner, a troublesome old college classmate, and a bitter ex-boyfriend.
Once a criminology major in college, Annie becomes deeply involved in the case. She uses all that she has learned about crime investigation from her college courses, and together with her former professor, they race against time to find the killer.

A cozy, edge of the seat mystery that will keep you reading until the end.

This is the first book in a new cozy mystery series that is set in a fictional town in northern CA, in a bookshop that is struggling to survive. Employee Annie Murray convinces the town to host a mystery book festival that is very successful, until Annie finds a dead body in the titular secret bookcase. Lots of suspects appear as Annie tries to solve the murder during the festival. Unlike other amateur sleuths, Annie actually has a degree and training in criminology, plus her old college professor is the new detective in town. I did not figure out the correct culprit, but looking back, I should have. Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing an ARC.

I would die for this bookstore and living museum. I would walk down that pebbled driveway and spend hours wandering and reading and sipping coffee.

Liam?? Enemies to lovers perhaps?

I like the Scarlet story sprinkled throughout. It’s not overbearing but just like in real life it’s always there following Annie around.

Ellie describing this bookstore makes me wanna jump into this book!

I don’t like how secretive every character is. I think some nuggets should be revealed but every time she asks a question it’s evaded and nothing is told to her. Wish we would get more context as to who everyone is a little quicker. Lots of names but no background. And the coincidences of everyone being in this small town?

I like how Annie uses her criminology side of her brain sometimes. It’s her passion and her beginning and to see her use it is great.

And a sneak peak at the next one!

These were my thoughts throughout the book. Ellie really knows how to draw you into the setting and makes you want to stay there. The characters were like able and we were left with a little nugget at the end to get us drawn into the next one! I throughly enjoyed this first book in a new cozy mystery series by one of my favorite authors.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Ellie Alexander for this wonderful cozy mystery!

The story revolves around a little bookstore called "The Secret Bookcase" in a small town, Redwood Grove. The business is declining and the only two workers, Annie and Fletcher along with their owner Hal comes up with an interesting idea of hosting a 'Mystery fest' in their town. But things take an unexpected turn when one of Annie's college mates gets murdered in the bookstore. Still grieving the death of her best friend 10 years ago, Annie thinks the murders are connected and decides to put her criminology degree to use and start to investigate.

This is the first book in the well-written cozy mystery series 'The secret bookcase mystery'. It has a perfect blend of coziness of the bookstore and murder mystery vibes. The writing is so vivid that sometimes I felt like I was inside the story. The author succeeded in making us suspecting almost all the characters. The ending was so unexpected and I completely enjoyed how it turned out. I kept guessing who could be the killer and my suspect list keeps on changing after every two pages.

The book ended with a cliffhanger related to Scarlet's (Annie's best friend) death and I am guessing the next book will reveal more about her murder. I'm so excited to know what awaits us in the next book.

Thank you NetGalley, Storm publishing and Ellie Alexander for providing me with an eARC.
i will be posting the review on my Instagram on 02 June 2024.

The Body in the Bookstore by Ellie Alexander is book 1 in the Secret Bookcase series. It is published on 19 June. Thank you to Netgalley, Storm Publishing and the author for the advance review copy. I am always tempted by books set in book shops or libraries. This bookshop in Redwood Grove, California, sounds like paradise. Annie Murray is the bookseller and event coordinator of the Secret Bookcase bookshop and has been for 8 years. She had completed her Degree in Criminology but the murder of her best friend all those years ago sent her away, and she ended up in Redwood Grove at the bookshop. She is still coming to terms with the death of her friend. In the meantime, she organises a mystery book festival involving the whole community in the town, which sounds like a whole lot of fun. It sounds such an intriguing idea. This cozy crime read was just so enjoyable and I found I was immersed in the story. They are great characters. I really like Annie, and also Fletcher, her work colleague, but also Hal, who owns the bookshop. He is a gentle soul.

