A new series from Ellie Alexander. I always worry if a new series by an author will be too similar to another…no worries here! Annie and her friends own a bookstore in Redwood Grove, CA. Annie is focused on solving the murder of her college roommate from a decade ago. In this book, a baking influencer comes to town for a gingerbread house competition and is murdered. With help from her friend, Annie solves the murder. Looking forward to reading the earlier books.

A Holiday Homicide is book #4 in the Secret Bookcase Mystery series by Ellie Alexander.

The Secret Bookcase is a wonderful bookstore. Trying to keep it running requires thinking outside the box to get the store publicity and customers. This time it involves a celebrity baker who unfortunately ends up dead. I like how Annie has grown through the series. The friendships are wonderful and the mystery was interesting. I enjoyed this book and recommend it and the whole series.

Thank you to the author, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Thank you to Storm Publishing, NetGalley, and Ellie Alexander for the delightful fourth book I had the joy of reading and reviewing in the Secret Bookcase series: A Holiday Homicide. Annie Murray and her coworkers Hal and Fletcher are surrounded by all types of lovely gingerbread houses, castles, cakes and other yummy treats but in the midst of all the wonderful holiday fun wouldn’t you know it someone gets murdered! On top of that chaos Annie has finally tracked down a person that might be able to give her some answers to help her find out who killed her friend Scarlet ten years ago if the past doesn’t find a way to kill her first.
I absolutely adore this series of Ellie Alexander’s and I eagerly look forward to each new book. She makes every character and setting so real that I start to miss them as soon as I turn the last page. Her next book is due out in February and is already on my highly anticipated list. I recommend this series to everyone who loves cozies, especially if you love ones with found families, cats, enemies to lovers, basically almost every trope lol. I really do love this series and can’t praise it enough run don’t walk! And add it to your TBR!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Honestly a 3.9/5(rounded to 4)

As always my review is spoiler-free.

This is my least favourite book in the series so far and I am a sucker for Christmas. So I REALLY did try to like it. But I saw the killer from a mile away. The list of suspects wasn't strong enough to kick you off the trail.

Annie and her posse are growing stronger and stronger as characters (with their wants and arcs) with each book.

It wasn't the main plot that left me wanting more. The mystery of Scarlett's death is what will bring me back to this series. And this book gave me A LOT about Scarlett's case that I did not anticipate which is why I've rated it 3.9. Otherwise, it's a 2/5

Will I recommend this as a stand-alone? Nope. As a series? Yes, but I will mention that Book 4 is not that great. Am I waiting for the next book? Heck yes. I need to know what the heck happened to Scarlett just like Annie.

Ellie Alexander is one of my auto-read/buys, but I have not read the previous 3 books in this series.

For this mystery, you can read this as a standalone. However, when Annie speaks of her friend Scarlet as well as her relationship with Liam, things begin to get a little muddy. Not much as the author is very good about giving enough information, but I believe a reader who begins at the beginning wouldn’t have any confusion.

One reason why I hadn’t started this series was that I had heard the mysteries are wrapped up quickly, with no actual chase. Normally I do not like the amateur to put themselves in harm’s way, but I also want to see the journey. In this case, the parts about Scarlet seemed to be the journey, whereas Lily’s murder felt like snapshots. One minute she’s there, and the next Annie is finding her deceased. I would have liked more. More about Lily and Becca, more about celebrity baking, and the fact that recipes are not protected.

Overall, I rate this novel 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Life in Redwood Grove was good, Ann Murray was working at The Secret Bookcase bookstore, an enchanting place with themed rooms, rooms where you could loose yourself in Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie etc or gaze over the beautiful English style garden.
Ann was a criminology student, that is until her best friend Scarlet was murdered and her world fell apart, Ann had never come to terms with loosing her soulmate, even more so because the killer had never been found, something that Ann was determined to rectify.
Ann loved working at the quaint bookstore and along with colleague Fletcher and owner Hal, she did everything that she could to entice customers. Christmas was coming and it was an ideal opportunity, Ann had various events planned but the main one was the live appearance of social media baking influencer, Lily Hawthorne, Lily had thousands of followers and a demonstration in the Secret Bookcase would definitely draw the crowds.
Ann had decided on a ginger bread house competition, Lily would build her own magnificent structure. Lily was a hit, everything was going swimmingly..............until it wasn't, Ann was horrified to find a body in the bookstore and it would take all the detecting skills of Ann and Dr Caudwell, her old criminology lecturer, to solve the murder. Suspects were coming out of the woodwork, each with their own motive but who was the guilty one ?
This is a delightful cosy mystery that had me guessing to the end, I hadn't read the previous books but I easily picked up the story, there is a theme running through the series that will obviously continue into the next book.
I loved the authors description of the bookstore, I loved the diverse characters, I loved how Ann's role is gradually changing and I loved the gentle romance between Ann and bar owner, Liam. I look forward to reading more about The Secret Bookcase.
Thank you so much to Storm publishing and Net Gallery for this ARC, my review is my own opinion.

