Cozy mystery series starter featuring Molly and Emma a pair of intrepid booksellers that meet an estate sale and kick off a solid friendship and potential partnership over the murder of one of their more notorious colleagues. Part academic mystery part traditional small-town cozy—along with a it of attraction. I’m looking forward to seeing Moly and Emma’s relationship develop. So happy to see good lgbt representation in a fun cozy series!

Enjoyable but a bit simple as mysteries go. It felt like I wanted the characters to hurry up in their reasoning.

Murder At The Estate Sale by Lily Charles

When booksellers Molly O’Donnell and Emma Clarke meet at an estate sale in the Sherwood Forest section of Atlanta, they are both there for the books. When they venture into a closed-off room full of antique books, they find the dead body of a notorious book thief.

I did not enjoy this book. More emphasis was on old books ans their titles than on the murder.

Thank you Net Galley for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy for review.

Booksellers Molly O’Donnell and Emma Clarke meet at an estate sale. Emma hears a cry behind a door. She goes into the closed-off basement room full of antiquarian occult books and find the dead body of a notorious book thief, Molly follows and they are drawn into a world of witches and magic.
As they search for a killer and a missing manuscript they begin to develop feelings for one another.

The book was well written and I liked the characters, but I don't like reading about witches and black magic. There's a lot of biblio-details that I skimned over. Not my favorite.

Fantastic. Excellent. Queer booksellers solving an occult bibliomystery? You couldn't write a story more specifically for me if you tried. Also, the moral of the story - always keep your ephemera with the book it came from - warmed my tiny archivist heart. I cannot WAIT for the next one!!

I am a mystery reader fan. I enjoy figuring out whodunit. This is a nice easy read with two likable characters. I was hooked from the beginning as Emma Clarke and Molly O'Donnell were introduced. Their personalities were so different yet complementary. This read takes you on a book lovers quest to find unique books, an unexpected murder, and even more unexpected, magical beliefs/practices.

Emma is easy going and not looking for adventure. Molly is out front and looking for adventure. The push and pull between the two makes for a wonderful dynamic. This is not a romance but there is some I like you and I like you too. So, lets take it slow and see where this goes. The story did drag a little as it moved from Emma and Molly to the whodunit. all the background information about the occult and authors was informative but in my opinion a little too much. I was entertained enough that I plan to read the next book in the series.

Disclaimer: I was given an eARC of this book from Black Opal Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I felt that this book had a promising premise but ended up lacking. Everything felt rushed and like it was just following a formula for cozy mysteries. The only thing that made this story stand out is that the main characters are lesbians. With that said, I feel like topics for this book were picked out of a hat than made to fit into a basic template.

I don't feel that this book is either good or bad. If you want an easy read, than try this book but don't expect anything spectacular.

A wonderful estate sale based mystery great for all of us that love books. I love the book references and the smart charcters. This is a fun cozy mystery series that all readers will enjoy. The sleuth was well crafted to the story and kept me guessing to the end.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. My review opinions are my own.

3.25 Stars. This was a good but not great cozy mystery. This is a start to a series and I’m hoping it will find its groove more as the books continue. Another reviewer mentioned this, and I have to agree, that this feels like the Sunday night mysteries that the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel likes to play. They have a series about a librarian who solves crimes and they even had one with a crime solving antique dealer –but the staring actress got arrested in that college bribery scandal so that series was canceled-. So my point is this cozy mystery, about two booksellers trying to solve a murder, would fit HMM to a T if Hallmark was not afraid of lesbians.

I found that this book had my attention right from the beginning. I picked it up to read just a chapter or two before bed and found myself flying past that prediction. However, as the book went on it had some pacing issues. I felt it got a bit bogged down in the middle. That can happen in mysteries, the beginning crime/murder is exciting, but then the book slows until you reach the climatic ending. I think it felt a little slower here than normal since these were booksellers so they were trying to solve the mystery by reading information and doing research. We as readers are reading along with the characters so it felt a little info dumpy just reading blocks of history. I don’t think the authors can do away with this in the next book, because of who the character are, but if they could do less of it or mix it up a bit to get the pace back up would be better.

While this book stars two lesbians, I would not call this a romance. It is a growing friendship with a light attraction. This is something I hope will improve in future books since I didn’t feel a connection beyond friendship between them. While I’m a big fan of having romance in books I read, I almost didn’t want anything to happen since there wasn’t any connection yet and it was feeling a bit forced to push for one. I could see these women eventually together but that connection needs to be built.

Another area I would like to see explored more is who these main characters are. I think it was almost the 75% mark before we hardly got any background for one of the mains. I know both characters have some grey in their hair but I don’t even know ages or anything. I had trouble even picturing what they looked like in my mind. Since this was the start of the series this was the set-up book and I think the authors forgot to do something as simple as really building up the two main characters. The book is very plot driven which is fine for one book, but if I am going to want to keep reading about these women, I need to learn about them and connect with them in book 2 or I won’t care about a book 3.

