This was my first chance to read a book from this series- but I don't think I missed a thing. Mira, after finding herself sitting next to a corpse dressed as a doll, also finds herself under suspicion. Like Mira, I found the life size dolls created by Ida, senior with too much time on her hands, creepy. I wasn't a fan of Chief Gary (who would be?!) but I did like that the Mayor and Mrs. Berns helped her out. Loved the small town Minnesota setting (and the sly humor). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'm going to look for Lourey again.

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. "March of Crime" is as funny ever with delightful characters and a solid mystery!

I'd like to thank Netgalley and "Thomas and Mercer" publishing house for March of Crimes by Jess Lourey – A Wild Ride with Small-Town Shenanigans.

You’d think by now Mira would catch a break, but nope—this small-town journalist just can’t stay out of trouble. This time, it’s not just gossip or a minor mystery. Nope. It’s a dead body hidden inside a life-sized doll. Because apparently, Battle Lake doesn’t believe in normal crimes.

This book goes wilder than the previous ones in the series, and honestly? I’m here for it.

Mira, as usual, gets herself tangled in a murder case, and somehow, the cops decide she’s the problem. Next thing you know, she’s in jail while her chaotic-but-lovable squad—including a flashy mayor and her 90-year-old bestie—hatch a plan to bust her out. Think Ocean’s Eleven, but with more senior citizen sass and questionable life choices.

The mystery? Solid.

The humor? Sharp.

The small-town weirdness? Absolutely unmatched.

It’s a little more out there than the earlier books, but the fun, fast-paced writing makes up for it. Plus, Mira’s personal growth keeps things fresh.

If you love quirky mysteries with offbeat humor and a heroine who just can’t help but get involved, you’ll love this one.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)

I really like this series and March of Crimes is just another great addition to it. The story is written with humor, there's mystery, romance and crime, it's also well-written and provides great entertainment as usual when Ms. Lourey is the author. In March of Crimes we find our librarian/intended to be detective/journalist feeling down because she keeps on finding dead bodies, and in this story she'll find at least two more and will be considered a person of interest for both crimes. She'll will be under pressure but will not give up on searching for the truth and will suffer the consequences for her actions. Her love life is also in tatters but will she be able to mend it?
I thank Ms. Lourey, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Get ready to dive headfirst into the quirky, cozy chaos of Jess Lourey's latest masterpiece—a rom-com mystery where humor and homicide meet in the most delightfully unexpected ways! This time around, our charming sleuth Mira James finds herself knee-deep in yet another corpse conundrum—only this one is gloriously camouflaged as a life-sized doll. It's a hobby gone horribly wrong, and trust me, you’re in for a rollicking good time!

The town of Battle Lake is buzzing when Mira stumbles upon a dead body encased in an eerily realistic doll. But wait—it gets better. Before she can say "Who did it?" she's locked up by the zealous Police Chief Gary Wohnt, whose mission in life seems to be to see Mira behind bars.

Mira’s not alone, though. With her spicy, sassy nonagenarian bestie Mrs. Berns and the unabashedly flamboyant mayor, Kennie Rogers, in her corner, Team Mira is a force of fabulous determination hell-bent on busting her out and proving her innocence. But watch out—there's a killer lurking who simply can’t wait to see Mira become the ultimate dolled-up victim!

Sprinkled throughout this fast-paced adventure are dad jokes and gossip, touching moments and laugh-out-loud surprises. As Mira juggles her roles in small-town Minnesota—from reluctant librarian to budding private investigator—Lourey deftly balances hilarity with heart, adding layers of depth as Mira processes personal grief and rising responsibility.

And for those familiar with the Murder-by-Month series, Jess Lourey once again crafts a winning installment. Fresh faces meet familiar friends, while innovative plot twists keep this series as invigorating and ingenious as ever. Mira’s misadventures are as endearing as they are madcap, and you’ll find yourself rooting for her through every twist and turn.

So grab your Nut Goodies and settle in—this small-town whodunit with big personality will have you giggling, gasping, and gleefully guessing until the very last page. In Lourey's deft hands, you never quite know what’s coming next, but you're absolutely along for the ride! 📚🔍✨

I am a big fan of this series as the mystery is usually not as cozy as other mystery series and the characters make me laugh. While that was the case with this one as well, there was something about it that just felt different to me. The mystery was more gruesome and something I really couldn’t stomach despite not being gory (the doll thing was really pushing the boundaries of cozy). I love Mira and Johnny also, but this was too much drama and annoyed me as the story unfolded throughout the book; the ending was fitting. The new business Kennie comes up with had me laughing out loud, so the humor is still there; this one just felt darker, and I wasn’t expecting it. I’ve read Lourey’s thrillers and some of that darker material seems to have found its way here. I will still continue with this series but hope that more of the lighter stuff makes a comeback.

Another great cozy murder mystery by Jess Lourey. I really enjoyed this entire series and look forward to reading more books by her.

I love this series, it is so fun! Not only is the writing funny, but I love the mystery behind each book. This one was good and I can’t wait to read the next one!

