Murder at the Estate Sale

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Emma and Molly are booksellers when they meet at a sale estate. While there Emma tumble upon a dead body in the basement of the estate and learns the murder victim is notorious book thief Buck Hubbell.

Molly decide to find out what happens after finding a something that doesn’t make sense and teams up with Emma to learn the truth. As they follow clues their friendship starts to become more.

This was a great cozy mystery story that reminds me of the movies on hallmark mystery movies channel and totally see this on that channel if only hallmark was brave enough to do a same sex couples stories.

Bookseller Molly O’Donnell is hitting up an estate sale to find stock for her business. While in line she meets Emma Clarke, another bookseller, and strikes up a conversation. During the sale she sees Emma coming out of the basement door where Emma has discovered a dead man. While the basement, filled with old occult books, was off limits Emma heard something that made her go downstairs. Finding a note on the floor by the body, Molly sticks it in her bag and they call the police.

Feeling guilty for not giving the note with the police, Molly and Emma agree that they will reunite the note with the book it was in and then turn it over the police. Though as they search they discover that dark practitioners are willing to kill again to get their hands on the book. Both Molly and Emma are kidnapped separately by different seekers and fight to find the truth as well as their attraction to each other.

The first book in a new series, the mystery was well written and tied in well to historical books and practitioners. The budding relationship between Emma and Molly was well written and sweet. I look forward to more from this writing duo!

Molly & Emma meet Ariana an estate sale while on the hunt for books. In this first of a new series, Molly & Emma meet, find a dead body, and start their own investigation all in one day!

I love that every chapter starts with the description of an antiquarian book that relates to the story line! I also really enjoy the LGBTQ storyline and relationships. It’s a refreshing change from the norm.

The only downfall may be that the story focus too much on “the Boke”. Although I loved hearing the story of the book at the end I felt like I missed out on some of the characters’ stories.

All in all, I am VERY excited to read the next book in this series!

DISCLAIMER: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Molly’s a seasoned bookseller; Emma’s newer to the Atlanta bookseller scene. When Emma discovers the dead body of a rumored book thief at an estate sale, Emma and Molly’s lives intertwine in more ways than one. Molly insists they must return the ephemera of a mysterious warning note to the book it belongs to, which leads them on a chase to find a highly coveted grimoire. Murder at the Estate Sale is equal parts bibliomystery and blossoming friendship-possibly-romance, rife with intrigue and romantic tension.

Molly and Emma’s distinct personalities jump off the page from the start. Molly is curious, funny, and flirtatious, while Emma seems to be more soft-spoken and cautious. If I had to put them on an alignment chart, Molly would be chaotic good and Emma lawful good—it’s a fun dynamic to explore, especially when you throw in a murder mystery and a library full of occult books to the mix.

I like that we see the characters officially meet in the first chapter and are obviously attracted to one another, but they never break the friendship boundary in the first book of the series. Slow burn is my jam, and it feels realistic for who Molly and Emma are. If you’re going into this expecting a steamy romance, this is not the book for you. However, it’s only the first book in the series, and there’s plenty of palpable romantic tension to hold you over until the next installment (though I'm not sure Molly and Emma would ever be what you call "steamy").

The authors do a splendid job at keeping the reader on their toes. I had guesses as to who may have committed the murder, but I was never certain in my assumptions. When the Big Reveal happened at the end, I was surprised to find that I was wrong. It’s never any fun reading a book where all of the intrigue is predictable, so I appreciated the care taken to lead me away from the truth behind the mystery. (Maybe a more experienced reader of mystery would have a different opinion, though?)

The writing style is simple, but it gets the job done. The level of detail given to the books mentioned, the setting, and the characters help to solidify the worldbuilding and add to the atmosphere of the overall novel.

One aspect that I especially liked about Murder at the Estate Sale is that most of the books mentioned are all books that actually exist—as far as I could tell from my googling. I will definitely be looking further into the titles sometime.

