I struggled to get into this book. I eventually found the characters, the setting, and the mystery festival to be a compelling backdrop to the murder mystery. I also thought the list of suspects believable and compelling. But I kept expecting more and dealing with disappointment. I really thought the low stakes climax, in which it didn’t matter what Annie discovered at all, was a red herring and we’d find out that someone else did it and they had the wrong person and murderer chases her down just when she realizes they were wrong and… and… but no. Plus a few things that seemed to be set ups for later didn’t end up going anywhere. I also found the back and forth between Annie and the potential love interest to be juvenile and honestly not cute. More like a “he’s yanking on your pigtails because he likes you” situation, which was ick.
The writing was also really clunky and felt like it was written for a teenage audience.
So, three stars for the concept. Two stars deducted for execution.

I’ve never read a book by this author before but I absolutely loved it! Thank you so much for the ARC! I loved this story, it was extremely well written. Will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author!

This was a cute mystery. The author did a great job making everyone look suspicious and I was literally questioning everyone. Once the killer was announced I feel like I was waiting for more twists and more details. I felt like it was too easy. I enjoyed all the characters though and I definitely want to continue the series

This is the first book in a new series by Ellie Alexander. This new series is very different from her other series. It took a few pages to get used to this book, and it grows on you as you continue to read it. Annie Murray is a great character well written she takes the lead and makes the bookstore amazing so Hal shouldn't need to close down. She put the bookstore on the map and enlightens everyone to want to come to her Festival. At the end leaves you hanging so you want to read the next book to find out the mystery!!! Thank You Net galley for this ARC book.

I have found it difficult to review this book. On the one hand I love the characters and the story line. I think the characters draw you in and as it is now a series they become familiar and you look forward to reading about them and seeing them develop. It is right in the cosy murder genre. On the other hand I don't like the style of writing. So where does that leave me. I shall continue to read them for the characters of whom I am now fond and try and move past my dislike of the style.

This was the wrong choice for me, sadly. I did not like the writing style, I found it too simplistic and formulaic. A DNF.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of the book.

In general I'm a fan of mystery thrillers. This has been an exception. I wasn't really interested in anything that was happening in this book nor was I invested in the characters. The language is too simple, sometimes that works wonderfully but here it was painfully dull.

The main character reminisces about her dead friend after every few pages and it was really annoying when authors keep doing this but there's no mystery interesting enough. It just didn't work for me when I really wished it would.

Given the premises I thought this was going to be one of the best reads of this year but I'm utterly disappointed.

Thank you Netgalley and storm publishing for ARC in exchange of an honest review.

I absolutely love Ellie Alexander! Her cozy mysteries are some of my favorites! I adored her series revolving around the brewery and I loved her Bakeshop mysteries. If Ellie writes it it’s a 100% chance I will read it! New series involving a bookstore I’m sold! Loved it!

I loved this book! Great start to a new series. I enjoyed the characters and the setting and can’t wait to read more in this world. I really loved that the main character had a background in criminology and worked in tandem with the police.

I really enjoyed this first book in a new series. As always, the author has introduced us to a quirky little town full of interesting characters. I will admit though, that I did find Annie, the protagonist, a little off putting. I'm hoping she will grow on me as I read more in the series. The mystery itself was quick paced and fun to delve into and I'll certainly look forward to more in this series.

Ellie Alexander is quickly becoming a new favorite when it comes to cozy mysteries. I love books taking places in or near bookstores and this was no exception. Ellie Alexander writes with wit and humor and at the same time, great empathy. I loved the characters and the storyline, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

In the first book in the A Secret Bookcase Mystery series, readers meet Annie Murray. A bookseller in Redwood Grove, a small Northern California town, the mystery-themed book festival seems to have done the trick, revitalizing local businesses and placing the town back on the tourist map. However, when three of Annie’s college acquaintances unexpectedly show up at the festival -- and one of them winds up dead behind the shelves of the bookstore -- the festival may have become a little too real for the town. With her former criminology professor now the chief detective on the case, Annie must help unmask a murder to protect the town and ensure the festival’s success before the list of suspects grows too long. A fantastically charming setting with a vibrant local community, readers will fall in love with Redwood Grove and its quirky, unique inhabitants. Annie is an interesting heroine with an established yet mysterious backstory (the unsolved death of her friend Scarlet back in college) and, unlike some other fictional detectives, the skills to solve such a case. A strong start to a new series, readers will definitely enjoy working with Annie on various mysteries and exploring life in Redwood Grove as the town becomes a new stop for mystery fans -- real and fictional.

