Booked for Death – Victoria Gilbert
Booklovers B&B Mystery #1

Booked for Death tells the story of Charlotte Reed – retired teacher who now runs a bookish B&B – Chapters. During a Mystery Author themed event one of her guests turns up dead! Suspicion is rife among the guests and Charlotte herself is included in the list of suspects. In efforts to clear her name and those of her friends, she embarks on a bit of sleuthing herself, ably assisted by her septuagenarian neighbour, Ellen.

However Charlotte has multiple mysteries on her hands – the reason she herself is a suspect is embroiled with the mysterious life of her late aunt, from whom she inherited Chapters. Whilst trying to solve both mysteries Charlotte discovers not everyone is who they seem and many of her guests and friends have their own secrets to hide!

This was a nice, gentle read. The setting in a book lovers themed B&B was very fitting as it allowed a mixture of characters between locals and guests. There were a couple of moments of suspense but overall it was definitely a “cosy” read. I never really feared for Charlotte’s life at any point during her sleuthing.

The clues given throughout were just enough to help the reader reach the correct conclusion along with the main characters at the end and I found this satisfying.

For anyone who enjoys a gentle, cosy mystery with a slightly bookish background then this would be ideal.

I received this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an awesome theme for a B&B setting. I really enjoyed meeting these characters and have decided that Ellen is my favorite. When you read the book, you'll see why! The aunt that Charlotte had inherited her B&B from was kind of a mysterious lady, and Ellen helped Charlotte discover the truth about her after a guest who ended up dead in the carriage house had threatened to reveal certain truths...although we eventually find out that the guy's version of the truth was way off.

The killer's identity definitely caught me by surprise. I liked how Charlotte had gathered all her suspects just like in her favorite classic detective books. The police were in on the showdown, but it still could have gone sideways. I'm anxious to keep reading this series and see what other adventures Charlotte and Ellen get into. I'm sure Julie is a good bestie to Charlotte, but for some reason, I just couldn't warm up to her like I do the sleuth's usual sidekick. Probably because in this case, the sidekick turned out to be the very cool 70-something Ellen.

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

I enjoyed this book. It was a quick, light read and I would probably look for more in this series. I would recommend it.

Charlotte Reed inherits a Bed & Breakfast, called Chapters, from her great aunt Isabella. It’s a different type of B&B that is dedicated to books and authors. I would imagine a B&B like this would be a dream come true for readers of all genres.

As Charlotte is ready to host a special event to honor a Golden Age mystery author, a book dealer accuses Isabella of theft and insists Chapters used illegal funds to renovate it. Charlotte is stunned and doesn’t believe the accusations.

When the book dealer turns up dead, all eyes turn to Charlotte as the number one suspect. With the help of friends, Charlotte is determined to find the real killer and prove, not only her own innocence, but Isabella’s as well.

This is the perfect setting for a cozy mystery - a B&B dedicated to the literary world. It took me a little time to get involved in the story, but I found both the premise and the characters interesting. The plot is intriguing and there were many potential possibilities that the storyline could have taken. It kept me guessing until the end.

I’m looking forward to my next trip to Beaufort, North Carolina.

Family, history, honor, and books the perfect balm for a troubled soul in these turbulent times. I enjoyed my hours spent reading this cozy immensely.

Booked for Death is a cozy mystery set in a B&B in Beaufort, North Carolina. Charlotte Reed inherited the B&B from her great aunt, and enjoys running it with a literary theme -- special book events. When a rare book dealer turns up dead during a Josephine Tey week-long event, Charlotte becomes an amateur detective to help solve the mystery.

I wanted to read Booked for Death because I was intrigued by the book-themed B&B. I love southern settings, so that was another plus. I have enjoyed the author's Blue Ridge Library Mysteries series, so that made me even more interested in this new series as well.

What a wonderful start to a new series! The B&B is a perfect setting for a new series. I found the story about Charlotte's Great Aunt Isabella fascinating and loved the details of the mystery stretching back to an earlier time.

The murder victim was a thoroughly unlikable fellow and there were a number of viable suspects. The mystery aspect of this book was particularly well written and the pacing was perfection. It moved quickly and I found it hard to put the book down!

