3.5 stars. I enjoyed the mystery in this one - kept me guessing all the way through. It took awhile, though, for me to connect with the characters. Kelly has a history with the town that wasn't 100% explained, and it felt incomplete for me. It's supposed to be a huge deal where "everyone" blamed her for something, but I didn't really see much blame except from herself and one estranged relationship. I would have liked either more information or less if it was supposed to be teased and drawn out on purpose. I feel like I have enough information to describe it, but not enough to explain the emotion that is supposed to go with it. I will likely try a future book to see if that is developed in a satisfying way in the future - the mystery part of the book was really quite good. There's a romance teased for the main character at the end, so that will also be developed in a future book.

Murder Wears A Little Black Dress by Debra Sennefelder follows Kelly Quinn a young, Manhattan Fashion Buyer through a series of unexpected events after Kelly was thwarted from a life she loved in New York into her new reality of consignment boutique owner and murder suspect.

***
It all starts when a customer, Bernadette Rydell, tries on the little black dress and has a vision of a murder directly tied to the garment, which creates quite the stir in the small town of Lucky Cove.

Murder, however is bad for business and everyone in town is talking about the haunted shop and “murder dress”. In order to save her new business and reputation Kelly uses some of her best detective skills to get to the bottom of Bernadette’s vision.

But what she stumbled upon next was a dead body and way more than she ever bargained for.

***
Murder Wears A Little Black Dress is both fun and witty. If you enjoy mystery fiction Murder Wears A Little Black Dress is worth the read! Little Black Dress is the first in a new Resale Boutique Mystery series and I am here for them.

This review was posted to Goodreads, Instagram, and Amazon.

This is the first book in a new series from the author of The Uninvited Corpse.

Small town, fashion, mystery with a touch of supernatural AND murder. This book really kept my interest from the first page. I couldn't put this book down. Just when I would think a knew what was going, a new twist in the plot threw me back off track.

Kelly, a fashionista in NYC, goes back home after her grandmother's death to take over her resale shop. Not long after, the local psychic comes in, tries on a dress, and determines that someone wearing this dress was involved in a murder. Kelly has to help clear her friend's name, as well as hers, when things start to go south in her life.

There are many characters in this book that add something to the plot, regardless of how small. I was absolutely blown away by the end/the killer. It had never crossed my mind.

Well done Debra!! Now I am looking forward to The Hidden Corpse, book 2 of the Food Bloggers series.

This was another book that I wished didn't have to end. Although I'm happy that once the showdown happened and the killer was arrested, the book didn't end there. The actual ending chapter was so heartwarming in many ways! The book was well-written and plotted with a cool twist at the end.

Kelly Quinn had lost her job as an assistant buyer for a NYC store, but her Granny had willed her the consignment shop she owned, which Kelly was going to revamp into a stylish resale boutique. Pepper, her granny's best friend and employee was skeptical about all these changes Kelly wanted to make and wasn't shy about giving her opinion. After a local psychic had a vision of a murder while wearing a dress that was consigned, Kelly couldn't leave it alone and started investigating here and there. When Kelly ended up being a possible suspect in two different murders, she knew she had to step up her snooping game. The killer didn't like that at all and had Kelly next in their radar.

I really liked the variety of quirky characters in this book. My one favorite character was Pepper, who was more like a mom to Kelly, since she used tough love to show Kelly the error of her ways. Pepper was the mom of Gabe, a local police officer that Kelly's bestie, Liv, had a crush on. I didn't care much for Uncle Ralph or his third wife, Summer, but hey every good cozy has to have some sort of ongoing conflict right? We get to root for Kelly that way. Her cousin Frankie was a hoot and so was Gabe--Gabe had been like a brother to Kelly when they were growing up.

I liked the side story of Kelly's friend Ariel who had been her sister's bestie in high school, but due to an accident that Kelly feels responsible for, Ariel ended up in a wheelchair. She was absolutely awesome and ranks with Pepper as my other favorite character. I mean, who knew that a friend in a motorized wheelchair could come in handy like she did at one point in the book. You'll have to read and find out what happened, but I thought the showdown was pretty epic. The last chapter really summed everything up well, had a couple of small tissue moments (good ones though) and Kelly may just have a guy to date!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC received from the publisher via NetGalley and my opinions are my own.

