This is going to be one of those series where I came for the mystery and keep coming back for the characters. Meg Gates and her rescue dog Watson are back home on Bainbridge Island after her almost-husband basically dumped her for her maid of honor. She's living in her aunt and uncle's garage apartment and working at the family bookstore part time but is excited to be hired as a part-time assistant to mystery writer Lily Aster. Seems Meg has writing dreams of her own. Her first objective, however, is to pull herself together. Back at her childhood home, she's lucky enough to find her besties from middle school, Natasha and Dalton, are still around. They once solved petty mysteries such as missing items in middle school so what is more normal than for them to fall easily back into that after a dead body is discovered at her new part-time job site. Never mind her Uncle Troy is the police chief and keeps warning her to stay out of his case. Sound familiar? I bet you can guess how well Meg listens. That said, I give her props for sharing information she discovers asap with him rather than holding out and, props to him for, despite wanting to keep her safely away from danger, for accepting such information gracefully.

I won't detail the plot but will note that Meg's interest isn't just based on her fascination with a good mystery. She also realizes her potentially fascinating new job as a writer's assistant is in danger when Lily turns out to be the prime suspect. Even worse, her long-time friend Natasha is another. Nor are they, thankfully, the only suspects. Seems Lily's manager, who turns out to be the victim, wasn't quite what he advertised himself to be and others may have had reasons to wish him gone, too. In the process of tracking down other suspects and proving Lily and Natasha couldn't possibly be guilty, Meg finds herself enjoying the company of Dalton more than she'd expected. Formerly with the Coast Guard, he is now working his way up the ranks with the local, vital ferry service and you'll get to take a few rides with them as you read. Fun! At some point she realizes her dog Watson is quite taken with Dalton but, hmm, didn't seem to care for the not-terriby-missed almost-husband....who'll also make a few appearances throughout. My bet is you won't be any fonder of him than Watson was.

Bottom line, this is a great start to a new series for author Lynn Cahoon. Heck, the book title alone pulled me in and I was delighted to discover each of the chapters is titled with one of the hints for sleuths that Meg comes up with. They made sense and were a nice touch that hopefully Cahoon will be able to utilize in future books, albeit perhaps not quite as focused on sleuthing. The trio of Meg, Natasha, and Dalton work well together and respect Meg's Nancy Drew abilities, as they call them. I liked them all and the easy way the related to each other with quite natural sounding dialogue. In other words, they seemed real. Her Aunt Melody and Uncle Troy were also a plus, with her aunt's background in the writing world coming in handy, just as her uncle's legal position and knowledge did here and surely will in the future. It was nice to find him, while protective, respectful of Meg's efforts, not belittling her contributions as he gracefully accepted them. I also very much appreciated Meg's restraint about mindlessly walking into danger. In other words, she's an amateur sleuth who isn't TSTL, ie too stupid to live. Finally, Bainbridge Island itself seems to be a lovely setting with lots of potential, so I'm looking forward to learning more about Meg's past and present home turf. Thanks #KensingtonPress - #KensingtonCozies for this early intro to Meg's life and allowing me to virtually enjoy a few ferry rides in the process. I'm looking forward to following Meg's adventures as she not only solves crimes but works on writing about them, too. I assume Lily will be a regular and she's a great character with lots to share, both about life and the whole writing experience.

A new series by a favourite author is always exciting, and the first book in the Bainbridge Island Mysteries doesn't disappoint!  Meg Gates, not quite left at the altar but close enough, has returned home from Seattle to the small island she grew up on to reevaluate things. With part time jobs at her mom’s bookstore, and as an assistant for a bestselling mystery author, Meg is at least earning again but then a body is discovered and it looks like at least one job might be very short lived! In high school, Meg and best friends Natasha and Dalton had solved mysteries, so why not do it again? After all, Meg is writing a criminal investigation manual for would be sleuths so she knows what she's doing, doesn't she?

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Kensington Publishing, Kensington Cosies, but the opinions expressed are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this from start to finish. Meg, Natasha, and Dalton are great main protagonists, and it was an easy read with a very satisfying conclusion. I hope there will be more soon.

This a great start to a new series by an author that I read a lot. I thought it was a fun, fast read for a lazy Sunday afternoon on the couch. I liked getting introduced to a new character and new place and will be interested in where this series will go in the future.

