This is my first book by Harper Kincaid and I must say I enjoyed it so much. It is the fist book in the Bookbinding Mystery series and is set in Virginia. I’m not sure I have ever read a heroine with the job of bookbinder but I loved it!

Quinn Caine along with her dog RBG, cousin Sister Daria, and others live int he small town of Vienna. Quinn’s ex just got engaged to her frenemy from high school, Tricia. Tricia loves to flash that ring in Quinn’s face and honestly a nicer person couldn’t have ended up dead. I’m just saying, girl sort of deserved it.

Of course, that means Quin is accused and she has to clear her name. With a little help from family and friends she sets out to prove the new cop in town wrong and that she is innocent. I couldn’t put this down! I just fell in love with Quinn and the other characters. As we got closer to finding out who the real murderer was I found myself biting my nails to see if I and figured it correctly or not.

Quinn is newly returned to her hometown after years of volunteering abroad. As she settles into her new life repairing old books, she doesn’t know if she’s more surprised that her hellraising cousin and best friend is now a nun, or that her sleepy town has just witnessed its second brutal murder in six months…

This book and I didn’t get off to the best starts, as I found it hugely cliched – the aggressive, in-Quinn’s-face police officer hellbent on pinning the murder on her irked me immensely.

However, things did settle down and I ended up enjoying the read. The cliches don’t end, though, with an unrequited crush, school bullies who are still full-on Mean Girls, feisty canine sidekick, several nasty characters to layer on the red herrings, and – sad to say for the cosy mystery genre – a final solution that doesn’t feel entirely ‘earned’.

Still, there’s a lot to like. The inclusion of a novitiate nun as a character was rather intriguing, albeit background fare. I found it charmingly odd to have each chapter begin with a quote from a less than ‘usual’ source, including Game of Thrones, Neil Gaiman, and other quite pop-culture sources. The characters are mostly likeable, at least where they’re meant to be, and the reasons for Quinn’s involvement in the detective work don’t feel too forced.

Overall, though, it’s a bit ‘hmm’. There seemed to be a bit of meandering in the plot, and several characters, with things not wholly feeling resolved in a number of places – although, they weren’t really the point, either. What makes most sense is thinking of this as the first in a series, and I suspect some of the threads will be picked up again. So would I give Quinn another go? Actually, yes, so it can’t have been all that bad! ;)

After reading this debut mystery in the Bookbinding series I have another series to add to my list of must reads. This is a well written, engaging mystery. Quinn Caine has returned to her home town of Vienna, Virginia to join the family business. They own the Prose and Scone bookstore and Quinn is a bookbinder. Right off the bat I knew I was going to love this series and I hadn't even found a mystery yet. The fact that Quinn has a female German Shepard names RBG - Ruff Barker Ginsburg had me grinning. Then we meet Mama Caine (Adele) and when she gives her daughter "The Look" as mothers do, Quinn says that Adele could wither the plumpest of grapes into hard raisins with hers. What a turn of phrase.
Quinn also helps out at the nunnery where her cousin, Daria, is a novitiate. Guinefort House breeds German Shepards and does all breed rescues. It gets its name from the only canonized dog in history.Quinn found RBG there and wants to give back to the nuns for connecting her with her beloved furrbaby. So, after years spent halfway around the world teaching english, Quinn is happy to be home with her family. Well, that's a bit too good to be true when she is confronted by her nemesis, Tricia, waving an engagement ring in Quinn's face. To make matters worse, Tricia is going to marry Quinn's ex-boyfriend. When Tricia turns up dead and the police place Quinn as #1 on their suspect list, Quinn, with the help of her brother's best friend, Aiden, the lead detective, better find out who hated Tricia enough to bump her off and not merely dislike her intensely. Aiden understands Quinn and respects her quick mind. Working together with Sister Daria, the killer won't remain free for long.
This mystery had it all for this reader - great characters, smooth writing style, a well plotted puzzle, a lovely setting and dogs. Plus some great 'one liners'. More. please.
My thanks to the publisher, Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review

I really liked this. For a first novel in a new series, the book sailed along from the start, with characters being introduced easily and the background of all easy to figure out. After teaching English abroad after college, Quinn Caine sets up her new bookbinding business in the rear of her parents bookstore. Now, surrounded by both old friends and old high school foe, she is settling in to her new life back home in Vienna, VA. Former (?) mean girls and dynamic realtor twins Tricia and Trina are local stars. When walking her German Shepherd RBG (Ruff Barker Ginsburg), Quinn stumbles across the body of Tricia. With the help of her cousin Daria and an understanding police detective, Quinn hones her skills as an amateur detective.

