3.5 3.5 This was a cute quirky cozy mystery that I really enjoyed. This story follows Juni one of three sisters who opened a local record and coffee shop called Sip and Spin. Juni is going about her business when she finds the mayor Bob dead in his office. With this being the second body in less than a year that Juni found and her sister being a target leads Juni to take some sleuthing into her own hands.

This was a really cute cozy mystery I really enjoyed the record store setting and actually wished more of the story took place in the actual shop. The characters were really lovable and made me want to pick up the first in the series. I had not read the first book previously and feel this one can work as a standalone but there were a few reference to the previous book that have me wanting to pick it up! I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

An entertaining cozy, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the characters and the family dynamics
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed this new cozy mystery book series. It is so refreshing and will definitely take you back in time to our vinyl days and going to record store to buy our favorite music. The characters continue to give us hip vibes and I love the family dynamic. Even though I guessed who the killer was, it was so much fun figuring it all out. This is definitely a fresh hip cozy mystery that I highly recommend. The setting and festivities were also fun.

This author is an auto buy author for me.

A Fatal Groove is a fun mystery with small town life and an entertaining cast of characters.

Our main character finds another dead body and while it seems like it happened of natural causes, there appears to be more. . I’m not one to try and guess the who and why and like reading to see how the author brings the story together.

The main character seems to be deciding between two men, but one is more prominent than the other and it doesn’t seem like the other is in the picture. Maybe it’s clear there is a favorite?

If you have lived in a Texas for any amount of time you know just how important the Bluebonnets are.

This is the second in this series, but reads as a standalone.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

What a delicious cozy mystery featuring three sisters who run a family coffee and vintage record shop in a small Texas town full of mischief, gossip, and a deep sense of community. During the Annual Bluebonnet Festival, Mayor Bob is found dead holding one of the coffee cups from the Sip and Spin Shop and he as been poisoned. Once again three sisters, Tansy, Maggie, and Juni, set out to find out who is the murderer whole also trying to appease the local detective, ex-boyfriend Beau. In addition, there is an underlying mystery of a bank robbery that is more than 50 years old. Could there be a connection? Lots of suspects, twists and turns, it was a delightful and harmless mystery that was fun to read. Loved learning about bluebonnets and how they were at the heart of the solution too. I'm going to have to look for more stories by Olivia Black because I like her style, such as the story that features the first murder victim that Juni discovered in the closet at the shop. Delightful characters abound such as their uncle and mother. I love when everyday folks step in to help solve a crime because they all have ownership in their community. This is a great little mystery to cozy up with and sip a lovely cup of coffee (or tea). Many thanks to #netgalley #afatalgroove #oliviablacke #stmartinspress for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This second book in the series was an enjoyable read. I liked all the characters and the long list of suspects to choose from. It kept me guessing about who killed Mayor Bob until the end. I also liked that there were several layers to the story because it kept it interesting. It gets a little preachy about being environmentally conscience and is a little awkward with describing the characters' physical features, but the plot was well written. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series when it comes out in March of next year!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I chose to interview author Olivia Blacke on Fresh Fiction's Cozy Corner on 7/24/23 because of the original premise behind the series and it's a great mystery.;)

I loved this fun cozy centered around a record store that full of sister relationships, family and trying to get into the groove of getting their small business up and oh and of course while trying to figure out while finding a dead body.

I loved the relationship the main character had with her mom and sisters. The musical references intersected in this was *chef’s kiss* it wasn’t forced, but natural. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

A Fatal Groove is the second book of the Record Shop Mystery series. While this book is part of a series, it could be read as a standalone as well (although I would encourage you to read the first book because it's so good!)

This was a fun read for the cast of characters (the dynamic between Juni and her sisters, Maggie and Tansy, is great), small town vibe, and the record shop itself. Each time I read these books I end up wanting to listen to music due to the musical references made throughout the book. As far as the mystery is concerned, it was engaging and somewhat entertaining considering the situations/shenanigans Juni got herself into. I will say the motive for the murder was surprising even if the murderer was not.

Overall, a solid addition to the series!

Thank you St. Martin's Paperbacks and Netgalley for providing an ARC of the book.

It was wonderful to spend more time in Cedar River, Texas, with Juni and her sisters. Under unfortunate circumstances, sure, but Olivia Blacke has written some quirky characters finding themselves in ill-fated scenarios and I enjoy the adventures.
When Juni has the bad luck to stumble upon the poisoned mayor, she finds herself tangled up in finding out who did it in order to clear her sister and their record shop’s name.
Juni is very likeable and I find her inner dialogue funny. The setting and other characters make this a great cozy mystery.
Can’t wait for the next book!
Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m stanning this cozy mystery series big time! Book 2 did a great job of fleshing out the characters even more and the mystery kept me intrigued the whole time. Juniper, Maggie and Tansy are a great trio, Juni herself being a great lead character. Add in her flirtations with Beau and Teddy and I see so much potential for this series. It’s also making me crave delicious coffee and good music, and I’m debating moving to the Austin area so I can run into Jessup sisters.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins for the arc.

