I love this series of cozy mysteries featuring the intrepid and often comical Epiphany Bloom, and I was thrilled to take part in the blog tour for Katie Gayle’s latest installment: The Museum Murder.

I enjoyed this mystery very much and recommend it to those who like Rhys Bowen’s books!

Thank you for making me part of the tour and for my electronic galley!

full review on my blog at drbethnolan.com

I don’t read many cosy mysteries but enjoyed the last book in the series so wanted to read The Museum Murder as well. This is an example of how good a cosy mystery can be and I really enjoyed it. I loved Pip as a character. She’s quite ridiculous and a bit of an idiot at times but she has a good heart and is endearing. Her interactions with her equally silly mother (Llamas) had me laughing until everything ached. This is so enjoyable. I might read the other books in the series at some point.

“Dastardly deeds, daring deceptions and a dress to die for”

Wow! I need to get my breath back after that maelstrom, high-speed mystery, where nothing is quite as it seems. A lie down in a darkened room is also definitely required to recover from the whirlwind that is amateur sleuth Epiphany Bloom, a real force of nature by anyone’s standards!

The action kicks in right from the first couple of pages, the storyline moves along at a break-neck pace, towards a conclusion which is satisfyingly replete in every sense of the word!

At first I was a little disappointed the authors hadn’t used locations which were real and tangible, somewhere I could check out for myself and plot the course of this break-neck journey, as it unfolded, or maybe that should be, unravelled around me! But on reflection after closing the pages on ‘Pip’s’ latest unsolicited foray into the shady world of the part-time PI, I realise that amount of detailed research just wouldn’t have worked anyway, as I had simply found myself suspending belief in almost all realism, as one little disaster led to another, each one more dangerous and deadly than the last.

I didn’t even bother with a suspect list, as Pip already had one a mile long, with just about everyone’s name on it. One by one, and with the enthusiastic help of a tame hacker who hangs on her every word and a boxing coach who fancies his chances with both her and the gee-gee’s, the potential candidates for ‘bad guy’ were whittled down and Pip and the team set to finessing their plan of action for the final showdown, working on the basis that it ‘takes a thief to catch a thief’, although with Pip’s reputation, life was never going to be that simple. When the suspect is finally cornered and apprehended, it is more by good luck than better judgement, after Pip’s plan goes completely off the rails and leaves three totally unprepared females and a man whose excuses for arriving late defy all logic, to explain the situation to the authorities.

This entertaining story, well constructed and written with real heart and humour, was broken up into short concise chapters, which only served to increase the pace and intensity of the plot, whilst managing to seamlessly compartmentalise and constrain some of Pip’s natural tendencies to go off at a tangent. The assured and visually descriptive writing made it an easy story escape and relax into, although there were plenty of ‘whatever next!’ and ‘look out!’ moments, as red herrings were spread so liberally that they became a real trip hazard for this unsuspecting team of not so reluctant deputised investigative assistants. In fact they all seemed to be relishing in the excitement of the moment a bit too much and were getting quite carried away with it all, forgetting that a determined and professional thief, is potentially a force to be reckoned with.

There was a delicious cast of addictive, compellingly relatable characters, none of which were too difficult to get under the skin of and become completely invested in, even though many of them were very high maintenance, to say the least. Coming into this series as I did, with book #2, I don’t think I was in any way short-changed from not knowing Pip’s backstory, as there were so many references to certain events from her past, liberally sprinkled throughout the text, making for some real laugh-out-loud moments, as she seems to have had more jobs than hot dinners, and none of them what you might call conventional. Also, she is just such a transparent character, that you know exactly where you stand with her, as what you see is very much what you get and quite often you’ll end up with the veritable ‘bull in the china shop’! From comments made, it would appear that Pip is well into her 30s, although you might have assumed her to be much younger, as she comes across as quite immature, maybe a little vulnerable and not particularly reliable, although she doesn’t suffer fools gladly and generally says it exactly like it is, offend or please. She would be a great friend to have for a ‘girlie’ chat or a night on the town, but I don’t think I would trust her with so much as a pet mouse when it comes to common sense or concentration.