Mira is at it again, investigating, joining Kenny's schemes, and self sabotaging. I'm excited for April fools!

dad-jokes, local-gossip, contemporary, cozy-crime, friends, friendship, library, librarian, laugh-riot, suspense, investigation, witty, small-town, newspaper-owner, newspapers, multigenerational, situational-humor, verbal-humor, grief, grieving, local-law-enforcement, murder, murder-investigation, mystery-fiction, private-investigators, senior-citizens, senior-residence-facility, thriller, Minnesota*****
Mira James found ANOTHER corpse, but this one was inside of and disguised as a hand sewn life-sized replica of a Jane Doe. A local woman makes the "dolls", but this one had been "unstuffed" and turned into a sarcophagus by person or persons unknown. The mayor has brainstormed for a moneymaker which was to add a rich "intern" to the Mira's library staff, Mira's boss at the newspaper reluctantly gave her an assignment and a microscopic raise, and a kid who resembles Mira's recently dead friend is trying to get her to take him on as her PI assistant. And that's just in the first quarter of the book!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected proof from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley. Thanks for the fun! Avail Feb 25, 2025
#MarchofCrimes by @jesslourey #MurderByMonthMysteryBk11 #NetGalley #ThomasandMercer #Minnesota #HumorousSuspense #RomcomMystery @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble @kobobooks @waterstones ***** #Review @booksamillion @bookshop_org @bookshop_org_uk #LaughAMinute #CozyCrime #MinnesotaNice #storyteller #bookstagram #cozymystery #thriller #MiraJames #MiraJamesMystery #HumorousSuspense #RomcomMystery

I do enjoy the characters in this series, especially Mira. They are generally fun. I am creeped out by dolls so the use of life size dolls added another layer of creepiness to the mystery for me.

This series is so fun! The mysteries are well rounded and not phoned in like I feel some cozy writers can get to be, but all of the things we love about cozy mysteries were there in spades! I loved this book and can't wait to keep reading the rest of this series. It's always wonderful when you discover a series you love with a hefty backlist.

This cast of characters remains one of the best among this style of mystery series, and the humor was excellent as usual.

That said, this was not my favorite installment. Structurally the mystery was fine for most of the book, but the solve felt ridiculous and implausible, and the story doesn’t really have anything unique to offer amongst mysteries like it.

But of course, the setting, humor, and characters remain delightful, and I’m so sad there is only one more book left in the series after that. Hope Mira and the gang can go out on top.

It's official: I'm done. I know there is only one more book, but I just don't think I can do it... I really enjoyed the way this series started. It was cozy and fun(ny) and I liked the blend of mystery and humor. The books started taking on more serious topics underpinning their murders, and I was okay with that too. It added a depth that I enjoyed, even as it shifted the tone. Unfortunately, the last book started shifting even more heavily in a darker direction, and this book sealed the deal for me. This is no longer a cozy-feeling series for me. This book was pretty dark and I did not enjoy the gruesome nature. That's not what I was reading this series for - if I wanted that from Lourey, she has plenty of darker series/standalones for it. It felt like a seismic change and not one I enjoyed.

I also could not continue reading the back-and-forth between Mira and Johnny. Enough already! Either let them get together or keep them apart, but this ongoing yes/no, I love him/I'm not good enough for him badinage has worn me out and completely lost my interest. Even the indomitable Mrs. Berns wasn't enough to keep me engaged here... I feel like this series has played itself out for me, with the shifts in focus and tone and the refusal to let the romantic relationship develop (we are basically at the same point as in the earliest books!). This one wasn't for me...

Outrageously funny!

This is the best Mira James case yet! I could barely make it through a page without laughing and yet there is also a good mystery to solve. Jess Lourey is a master of humor and murder.

This review is for the 2025 revised edition of the book. I received a free copy but my review is honest and voluntary.

I really enjoy a cozy murder mystery and this one did not disappoint! There are plot twists are great and the characters are just right! Jess Lowery did it again!! You will not be disappointed!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read the advanced reader copy for my honest review

A huge thank you to Jess Lourey, NetGalley, and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

As per usual, Jess Lourey slays with this one! March of Crimes throws Mira right back into another murder investigation—literally—when she falls straight into a victim. Poor Mira has the worst luck!

I absolutely love this series, and I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do when it’s over. Mira and her pals, with all their wild hijinks, keep me hooked every time. Mrs. Berns and Kennie never fail to crack me up, and if you know, you know—"Curse words!" remains one of my all-time favorite phrases from this series!

This installment was especially creepy, with eerie life-sized dolls and a mysterious couple who always seems to appear before a murder victim is found. The suspense kept me on edge, and I couldn’t put it down.

I 100% recommend this book and the entire series! It’s easily one of my favorites of all time. If you love witty mysteries packed with humor, heart, and a touch of the macabre, March of Crimes is a must-read!

March of Crimes is my second of the Murder of the Month series. These cozy mysteries are Jess Lourey's way of injecting humor into murder mysteries. Heroine Mira and her partner Mrs. Bern work hard to solve what seems to be an unsolvable murder mystery. I enjoy this series. March of Crimes had its moments of sadness and heartbreak, but there was also humor to lighten the pain, much of it attributed to Mrs. Bern. The plot is a nice twist on the usual cozy murder mystery genre. There are new characters and some older ones are revealed to have a depth, readers might not expect.

Mira is overcome with misery at yet again finding another corpse. She makes some painful choices that require her to pay a big price for them. There were some elements in the plot that were not as welcome as others, which readers will no doubt be unhappy to read, but overall this is still a fine novel with a plot that seems fresh and unique. I am recommending March of Crimes. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for proving this ARC for me to read and review. 4.5 stars

This is my favorite cozy mystery series. Full of humor and I look forward to each book!!
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really struggled with this book. The constant back-and-forth between Mira and Johnny got old fast. Every time they seemed to make progress, they’d break up again, and by the end, it felt more like a chore than a story I wanted to follow. It was hard to stay invested when the same drama kept repeating itself.

The mystery was interesting at times, but even that didn’t keep me engaged enough. Jed’s death, for example, didn’t add much to the plot, and I found myself questioning its necessity. And then, of course, Johnny tells Mira once again that they can’t be together, which left me feeling frustrated and dissatisfied. By that point, I was ready to move on and just couldn’t bring myself to finish it. Definitely a waste of my time. 1 aka 0 ⭐.