Sadie's life in Shady Creek is going well- her pub the Inkwell is prospering and her relationship with Grayson is tootling along. Then a film crew comes to town to do a piece about Grayson and it finds its equipment vandalized. That's small potatoes compared to what happens to Marcie, the assistant to Linnea, a famous author in town for an appearance at the Inkwell. Marcie falls to her death from the Shady Creek Manor and Sadie thinks this wasn't either an accident or suicide. For one thing, Marcie was in an area she wasn't supposed to be in. But, why would someone murder her? There's an old secret attached to the Manor- no spoilers from me. This is a nice addition to a classic cozy series and it's fine as a standalone. The characters are nicely drawn, the snooping smart, and the town atmospheric. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'm looking forward to the next one.

I love cozy mysteries and was eager to read this as I haven’t read this author or the other books in this series before.  But I was captured by the cute title and series premise!  I really liked the setting in Shady Creek, Vermont, and the descriptions of the manor house.  I also enjoyed the mystery involving a visit to the town by a well-known author and her assistant (who, of course, promptly gets murdered).  There were several plausible suspects and red herrings along the way as the protagonist, Sadie, uncovers whodunit and why.  However, I felt as though I were plopped down in the middle of the story right from the get-go as there was almost no backstory and a large cast of characters.  I’m not sure I know who Sadie really is, and would have liked to see more development of the main characters and overall arc of the series.  Since this is a literary series I also would have liked to see more emphasis given to the theme.

It was a delight to be back at the Literary Pub. Fun named drinks. Relatable and enjoyable characters, especially the protagonist. Entertaining sleuthing.

I really love this cozy mystery series. This is the third volume in the literary pub series. The amateur sleuth, Sadie, is interesting and overall a good narrator. The book does get caught up in small details and slows down a little in the middle, but the beginning and end were full of so much action that didn’t deter from my enjoyment. I like the developing relationship between Sadie and Grayson feels natural but is continuing to develop. Sadie starts out the book by hosting her pub’s first author talks which goes well, but not long after the author’s assistant dies mysteriously at the manor where they were staying. Of course Sadie can’t resist asking just a few questions and trying to piece the mystery together. On top of that there’s rumors of a hidden treasure in the manor! This was a fun, relaxing, quick read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes cozy mysteries!

Sadie Fox is thrilled to have famous author Linnea Bliss as a speaker at The Inkwell, her literary-themed pub. She meets Ms. Bliss at a lovely historic mansion where the author is staying for a pleasant lunch the day before the event. Suddenly there is a scream and Sadie finds Ms. Bliss' assistant Marcie dead from a fall on the pavement in front of the hotel. Shocked and upset Sadie can't stop thinking about who could have killed Marcie, especially as local weirdo Eleanor Grimes has accused Marcie of having and unsavory past. Hidden treasures, family rivalries and a Masquerade Ball add to the charm of this book.

I enjoy Sadie and the gang in Shady Creek, Vermont. A small tourist town that always has a mystery going on. This time it involves an author and her assistant. Does the assistant have a past that involves Shady Creek, or is she just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Goodreads

This is the first book I have read in the A Literary Pub Mystery series by Sarah Fox. I found the characters engaging, the setting enjoyable and the mystery intriguing. I had a little more trouble with believing why Sadie felt 'motivated' to investigate a murder. I just just wasn't sold on the real reasoning behind it, hence it was awkward for me. I did, however, enjoy her budding romance and the interaction between Sadie and her aunt. I am going to go back and get the first two in the series and see if it makes more sense.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Sadie is a girl we could all love- she has her own unique book-themed pub, with friends who are better than family, a hunky next-door neighbor, and some great book club activities, that tie into an amazing little village that makes you long for Stars Hallow. Add in some modern-day shenanigans with a film crew and reality tv, and it's no surprise there is a set up for vandalism and a killer on the loose! This is a fun, super quick read, perfect for chilling by the fire with a cozy up of Irish coffee, and a fun intro to the series (this is book 3)