The first book in a new series and it was very enjoyable! I love cozies anyway and this one checked off all the boxes of what I expect - a protagonist that inserts themselves into an investigation while not being a detective/police officer, red herrings, twists in the plot and with the characters, multiple suspects..the list goes on.

I have not read many series that center around a thrift/consignment store and so I found this one quite interesting since Kelly took over this store when her grandmother died and they have different objectives to make the store a success. Kelly has a background in fashion so it makes her the perfect person to run the shop. Granted she wants to put her own stamp on the shop but comes across resistance from her grandmother's best friend and employee, Pepper. Change is hard but eventually, both Pepper and Kelly come to a mutual understanding.

The mystery itself was hidden well and I did not expect the twist at the end. I supposed I should have seen it coming because there are some subtle clues hidden in the text.

There is another mystery that isn't revealed yet - who is Lulu that runs a blog and is spilling some information about Kelly's shop that may or may not help? I can't wait to find out how long the identity of this blogger remains a secret.

A cozy mystery featuring a haunted “murder dress”? You’re calling my name!

Kelly Quinn ends up in the small town of Lucky Cove when her career an NYC assistant buyer fizzles out. She’s taking over her grandmother’s consignment shop in hopes of revamping it into a hip boutique. But her hopes for a fresh start get revised when a customer, Bernadette, tries on a little black dress and promptly has a psychic vision of someone being murdered.

Soon after this, Bernadette’s cousin Maxine winds up dead. Who’s the small-town killer? Was Maxine the true target, or was Bernadette the intended victim? And will Kelly ever be able to live down the gossip surrounding the supposedly haunted LBD?

As Kelly gets her feet wet as an amateur sleuth, she also finds herself in the local detective’s cross-hairs as a murder suspect. It’s up to her to clear her name and find out just what’s really going on in the sleepy town of Lucky Cove.

Murder Wears a Little Black Dress is a fun romp of a cozy mystery and a strong start to the new Resale Boutique Mystery series. Highly recommended if you’re looking for a cozy with a paranormal twist. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

This is the first book in the new Resale Boutique Mysteries. I really enjoyed reading this smart, sassy, fast-paced mystery. Kelly Quinn has returned to her hometown of Lucky Cover after losing her job in New York City, attending her granny's funeral and finding out that her granny left her the consignment shop that was her pride and joy. Kelly, who has a degree in fashion, plans to take the rundown shop and revamp it into her own fashion boutique. All does not go as planned when a local psychic has a vision after trying on a Black Lace Dress and blacking out. Business dies off, Kelly stumbles on a dead body, she is being sued and is now a suspect in at least one murder. With her uncle hounding her to sell him the store, is she going to leave town with her tail between her legs or stick it out and try to find the murderer?

I enjoyed this book, the characters, the plot and the various side stories. The setting is different from any of the other cozy series that I read, so that was also very appealing. Pepper, her granny's friend and her employee is her mother figure. She tries to keep her on the straight and narrow and does not mince words when she thinks Kelly needs to hear them. There are a lot of interesting secondary characters, many with a past involving Kelly that I hope we learn more about. She and her family are estranged, so again, I hope there is more to come in future additions to the series. As Kelly begins to piece clues together and figure out how the black dress was involved in a murder, I followed along trying to solve the mystery. I figured out some of what was going on, but the ending was fantastic. There were plenty of suspects, many clues and some red herrings that all added to the entertainment value of this clever cozy mystery. I recommend this one to lovers of cozy mysteries with a bit of a chick-lit feel. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book to read upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

Murder Wears A Little Black Dress: A Resale Boutique Mystery
By Debra Sennefelder
Lyrical
January 2019

Review by Cynthia Chow

After she was humiliatingly fired from her dream job as a fashion buyer for Bishop’s Department Store, Kelly Quinn returned to upstate New York’s Lucky Cove to take over the consignment shop left to her by her grandmother. Renaming the store as Curated by Kelly Resale Boutique didn’t thrill her grandmother’s employee Pepper Donovan, but that’s nothing compared to the disruption caused by resident psychic Bernadette Rydell. After putting on one of the shop’s consigned dresses, Bernadette collapses and upon awaking declares that the previous wearer was involved in a murder. A meeting with the dress’s original owner doesn’t go well, but attempting to find further answers from Bernadette proves to be far worse. Now that the dress is also linked to a verifiable present-day murder, business at the consignment shop tanks and Kelly’s uncle is poised to swoop in and take over.