The Body in the Bookstore by Ellie Alexander is the beginning of A Secret Bookcase Mysteries. We get to meet Annie Murray, who loves mysteries, along with her best friend, Pri plus Annie’s coworker, Fletcher and her boss, Hal. There are a variety of shop owners too. Annie is intelligent, has an attention for detail, and a passion for books. Annie is a likeable and relatable protagonist. I hope we get to learn more about her as the series progresses. I love the bookstore, the Secret Bookcase. I could spend hours in there searching for books to add to my TBR pile. I love the items added for Mystery Fest (I want one of the old typewriters). Mystery Fest was a clever idea and a great way to save the bookstore. It is an event that I would love to attend (so would any mystery lover). It was great the way the shop owners of Redwood Grove (well, all but one grump) became involved in the event. The author did a wonderful job of worldbuilding. The mystery was interesting. I like where the victim was found. Annie is an eager sleuth and Pri is happy to assist her. There are clues scattered along the way as well as a red herring or two. The discussions between Annie and Dr. Caldwell were insightful, but they could meander on. I have a feeling that Annie will be working with Dr. Caldwell again in the future. There were repetitive details (the same details repeated two, three, or five times). There was a touch of romance as Annie found herself attracted to a certain pub owner. It had Annie blushing like a teenage girl (and her mind wandering). Annie is told at the end that there is information that may help her solve the murder of her college best friend. We will have to wait for A Murder at the Movies (preview at the end of the book) for more details. The Body in the Bookstore is a charming California cozy with a secret cubby, a killed college acquaintance, a slew of suspects, beatnik storyteller, a bitter ex-boyfriend, a pushy publisher, and a curious criminalist.

The Body in the Bookstore (A Secret.Bookcase Mystery) is a wonderful new cozy mystery by Ellie Alexander. The characters are likable and interesting. The cozy mystery is intriguing and kept me guessing. Annie Murray works at The Secret Bookcase Bookstore in Redwood Grove, CA. Hal Christie owns the mystery bookstore and Fletcher is a good friend. The bookshop is having major financial problems and will close if they can't improve profits. Annie comes up with the idea of a Mystery Festival Weekend. Almost all of the town businesses are excited about the idea. Everyone except Liam Donovan who owns the Stag Head Pub. He constantly annoys Annie and their conversations are rather adversarial. Annie's friend Priya (Pri) Kapoor thinks they could get along if given the chance. In college, Annie's best friend Scarlet was killed and the case was never solved and it still haunts her. As people arrive for the Mystery Festival, Annie runs into Kayla Mintner who Annie went to college with although they weren't close. Kayla is helping a local business woman with their website. Then Annie runs into Monica and Seth, both of whom also went to college with Annie and Kayla. Small world? Annie is a little suspicious. Monica is representing author Eli Ledger. The Mystery Festival is going well until someone ends up dead in the secret bookcase at the bookstore. There are several arguments, secrets and suspicions. It kept me guessing until the end. It makes for a great cozy mystery that was enjoyable and hard to put down! #TheBodyInTheBookstore #ASecretBookcaseMhstery #NetGalley #StormPublishing

This is the first book in the new series by the prolific Ellie Alexander who is clearly a contender for the crown of modern cosy mystery Queen. I've wanted to read her books for a while but struggled with a starting point so this was the perfect introduction for me and I wasn't disappointed.
Set in the chocolate box town of Redwood Grove, California, our protagonist Annie puts together a mystery themed literary festival to reignite the failing fortunes of her workplace The Secret Bookcase and the other cute but quiet businesses in the town. Of course, not everything goes smoothly when the title of the book comes true and they discover a body in the bookstore.
I found the characters interesting and sufficiently detailed that I could keep track of who was who. I found the description of the book festival really sumptuous, especially the food and the bookish merchandise they were selling - I need to buy book themed socks after reading this.
This was a quintessential cosy mystery, the goodies were good, the baddies were bad and the violence was muted. Perfectly pitched as an antidote for a scary world.
This was my first Ellie Alexander, but definitely not my last. Thank you #netgalley for letting me have an early read.

This is the first in a new series by Ellie Alexander. I felt it was off to a slow start but it was necessary to lay a foundation of recurring characters. I see the potential of A Secret Bookcase Mystery becoming a cozy I equate to the Bakeshop Mystery series. I’m sure I’ll grow to love Annie as I do Jules.

The book is well-written and plotted. We had a few suspects and twists and turns. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series. I rate this initial book a 3.5

Netgalley gave me an advanced readers copy and I am not required to leave a positive review.

Literary Cozy Mystery about a CA Agatha Christie inspired mystery bookshop clerk turns sleuth after an old college classmate's found dead in the store's hidden bookcase nook.