I found it strange that feisty, sharp-witted Quinn was so immature and lacking in confidence with regards to her long-time crush, Aiden, who clearly sees her as a beautiful, tough woman and not “a kid”. This book length thread should have been no more than a brief mention in an early chapter.
But the strong storyline and well-drawn characters(especially the German shepherd) saved the book for me. Clever book title.
And, books/bookbinding needs a stronger role in the actual solving of the mystery, not a few casual references. Too bad the series wasn’t called “Prose & Scones” .or even “Prose and Paws”.
Liked the way life in Vienna, Virginia was portrayed. Might want to broaden that to include its suburban relationship to Washington’s D.C.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #ToKillAMockingGirl” for an advanced digital copy.

This is book 1 in the brand new Bookbinding Mystery series by Harper Kincaid. I really enjoyed this book and encourage everyone who loves a well-written cozy to pick up a copy.

The story was intriguing, light hearted at times and serious at other times; it was not so filled with humor that it detracted from the story. I especially enjoyed the close friendship between the main character, Quinn, and her cousin, Daria. The two of them were caring, fun and somewhat daring. I enjoyed getting to know many of the people in this book, and look forward to them showing up in future editions to this series.

The plot was well thought out and the mystery was neatly tied up by the end of the story.

To Kill A Mocking Girl is the first book in the A Bookbinding Mystery series.

Quinn Caine has returned to her home of Vienna, VA after teaching English in the Far East. Her parents own Prose and Scones, a quaint bookstore, and Quinn has started a bookbinding repair business in the back of the store. Quinn is also excited to be back to catch up with her cousin, Elizabeth Anne, who had been a bit of a hand-full in their high school days. Now, Elizabeth Anne is Sister Daria, a nun-in-training, at the Anglican Church’s Guinefort House. To help support themselves, the nuns raise German Shepherds and train them for police work and guide dogs. Quinn has adopted one of the “drop-outs” and has named her Ruff Bater Ginsberg. Quinn volunteers by collecting donated dog food and delivering it to Guinefort House.

One morning, as Quinn was delivering some dog food to Guinefort House, she is approached by her high school nemesis. Tricia Pemberley, who is waving her engagement ring in Quinn’s face. Tricia’s fiance, Scott, is someone Quinn dated for three weeks during high school, but who she is completely over. Sometime after midnight, Quinn awakes to Ruff’s whining. Guessing that Ruff needs a potty break, she takes Ruff for what she hopes is a quick potty break. She soon hears a thud and the screeching of tires of a car taking off. They take off for where they heard the car leaving and find the dead body of Tricia. The first police officer on the scene, Wyatt Reynolds, doesn’t believe Quinn’s story and is about to arrest her when Detective Aiden Harrington arrives. He has known Quinn and her family since childhood. Quinn certainly didn’t like Tricia but didn’t want her dead either. So she and Sister Daria set out to find her killer. They soon find several suspects, even the police aren’t above suspicion.

This is an interesting new series. The story is well-written and reads at a nice pace. I found the characters quite interesting and well developed. I particularly enjoyed the interaction between Quinn and her cousin. I am looking forward to seeing more of Sisters of Guinefort House.

Harper Kincaid nails it with this Bookbinding Mystery series debut.

Quinn Caine returns home to Vienna, Virginia, after teaching English around the world, where she begins offering bookbinding services in her family’s shop, Prose, and Scones. Along with her German Shepherd, RBG (Ruff Barker Ginsberg), she slowly becomes reacquainted with family and friends. Then, in the wee hours of one morning, RBG’s guttural noises wake Quinn, who dresses and follows her anxious dog to the park where she hears a car door slam and a screeching peel as a vehicle leaves in a “trail of billowy white smoke.” Looking around, Quinn finds Tricia Pemberley, dead, and calls 911.