Oh Yes! and no cozy mystery would be complete without a suitably quirky, accompanying side show. With Pip’s reputation for being totally off-the-wall, even this had to be something unique and unconventional. This little menagerie definitely went from the sublime to the ridiculous, so be prepared for a cat-nabbed feline, a trio of adorable kitties, a ‘six pack’ of llamas and a finale ‘walk-on’ part to outdo all others! – I kid you not!

My Thoughts: I adored this one just as much as I enjoyed the first one, lots and lots of laugh out loud moments that actually had tears in my eyes at some points.

Pips mum is up to her usual antics and let’s just say I’ll never be able to look at a llama the same way again 😂

With the intention of taking a step away from the investigating Pip takes on a job as buyer/curator for a movie memorabilia museum, but upon realising that one of the main attractions is fake leads her to try and find out the truth about what happened the original.

Cue a whole bunch of weird and wonderful characters who will lead you in lots of different directions and a story that is near impossible to put down, I cannot wait to see what Pip, Tim and the rest of the gang get up to next time!

I really enjoy this author duo. This is cozy mystery is a must read. I loved it. This is the second book in the series and sleuth Epiphany Bloom is back on the case. This fun, and engaging story is a perfect read for all audiences.

Epiphany ’Pip’ Bloom is still looking for work, but seems to have found her passion of solving mystery’s. Pips sister drags her to a fashion museum and there on display happens to be a famous dress that was worn for a Hollywood movie. The red gown worn by Julia Roberts in the movie Pretty Woman. But Pip isn’t buying it, she notices that the dress on display is a fake. The museum manager admits that the dress is a knock-off because the real original dress had been stolen. So the museum replaced it with a fake until the real dress was found and returned to the museum. It appears all the employees of the museum had a motive and reasons for wanting to steal the famous dress. So, once again Pip is finding herself in the middle of the mystery. As she investigates the murder that has also taken place, she is over the moon to have employment once again, and doing what she loves to do.

I enjoyed this series so much, I wish it didn’t have to end as Epiphany Bloom is such a joy to know. This laugh out loud, cozy mystery is a thoroughly enjoyable must read. Thanks Katie Gayle for such a lovely and entertaining read.

I have read and reviewed the previous book of the series. I liked the characters, and when I got a chance to visit with them again, I took it. This happens often, and being a fan of a good working series, I am always game to pick up a subsequent book.
The tone of the story and our leading lady Pip's style stays the same. At the end of the previous book, she had two possible love interests and one job. Taking that as the status quo, not much changes during this book except for maybe the job and the balance in the relationships. I liked her mother's part in this and her sister's continuing mixups of the English language. Pip herself was a little hard to like in this one, at least for me. She does not seem to grow much from when we first met her, like her mental attitude towards jobs and why she keeps being out of one. I must admit that this has diligent leg work being detailed while there are a few advantages of knowing the right people and being at the right place at the right time.
The case this time focuses on a dress that goes missing, and Pip is tasked with identifying its whereabouts. Overall, a quick read, and if you are on the lookout for a book with wacky side characters, kittens, and even some actual martial arts by the leading lady, this is a series one can try.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

My mum recommended I give Katie Gayle’s Ephiphany Bloom series a try and so I began with her recently released book two “The Museum Murder”. Our leading lady, and unintentional detective, is a delight from the start. The book has witticisms throughout and a happy playful atmosphere. Set in a fashion museum, Pip has to try a locate a dress which has been stolen whilst familiarising herself with her new job…and her mother’s llamas.

The mystery unfolds gently but in an interesting way, I enjoyed the journey and the ending was most satisfying! I am certainly looking forward to the next instalment in the series as well as picking up the first book! I followed along happily without having read it but will enjoy getting to know Pip and her family better.

If you are looking for a light, modern-day cosy mystery, well-written and entertaining, this is one for you! It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale,

P.S. I love that Katie Gayle (who is in fact two authors) are South African! And appreciated the Trevor Noah reference!