"A Holiday Homicide (A Secret Bookcase Mystery #4)" by Ellie Alexander is very gingerbread holiday themed at the beginning then picks back up the holiday theme at the end. We get several chapters dedicated to the mystery specific to this book and a good few chapters to the end dedicated to the overall series mystery.

I'm a little bit at the point where I want the overall mystery solved. I have a couple of theories about what's going on there. In this book it seemed like more happened towards that investigation but at the same time it didn't really feel like it got anywhere.

The book specific mystery was around the death of a baking influencer. There were a good couple of suspects. However, I totally called it with this one. It was an interesting story though.

We are back with Annie and the gang as they get ready to host a gingerbread house contest in their bookstore, hosted by a famous influencer and the local baker.

I have already fallen in love with this small town in the previous books, and I love the Christmas vibes and how everyone participated in making gingerbread houses for the contest. And I love Annie, all her friends, and the bookstore itself.

Each book in the series has a murder to solve, while also having a thread throughout them all of a past case involving the death of Annie's roommate Scarlet. I'm not the biggest fan of Scarlet's case but I think it's concluding soon so I can look past it as I enjoy the other cases Annie is involved in, as well as the cast of characters in this adorable small town.

I can't wait to see what happens in this series next, especially with the decisions that Annie and her Fletcher have made with their new endevor!

A cozy mystery book to kick off the holiday season.
Annie is back to solve a murder. A celebrity baker is found dead and of course Annie is back on her detective vibe.
This was an enjoyable read, I wish it was more of Annie and Liam love story but it’s not a romance book so I can’t expect too much.

I love the thrill to finding out who the killer is.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my arc copy.

Such an amazing cosy Christmas mystery!
First off, so much Christmas atmosphere – a gingerbread house competition, Christmas decorations, wintery foods and drinks. Everything I want in a Christmas mystery. Plus, it all takes place in an old mansion that has been converted into a bookstore where each room has an Agatha Christie theme! Seriously, a mystery lover’s dream setting. There’s even a hidden room behind a bookshelf!
As always, Alexander’s plot is tight and the pacing is perfect. I haven’t read the others in the series yet, but this stands alone perfectly if you are looking for a perfect Christmas cosy.
Thanks to NetGalley for the complementary eARC.

BOOK: A HOLIDAY HOMICIDE
AUTHOR: ELLIE ALEXANDER
PUB DATE: NOVEMBER 2024
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REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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The best thing about reading a series is seeing the character development and the changes in their lives. I got this from this new release. It was really nice to read about the upgrade in Annie and Liam's relationship, I was 'shipping' them. I also liked the new venture Annie might be into. I can't wait to see if she'll actually do it!
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As usual, the murder started with another book festival, this time a themed gingerbread houses. I loved reading about this, and I feel like the festivals are creative. This was slightly different. Before the victim died, I already suspected who the culprit was, but I liked that they were three other main suspects who kept me guessing.
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Another thing is that the murder was not the main 'suspense'. Annie really focused on her best friend's, Scarlett's murder which has been a main theme from the beginning of the series. New evidence has been discovered, and I'm really curious as to what happened with her.
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I read this book in a day and it was really nice to experience Annie, her bookshop, friends and small town again. I would definitely continue this series, and you should, too. If you haven't started, you can start from the beginning.
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Ellie Alexander has a knack for creating sleuths you want to be root for with, townsfolk you want to know, and friends you want to hang out with. Event planner Annie Murray has been going from success to success, from planning book launches to dinner parties, from film festivals to book festivals, she has been creating memorable events for the Secret Bookcase store.

In her latest event brainstorm, the bookstore hosts a huge gingerbread competition, just in time for the holidays! But things go awry (as they do) and Annie is quickly drawn back into being an amateur sleuth, something she’s more than qualified for with her criminology degree.

This book zips along at a perfect pace, always keeping my attention and moving everything along. There’s two plots going on – the main murder mystery, and the series-long arc of Annie’s best friend, Scarlet’s, murder when she was in college.

The death of the baking influencer was a good look at influencers, online perceptions, and how fandom can sometimes go a little too far. It’s really relevant in today’s society and reminds readers that what you see online isn’t always what’s going on in reality.

One of the things I love about this series is the supporting characters and how they’ve developed as the series continues. I love the support that Annie’s co-workers give her, and how Annie is able to balance two different career options – working at the bookstore and assisting the police in their investigations.

I also love the developing relationship between Annie and Liam. It’s sweet and the fact that she has him watching Midsomer Murders and Death in Paradise (two of my favourites!) makes me love them as a couple even more. I think there’s still lots to come for these two but I do like the fact that Liam supports Annie’s investigations, and trusts her to be able to handle herself.

While the main murder is solved before the end of the book, Scarlet’s cold case murder is still unsolved, but major developments happen in A Holiday Homicide and I’m hoping we get even more answers in the next book!

