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3.33 AVERAGE
3.33 AVERAGE
This southern murder mystery will have you guessing until the end.
Madeline Brimley inherited a bookstore in Georgia from her beloved Aunt Rose who just died. I googled Enigma, GA, south of Atlanta where it took place. It’s just as the author described it with a population of 1,723 where just about everyone was familiar with everyone.
The story is well written with dialogue that makes feels like you’re right there with the handful of characters. News traveled faster than social media. There were some parts that made me pause. Madeline’s friend, Philomena, said to her, “Everyone is capable of telling a lie that anybody else will believe.” She was trying to tell her that the world is made up with mostly illusions as Madeline was searching for the murderer.
Madeline wasn’t someone I’d want to hang out with in a social setting. But her character worked with the story and it was a lot of fun to read. It was a quick, action-packed book with the feel of southern living. The murderer was a surprise to me at the end. This is the first book in a series.
My thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of December 10, 2024.
Madeline Brimley inherited a bookstore in Georgia from her beloved Aunt Rose who just died. I googled Enigma, GA, south of Atlanta where it took place. It’s just as the author described it with a population of 1,723 where just about everyone was familiar with everyone.
The story is well written with dialogue that makes feels like you’re right there with the handful of characters. News traveled faster than social media. There were some parts that made me pause. Madeline’s friend, Philomena, said to her, “Everyone is capable of telling a lie that anybody else will believe.” She was trying to tell her that the world is made up with mostly illusions as Madeline was searching for the murderer.
Madeline wasn’t someone I’d want to hang out with in a social setting. But her character worked with the story and it was a lot of fun to read. It was a quick, action-packed book with the feel of southern living. The murderer was a surprise to me at the end. This is the first book in a series.
My thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of December 10, 2024.
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A decent cozy mystery, but parts of it got boring and then sped up all of a sudden. It felt like the plot was rushed to close. Still a calm read and not a lot of gory details.
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
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:
Yes
I really liked the characters and the storyline of this book. Most of all I loved the banter between the characters, especially the "snarkiness" of the main character. I really liked how the author developed the relationship of the three women characters. I hope this will become a series!
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
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:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
BOOKED FOR MURDER is a promising start to a mystery series set in a small town in Georgia centered on a bookshop. (That premise alone just hollers 'cozy', doesn't it?) It has all of the ingredients: an atmospheric setting, a cast of very quirky characters, and a main character who unwittingly becomes involved in a murder investigation.
Our amateur sleuth, Madeline, has just inherited her aunt's bookshop and reluctantly returned to her hometown. She can barely begin to unpack before there's a murder - in her bookshop. And then we're off, fully immersed in getting to the bottom of things - following Madeline's hunches, interviewing a list of unlikely suspects, and even hinting at the possibility of a future romance with the town handyman.
The pacing was a bit slow for me and I confess it really did not seem like Madeline had a knack for this sort of thing - but maybe she's still learning, and we'll be impressed with her showing in the second book! A good read for a day in bed with a cup of tea. I'll certainly look forward to spending some more time in small town Georgia when the next in the series arrives.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance copy. All opinions are entirely my own.
Our amateur sleuth, Madeline, has just inherited her aunt's bookshop and reluctantly returned to her hometown. She can barely begin to unpack before there's a murder - in her bookshop. And then we're off, fully immersed in getting to the bottom of things - following Madeline's hunches, interviewing a list of unlikely suspects, and even hinting at the possibility of a future romance with the town handyman.
The pacing was a bit slow for me and I confess it really did not seem like Madeline had a knack for this sort of thing - but maybe she's still learning, and we'll be impressed with her showing in the second book! A good read for a day in bed with a cup of tea. I'll certainly look forward to spending some more time in small town Georgia when the next in the series arrives.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance copy. All opinions are entirely my own.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Easy read and a fun murder mystery. Not scary.
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed this book a lot, as it did give a cozy small-town vibe. I feel like some of the mystery was pretty obvious as there were people having snide comments where you knew they were not right. This book had a nice town atmosphere that brought a lot of history to all the characters. Overall, it was a nice quick read that was fun to see what secrets everyone had.
medium-paced
Written by a mystery man - this is a small southern town where the MC inherits a house and a bookshop and learns more about the town she spent time in during her youth. She’s a little annoying but the mystery is interesting and sad but everyone comes together at the end.