Another cute read from Ellie Alexander! Death at the Dinner Party is a cozy mystery that takes place in idyllic Redwood Grove, CA! After having just survived a murder at their movie theatre, Ellie decides to help her best friend Priya (Pri) and Pri's girlfriend, Penny out by hosting a dinner party at her house. What was supposed to be a fun murder mystery dinner turned into an actual murder! All of the characters found themselves smack dab in a murder investigation with the killer still in the house. This is just a quick fun mystery and all of the characters are lovable. 4 stars! Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this eARC.

The premise of this book really pulled me in, I loved Annie’s character and of course Liam but the story just didn’t build for me. I was hoping for a dinner table who done it but it didn’t come across for me in that style.
I have since started A Holiday Homicide, 30% in and really enjoying it.
Thank you NetGalley, Ellie Alexander and Storm Publishing for providing me with a copy to read, all opinions expressed are my own.

Another great addition to the Secret Bookcase series. I have enjoyed all three books so far and can’t wait to see what other adventures the crew at the Secret Bookcase and Redwood Grove community will find themselves experiencing. Each book has a unique murder mystery focus and the author does a great job of creating lots of twists and turns pepper with clues to keep you invested in the story and flipping through the pages to see if you can guess who is guilty of murder. The characters are well developed and this one has those you’ve fallen in love within the previous books … Annie, Hal, Fletcher, Pri, Liam, and, of course, Prof Plum. But there are also a few characters that will have you rolling your eyes and wondering how people can be so rude and/or entitled. But that just adds to the dynamic of the story. While this would be fine as a standalone, I would strongly encourage you to go back and read the first book so that you can fall in love with the characters from the beginning!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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(3.5 stars, rounded up)
Death at The Dinner Party is the third book in the Secret Bookcase cozy mystery series. Ellie Alexander knows how to write a strong mystery story. This one has some great fall vibes, so people looking for seasonal sorts of reads will enjoy this one a lot.

The setting is a small town in northern California called Redwood Grove. Annie Murray has been working at the Secret Bookcase, a mystery-centric bookstore, for over 8 years and in that time has organized a number of special events. The bookstore doesn’t figure into the story very much this time, which is too bad, but all the regular returning characters are here. Penny has bought a historic home that needs a lot of “love” and Annie organizes a special murder mystery dinner as a fundraiser, with hired actors and everything. Attendees are encouraged to come in period costume (think 1920 and 1930s).

One of the guests is murdered at the dinner party - and it’s not acting! The rest of the book, of course, concentrates on trying to figure out whodunit and why. Annie has a background in criminology, so her investigations make some sense. Her original ambition was to open a detective agency with her best friend in college, Scarlet, but that went by the wayside when Scarlet was killed right before graduation. That mystery carries over from earlier books in the series, and I hope we will eventually learn what happened to Scarlet, because nothing much new was revealed in this book.

Along the way, there’s a search for lost treasure, secret passageways/tunnels and Annie and Priya get themselves into a very dangerous situation. There is progress in Annie’s relationship with Liam, which was good to see, but I thought her focus on how handsome he is and what great shape he’s in was a bit much.

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

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ellie Alexander has perfected the cozy mystery. This is book 3 in her A Secret Bookcase series but can be read as a stand alone (some spoilers to previous books if reading out of order).

A murder mystery dinner party with hired actors to put on the show, but a guest dies before the mystery was supposed to begin. I was hooked from the dinner party, went sideways with the red herrings, and didn't guess who did it until the end!

Fans of cozy mysteries this one is for you.

This is the 3rd book in the Secret Bookcase series. I wasn't so sure about the first book, but each book in this series has gotten better and better! I read this cover to cover in one sitting. In this book Annie, Pri, and Penny host a murder mystery party where of course there ends up being a real murder. With plenty of suspects as usual, the author had me guessing until the end. I am thoroughly enjoying this series and I'm very excited that book 4 is being released later this month!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The fund raising dinner at the historic farmhouse has barely started when one of the guests collapses. Curtis isn't one of the actors hired for that night's murder mystery, he's actually dead, and quite a few of his fellow attendees have reason to want him gone. I'm practically giddy about this new-to-me mystery series (I jumped in with the third book, which I don't recommend since I'm obviously missing some important back story -- I'll catch up on the first two titles as soon as I can.) It's atmospheric, the event is one that the characters are actually invested in, the protagonist is a trained crimonologist who knows what she's doing... and parts of it read like my favorite bits of the Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden books I loved as a kid. It's fun and fast paced and I read the whole thing in one delighted sitting.

Death at the Dinner Party (A Secret Bookcase Mystery #3) is a really good read. I really enjoyed this book. It is a bit all over the place in a good way. It keeps you guessing, and not sure what is going to happen or who done it. I really good read that is worth adding to your TBR IMO if you enjoy murder mysteries.

“Death at the Dinner Party” is the nicely done third book in Ellie Alexander’s Secret Bookcase cozy mystery series. I very quickly fell in love with this series – not only the bookstore setting but main character Annie Murray who studied criminology in college but is still haunted by the murder of her friend Scarlett, her growing relationship with restauranter Liam, her boss who thinks he is Agatha Christie’s long lost grandson, her friendship with Pri, and Pri’s girlfriend Penny. Annie’s being torn between her love for working at the bookstore and love for solving mysteries is well done (although I do hope the mystery of Scarlett’s murder is solved soon as it is starting to drag on a bit). Much of the action in this book takes place away from the bookstore as Annie tries to solve the mystery of a murder that took place at Penny’s house with Penny being one of the main suspects. The mystery is well done (the murder takes place at a dinner party with dinner goers trapped during a storm) with just the right amount of suspects and tension when the killer is finally revealed. Well done by Alexander!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

This is the third recent release in this fabulous new series "The Secret Bookcase Mystery Series". The author is a favorite of cozy lovers and has released now the first three in the series right away for readers. This is another wonderful series with great characters and a fun sleuth. Thank you to the publisher,, Net Galley and the author for the opportunity for review. The characters are richly drawn to the series, the sleuth well crafted and the supporting characters all add to the fun of this series.