The bad news is that Quinn is immediately a suspect since Tricia just became engaged to Scott Hauser, an old boyfriend. Naturally, Quinn and her cousin, Daria, begin investigating, determined to find the real killer.

Ms. Kincaid weaves together a strong foundation of characters, relationships, and local history that define Vienna. Her characters are well-developed and relatable with realistic relationships. The mystery is complex with enough red herrings and twists to keep readers alert. An engaging read, this visit to Vienna whets the appetite for more – and soon.

As a new series requires the author to draw us a picture of the characters and their community, TO KILL A MOCKING GIRL does an excellent job of setting the stage. An entertaining cozy mystery revolving around a young woman who has returned to her home town to work in her parents' book shop repairing book bindings, an occupation you don't see often. Anyone who has ever returned to their home town after moving away knows the questions and comparisons that take place among friends and family. When our bookbinder finds her high school nemesis dead in the street, the scene is set for the investigation into small town life with all of the gossip you could ever want. This cast of characters is well thought out. Harper Kincaid has laid the groundwork for the next few books as she shares Vienna, Virginia and the trials and tribulations thereof. Settle in for a good mystery and a few chuckles.

I really enjoyed this new entry into the cozy mystery world from a new to me author. It's definitely an interesting business for a main character, and the book itself was well plotted and written. I can't say that I'm a huge fan of Quinn's yet though. There were times when I just wanted to headslap her for being so dense in affairs of the heart. She was crazy smart as far as learning and intelligence went, but she sure needed to learn something about love lol. There was just the right mixture of romance though, and I thought Aiden was the sweetest guy in the world for being incredibly patient with her. I got the biggest kick out of Quinn's cousin, Sister Daria who was still deciding if being an Anglican nun was her forever calling. Quinn and Daria made a good sleuthing pair. Daria even got her own side story. Bash was an awesome big brother and just the kind that anyone would love to have. He also had a side story that ended nicely.

I never had any idea as to the killer's identity. The showdown was fairly quick but especially awesome when the dogs got involved in the take down. Quinn may have done crazy things, but in the end which was very sweet, I was thinking she might have learned a thing or two. I'm super anxious to read more in this series!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Loved it. Thrilled to see that is the first of a series. I am looking forward to reading more of Quinn's adventures. Also those of her cousin, RBG, and Aiden. Clever and surprising murder mystery.

This is my first Harper Kincaid book, but I don’t plan on it being my last. I love the relationship between Quinn and Sister Daria. What a great love these cousins have for each other. I loved all the characters in this book. Nothing better than a family’s love for each other. Course that doesn’t mean everything goes smoothly all the time. I enjoyed reading the trials and tribulations that come about while trying to figure out who the bad person is. I hope I can hang out with the Caine’s again soon. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

3.5 stars
Quinn Caine has returned home to small town Vienna, Virginia after travelling the world teaching English. Her parents have second careers running a bookstore and Quinn is going to be a bookbinder and do repairs there. Quinn is only in her mid 20's and there is a whiff of post-high school in the small town happenings and many pop culture references.

A man Quinn dated briefly has just become engaged when his new fiance is found murdered -- and Quinn finds the body. And in the way of cozies, the investigating detective is Quinn's brother's best friend, who Quinn has had a crush on practically her whole life.

There are lots of things to appreciate in this debut -- Quinn is interesting, as is her cousin and BFF Daria who has decided to become an Anglican nun. If you are a stickler for proper police procedure and logic, you won't find much here. But there are appealing characters and a little soul-searching for the millennial cast, most of whom are still mooning over romantic partners from their younger days. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

To Kill a Mocking Girl is the first book in the Bookbinding Mystery series by Harper Kincaid. It is currently scheduled for release on May 12 2020. I planned to be following this series to see where it goes from here. However, the author's behavior and bios on social media has them now on my do not buy list. Sadly I had read and reviewed the book via netgalley before seeing it and still will post my honest review as it was written prior to the RWA implosion and everything that came to light during the winter holidays.