Overall, Murder at the Estate Sale is an enjoyable, lightweight mystery and a perfect addition to your summer reading list.

Murder at the Estate Sale is a pretty effective cozy mystery. We have all the basics:one (or two) busy body person with a job besides a detective, a murder that happens right in front of them, lots of poor decision making, a whodunnit type explanation right at the end. My biggest criticism is that the book starts out too fast paced. Chapter one is the introduction of both main characters( who barely know each other), Chapter two we have a body, Chapter three the main characters talk about breaking back into the crime scene, Chapter four they break into said crime scene. That wouldn't be so bad but this is all before 10%. The book does spend some time afterwards acknowledging how reckless and quick that was. But I think it would have been better to just do it better and let it take a bit longer. The rest of the book does some weird things that others may like but weren't my thing. It has some elements that are maybe speculative but also maybe not. This is a personal preference but I either want things to be speculative or not. I don't want some in-between.
However to the positives: this has two main queer women. That's not very common in this genre and they are decent characters. They could use more building but that can come with other books as it often does in series like this. The book also was pretty enjoyable and fun for the most part and at times could be gripping.
If you love cozy mysteries and want some queer rep definitely try this out!

When Emma Clarke and Molly O'Donnell meet at a book sale in a posh neighborhood, in Atlanta, they could never imagine that they would discover the dead body of an infamous book thief which would set them on a path of sleuthing and friendship!

The book has a charming classic mystery tone with two vibrant new characters. As the mystery evolves, so does the feeling between the two main characters but before they can build a friendship into something more, they must find out who murdered the book thief before they're the next victims. I liked the personalities of Molly and Emma and they make a perfect duo. A new mystery solving team that will keep you reading!

I received an ARC from Netgalley. The opinions expressed are my own.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Black Opal Books, in return for an honest review. This is the first in a new series about two bookseller protagonists who meet at the estate sale of an avid book collector and wind up discovering a dead body in the cellar. Emma and Molly are women of an undefined mature age (50-ish, maybe?). That’s indicated by remarks about one having grey hair and, later in the book, about having been in an academic position. With few women active in the Atlanta, GA, booksellers’ area, they’re each pleased to find another person of similar interest, albeit different areas of focus. That allows them to educate each other, and by extension, the reader on these areas.
What I liked: A pleasing aspect is that the women are lesbians and develop a natural enjoyment of each other’s company as the story progresses. The book starts off well, with the authors doing an excellent job of setting the stage, defining the characters, the murder, and all the things in a solid mystery. The pace in the first part of the book is right on target for a cozy mystery.
What didn’t work for me: The middle part of the book lost me as there was so much exposition into witchcraft and demonology and research and Emma and Molly’s personal habits that didn’t appear to advance the actual mystery and its solution. As a result, I lost interest and skipped to the last two chapters to find out who done it and, approximately why. I didn’t realize this book would focus so heavily into that aspect, to the extent of subjugating the mystery solving to the in-depth discussion about books on witchcraft and its study through the ages. I also struggled with, at times, wondering where the story was set. It’s clearly set in Atlanta, in the beginning, but Emma makes lots of references to the Bodleian and Candler Libraries. Since the Bodleian is in Oxford, I had to flip back to make sure this wasn’t set in England and if I’d missed that. I looked up a Candler library which is at Emory University so that one is in the States.
If you are pleased to see a book that uses a non-traditional set of heroines (yah!) with the potential to develop into a strong team, and don’t mind a story that delves into witchcraft and its antecedents, you should consider this book.

This is a cute little love story that also includes a murder mystery and knowledge of older books and manuscripts. As someone who took a class on cataloging manuscripts, the beginning of each chapter was an absolute delight for me. The author wrote about bibliophiles and book collectors (sometimes one and the same) in such a well-researched way that I found myself enjoying a murder mystery, which rarely occurs. Also, the cute relationship between Molly and Emma outside of the main plot had me enjoying their characters and sapphic romance all the more.

