Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for early to this book. So, I listened to the book on tape of this, and it was a nice way to spend time while driving, but I’m not sure ill be following this series closely.

There isn't anything I really can complain about here, the characters are well written and there's definitely some very laugh out loud moments to it. That being said, I also don’t think there's anything that stands out as a “wow this is amazing read.” This is a cute book, and I did recommend it to my mom because I know she’d love, but for me I just liked it. I do want to make it clear, THIS IS NOT A BAD BOOK! Its cute, funny, and charming, just not a must read in my eyes. The author and narrator did a wonderful job, and I hope they are able to continue with this charming story.

3 1/2 stars. I've only read (listened to on audio) two books in this series so far. I wish I'd started from the beginning but I still have a feel for the characters and I enjoyed it overall.

I got plenty of shocked laughs (especially from octogenarian, Mrs Berns who keeps dropping the one-liners - mostly sexual innuendos 😂). The back and forth interest between the main characters is a little annoying. But I can see a set up with another character that may happen up next month (the last book in the series).

A little waffle-y in some places but overall, a solid read. I'll be interested to see how it all comes together for the final book. The narrator did a great job. She voiced male, female, elderly, heavy Minnesota accents and a young kid. Her pacing and comedic timing were perfect 👌

I like how the series got creepier and more high stakes as it progressed. Nothing is creepier than finding a body in a life sized doll and Mira getting arrested raised the stakes even more. I liked this mystery and her running around and finding clues. Mrs Berns was as a delight to read as ever. I knew there something fishy about certain someone but I didnt guess the whole thing and the ending was amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed this book as well, cant wait to start the series finale.

Thank you to @netgalley and @brilliancepublishing for my #gifted audiobook! 🫶🏻

This was my second trip to the world of Mira James and the quirky cast of characters that make up the Murder by Month series. Each one is completely able to be read as a standalone book, though. Jess Lourey does a fantastic job adding tidbits throughout that easily clue you in to any important details from past books.

In each book of the series, the unfortunate Mira totally accidentally stumbles upon a murder each month. The way people were killed and then “showcased” in this book was a bit over the top for me and hard to buy into. However, the mystery itself is good and intriguing and I enjoy Mira’s entertaining inner dialogue.

As I said with the first Murder by Month book I read, I know that this is an unpopular opinion, but Mrs. Berns just drives me crazy. She *could* be funny but seems over-written to me. Then again, I think a lot of the characters and events in this series are intended to be over the top.

I think the audiobook narrator, while talented, is part of my struggle with these books. She also narrates them in an exaggerated manner, and I was taken out of the story a bit when she would voice any male character. Because of this, I’d recommend you skip the audio on these and read them in book form!

All in all, this series makes for a great palate cleanser when you just need a lighter read. There’s a cozy mystery combined with humor and a little romance, and the cast of characters feels like a warm hug to come back to in subsequent books.

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.

I've really enjoyed reading this whole series month by month, it's so close to the end now that I felt nostalgic reading it, I'm going to miss all these quirky and lovable characters. In March of Crimes, one of the seniors in Battle Lake Michigan starts making life-size creepy dolls. You don't even want to know how these are associated with murder! Mira is still working on her PI license and starts to investigate, much to the chagrin of police chief Gary Wohnt. Luckily Mrs. Berns and Mayor Kenny Rogers are there to bail her out of trouble and find some new age-inappropriate hobbies!

I said last month that February Fever was darker than the previous books in the series, and I think this one was a bit more melancholy, which only makes me more eager to read the final book next month and find out what happens.

I was lucky to have access to both the ebook and audiobook this month, and switching between the two was perfect. Jennifer Jill Araya's narration was as fantastic as ever, she really becomes each of the characters and brings the story to another level.

I laughed out loud so many times, and I wasn’t even expecting it. It’s always refreshing to have some comedy with a nice mystery/romance. And I think we can all agree that life size dolls are creepy enough that we need that comedy.
The narrator did an amazing job at bringing out the hilariousness of the situations. And I could easily pick up on which character was speaking just by her voice changes.
And now I have a whole new series I need to go purchase.
Just pick up a copy. You’ll love it!
I received an ALC of this title, all opinions are my own.