Determined to save her business and reputation by proving her innocence, Kelly attempts to learn more about who could have wanted the victim dead. Returning home is never easy, and Kelly had left behind more than a little emotional baggage. Her sister still blames Kelly for the car accident that injured their friend, and Kelly herself carries no small amount of guilt. Mending relationships and forgiving herself will be as instrumental to Kelly’s successful return home as solving a murder, especially if she wishes to keep her grandmother’s dream alive. All Kelly has to do is avoid the stigma of haunted merchandise, dodge a lawsuit, and deal with her uncle’s newest trophy wife.

This debut series introduces a warm and very likable young heroine who found herself uprooted just as she was feeling established in her life. When it comes to the fashion business though, Kelly has enviable confidence in her skills for someone only her in late twenties. The process of consignment shop purchasing and pricing is fascinating, especially when it allows her access into suspects’ and witnesses’ homes. Kelly’s integration back into Lucky Cove is a delight to follow as she garners new allies, repairs friendships, and begins the promise of a new romance. Her best friend Liv brings emotional support and muffins, while Kelly’s granny’s rescue cat Howard adds his own share of humor as he serves by serving as a sounding board for Kelly while still demanding his share of tuna treats. This is the start of a fun new series full of descriptions of designer fashion and led by a heroine who is relatable, vulnerable, and intelligent.

MURDER WEARS A LITTLE BLACK DRESS by Debra Sennefelder
The First Resale Boutique Mystery

After a humiliating dismissal as a buyer for a New York department store, Kelly Quinn has returned home to Lucky Cove. Restyling her late grandmother's consignment shop into an upscale clothing boutique is a challenge, however. Pepper, her grandmother's best friend and Kelly's employee is not shy about voicing her displeasure about the changes Kelly wants to make. When a local psychic collapses after receiving a vision when trying on a dress in the shop, the resale boutique gets lots of publicity. People are coming to hear about the "murder dress" and visit the "haunted shop", but not buying any wares. Desperate to stop the negative publicity, matters get worse when Kelly becomes a suspect after she finds the murdered body of the psychic's cousin. Now she's determined to find the truth behind, not only the current murder, but the "murder dress" while she wonders if her decision to come home was the right one.

MURDER WEARS A LITTLE BLACK DRESS is about growing up, finding your place, and fighting for what's right. Kelly Quinn is a likeable, if somewhat juvenile protagonist. In fact, almost all of the characters are a blend of likable with notable character flaws...except for the obvious bad guys like Kelly's uncle and his new wife who are completely unpleasant. One of my favorite characters is Kelly's cousin, Frankie. A chef with an interest in the occult, Frankie is a good-natured goof and a peace-keeper in the family. I hope we get to see more of him in future books.

While the first Resale Boutique Mystery should not be classified as a paranormal mystery, I really enjoyed its paranormal aspect. The mystery here was interesting, with many angles, as was Kelly's involvement and increasing belief in Bernadette's psychic ability. MURDER WEARS A LITTLE BLACK DRESS is a good start to a new series.

Kelly Quinn has been left a consignment store by her Grandmother that has just passed away. Kelly wants to make it a fashionable boutique. A fortune teller tries on a dress and has a vision that someone was murdered while the woman worn the black dress. People say that Kelly is selling haunted merchandise. Then other things happen and brings down the sales for the shop. And Kelly keeps coming upon murdered people.
This is the first book in a series. I will definitely read more, they are just fun to read. The author's humor came through and you felt like you knew the character personally.

