The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

Even though this is book 4, it can be read as a stand alone. I hadn't read any of the previous ones in the series and thought the author did a good job of bringing the reader up to date from the previous books. (side note: I mistakenly thought this was an author I had read before - similar name) The who and the how of the mystery was easily solved fairly early on, so I did find myself skipping a lot of the story. I didn't particularly like any of the characters. I found the cold case murder of Annie's best friend to be far more interesting, yet it ended on what I'm guessing is another cliffhanger. It seemed to me like that case was going to be part of each book without much progress in solving it.

I am enjoying this series a lot! Each book so far has a ‘double’ mystery. There is the ‘cozy’ mystery and then there is what I feel is more a ‘csi’ type mystery.

This is such a clever blending of the two types of mysteries I enjoy so much so it really is the best of both worlds.

I particularly enjoyed this book because this one made a big leap forward in our ‘csi’ mystery which makes me want book 5 in a hurry!

Thank you to publishers and NetGalley for letting me read and review this book. All opinions are my own

I absolutely loved this book! It makes me wants to open a bookstore in a little town. It transported me to Christmas time and got me in the holiday spirit even though it’s still October. The story kept me on my toes and I couldn’t figure out who was dying and who did it. I will say I have not read the first three books before reading this one, but I don’t think I misunderstood anything. However I’m assuming there is one major spoiler from previous books, but that didn’t affect anything while reading it. I plan to go back and read the other three because I really enjoyed this one. The reveal wasn’t as big as I expected it to be, but I did like who it turned out to be. Definitely a great read. I didn’t want to put it down.

A gingerbread contest with an influencer guest and judge seems to be the perfect way to draw customers to the Secret Bookcase for the holidays. Soon the store is filled with Christmas decorations, music, and the aroma of gingerbread. Is the influencer too good to be true? Annie discovers a body in the store and there are numerous suspects and motives. Annie and friend and co-worker, Fletcher, are soon looking into the death. Annie is also still investigating the death of her friend, Scarlett. Annie loves the bookstore, but she also is a criminologist and misses investigation.
Holiday Homicide is a fun holiday cozy mystery with good friends and a sweet romance. This series has become a favorite. Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

Enjoyable cosy that runs true to genre.I received this as an advance copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I have loved every book in this series, it feels like a typical cozy mystery but also more. Annie’s job at the local bookstore makes it cute and cozy while her experience with criminal justice and her friend’s murder lend her sleuthing credibility.

I love all of the characters and the cute events that Annie plans for the bookstore which keeps the books fresh in spite of the murders. I especially love the Annie and Liam dynamic! My one gripe would be that this mystery resolved rather suddenly and left me with bookish whiplash. I understand it was from a need to focus on Scarlet’s case, but I ended up feeling that the story was incomplete.

On the whole, I heartily recommend this book and the entire series to all cozy mystery lovers! Thank you to #NetGalley for this advanced copy!

Another fun, fluffy mystery book by Ellie Alexander and an improvement from the previous one.

Annie hosts a gingerbread competition at her work which takes a turn when a popular baking influencer drops dead. This one had a lot more character development, better fleshed out newer characters and didn't feel repetitive. We also get to see progress with Annie's and Liam's relationship.

My biggest gripe with the series was that the Scarlet angle wasn't progressing much other than just referencing it. Here we get some more developments. However, I do feel that we need some closure on that case and it shouldn't be dragged as it may lose its novelty factor.

Overall, a good weekend read. Definitely recommend.

I thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the E-Arc and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Love a good holiday cozy and this one fitted the bill perfectly, First time reading this series so the back story snippets were helpful. Characters and setting were great, really wish I could work in a bookshop like The Secret Bookcase! Festive, fun, with plenty of mystery and intrigue. I'll be heading back to Redwood Grove to find out what happens next.

This is the 4th installment in the Secret Bookcase series. Annie Murray is helping local bakery owner Sugar by hosting a gingerbread house contest to be judged by an online influencer Lily Hawthorne. Lily turns out not to be as nice as her onscreen persona and is soon found dead in the bookstore. There are several suspects and Annie once again is helping the police and Dr. Caldwell find the killer. Annie is also trying to make a decision on the next steps in her life. Will she pursue a full time position with the police or stay with the bookstore. Annie is also investigating the cold case murder of her friend Scarlett. This is a fast paced mystery and I love Annie and her friends as she helps solve a mystery and makes some big life decisions. Looking forward to the next installment in this series. Highly recommend.

This is a fun entry in the series about bookseller/investigator Annie Murray. I'm thrilled that she's finally made her decision about which career path to follow. It might be a totally unrealistic decision--hehe--but it's a cozy series, after all.

