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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
Pretty good mystery. Kept me guessing. Especially since the main character was such a bad judge of character.
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a good cozy mystery. I liked the characters, though there were some times I was shaking my head at them. I enjoyed the setting. The mystery was good and had a decent amount of suspects. I really liked the narrator for the audio book.
One of the most enjoyable mysteries I’ve read in a while. I wouldn’t exactly call it a ‘cozy’ mystery, but it definitely wasn’t much of a horror mystery either. Truly loved the story of Madeline and her return to Enigma, Georgia.
After pursuing a career in the theatre, Aunt Rose opened a bookstore in Enigma. It’s an old Victorian home where the first floor serves as a store, and the second floor as a home. Rose had a successful run selling books and textbooks for the local college. When she passed, the bookstore went to her niece Madeline.
Madeline returns to Enigma after her own somewhat successful career in the theatre. Kindred spirits were Madeline and her Aunt Rose. Madeline isn’t quite sure what her next act is, so she latches onto the inheritance and heads home. She isn’t in Enigma but minutes, when the gazebo behind the house is in flames. Arson. Then she gets a troubling phone call late at night threatening to burn the rest of the house down.
Not the return she imagined.
With her Aunt Rose’s best friend Philomena and the new Methodist minister Gloria, Madeline is going to tackle figuring out who wants her out of Enigma. Along the way she’ll also have a murder to solve. It does get sticky down in those parts.
Very fun. Very engaging. With so much humor and grace, this story was a pleasure to read. I don’t think I’ve read any P.J. Nelson before, but I can guarantee this won’t be the last.
After pursuing a career in the theatre, Aunt Rose opened a bookstore in Enigma. It’s an old Victorian home where the first floor serves as a store, and the second floor as a home. Rose had a successful run selling books and textbooks for the local college. When she passed, the bookstore went to her niece Madeline.
Madeline returns to Enigma after her own somewhat successful career in the theatre. Kindred spirits were Madeline and her Aunt Rose. Madeline isn’t quite sure what her next act is, so she latches onto the inheritance and heads home. She isn’t in Enigma but minutes, when the gazebo behind the house is in flames. Arson. Then she gets a troubling phone call late at night threatening to burn the rest of the house down.
Not the return she imagined.
With her Aunt Rose’s best friend Philomena and the new Methodist minister Gloria, Madeline is going to tackle figuring out who wants her out of Enigma. Along the way she’ll also have a murder to solve. It does get sticky down in those parts.
Very fun. Very engaging. With so much humor and grace, this story was a pleasure to read. I don’t think I’ve read any P.J. Nelson before, but I can guarantee this won’t be the last.
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Literary Cozy Mystery that finds a Georgia actress's inheritance of her eccentric aunt's bookstore turns deadly after a fire, threats of more and then a college student's murder
1/5 stars: This is the first in Nelson's Old Juniper Bookstore Mystery series which is a Literary Cozy Mystery set in Georgia and features an actress who's inheritance of her eccentric aunt's equally eccentric bookstore housed in an old Victorian mansion in the small college town faces some unexpected challenges. On arrival, the gazebo in the back yard is set ablaze and a late night caller threatens to burn the whole store down if she doesn't leave immediately. But she's not one to be intimidated and ignores the threats. That is until there's another fire and a young college student's murdered in the store. Now with a cloud of suspicion falling over her, it's up to her to untangle the town's deadly secrets and find the killer before she herself is the next victim. Nelson's writing and character work are nicely done. Unfortunately, this just wasn't a book for me; leading me to DNF it at 31%.
I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.
1/5 stars: This is the first in Nelson's Old Juniper Bookstore Mystery series which is a Literary Cozy Mystery set in Georgia and features an actress who's inheritance of her eccentric aunt's equally eccentric bookstore housed in an old Victorian mansion in the small college town faces some unexpected challenges. On arrival, the gazebo in the back yard is set ablaze and a late night caller threatens to burn the whole store down if she doesn't leave immediately. But she's not one to be intimidated and ignores the threats. That is until there's another fire and a young college student's murdered in the store. Now with a cloud of suspicion falling over her, it's up to her to untangle the town's deadly secrets and find the killer before she herself is the next victim. Nelson's writing and character work are nicely done. Unfortunately, this just wasn't a book for me; leading me to DNF it at 31%.
I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.
I'm not normally a "cozy" guy, so I went into this Southern mystery with a little trepidation. It took a little while for the story to find its groove, but once it did, I was hooked. I didn't really have any complaints, although I wish the story was a little more Southern and a little "cozier." I liked the characters, and the plot kept me invested and involved.
Would I read more from the author? Yes.
I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.
Would I read more from the author? Yes.
I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.