Book Review: Bookman Dead Style by Paige Shelton

It’s January, and the Star City Film Festival has taken the Utah ski resort town by storm. Movie stars are everywhere, carving fresh powder on the slopes and crossing the thresholds of Bygone Alley’s charming boutique shops—including The Rescued Word, where Clare Henry and her grandfather restore old typewriters and beloved books. When cinema’s hottest superhero, Matt Bane, enters their store to buy some personalized notecards, it’s hard not to be starstruck.

But when Clare sees the police leading Matt out of The Fountain hotel in handcuffs only a few hours later, she can’t believe her eyes. The affable actor is accused of killing his sister, but Clare’s convinced he’s wrong for that role. Now it’s open call for suspects as Clare tries to reel in the killer before another victim fades to black...[Summary via Amazon]

I love this series! I was absolutely blown away by the first book, To Helvetica & Back, and this second one was even better!

This time Clare and Chester, who owns The Rescued Word, are being dazzled by movie stars that are in town for the Star City Film Festival. When one of Hollywood's own is accused of murder, Clare leaps to his defence. After all Matt Bane seems so nice... he couldn't possibly have killed his sister or could he? It's up to Clare, along with her best friend, Jodie, and boyfriend, Seth, to solve the crime and save an innocent man.

I really enjoyed that this mystery involved a dead body that wasn't part of Star City. Too often we see cozy mystery writers killing off all the locals (okay maybe not all!) and it's nice when it is a stranger to town. While the Hollywood stars might be strangers, I soon felt like they were locals as we got to know them more. Especially Matt Bane, the Hollywood boy-next-door!

If you detest romantic triangles, then this series is for you! I love the sweet relationship forming between Clare and geologist, Seth. It's beautifully written, and along with the other relationships of our favourite couples in Star City, I feel like I'm reading about people I know. It is always fun to see what everyone is up to in Star City.

Bookman Dead Style is a beautifully written whodunnit. I absolutely love this series, and even though it has since been cancelled, I intend to devour all three books in the series. If you like a bookish cozy mystery series with a twist this one is definitely for you!

Book Review: Handbook for Homicide by Lorna Barrett

Haven't Got A Clue bookshop owner Tricia Miles's relationship is on the rocks. After a not-so-fun vacation with her on-again-off-again lover, Marshall Cambridge, Tricia's hoping for smooth sailing back in Stoneham. Unfortunately Booktown greets her not with blue skies but with another body. 

When Tricia's assistant manager, Pixie, finds homeless vet Susan Morris's body behind Haven't Got A Clue, Pixie's checkered past makes her the prime suspect. Tricia sets out to clear Pixie's name armed with only an anchor insignia earring found at the scene of the crime. 

As Tricia digs deeper she discovers Susan was involved in a scandal right before retiring from the Navy—but since nobody in the village knows Susan, even Tricia's one lead is in danger of drying up. With family drama brewing in the background and all of Stoneham convinced her manager is a murderer, Tricia knows she has to get to the bottom of the case soon before Pixie's life is sunk.[summary via Amazon]

Lorna Barrett is back with her 14th book in the Booktown Mysteries! I've been reading the Booktown Mysteries since the very first book, Murder is Binding. This series and the Cupcake Mysteries (by Jenn McKinlay) were two of the first cozy mystery series that I discovered, and I've kept up with every new release... and been delighted with every single one!

Mystery aside, what delights me about this series is the complex relationship between Tricia Miles and her sister Angelica. I have enjoyed watching their relationship develop and change, and I love how close they have become. Lorna Barrett has written a believable relationship between these two, and I think anyone with a sibling or close family will enjoy reading these mysteries and follow along with Tricia and Angelia's adventures.

The mystery itself is first rate! It's not Tricia that finds the dead body this time, but her assistant manager, Pixie. With Pixie's colourful past, she's concerned that she is going to be wrongly accused of the crime and enlists Tricia to help solve the mystery!! The mystery touches on the troubling aspects of homeless vets, and I really liked how a difficult, and often overlooked, topic was introduced and what Tricia does to help the situation. It definitely made me more aware of what I could do in my own area to help, and I'm glad Lorna Barrett covered the topic in this book.

Handbook for Homicide is at times a heart-breaking tale, but it is delivered with superb writing and delightful characters. The mystery kept me on the edge of my seat, and I absolutely loved the ending (no spoilers!) Needless to say I can't wait for the next book in the series! If you're a fan of bookstore-themed cozy mysteries you need to read this series!!

Book Review: Murder, She Knit by Peggy Ehrhart

Pamela is hosting the next Knit and Nibble meeting and can’t wait to liven up her otherwise empty home with colorful yarn, baking, and a little harmless gossip. She even recruits Amy Morgan, an old friend who recently moved to town, as the group’s newest member. But on the night of the gathering, Amy doesn’t show. Not until Pamela finds the woman dead outside—a knitting needle stabbed through the front of her handmade sweater . . 

Someone committed murder before taking off with Amy’s knitting bag, and Pamela realizes that only she can spot the deadly details hidden in mysterious skeins. But when another murder occurs, naming the culprit—and living to spin the tale—will be more difficult than Pamela ever imagined . . .[summary via Amazon]

Being not just a knitter, but also a indie dyer of self-striping yarn, I absolutely love reading cozy mysteries that centre around a knitting group. It was with absolute delight that I picked up this new-to-me series, and I found not just a great mystery, but a delightful knitting group that I can't wait to visit with again!

Pamela Paterson is hosting her regular knitting group, Knit & Nibble, when she discovers the body of a long-time friend outside her house! Pamela feels compelled to investigate the crime, especially as Amy Morgan was not just a great friend to her, but also because she is a fellow knitter! As clues unravel, Pamela can't help but wonder if the crime relates to a mystery skein of yarn that Amy had in her possession! Together with her knitting group, Pamela must put all her best detecting skills to work to solve the crime!!

I really enjoyed this first book in the series. Pamela is a smart, intelligent sleuth, with a really interesting job - she works at home for a fibre-related magazine. As a knitter I found her job really intriguing, and I love the way the fibre is woven into each storyline of this book. This is something that I think fibre-lovers will appreciate immensely!

The mystery was very detailed, and I found myself grasping for clues, and trying to solve it before Pamela, but not succeeding. It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat, as it unfolded.

Murder, She Knit is a fabulous beginning to what looks like a great series, and I can't wait to visit with Pamela and her friends again!