I read Books 1 & 2 back to back, so this review is for both. There's lots to like in this new series, including a bookstore setting, likeable main and secondary characters, and good, methodical plotting so that there aren't any loose ends. The premise of having town festivals to keep the bookstore and the town in business isn't a new one--but it's done well here. And having various festivals allows for a new set of criminals, red herrings, and victims with each book. Yay!

I will say that the whole trope of the annoying-but-handsome-guy-whom-I-can't-stand-but-secretly-really-like feels very overdone. It makes Annie seem kind of immature...adolescent. I like Annie's background of having a degree in criminology, and the aftermath of the death of her best friend back in college feels meaningful in both books.

While I'd like less tugging on pigtails (metaphorically speaking), I did enjoy both these books, and I'll keep an eye out for Book 3.

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

With the mix of a bookshop, a mystery fiction festival and murder this book had all the elements of one that I thought I would love. Unfortunately, for me the book fell short in several ways including the storyline; and, just when I thought finally we are getting somewhere, the book ended with the promise of the next book in the series. While there were a few good moments in the story, I don’t have a desire to continue the series. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read a copy in exchange for my review.

The Body in the Bookstore by Ellie Alexander is the first installment in A Secret Bookcase Mystery.

The title alone makes you want to pick up the book immediately.

The story is steady paced, there is always something happening and never a dull moment.

All the characters are well developed, the clues are clearly left for readers to follow should they wish to solve the mystery together with the protagonists.
The main character is smart, relatable, cautious and down to earth. She is someone you would like to have as a friend.

There is also a hint of a romance but in doesn't in any way interfere with the mystery itself.

Really great start of the new series. Can't wait to read the next.

Cosy mystery when a body is found in a 'secret room' in a bookshop during a book festival. The owner helps the detectives tease out the clues and, for once, does indeed help the detective. Well written and some nice twists. Happy to give it a four * although the sometimes excessive 'twee ness' of the festival was too much for this Brit. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

The Body in the Bookstore is book one in A Secret Bookcase Mystery series

I really enjoyed this read. It's a cozy mystery that will keep you guessing who done it. I really loved the storyline and writing style of this new to me author. What's not to love about a great story that includes a bookstore and a mystery inside a mystery book?! I would recommend this book and I'm looking forward to reading book 2 once it's released!

"The Body in the Bookstore" by Ellie Alexander kicks off an exciting new cozy mystery series, "A Secret Bookcase Mystery." Set in the charming town of Redwood Grove, the story unfolds with a delightful mix of mystery and humor, as Annie sets out to save the bookstore where she works, navigating intriguing character dynamics and interactions. The potential for a love interest with a grumpy local business owner adds an extra twist. Alexander's storytelling is engaging, drawing readers into a world where secrets and surprises await at every turn. (I received an advance reader copy of this book, and all opinions are my own.) With its relatable characters and interesting setting, this book is a promising start to what is sure to be an enjoyable series for cozy mystery enthusiasts.

love love love cozy books!! It is the perfect short book to help you get out of a reading slump which it did. I loved the story line and the characters and how they solved the murder at the end.

I am a fan of Ellie Alexander having read her other two series, so when I saw she had a new one debuting I knew I definitely wanted to read it. Ms. Alexander excels at creating charming small towns and populating them with characters that resonate with the reader. This series continues that tradition. The story kept my interest, there were plenty of suspects and motives and in the end I very much enjoyed this book. I'll be reading the next in the series.

5/5 stars

This is my first book by Ellie Alexander and it won't be my last. I absolutely loved this book! The small town setting, the main character Annie has so much depth to her. This book is the definition of cozy mystery and I can't wait to keep reading the series.

As Annie Murray plans to help save the small town mystery bookstore, she organizes a book festival in charming Redwood Grove. The businesses in town participate and it's a fun and successful event until a body is found in the bookstore. The body is no other than a former classmate of Annie's from college. Science Annie studied criminology, she wants to do whatever she can to help find the killer.

What I loved most about this book:
-the small town setting
-dynamic characters
-the ending
-Annie and her co-worker Fletcher's friendship
-the who-done-it aspect

I can not wait to dive into other books by Ellie Alexander!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy of the book in exchange for a review.
I enjoyed this book, had not read this author before. A book lovers weekend turns into murder and Annie Murray must help solve it. I thought I knew who the killer was but I was wrong. Good characters, good plot

A new cozy mystery series by Ellie Alexander and this one is great. The characters are great and so was the mystery. There were plenty of suspects and motives and it was fun to read as the main character, Annie, worked to solve the case. There is an underlying story from her background that is woven throughout the novel and will continue in future books so it will be interesting to see how that gets played out. Also, shout out to the author for having the best friend be an Indian woman who doesn’t fit any stereotypes. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the arc.

This book was excellent! The perfect love letter to cozy mystery fans. I love the Secret Bookcase and Annie’s boss and coworker, Hal and Fletcher. Annie is pretty cool herself - I love that she has actual knowledge of investigating crimes - that’s not something we see in cozy mysteries a lot! Pri seems like a very cool friend who will be fun to read about. Liam intrigues me - he seems like such a jerk that I look forward to find out how he might actually be a good guy! The mystery was good, loved her teacher investigating the crime, and I was in the right direction but still a bit surprised by the solution. Can’t wait to read more of these!

