I love a good cozy crime book as a palette cleanser between more serious reads and Jess Lourey's Murder by Month series always delivers on that. "January Thaw" is a fun ride and a solid mystery with all of the winter vibes and the banter between the characters is as delightful as ever!

This was such an adorable cozy. I just couldn't put it down. The characters are funny and sweet. I think my favorite character is Mrs. Berns. She's lovely. If you are looking for a quick and addictive read then this is the series for you.

Another successful book in this series. Jess really did a great job with these. I loved this entire series....i hope she does something similar to this again

Loving this series. If only there were more months in the year so we could keep visiting these characters and the author's wonderful writing.

One of my favorite crime fighting duo’s are back. Mira and Mrs. Berns! Mira stumbles across a dead body of a new library regular. Dead body, the police chief gets shot and new crime in town gets Mira’s senses tingling. This was another fun installment with mystery, laughs, and a little bit of romance. Looking forward to more Mira and Mrs Berns adventures!

*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

This series gets better with each book! This month Mira finds a body in a frozen lake. She really cannot escape them! It leads her to a very old mystery, which I enjoyed very much. I never thought I’d like the chief, but he’s growing on me. Once again, Mrs. Berns was my favorite part of the book, but I love Johnny too!

Thank you #NetGalley and #Thomas&Mercer publishing for the revised edition of this book.

And a thank you to Thomas & Mercer for re-releasing the series. I am loving it! I have one caveat. Don't call it a rom com. I know it's the trend now. But there has to be better genre mash up than rom com. Comystrom? Mystcomrom? Or how about Sassy Murder Mystery? The romance takes 2nd chair in this story and although the series was written about a decade ago, it's a great read for current times.

Our sassy sleuths have a bit a funk on all of them. Messy histories. A little bit of impertinent behavior. But a whole lot of love for all of their faults.

Mira, our main character, is now established in what was suppose to be her temporary home. That can be taken two ways. Established as in laying down roots with friends and a job or established as the finder of dead bodies. Both are proper descriptions of her current life. Death and crime solving has taken a toll on poor Mira. But she soldiers on and is pursing her Private Eye license and still getting mixed up in messy murders. With the cheeky Mrs. Berns in accompaniment, Mira has a new murder solve that will right a wrongful death in the present time, and a wrongful death from the civil war.

I love all the characters. The crazy predicaments they land themselves in. And yes, even the romance that does show up the story. It all blends well for a fast paced who done it with a modern real feel. Who wouldn't sleep under the bed after finding yet another dead body.

Pick up a Murder of the Month book and help break up the trendy rom coms or the common cozy mysteries you've been reading. And just remember, it's okay to laugh at murder. When it's fictitious.

Cozy cute mystery! Loved this one! Mira is growing! Love the evolution! Her amateur sleuthing has paid off into a real PI job! So freaking fun. Love the historic aspects!

This was my first read from Jess Lourey and I thoroughly enjoyed it! January Thaw is a great mystery novel with hints of romance for the winter. The plot was intriguing beyond finding someone murdered beneath ice. It was a quick read which was apparently just what I needed.

This whole series is witty, sassy and fun. Poor Mira finds a body every month and January is no exception. In this edition, she's skating with her hot boyfriend and finds a guy under the ice... dead! Mira goes into crime-solving mode, while still running the library and writing for the local newspaper. I enjoy the different levels of story-telling that Lourey weaves. And I love the octogenarian characters, especially spunky Mrs. Burns. She's a pip!

The novel is well-crafted, the writing captivating, and the story progresses quickly toward its conclusion. I found the plot somewhat straightforward, which didn't completely convince me, but I believe it's a recommendable book for those looking for some pleasant company from a good read.

I love this series, love Mira, Mrs. Berns, and love the children who Mira befriended in this adventure. Mira discovers another dead body after being chased down by a zamboni driven by Mrs. Berns at a winterfest. She realizes she has seen this man before, and he may have taken part in saving her from some really bad guys just days before. Mira is still working on getting her PI license, taking on a few investigation jobs to count towards the required hours she needs to get licensed. She has PTSD after the Candy Cane Killer attacked her a month before, and is still healing physically and emotionally from that. Chief gets shot, Mayor Kennie has found a new niche, Mrs. Berns makes a new friend and they do not include Mira in their adventures. Mira is almost at her wits end dealing with everything. She then has some special house guests move in and they help each other get thru rough times...literally. I can't wait to read the entire series!

January Thaw by Jess Lourey was a fun and humorous cozy mystery.
A riveting mystery with an intriguing plot, packed with witty storytelling and characters you’ll instantly fall in love with.
Another great mystery and I love how the characters are developing over the series.

Mira James, investigator in training, decides to go ice skating and it turns into a case. She sees a corpse floating under the ice and learns it was a transient looking into local history. The man in question happen to have saved Mira and her friend the previous evening from a mugging. She wants to help him now by figuring out who murdered him. She starts by looking in to the same things the dead man was researching. Follow along and see where the clues take her and if they will lead her to a killer.

This is the 9th book in the Murder by Month Mystery Book series. Fun, quick murder mystery. I enjoyed the humor and this was the perfect length read. I will definitely be reading the other books in this series.

The book was so good. I figured out some of the twists but it was still very good................. There was many extra mysteries including the main one .

I love this holiday mysteries series, it's always suspenseful and imaginative. The books are fun and hard to put down, I loved this book in particular for the holiday season. It's funny and witty, and overall just a very enjoyable mystery.

Another fun installment in the Murder by Month series, and probably one of my favorites to date.

Mira and Mrs Berns are always a pleasure to spend time with, and this one feels like an especially well-crafted mystery supported by a really excellent sense of humor.

I appreciate the way Lourey deploys characters like the mayor, who would likely become obnoxious if we got too much of her, but who is hilarious in appropriate doses.

It was tough to imagine why the victim in this one showed up in Battle Lake in the first place, which made me worry a little that the author was running out of ways to make yet another murder reasonably plausible in this tiny town, but this ultimately adds up well in the end.

A fun read, and—as always—I’m eagerly looking forward to the next installment.

First, I’d like to thank Jess Lourey and the publishers for continuing to deliver such an engaging and entertaining series with the Mira James Mysteries! As this series progresses, I find myself falling more and more in love with Mira and her quirky, hilarious adventures.

In January Thaw, Mira's antics are as captivating as ever. Her unique personality, combined with her sharp mind, makes her a protagonist you can’t help but root for. This book takes on a slightly darker tone, continuing the series’ trend of diving into weightier themes. However, the darkness is perfectly balanced with Lourey’s signature humor and a touch of romance, making for an enjoyable and engaging read.

The plot kicks off with Mira being attacked, only to discover the body of her rescuer the following day. This event leads her on a thrilling investigation to track down a drug dealer. As always, Mira’s determination and resourcefulness shine through as she dives headfirst into another mystery.

One of the standout elements of this book, as with the rest of the series, is the supporting cast. Mrs. Berns, in particular, steals the show with her wit and charm. Her dynamic with Mira adds a layer of humor and warmth that keeps readers coming back for more. The other supporting characters also bring depth and richness to the story, making the town of Battle Lake feel like a real, lived-in place.

Overall, January Thaw is another fantastic addition to the series. It’s a perfect blend of comedy, mystery, and just a hint of romance. I can’t wait to see where Mira’s adventures take her next! If you haven’t started this series yet, you’re missing out on one of the most delightful mystery series out there. Highly recommend!