5/5 stars: Alexander's an all-time favorite author and this newest book doesn't disappoint. This is the first entry in Alexander's Secret Bookcase Mystery series, which is a Literary Cozy Mystery that takes place is California and features a bookseller, with a criminology degree, who works at an Agatha Christie-inspired mystery bookstore. She winds up investigating a murder when a old college acquaintance turns up dead hidden inside the store's eponymous Secret Bookcase during immersive town wide mystery festival she organized to save the bookshop from closure. With plenty of twists and turns, Alexander has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. I also really enjoy the inclusion of the cold case murder of Annie's best friend Scarlet that will be an overarching plot. Additionally, Alexander's writing and character work is stellar; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. Annie's a great character who's still dealing with the grief over her best friend's unsolved murder and is determined to uncover the truth. I really like Annie friends and colleagues, especially Fletcher... he's lovely, and the eclectic townsfolk of Redwood Grove. And I very much look forward to seeing where the “I hate him but boy is he hot” relationship with Liam, the bar owner, goes. Oh and I simply adore the name of Annie's cat, Professor Plum. Alexander touches on some serious subjects; so take care and check the CWs. This is a great start to a new series and I can't wait to read more, highly recommend!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC.

This book is a great introduction to a new series by Ellie Alexander. I found Annie to be an interesting character right from the start. Her best friend was murderer in college and the murder remains unsolved all these years later. This made this book feel like I was getting a two for one with this book.

Annie had studied criminology in college but now works at a bookstore, but that background helps her solve the murder of a college acquittance whom she hasn't seen in years. She is also able to reconnect with her college mentor, so it was interesting to see the person she was in college and the person she is now.

I couldn't figure out who the murderer was which made this book more entertaining. I was pretty much drawn into the story and getting to know the characters and the town.

The murder also happened during a mystery festival which sounded like fun. Not the murder but the festival itself. I think that added to the story and entertainment. I would have loved to participate in some of the activities.

I look forward to reading the next book in this series especially if they are like this one.

Annie Murray was concerned that The Secret Bookcase, the charming bookstore where she worked, was in serious financial difficulty. An idea for a Mystery Fest weekend to revive the store and the small town of Redwood Grove might help. Almost all of the shops in the town got invoked in the event, and it was a great hit. However, Kayla, a former college classmate of Annie’s, turned up murdered in the bookstore. Annie, along with her college professor in criminology Dr. Caldwell and her friend Pri were soon knee deep in the mystery-solving with no shortage of suspects. I enjoyed the mystery themed events throughout the town that were quite were creative, making it sound like a fun festival to attend. It was a good story, if a little predictable.

I love the premises in this book, the quaint little town with its quirky people, the lovely mystery lit fest, as well as the bookstore, of course. This is a fast read with lots of characters. Otherwise I like the plot, but sometimes many things happened too fast and then the ending came quite quickly as well. Looking forward to reading more books in this series!

Another winner from this author. Exciting, intriguing, great characters. There's a wonderful town and festival, no doubt inspired by the author's own mystery event, one I'd love to attend someday.
It's fun to see a sleuth with a criminology background. Not only is it an interesting field anyway, but definitely lends something to the investigation. It's a departure from the cozy protagonist having no affiliation with the law, and I like it. It also works nicely with the ongoing mystery of the cold case assignment and Scarlet's murder. I'm excited to delve into that case. And Liam's backstory is another unknown I can't wait to find out.
Only because I've read the author's other books that I'm secretly hoping for recipes. Lots of good sounding food and drinks created for the fictional event that I'd like a real taste of for myself.
Anxiously awaiting the next in the series!

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and Storm Publishing.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Bookseller renovates her store to help drum up more business when a dead body is discovered behind some old shelves. The body is an old college acquaintance which makes her a suspect. Can she manage to find a killer as the suspect list grows larger and save the festival from going downhill? A delightful new series set in a bookstore.

Annie works in The Secret Bookcase Bookstore and in an effort to save the business, they sponsor a Mystery Fest and inolve the entire town. The fest is a huge success, but a body is found in the secret bookcase. The victim is someone Annie knew in college and Annie is soon involved in the investigation.
As a student, Annie was studying criminology. She and her friend and study partner were investigating a cold case. Her friend, Scarlet was murdered, and Annie game up her dream of being a private investigator. Her former professor happens to be the investigator on this latest death and Annie believes it is connected to Scarlet’s death.
This is an excellent mystery with lots of turns and twists. It is well-written and the characters are well-rounded.
Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.