If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, especially they kind you might watch on HMM, you might enjoy this book. I was entertained by the read, but there is work here that still needs to be done. I can’t even count the times I have struggled with a first book in a series but loved the rest so I will be reading book 2. But, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for some good changes and improvements from this writing duo.

What an amazing start to a very promising series! I loved the main character and fell in love with her life and the town itself. I can’t wait to read more in this series.

An ad for an estate sale in Atlanta brags “tons of books,” so a long line of book dealers show up to sift through potential treasures. Not long after the first 25 bargain hunters enter the house, Emma Clarke asks Molly O’Donnell to follow her down into the basement where bookseller and alleged book thief Buck Hubbell lies dead near the bottom of the stairs.

Molly discovers she inadvertently stuffed a clue – a page from an occult volume - in her pocket when they were examining the body and feels it is significant. Thrown together by the circumstances of the murder, the two women find they have a lot in common – collecting and selling books and wanting to identify Buck’s killer. The two women’s sleuthing takes them back to the basement where they find an extensive collection of books on the occult and witchcraft along with a secret entrance.

Lily Charles, the writing team of Charlene Ball and Libby Ware, devises a compelling mystery, incorporating details about occult books that, at times, slow the pace. That said, the author provides a captivating look at the world of rare books along with well-drawn characters and appropriate red herrings. The developing relationship between Molly and Emma, along with the tagline - Molly & Emma Bookseller Series – promises this is the beginning of a delightful new set of cozy mysteries.

Molly is a bookseller who finds books at places like the estate sale she is currently at. She is lightly flirting with a newcomer to the scene, Emma when Buck, an obnoxious bookseller who is known among the booksellers' group as a thief. When Molly later finds Emma in a cordoned off area standing over Buck who is dead from a blow to the head, she immediately believes Emma's innocence. She sees a piece of paper laying next to the body and instinctively grabs it and puts it in her own pocket. Together, the two start looking into why Buck was killed.
I really liked the description of this book. Booksellers? Awesome. Probably a budding relationship? My catnip. Between two females? That seems new. But I have to admit that the author used one of my least favorite plot development devices, amateur detectives that put themselves into danger and that took away a lot of the enjoyment that I expected from this book. Emma and Molly hide evidence from the police, sneak into houses, and keep investigating a murder after they are in danger. I would have enjoyed this book so much more if they had already had some detective experience (i.e. some expertise in sneaking around) or had been more open with the police. And the fact that Molly just inherently trusts Emma because she's attracted to her doesn't make her seem any smarter. I'll probably give the series another try because I really do like the underlying premise and there was some realization of what they were doing at the end but I hope the author makes that carry over to the next book and the two ladies will have a little more common sense.

Three stars
This book comes out August 15th
ARC kindly provided by Black Opal Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

This is a cute little love story that also includes a murder mystery and knowledge of older books and manuscripts. As someone who took a class on cataloging manuscripts, the beginning of each chapter was an absolute delight for me. The author wrote about bibliophiles and book collectors (sometimes one and the same) in such a well-researched way that I found myself enjoying a murder mystery, which rarely occurs. Also, the cute relationship between Molly and Emma outside of the main plot had me enjoying their characters and sapphic romance all the more.

Those who enjoy cozy mysteries that revolve around books will really enjoy this story. It takes place, as the title indicates, at an estate sale, and the major characters are book collectors and dealers. When another dealer is killed while the others are looking at the books they wish to purchase, the mystery of not only who killed him, but what happened to a valuable mysterious occult manuscript becomes the focus of the two main characters.

Molly O’Donnell and Emma Clarke meet at while standing in line waiting to get into the estate sale, but they become fast friends, and partners in trying to solve the murder. Though only slightly considered suspects, the biggest motivation for their solving the mystery is the missing occult book, which they believe might be the reason he was killed, though the victim was also known to be a book thief, so they know that that could have been a motivation for his killing as well.

I really enjoyed the mystery, but even more so I enjoyed the details in the book collecting, and the details of the occult book market that gave both characters full well rounded motivations. I also enjoyed the fact that the women were older, and had lives before they met that helped to establish their relationship, as well as their drive to find the missing tome.

Like most cozies, this has a mild romance. It is well done, and sweet as you would expect from cozy mysteries, as romance is not the focus of this kind of story, but instead, secondary in the series. I liked how the author moved them slowly, building their friendship, and moving into a stronger relationship. I expect that as the series progresses, that we will find grow even further

As the first in a new series, I am definitely intrigued to read more. I liked the way this author built her clues, and storyline. I felt it was well executed, and had a rewarding reveal. The minor characters, and even the red herrings, were all perfectly placed, and helped the reader to be pulled in.