An exciting start to a new cozy mystery series by Alexander. The first three book are being released quickly and will get you hooked on this fun series.

I absolutely loved this book! It was very intriguing, and you really got to know the characters. I honestly want to read the next book so I find out what happened to Scarlet.

I'm sorry to say I could not finish this book. I started it several different times and just could not get into the writing style.

The Body in the Bookstore is a terrific start to a promising new cozy mystery series. The story is very interesting, especially since there's two mysteries involved. One is the plot of the book, while the other is a mystery that'll be ongoing in the series. I thought the murder mystery was very clever. The big reveal was kind of surprising to me as I didn't really suspect them at all. The reason for the murder was quite shocking as well. I've already bought the second book in this series as I can't wait to see what happens next for Annie and all the supporting characters.

The setting for this book really makes up for a lot. This novel takes place in a quaint mystery-themed bookshop, tucked away in a small town that has not yet caught up with the trend of 'first Fridays'; small business promo events and street festivals that many small towns use to draw people to their interesting local shops. Our main character is a bit touchy and quick to dismiss people, so forging alliances with other business owners is tricky for her, and she is always, to a fault, obsessed over feeling guilty over her friend's death. It takes forever to find out what happened that she is feeling guilty about, but she agonizes over this misadventure for many pages,. The storytelling, when it is not being interrupted by the main character's litany of guilt, is pretty much alternating between info-dumps of backstories and dialogue that doesn't really equal anything actually happening. Stuff does happen, but mostly off-screen, with the characters talking about it or reacting. So, yeah this writing style was really not for me. Still, it was a cute setting and not a bad story.

Ellie Alexander kicks off the Book A Secret Bookcase Mystery series with the delightful cozy mystery The Body in the Bookstore.

Bookseller Annie Murray's excitement about her mystery-themed book festival quickly turns to horror when a body is found hidden behind the shelves, and the victim is an old college acquaintance.

To protect the small town of Redwood Gove, and to keep everyone enjoying the festival Annie starts an investigation with the help of her friends. She created a suspect list, which continues to grow. This list includes a local boutique owner, a jealous previous classmate and one of ex-boyfriends - which pulls Annie deeper into the mystery.

Annie’s criminology background and her friendship with the detective make her a credible and effective sleuth. The story also weaves in an unsolved murder of Annie’s best friend, adding another layer of intrigue.

Redwood Grove is beautifully depicted, creating a cozy yet suspenseful setting. The budding romances add a touch of charm without overshadowing the main plot.

Overall, *The Body in the Bookstore* is an engaging start to a promising cozy mystery series. Readers will be eagerly anticipating the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing a copy of this eARC.

In this new cozy series by Ellie Alexander we follow Annie Murray who is a bookseller at The Secret Bookcase. A mystery themed bookstore in a small Northern California town. To help put the bookstore and town on the map Annie, along with her friends, decided to host a weekend long mystery festival that is a mystery readers dream. All is going according to plan until Annie finds the body of a college acquaintance behind a secret bookcase in the store.

This this was a great first installment to a new cozy series. I am a fan of Ellie Alexander and cannot wait to continue on with the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an early arc of this story. As always, all opinions are my own

I thought The Body in the Bookstore was a pretty good start to this new series. I really enjoy reading cozy mysteries, and I thought this one was pretty good. I look forward to seeing how this series continues.

Thank you NetGalley for my ARC! All opinions are my own,