Charlotte and her elderly neighbor Ellen work together well as amateur detectives. I enjoyed their friendship and their deduction process.

I already look forward to the next book in this series and recommend Booked for Death for fans of cozy mysteries, and especially for readers who like a southern setting or a book-ish theme mystery.

Having read and reviewed all of the author's previous books in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series, I was excited for the opportunity to have an early look at this first book in a brand new series. I am always a complete sucker for bookish cozies and with a B&B setting, there was so much to enjoy.

Located along the North Carolina waterfront within historic Beaufort, North Carolina, Chapters Bed & Breakfast is the perfect literary retreat for readers. This newly renovated inn hosts all manner of special events celebrating books, and owner Charlotte is certainly excited to welcome guests for a salute to the Golden Age of mystery. However when a rare book dealer turns up dead after accusing Charlotte's aunt of theft, Charlotte begins a quest to discover the truth behind not only the murder, but her own family's history as well!

The pacing is nicely done, allowing both the suspense to build gradually to an unpredictable conclusion while also developing the characters in such a way that readers get to know them and their potential motives. The special events planned for the week continue despite the murder, giving Charlotte and her neighbor, Ellen, a chance to team up and really showcase their amateur sleuthing skills. The well plotted red herrings keep the twists coming and readers guessing until the very end.

Once again, the author has created a fascinating community that I look forward to returning to with future installments. This is definitely a solid introduction to a new series that will appeal to cozy fans and book lovers alike!

Many thanks to Great Escapes Book Tours and the author for providing me with an e-ARC of the book. This is my honest and thoughtful review.

You know how they say, “You can’t judge a book by its cover”? We do it anyway, and I’ll admit that I did it with Booked for Death! Just look at that gorgeous house and that adorable dog. Yes, I do read the synopsis of books too, but cute covers always draw me in. The synopsis of this book drew me in too. I love the water, and Chapters B&B is in an “idyllic waterfront village.” And Chapters is a reader’s paradise with bookish events and bookish rooms! Sign me up for an extended stay, Charlotte!

Charlotte runs this beautiful B&B thanks to her great-aunt’s bequest. And things are all well and good until someone is murdered during one of the B&B’s author celebration weeks. With so many suspects, and some of them still staying at Chapters, Charlotte feels the need to ferret out the murderer. As you follow the clues with Charlotte, you’ll be led down a lot of rabbit holes! I had an idea about who the culprit was, but I wasn’t positive of my guess until close to the end of Booked for Death. There’s another “mystery” hidden in the book, and it’s my favorite part of the story! No spoilers!

In addition to the beautiful setting and twisty mystery, Booked for Death has some great characters that are sure to show up in more books as the series progresses. My favorite character is Charlotte’s neighbor Ellen…that’s her dog on the cover by the way. I’m not too sure about Charlotte’s friend Julie yet, but she may grow on me. There are a couple of other characters that I really liked too, but I won’t tell you who they are since everyone’s a potential suspect! I’m ready to solve the next mystery.

I definitely recommend Booked for Death for all of you cozy mystery book lovers!

I only read around half of Booked For Death and while it is by no means a bad book, I felt that I have already read several other cozy mysteries with similar premises and that this one didn't really bring anything new to the table or hook me in with either the characters or setting. I would recommend that fans of bookish themed cozies give this a try but I don't feel the need to finish it myself (I really didn't connect enough with the story to want to finish it). One excellent takeaway though was that I now want to read Josephine Tey's mystery novels!

Charlotte has inherited a bed and breakfast called Chapters from her aunt. Charlotte is having a week for the mysteries of Josephine Tey and has events planned around the mysteries. A guest is murdered and anyone could be the killer. Charlotte with the help of her neighbor Ellen start investigating the case.
This is the first in a series Booklovers B & B Mysteries. I enjoyed the story very much.

Charlotte has inherited her great aunts Bed-and-Breakfast Chapters in Beaufort, North Carolina and I am not going to lie I would love be in Charlotte's shoes (minus the murder that is). She hosts an array of literary events at the B&B and during the current event celebrating mystery author Josephine Tey, one of the guest ends up dead in the carriage house!

