Who doesn’t, like a cozy mystery? I love them especially when they are written by Ellie Alexander.

Annie and her friends Pri and Penny are throwing a murder mystery dinner. They are trying to make money to help Penny refurbish the historic Wentworth property she just purchased. Everything was fine until Curtis starts making a big ordeal. He is Redwood Groves town grouch until he wasn’t, He was murdered before the dinner really got going. Who could the murderer be? There were so many people who disliked Curtis. Plus both Curtis and Penny were under pressure to sell their properties.

We are then taken by Annie and friends on the long trail of finding the murderer. Getting into secret tunnels and finding out family secrets. There is also mention of the Wentworth family treasure hidden somewhere. As Annie gets closer she puts herself in more danger. Will they succeed in finding the killer, Will Annie also decide what her life journey will look like.Will Liam be included in it?

I have been hooked on Ellie Alexander’s books since I won one of her books. Since this is book 3 in a series I have already downloaded the other books. So thank you NetGalley and Storm for the ARC. Thank you Ellie Alexander for another wonderful mystery adventure. I look forward to Annie and her friends next mystery.

This is another excellent book in the Secret Bookshop series. Annie is the centre and the hero of the murder mystery and uses her training to hold people to account and to move the discoveries forward slowly and easily. The friendships that underpin the murder are great and the running of the bookshop is a great backdrop to all that happens. The perpetrators are many and they get debunked one by one by Annie in her soft and non intrusive way. The violence is gentle and makes this a light hearted tale that is easy and pleasurable to follow. Hunting down family treasure and secret passages is an adult Famous Five book for me and all the better for it.

Annie's thrilled to be helping with a fund-raiser murder mystery dinner. The food is ready (and delicious), the actors are ready to perform, a storm seems to roll in as if on cue causing the lights to flicker, there's a deceased guest at the end of the table...wait, What?!? That was certainly not in the script. Annie has to switch her party hat for her sleuther's cap and hurry to figure out whodunit before her friends are accused.

Excellent third book in the series. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop until I was done. I enjoyed the mystery, the twists, the characters, and the lovely book cover. I can't wait to read what Annie decides for her future....

Many thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

I would recommend this book. It part of a series that I also enjoy. It starts with a poisoning at a mystery dinner. Which leads to more mystery.

Death at the Dinner Party was a lovely third installment in this delightful series. I can’t wait to read the next one.

This is my first book by the Author. It was enjoyable, the story was well written and the characters interesting.
It read well as a stand~a~lone, though being a third in the series likely means I missed out in character
development. The fundamentals are well done here. We have mystery, a murder and a bookshop.
And, possibly a budding romance. I also love the fictional coastal California town, which with the lovely bookshop,
reminds me of my town…. I think the bookshop will be very important in the next book, but who knows ?
I recommend this book to everyone~it’s that good!
My thanks to Storm Publisher via NetGalley, for the download copy of this book for review purposes.
This book will be avaioable 30 September 2024.

What I really like about this series, where Annie Murray coordinates events for a bookstore in Northern California:
The Northern California setting with descriptions of redwoods and life somewhat close to the ocean
The small town closeness of the residents
The friendships and collegial relationships
The discussion of classic mystery authors, notably Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

What I am starting to dislike after the 3rd book into the series:
The local murder that takes place is not as riveting anymore (someone always gets murdered at the planned event)
The very slow progress on the overarching larger mystery of who killed Annie’s college best friend
The very slow development of the potential romance with Liam, local restauranteur
The very slow decision making of Annie’s future? Should she see work with Dr Caldwell as a detective? Stay with the bookstore? Open her own detective agency?

Will i read the next in the series? Of course. The writing is good, and I care about some of the characters, but I think more action is definitely called for with the next installment.

I love this series so far! I read this in one sitting. This time we have a murder mystery fund-raising dinner, arranged by Annie, which is being held at the old Wentworth farm that Pri's girlfriend, Penny, has purchased and is renovating. There's the perfect 'dark and stormy night' to set the scene for the murder mystery. As for the murder, well, it's a guest instead of the actor who ends up dead. Annie teams up with Dr Caldwell again to help unravel a case, with plenty of suspects who have a reason to want that person gone.
I think one thing I enjoy about this series, apart from the great characters and beautiful setting, is the mutual respect between Annie and Dr Caldwell. It makes a nice change from the over-protective hunk or rude ass detective sometimes seen in murder mysteries. A really enjoyable, quick read.
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing, and Ellie Alexander for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Death at the Dinner Party. This series is becoming one of my new favorites very quickly. It has a premise that is quite different compared to other cozy mystery series I read... mainly that the protagonist has training in criminology and is seen as an asset to the local police detective instead of being treated as a nuisance. Annie is a great character and I'm happy to see how her friendship with Liam is evolving. The murder mystery was very interesting and I like how it tied in with the town's Wentworth family mystery. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in this series.

