Jenn McKinlay continues to write unique and clever mysteries for Lindsay Sullivan, smalltown librarian, and her friends to solve. I've listened to the Library Lover's Mysteries from the beginning, and it still keeps me guessing. McKinlay gives the readers just the right balance of "I knew it!" and "I didn't see that coming!" for the cozy genre. Even at Book 15.
Allyson Ryan's narration of the series continues to be excellent.
A Merry Little Murder Plot is a fun, low-stress mystery for the holidays.

Thanks to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the ALC of this audiobook.

Merry Little Murder Plot is the 15th installment in the Library Lover's Mystery series by Jenn McKinlay. It was the first book I picked up/listened to from this series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to reading more! I believe you can dive into this book without having read the previous ones.

Merry Little Murder Plot was narrated by Allyson Ryan. She has a wonderful voice for cozy mysteries. Her narration feels like a warm and comforting, if that makes sense!

Publication Date- Oct 08 2024
#MerryLittleMurderPlot #NetGalley

"A Merry Little Murder Plot (Library Lover's Mystery #15)" by Jenn McKinlay has some hilarious holiday moments. I particularly enjoyed Lindsey's friend Robbie during the ugly sweater contest. There were several other laugh out loud moments throughout this book. It does have its serious moments as well. This one discusses book banning and burning a few times along with the typically seriousness that comes with cozy murder mysteries.

When author, Helen Monroe, visits Lindsey's library as an author in residence, there's some drama that starts happening with a potential stalker. Then this stalker is found electrocuted by the town's Christmas lights. Was it a tragic accident or intentional? Then someone seems to be maybe making attempts on Helen's life. Or, are they unlucky coincidences? There's one clear person still openly against Helen being in town and she just seems off balanced all around.

The ‘Library Lover’s Mystery’ series is one of my all time favourites. The books include the perfect blend of cozy and mystery along with a couple of delightful romances. And this book, #15 (!) showcases all the things I love about this series. So, yes, it’s best to read the books in order due to the phenomenal character growth and relationship developments. Plus the small town vibes are all kinds of sweet perfection — not to mention the library programming! I so want to be a Crafternooner!

There’s a wonderful mix of holiday, humour and mystery in ‘A Merry Little Murder Plot’ (clever title, by the way.) As Library Director, Lindsey has her hands full with a number of unexpected developments at this most wonderful time of the year…like a dead body. Because nothing says Merry Christmas quite like murder and mayhem! Bwahahaha!

Love the way the author fleshes out the secondary characters. There are layered complexities to each of them, which makes armchair sleuthing both fun and challenging. And, goodness, but did she ever get my emotions fired up as I was drawn into the mystery. Love, love, love becoming wholly immersed in a story and it’s so easy to do that when Jenn McKinlay is doing the writing.

Loved the sweet romantical bits included in this story. Not over done, so if you’re not a romance fan, you won’t mind a bit. But, I live for those tender little nods to a certain couple’s happily ever after so I was blissfully happy. Merry Christmas to me!

I enjoyed listening to the audio edition of ‘A Merry Little Murder Plot’. Narrator Allyson Ryan does such a fantastic job creating distinctive voices for these characters and she’s part of the reason I choose to listen to the books in this series rather then read them. It’s a special kind of homecoming when I settle in to start a new audiobook and hear her voice coaxing me back to Briar Creek.

My thanks to Dreamscape Media and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

I listened to the audiobook for this one and really liked the narrator. They did a good job of bringing the main character to life while also doing a good job voicing all of the other characters. I’ve read a few of the other books in this series, but I haven’t read them all and that doesn’t seem to hinder my enjoyment at all. I do enjoy these cozy mysteries which isn’t a surprise since I am partial to cozy mysteries about librarian amateur sleuths. Lindsey is busy with holiday themed events and the library’s first writer in residence when she meets a woman who seems far too interested in their writer in residence, Helen. Left with a bad feeling Lindsey asks a few questions not intending to do anything, but when she stumbles on another dead body she can’t help but get involved in the investigation. I found this mystery fun even if I thought the red herrings were a little too obvious and I figured it out fairly early on. Overall I gave it 4.5 stars rounded up for being a a great listen.