Lincoln Delamont an unscrupulous rare book dealer is the victim , and everyone at the B&B is a suspect including Charlotte as she had a conversation with him before he died that suggested her great aunt got her rare books in underhanded ways! With the help of Charlotte's neighbour she is determined to clear her name and discover the true killer.

There is a whole host of characters and each one it would appear would have a strong motive to kill Lincoln, I was torn between two people being the killer and even when it was revealed I was still shocked. 

Booked for Death was a great cozy mystery, and I would love to spend a week at the Chapters B&B. I can't wait to read more in this series.

4 stars

Booked for Death by Victoria Gilbert marks the start of a new cosy mystery series set in Beaufort, North Carolina. I love a cosy mystery and I was absolutely thrilled to be able to get stuck in at the beginning rather than part way through a series! I wanted to read this particular novel as I have a fancy for cosies about book-lovers, libraries and other book-related things.

Centred around Chapters, a book themed Bed & Breakfast, I thought this was a fabulous story. Chapters, a perfect book-lover's retreat is run by forty-something widow and former schoolteacher Charlotte Reed, who inherited the B&B from her great-aunt Isabella. Charlotte is hosting a celebration event for mystery author Josephine Tey and the during the first part of the book the reader is introduced to the staff and guests at the B&B. All is well at the party until an argument breaks out between guests, Jennifer and Tara Delamont. As friction develops amongst some of the other guests as well as the staff, Charlotte knows she needs to keep control of the situation. But then a dead body is found in the carriage house...

The descriptions of small-town life with all its complications and relationships were very enjoyable and believable. I also enjoyed the flow and style of writing and character development. The characters were distinct and entertaining and I felt as though I was making some new friends. I really warmed to Charlotte in particular - she oozed confidence and style and I adored her matter-of-fact approach.

The addition of Ellen Montgomery, an ex film location scout, friend and neighbour of Charlotte, was a masterstroke by the author. She assisted with the sleuthing as well as helping Charlotte with business related matters. She was straightforward and convincing and slotted into the storyline perfectly as a secondary character, and in my humble opinion, the story benefited very much from her inclusion. For his part, Damian Carr was the stereotypical irascible part-time cook at Chapters whose uneven temper leads to difficult relationships with other people.

A large part of the wonderfully developed plot included the mystery of great-aunt Isabella’s life. This definitely added extra dimension and excitement to the story for me. Victoria Gilbert provided exactly the right amount of description of the Beaufort, North Carolina setting and I found myself wishing that I could take a trip to Chapters myself.

Booked for Death is a brilliant executed cosy that kept me guessing and I would love to see what Victoria Gilbert has in store for Charlotte in book #2.

Thanks to Great Escapes Book Tours, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Charlotte Reed’s life has changed this past year. She recently lost her husband and then inherited Chapters Bed-and-Breakfast when her great-aunt Isabella passed away. Death crosses her path again when one of her guests, a rare book dealer is killed during a week-long event celebrating Golden Age mystery author Josephine Tey. Charlotte is taken aback when the daughter of the victim tries to pin the murder on her. Having no idea what the young woman is talking about Charlotte vows to vows to clear her name. Her elderly neighbor and close friend of her great aunt lends her a hand before the book on Charlotte’s new life ends abruptly short.

This series is off to an awesome start. It is so much more than first meets the eye!

First, Charlotte Reed is a very strong protagonist and we have just scratched her surface. Along with neighbor Ellen Montgomery, they make a great team. We also meet Alicia Simpson, housekeeper and cook that came with the place, she and Charlotte are still finding their way working and living together. Damian Carr is a chef that helps out while guests are in residence. The guests for the week include the newly deceased book dealer Lincoln Delamont who bought his wife Jennifer and daughter Tara, businessman Todd Rowley and his younger wife Kelly. Also taking part in the events are elderly sisters Bernadette and Ophelia Sandberg and Pete Nelson and his wife Sandra who run a local cafe. Bookstore owner Julie Rivera rounds out the group. All the characters develop nicely for the first book in a series. The author has left plenty of room for growth for the recurring characters.

