This was a new edition of an older book by Jess Lourey from 2018.
I usually like lighthearted murder mysteries, but I struggled to connect to the characters in this book.
I also found it a bit too rom com-my at times. After reading the description, I should have been more prepared for that. Anyway, didn’t hate this one but also didn’t love it.

I’m pretty sure there’s a law that says every mystery series must have an installment that takes place on a train, and here’s the Mira James version!

This was fun and one of the best structured mysteries of the series, and I loved all the train travel detail and humor.

I didn’t love the sad note to the ending, which felt out of step with the tone of the series and unnecessary to the story, but otherwise this was an excellent installment of a very enjoyable series that has been consistently clever, funny, and populated by a lovable cast of characters.

I came into February Fever wanting a fun, cheeky murder mystery. What I got was in fact a murder mystery akin to Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. Mira is a librarian taking classes to become a private investigator because she, well, has found a dead body every single month. Makes sense for a murder mystery series. When Mira's boyfriend is offered a spot in a PhD program in Portland, Maine, Mira doesn't know what she'll do. That is, until her assistant gets them train tickets to go to Portland to visit the boyfriend AND attend a P.I. conference. Mira goes in the hope that her string of bad luck and dead bodies will cease. However, when a dead body is found on the train, Mira is forced to put her burgeoning detective skills to use.

This book is a fast read. My critiques. come from the fact that the author Jess Lourey throws in SO many cliché phrases that do not sound natural whatsoever. Every character speaks as if they are a caricature of themselves. Perhaps that is what she was aiming for and is her style. If so, brava. My other critique is that I thought this would have romance. Unfortunately, most of the book takes place without the romantic interest. If you think the boyfriend is absent because there is going to be a new love interest introduced, you're wrong. Stop waiting.

Overall, a kitschy read for Valentine's Day.

Reading a book that is partway through a series is always a little odd. This book mostly functions as a standalone novel but I felt like I was missing some context and background that would've been helpful.

Mira is lovably awkward while capable and I love Mrs. Berns. A murder mystery on a train that is somewhat present day felt fun and unusual. I don't know that I'd categorize it as a cozy mystery, but it's cozy-adjacent.

suspense, investigations, witty, private-investigators, verbal-humor, situational-humor, friends, friendship, library, librarian, laugh-riot, multigenerational, small-town, local-law-enforcement, trains, murders, missing-persons, senior-citizens, cozy-crime, thriller, mystery-fiction, contemporary, snow-season, blizzards, gossip, rumor-mill, dad-jokes, attempted-murder****

Mira leaves familiar small town Minnesota to go on a train to Oregon with her head librarian, octogenarian Mrs. Berns, to attend a conference for private investigators. Nice long, boring train ride across the country in a roomette. No reason to think that it will bring another murdered body for her to investigate. True. There were more to come! Once again, I laughed my sox off!

I requested and received a temporary uncorrected proof from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley. Thanks for the fun!
#FebruaryFever by @jesslourey #MurderByMonthMysteryBk10 #NetGalley #ThomasandMercer #Minnesota #HumorousSuspense #RomcomMystery @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble @kobobooks @waterstones **** #Review @booksamillion @bookshop_org @bookshop_org_uk #LaughAMinute #CozyCrime #MinnesotaNice #storyteller

This was an okay book and obviously just like all her other books. I thought it was okay but it just feels like one repeat after another. I was hoping for something a little different.

February Fever is one of the books in the Murder by Month series by Jess Lourey. Mrs Bern, Mia, and Jed are headed to a PI conference in Portland, Oregon. But, when a death occurs onboard and the train is forced to stop during a blizzard, the trio becomes involved in the investigation.

If this sounds a bit bizarre, you’re right. The situation, the coincidences, the supporting cast, and the general behavior of the characters all add up to a quirky story that seemed to go off the rails (no pun intended). Mia is unfocused, Mrs Bern is typically off-the-wall but more ludicrous than humorous, and Jed is just Jed – nice, caring friend and probably my favorite character. Then, toss in a couple of extra PI’s and some eccentric passengers and you have a story that doesn’t really know which route to take.

This book frustrated me a great deal and I was truly disappointed with the ending. It seemed as though it was more to affect a jaw-dropping moment than to round out the story and provide sensible closure. This is definitely not my favorite book in this series. For me it was 2.5 stars but will somewhat reluctantly bump to 3 stars because, overall, I like this series. NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.

I think I would have benefited from not jumping in on the tenth book in this series. My bad. That said, it was an easy world to step into and I could follow what was happening just fine but some of the references understandably felt like they’d be more meaningful if I understood more of the background. I really liked Mira. The premise was fun. I liked the way the mystery unfolded and I liked the train setting. The supporting characters were also fun. It was an enjoyable read!

February Fever 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.

I've really enjoyed this whole series, and how each book becomes my new favourite. In February Fever, Mira is sad to hear that her beloved Johnny is going to Portland for an internship, but Mrs. Berns quickly jumps to the rescue and signs them up for a PI conference in Oregon, combined with a cross-country train journey. They quickly lean that this is no ordinary train trip, it's a specially scheduled love train for Valentine's Day! Is anyone surprised that Mrs. Berns signed up for this? But their journey takes a surprising turn when it's paused by a winter storm in the Rockies.