Quinn Victoria Caine is back in her quirky town of Vienna, Virginia, starting her new life as a bookbinder in her family-owned, charm-for-days bookshop, Prose & Scones. With her trusty German Shepherd RBG-'Ruff Barker' Ginsburg by her side, what can go wrong? Okay, sure, bumping into her ex, Scott, or her former high school nemesis, Tricia, is a drag. It certainly doesn't help they have acquired the new hobby of shoving their recent engagement in her face every chance they get. But that doesn't mean Quinn wanted to find Tricia dead in the road. So why does half the town think she may have done it? Quinn is determined to find Tricia's killer, even if it means partnering with her cousin-turned-nun, Sister Daria, and Detective Aiden Harrington, her older brother's too-movie-star-handsome-for-his-own good, best friend. They believe she's innocent, but of course that doesn't influence the police, who peg her as their prime suspect. But there is no way Quinn is going to stop now. Vienna is her town and-for better or worse-Tricia was one of their own. Someone may have killed the mocking girl, but no one's going to stop the notorious QVC.

To Kill a Mocking Girl is a well paced and engaging read. I like that Kincaid did not go for a massive information dump in the beginning of the book, rather revealed Quinn's family and the quirks of the town in a more organic manner. I liked Quinn's character- she is smart and capable with a touch of vulnerability. I really liked her collection of knowledge and how deeply she cares about the people around her and doing the right thing. I also enjoyed Quinn's extended family and individuals she crossed paths with regularly. Although it did feel like the author was trying to drop in mentions and bits to be recognized as diversity, without actually giving any real depth to the characters or backstories that were used. It had no bearing on the characters or the story- so it felt more like she was trying to check of boxes or show of how 'progressive' she could be. That nagged at me a bit, and I think the story might have been better served by not making that play or by actually taking further steps with that information actually mattering. The mystery elements were well done, although I will say that the hints dropped in the story led me to guess two of the details before the big reveal, but I did miss the who which is always a nice surprise. I liked that there was a good deal of character development for Quinn and those closest to her. The details about the secondary characters are often what keeps me invested in a story, and in a series.

To Kill a Mocking Girl is a solid start to a mystery series with a nice balance of danger, humor, obscure facts, and romance.

Quinn Caine had returned from her travels, ready to settle down in her hometown of Vienna, Virginia. Her love of books; working in her family’s bookshop Prose & Scones and repairing all manner of loved books in her job as bookbinder would keep her busy. She also volunteered at the local nunnery where her cousin, Sister Daria was a novitiate, bringing dog food for the animals which were cared for out the back. Her latest drop off saw her encountering her nemesis, Tricia, who told both Quinn and Daria of her engagement to Quinn’s ex-boyfriend, Scott.

Quinn lived alone with her dog baby, German Shephard RBG and it was after getting up to her that Quinn and RBG discovered a dead body by the side of the road. After the police arrived and Quinn was immediately a person of interest, she was determined that with Daria’s help, she will find the killer. Detective Aiden Harrington, long time friend of the Caine family, was doing his utmost to find who murdered Tricia and warned Quinn to “not endanger herself”. But would that stop Quinn? Probably not…

To Kill A Mocking Girl is the 1st in the Bookbinding Mystery series by Harper Kincaid and I loved it. An excellent, highly entertaining cozy mystery with well fleshed out characters – Quinn and her family were so real. The laugh out loud moments were dotted throughout the book; I found I couldn’t put the book down. Twists, turns, and a result I hadn’t seen coming make To Kill A Mocking Girl one that is definitely worth recommending. I’ll be looking out for book 2 as soon as it comes out.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

Bookbinder, Quinn Can be finds herself as the number one suspect when her old boyfriend's fiancee is killed. She begins searching for clues with her cousin,a nun in training, as a sidekick.

I liked the dynamic between Detective Aiden and Quinn. He is an old friend of her brother's and she fears she might never get out of the friend zone. Aiden is really interested in Quinn but their personalities are so different, I think it is hard for them to connect.