For me, this book had a slow build which is a good thing. I was able to get to know the characters and their interactions helped me with my own amateur sleuthing. I liked that some special events continued to take place so that Charlotte had a chance to see her suspects together to gauge their actions and reactions and that in the end even the police got involved and thought this was a good idea. Of course, they really had no choice.

I love the theme of literary B&B and I believe the author has given this one a nice twist that sets this series apart from similar ones in this genre.

Booked for Death was well-written, well-plotted, and excellently executed. As a big fan of Victoria Gilbert’s Blue Ridge Library Mysteries, I can’t say I am surprised. She is an incredible storyteller. I can’t wait to see what she dreams up for Charlotte and Ellen next!

When former high school teacher Charlotte Reed inherits a bed-and-breakfast from her great-aunt Isabella, she is determined to start a new chapter in her life. The forty-something widow is still grieving the tragic, untimely loss of her heroic husband as she sets down roots in the historic waterfront community of Beaufort, North Carolina. With her own hard work and assistance from local residents, Charlotte begins hosting literary-themed events that draw visitors to the inn.

During a week of festivities celebrating the work of mystery writer Josephine Tey, the unexpected happens. In the midst of a War of the Roses costume-theme dinner party, one of the guests--rare book dealer Lincoln Delamont--is found dead in the carriage house. He has been stabbed, and all of the guests and staff subsequently find themselves on the list of suspects. Concern for the inn's reputation compels Charlotte to undertake her own investigation of the crime. And as the many unsavory aspects of Lincoln's life emerge, multiple motives are uncovered.

To catch the elusive killer, a final literary event is arranged. The assembled group is drawn into conversation about their relationships to the deceased and individual alibis, which ultimately leads to a confession and arrest of the guilty party.

Gilbert's abundant use of red herrings, intriguing sub-plot about the inn's previous owner, and homage to Josephine Tey keep readers thoroughly engaged. And for those readers who may guess whodunnit before all is said and done, the use of the classic technique of a group gathering to reveal all is a treat. The characters are quirky, eclectic, and multi-dimensional, with their strengths and weaknesses expertly revealed over the course of the story. It was particularly rewarding to witness protagonist Charlotte come into her own as the story progressed, tapping into innate detecting skills she didn't realize she had.

This new series--Book Lovers B&B Mysteries--is off to a good start and delightfully named. After all, who wouldn't find it heavenly to stay at an inn near the water named Chapters, in a literary-themed guest room with access to an extensive personal library? It will be fun to revisit this appealing setting and its cast of characters in future series installments.

Booked for Death by Victoria Gilbert is the first in the A Booklover's B&B Mystery series.
This is an easy and quick read cozy that has a great setting and equally great characters. You get plenty of plot twists and suspects. that will have you guessing until the end.
This is a great start to a new series.
I was given an ARC by NetGalley and the publisher for an honest opinion.

This was an entertaining and refreshing read. Charlotte inherits her late great-aunt's B&B. One of the guests' questions Isabella's (the great-aunt) authenticity as a book collector. Soon, the guest is found dead and everybody in the B&B becomes a suspect. The victim could not keep his hands off ladies and had quite a few affairs. Did his wife kill him in a fit of rage? Or, was it one of his jilted lovers?
I really couldn't connect much with the main character/amateur sleuth Charlotte. As a series debut, I wish we were given more details on Charlotte's background as the story began. The twist at around 70% through the book steals the spotlight. I did not see this coming. The identity of the perp was unexpected and so was the reason for the murder.
Overall, this was a pretty solid start to the series. I am Looking forward to reading more of Charlotte's adventures.

This is the first book in a new cozy mystery series.
Charlotte Reed has taken over her great Aunt Isabella’s B&B Chapters in Beaufort, North Carolina. She is holding a theme week with mystery themed events for her guests and some locals. One of the guests, Lincoln Delamont, dies after a dinner.
Charlotte feels she needs to investigate to figure out who killed her guest. She pairs up with next door neighbor Ellen Montgomery in order to have someone to discuss the things she finds out.
The mystery is well done. I didn’t really connect with Charlotte at first.
A book lovers bed and breakfast is a fun idea. Beaufort and Fort Macon sound like they would be fun to visit. There are many elements that make this a book to explore.

