Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli’s “A Most Curious Murder” is a quirky, “Alice in Wonderland”-inspired cozy mystery that leans heavily into whimsy, small-town secrets, and eccentric characters—sometimes to its benefit, sometimes to its wait, what is happening now? detriment. When Jenny Weston returns to her Michigan hometown after a rough breakup, she’s expecting some peace, maybe a little emotional regrouping. What she gets is a murder, a missing manuscript, and a neighbor who might actually be the human embodiment of a fairytale riddle. The book is packed with literary references, a charmingly odd setting, and enough mystery to keep things moving, even when the plot occasionally stumbles over itself.

The characters are a mixed bag—Jenny is a solid lead, though she sometimes feels more like an observer than an active participant. The real scene-stealer is Zoe Zola, a pint-sized, sharp-witted writer who may or may not be one questionable life choice away from becoming a folk tale herself. Their dynamic is fun, but the mystery itself gets a little lost in all the quirks. The pacing wobbles between intriguing and meandering, with moments of real tension sprinkled between stretches that feel like a literary-themed fever dream. If the goal was to make the story feel like a slightly unhinged children’s book for grown-ups, mission accomplished.

At 3 stars, “A Most Curious Murder” is an imaginative, cozy mystery with a strong sense of place and a unique spin on the genre, but it sometimes feels like it’s trying a little too hard to be curious. The whimsy is delightful—until it starts getting in the way of a tight, satisfying mystery. If you’re here for the offbeat characters and literary vibes, you’ll have a great time. If you’re looking for a mystery that’s more focused and fast-paced, you might find yourself wishing for a little less wonderland and a little more whodunit.

I picked up this book because the series is called Little Library Mysteries. There is references to Little Libraries, but there is more to the story than that. Jenny Weston has returned home to Bear Falls, Michigan for the first time in five years. She has come home to lick her wounds after a bitter divorce and the loss of her job. When she arrives home, she sees her mother's little library, the one her father made for her before his death, broken to pieces and all the books destroyed. Jenny tries to clean up the mess before her mother sees it. Her mother's neighbour, "little person" Zoe Zola, interrupts her job. Jenny is not impressed by this strange person who quotes Lewis Carroll and is rather rude to her. Zoe still helps to clean up the mess and offers to break the news to Jenny's mom, Dora. Trying to figure out what happened, due to the police thinking it was probably just an accident, Zoe and Jenny end up finding dead bodies instead. Zoe is the main suspect in the first murder, as the body was found in her fairy garden. When Zoe's dog is found with the second body that turns up, it seems that no one else is being considered. There are a lot of questions that Jenny and Zoe have to sort out such as: Why the two murdered brothers were living in poverty while their sister lives in a luxurious mansion? Who would want the two lonely men dead and why did they try to frame Zoe? What does the antique key taped to Fida's collar open?

To be honest, I almost didn't finish this book as I didn’t like protagonist, Jenny Weston at the beginning. She was abrasive, rude, short tempered and whiny. I kept reading because I really liked the quirky Zoe and wanted to find out more about her. I also enjoyed the writing and the plot. I had to find out what was going to happen. I am glad I stuck with it because I did like Jenny by the end. This was a well thought-out mystery that kept adding more bad situations along the way. I couldn't believe so much bad luck could strike one family. As the story came together at the end, I couldn't stop listening. It was tied together nicely and the culprit, although he had a good motive, was a surprise to me. That makes for a good mystery in my books. If you are an Alice in Wonderland fan, you will find an added dimension to enjoy.

Couldn't stand the characters in this book and is the second cozy series that I have ever DNFed. :(

Zoe drives Jenny crazy with all her Alice in Wonderland quotes as they search for the killer, but Jenny isn't about to let her almost friend be charged with a crime she didn't commit.
Goodreads