This is definitely a series I want to continue with. The relationship was left in a bit of a cliffhanger even though the whodunit was complete. The mystery was really engaging. I was turning pages like crazy trying to figure out what was going on. Lots of suspects to consider.

If you love a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

This book was an interesting read but there wasn't a lot of concentration on Quinn's job as a bookbinder and it didn't seem to tie in with the murder mystery all that much. I thought that it would. Quinn was busy looking for clues to find our who the murderer was but some of those clues didn't make a lot of sense to me. She found herself in a lot of trouble at the end and the hero did arrive to save the day so this book had a happy ending.

Well, I must say this was one of the best cozy mysteries I've read in a while. To Kill A Mocking Girl is the first in the new Bookbinding Mystery series by Harper Kincaid, set in Virginia. We follow the antics of bookbinder Quinn Caine, her trusty German Shepherd RBG, her cousin Sister Daria, and their family and friends in the small town of Vienna.

Quinn is fronted by her high school frenemy Tricia, waving a new engagement ring in Quinn's face, Tricia has just become engaged to Quinn's ex, and wants to rub the fact in. When Tricia dies soon after the whole town sees Quinn as the number one suspect. Quinn has a fight on her hands to clear her name, especially as a new cop in town seems desperate to convict her of the crime. With the backing of her family and friends Quinn sets out to find the real culprit, before they kill again.

I found this book to be an engaging read and hard to put down. Full of wonderful characters, and dogs, the town comes to life between the pages, and we have fun solving the mystery alongside Quinn and co. I will definitely be on the lookout for the next book in the series and I have no hesitation in recommending it to all lovers of cozy mysteries.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is book 1 in a new cozy series, Bookbinding Mystery. Set in a bookstore in Vienna, VA, Quinn is coming home to help run the family book shop. She and her German Shepard RBG, find her high school rival dead and her ex boyfriend is on the main suspect list. With the help of her cousin, Sister Daria, novice nun, Quinn narrows the suspect list. A good intro to the series, with lots of good characters. The dog and the nun are sure to make you smile. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the first in the Bookbinding Mystery series. Quinn Caine loves her hometown Vienna Virginia and is happy to be back. After college she decide to travel overseas and teach children English in impoverished areas like Cambodia. She is back and working for her parents at their bookstore and she also is a bookbinder. She needs more and decides to help her cousin and best friend Elizabeth now Sister Daria who is a novice at Guinefort House which is an order of Anglican Nuns who breed German Shepherds and rescue dogs. Quinn and her dog Ruth Barker Ginsberg (RBG) is collecting dog food for the sisters every month and drops off the food. This time she runs into a high school classmate Tricia Pemberley who was not always so nice to Quinn and she announces she is marrying Quinn’s ex-boyfriend Scott. Quinn does not have any feelings for Scott as they only dated for three weeks after college and wishes her nothing but the best. Tricia appears to be looking for trouble but drops it. She runs into Scott as well as Tricia and her twin sister Trina later that day .. back for a couple of months and now she runs into these folks. Unfortunately for her, RBG is restless one night and Quinn reluctantly takes her out, they find the dumped body of Tricia who is dead. She immediately becomes a suspect and one of the officers is convinced she is the culprit. The detective Aiden is her brother’s best friend and her crush since she was a kid. He is in full police mode and she is crushed. Her family rallies around her as she is at the station. Sister Daria (who was a hell raiser prior to the convent) decide they need to do some investigating on their own. This was an overall great book. I enjoyed the mystery as Quinn and Daria do not do stupid stuff to put their lives in danger although some threatening stuff happens. Quinn is smart, loyal and a down to earth character. Her relationship with her family is tender and real. Sister Daria and the nuns at the convent are interesting and I can see that providing some interesting story lines in the future. Quinn has a good heart and wants justice for Tricia even when she was not nice to her in life. I love the relationship with Aiden and her treats her with respect and how she doubts him being interested in her and is afraid he will always see her as Bash’s little sister. I look forward to the next in this series and it cannot come out soon enough for me. Highly recommend.