I highly recommend this book to cozy mystery lovers who wish to begin a new series that is sure to be a winner.

This looks like it will be a good series. I enjoy reading series that deal with books, each chapter gives a description on a different occult book.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I selected this book for review after skimming the information. I expected a typical cozy: two nosy, middle aged book sellers, insights into the world of book collectors and sellers, the murder of an unpleasant character, the solution of the murder by main characters Molly and Emma. These elements were certainly present but there were unexpected twists and turns: the information and descriptions of an occult/mystical book beginning each chapter, the LGBT elements, the information on CS Lewis (one of my favorite authors), the descriptions of extensive and interesting research on several themes, poor editing around the titles of each chapter, and the occult rites. I agree with other reviewers that the book started out fast introducing characters and themes but slowed way down and dragged in the middle. The finale was well written. It was obvious that this book was written to introduce a series of Molly and Emma books. I will probably read the next one in the series just to see what Molly and Emma get up to in their next adventure.

#Murder at the Estate Sale. When Molly O’Donnell and Emma Clarke meet at an estate sale of a local book collector they bond over being female book sellers in a mostly male dominated profession. This bond deepens when Emma finds the body of a notorious book thief in the basement that had been declared off limits to the shopping public. The room is filled with books on the occult, Molly's specialty. This adds to Molly wanting to discover the identity of the murderer.

Over time the ladies become close friends. The mystery is filled with twists and turns. The requisite budding romance is seen thru out the story as is the beloved pets. I enjoyed getting to know the characters. The side plot of the budding romance was refreshing with a slow pace being set by both ladies. The issues faced in the past of these main characters added to its creditability.

I did have an issue with the inclusion of book catalog listings at the beginning of each chapter. I found myself going back rereading these listings trying to figure out the meaning each had to the chapter. It was a distraction for me from the story.

I would recommend the story to others. It was well thought out and the characters were believable.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Black Opal Books, in return for an honest review. This is the first in a new series about two bookseller protagonists who meet at the estate sale of an avid book collector and wind up discovering a dead body in the cellar. Emma and Molly are women of an undefined mature age (50-ish, maybe?). That’s indicated by remarks about one having grey hair and, later in the book, about having been in an academic position. With few women active in the Atlanta, GA, booksellers’ area, they’re each pleased to find another person of similar interest, albeit different areas of focus. That allows them to educate each other, and by extension, the reader on these areas.
What I liked: A pleasing aspect is that the women are lesbians and develop a natural enjoyment of each other’s company as the story progresses. The book starts off well, with the authors doing an excellent job of setting the stage, defining the characters, the murder, and all the things in a solid mystery. The pace in the first part of the book is right on target for a cozy mystery.
What didn’t work for me: The middle part of the book lost me as there was so much exposition into witchcraft and demonology and research and Emma and Molly’s personal habits that didn’t appear to advance the actual mystery and its solution. As a result, I lost interest and skipped to the last two chapters to find out who done it and, approximately why. I didn’t realize this book would focus so heavily into that aspect, to the extent of subjugating the mystery solving to the in-depth discussion about books on witchcraft and its study through the ages. I also struggled with, at times, wondering where the story was set. It’s clearly set in Atlanta, in the beginning, but Emma makes lots of references to the Bodleian and Candler Libraries. Since the Bodleian is in Oxford, I had to flip back to make sure this wasn’t set in England and if I’d missed that. I looked up a Candler library which is at Emory University so that one is in the States.
If you are pleased to see a book that uses a non-traditional set of heroines (yah!) with the potential to develop into a strong team, and don’t mind a story that delves into witchcraft and its antecedents, you should consider this book.

When Emma Clarke and Molly O'Donnell meet at a book sale in a posh neighborhood, in Atlanta, they could never imagine that they would discover the dead body of an infamous book thief which would set them on a path of sleuthing and friendship!

The book has a charming classic mystery tone with two vibrant new characters. As the mystery evolves, so does the feeling between the two main characters but before they can build a friendship into something more, they must find out who murdered the book thief before they're the next victims. I liked the personalities of Molly and Emma and they make a perfect duo. A new mystery solving team that will keep you reading!

I received an ARC from Netgalley. The opinions expressed are my own.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of the story.

This is a cozy mystery - low level of violence, no overt romance - about booksellers gathered at an estate sale.

A bookseller whi isnt respected ir liked, ventures into a restricted area and becomes the catalyst for the mystery at the estate sale.

Both main characters, Molly and Emma, are mature, single lesbians. Opposites in personalities but united in their love of literature.

They stumble through clues to solve the murder and find a mysterious cult that practices black magic.

The story was good, suspense built evenly throughout the story.

However the arc was poorly formatted - words and paragraphs broken in odd spots.

I would recommend the book once the formatting is cleaned up and IF the purchase price is low.