I knew when I read the first book of this series, I would be back for more. My preferred genre is usually not a cozy mystery ... but I found myself laughing out loud and not only at the first book. I was so hoping THE MUSEUM MURDER would be just as entertaining as the first ... and I was not disappointed.

This is easily read as a stand alone, however, I highly recommend reading in order. Epiphany (Pip) is such a unique character and just plain hilarious as she gets in and out of trouble. You cannot dislike anyone who would steal a cat from the vet's office where she worked.

Pip is still looking for work. It seems most things she's tried have not had the desired results. Her last temp post was working with a private investigator. I won't give it all away .. but let's just say that didn't work out well. The temporary office placement won't even take her calls anymore.

Just by luck, her sister drags her into a fashion museum where a well-known dress from a movie is on display. But Pip knows her stuff and this is not the dress it is said to be. It's a fake!

The manager of the museum confesses that the dress in not the original.... someone had stolen the original and she had bought a knock-off until the original could be found.

And that's how Pip found herself employed once again. So who would steal this dress? As Pip investigates, she finds the museum staff all had reasons to want the garment gone.

And she's not the only one hunting for the dress.

This is another laugh-out-loud cozy featuring a lovable woman who blunders her way through job after job trying to find where she fits in the big scheme of things. Her cat has a litter of kittens that she takes care of ... she has kind of a crush on her roommate .. but he's more intent on Pip going to work so she can pay her share of the rent.. and then there's mom who says she's shipping a load of llamas to her. And now there's someone who has eyes on her .. especially when her investigation is close to revealing who the dress-napper is.

Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the amusing cozy mystery. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

The Museum Murder is Katie Gayle’s second book about Epiphany (Pip) Bloom. I loved the first book, The Kensington Kidnap, in which Pip Bloom managed to blag her way into working for a private investigation agency. When we’re told on the first page of the Museum Murder that she’s lost that job, I was appalled! “Oh, no, surely Pip won’t be as interesting if she’s not investigating something? What is Katie Gayle thinking?”

However, all is well. Pip goes for an interview at the Museum of Movie Memorabilia and spots that a famous dress is a fake. Pip’s told that the real one has been stolen and she is asked to find the dress and get it back. We’re soon back in Pip’s world of frantic investigating, using the strengths of the people she knows, like landlord/friend and hacker, Tim; and Pip’s sister, Flis, with her eco-blog and hilarious mis-use of words: a Museum of Necrophilia would be quite different to one of Memorabilia.

The plot does make use of coincidence but it results in a very satisfying read. “Cozy” is an over-used description but it is the best adjective for how I felt when I was reading the book. I was amused; I was desperate to find out what happened next; and I was staggered by the very last sentence of the book. It is a consequence of the plot and so it has no significance if you haven’t read the book. However, it is the best ending to any book I have ever read in my 60+ years.

Please, Katie Gayle, don’t take too long to start Pip’s next book.

#TheMuseumMurder #NetGalley

The Museum Murder (Epiphany Bloom Mysteries Book 2) by Katie Gayle
Publisher: Bookouture
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Release Date: March 31, 2021

The Museum Murder is the second book the Epiphany Bloom Mysteries series by Katie Gayle, the writing duo Kate Sidley and Gail Schimmel. I had previously read the first book, The Kensington Kidnap, but I think this could easily be read as a standalone mystery.

This was a fun cozy mystery featuring Epiphany (Pip) Bloom, who finds herself in investigating the theft of a priceless dress from a fashion museum. This was captivating mystery with touches of humor throughout. The characters were great and the story was very interesting!

I really enjoyed reading this and look forward to reading the future books in the series.