I have a list of fictional places I wish were real and I'm pretty sure that The Secret Bookshelf - an Agatha Christie themed bookstore in a Victorian house complete with a secret bookcase - is pretty much at the top of the list. There's also a cat named Professor Plum which makes me smile everytime he makes an appearance on the page.

When times are hard at the bookstore and all the of the ideas Annie comes up with to drum up business are failing Annie decides to shoot for the stars and comes up with a town wide mystery festival (another thing I wish happened in real life). While Annie is thrilled about the turnout and the response she's not thrilled to connect with some of her old college friends - especially one who ends up dead early on.

I enjoyed this mystery. The setting is amazing, Annie and the rest of the characters are likable (except for the ones that aren't supposed to be), and Annie even has a mystery in her past. Ellie Alexander excels at creating small towns with just the right amount of quirk and fun characters and once again she has created another small town that I would love to visit. There is a bit of a slower start as the reader is being introduced to the characters and the basic premise but this is a series I'm excited to continue with.

This new cozy mystery series is off to a great start! Ellie Alexander knows what she’s doing. The setting is a small town in northern California. And we have book lovers and a mystery-centric bookstore housed in a lovely old mansion just outside the center of town - and it’s a bit down on its luck. Annie Murray has worked at the Secret Bookcase for over 8 years and she has the idea to hold a town-wide mystery weekend to help drum up not only book sales but to enliven the town’s fortunes. She has a background in criminology so she makes a very credible amateur sleuth once a body is discovered behind the actual secret bookcase in the store, during this mystery weekend festival.

(I loved that Ms. Alexander has written a book about a weekend-long mystery festival since she organized just such an event in her beloved Ashland, Oregon last fall and it looks to be an annual event so it must have been a success!)

There were suspects galore, as the dead person seems to have had a number of people with grudges against her/him (no spoilers!). I enjoyed the coincidence of having three of Annie’s college classmates descend on the town for the festival. The other town business owners form what I assume will be a group of returning characters, and they are a diverse bunch. I enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes-obsessed coworker Fletcher and her friend, Priya, proprietor of a coffee shop, to name two standouts.

It looks like there will be an overarching mystery that will continue into future books, the mystery of who killed Annie’s best friend and classmate, Scarlet, right before their graduation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Body in the Bookstore by Elle Alexander is a fantastic cozy mystery that I really enjoyed.
I love cozy mysteries that have a backdrop of a bookstore.

The characters are well written.
I love the mystery and the twists and turns.

Can't wait for the next book in this series.

3 stars. A good cozy crime novel.

Annie, who works in a bookstore, organizes a mystery festival in her hometown. Things suddenly change when a real body is found in a bookstore. And when people Annie knows from her school days are roaming around town, Annie can't help but wonder what the heck is going on.

What I would have liked more: Liam! And the banter between Annie and Liam, definitely. Of course, romance was not the main thing in this book, and I believe that Annie and Liam's relationship will develop in the next parts of the series.

This book was really cozy, easy to read. Suitable for summer and lounging in a hammock!

WHAT TO EXPECT:
* Book about books
* Small town
* Cozy crime

The opening of this made it my favourite Ellie Alexander book to date. It dives straight into a wonderful setting, and there's an exciting mystery festival on the way. As this is the start of a new series, there were quite a few characters and plot lines introduced, and this made the ending feel a bit rushed for me, but I'd definitely read the next in the series and continue with this. I loved all the details and characters!

The Body In The Bookstore is a fabulously fun cozy mystery. The setting of the mystery niche bookstore is charming. The characters are delightful or delightfully rotten. The criminology background of Annie gave an interesting element to the investigation taking place in this book.

This is a fast paced book that you won’t want to put down and can easily finish in one sitting. The twists of the investigation kept me in suspense and I did not predict the ending.

I have posted this review on Amazon, Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6595464194

And Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8vYUqwgfwE/?igsh=MW9kaGJkbjZqNXB3NA==

The Body in the Bookstore is a completely unique and refreshing start to a new series , Ellie Alexander. The combination of books, book-lovers, coffee, and crime is simply perfect. Annie, the relatable protagonist, uses her criminology background to solve the case, driven by the desire to find justice for her friend’s murder. The book’s cozy, warm, and detailed atmosphere made me feel like I was right there. The mystery introduces several town members, adding to the fun, and I loved how the twisty plot felt like a scavenger hunt, allowing readers to discover the town alongside Annie. I can’t wait for more books in this series

Let me start by saying I absolutely love the Bakeshop Mysteries series by the same author. So I was thrilled to try out this new series! But I just didn't love it, and here's why. The characters and setting just didn't capture my heart. They were all a bit bland. Obviously there should be more character development as the series continues, but I was hoping for more from the 1st book. Also, I felt there were too many side characters/suspects in this mystery, and it made trying to solve the mystery a bit frustrating. Not sure if I will continue this series.