The events coordinator at the Secret Bookcase, Annie Murray, has organized a murder mystery-themed dinner party at the newly renovated historic Wentworth farmhouse. The property has garnered enduring rumors of secret passageways concealing a fabled fortune in gems and gold, attracting widespread interest and leading to sold-out tickets. Annie was introduced to the new owner, Penny Shurr, through her friend Priya (Pri) Kapoor. Costly renovations have caused Penny's depleted savings, and significant improvements are still needed on the property's exterior, including the orchards, vineyards, and farming equipment. The women have worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the upcoming dinner party and fundraising auction for experiences in Redwood Grove.

It's another irresistible visit to a small town in Northern California. A mystery-themed bookstore hints at a unique architectural element called the Secret Bookcase, along with an owner's genealogy that could link to an ancestry connection to Agatha Christie. As a fellow enthusiast of mysteries and small-town events, I find these elements particularly engaging. This time, there are two events before Halloween: an offsite fundraising dinner party on an eerie and stormy night, adding to the atmosphere with links to the town's history, and a children's story time celebration at the bookstore. The author's descriptive writing not only creates vivid images of delectable menus for dinner and story time refreshments but also infuses friendship and romance in the characters' lives that sparkle with humor, respect, and looking out for one another. What history and/or mystery buff can resist an investigation that might finally answer rumors from the 1800s?

Reviewer’s Note: The author’s website shares: "This series is a love letter to the mysteries that shaped me and is inspired by the real-life Mystery Festival we launched in Ashland, OR in 2023." You can be assured that this reader plans to visit Redwood Grove for the next event! I hope you will too!

Thank you to Ellie Alexander, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this novel.

Annie Murray’s friend Penny is financially struggling to restore the historic Wentworth farmhouse. Annie is intrigued by the beautiful property and the rumors about the Wentworth family fortune hidden on the property. Anxious to help her friend, Annie hosts a mystery-themed dinner party. The evening begins ideally, and everyone enjoys themselves until Curtis Wright, a neighboring troublemaker and bully, drops dead at the table.
It seemed that someone had poisoned his food. Curtis, who had been pressuring Annie’s friend Penny to sell her land to him, was the likely target. Annie, fearing for Penny's safety, launches into a frantic investigation to clear her friend's name. Her quest leads her into a labyrinth of family secrets, dubious business transactions, and concealed passages in the ancient farmhouse.
When Annie discovers the truth, her life is in danger when the killer comes after her. She is trapped with no escape. Will this be the end for her?
This is another of Ellie Alexander’s riveting, nonstop, edge-of-the-seat page-turners that will keep you hooked until the final, jaw-dropping revelation.

Ellie Alexander's greatest strength is her ability to create an ensemble that fans love! While A Secret Bookcase Mystery series isn't quite there, it is swiftly moving in that direction and this third book in the series is moving things along well. I am becoming more and more attached to these characters with each book, and I have no doubt that soon my reviews will start with Love, Love, Love this series. For now, I really liked Annie, Liam, Pri, and Dr. Cauldwell and am becoming attached to Penny, so I really rooted for a positive ending.
When a Murder Dinner Party turns into real murder Annie, backed up mostly by Liam, takes charge until the weather delayed Dr. Cauldwell and the rest of the police department can get there. Ms. Alexander's books are always worth reading, but be prepared for a drawn out beginning as the atmosphere is built and the suspects are introduced before the murder.
Annie's education in criminology helps her preserve the scene and look at possible suspects as they await the arrival of the police, but enough happens during that time to give Annie and the reader plenty to think about.
I have hooked on the mystery of Scarlet's death and love the growing relationship between Annie and Liam. I look forward to getting to know all my friends better over the next books.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for allowing me to read and review an ARC of Death at the Dinner Party. As a big fan of Ellie Alexander, I was delighted to get an early look at the 3rd book in this fun new series.
#NetGalley #StromPublishing #EllieAlexander #DeathattheDinnerParty #ASecretBookcaseMystery

I loved that Death at the Dinner Party felt like a game of Clue. The murder mystery dinner party set at the infamous Wentworth property now owned by Penny, Priya’s new girlfriend, was just the kind of mystery for Annie and friends to get mixed up in. Throw in an interested real estate developer wanting to buy Penny’s property, plus an over dramatic play director, a skittish actor and a grouchy next door neighbor intent on causing problems you are in for an interesting party. I liked Annie teaming up with Liam again and I’m really excited about what could be happening for them in the future. I’m enjoying this new cozy mystery series by Ellie Alexander and can’t wait for the next one!