I'm so grateful to Katie Gayle, Bookouture, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Stephanie Plum of bounty hunting meet Pip Bloom, finder of lost things...future PI? This was such a fun read! I devoured it in a day! Love the main character Epiphany or as she prefers to be called, Pip. She's quirky and sassy and has a resume of life experience and blunders I'd like to see in list form. She seems to have a wee backstory about pretty much everything but it's been done in such an incredible and interesting way. And when I say backstory, I'm not saying it praddles on--none of that in this book. The pacing is perfect (unless you want to get anything else done!) and had me quickly turning the pages. I am curious if one day Pip won't go on to become a licenced private investigator. I'd like to see that actually. Like Stephanie Plum and her double love interests, Pip has a crush on a couple guys and I'm not sure who she's leaning toward more. It seems both of them are into her.

And speaking of Pip's relationships... Her sister Flis (Felicity) is a little crazy in a good way. She's often saying the wrong word and Pip's correcting her. But the author handles this so naturally the conversation between the two just continues to flow. Now, Pip's mother... She's a loon! And who would ever think they'd have llama drama! (LOL) Well, thanks to Pip's mom's mid-life crisis or whatever, Pip does. You'll need to read the book for more fun on that front.

Just the entire book was such a pleasure to read. There were moments I laughed out loud (and that takes a lot for a book!) This book was a clean read with zero foul language and graphic violence. The writing was obviously truly inspired and the characters felt real. I'm looking forward to their next adventure!

I received an advanced reading copy of this book for honest review. Thank you to the author, Bookouture, and NetGalley.

The Museum Murder by Katie Gayle is the 2nd book in the Epiphany Bloom mystery series, and another fun addition. Epiphany, Pip, Bloom lost her last job, so she is busy looking for another one, when she lands a job working at a fashion museum. Pip quickly discovers the famous red dress from the movie Pretty Women, has been stolen and replaced with another dress. Determined to find the truth, Pip is on the case. This book is funny, with twists and turns that keep you reading and guessing. I read this book in one day, because I could not put it down. I highly recommended this book and series for cozy mystery book fans.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Epiphany ‘Pip’ Bloom, would-be detective and London’s unluckiest woman, finds herself in a real costume drama when she unearths a theft at a fashion museum. The missing dress is a proper piece of Hollywood history, worth a fortune. And as Pip investigates, she finds the museum staff all had reasons to want the garment gone. From fancy boutiques to sketchy back alleys, Pip discovers the fashion world is not all glitz and glamour as she hunts down her prize. As if she doesn’t have enough on her plate, Pip also has her growing feelings for her housemate Tim to contend with, a family of cats to feed and her mother keeps phoning about a shipment of llamas arriving any day now from South America.
This is the second book in this amusing cosy mystery. Pip is a total joy & a walking disaster, I just love her. The book is well written & flows well, there are some twists & turns but it’s the characters who are just so good a miss mash of quirky characters who bring the book to life. If you want a light hearted cosy mystery then look no further
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

The Museum Murder is book two in writing team Katie Gayle's Epiphany Bloom series. You don't need to read book one, The Kensington Kidnap (read my review), to enjoy this book. And I have to tell you I enjoyed book two much more than book one.

After reading book one, I wasn't sure if I really wanted to keep up with this series, but I also like to give new series time to settle in so to speak. I'm glad I decided to give Ephiphany Bloom another chance as The Museum Murder was a really fun read.

One of the things I found quite annoying in book one was Pip's sister Flis and her never getting words or idioms correct. Flis was prominently featured in book one. She is much more in the background in this book and her quirkiness was more fun than annoying.

What I truly loved about this book was the cast of secondary characters. I loved the museum staff and I truly hope that they show up in future books. Jimmy, Madison, and Matty from book one make an appearance so it is possible.

I'm still not sure if I like the idea of Pip continually needing to find a new job. While it puts her in new situations and provides opportunities for her to be awkward (who isn't awkward at a new job), which of course adds levity to the story. But I think it could get boring after a while. I kind of wonder why she hasn't thought to put out her own PI shingle. I'm sure the UK has a licensing board for PIs that's similar to the U.S. and her training could lead to all sorts of amusing mishaps. Perhaps that will happen when she gains more confidence in her sleuthing abilities.

