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4.39 AVERAGE
4.39 AVERAGE
The Mystery in the Margins by LL Gray is about an inheritance gone wrong!
Will Harper get the bookstore and get the book thief?
Harper Sullivan
Harper Sullivan is our sleuth and who we are in the mind of. She is a metal witch who has been using her magic primarily to unlock doors. Harper knows she wants the bookstore and to settle down in Havenwood but doesn't think her plans are all that great. She has to come up with a plan in one week while trying to solve the mystery as to who would steal some rare books from her grandma's bookstore.
I have to say that I love Harper and how she made up her mind that she would try her hardest to present the best plan that she could. Even if her cousin already owns a bookstore and probably has better knowledge than her for it.
The Mystery
Harper Sullivan gets into town to see that her great-grandma's bookstore has been burglarized and that she has a long-lost cousin that she had no clue existed until that moment. She realizes that she will have to fight her cousin in wits about bookstore running knowledge to be able to keep her inheritance of being able to stay in Havenwood. Harper ends up solving the case of who stole the rare books, and I have to say that I was totally wrong on who did it.
Five Stars
My rating for The Mystery in the Margins by LL Gray is five stars. Ms. Gray did a superb job of writing this series, and I recommend this first book. It's a great way to start a series and introduce how Ms. Gray worldbuild the story. I can't wait to read the next book, which is so great. I love Harper and all the inhabitants that Harper met in Havenwood when she was going around trying to figure out how she would run Spellbooks.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Mystery in the Margins by LL Gray.
Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Practically everything I could want in a cozy mystery.
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
THE MYSTERY IN THE MARGINS by L. L. Gray
The First Havenwood Cozy Mystery
It's been a long time since Harper Sullivan has been in Havenwood, Connecticut, but she's ready to settle down in the magical town. As the sole heir, Harper is looking forward to running Spellbooks, her great-grandmother's bookshop, even as she regrets not spending much time with Granny Bea before her death. But her excitement starts to fizzle when she learns that someone broke into the shop and stole several rare books. Her dreams take another hit when she learns that she is not the sole heir. Granny Bea has set a competition between Harper and her cousin to determine who will inherit Spellbooks. Harper has a lot of great ideas, but will her desire to be Spellbooks' new owner be enough to beat out the cousin she never knew existed? Perhaps if she were to discover who stole Granny Bea's books she'd have a leg up in the competition. Gathering old and new friends together Harper is determined to find the books, inherit the bookshop, and make Havenwood her forever home.
Welcome to Havenwood! I am in love with this absolutely enchanting town and its residents...well, most of them. Harper is a charming protagonist. She's caring, but has gumption and is not afraid to bend the rules a bit. I like that her magick is more mundane-and imminently useful! I also appreciate that she doesn't automatically trust everyone, even if she likes them, especially that certain Druid. A more than competent group of law enforcement officers are investigating and I really like each of them. I also like Harper's friends, new and old. I think my favorite character has to be Luna. This feisty rabbit with her rabbity cursing had me in stitches!
There are no dead bodies in the first Havenwood Cozy Mystery, but there is a very well plotted intriguing mystery. Shadowy figures and a dastardly cousin, along with some shady activity bring angst. Action scenes provide excitement, but there are plenty of laughs too.
Witches, vampires, werewolves, and more mystical characters come together to create a delightful series debut in THE MYSTERY IN THE MARGINS. You'll be craving some of Honey's baked goods while enjoying the love and camaraderie of good friends who are like family. I truly enjoyed my first visit to Havenwood and I can't wait to go back!
The First Havenwood Cozy Mystery
It's been a long time since Harper Sullivan has been in Havenwood, Connecticut, but she's ready to settle down in the magical town. As the sole heir, Harper is looking forward to running Spellbooks, her great-grandmother's bookshop, even as she regrets not spending much time with Granny Bea before her death. But her excitement starts to fizzle when she learns that someone broke into the shop and stole several rare books. Her dreams take another hit when she learns that she is not the sole heir. Granny Bea has set a competition between Harper and her cousin to determine who will inherit Spellbooks. Harper has a lot of great ideas, but will her desire to be Spellbooks' new owner be enough to beat out the cousin she never knew existed? Perhaps if she were to discover who stole Granny Bea's books she'd have a leg up in the competition. Gathering old and new friends together Harper is determined to find the books, inherit the bookshop, and make Havenwood her forever home.
Welcome to Havenwood! I am in love with this absolutely enchanting town and its residents...well, most of them. Harper is a charming protagonist. She's caring, but has gumption and is not afraid to bend the rules a bit. I like that her magick is more mundane-and imminently useful! I also appreciate that she doesn't automatically trust everyone, even if she likes them, especially that certain Druid. A more than competent group of law enforcement officers are investigating and I really like each of them. I also like Harper's friends, new and old. I think my favorite character has to be Luna. This feisty rabbit with her rabbity cursing had me in stitches!
