This was my first time reading this author and I enjoyed it. I always love a cozy mystery series that centers around books.

What a fantastic addition to the series!

Quirky humor, excellent storytelling, a mystery to keep you guessing till the end, long list of suspects, a dash of sweet romance and friendship... this book is a treat for cozy mystery lovers, that's for sure!

Excellent writing and character portrayal. The identity of the perp was shocking and unexpected - Jenna is very sure that so-and-so is the killer but... hmm. The budding romance between Keith and Jenna makes you go aww.

I loved every bit of this story and I highly recommend this book to cozy mystery lovers.

This was a great cozy mystery read. I loved the main character and how strong she was forging a new path for herself. All the characters were well-devised and diabolically created. I was stumped about the culprit until the very end. I can't wait until the next one in this series. I received an advanced reader's copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Nothing like a good murder in a bookstore to keep things interesting!

This is 2nd in the series but works perfectly well as a standalone. I’ll be following up by checking out the first book as my next read.

Fast paced plot, likable characters & lots of suspects make for a great cozy read. And don’t forget about the cute and feisty dog!

Grab this book for a delightful day of reading. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

This books was delightful and cozy and exactly what I was looking to read on a rainy day during a beach vacation.

The quaint warehouse district of Hokes Folly, NC, is hopping. The occasion? The mountain town's beloved antiquarian bookstore, Twice Upon a Time, is throwing a bash for its grand reopening. But bookseller Jenna Quinn's peace of mind is shattered when the local library's Director of Antique Books turns up dead in the parking lot--his head bashed in by a glittering pair of vintage glass bookends that he won at her reopening.. As they examine the murder scene, Jenna and her police detective boyfriend happen upon the only witness--the victim's dog, who flees the scene leaving a trail of bloody footprints behind. If only dogs could speak, Finding the killer won't be so easy, even though this is not Jenna's first murder investigation as she inherited Twice Upon a Time from her slain uncle. The suspect list is voluminous--the late librarian had not-so-friendly run-ins with numerous guests--but suspicion eventually centers on three unsavory individuals who left the party shortly before the victim did.

This was a new author and series for me. Since this was #2 in the series, I had to read #1 first and enjoyed both immensely. Now I can't wait for the next one to come out! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this delightful book.

Jenna Quinn moved from Charlotte, North Carolina to the small town of Hokes Folly to help her uncle run his bookstore after she was accused (and acquitted) of a crime she didn't commit. But when she arrived she found her uncle dead and she had inherited everything. Now that her life is finally becoming normal again, she's renamed the bookstore to Twice Upon a Time and is staging a grand reopening, inviting only those who are clients and love rare books -- intending to later have the the reopening to the rest of the town.

When one of the guests arrives, a man she's done business with over the phone but never met, he brings along his dog Eddy. But Jenna notices the dog growls at another client and even though the situation is handled quickly, she wonders what is going on. But with other altercations between her guests, she just wants the night to end. And end it does -- until she and her employees see the man's dog run by her shop. When they catch the dog, they discover his master dead in his car, killed by one of a pair of bookends he won at the store. Now, Jenna's right in the middle of a murder investigation again, and her police detective Keith can't work the case because he's one of the witnesses.

Knowing that police detective Sutter hates her and will do anything to get her in jail, her only hope is the help of her friends and her boyfriend to try and solve the case. That is, unless the killer knows what she's doing...if so, she'll need to stay close to home or risk losing her life...

This is the second book in the series and I honestly think that it's even better than the first. Ms. Black has a real knack for creating characters that draw you into the story and make you part of the action. We don't need to be in Hokes Folly to become part of it; one can do that merely by the engaging characters and the descriptions of what is happening around them.

What I enjoyed the most was the interactions between Jenna, her friends, and Keith. She truly cares for people, and her heart is big enough to let one more in, who is a damaged soul like herself. It says a lot about her and about the quality of the writing.

The plot is indeed interesting -- when the man is killed, Jenna must sort through her guests and decide which one of them had the most motive to kill him. But when she discovers that the three she's chosen all had a motive, it makes it more difficult, and with no help from the police, she and her friends are left to figure out a killer. Then, when an attack is made to kill once again, Jenna's even more determined, knowing that time isn't on her side.