An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide to Murder is everything I want in a cozy mystery—witty, heartfelt, and packed with twists, all anchored by a lovable heroine who's equal parts hot mess and hidden genius. Meg Gates might have returned home in defeat, but readers will be cheering her on from the very first page.

The mystery itself is beautifully crafted: plenty of red herrings, a murder at a moody mansion, and suspects who are just shady enough to keep you second-guessing. The pacing is pitch-perfect, with each clue drawing you deeper into the drama without ever sacrificing the humor or emotional core.

An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide to Murder is a fresh, modern take on the cozy mystery genre with the perfect balance of comedy, suspense, and heart.

An Amateur Sleuth's Guide to Murder was an interesting story. The story take place on Bainbridge Island. Meg Gates is the main character. Her fiance, Romin Evans has left her at the alter while running away with her sorority sister and bridesmaid, Rachael. Her mother, whose family has been an old family on Bainbridge Island has come to Seatte and with friends brought her back to the island to get her life back. Meg will live at her Aunt Melony's and Uncle Troy's place in the garage apartment with her dog, Watson, a tan cocker spaniel mix, Her uncle is the town's chief of police. Meg will work for her mother's book store part-time as well as work for the author, Lilly Aster, a mystery writer as her assistant, also part=time. Lilly is good friends with her aunt. Aunt Melody had been a literary agent before she had married Uncle Troy. Lilly lives at Summer Break her house on the island. Her father is divorced from her mother and lives in Seattle with is second wife, Elaine. Meg does not like Elaine so has a distant relationship with her father.

While going over to Bainbridge Island on the ferry Meg hears a conversation on the ferry from Lilly's manager, Robert Meade III, a very nasty man, Upon her first visit to see Lilly for her interview for the job she runs into him again as he is leaving Lilly's house. She has her interview and gets the job. Meg will deal mainly with Lilly's housekeeper, Jolene, who will give her Lilly's assignments every week.

Natasha is Meg's childhood friend and owns The Taste of Magic bakery. Dalton Hamilton is her brother's best friend and works for the Washington State Ferries system. Dalton thinks it might be fun for Meg to meet some young people and invites her to go to the bonfire. While there Nate who is drunk attacks Meg for working for the author. Dalton is there to defend Meg. Violet is Nate's girlfriend.

The next day Meg bikes to Summer Break and there is a lot of newspeople including Vi Chen a reporter there. Word had gotten out that a body had been found on Lilly's property. Meg meets with Jolene and gives her assignment to her and gets another one. Dayton tells Meg that the man who died is Lilly's agent, Robert Meade. When dropping off her assignment early she asks Jolene if she can speak to Lilly. She tells Lilly what she heard on the ferry. Lilly tells her that she had suspected that Robert was skimming money. He had doctored the contract before sending to her. She tells Meg that she had fired him and has a new agent.

Meg has decided that she wants to write a book "How to Investigate When You are not a Professional". She had not told her aunt or mother of her plan, Dalton and Natasha have decided that they will help Meg find out who killed Robert. While near her uncle's car she sees the cororner report but is not able to read it as her uncle comes out. He tells her to stay out of his investigation.

Natasha texts Meg to tell her that Lilly's ex's girlfriend is at the bakery. Meg goes to the bakery and starts talking to Tabitha. She tell Meg that Josh thinks someone is trying to set Lilly up for the murder. Josh is a writer also and is working on his next book. Meg is wondering what happened to Meade's car. She finds it at the terminal and notifies her uncle where it is. Everything points to Lilly being the suspect and Meg is determined to find out who the murderer is.

This is where the story takes off. There is so much going on that it is hard to put all on paper. There are so many twists and turns that I will leave it to the reader to enjoy to the very exciting ending.

I loved the characters that make up Meg's friends and family. This would be a good series if the author decide to do so.

Thank you NetGalley and Kkensington Publishing Corp. for this ARC.


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The author did a great job in staging this fast-paced and well-written whodunit. The mystery was presented with all that I enjoy in a cozy -- a solidly wicked plot, a pool of suspects and clues that floated to the top for Meg to discover. What I liked was when Meg found a clue, she immediately contacted her uncle who is the police chief, of course she talked it out with her childhood friends who in their youth were called the Mystery Crew. I also enjoyed meeting the characters from Natasha to Dalton to her mom, her aunt and the various others she encountered who all had pivotal roles in how well this drama was being told. It was nice watching this all play out as one by one the suspects dwindled until there was only one person left standing…the killer.