I'm kind of hoping she keeps the museum job as I really liked the characters that work there. I think they would be good for Pip. She needs more friends than just her roommate Tim and boxing instructor Tim. She needs more girl time than just hanging out with her sister. I really liked the character of Henry but I'm not sure how his role could be incorporated in future books at least beyond just a passing appearance.

And working at a museum could lead her into the world of high-end art and fashion investigations. (I just finished watching the TV show White Collar and there are plenty of art world thefts and more for Pip to somehow get involved with).

If you were left a little "meh" with book one or haven't picked up this series yet, I highly recommend reading The Museum Murder. I'm now looking forward to future books in this series.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on March 31 - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2021/03/the-museum-murder-by-katie-gayle-review.html

This is another delightful and amusing read from Katie Gayle. The second story of Pip, Epiphany Bloom and her madcap life is just the entertainment I needed.
This time Pip manages to find work in a museum for vintage and iconic fashion - but as you’d expect nothing is straightforward or easy for Pip. She finds out at her interview that one of the iconic dresses has been stolen, so with a little help from her friends, she hunts down the dress whilst overcoming all of the various obstacles put in her way.

Live at the link below on Thurs 1st April.

The sun is out, the clocks have gone forward, and yet it’s still just chilly enough to appreciate a cozy mystery of an evening. The duo behind The Kensington Kidnap, starring Epiphany ‘Pip’ Bloom is back with another great addition to what, I hope, will be a series that runs and runs!

The Museum Murder sees Pip tumbling very quickly downwards form the high we left her on at the end of her last adventure as it turns out Detective agencies are not too forgiving when it comes to spelling mistakes… Nevertheless, opportunity quickly falls in Pip’s lap as she becomes embroiled in the case of a missing dress – not just any dress I might add, but the very one worn by Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman!!

Suspects are everywhere as Pip stumbles along on the tail of the thief and as she brushes with suspicious deaths along the way.

This book is an excellent follow up to The Kensington Kidnap. I am very much a fan of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum and, although the settings could not be more different, I get the same feel from the Epiphany Bloom books. In both series, there is a healthy dose of comedy, but the mystery plots are no less clever than in your more gritty crime thriller.

The supporting cast is back, and causing problems for Pip yet again with a blogging/vlogging sister who is so hot right now and a llama-purchasing mother who is conveniently out of the country, but there is help from the two men in Pip’s life, either one of which may or may not turn into an eager love interest…we shall see…

As I said, this book is just my cup of tea at the moment – they describe it as ‘cozy crime’, and cozy works for me!

Pip does it again! ...... Gets fired that is. One of Epiphany Bloom's greatest strengths seems to be making tiny mistakes that momentarily spin her life out of control and ultimately lead to her being fired from yet another job. After being let go from her seemingly dream job as a detective, Pip is a bit lost. She's low on motivation, low on ideas, and even worse, low on money. Although her hunky roommate lets her slide from time-to-time, Pip can't get by for much longer and needs a job, FAST! Lucky for her a new job seems to just fall into her lap - buyer for a museum, but secretly the sleuth in charge of finding out what happened to the iconic Julia Roberts Pretty Woman off-the-shoulder red dress. Pip is on the case!

Katie Gayle never fails to keep me laughing, entertained, and trying to figure out the mystery till the very end. I absolutely adore this book and the Epiphany Bloom series. I enjoy that even though there is a bit of romance these books are more about a young woman trying to find her way in the world and not letting every set-back hold her down. Pip is fun, relatable, and I can't wait to learn more about her in future books. 10/10, 5/5, whatever metric you use this book is absolutely perfect!