The climax is all one could hope for, with both danger and watching Jenna once again use her wits to try and outsmart a killer, hoping help will come in time. It's quite a scene, and leaves you feeling satisfied at the ending when the murderer is caught. When the ending comes, it gives you something to look forward to in the next book, and I will be one of the first readers. Highly recommended.

Great Whodunit Will Keep You Engaged
While this is not the first in the series, the author fills in the details so a new reader is not lost. This is a marvelous whodunit with several viable suspects. This reader had no idea until the final denouement. The author's style is so fluid that this reader just flew through the book. The characters are just perfectly portrayed so the reader gets invested easily. I will keep my eyes on this author and read more of her work. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

What a fun little cozy. Jenna is hosting a grand reopening of her Uncle's bookstore that she has inherited. Jenna is nervous and is just getting to know to community of Hokes Folley. Just as the festivities are ending, one of the attendees is murdered with bookends he just won at the reopening. Jenna's boyfriend is a Detective, but since he was at the event, he cannot investigate. Thus starts Jenna's nightmare. The Detective in charge is a bully and had previously accused Jenna of murdering her Uncle.

This is a delightful cozy. If you love small communities, amateur sleuths, and lots of suspects, this is for you. The story is easy to follow and the writing style, is easy-to-read. There are so many possible killers, that it kept me guessing until the very end.

This is the second book in the series, Murder by the Bookend. Jenna has a grand reopening of her bookstore. When a murder happens near her store that night, she starts to investigate to get it solved so people don't associate her store with the murders over the last few months. I really enjoyed this book (couldn't put it down). Jenna has surrounded herself with great friends and a fabulous boyfriend (he's perfect, a supportive gentleman). I really enjoy the relationships in this series. A fun mystery with interesting suspects. Jenna is sometimes a bit immature (more "fits" in this book than the first), but I guess that's to be expected with her only in her late 20's. She is good about telling people where she is going (leaving notes or messages), whereas some main characters in cozy mysteries never seem to think of this smart move, while heading into danger. I also like how she admits to people when she has done something stupid or reckless. Other cozy mystery series characters never seem to be this honest. This main character (& the boyfriend character, too) is really breaking the cozy mystery mold. Thank goodness. I'm really looking forward to the next in the series!

In the quaint warehouse district of Hokes Folly N.C. Is hopping despite the drizzly November chill. The mountain town’s beloved antiquarian bookstore. Twice Upon a Time is throwing a bash for its grand reopening. But Jenna Quinn’s peace of mind is shattered when the local library director of Antique Books turns up dead in the parking lot his head bashed in by a glittering pair of vintage bookends. Jenna and her police detective boyfriend happen upon the only witness the victim’s dog who flees the scene leaving only bloody footprints behind. If only dogs could speak Jenna might be able to make quick work of the murder case and get back to stocking her bookcases. Finding the killer won’t be easy. The suspect list is voluminous the late librarian had not so friendly run-ins with numerous guests but suspicion leads to three unsavory individuals who left the party shortly before the victim. Jenna must edit her inventory of suspects from three to one before the blood thirsty bookend-wielder becomes the author of Jenna’s demise. Very enjoyable story the author did a great job putting it together.

Great read for lovers of old books and it is well plotted and enjoyable characters. Easy recommendation for book groups and friends and family.

It is the second installment in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. Besides, the author offers several explicit well-timed nods to the previous one so, even if you haven't read it, you are quickly caught up with the main character's background. It is a good enough mystery novel with a nice writing style. I think the characters were interesting and credible, except for the moody, hard-boiled detective who seemed a bit too old cliché to me. Overall, I think the book was dragging on a bit and could have benefited from more cuts.

Jenna Quinn hopes, despite the chilly November weather, the grand reopening of her bookstore will be just that grand. Everyone seems to be having fun except for a couple of people. Jenna feels the night was a success until the body of one of her attendees is found dead in the parking lot. Since her store once again is being associated with a murder, Jenna has to do something. She feels she has to save her store before she losses everything again.

This was a fun, quick read. The mystery is full of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing who the murderer is. The characters are interesting and relatable. There are a couple of characters I really didn't like, but that makes the story entertaining. I recommend this book to cozy mystery fans.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

I received this from the Crooked Lane Books on Netgalley awhile ago but it got buried on my Kindle thanks to all the Book Bingo books I added a few months ago. I’m sorry I waited so long to finish it, it was a great book!