Those who enjoy cozy mysteries that revolve around books will really enjoy this story. It takes place, as the title indicates, at an estate sale, and the major characters are book collectors and dealers. When another dealer is killed while the others are looking at the books they wish to purchase, the mystery of not only who killed him, but what happened to a valuable mysterious occult manuscript becomes the focus of the two main characters.

Molly O’Donnell and Emma Clarke meet at while standing in line waiting to get into the estate sale, but they become fast friends, and partners in trying to solve the murder. Though only slightly considered suspects, the biggest motivation for their solving the mystery is the missing occult book, which they believe might be the reason he was killed, though the victim was also known to be a book thief, so they know that that could have been a motivation for his killing as well.

I really enjoyed the mystery, but even more so I enjoyed the details in the book collecting, and the details of the occult book market that gave both characters full well rounded motivations. I also enjoyed the fact that the women were older, and had lives before they met that helped to establish their relationship, as well as their drive to find the missing tome.

Like most cozies, this has a mild romance. It is well done, and sweet as you would expect from cozy mysteries, as romance is not the focus of this kind of story, but instead, secondary in the series. I liked how the author moved them slowly, building their friendship, and moving into a stronger relationship. I expect that as the series progresses, that we will find grow even further

As the first in a new series, I am definitely intrigued to read more. I liked the way this author built her clues, and storyline. I felt it was well executed, and had a rewarding reveal. The minor characters, and even the red herrings, were all perfectly placed, and helped the reader to be pulled in.

I highly recommend this book to cozy mystery lovers who wish to begin a new series that is sure to be a winner.

This looks like it will be a good series. I enjoy reading series that deal with books, each chapter gives a description on a different occult book.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What an amazing start to a very promising series! I loved the main character and fell in love with her life and the town itself. I can’t wait to read more in this series.

An ad for an estate sale in Atlanta brags “tons of books,” so a long line of book dealers show up to sift through potential treasures. Not long after the first 25 bargain hunters enter the house, Emma Clarke asks Molly O’Donnell to follow her down into the basement where bookseller and alleged book thief Buck Hubbell lies dead near the bottom of the stairs.

Molly discovers she inadvertently stuffed a clue – a page from an occult volume - in her pocket when they were examining the body and feels it is significant. Thrown together by the circumstances of the murder, the two women find they have a lot in common – collecting and selling books and wanting to identify Buck’s killer. The two women’s sleuthing takes them back to the basement where they find an extensive collection of books on the occult and witchcraft along with a secret entrance.

Lily Charles, the writing team of Charlene Ball and Libby Ware, devises a compelling mystery, incorporating details about occult books that, at times, slow the pace. That said, the author provides a captivating look at the world of rare books along with well-drawn characters and appropriate red herrings. The developing relationship between Molly and Emma, along with the tagline - Molly & Emma Bookseller Series – promises this is the beginning of a delightful new set of cozy mysteries.

Molly is a bookseller who finds books at places like the estate sale she is currently at. She is lightly flirting with a newcomer to the scene, Emma when Buck, an obnoxious bookseller who is known among the booksellers' group as a thief. When Molly later finds Emma in a cordoned off area standing over Buck who is dead from a blow to the head, she immediately believes Emma's innocence. She sees a piece of paper laying next to the body and instinctively grabs it and puts it in her own pocket. Together, the two start looking into why Buck was killed.
I really liked the description of this book. Booksellers? Awesome. Probably a budding relationship? My catnip. Between two females? That seems new. But I have to admit that the author used one of my least favorite plot development devices, amateur detectives that put themselves into danger and that took away a lot of the enjoyment that I expected from this book. Emma and Molly hide evidence from the police, sneak into houses, and keep investigating a murder after they are in danger. I would have enjoyed this book so much more if they had already had some detective experience (i.e. some expertise in sneaking around) or had been more open with the police. And the fact that Molly just inherently trusts Emma because she's attracted to her doesn't make her seem any smarter. I'll probably give the series another try because I really do like the underlying premise and there was some realization of what they were doing at the end but I hope the author makes that carry over to the next book and the two ladies will have a little more common sense.

