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.

This is the fourth book in the Secret Bookcase Mystery series. Annie works at a bookshop called The Secret Bookcase in the small town of Redwood Grove.

A Holiday Homicide is set at Christmas time and the holiday atmosphere of gingerbread, cinnamon and hot chocolate is almost overwhelming. Unfortunately someone drops dead at the baking contest, and it appears to be murder. Annie and her boyfriend Liam set out to discover the guilty party.

This was a very entertaining read full of good things like the Christmas spirit in a small town, and not so good things like modern day oversharing on the internet. There is a lot to look forward to in future books with the plans Annie and Fletcher are making for the bookshop and the developing romance between Annie and Liam. Roll on the next book.

I've been all about the Christmas cozies and this was a fab addition to my pile! An enjoyable festive read to enjoy if you've read others in the series or not

I'd like to thank netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read and review this book

At this point if Ellie Alexander writes it, I’ll read it. A Holiday Homicide is the perfect Peppermint Latte type book to kick of your Christmas reads. Grab some cozy pjs, a cup of holiday coffee and get ready for a wonderful read!

A Holiday Homicide is the 4th book in A Secret Bookcase Mystery series. When our beloved Annie once again discovers a body, this time at the gingerbread competition at the Secret Bookcase, she is once again thrust into yet another mystery of who and why. This time a popular baking influencer, Lilly Hawthorne, who is leading the charge of the competition has died mysteriously. Looks like natural causes but is that what really happened? Several people involved might have wanted her dead and out of the way for a laundry list of reasons. Not only will this mysterious death have you questioning several people you’ll also be wondering if any of it is connected to Annies’s past. As Annie and her friends dig deeper into Scarlets, Annies collage roommate, murder; more secrets begin to reveal themselves. The end of this book will have you begging for book 5! I know I need to know more about what happened to Scarlet and if Annie will ever have closure.

I love how well Ellie Alexander blends together, so eloquently, the mystery, friendships and romance throughout each book in this series. I love how she puts you right inside Annies’s mind. You feel as if you are in her head thinking alongside her as she processes the current murder as well as what has happened in her past. I am also loving the mystery that is Liam Donovan! I can already tell something big is coming when it comes to him!

Next up is; Book 5: A Victim at Valentine’s, releasing just in time for Valentine’s Day might I add! What is next for Annie on her journey to solve her best friend’s murder? Will we ever know what secrets Liam is hiding? And how will Fletcher and Annie handle their new business adventures?! I have so many questions. I don’t know how many books there will be but here is to hoping there are many many more. I need to accompany, Hal, Annie and Fletcher overseas to finally know if Hal is really related to Agatha Christie so we defiantly need an 6th book. At that point make it an even 10. Then again why stop there!?

A Secret Bookcase Mystery series will captivate you from the start! Come for the cozy mysteries and stay for the drama, murders and love.

Favorite Quotes:

 “‘Liam freaking Donovan is dropping puns?’ Price gasped and fanned her face, looking at Dr. Caldwell and me in disbelief. ‘What is happening?’”

“ ‘Funny, because I took you  for the bookish type.’”

Thank you to Netgally, Ellie Alexander and Storm Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Ellie Alexander ( @ellie_alexander ), Storm Publishing ( @stormbooks_co ), and NetGalley ( @netgalley ) for allowing me to read A Holiday Homicide early (publishes November 20, 2024).

Ellie Alexander’s latest installment of the Secret Bookcase Mysteries is a holiday delight. The death of a social media influencer puts a damper on the holiday spirits during The Secret Bookshelf’s inaugural gingerbread house baking competition. It’s up to Annie to put the pieces together and figure out who did it!

Ellie Alexander has done it again. This new series of hers (how are we so lucky to have gotten four books in one year) may be my most favorite. And that’s saying something because I’m an Ellie Alexander stan!

This sweet cozy is perfect to read by the tree with a cup of coffee and some cookies, and a bit of gingerbread cake.

#AHolidayHomicide #NetGalley #EllieAlexander #StormPublishing

Get into the holiday spirit with a visit to the Secret Bookcase in Redwood Grove! This time Annie is approached to help host a gingerbread house competition at the bookstore, thanks to the interest of a baking influencer in a local bakery’s designs. When someone turns up dead, Annie is eager to help find out who did it and stretch her detective chops.

In addition to the new murder, Annie’s still got her cold case on the back burner and is following a new lead that she found. I enjoy how Ellie Alexander incorporates a continuing mystery that is more personal to the main character throughout her cozies to give it an ongoing thread to follow - and it’s starting to get dangerous!

I enjoyed the holiday vibes of this one, it’s definitely more holiday than Christmas with the the contest and decor descriptions. I also found it fun getting a fictional peek behind the scenes the culinary influencer world, and watching Annie continue to grow and thrive in her new career path.

If you’re a fan of the series, don’t miss this one!

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for sending this DRC for review consideration.