This was an intriguing cozy mystery full of great characters and a mystery that kept me up late to find out whodunnit. I love the main character and how she communicates with the police upon finding a clue. Even though she figures everything out, the police are not made out to be moronic. The romantic subplot was a wonderful addition to the story. It added depth to the characters and was a nice reprieve from the suspenseful scenes. I received an advanced reader's copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Malt in Our Stars by Sarah Fox (Literary Pub Mystery #3) 4 stars

This is the third book in the Literary Pub Mystery series and the first one that I have read. Sophie, the owner of a pub named Inkwell is confronted with a mystery when visiting one her favorite authors, Linnea Bliss. Ms. Bliss's personal assistant falls out of a third story window at an historic hotel. Was it an accident or was she pushed? Sophie, a person with insatiable curiosity, is looking at all the angles and nooks to find out. Helping her is Grayson Blake, local brewer and ex-private investigator.

Since I came into this series with no background information from the prior two books, I found it easy to figure out most of the cast of characters and their relationship to each other. The dating dance between Sophie and Grayson was poignant and hopeful. Sophie's relationship with her aunt shows a long time bond and affection. The mystery was interesting and I was not surprised at who the villain was. Because I enjoyed reading this book, I think I might go back and read the two prior books in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for this ARC.

Sarah Fox's Malt in Our Stars is a fantastic read!!! Picking up soon after the previous book (and don't worry you don't need to have read the previous ones to thoroughly enjoy this one), Sadie finds herself tangled in another murder... and being called Nancy Drew (which she loves) by many of the towns folk. Set in a charming village (that I wish I lived in), Sadie, Greyson, Aunt Glinda (who is amazing, as always). Shontelle, and more work together to solve not only the murder, but also if there really is a treasure in Shady Hill Manor. This is a wonderful book - cozy mystery readers will thoroughly devour it... Can't wait to see where Ms. Fox takes Sadie next!

cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, small-town, small-business, murder-investigation, friendship

The murder victim was not the nasty local woman I expected it to be but the assistant to a visiting author. Sadie the pub owner gets involved in sleuthing to the dismay of the local law. She also has other things going on in her life that might distract her, but she just needs to know. The characters are all so clearly presented that I felt that I'd recognize them at the grocery and the story grabbed me and held on until I finished it. Lots of misdirection, red herrings, and plot twists to keep it all going.
I thought it was great, and I think that it works well as a stand alone because the author explains whatever is needed.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

I enjoy this author. She is always able to keep me guessing on the who-done-it and why-done-it. I love the characters and the town, I look forward to more.

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

I'm reviewing this for the November issue of Mystery Scene Magazine please see my full review there thank you

🌟 Book review 🌟⁠

🔏 Sadie, the owner of The Inkwell, a literary-themed pub in Shady Creek, Vermont, is delighted to have booked the famous novelist Linnea Bliss for an event at her pub. Things start to go wrong after Sadie discovers the body of Marcie, Linnea's assistant, dead in front of the hotel they are staying at: the Shady Creek Manor, once a private mansion that still holds hidden treasures.

♥️ I liked:
🍺 The literary pub. I loved it and wished it was real. All the drinks and the dishes sounded amazing and I was so glad about the recipes at the end of the book! I may try one of them very soon!
👩 Sadie. She is a great character, definitely nosy, she knows that she shouldn't be investigating murders, but not even the police can stop her very inquisitive nature. Also, it is lovely to see how she cares about hosting both Book and Writing Clubs at her pub.
🏘️ Shady Creek. A lovely town in Vermont where I wouldn't mind spending my Autumn holidays. It's got everything: a literary pub, a brewery, an old mansion that is likely hiding an incredible treasure, little cosy shops... What's not to like?
🔍 The murder mystery itself. It is very well-plotted, interesting and the culprit is not one you would think about.

🤔 I wasn't so sure about:⁠
The double mystery. I didn't understand why the author introduced the story of the vandalism at the TV crew, I'm not sure it brought anything to the mystery.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 Third book of the series and my first read. I enjoyed it and already got the first two. Thanks to @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks for the ARC.

This was a very enjoyable read. It is the third in the Literary Pub series but the first I've read. I had no issues with not starting with book 1 as the author does a great job filling in the backstory. But I've already checked the first book out from the library because I really liked "The Malt in Our Stars" and its protagonist Sadie Coleman.

