Member Reviews

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

Enjoyable and humorous mystery with good narration. I will be continuing the series.

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Mira James is heading to Oregon by rail with two of her best friends to attend a PI conference. Even better, she’ll see Johnny, the love of her life, who’s in Portland for an internship. It’ll be scenic, swift, and safe. Until it isn’t. Mira discovers that a woman in the next cabin has been murdered, and her husband and child have vanished.

Oh, the pretty pink cover and the train setting immediately told me to pick this up! I totally agreed with Mira when she said people travelling on train could do absolutely nothing and still felt like they accomplished something by going somewhere, which was technically true. I grew up going on a few train trips each year, and I absolutely loved them (yes I read books throughout the journey).

The mystery in this one was so multi-layered and complex, I almost forgot it was supposed to be a cosy mystery. Mira’s train travel of course was super goofy, entertaining and fun, and it wouldn’t be Mira if she didn’t feel relationship insecurity at least once!

Delivered perfectly by one of my favourite audiobook narrators, Jennifer Jill Araya, I’d highly recommend picking this up as an audiobook as the performance elevated the entire storytelling.

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Book 039 of 350 ~ 2025

🌟🌟🌟💫

Quite endearing characters. Cosy mystery, and I love that the protagonist is both a librarian and a PI! Great narrator too.

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Mira and Mrs. Berns are off on a train trip, but before they even board, Mira is hit with a painful memory from her past. It plays a bit of a role in this book. From the start, this cozy mystery had me hooked, and Mrs. Berns is just a scene stealer. Mira stumbles upon another scene and won’t stop until she gets to the truth. This one tugged at my heart and got me a bit emotional. The narrator, Jennifer Jill Araya continues to bring this series to life, and I can’t imagine anyone else narrating these characters. I love how each one has a distinct tone. This series is great for fans of witty banter, quirky characters, and cozy mysteries.

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I wanted to see what Mira does on valentines and the author didnt disappoint at all. She was on a valentines themed train??? I mean how cool is that. I absolutely loved reading about her time on train, it reminded me of some of my own train journeys and I was super nostalgic. The whole vibe was a perfect combination of valentines theme, new unknown people, closed off and a perfect space for a crime. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and I didnt see it coming just like our future PI and I teared up at the ending. It took a very unexpected turn. I cant wait to start the next book.

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I really enjoy this series! I’ve listened to the audiobooks and the narrator is great. The characters have all shown growth and I’ve had some serious laughs with the books. Highly recommend this series, but start from the beginning.

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3.5 stars. I wish I'd read the previous books in the series before this one as it's Book 10, however it still all made perfect sense.

I actually LOL'D several times (80+ yr old, Mrs Barnes is a raunchy old gal) but the poop jokes did get a bit too much.

The mystery was good, especially setting it on a train. There were plenty of suspects and red herrings to keep you guessing. Her traumatic childhood memory added an extra mystery to the mix, as well as rounding her out as a person. But it's the ending that gripped me. I was not expecting that and it made me want to go back and read all the others. A great cozy murder mystery.

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DNF. I found the first few chapters impossible to get past due to the cringey scenes and blatant sexism. It felt like a cheap rendition of Murder on the Orient Express and could not keep my interest.

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3.75 ⭐
All aboard the Valentine's Train, what could possibly go wrong? Murder of course!

Mira James is convinced death follows her everywhere because at least once a month, she has a murder to solve since people seem to drop dead wherever she is. You'd think the month of love would be the exception, well think again.

This is the second book I've read from the 'Murder by Month' series (yes, I'm well aware this book 10 in the series) & I'm absolutely loving it! Can't wait to pick up another one!

Thank you Brilliance Audio/Publishing & NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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Jess Lourey’s *February Fever*, was my introduction to the *Murder-by-Month* series. The narrator brought to life this cozy mystery chock-full of clever red herrings and amusing side characters who kept me engaged and entertained. The setting of a train full of private investigators and passengers looking for love allowed for a locked door mystery which I can only assume is a welcome switch to the small-town mysteries. While *February Fever* can be enjoyed as a standalone, it has piqued my interest to continue with the series throughout the year. Overall, *February Fever* is perfect for readers who love humorous mysteries with a touch of romance.

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It was supposed to be a romantic and cozy getaway but it turned into a pulse pounding murder mayhem. The story follows Mira who along with her two best friends is going to Oregon for a PI conference and also meet the love of her life.

Now, a murder has transpired and it's someone next to mira's room. Furthermore to add to the list of unexpected trials, the train is now snow bound and everyone is trapped in Rockies. Mira will have gather her wits and use her intelligence to solve this mystery before the killer strikes again. Bit how far will she succeed? A train filled people with different personalities and behaviours. Tracking a killer before another bites the dirt, Mira is sure it would be one of ride.

February fever was a rollercoaster ride of mystery, deception and anticipation. A train journey that has suspense and murder mystery, well, count me in. A fantastic fast-paced storyline and unbridled curiosity, this book will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat while the hilarious dialogues and certain comic scenes will have lol. The narrator was superbly talented. The storyline is punctuated with elements of surprises and shocks. You should definitely check this out.

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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.

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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

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I've really enjoyed this whole series, each month the new book seems to become my new favourite. In February Fever, Mira is sad to learn that her beloved Johnny is going to Portland for an internship, but then Mrs. Berns signs them up for a PI conference in Oregon, combined with a cross-country train journey. They soon 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? Then 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.

Jennifer Jill Araya's audiobook narration was fantastic, she has distinct voices for each of the characters and has become the voice of this series for me.

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

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If you like cozy books. The type that inspire a cat on your lap and a cup of tea this author is for you. The author writes quirky somewhat predictable stories that still are enjoyable and fun. Her books are great because they are also appropriate and enjoyable for every age.

In this book our heroine works hard to solve a murder on a train she us riding. Same little mishaps but ultimately it's solved for us

3.5 stars

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This book got darker than I'm used to with a Jess Lourey book, but I'm still a huge fan. Mira is one of my favorite cozy mystery sleuths now, and she unfortunately seems to find another dead body every month. In fact, this happens so often that Mira keeps noting that she's due to find another dead body soon.
Mira took over responsibilities in the library temporarily, but the person she was filling in for didn't come back, so she's happily staying in the small town. I love her interactions with the townspeople, especially the kids. My favorite thing was when she was saying of one of the children that if she were 25 years older, they would hang out together.
Mira's boyfriend takes an internship in another state and Mira is afraid to fly but her friend talks her into taking the Valentine Train, where she indeed finds a body. The mystery got pretty intense and Mira had to confront some ghosts from her past. I'm excited to see what happens when Mira gets to Oregon!
As usual, the narrator does a great job telling the story. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook.

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🎧Audiobook Review 🎧
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for the Audiobook ARC.

I am a big fan of Jess Lourey so I was excited to listen to this. The audiobook part of the book was great! 5 ⭐️ stars for the audio. The narrator was great she embodied the character great. Even when she did the male parts it was great sometimes it’s not with a single narrator but not this one.

The plot was good. The book flowed. Want too impressed with some of the content of the book. Also this is number 10 in a series and I will probably read the others.

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