This series just keeps getting better. Annie Murray and company have set up a gingerbread competition. The whole town is involved and excited for all of the visitors that have arrived in their town.

Everything is festively decorated with the aroma of gingerbread permeating the air, but alas everything is about to be thrown into chaos when a celebrity baker/influencer drops dead in the Secret Bookcase. It appears that the death may not be natural.

There are suspects galore as you soon learn that this baker left a cloud of distaste everywhere she went with her arrogant attitude. As the investigation deepens and more information comes to light, the mystery gets a little more complicated and interesting. Cozy mystery lovers will eat this one up.

I love this series as I could easily lose myself in a place like the Secret Bookcase. It sounds so intriguing and inviting to a lover of books. I also enjoy all of the characters in this series as we watch Annie and Liam's relationship deepen with each installment. We get another look inside the mystery of Annie's college friend's murder that is still unsolved. It seems Annie is getting one step closer, but you are left with a shocking cliffhanger.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A Holiday Homicide is book four in the series A Secret Bookcase Mystery by author Ellie Alexander. I have not read any other books by this author.
I enjoyed this book. It was very easy to read as a stand-alone book. The mystery was easy to figure out quickly in the book. I like a cozy mystery to keep me guessing more as I am reading.
The author is one I will look for more books to read.
Thank you NetGalley, Ellie Alexander and Storm Publishing for the copy of the book A Holiday Homicide. This is my personal review.

A Holiday Homicide by Ellie Alexander is a Christmas cozy murder mystery, if that is not too unlikely. Annie Murray is an employee of a bookstore called the Secret Bookcase and she works there with her friend, Fletcher, and the owner, Hal. They are sponsoring a gingerbread house contest which will be featured on Lily Hawthorne’s social media. Lily is a popular influencer. Also involved is Sugar Lester who had opened a bakery aptly called the Sweet Room in a large Victorian house outside of town. Everyone was excited and each of the three bookstore employees have created a house and, of course, Sugar and Lily both have. The three from the bookstore were decent but the two created by the professionals were beyond amazing, until Lily tripped and knocked Sugar’s off the table and into a million pieces. That starts off a day of abject misery, followed by a week of it as Annie discovers Lily’s body in a nook in the bookstore. Her ersatz boyfriend, Liam Donovan, local chef and Pri, the best barista in town are on hand.

Annie is torn between the bookstore and a career in law enforcement. Her former criminology professor is the head of the local police force and wants Annie to to in her there. Annie wants to but she wants her career in the bookstore as well. She is also investigating a cold case, her college roommate, Scarlett, who was murdered, in her spare time. She has plenty of energy and is focused on things that are important. She is the ideal lead for this relatively new series. One thing she has in common with other amateur sleuths is that she often finds herself in danger. This time is no different. This is a fun series, but I am prone to liking any story featuring a bookstore. The characters are fresh and fun; the setting is perfect, and the mystery is perplexing. It shines a light on the world of influencers, not always a good thing.

I was invited to read A Holiday Homicide by Storm Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StormPublishing #EllieAlexander #AHolidayHomicide

Annie is in the middle of it again! It's time for a gingerbread baking competition with Annie, Sugar (local bakery owner) and Lily (celebrity baker). Can she solve the murder before someone else is hurt? I won't tell!

I love that Annie and Liam are getting closer, maybe wedding bells will be in the future. Annie and Fletcher are going to do something different soon, I don't want to give away any spoilers! I really wish we could get to the bottom of Scarlett's death. Getting small doses in each book makes it very hard to keep track of where we are, I'd love to have 1 book that solves that case instead of a murder in Redwood Grove. Still a great story!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

I’m loving this newest series by Ellie Alexander. The Secret Bookcase has become my favorite fictional bookstore and I would LOVE to visit…but I’ll settle for each entry as my ticket to mystery and the bookstore.

Quirky characters, a solid mystery and plenty of red herrings make this a series that needs to be on your must read list! Since this is book four in the series, you can start with this one and then binge on the previous three before the next one. Grab it now, you’ll thank me later!

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

As the title suggests, this installment is a delightful holiday treat. Set in the charming town of Redwood Grove during the festive season, bookseller and events planner Annie Murray is busy organizing a gingerbread baking competition. The competition, more of a showcase akin to the Great British Bake-off, draws a celebrity baker and a few not-so-sweet contestants. However, when the contest takes a deadly turn, Annie and her friends must unravel the mystery of who iced the celebrity baker.

I really like all of the books in the Secret Bookcase Mystery series. I was excited to continue on with the series and read this holiday-themed installment. Ellie Alexander does not disappoint. A Holiday Homicide was my favorite book in the series so far.

One of the aspects I particularly enjoyed in this book is the progression in Annie's life, from her career to her relationship with Liam and the unresolved cold case involving the death of her best friend. Ellie Alexander's inclusion of numerous delightful holiday descriptions, from the Victorian Farmhouse bakery on the town's outskirts to the sensory delights at the bake-off, adds a cozy charm to the narrative.