Can words jinx someone? In Booked for Death, B&B owner Charlotte is hosting a Josephine Tey book week with War of the Roses-themed events. When a guest named Lincoln, insinuates Isabella, the founder of the B&B, came about her wealth in a shady way, Charlotte states, “The last thing I want to deal with is a dead guest.”

Of course, Charlotte has to do just that. When Lincoln is soon killed, most of the guests have motives and several have wished him dead aloud. Who is the murderer? His daughter, Tara, whose dreams of vocal stardom he so quickly dashed? His long-suffering wife, Jennifer? His girlfriend, Julie, who just found out he is not separated from his wife after all? The B&B’s cook/housekeeper, Alicia, who would do anything to preserve Isabella’s good name? A local author avenging his father’s death? Or someone else?

Booked for Death is a delightful tale with both the setting of a golden-age mystery and the plot of one too. The pacing is also spot on for armchair detectives who want to race to discover whodunit before Detective Johnson or even Charlotte herself. This is the first entry in a new series by the author of the Blue Ridge Library series. Already, I can’t wait for the next book. If you love cozy mysteries, especially if you fancy yourself an armchair detective, you must check out this excellent book-themed tale when it is released on August 11th. 5 stars and a favorite!

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books, Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

What mystery lover wouldn’t enjoy a week with other booklovers at a coastal South Carolina B&B, celebrating the works of Josephine Tey with book discussions of Brat Farrar and other mysteries, and a costumed medieval feast in honor of Tey’s most famous book, The Daughter of Time? Innkeeper Charlotte Reed finds herself hosting not only a number of Tey fans, but also murder, when philandering Lincoln Delamont turns up dead in the carriage house of Chapters, her B&B.

Charlotte is an engaging narrator: a 42-year-old widow who inherited the B&B from her single, well-off, and somewhat mysterious great-aunt Isabella. Blessed—or cursed—with curiosity and a sharp mind, Charlotte begins to investigate Lincoln’s death mainly to ease her suspicions about her friends and the guests staying at Chapters. There are plenty of suspects, quite a few of whom seem to have had a motive for Lincoln’s death. So many, in fact, that at one time or another I suspected nearly everyone, with the exception of Charlotte and her neighbor’s Yorkie, Shandy. This being the first book, and my first introduction to the series’ likely “regulars” as well as the paying guests, I found it helpful to write out a “cast of characters” as each one was introduced, just so I could keep track of who was who.

Ms. Gilbert serves up a nicely balanced cozy mystery, with a plausible reason for Charlotte’s involvement. There’s also a side plot involving Great-Aunt Isabella’s mysterious past, and just enough description to make the setting (Beaufort, South Carolina) seem real, without overdoing it. The author also handles the mystery deftly, juggling suspects and clues and keeping most of the balls in the air until the denouement.

Nonetheless, one of the drawbacks of reading as many mysteries as I have is that you start to know which clues to pay especial attention to. This time, I pegged the culprit shortly before the half-way mark… although I kept my mind open in case I was wrong.

I’m a big fan of Victoria Gilbert’s Blue Ridge Library mysteries, and I’ll be following this series with interest, as well. I particularly enjoyed Charlotte, whom I suspect of being smarter and more daring than she knows. I look forward to seeing what Ms. Gilbert concocts for Charlotte’s next mystery!

The attention to detail in this book was second to none. The descriptions of Beaufort and Fort Macon were obviously well researched and made me feel like I was actually there. I also enjoyed the mystery itself, even though the hints that were left for us to gather gave me an indication pretty early on of who did it and why. Unfortunately, I’m not sure I liked the main character Charlotte all that much. She was a bit too judgy for me but perhaps this is where her character will grow should the series continue? Overall, I thought it was a solid start to a new series and will more than likely read the next one to come out.