The second book in the Antique Bookshop series has Jenna presiding over the grand re-opening of the antique/used bookstore she inherited from her uncle. All seems to go well until one guest – Linus Talbot, an antique book expert – has several run-ins with other guests. As the evening draws to a close, Jenna finds Linus dead in his car in the parking lot, murdered with his antique bookends and the only witness is his dog, Eddy. With several suspects and almost no clues, can Jenna find the murderer?

I enjoyed the first book in this series and came to really like Jenna, Mason and Rita and Keith and the juicy plot in this one (gasp THE DRAMA! clutches pearls) as it wound its way among the suspects and unraveled all the clues – which were right there all along but in the end the culprit was still surprising. Just as in the first book, I suspected and then discarded a suspect or two, only to be surprised at the end. sigh Fooled me again!

Another great entry into what’s shaping up to be a really great series and I’m looking forward to the next book.

What a fantastic addition to the series!

Quirky humor, excellent storytelling, a mystery to keep you guessing till the end, long list of suspects, a dash of sweet romance and friendship... this book is a treat for cozy mystery lovers, that's for sure!

Excellent writing and character portrayal. The identity of the perp was shocking and unexpected - Jenna is very sure that so-and-so is the killer but... hmm. The budding romance between Keith and Jenna makes you go aww.

I loved every bit of this story and I highly recommend this book to cozy mystery lovers.

Has delightful characters and plenty of twists and turns and items that keep the reader wanting more.it has details of small town life in a colorful locale add to color and piquancy of a good cozy mystery. It has an enjoyable premise w small town charm.

Laura Gail Black's Murder by the Bookend, the second in her Antique Bookshop mystery series, is an exciting successor to For Whom the Book Tolls.
Jenna Quinn has decided to stay in Hokes Folly, NC and run the Twice Upon a Time, the antique bookshop left to her by her late uncle. But she never expects the reopening party for a select group of friends and antique book collectors to end in murder.
Suspects abound and Jenna and her friend Rita try to get belligerent Detective Frank Sutter to consider any of them rather than twisting facts to point to Jenna. Jenna's beau, Detective Keith Logan, is excused from working the case with Sutton because he was a guest at the party but does his best to deflect Sutton's attention from Jenna, even to the point of calling in help.
A shady political and his diva wife, an unemployed bookseller, valuable missing library books and a rescue doing who mourns the death of his owner, all combine in a well paced, entertaining story. Hopefully book three is in the near future.
I received this book from Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review.
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Murder By The Bookend is the exciting 2nd book in the Antique Bookshop Mysteries. Jenna Quinn took over her Uncle's bookstore, Twice Upon A Time, In this book, she has a grand reopening event but a local rare book librarian is found dead outside the store. Jenna's boyfriend, Keith, is a police detective, and her friends, Rita and Mason help her figure out who the culprit is. This book was hard to put down especially because Jenna kept putting herself in danger or being in the wrong place. Plus there is quite a bit going on with the other characters. The characters are likable and interesting and the mystery is intriguing. This was an exciting cozy mystery. #NetGalley #MurderByTheBookend #CrookedLaneBooks #LauraGailBlack

Jenna Quinn just can’t catch a break. In “For Whom the Book Tolls,” the first book in this series, Jenna moved to Hokes Folly and inherited her uncle’s antiquarian bookstore where he was found murdered. As a result, she wrongly became the prime suspect in the case. Now, another murder has taken place in Hokes Folly, this time immediately following a party to celebrate the bookstore’s reopening. Dead is Linus Talbot, the rare books librarian at the town’s public librarian. Suspects abound. Was it Douglas March, the long-suffering husband of wannabe socialite Selina, or perhaps Selina herself? Or maybe Prescott Bradford, the overbearing and hypocritical politician running for s state legislature seat? Potential suspects abound and once again hapless Detective Frank Sutter doesn’t have a clue. With the help of her boyfriend Detective Keith Logan, her bookseller employee Mason, and her friend Rita, Jenna steps up to crack the case. Laura Gail Black excels at crafting multidimensional characters to play out a plot that kept me guessing to the very end. I look forward to reading future books in The Antique Bookshop Mystery series.