A MERRY LITTLE MURDER PLOT is the fifteenth book in the Library Lover’s Mysteries by Jenn McKinlay. The author knows how to keep her stories fresh and inviting and how to keep readers coming back to reconnect to the charming characters. Library director Lindsey Norris is surely a person you’d love to call a friend. Added to the mix is her library crafternoon club, part bookclub, part crafting class, part potluck, and part amateur sleuths helping Lindsey solve mysteries. When a famous author, Helen Monroe, comes to town to take part in a resident author program, Lindsey goes out of her way to welcome her to the community. Except not everyone is happy to have the author in town and when a murder happens, and Helen is targeted for harm, Lindsey and the crafternooners put their heads together to get to the bottom of the mystery before anyone else loses their life.

Ms. McKinlay piles on Christmas cheer with a good dose of humor that had me chuckling on many occasions. The plot is well-paced, keeping the reader engaged with both the mystery and with the town’s holiday activities. As a bonus, there are questions for book club discussions, a couple recipes, and instructions for a holiday craft. If you enjoy entertaining holiday cozy mysteries with captivating characters, you’re going to want to read this one!

I was provided with an audiobook version thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley. The narrator, Allyson Ryan, did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life, capturing not only the individual voices, but their emotions as well. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This one is my favorite of the series so far and I’m glad this series is back on track. I love any time I get to spend in Briar Creek and the mystery in this one had me invested, second guessing my hunches the whole time. The timely addition of book banning, while not integral to the plot, was a great way to showcase how divisive this issue is and showed how far it could go. Highly recommended but start at the beginning of the series to truly get to know the characters.

Merry Little Murder Plot is everything I wanted and more in this latest installment of the Briar Creek Series. Five stars!

I enjoyed spending time with these characters. Lindsey and Sully are among my favorite couples and characters, and this storyline was both entertaining and intriguing. There is an obvious Christmas theme, and the Ugly Christmas Sweater party was particularly fun. Robby may never be the same. There are also caroling events and even a float parade, but these are window dressing for a complex murder plot centered around the Library's first writer-in-residence whose very successful and recently concluded series was based on true crime events that she fictionalized for her crime thrillers. As things deteriorate, book banning becomes a very real possibility, and the very existence of the Friends of the Library is threatened. There is more that I cannot reveal without spoilers, but it is cleverly done, and I did not identify the culprit until the reveal. Fans of the series will not be disappointed, and I look forward to more to come with Lindsey, Sully, and the citizens of Bear Creek.

Allyson Ryan does her usual great job of voicing these characters.

A perfectly charming Christmas cozy - 5/5!
Premise - It's the holiday season in a charming smalltown Briar Creek and a famous author, Helen Monroe, is visiting town to be the writer in residence. Helen is a bit of a Grinch, but librarian Lindsey Norris tries to get her to come around. When Helen's "biggest fan," Jackie Lewis comes to town, things soon come to a head... and then Jackie turns up dead! D.R.A.M.A.
McKinlay knows the genre well and delivers exactly what readers come to the Christmas cozy mystery genre for. She delivers holiday spirit, cozy atmosphere, a charming cast of smalltown types (entrenched and newcomers alike) readers will enjoy spending time with, and a twisty murder that's fun to follow along with.
 I tend to be more of a domestic thriller reader than a cozy mystery reader, but occasionally I love Christmas so I needed to get my hands on this - it put me right in the holiday spirit! No, October 9 is not too early to get in the Christmas spirit. Yes, if you enjoy cozy mysteries you should ABSOLUTELY read this.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Allyson Ryan. She has a great voice for cozies! Her narrator voice had the qualities of a warm, soothing mug of tea (I don't know how to explain it?) and her characters were all distinct and charming. Even the loathable characters were fun to listen to! 
Thanks, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

absolutely love this series and this new book is no exception. what a perfect addition to the Briar Creek books! and a book written about the crafternooners is so fun. I hope we see more of Helen.

The Briar Creek Library has a great new program, a writer in residence. They were lucky enough to get writer Helen Monroe, brilliant mystery writer who just finished up her very popular spy series. Unfortunately, not everyone is happy with Helen, from the Friends of the Library president, to an old member of her writing critique group. When her old friend is found dead in Briar Creek Square, Helen and Lindsay have to figure out who and why is out to get Helen. This was another great addition to the series, and I loved the Christmas setting. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.