Sadie operates a pub in Shady Creek, Vermont which celebrates literature. It features literary themed cocktails and book clubs. She is thrilled to be hosting Linnea Bliss, one of her romantic suspense favorite authors for a book talk and signing of the the author's latest book which takes place in Vermont. After a successful event, Sadie meets Linea for lunch at Shady Creek Manor, a 5 star hotel that was formerly a mansion owned by a man with a dubious past. It is rumored that he stashed some of his ill gotten gains at the mansion. After lunch, Sadie is shocked to hear a woman scream and discover that Marcie, Linnea's assistant had fallen from an upstairs window from a room that was not hers and was not in use. When she and the manor's owner, go to the room to investigate, she can tell there was a struggle and that Marcie's fall was not an accident. And Sadie, can't help but try to investigate.

There is also another mystery going on. A TV crew is in town to film a show about a local brewer but they are experiencing vandalism. Are the two related?

The murder mystery is well done and not easily resolved. While Marcie is not local, Sadie witnesses her arguing with someone and there is also a fan-stalker type and a woman from the local historical museum who had earlier argued with Marcie about the town's history. Besides the mystery, it's good to meet Sadie's aunt, friends and coworkers as well as other townspeople. And a potential romance for Sadie too.

So, settle in with the literary themed cocktail (recipes at the back of the book) or your beverage of choice and enjoy!

I received a ARC from the publisher via Net Galley. However, the opinions expressed are my own.

The Malt in Our Stars by Sarah Fox drew me right in from the first page. I could relate to Sadie's excitement of meeting a favorite novelist as I've felt the same thing at an author signing.

Ms. Fox has been able to develop the characters very well in the last two books and the secondary characters add more and more to each story as readers get to know them better along with Sadie. This story has two mysteries that may or may not be connected. The plot moved smoothly but did slow down around the middle for some time. Then the paced picked up and the clues began to fall into place for Sadie and Grayson. The romance between Sadie and Grayson seems to be evolving naturally. With two mysteries, several suspects, twists and turns, a myth regarding a hidden treasure (or is it?)and a startling reveal at a masked ball kept me turning the pages.

Quite an enjoyable read; enough action to keep me wanting to finish one more chapter with enough focus on both the mystery and the characters. The only problem I had was with the protagonist thinking less of herself and constantly thinking she looked foolish in front of her love interest; I wish there was less of that, since she seemed quite capable.

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of THE MALT IN OUR STARS (Book 3 of the Literary Pub Mysteries) by Sarah Fox in exchange for an honest review. Sadie Coleman is thrilled to meet famous romantic suspense author Linnea Bliss. Sadie managed to book Ms. Bliss for an event at her pub. During her stay in Shady Creek, Vermont, Ms. Bliss and her assistant Marcie are staying at Shady Creek Manor, which once was the mansion of an eccentric. The fancy hotel has its own place in local lore as tales of hidden treasure have rounded the rumor mill for decades. When Marcie dies by sudden defenestration, Sadie discovers that Marcie had been in an area blocked off from guest access and that the restricted area contained clues pointing toward murder. Other mysterious happenings also puzzle Sadie. A television crew filming a feature on local brewer Grayson Blake seems to be the target of a vicious vandal. Can Marcie’s death be linked to either local legend or vicious vandal? Either way, the mysteries will be solved by the end of the May Day Masquerade Ball. With Sadie up to ears in the investigation, will the malefactor or malefactors be unmasked before Sadie becomes a target?

I liked this book. I felt like I probably would have enjoyed it more if I had read the prior books. I recommend the book to fans of cozy mysteries featuring murder, vandalism, local lore, treasure hunts, literary themed businesses, pubs, and local oddballs.

#TheMaltinOurStars #NetGalley

The Malt in Our Stars is the third book in the this series by Sarah Fox. It features a literary theme pup owner named Sadie who lives in a small Vermont town.
Sadie is holding an author signing at her pub and when she goes to the local manor turned luxury hotel to visit her, a tragic death takes place.
Sadie tries to piece together how this event could have happened all while dealing with her own personal issues, her grandmother's big news and her budding romance with the local craft brewer.

It was a fun read, although I wished there was more red herrings/side stories/description to beef up the main plot. I wanted to be more invested in the story.