Three stars
This book comes out August 15th
ARC kindly provided by Black Opal Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

3.25 Stars. This was a good but not great cozy mystery. This is a start to a series and I’m hoping it will find its groove more as the books continue. Another reviewer mentioned this, and I have to agree, that this feels like the Sunday night mysteries that the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel likes to play. They have a series about a librarian who solves crimes and they even had one with a crime solving antique dealer –but the staring actress got arrested in that college bribery scandal so that series was canceled-. So my point is this cozy mystery, about two booksellers trying to solve a murder, would fit HMM to a T if Hallmark was not afraid of lesbians.

I found that this book had my attention right from the beginning. I picked it up to read just a chapter or two before bed and found myself flying past that prediction. However, as the book went on it had some pacing issues. I felt it got a bit bogged down in the middle. That can happen in mysteries, the beginning crime/murder is exciting, but then the book slows until you reach the climatic ending. I think it felt a little slower here than normal since these were booksellers so they were trying to solve the mystery by reading information and doing research. We as readers are reading along with the characters so it felt a little info dumpy just reading blocks of history. I don’t think the authors can do away with this in the next book, because of who the character are, but if they could do less of it or mix it up a bit to get the pace back up would be better.

While this book stars two lesbians, I would not call this a romance. It is a growing friendship with a light attraction. This is something I hope will improve in future books since I didn’t feel a connection beyond friendship between them. While I’m a big fan of having romance in books I read, I almost didn’t want anything to happen since there wasn’t any connection yet and it was feeling a bit forced to push for one. I could see these women eventually together but that connection needs to be built.

Another area I would like to see explored more is who these main characters are. I think it was almost the 75% mark before we hardly got any background for one of the mains. I know both characters have some grey in their hair but I don’t even know ages or anything. I had trouble even picturing what they looked like in my mind. Since this was the start of the series this was the set-up book and I think the authors forgot to do something as simple as really building up the two main characters. The book is very plot driven which is fine for one book, but if I am going to want to keep reading about these women, I need to learn about them and connect with them in book 2 or I won’t care about a book 3.

If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, especially they kind you might watch on HMM, you might enjoy this book. I was entertained by the read, but there is work here that still needs to be done. I can’t even count the times I have struggled with a first book in a series but loved the rest so I will be reading book 2. But, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for some good changes and improvements from this writing duo.

A wonderful estate sale based mystery great for all of us that love books. I love the book references and the smart charcters. This is a fun cozy mystery series that all readers will enjoy. The sleuth was well crafted to the story and kept me guessing to the end.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. My review opinions are my own.

I am a mystery reader fan. I enjoy figuring out whodunit. This is a nice easy read with two likable characters. I was hooked from the beginning as Emma Clarke and Molly O'Donnell were introduced. Their personalities were so different yet complementary. This read takes you on a book lovers quest to find unique books, an unexpected murder, and even more unexpected, magical beliefs/practices.

Emma is easy going and not looking for adventure. Molly is out front and looking for adventure. The push and pull between the two makes for a wonderful dynamic. This is not a romance but there is some I like you and I like you too. So, lets take it slow and see where this goes. The story did drag a little as it moved from Emma and Molly to the whodunit. all the background information about the occult and authors was informative but in my opinion a little too much. I was entertained enough that I plan to read the next book in the series.

Fantastic. Excellent. Queer booksellers solving an occult bibliomystery? You couldn't write a story more specifically for me if you tried. Also, the moral of the story - always keep your ephemera with the book it came from - warmed my tiny archivist heart. I cannot WAIT for the next one!!