There are no dead bodies in the first Havenwood Cozy Mystery, but there is a very well plotted intriguing mystery. Shadowy figures and a dastardly cousin, along with some shady activity bring angst. Action scenes provide excitement, but there are plenty of laughs too.
Witches, vampires, werewolves, and more mystical characters come together to create a delightful series debut in THE MYSTERY IN THE MARGINS. You'll be craving some of Honey's baked goods while enjoying the love and camaraderie of good friends who are like family. I truly enjoyed my first visit to Havenwood and I can't wait to go back!
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really enjoyed this paranormal cosy. This first book in the series sets up a fun cast of characters that will lead to a number of exciting future stories, I’m sure. And Harper Sullivan’s attempts to become reacquainted with Havenwood while trying to solve the mystery of the missing books is an excellent opportunity to introduce the reader to the setting for this series. I found myself caught up in all of the little details, like menu descriptions and names for food items, for this fictional town and just wishing I could visit (or even move there!). I also found the pirate sub-narrative that was woven in quite interesting and am wondering if it plays a role in future books.
An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my thoughts in any way.
The Mystery in the Margins is the beginning of a delightfully magical new series. Harper Sullivan returns to the town of Havenwood, after the death of her great-grandmother with the hopes of inheriting her bookstore. I loved this story! It made me want to pack up and move to Havenwood so that I could meet all the magical creatures and people. I was lucky enough to get the novella and the second book in the series which I'm so excited to read!
The Mystery in the Margins is the beginning of a delightfully magical new series. Harper Sullivan returns to the town of Havenwood, after the death of her great-grandmother with the hopes of inheriting her bookstore. I loved this story! It made me want to pack up and move to Havenwood so that I could meet all the magical creatures and people. I was lucky enough to get the novella and the second book in the series which I'm so excited to read!
Wanted to like this book. Main character is annoying. It took 3 days to read 100 pages. That's not my normal reading speed.
This was my first cozy fantasy mystery story and I absolutely adored it. It was a great first step into the genre for me. If you're new to this genre like me, this is a perfect story to dip your toe in.
This was the *perfect* book to start out my fall cozy mysteries. We have magic, a talking rabbit & gargoyle, a thief, bookshop, inheritance drama and a brewing romance- what more could you want?! I absolutely fell in love with each character in this book. I think I found my new favorite cozy mystery series
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a good book—comfy, cozy, magical, and very "Disney-like." The pacing was mostly great, though I hit a bit of a slump in the middle. The way the food was described, especially the baked goods, was mouthwatering. As someone who isn’t American (or from the Europe), this book introduced me to so many delicious sweets and treats that I’m now craving without even tasting them!
The setting was charming and had that perfect small-town vibe. The plot was light—not a heavy mystery but engaging enough to keep me hooked. I think the author focused more on building Havenwood and its magical world than on the actual mystery, which made the story feel a bit scattered at times. The ending was anticlimactic for me, and Harper, the main character, often felt impulsive and, honestly, a little naive. But hey, fate seemed to have her back.
One thing: the writing was very descriptive—sometimes too much. Some side characters got way more description than they really needed, considering their irrelevance to the story. I also felt like Harper was doing a lot but not really getting anywhere with solving the mystery, only to dive headfirst into it later.
Still, this was a new experience for me since I don’t usually read witchy and heartwarming stories (yes, I’ve seen Harry Potter, but reading it is still on my list!). I liked it enough to want to explore similar books. Overall, I’d give this 3.25/5. It was cozy and magical, but it felt more like an introduction to the world of Havenwood than a standalone story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The setting was charming and had that perfect small-town vibe. The plot was light—not a heavy mystery but engaging enough to keep me hooked. I think the author focused more on building Havenwood and its magical world than on the actual mystery, which made the story feel a bit scattered at times. The ending was anticlimactic for me, and Harper, the main character, often felt impulsive and, honestly, a little naive. But hey, fate seemed to have her back.
One thing: the writing was very descriptive—sometimes too much. Some side characters got way more description than they really needed, considering their irrelevance to the story. I also felt like Harper was doing a lot but not really getting anywhere with solving the mystery, only to dive headfirst into it later.
Still, this was a new experience for me since I don’t usually read witchy and heartwarming stories (yes, I’ve seen Harry Potter, but reading it is still on my list!). I liked it enough to want to explore similar books. Overall, I’d give this 3.25/5. It was cozy and magical, but it felt more like an introduction to the world of Havenwood than a standalone story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Thoroughly enjoyed this magical mystery!