Murder Wears a Little Black Dress by Debra Sennefelder is the 1st book of the Resale Boutique Mystery series, and a good start. Kelly Quinn lost her job in the fashion industry in New York City, but she inherited her grandmother's consignment shop in Lucky Cove, in upstate New York. Kelly has been using her talents to turn the store into an upscale boutique. During a big three day sale, the local psychic tries on a dress, then she has a vision of a man being murdered. Kelly is determined to get to the bottom of the vision because customers don't want to buy haunted clothing. There are many twists and turns in this book. I enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

I was given a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.

I enjoyed this book. It was a quick fun light read. I loook forward to more books by this author. I liked the writing style and would recommend it to others.

Formula for murder: Take one former Manhattan fashionista who now runs her late Granny’s consignment shop, add a local psychic, a difficult customer, the psychic’s lookalike psychic cousin, and one little black dress.

Kelly Quinn’s life is not the way she hoped it would be when she left for fashion school several years ago. First, she was fired – fired! from her job at a top-notch fashion boutique in NYC with her career seriously derailed. Granny, Martha Quinn, passed away, leaving Kelly the consignment shop that she and close friend Pepper had nurtured for many years. While going through the rooms and inventory that includes clothing, home furnishings, and tchotchkes, she determines what must “go” during a huge, 3-day sale to clear out home furnishings, décor, and out-of-season clothing. After working for Granny all these years, Pepper finds it a hard to see what Kelly is doing to Lucky Cove Consignment Shop, including changing the name to Curated by Kelly Resale Boutique.

Day One of the sale brings in many customers until Bernadette, a willowy blonde psychic, tries on a little black, lacy dress. Kelly saw how wonderful Bernadette looked in it, but the local psychic had a vision of someone wearing the dress and being responsible for a murder, then collapses. In the door ran a woman who looked just like the psychic, stating that she is Maxine, Bernadette’s cousin. Just like that, the shop began to clear out and the 3-day sale crashed.

The woman who consigned the lacy dress is the most challenging customer of the shop, Irene Singer. Her husband had recently died in an accident while returning from a spur-of-the-moment fishing trip. Irene was wearing the dress when getting the call that her husband died in a fiery inferno. After seriously annoying Irene, Kelly had a call from the shop that Bernadette wanted her to go to her home immediately. Arriving, the door was ajar, and the psychic did not answer when Kelly called her. Kelly found a body with a head wound and Bernadette entered the room; her lookalike cousin has been murdered. The prime suspects are Kelly and Bernadette.

The characters are defined well. I like Pepper and Ariel the best. I didn’t like Kelly very much. She seemed too stuck up, ungrateful, and made many rash decisions, such as visiting the lady who had owned the little black dress. She and Pepper change the most throughout the novel, however, making Kelly more likable by the end. Pepper changed quite a bit throughout, also. She wanted to protect what Granny had built over the years, but her love for Kelly and Granny saw her through to become someone who fit beautifully into the boutique. Ariel was someone who Kelly hadn’t hoped to see again, but they complement each other well. Ariel has learned much through adversity and is a huge help and encouragement to Kelly.

The mystery outweighed my lack of affinity with Kelly. There seemed to be such good suspects but one by one they fell away. Threats against Kelly proved that folks were not who they appeared to be. I was quite surprised with the resolution to the murder and the little black dress. All loose ends were tied up, and the end was satisfying. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys fashion and accessories, cozy mysteries, and seeing how even the unhappiest circumstances can lead to rewarding new choices.

From a grateful heart: I received an e-Arc of this from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

This very delightful and intriguing cozy mystery is the first in a brand-new series, Resale Boutique Mystery #1, with likable charcters (even the villains are comprehensible) and a puzzling mystery, plus accusations of the paranormal. Protagonist Kelly never intends to be the Feckless Heroine, but she practically can't avoid it. Returning to her Long Island hometown, Lucky Cove, after she is unjustly fired from her department store assistant buyer position in New York City, and her beloved grandmother passes, bequeathing Kelly her consignment shop in the small friendly town. Kelly has firm plans for rejuvenating the store, but all may be for naught when the town psychic tries on a lovely little black dress--and sees a vision. Now known among the gossiping populace as "the Murder Dress," and the shop as "haunted," Kelly's dreams may all turn to ash, if she can't discover the identity of a murderer, and preserve herself from danger.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery so much it was a one-sitting read, and anticipate the next in this series.