Juni Jessop is a lot of fun and very likable. Often, in cozies, the main sleuth can be annoying or treats the local law enforcement as incompetent. Juni isn't like that, thankfully. While she continually breaks her promises to Detective Beau Russell to stay out of it, she just can't help herself. And, in some cases, she's hit in the face with information without looking for it.

Her relationship with her sisters, her mother, and even her crazy uncle, is heartwarming. The way they aren't afraid to disagree is nice. They know in the end that all will be forgiven and that they'll always have one another in a pinch.

As is often the case, there is a bit of a love triangle as well. Juni is torn between her childhood friend, Teddy, and her ex-boyfriend, Beau. Beau also happens to be the local detective, so he's not going anywhere anytime soon, nor should he. Juni needs someone keeping an eye on her. Since I haven't read the first book in the series, something I'm going to remedy soon, I can't say which I like better. Although, Teddy seems like he'd be more fun, even if Beau comes off as an upstanding sort of guy.

The mystery itself is good. I'm never very good at guessing who did it, but at times I thought I did know. However, the author is good at distracting and placing red herrings to knock you off track. In the end, it was both a surprise and not. The murderer wasn't a surprise, but their motives weren't what I would have guessed in the beginning.

I really enjoy this series. The relationship between Juni and her sisters is cute and funny. The rest of the cast of characters make the story that much better. And all the music talk makes me so happy! I can't wait for the third book!

Pub date: 7/25/23
Genre: cozy mystery
Series: Record Shop mysteries, book 2
Do I need to read book 1 first? I think this one works well as a standalone! All you need to know is that three sisters named after flowers own a record store/cafe.
Quick summary: Juni and her sisters are set to serve coffee to all the Bluebonnet festival attendees - until the town mayor drops dead after drinking a cup of their brew.

Book 1 of the series, VINYL RESTING PLACE, introduced this millennial cozy mystery series, and A FATAL GROOVE keeps up the momentum and leans into the series' Texas location. The plot centers on the annual bluebonnet festival, and I loved learning more about this flower and the related festivities. Mayor Bob's murder isn't the only crime associated with the festival - years ago, there was a mysterious bank robbery, and legend has it there's a lot of cash buried somewhere in town.

Blacke did a great job balancing the mysteries past and present to keep me interested. I also enjoyed learning more about the three sisters - Juni is the main MC, but Tansy and Maggie helped fill out the narrative well. The punny coffee/tea drinks the sisters served kept me laughing, and I'm looking forward to book 3!

Thank you to St. Martin's Paperbacks for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have enjoyed both of the books in the Record Shop series I have read by Olivia Blacke. Great cozy mystery with wonderful characters. The author does a great job of getting you invested in the lives of the Jessup sisters — Maggie, Tansy, and June. They have great and differing personalities which makes life interesting as they work together in their record shop/coffee shop. While there is the typical mystery, there is also the added intrigue of a treasure hunt. I would just encourage you to grab a copy and get lost in the pages as you explore all the clues. It will be time well spent.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Paperbacks for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

This is a fun cozy mystery that was a joy to read. It has wonderful characters, a great setting and will keep you guessing until the end. I love this series and look forward to the next book.
I received a complimentary copy from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Bluebonnets, vinyl records, and coffee. Sounds perfect to me.
This was a fun read, and it’s got to be the most welcoming record store in the book universe. No one here is judging anyone’s music taste, just enjoying the music and the coffee. I really appreciate that, wish I could visit this record store in real life!
The main character is Juniper, one of the 3 sisters that own the Sip&Spin record store/coffee shop. Juniper tries to solve the murder of the town’s mayor, which was a bummer cuz he never even got to drink his iced amaretto coffee with whip. The mystery itself was clever and brought in a cold case that made it very interesting. I read maybe half of Vinyl Resting Place, but I liked this one a lot more.
Daffy🐈 has my heart he has the cutest antics. For me, having a pet in a cozy mystery is either one of my favorite parts of the book or it just feels very forced and flat. I really enjoyed the diverse cast of characters, which is weirdly not always found in cozy mysteries. Juniper is a likeable protagonist, and the town’s residents are very sweet. I love all the drinks named after classic songs.
Anyway I liked this book, and I think I’m going to go back and finish the first one.

This book is what cozy mysteries were meant to be. A little fun, alot of investiagors and a crime/ murder of someone who deserved it!!! The music references were perfect for the background community set up and the coffee the perfect vehicle for murder. A fast, fun read.

My favorite of the Record Store Mysteries so far! I'm rooting for Juni to pick between Beau and Teddy (I'm team Teddy) and this one made me want to hop into the book and their town with them. I can't wait for the next one!

Olivia Blacke mixes vinyl records and decadent coffee in the second of the Sip and Spin mysteries. When one of the three sisters that run the shop is accused of murder, the girls have to prove their sister didn't do it. Maggie, Tansy, and June make this a good read and the sisterly bond is well done. I hope there are many more in the series.