I really loved this audiobook! The dead girl in the porcelain life size doll? MINDBLOWING. I was laughing. My jaw was dropping. It kept me intrigued. I also loved the narrator. I do wish there was a male for the male role. It would have made it a lot better BUT overall the book is good! 💚

mystery? Fantastic!
Mira is AWESOME. Misses barns? HILARIOUS!
If i was a librarian and kept finding dead bodies everywhere i went i would cry. Mira just kept solving them 😆

These stories are so stinking cute! I can't wait to finish them all, a crime each month and this poor girl has the worst luck of falling upon them. HAHA! A great mystery, fantastic twists, and a great heroine! (Also her BFF library friend is cracking me up)

March of Crimes
By
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Pub Date: February 25, 2025

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the advanced audio copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

A very PG whodunnit mystery set in a small Minnesota town. No innuendos. No cussing.

Schitts-Creek vibes.

Read if: you are looking for a clean, witty whodunnit mystery with no shocking twists and zero loose ends.

Mira lands in trouble again when she discovers a dead body encased under painted porcelain. Creepy, right? I couldn’t believe her luck. She and Mrs. Berns have to work fast to solve the case and prove her innocence. I loved the banter in this one and enjoyed meeting Little D. His story is heartbreaking, but I’m glad to see Mira stepping up to help. We also finally get some movement in Mira’s love life, but knowing her, there’s still more to come. The narrator, Jennifer Jill Araya does a fantastic job bringing these characters to life, making each voice distinct and engaging.
Fans of quirky characters, small town, and cozy mysteries will love this series!

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.

This book would have made a cool movie. But as a book I struggled to connect with the main character Miranda and the storyline. I love a good unhinged story and chaos but this felt all over the place and unrealistic. I adored the older lady in the book but everyone else just fell flat and I really struggled to finish this one but I was determined to solve the case.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio for the arc copy of this audiobook. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Mira James serves as the librarian in the town of Battle Lake and writes for the local column Battle Lake Recall, while she works towards becoming a private investigator. Coincidentally, since she arrived in the town, there have been twelve people found deceased. One day while visiting the Turtle Stew, Mira finds a dead body in a life size doll. As Mira digs to uncover the killer, with the help of fellow townies Kennie, Mrs. Berns, Ida, Yusuf, and Doris, another person is found dead with garden shears in her own vehicle. Now a suspect, Mira must race against the clock to exonerate herself and avoid becoming the next victim.

This is quite the charming small town murder book, with witty and quirky characters. I giggled multiple times while reading and finished it in one sitting. I did not anticipate the twist and enjoyed the surprise. I desire to be Mrs. Berns when I grow up and would read an entire series dedicated to her alone. Overall, this is a good and intriguing quick read.

This was not a book for me. The characters lacked development and I felt that the mystery was unoriginal and bland and did not have a believable endings. The humor was one of its few redeeming features.

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

Thank you to Netgalley and the UK publishers for an Advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The strength of the story is definitely in the characters and the humour. I absolutely loved Mrs Burns!

The mystery part of the story wasn't quite a strong admittedly. But I would still recommend this for people looking for a more lighthearted mystery book.

March of crimes is a fantastic, fast-paced murder mystery novel with quirky characters and comical conjunction of hilarious dialogues and an intriguing mystery. This book is part of the Murder-by-Month Mystery.

Mira James is creeped out by the life size dolls made by Ida Gilbertson. With the displays everywhere, it is hard to kind of ignore them and then as luck would have it Mira smacks right into one revealing a dead body under the wig and hat.

Trying to navigate these recent crimes and hopefully solve them lands her in a juxtaposition and under the scrutiny of police chief Gary Wohnt who is more than happy to see Mira behind bars. Mrs Berns and Mayor Kennie Rogers are trying to get her out while Mira tries to find the culprit behind this crime. Time is running out and she needs to get her wits together before the killer makes a doll of her.

I read February fever and I was absolutely eagerly to read March of crimes. And the author has surpassed my expectations. I loved this book. The storyline is punctuated with elements of surprises and anticipation. It's engaging through and through. I love all the characters especially Mrs Berns, her attitude is goals for sure. The mystery was definitely captivating and the dolls were indeed creepy. The hilarious dialogues had me laughing out loud many times. To be honest I love this more than its predecessor. The prime suspect was a total shock.😲🤫

10/10 would recommend this.

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.