Murder Wears a Little Black Dress is the first book in the new Resale Boutique Mystery series by Debra Sennefelder. Kelly Quinn has moved home to Lucky Cove, Long Island from her former job in NYC. She has endured a rough few months, having lost her job, lost her dear granny Martha Blake, and then has struggled to keep her Granny’s business, which she inherited, up and running. The changes she would like to make are not sitting well with Granny’s dear friend and associate Pepper Donovan. Things seem to be thwarting her at every turn. And then, there is the three day sale.

Things are going well until local psychic Bernadette Rydell tries on the perfect little black dress and experiences a vision which ties the dress to a murder and leaves Bernadette unconscious. Of course the tale of what happened travels throughout their small town, and business begins to implode. When two actual murders occur and are tied back to Bernadette’s vision, business slides to a halt and Kelly is worried about losing her Granny’s business completely.

A very fast paced tale that will leave the reader guessing until the very end and a climax that will surprise even the most seasoned mystery reader. This is a new series to be watched! I did enjoy this book and do recommend it, plus I look forward to the next book in the series!

A great start to a fun new cozy mystery series. The characters are charming, with a few thrown in that you're going to love to hate. The fashion aspect is an added bonus. I look forward to more by this author.

A psychic's vision, a dress worn by a murderer and an ex-fashionista, what do these things have in common? Murder Wears a Little Black Dress is an entertaining and engaging story by Debra Sennefelder. With a medium dose of humor, this book has lots to offer to the reader.

I loved the concept of a psychic's vision of a murder. Imagine that you are in a consignment shop and as soon as the psychic tries on a dress, they have these powerful visions of a crime. Doesn't that make you doubt about the other clothes at the shop? What if the one I liked was worn by a murderer while committing a crime? Creepy!!

Kelly and Liv's friendship is adorable. Liv always has Kelly's back no matter what and that shows a sign of an ever-lasting friendship. Ariel and Kelly had some issues in the past and Kelly blames herself for ruining Ariel's life. But all's well that ends well, right? Their relationship takes a turn and in the end, Ariel does something that makes you go aww!

Though those around Kelly do not believe in psychics, Kelly cannot seem to shake off the scene involving Bernadette's vision. In the end, Kelly's curiosity gets her into some serious trouble. Kelly's financial issues and how she manages to fight it are well portrayed in the book. Uncle Ralph, the one relative that nobody wants to talk about, continues to be a pain, till the end. The guy does nothing but blame and underestimates poor Kelly.

I liked Sennefelder's writing style. I loved the sense of humor that she's brought about in the story. The ending was fantastic, with a little action movie-like sequence. The identity of the murderer and the mysterious little black dress was unexpected and unique. I am looking forward to reading the second book in this series.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is a first book in a new series but I'm not sure how I feel about it. I feel the plot is like many other cozy mysteries and, of course, the main character is a suspect. The writing was a little wordy, the characters a little blah, and the plot was "gray".

A nice start to a new cozy series! Kelly's grandmother dies and she moves home to Lucky Cove to take over her consignment store. As with so many of this type of shop, the merchandise feels stale so Kelly opts to revamp and rename the place to make it more appealing and upscale. What she didn't expect is that a psychic would come to the shop, try on a dress, and wow- claims the dress was worn when a man was murdered. Of course, in cozy fashion, Kelly has to investigate but this only gets her into trouble when she becomes a suspect in a for real murder. And then she becomes a target! Yikes. There's a lot going on here because it's the first installment and you'll get to know the characters and the town. Kelly's young and a bit arrogant but heck, why not? Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Looking forward to the next one!

I liked this story. It had an interesting premise. Pyschic sees a murder when she tries on a consignment dress.
This was a fast read with interesting characters.

Kelly Quinn’s grandmother left her a consignment shop located in Lucky Cove, NY. The shop is rundown and Kelly wants to update and revamp the space into an upscale boutique. Her grandmother’s best friend, Pepper, works at the shop and is wary about the changes.

When Bernadette, the physic, has a vision while trying on the black dress she deems the dress haunted. Business slacks off and Kelly tries to determine if a murder was committed and is it connected to the dress.