This is an excellent introduction and welcome addition to the cozy genre, and I can’t wait for the next book in this delightfully charming series.

_An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide to Murder_ by Lynn Cahoon is a fast-paced cozy mystery with a small-town atmosphere and likeable characters. After her fiancé leaves her, and takes a bridesmaid on their would-be honeymoon, Meg Gates needs a new start and decides to move from Seattle back to where she grew up on Bainbridge Island. She gets a job working at her mom’s bookstore and for a bestselling mystery writer, who happens to be a main suspect of a recent murder. Meg and her friends, including her loyal rescue cocker spaniel Watson, get pulled into the investigation and work to find clues to catch the real killer.

An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide to Murder is a new book by Lynn Cahoon, one of my favorite cozy mystery authors. This is a fun, easy-to-read book with a great mystery. There are twists and turns which kept me guessing right up to the end. It also has a strong, independent protagonist, Meg, with a loveable dog named Watson.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read "An Amateur Sleuth's Guide to Murder" in exchange for my honest opinion.

If it's a series my Lynn Cahoon, you know it's going to be a winner. She creates interesting characters that readers can relate to. Her descriptions always make you feel as if you are there watching the events unfold.

In this new series we meet Meg Gates whose wedding was cancelled 2 days before she was to walk down the aisle when her fiancé took off on their honeymoon with the bridesmaid and Meg's former sorority sister. She feels herself a three time loser as she has failed at college, work and love. She is now moving "home" to Bainbridge Island, a short ferry ride from Seattle. She'll be living in the garage apartment at her Aunt Melody and Uncle Troy's house. Uncle Troy also happens to be the police chief. The best character is her rescue dog Watson.

She has a job working at her mother's book store and for author Lilly Aster as an assistant. She also has dreams of writing an book about how to solve mysteries. When a body is found on the cliffs near Lilly's home she puts her mystery solving skills to good use much to Uncle Troy's disappointment. How is she going to figure out who the murderer is, when all the suspects are her friends and family?

A great start to a wonderful new series. Looking forward to reading more about Meg and her new life on the island.

Lynn Cahoon's newest series is off to a great start! An Amateur Sleuth's Guide to murder is the first in the Bainbridge Island Mystery series centered around Meg Gates, a 26 year old who has moved home to start over after a series of unfortunate events. She is feeling that treading water has given over to a riptide that is pulling her backwards.

Meg's Aunt and Uncle are giving her time to collect herself and stay in their garage apartment---plus, her Aunt and Mom got her a job with a famous author who also lives on the island. Maybe life is looking up. Meg gets the idea of writing a "how to" on investigating a murder. Her tips make up the chapter headings. I love that.

When the author's manager is found dead near her home and she is implicated in the murder Meg jumps into investigation mode to clear her name. There is mystery, suspense and humor, a quick moving plot, and great characters. I am excited for book two already.
COMING JUNE 24th 2025
Thank you for the e-copy ARC that I requested, I review books I love for friends and followers. #AnAmateurSleuth'sGuidetoMurder #NetGalley
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There's nothing like a lousy ex-boyfriend (or fiancé) to get you on a character's side, and this story has an excellent villain. It also has a team of amateur sleuths that first worked together in middle school (and are good friends always eating delicious meals/pastries), and a main character who works in a bookstore and as an assistant to a mystery writer (and is writing a book of her own!). So lots of relatable/enjoyable elements. The family interactions also made me laugh and the mystery solving worked well with the main character's general storyline.

4 stars for a fun read!

What a fun read! The book has an extremely likable protagonist who is aided and abetted by a great group of additional characters. There is some humor and interesting tidbits about the publishing world in general sprinkled throughout. I hope this is the first book in a continuing series as I would love to spend more time with this cast of characters.

I wanted to attempt my shot again at a cozy mystery, but yet again it just progressed too slowly for me and didn't hold my attention. I don't think it's anything wrong with the book, but more a preference for me. I just need more action and fast paced. I had to DNF I couldn't get into it.

Meg feels as though she is moving backwards in life. She lost her job, her fiance let her for her bridesmaid and now she is moving back home. Things start to look up as she gets back together with old friends and has a job as a research assistant to her favorite author. But things change again when there is a murder and it looks her new boss is the number one suspect.

I was a little leary about this book, while I have enjoyed books by Lynn Cahoon in the past the last few have left me disappointed. I am glad I took the chance. This is a good start to a new series. I like the storyline of Meg writing a how to be an amaueur slueth book and the start of getting to know the characters. However I do think if the series continues that the character need to be fleshed out a little more.

