This is a great cozy mystery. Even though it's actually book 5 in the series, you can pick it up from here and continue on with the rest of the series later. Excellent!

4.5 Stars

This is the fifth book in the Cumberland Creek Mystery series by Mollie Cox Bryan.

I totally read this series out of order. Who starts with the last book of the series, right? I think I got the titles Scrapbook of Secrets and Scrapbook of the Dead mixed up in my head and thus, I totally spoiled myself for all the previous books.

I could feel the wrap up aspect of this book as I was reading long. I soon figured out I was reading the last book of a series and it made me sad. This was feeling like a wonderful series to follow and I hope Bryan decides to come back to Cumberland Creek and write another book or three.

This has an omnipotent POV so you need to be ready to jump back and forth from about three different main characters. Mostly the story is told from Annie’s POV. Annie is a reporter and she is ready for retirement from the newspaper biz. But that doesn’t keep her from wanting to solve the mystery about the two dead women both found with scrapbook pages in their grasp. I liked how the author was able to pair the murder with the scrapbooking craft and make it feel like it wasn’t forced or unbelievable.

This one felt like it took a while to weed out the murder and thus we get a really good look at all the suspects and it helps the reader by giving us enough into to try and solve this thing ourselves. Of course, I had no idea whodunit! I always marvel at how cozy authors can keep us so in the dark while revealing all the clues at the same time. It’s like a magic trick, of sorts. And I always seem to be looking in one place while the important action is happening right under my nose.

Great series wrap up. Loving this cast of characters. They felt more real than many other series I have read. Great character development and the mystery really had me fooled the entire way through.

If you love a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.