Thank you publishers @ellie_alexander and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Annie works at the Secret Bookcase, but this time she is helping her friends Pri and Penny by organizing a murder mystery dinner party at the old farmhouse that Penny is renovating. Being close to Halloween, they go with a Poe vibe. Local community theater actors are hired to create the mystery. Adding to the atmosphere, it is a dark and very stormy night. Instead of the staged death, an actual death occurs and then…the lights go out!
Annie steps in and tries to preserve the scene, but some guests just won’t stay put. Was it a murder? If so, who was the culprit? There are ditzy actors, greedy land developers, and treasure hunters. Annie is also finding restaurant owner, Liam, is a nice guy and deciding what direction she wants her life to take.
The third book in the series continues a fun, interesting group of friends mixed with a twisty mystery. I enjoyed Death at the Dinner Party!
Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

3rd book in the series has Annie Murray helping her friends Pri & Penny host a Murder Mystery at Penny’s newly remodeled historic farm. The people brought together for the dinner have a lot of history and several are feuding over buying the area farms to build new housing and possibly to find lost treasure. The evening quickly turns from fake murder to real murder. The police’s arrival is delayed by fallen trees to Annie takes control of the situation and this is where I get stuck. Throughout the 3 books, Annie constantly talks about her degree in criminology and hopes to have her own detective agency and stresses knowing procedures to use in crimes but then does things that I can’t believe are part of what procedures call for such as moving a body. It wouldn't bother me if she didn't stress her knowledge of procedure that her degree gives her some sort of authority in a criminal investigation. Throughout the crime and aftermath, we see the relationship between Annie and Liam grow towards romance which is fine but does seem strange when it’s literally while they are moving a dead body. The mystery aspect of the book is interesting and enjoyable but there is still little to no progress about the death of Annie’s best friend, which is the underlying drive for Annie’s choices. I really hope we finally get the full story in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

A murder mystery dinner with a storm threatening to cut off the electricity, right out of the gate? That is how you grab my attention. Unfortunately, this ended up being my least favorite of the series so far. I had such high hopes with the premise and loving the first two in the series. But it ended up being quite obvious who the culprit was from very early on. There has also been no advancement in the murder of Scarlet. Which after 3 books you would think we would have something happening. I do, overall, enjoy this series and will continue on.

Thank you to the publisher for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.

I just finished #DeathattheDinnerParty #NetGalley after a very stressful morning.
I love this new series by Ellie Alexander and I'm excited to recommend to other readers.
Annie works hard to come up with ideas to keep The Secret Bookcase book shop running.
Her ideas are always fun and exciting, and a murder mystery dinner sounds incredible.
Unfortunately, things don't go as planned and Annie and her best friend Pri find themselves in a dangerous situation, and Annie isn't sure she can find her way out of trouble.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

"Death at the Dinner Party" is an absolute blast to read! The story is packed with suspense, and I couldn't get enough of the Agatha Christie references. The author is an incredible storyteller, and I always looked forward to my reading time. This book is so gripping that it made me turn off the TV because all the excitement and curiosity I needed was right there in the story.

I'm thrilled that this is part of a series. I've already ordered the first book and can't wait to dive into the rest. If you're looking for a fun and thrilling mystery, "Death at the Dinner Party" is a must-read!

"Death at the Dinner Party" is the third book in Ellie Alexander’s The Secret Bookcase Mystery series. Annie’s newest friend, Penny, is holding a murder mystery dinner to raise money for the property she bought. Instead of a faux murder, a real murder occurs in the middle of dinner. Throw in a hidden treasure and secret tunnels, and you have a fun read. The series usually revolves around special events planned by Annie. This time the special event is for a friend instead of involving her work at the bookstore. We also find out a little bit more about her friend Scarlett's murder after the second book's cliffhanger. Annie is taking a look at her life and reconsidering her decision not to open a private investigator's office, but she also enjoys her work at the bookstore. I'm looking forward to the fourth book in the series.

I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher and/or author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

greed, real-estate, California, friends, friendship, amateur-sleuth, fund-raisers, small-business, small-town, bookseller, local-law-enforcement, unpleasant-victims, unpleasant-suspect, murder, investigation, romance, mysteries, missing-persons****

Murder Mystery Dinner Theater and Dinner Detective Suppers are supposed to be fun with actors holding the plot together and the paid guests enjoying themselves. But nobody is supposed to be actually murdered! The characters from the first two books are back with a new villain and a whole new collection of plot twists and red herrings.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Storm Publishing via NetGalley.
#SecretBookcaseMysteriesBk3 #CozyMystery Pub Date Sep 30, 2024