5/5 Stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Museum Murder is the second instalment in the Epiphany Bloom Mysteries series, set in and around London. We are reacquainted with the loveable clumsy clot, aka klutz, Epiphany ”Pip” Bloom and what a delight that is. This time around Pip is musing about how her 3 kittens are the only constant in her life and worrying about how she is going to pay her half of the rent for the flat she shares with hunky flatmate and landlord, Tim, as she is no longer employed by Boston Investigations. Being a private investigator had been a dream job but she had been fired for good reason by gaffer Doug Bradford; she had been sloppily carrying out background checks where she had not been conscientious enough to double-check that she was spelling the name correctly. So whilst looking for new work she decides to accompany her sister, Flis, to an exhibition at the Museum of Movie Memorabilia and Vintage Costumes where they come upon a fiery-red gown form-fitting in the bodice, off the shoulder, with a little plunge at the cleavage and a gather below the waist intended to set the full, silky skirt swishing when the wearer moved; it had been worn in the 90s by Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, or so the plaque read. Flis talks to the museum manager, Arabella Buchanan, telling her that Pip is into celebrities, vintage trends and pop culture which leads to Arabella offering her work as a buyer for the museum. Her job would include creative visions as a stylist, sourcing original items, curation and intimate knowledge of celebrity culture. But during her interview, Pip notices on closer inspection that the dress doesn't seem to be quite cut in the same way as it was in the film and the deep red colour didn't appear quite correct either.

Confirming via Google she blurts out to Arabella that it isn't the real deal, and she cannot believe it. It is then her new role becomes not only sourcing garments for upcoming exhibitions but to locate and recover the genuine priceless missing gown. She is tasked with using her investigative skill to recover it before the museum's owner, Henrietta Powell, whose mother, Charise Adderley, was a great beauty, and a Hollywood actress and who is currently away in Morocco, returns. But Arabella admits that everything else is authentic apart from that item. She had come into work two weeks ago and the genuine dress had gone. There was no forced entry, and so in order to keep the museum ticking along, she bought a replica until she knew exactly what had happened and who was responsible. Now Pip has her work cut out for her as she must attempt to locate the dress and facilitate its safe return before Henrietta flies home from North Africa. Realising that it could only be an inside job, Pip begins to interview the staff members, which doesn't make her too popular, and with a little help from friends, she is soon jet setting all over the place following the trail of this inimitable dress. But never did she believe, even in such a cutthroat, shady world as the collectors and memorabilia market that it would lead to murder. Can Pip find the culprit who stole the garment whilst also getting to the bottom of the brutal murder? This is a compelling and compulsive addition to an uplifting, endlessly charming and highly original cosy mystery populated by a cast of quirky and indelible characters, especially Pip herself. The plot is refreshingly unique and filled with drama, action, twists and liberal doses of fun and humour. It's an engrossing, lighthearted and thoroughly entertaining read and a fabulous, and much-needed, piece of escapism in these times.

This is essentially a comedy of errors – everything Epiphany ‘Pip’ Bloom seems fraught and liable to be a disaster but in such a light hearted, fun way you just can’t help smiling (and cringing) at times. Her sister, Flis, has a serious case of mixed vocabulary – if there’s a similar sounding word, she’s most likely to use it making her absolutely hilarious! As for their Mummy’s llama dramas . . .

After a fashion museum visit ends with a job offer, Pip discovers the start exhibit is a fraud – and she’s given the additional role of recovering the iconic dress. Get ready for a story filled with quirky characters, packed with humour, two potential love interests and the perpetrator to be caught! Sometimes a little too over the top, but with a murder, a mystery and plenty of laughter, it is an engaging and enjoyable read and a great addition to the series.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.

After over two months in lockdown in the winter in the UK, it was good to meet Pip again. When we left her at the end of The Kensington Kidnap, she was working for Boston Investigations. However, in true Pip style, she is now looking for another job so that she can pay her rent and continue living with her flatmate Tim.

As the synopsis above mentions, this time Pip finds herself looking for a missing iconic dress with a number of suspects to chat to and a suspicious death. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it is a cosy mystery with comedy moments, as we hear from Pip’s mother and find out more about why Pip has been asked to leave previous jobs.

Pip’s sister makes a reappearance, with her mixed up phrases, as do other characters from the Kensington Kidnap. However it would be possible to read this without reading book one because they are separate mysteries.

This book was a fun read, escapism from the real world and we all need that at the moment. Happy to recommend to all fans of cosy mysteries and amateur detective novels. Available in ebook and paperback formats now.