This is the first in a new series. I really wanted to love it as the premise was promising; however it was not a home run to me.
There was a bit too much going on with back story and multiple characters to keep track of. Addie was a character that I found a bit irritating. It felt as if she had been plunked into the town and way too much information and story was going on, without any build up.
I would read the next book but hope the story is a bit tighter and Addie is a bit more likeable.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Murder by the Book is a first in a new series that is engaging and has plenty of colorful characters.
Addie is still in mourning over the loss of her father and her fiance. Settling into a new business and new home takes its toll, and when her new friend is arrested for murder, Addie can't help but get involved.
I was intrigued by the story description and was excited to read this new book.
My only complaint was how fast Addie was accepted to be investigating with the police. It came across as forced, but I was able to read on, and found myself pleased with the end of the book.
I will be looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

While I did enjoy this book and the story moved along at a good pace with lots of action, I felt like it was lacking something. Some of Serena's actions made it seem like she was the one behind everything (not sure if that was the author's intention or not). I'm not sure if I'll read book 2 or not.

Murder by the Book by Lauren Elliott was an engaging beginning to a new cozy series that I had difficulty putting down.

I thought Addie was a very strong and resourceful young woman who has managed to keep moving forward in spite of the tragedies in her past. Her new friend, Serena, totally captured me with her positive attitude and her friendship to Addie. I thought Ms. Elliott's descriptive writing introduced reader to the lovely small New England town. I would love to visit this seaside town and see it for myself. The characters are beginning to develop and only left me wanting to get to know them better - well, except for Martha who runs the bakery. I'll take a pass on meeting her. The plot was skillfully paced with turns, twists and red herrings that kept me turning the pages. I was totally rocked by the reveal as I never saw it coming. A great beginning to what I hope is the start of a long running cozy series.

Murder By the Book is the first book in a new series. After her aunt dies and leaves her an inheritance, Addie Greyborne moves to a small seaside town from Boston. She starts her own business ~ a bookstore of rare and used books. She lives in the beautiful home she inherited from her aunt and everything is going well when unexpectedly someone tries to run her down with a vehicle, a book is taken from her bookstore and her new friend Serena is arrested for murdering a local merchant. Whoever is doing these dastardly deeds is relentless and will kill to get what he or she wants.
I thought this was a good cozy mystery. Addie has a lot of determination in her and she's stubborn. She's also loyal to her friend Serena. The two of them hit it off right away and remained fun and entertaining friends throughout the story. As a result of her work in Boston, Addie is a good investigator and uses her skills to do some sleuthing to prove Serena's innocence. Serena's brother is the Chief of Police and he's a good investigator. Many times in these cozies the authorities aren't much good, but in this book, the Chief is ok. And! There's a romance in the air. :)
I loved Addie and Serena. I'd meet them at the tea shop and chat with them anytime. I thought the entire book was entertaining with a good mystery. There are a few naysayers in the story who cause trouble for Addie, but she has the support of Serena and the Chief. 4.5 **** stars! I look forward to more books, in this series, in the future.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley.

Goodreads offers a decent synopsis of the plot, and I will not duplicate it here.

I appreciated the protagonist's resourcefulness and courage. Whenever she is placed into jeopardy, she keeps her cool and watches for opportunities to escape and/or fight back. But the book actually moved a bit too fast for me. I had to read it in chunks just to give myself a break. (Your mileage may vary.) And it got to be a challenge to keep up with all the characters and suspects and backstory and how all those details were related, and, at the risk of committing a spoiler, the fact that there were no true accidents, with possibly a single exception.

I will look forward to reading the next installment in Addie's story.

This was a great book. Very complex mystery with many layers that didn't seem related at first. The ending was fantastic. The main character was smart but stubborn and not afraid to call the police when needed. I love the friendship with Serena and the backstory you find out later. I read it in one day and couldn't put it down.

This is a fine beginning to what I hope will be a long running cozy mystery series. It is complex and multi-layered and it is amazing to see how all the disparate pieces of the puzzle fit together. After undergoing the separate tragedies of the murder of her fiance and the suspicious death of her father Addie has inherited a mansion and a large sum of money from a great-aunt she never knew. She moves into the mansion and uses the money to open a used bookstore and curio shop. But as soon as she arrives in town and opens her shop she is met with open hostility from some of her neighbors as well as break ins at both her new shop and her home. She meets and becomes friends with Serena and her brother Marc, the police chief. When Serena is found at the scene of a murder and charged with the crime, Addie joins Marc in searching for evidence to clear her, little thinking that this murder would be connected with everything going on in her own life. Strangers in town, hidden treasures and valuable antique books are all intertwined and make this book a very special one.

Addie Greybourne has inherited her great aunt’s beautiful home, along with a huge collection of books and collectibles. Always a bibliophile, Addie decides to open her own book and collectibles shop in the little town. It’s a welcome change from the terrible year she’s had, when both her fiance and her father were killed. She begins to make friends with her the tea shop owner next door (and her handsome brother, who’s also the chief of police) and things begin to look up. But then her shop and her home is broken into and someone tried to run her down. Has bad luck followed her from the city, or is something in her aunt’s collection worth killing for? I really liked this book, it’s well written with interesting characters and a quaint setting. I look forward to the next in the series