This book is a bit darker than most cozy mysteries and the previous books in the series, but as a fan who has loved all of Jess Lourey's darker thrillers, I found the tension gripping and really enjoyed the added depth and a glimpse into Mira's past. It's also the first book in the series where I only had the ebook and not the audio version. I did really miss Jennifer Jill Araya's fantastic characterizations, but I think I got even more drawn into the story by reading it, so I think it would be perfect to read and listen to the audio together.

I can't wait to read the last 2 books in the series, but I also don't want it to end!

I was pleasantly surprised when Mira, Mrs Berns, and Jed went on a train trip! The reasoning was sad, I didn’t want Johnny to go anywhere, but I think they will make it as a couple! Once again, Mrs. Berns was my favorite, but I’m enjoying the growth that Mira shows in each book. I also love Jed. We unfortunately lost a character we love in this book, so I’m sad about that. :( Can’t wait for next months read!

This is the 10th book in the Murder by Month Mystery Book series. Quick, fun read! I enjoyed all of the characters and the twists kept me engaged. The humor could get a bit silly, but I still laughed throughout.

This is probably my favorite in the series so far. I loved the darkness of December Dread with the serial killer but this one took the top spot with the vulnerability Mira shows when the child goes missing; her character really grows in this one and it’s heartbreaking to witness. Mrs. Berns, as always, adds the levity needed when there’s murder involved and the addition of Jed gave another take on the investigation and the passengers on the train. I loved the idea of a themed train trip. All in all, an intriguing locked room mystery with a satisfying but sad ending.

I was excited to discover a new author, and seeing February Fever categorized under General Fiction (Adult) + Mystery & Thrillers, I expected a suspenseful read with a Valentine’s twist. Turns out, it’s more of a rom-com with a tiny sprinkle of mystery and a whole lot of spice.

The first few chapters didn’t hook me at all, on the contrary, I regretted my choice to start reading. I probably would have DNF’d it if it weren't an ARC. Once the story moved to the train setting, I hoped the suspense would pick up—but instead, I found frustrating characters, a weak mystery, and stilted dialogue.

It’s lighthearted and easy to read, but the humor felt forced. Maybe the series is losing steam, as I’ve seen other Murder-by-Month books rated higher.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC of February Fever!

This was my first introduction to Jess Lourey’s Mira James series, and while the murder mystery aboard a snowbound train had potential, I ultimately found myself a bit underwhelmed. The setting and premise were great for building suspense, and Mira is a likable protagonist, but there was just too much going on for my taste. At times, it felt like the story was trying to do too much, which made the pacing uneven and some moments feel unnecessary or out of nowhere.

I also wasn’t expecting spice in this book. While I understand it might appeal to other readers, it’s not really my thing, and I found it unnecessary to the plot. It didn’t add much for me and even detracted from the overall experience.

Since I haven’t read the earlier books in the series, I felt a bit confused by some of the references to past events and relationships. While this book has made me curious about the series, the unexpected tone and busy plot have left me hesitant to continue, especially if spice is a regular feature.

3.5⭐️ - This is my first time reading this author, jumped in with book 10 of the series. It definitely had its moments. It made me laugh. The sarcastic humor is right up my alley, but it did have a few too many bodily function jokes for me. The first few were funny, but then it just got weird & awkward. lol I liked the plot, the train vibe - which, strangely, actually made me feel a little claustrophobic at times, but the characters... I just didn't really care about any of them. Well, maybe one. I didn't expect the ending. I'm curious to read the next book to see if the ending is what it seems. I hope not.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer at NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

February Fever by Jess Lourey is a fast-paced, suspenseful mystery that keeps readers on edge. Mira James, on a seemingly straightforward train trip to a PI conference, finds herself trapped in the Rockies during a winter storm, with a murder and a missing family adding chaos to the situation. With limited trust among the passengers and mounting tension, Mira must use her detective skills to uncover the truth while navigating dangerous twists. Lourey crafts a tense, atmospheric setting and a clever plot, making this a thrilling read for fans of locked-room mysteries and amateur sleuths.

I think this is the best yet in the series. This was a fast-paced, emotional rollercoaster of a read. The twists were strategically placed and definitely kept me wanting to keep reading. The ending of this one got me straight in the feels though. I honestly can't imagine any in this series topping this one! I now need to go calm myself down and try to stop my tears from flowing.

Wow. I had no idea my heart would be ripped out today. I did not see this ending coming!!

Yet another book that I jumped into and then realized I was in the middle of a series! But once again….its fine! Man, I’m lucky. The author references past things, but she does it in such a way that you really dont feel like you’re missing out on anything. It just makes me want to read the other books so badly now!

The whole cast was so colorful and interesting. My favorite had to be Mrs Berns. Why am I picturing patti lapone when I read her bits?? This cozy mystery is funny witty unique and also might make you cry. It made me cry.

I highly recommend this book, but I believe the first book in the series is called May Day.

This. Was. Hilarious! The characters were Fantastic! (for a while)
After cringing thru the bit of spice right off the bat it really picked up and made me LOL so many times; but then all the talk about poop, spicy jokes/blatant innuendos, and pot was just Way too much for me.
I literally became so annoyed with and detached from the characters and just felt depressed after reading this book. Im giving it 3 stars for all of the actual LOL moments though, to be fair.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer at NetGalley for this ARC. xox