* Thank you to the publisher, Storm Publishing, for providing me with an e-copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.

This is the 4th release this year in the new cozy series "Secret Bookcase Mystery". Cozy author Ellie Alexander has gone above and beyond for her readers this year and we appreciate all her hard work in releasing this wonderful series. Thank you to Net Galley and to the publisher for the opportunity for review. My review opinion is my own.

In this holiday theme release our savvy protagnist Annie is participating in a fun gingerbread contest when a murder occurs. Annie is determined to solve another murder with her instincts for finding clues among the suspects. Liam and Annie are now a couple and Liam joins her in investigating. The red herrings abound and soon Annie is on the path of a killer once again.

The Christmas theme is written with all the holiday magic by the author. I love the small .town holiday celebrations and descriptions of holiday treats. This is a wonderful charming addition to this new series .

This book offers up another slice of the sweet and heartwarming chapter in the Secret Bookcase Mysteries. If you liked the previous books in the series about small town America, filled with community spirit, then this might be for you. I was pleased to see all the characters were back and Annie had made progress in her career and her love life.
The bookstore in the book is unique and I liked the way the story paid homage to the great writers, such as Agatha Christie and others. I was unsure about the introduction of a gingerbread competition as I was expecting a theme to be introduced that was more connected to books at Christmas. However, when the main plot got going and the murder suspects started lining up, the storyline became intriguing. It was quite easy to guess the killer in the novel, however there were some red herrings which tried to lead the reader in different directions and added to the richness of the story.

A Holiday Homicide is the fourth book in the Secret Bookcase Mystery by Ellie Alexander. As the reader has gotten to know Annie Murray, Liam and friends it is evident that trouble seems to find those in Redwood Grove. For a small town it has more than it shares of murder victims, this time at a gingerbread contest. Who would have thought it?

Annie and crew are on the hunt for the killer before another fall victim. A who-dun-it that was interesting had me following the clues with Annie and invested in the changes that could happen in her personal life. Read okay on its own but I am glad I have been following Annie from the beginning. An intriguing cozy Christmas mystery.

This book has a lovely festive vibe, and the descriptions of decorations in the bookshop bring it to life. A festive gingerbread competition is the focus, and the bookshop's profile is raised with the attendance of a social media influencer. Things start well, and it's easy to visualise the gingerbread creations. Unfortunately, things are not as sweet as they appear when unexpected visitors and incidents threaten the event. When Annie discovers a dead body amongst the bookshelves, she is drawn into the investigation, which highlights the darker side of social media and celebrity. The mystery uncovers betrayal, deceit and secrets. I like the story's characters, setting and immersive mystery.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

4⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of A Holiday Homicide.

Annie works at The Secret Bookcase and they are hosting a holiday gingerbread contest with a famous influencer named Lily. Everything is going well until Annie finds Lily unconscious on the floor of the bookstore. Annie uses her criminology background to help solve what happened but in doing so is she putting her own life at risk?

This is the fourth book in this series and all of the books are so good! I would definitely recommend reading the other books first before reading this one as it will give you great background on the town and the characters. I absolutely love the characters in this series-they are so easy to connect with. I really enjoy the author’s writing style. It is so easy to get engrossed in these books and trying to solve who did it! I cannot wait to continue on with this series because these books are a must read!

Festive Cosy..
The fourth entry in the Secret Bookcase series of mysteries finds Annie in a dilemma as her planned festivities at the bookstore are derailed by an unexpected fatality. As murmurs of foul play abound, Annie soon finds herself knee deep in mystery and mayhem. A satisfyingly festive cosy mystery with a cast of eclectic and well drawn characters, a well imagined backdrop and a solid mystery at its heart. A worthy addition to the series.

I love all things Ellie Alexander writes, she is one of the best cozy authors. I have no clue how she’s so prolific but I’m very glad she is. She has created one of the most charming bookstores, you will wish that it’s real. If you’re a fan of Murder, She Wrote, then this is ideal, I find it’s one of the series that reminds me of the show the most. The mix of cozy with actual crime solving is perfectly balanced.

This time around we get Christmas & a murder at a gingerbread making contest. I loved that Christmas wasn’t just a background event, it’s very integral to the whole story. The suspects are a mixture of locals & out-of-towners, which plays really well. There’s also a major change/decision Annie makes about her future that I feel will propel the series into really interesting directions. Her having a criminology background is unique & adds a lot to the books.

You truly can’t go wrong with any of Ellie Alexander’s series! She is one of the best & I look forward to the future.

A Holiday Homicide has a great blend of holiday story appeal and mystery.

Annie and the Secret Bookcase are hosting a gingerbread competition with a baking influencer, Lily.
Unfortunately, death happens and Annie once again assists Dr. Caldwell with her investigation.
There are some interesting suspects. There is also movement regarding Scarlet’s death from 10 years prior.
I enjoyed reading this 4th book in the Secret Bookcase mystery series. I recommend starting at the beginning so you can fall in love with these characters too.
Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.