If you mix up the worlds of baking and bookselling and murder, you're bound to get something delicious. I love the sneak peek into the life of an influencer too. And Pri and Fletcher and Hal make such a great cast of supporting characters.

The investigation into Scarlet's murder (in the past) gets more airtime here, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. But I'm just not a big fan of over-arching dramatic storylines weaving over an entire mystery series.

Still, Ellie Alexander's such a reliable author. I know I'll get a good story from her pretty much every time!

Thanks to the publisher for the review copy, provided via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I was so invested in Scarlet's murder case far more than the recent murder in the bookstore. I easily guessed the killer and also the method of the murder (which is a first!).

The character development in this book has been phenomenal especially Fletcher and Annie's idea regarding the bookstore— it was simply perfect! 💫

As always ellie never fails to make me fall in love with mystery books even more than before. There's nothing better than curling up a cozy blanket, a cup of hot coffee or chocolate and getting lost in a mystery novel!
This was such a perfect fall read 🍁.

Thank you Storm Publishing and Net Galley for a copy of this arc.

I’m loving this new series from Ellie Alexander! Both the new and old mysteries are intriguing. I did figure out who the murderer was early on, but the journey to the solution was no less enjoyable for me suspecting correctly.

First I enjoyed most of the book. But I think the characters are underdeveloped.. 2nd, I knew who the killer was the instant she was introduced. I’ve read many books with the same killer. I was annoyed & frustrated that the same old trope was being used, it’s so obvious & old. #AHolidayHomicide #NetGalley

As the snow falls and the smell of gingerbread is in the air, Annie and the crew of The Secret Bookcase are hosting a holiday gingerbread contest with the hottest celebrity baker on social media. All seems cheery and bright when the social media darling shows up, but things take a turn when the baker is found dead after a few problems with other patrons and her own assistant. With the help of her sweetheart, Liam, and the rest of The Secret Bookcase team can Annie solve this murder before it's time for a visit from old St. Nick?

A Holiday Homicide is the 4th book in the series and the second I've read. The characters and setting are engaging and I felt this could almost be a stand alone. Like she does for Ashland in the Bakeshop Mysteries, Alexander brings the small town of Redwood Grove alive. The premise in this installment is a gingerbread competition held during the Christmas season in the Secret Bookcase bookstore. To boost tourism a famous influencer agrees to judge the competition. So much is not as it seems and a murder threatens to make the holiday a little less happy.
There is a second mystery that is woven through the series, I was impressed with the way the reader is caught up and prepared for book 5. I look forward to to next book. This is a delightful Christmas cozy, highly recommended.

Another really enjoyable book from Ellie Alexander! I love the main character Annie, all of her friends, and the setting in Redwood Grove, Ca.

The action in the fourth book in the series occurs right before the Christmas holidays. Annie is hosting a gingerbread house competition at the
bookstore and everything is decorated to the hilt and Christmasy foods abound in this delightful novel.

There are some great new characters - a culinary web star and several other of the baker community who may or may not get along with her.

The romance for Annie and Liam is progressing slowly but nicely as Annie is considering her future career plans and possibly getting closer in the investigation of the murder of her best friend Scarlet.

I highly recommend the entire "Secret Bookcase Mystery" series. The plots are interesting and have kept my attention all the way to the end of each book.

I absolutely loved it!! I could not put it down, and even without the cliffhanger ending, I can not wait for the next one!!

Although the secret bookcase sounds idyllic as a shopping destination I am now loathed to visit given the amount of bodies piling up in Redwood Grove!
Full of festive cheer and gruesome deaths with a bit of a bake off touch in the gingerbread competition this is a lovely cosy crime to while away a cold wet evening- but do you dare have coffee and cake when a poisoner is on the loose?!

I cannot seem to get enough of these secret bookcase mysteries. Annie Murray and the whole bunch from the bookstore and the town have stolen my heart away. I love the fact that everyone pitches in to help bring tourism and extra things to the town. So far, out all the books, this one is my favorite.

Annie, making her big decision about choosing between the bookstore and a job in law enforcement finally had me sighing with relief. She chose exactly what she should have, and I am so proud of her for being mature enough to realize what she can do, she can do it all and be fine.

Oh man, this mystery really had a lot of twists in it. For the longest time, I thought I knew who the killer was, bypassing my first instincts as to who it really was. There are a lot of red herrings in this one so look out!

I have really enjoyed reading Ellie Alexander and I am looking forward to reading some of her other series too. This one seems like it is really just starting to heat up and I am so ready for that.

The extra mystery of finally finding out what happened to Scarlett is a very nice touch too. I really like that the author gives you something else to chew on while you wait for the next book. Love it.

Thanks to Net Galley, the publishers, and to Ellie Alexander for the ability to read and review this book. All opinions are mine and are completely honest.