Our protagnist Annie is helping with a murder mystery dinner to help raise funds for the restoration of a famous farmhouse. The family is the Wentworth's and are local legends. They are long rumored to have a missing fortune. When a guest drops dead during the dinner Annie puts on her slething hat and once again finds red herrings and clues abound. The guests are all snowbound in the mysterious farmhouse and Annie finds herself at the center of the investigation.

I loved the atmospheric setting in the snow. The sleuth was so well crafted I did not discover the suspect. The characters all richly drawn to the setting and added to the mystery. This was such a fun read and designed to entertain the reader to the utmost of a country house murder. Well done to the author. i loved this next in series.

Much like all of Ellie Alexander’s series, I LOVE this series! This installment was no exception. The mystery was fun, the characters are great, and the plot was well paced. I can’t wait for the next one!!

Death at the Dinner Party is a deliciously suspenseful addition to this cozy series, and I couldn’t put it down! I LOVE this new series from Ellie Alexander. She's quickly becoming one of my fav cozy mystery writers. This series is so fun and I can't wait for the next one.

Another great installment in a series where the town goes all out for every event. Lots of fun and twists and turns in the mystery. I am hoping there will be more in the series,

Another fabulous murder mystery to add to this entertaining series. Fast paced read. I didn’t foresee the murderer ahead of time. I loved the romance factor. The setting was fantastic. This small town continues to charm and thrill.

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This is the third book in this series & it was yet another fun ready. This time, Annie is helping with a murder mystery dinner to help raise funds for the restoration of the Wentworth farmhouse, owned by her best friend's girlfriend & full of legends & lore about the missing Wentworth fortune. All is is going well until one of the guests drops dead, and all signs point to murder. Annie & her friends find themselves investigating while waiting on the police to arrive during a snowstorm.

This has all the classic trappings of a country house murder. Annie & the other characters are becoming more developed. The story is engaging, the mystery is fun, & I am enjoying the setting. It is a delightful cozy read. I recommend the whole series, which begins with The Body in the Bookstore.

Thanks to Netgalley & Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read & review this title.

I think I enjoyed this one more because I am starting to warm to Annie. She was less rigid in this one and was more likeable. The setting was interesting, too, and more sense to me than the movie premiere. Still not a fan of Fletcher or Dr. Caldwell but hoping they’ll eventually grow on me, too. The mystery in this one was interesting and I do like the developments with Liam and the cold case so I will continue with the series.

An absolutely stunning, creepy setting perfect for the fall and winter! I love the isolation that the characters experience as they're trapped in this estate together after one of them is murdered. This series is SO good! I highly recommend it.


I plan to review this on my YouTube channel at the end of the month in my reading wrap up video,.

Ellie Alexander’s Death at the Dinner Party is a delightful blend of cozy mystery and small-town charm that keeps readers on their toes from start to finish. The novel follows Annie Murray, a spirited and clever hostess who, after planning a murder mystery-themed dinner party, finds herself at the center of a real-life murder investigation when the abrasive Curtis Wright drops dead at her table. The premise is fun and engaging, drawing readers into a world of secrets, hidden fortunes, and dark passageways as Annie sets out to clear her friend Penny’s name.

The historical Wentworth farmhouse serves as the perfect eerie backdrop, with rumors of a hidden fortune and a mysterious family history adding layers of intrigue to the story. Annie's investigation uncovers a tangled web of old family secrets and shady business deals, which keeps the plot moving at a brisk pace. The cast of characters, each with their own motives for disliking Curtis, creates plenty of red herrings, making it hard to predict the killer until the very end. Annie is a relatable and determined protagonist, and her efforts to piece together the mystery make for a compelling read.

While the book delivers plenty of suspense and twists, some of the reveals toward the end feel a bit rushed, and the buildup to the climax could have benefited from a bit more depth. However, the charming setting, witty dialogue, and fast-paced narrative more than make up for it, making Death at the Dinner Party a thoroughly enjoyable cozy mystery. Fans of authors like Lauren Elliott and Janet Evanovich will appreciate this latest installment in The Secret Bookcase series, packed with small-town intrigue and delicious drama.

Death at the Dinner Party is the third installment in the Secret Bookcase Mystery Series by Ellie Alexander. I do enjoy a cozy mystery and especially one written by Alexander This story takes place at a “mystery murder” dinner fundraiser. Unfortunately, the murder is all too real. I have now read all three of the installments. I enjoy the series and feel like I am getting very familiar with the characters. Although the books reference things in the past, each book is a stand-alone. I’m looking forward to see how different relationships progress over the series. If you are looking for a fun cozy mystery, be sure to pick this one up. Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.

Ellie Alexander writes the best cozy mysteries—great bookish settings, lovable characters, and fun mysteries to solve.

This series has been excellent. I love the bookstore and I love the fun bookish events the main character Annie hosts, including a murder mystery dinner in this particular case. And Liam is a yummy book boyfriend. I like the continuous thread of Annie’s best friend Scarlett’s death investigation and wondering what happened, and I’m eager to see how that unfolds. I also like that Annie shows growth as a character.

I just wish the town and the bookstore were real so I could visit!