A Holiday Homicide is a must-read for anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries, especially those with a seasonal twist. If you're a fan of Ellie Alexander's work, this book is a perfect addition to your collection.

I received an advanced reader copy of A Holiday Homicide from Net Galley and Storm Publishing in exchange for a fair and honest review.

EXCERPT: I had to do something. I didn't want the atmosphere of the gingerbread contest to be tainted by Lily's stalker. I knew that Liam and Sugar could take care of Shane. I took the side steps onto the stage and grabbed the microphone. 'Let me say a few words, and then let's officially kick this off, okay?' I looked at Lily and Becca.
'Thank you,' Becca whispered, scotting closer to Lily. 'He freaks me out so bad. I can't stand the way he looks at Lily.'
'You mean like he's trying to undress her with his eyes?' I asked.
Becca wiped her sweaty hands on her sweatshirt. 'No, like he's calculating how he's going to cut her up into tiny pieces and stuff her into a suitcase.'
Geez.
I wasn't expecting that.

ABOUT 'A HOLIDAY HOMICIDE': Annie Murray's festive plans at the Secret Bookcase are thrown into disarray when a celebrity baker drops dead during a gingerbread-baking competition...

As whispers of foul play swirl like snowflakes, Annie soon finds herself tangled in a web of secrets, small-town rivalry, and long-buried mysteries.

With pub-owner and new love Liam by her side and the help of her loyal bookstore colleagues, Annie sets out to solve Redwood Grove’s latest murder mystery. And the closer she gets to the truth, the more she discovers that the baking community isn’t as sweet as it seems…

Can Annie unwrap the truth before the killer strikes again? Or will this be one Christmas she won't live to remember?

MY THOUGHTS: Recommended soundtrack while reading: Sugar, Sugar by the Archies.

A Holiday Homicide had me absolutely craving sweet treats while I was reading with all the talk of festive treats including acres of gingerbread! This is a fun and festive read which, although I guessed the murderer early on, kept me invested in the story almost to the end.

I have to admit to being a little lost about the mystery thread that is running through the entire series concerning the death of Annie's friend Scarlet as I haven't read books 1 & 2, something I need to remedy. It wasn't a problem in book 3, but it was here. Once the murderer had been apprehended, and I'll talk more about that in a moment, the mystery about Scarlet's death takes over. This is obviously leading into the next book which may, or may not, focus more on this. I really do prefer to have a separate story in each book which is wrapped up, but that is purely a personal preference on my part.

I was a little let down in that, once Annie and Dr Caldwell had figured out who the murderer was, it was wrapped up like this (and I quote): X had been arrested and confessed to everything. End of story. I don't know about you, but the chase and capture is an important feature to me.

I enjoyed Annie and Fletcher's working relationship and they have great plans for the future which will provide some interesting reading. I also like Annie's romance with Liam. It's slow and sweet and doesn't overwhelm the mystery thread.

Although this was a nice read, I definitely preferred #3, Death at the Dinner Party in which the focus of the plot was on the current mystery with only brief mentions of Scarlet's mystery.

⭐⭐⭐.5

#AHolidayHomicide #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Ellie is a voracious storyteller and a lover of words and all things bookish. She believes that stories have the ability to transport and transform us. With over thirty published novels and counting, her goal is to tell stories that provide points of connection, escape, and understanding.

She loves inhabiting someone else’s skin through the pages of a book and is passionate about helping writers find their unique storytelling lens. As a writing teacher and coach, she guides writers in crafting the story they’ve always wanted to tell while navigating the path to publication that’s right for them.

DISCLSOURE: Thank you to Storm Publishing via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of A Holiday Homicide by Ellie Alexander for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

It's Christmastime in Redwood Grove and Annie Murray and the Secret Staircase Bookshop is hosting a gingerbread house competition in cooperation with a beloved famous influencer that local baker, Sugar, has brought to town. Having the influencer livestreaming the event is bringing the eyes of the world to Redwood Grove and bringing lots of business and Christmas cheer to the community. A death happens at the event that is looking suspicious. Annie needs to trade that Santa hat for her investigative know how and find the culprit.

This is the fourth book of this series and the second one that I have read. This is quickly becoming a must read for me! There are two mysteries that are seamlessly woven together; the death that happens at the gingerbread event and the one of Annie's former roommate and best friend Scarlet that has been plaguing Annie from the beginning of the series. The mystery is so good that I stayed up way too late cause I just had to finish the book.

I love all the characters and would really like to live in Redwood Grove. They are so well developed; you begin to feel as you have a new set of friends who you can't wait to visit.

What's not to love about Christmas, Mystery and a great story. Ms. Alexander has certainly given us an early present with this one!

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the chance to read this ARC.

This was another really good book in this series.
Once again we find Annie caught up in a murder mystery. I love the description of the bookstore and would love to find one like it. There’s some added suspense towards the end of the book. I’m already anxiously waiting for the next one