I'm a huge fan of Lynn Cahoon's books and An Amateur Sleuth's Guide to Murder was delightful. The story drew me in from the start. After the initial shock of her finance running off with her bridesmaid, Meg, quickly pulls herself together and returns to Bainbridge Island. A wonderful opportunity presents itself when she learns that best-selling author Lilly Aster needs an assistant. Meg assumes she will have low level duties, filing, perhaps answering fan mail, etc. but she decides to make the most of the connection. She will write own guide to solving murders as an amateur. She devises her own rules, jots them down, and quickly finds herself in the midst of a real life murder investigation. A delightful book, highly recommend.

Meg and her rescue dog, Watson, are back home with her family after her planned life goes poof when her fiancé decides to go on vacation with one of the bridesmaids instead of their honeymoon. The family gets her a part-time job with a famous author and a part time job at the family bookstore. Then the author's unpleasant agent is found dead in the water near the author's home. Let the investigations begin! Good fun mystery.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected E-galley file from Kensington Publishing | Kensington Cozies via NetGalley. Pub Date Jun 24, 2025
#AnAmateurSleuthsGuidetoMurder by @lynncahoon #BainbridgeIslandMysterySeriesBk1 @kensingtonbooks #cozymystery #NetGalley @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble @waterstones ***** Review @booksamillion @bookshop_org @bookshop_org_uk @kobo #Washingtonstate #islandlife #rescuedog #murdermystery #jilted #familyexpectations #famouswriter #intheframe #friends

An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide To Murder, is the first book in the Bainbridge cozy mystery series by Lynn, cahoon, Meg was about to get married when her fiancé Romaine left her and went on their honeymoon with one of the bridesmaids. Meg is heartbroken and is returning home to Bainbridge Island to be closer to her family plus her mom is giving her a job at her bookstore, she’ll also be working for a very popular author named Lily. Meg always wanted to be an author. and loved solving mysteries. She even had a Nancy Drew club while growing up on the island. Little does Meg know that in moving home, she will get to do just that. because on her first day at work, Lilly‘s agent or ex agent rather is found dead in the sound behind her home. Unfortunately, he is a man with a plethora of great suspects that would’ve wanted him dead, but who did it? soon the Nancy Drew club is back together, and this will be the first case to Meg’s uncle, the Bainbridge sheriffs irritation. I absolutely was gaga for this cozy mystery. It was so good. I thought the storyline was intelligently done, a great mystery, lovable characters and a page turning narrative. except for the victim, I cannot think of any negative about this book. Having said that I will still be reading the next book I can’t wait to see what happens with Meg her relationship with Dalton and what the next mystery will be. I also want to say, I think it was brilliant that she made the titles of each chapter. The tips on how to solve a murder. This was an all-around perfect absolutely fabulous read! #NetGalley, #KensingtonBooks, #BlindReviewer, #LynnCalhoun, #AnAmateurLuteGuideToMurder,

An Amateur Sleuth's Guide to Murder by Lynn Cahoon is the first book in a brand-new cozy mystery series!

This was such a fun new book! I really enjoyed Meg's character. She has had to overcome some obstacles, dropping out of college to take a great job, that failed. Her fiancé dumped her and went on their honeymoon with one of HER bridesmaids.

Meg is heads back home to Bainbridge Island in Seattle to go back to her family.
She has her faithful cocker spaniel, Watson, who I absolutely ADORE, and she scored a part time job working for a mystery writer. So maybe things are looking up?

Meg wants to write a manual on investigating crimes. She is hoping that her boss will like it.
Before that can happen, the author's manager is murdered, and her boss is the prime suspect.

This was such a fantastic cozy mystery! I am a huge fan of Lynn Cahoon, and this book is written in her unique style which I absolutely love.

The characters are well written with a perfectly paced plot.

There were some twists I didn't see coming, and the final reveal left me shocked.

Such a great first book in a brand-new cozy mystery series!

An interesting start to a new mystery series that I didn't really like but I'm quickly realizing that I only like the Farm to Fork and the Cat Laitmer mysteries series by Cahoon everything else at least for me falls flat.

Meg feels like she is moving backwards - home after a failed career and engagement. But things look up with a new job she loves, old friends, and a murder to solve. The perfect book for all of us who loved Nancy Drew as a kid.