MURDER BETWEEN THE PAGES is a fun, fast-paced historical mystery. Rival authors Len and Felix find themselves caught up in a murder in which they are both suspects. I enjoyed this more than I expected. The rivalry and the metaliterary aspects of the mystery were really a treat. At points I had a hard time telling Len and Felix apart, and the story moved so quickly that I'm sure I missed things. I wish it had been longer so there had been time to develop more aspects of it. Still a great read!

Murder Between the Pages is a standalone historical mystery set in the 1940s by Josh Lanyon.Originally released in 2016, it's 157 pages and is available in audio and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

The author is adept and prolific and usually known for cozy M/M romantic mysteries. This entry starts with a (literal) bang with a shooting in a bookstore. It provides the setting for a perfect locked room puzzle leading to a cleverly constructed denouement and satisfying resolution.

There are some pacing issues in the first half of the book but readers are compensated for sticking around with a well rounded and engaging solution. As in much of the rest of the author's oeuvre, an enemies to lovers subplot is a significant part of the read. The romance content is between two rival male authors and there's a fair bit of delightful dialogue where they're sparring about their supposed mutual loathing for each other's fictive sleuth (and one another in general).

Four stars. Short, well written, and fun.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

This makes me want to check out more historical mysteries. I enjoyed reading this so much! The 1940s provide great fodder for a fun backdrop with two rival writers in the middle of the murder investigation. The conflict between Len and Felix drives the humor while adding charm. Enemies to lover is a great trope that Lanyon takes full advantage of and delivers a fast-paced mystery with sleuthing hijinks, feuding authors, and steamy romance. Highly recommend for those that enjoy historical reads, murder mysteries, love stories with great chemistry between the leads, and plenty of fun (and silliness). Lanyon never shies away from the romance, the murder, or the character development, all while maintaining a lighthearted tone and style that appeals to everyone.

I typically like historical mysteries, and I have a soft spot for books that are set in places like bookshops and libraries, which is why this book caught my eye.

This was a 1940s murder mystery. It was a fairly short read, light enough to read in one sitting, and it was entertaining and charming. Something about the writing style made it feel like an adventure story as well as a murder mystery, and it wasn't overly complicated. I enjoyed the touch of romance in the story too.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

Murder Between the Pages is a historical murder mystery with a side dash of romance in the vein of the great locked room mysteries. There's a disliked, disruptive author who is killed in the middle of a bookshop event, and a room full of suspects. Felix Day and Leonard Fuller, a rivalling mystery authors themselves, both whom get drawn into the case and want to solve it.

There's a great feel of the historical period; the world war has ended and all the leading men still suffer from its consequences and how it changed them. Felix was an intelligence officer during the war and he puts his experience and intuition to work in order to figure out who the murderer is. His and Leonard's interactions are gold, because there's clearly something going on underneath the seeming dislike and rivalry.

In true Josh Lanyon style, the mystery is forefront of the story. There is a dash of romance, which is done very well and leaves a reader yearning for more, but it's not the main thing here. I very much liked Murder Between the Pages; it's fascinating mystery, great main characters, and the blossoming romance. My only complaint is the length. The ending, particularly concerning the wrapping of the murder mystery, is a bit hasty. I'd happily read more of it.

I’m not really sure why, but I usually shy away from any type of historical read. When it’s written by one of my favorite authors though, even one of my least favorite sub genres is hard to resist. I’m not really sure why I hesitate to pick them up, because once I get into them, I end up enjoying them. I suppose it’s one of those reading conundrums that I’ll never be able to explain, but there it is. *sigh*

Anyway, Murder Between the Pages was a short and sweet offering, but it kept the pages turning. I loved the situation that Lanyon put the characters in because Felix and Leonard were hardly friends. They were more like enemies… but not quite. They were actually more alike than either one of them realized and when they put their differences (and egos) aside, they actually worked pretty well together. Who better to solve a seeming unsolvable mystery than a pair of mystery authors?

Princess Fuzzypants here: This book started with a bang. A celebrated author whose tell-alls have created as many enemies as fans, is shot whilst giving a speech. The room is crowded with other authors. No one sees anything and there is no way out or in that would occur without witnesses. With all the markings of a good closed door mystery, two rival writers whose fictional characters share more than a bit in common, tell the story from their POV’s.

They are, at first, considered prime suspects but it becomes clear that neither committed the crime. But who did and how? And why is there another murder in the same bookshop on the same day? The two begrudgingly discover they share more in common that their protagonists and their love of arguments. Together they decide to solve the double murder- that is if they do not become the next victims.

Set in the 1940s, post WWII, it has some interesting pieces including the observations of how wartime service affected each character. Four purrs and one paw up.

It was a lot of fun as most of Josh Lanyon's story. A mix of historical fiction, some romance and a lot of humour.
I read it in one setting and thoroughly enjoyed it. Solid mystery that kept me guessing and fleshed out characters
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine