This is the second book in the Beach Reads series and while I enjoyed the story, there were a few things that kept me from really liking it. First is Summer. I appreciate the author portraying a character that is struggling with her mental health and how she is getting support for it. But I have a hard time sympathizing with some of her struggles. For example, it feels like she did not like the students she was teaching, but was in academia more for the research. Yet she agonizes about going back to teaching. Why would she want to go back if she didn't like her students?

Over all, it was a good story and the ending was satisfying.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Summer has come back home to run her mother's bookstore. Her mother had died, so this bookstore has memories of her anywhere you look. Summer loves working there with the staff but someone is looking for something and knocks Summer out in an attempt to find it. This isn't the last time either...
Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It has been published so you can grab a copy now.

She knows that she has a book for sale about a murder that is a cold case. The author used the bare facts and then fictionlized the rest. Summer hasn't had the opportunity to read it yet, but she intends to.

There are three authors that plan to tell folks about their books. All of a sudden, one is kidnapped. The demand is that Summer has to sell the bookstore to get the missing author back. The author was staying with her when she was kidnapped.

With all that going on, Summer is trying to get to know her father's family. Some are receptive and some are not.

She has to be careful. Whoever the killer is has no reason not to kill her, too.

It's a busy book with lots of characters and various traumas. It holds your attention.

Once Upon a Seaside Murder by Maggie Blackburn
If I had known this author is the same person as Mollie Cox Bryan I probably would not have requested this book. Her writing has been very problematic for me in the past. I liked several of her books in the crafting and scrapbooking series but others I have not liked. I tried to read the first book in the series with the dairy (sorry, cannot recall series name) and it was terrible.
I have tried but cannot make myself care and cannot finish this book.

Maggie Blackburn in Once Upon a Seaside Murder has written a cozy based on an implausible plot and with characters who lack interest.

I really enjoyed the setting of this cozy; who doesn't love a bookshop on a small island? Setting aside, this mystery was definitely better than the first one, primarily because Summer wasn't nearly as obnoxious as in the first one. In the first one, she constantly talked about how she was smarter than all the customers at her bookshop because she is a Shakespeare scholar (and by default a terrible salesperson). Though it is mentioned in this one, I didn't feel like I was beaten over the head with it. The problem is that Summer just isn't likeable, which is a problem because we spend a lot of time dissecting how she feels about things. Then there's the addition of about a million characters which makes this difficult to follow. An improvement over the first but still not sure if I will continue with this series. I'm a much bigger fan of this author's other series.

Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught!

This is the 2nd installment in the Beach Reads mystery series. Summer Meriweather always loved Christmas but this is the first Christmas without her Mother Hildy. As she is getting ready to host a book event at her store right before the holiday she is with three authors one of which is loosely based on a murder on Brigid Island over 30 years ago. She also learns that her Mother Hildy was following this case and it is also connected to her Father’s family the Bellamy’s. The author who wrote the mystery based on the murder on Mermaid Point received threats before she arrived so Summer decides to have her stay with her and two times someone broke into her house. On the day of the event, Summer’s half siblings come along with her Grandmother who she has never met. Her Grandmother faints at the event when she sees the book about the murder. The chief of police Ben is also the father of Cash who she left at the altar many years ago and although they have had a rocky relationship he is very concerned for Summer and is also troubled by the cold case of the murder as this was his first murder case. Summer’s friends rally around her when it appears the author Mimi has been kidnapped and demand a ransom of Summer selling the bookstore. Summer does not want to sell but she does not want the woman’s blood on her hands. She needs Cash’s help as he is an attorney and it appears they might have some reconciliation in the future. This was a story that kept me engaged the entire time and was very exciting and the ending was fantastic. I really enjoyed it and look forward to the next in the series.

Once Upon. Seaside Murder is the second book in the Beach Reads Mystery series by Maggie Blackburn. However, I read this as a stand alone and I don’t feel like I was missing anything due to it.

This was just an alright book for me. I’m giving it three stars. Once Upon. Seaside Murder is the second book in the Beach Reads Mystery series by Maggie Blackburn. However, I read this as a stand alone and I don’t feel like I was missing anything due to it.This was just an alright book for me. I wasn’t fond of Summer. She was rather annoying.

However, the mystery aspect of this story was good. There were many twists I didn’t see coming and for a cozy mystery it was more in depth. This seemed more like darker, heavier vibe then I expected for a Christmas setting. There was no Christmas feel to this story for me. For me a Christmas tale definitely needs more merriment. Summer has more of a bring-me-down vibe. I would say this was more about the mystery than the characters for me. If you enjoy mysteries, cozy or otherwise, then you might enjoy this.

I wasn’t fond of Summer. She was rather annoying. However, the mystery aspect of this story was good. There were many twists I didn’t see coming and for a cozy mystery it was more in depth.

This seemed more like darker, heavier vibe then I expected for a Christmas setting. There was no Christmas feel to this story for me. For me a Christmas tale definitely needs more merriment.

Summer has more of a bring-me-down vibe. I would say this was more about the mystery than the characters for me.

If you enjoy mysteries, cozy or otherwise, then you might enjoy this.

This book was received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book constantly kept me guessing. I loved that Summer was getting to know her new family and spending time with them. Really great story!

I have only just started reading this cosy mystery style genre and have been enjoying them so much. This one though, I have to say, is the best one yet.

I love Summer (the main character) and how could you not like the setting, a book store and a cosy beach cottage. The perfect setting for a mystery! I loved all the characters in the book as each one brought a new slant on the situation.

The story flowed well and not having read the first book in the series (which I now have to do!) I didn't feel I missed anything (although I would like to know what happened to Hildy). It had plenty of twists and turns, plenty of plotting and excitement to keep me reading and I loved the prologue at the end as it really completed the story.

Great book, highly recommend.

This second instalment, Once Upon a Seaside Murder, continues Maggie Blackburn's excellent Beach Reads Mystery series.

Summer Merriweather is in her hometown of Brigid's Island, North Carolina and is missing her late mother, Hildy though she has the shop, 'Beach Reads' she inherited. I thought this was a magnificent, really solid second instalment in the series. I enjoyed Maggie Blackburn's characterisation of Summer though the outspoken, analytically-minded amateur-sleuth is portrayed as being rather snobbish, preferring the classics over other reads. Summer is a refreshingly different main character than I generally find in a cozy novel. The author has built on a good cast of friends and others including Aunt Agatha, cousin Piper and niece Mia, all adding a touch of adventure. With threats and warnings and disappearance, there's a sense of uncertainty that ups the tension. This book is such a fabulous read and I enjoyed puzzling over the cold case mystery. The writing is comfortably and smoothly paced, and the mystery itself is well-executed with strategically placed clues to sustain my interest. I relished my time on Brigid’s Island where there is a fluent African Grey parrot, a beautiful beach house, and a Shakespearean scholar, turned sleuth.

All in all, Once Upon a Seaside Murder is a great read with a really solid ending. Maggie Blackburn has left plenty of room for further character development and I will certainly be returning to see what Summer is getting herself into next in the third Beach Reads Mystery. Very highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Summer Merriwether returned home after ten years for her mother's funeral, and learned that she'd left her precious bookstore to her daughter. Summer didn't want it, but in the months following, she still hasn't decided whether she's going to keep it or return to her job at the university. She's also learned that she has half-siblings who are Egyptian and very rich. But when her half-brother Sam hands her a box of photos he'd found of her mother and father together, she still hasn't been able to go through it. But then another box is found at the bookstore, which contains a scrapbook and newspaper clippings of a murder that occurred over thirty years ago, and had ties to her father's family.

To make matters worse, she learns that one of the cozy authors visiting has based her latest book on the murder. Sure, she's not written about the murder itself, but she's taken the bones of the case and used her own speculations -- and personal research -- to write the book, and it turns out someone isn't happy. Since she's received death threats, she figures the safest place to stay will be at Summer's cottage. At least until someone keeps breaking in and takes the box of photos. But why? And why terrorize the author? Unless someone has something they want to keep hidden...like murder...

This is the second book in the series, and while I thought it was better than the first, it still has issues as far as I'm concerned. There's a part of the book in which Summer stated that she came home to see her mother last year for Christmas, but in the previous book she stated she hadn't been home for ten years. Also, she states as how much she misses her mother, but in the last book their relationship was contentious, and for some reason or other she didn't want any part of her previous life.

Also, this book might take place at Christmas, but there is very little about the holiday. Yes, there is decorating, and mention of vegan cookies (ugh), but there is no feel for Christmas, just as there is no feel for the characters.

Summer is all about Summer. Much of the book is about Summer's dissecting her thoughts (the woman seriously needs a therapist) and while she has an irrational fear of spiders (having the fear is alright, but wearing a nylon mask?) it doesn't bother me much because all of Ms. Blackburn's main characters have an emotional, physical, or psychological issue. (I am including the author's books written as Mollie Cox Bryan, too -- so I wasn't surprised when I discovered Summer's problem).

As I've stated in my last review, there are no strong male characters in the book, and I truly am surprised Cash showed up at all. Piper's husband was a surprise -- he wasn't even mentioned in the last book, and I had no idea she was married. He was given exactly one sentence in this book, so he may as well have been wallpaper. The secondary characters aren't really that interesting, and the little snit that Piper had didn't even make sense (read the book and you will know).

However, the writing was good, and as we already know, Summer will solve everything to all its satisfaction, and the climax was interesting, to say the least. The book isn't a bad book at all, and I will read the next in the series to see if Summer has softened at all..

As the holidays are getting into full swing in the cozy coastal town of Brigid Island. Summer Meeriwether is all geared for a holiday cozy mystery signing event. When Summer discovers one of the featured authors has written a book about a murder that happened many years ago in Summer’s own town, questions pop up faster than answers can be sought out. The Christmas season is bringing up ghosts from the past. Beach Reads is knee deep mystery and secrets this merry season.

Once Upon a Seaside Murder is a fantastic reads. Piled to the brim with everything that cozy mystery lovers love. You’ve got a great atmosphere and cozy little town. The characters are filled with personality and charisma. The setting is a bookstore, how can a reader not love that. The mystery is quite twisty and many secrets are revealed throughout the pages. Maggie Blackburn really gave it all in this book and it really shows. Summer has grown so much between the first and second book. Once Upon a Seaside Murder Summer discovers her own mystery in conjunction with what’s going on with the cozy mystery event. So many secrets are found and the answers are jaw dropping. Summer is on A mental and at times physical roller coaster ride. I love how she goes from being uncertain about certain things, having all this craziness happen to realize the things that she really needs are the things that are right in front of her. Summers' personal struggles tie into the craziness surrounding the cozy mystery event. Along the way there are some shocking moments, truths you didn’t see coming, a group of friends that have become family and many laugh out loud moments.

Once Upon a Seaside Murder is a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable read.

3,5* rounded to 4
I wasn't a fan of "Little Bookshop of Murder" but I liked this one as it's more complex and engrossing than the first one.
Summer is quite a complex characters, it's not the usual happy&relaxed cozy mystery heroine and she's grieving and suffering. I hope she will find a way to move on, I liked her better and she's slowly growing on me.
The dual time and the mystery are well developed and I couldn't guess the culprit.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This series from Maggie Blackburn confuses me. I love it almost as much as I dislike it. I can’t warm up to Summer, in fact her self pitying attitude grates on my nerves and I find I have to put the book aside to get a break from her. However, they many layers of mystery woven into the story keeps me coming back for more and this book was no different. How is a thirty year old murder related to the disappearance of a cozy mystery writer that is on Brigid’s Island for a cozy convention? And are both related to Summer’s recently discovered family?

The set up and setting for this book sounded delightful and made me hopeful that this would be a wonderful cozy mystery to read this fall. A bookshop in a seaside village sounds like a lovely place to spend time.

Unfortunately for me, for a cozy mystery to be fully enjoyable I have to like the main character, and I found it very hard to root for Summer. Even though I had empathy for Summer as she was understandably still grieving the loss of her mother in the previous book, she most comes across as extremely judgmental, naive, and, at times, extremely prejudiced.

Even so, I did keep reading all the way to the end because I was super curious about the resolutions to the multiple mysteries in the book. But ultimately this book paints in stereotypes (even as it’s constantly assuring you it is not) that I just can’t get behind.

I loved this book!

Once Upon a Seaside Murder by Maggie Blackburn is the second book in her Beach Reads Mystery series. This is stacking up to be an outstanding cozy mystery series. The storyline in this book is quite fascinating. It involves a cold case murder and a cozy mystery author writing a book based on the true story as best it is known. There's lots of action and suspense. Main character Summer Merriwether finally discovers who her father is but his family complicates Summer's life. I liked all the interactions amongst the characters. The book shop Beach Reads sounds like a shop I'd love to frequent. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Nice visit to the seaside bookstore. We learn more about Summer's mother and father. as Summer works to figure out who the killer is and why. I find the characters enjoyable.

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

Summer Merriweather is still reeling from the loss of her mother. It is particularly difficult as Christmas nears. Beach Reads is hosting a cozy mystery author panel discussion, but someone is not happy that Mimi Sinclair, author of Mermaid Point Murder, is coming to town. Threats and warnings proceed the kidnapping of the author. Summer works to discover who has taken Mimi and where she could be kept. If Summer cannot figure it out in time, she could lose something precious to her. Once Upon a Seaside Murder by Maggie Blackburn is the 2nd A Beach Reads Mystery. It can be read as a standalone if you have not had a chance to indulge in Little Bookshop of Murder. I found Once Upon a Seaside Murder a Debbie downer. There is a lot of sadness, anxiousness, and stress in the story. Summer has several issues that affect her personality. She is grieving the loss of her mother, she zones out, and she is terrified of spiders. We get to hear in detail about her thoughts and feelings. These issues, of course, affect her attitude. I just do not find Summer appealing as a protagonist. Summer is learning about her birth father and family. We get to meet her newly found half-siblings as well as a grandmother plus she learns about a host of other relatives. The whodunit ties to a murder that occurred at Mermaid Point over thirty years ago. There are threats, break ins, and a kidnapping. There was one thing done that was a little extreme for a cozy mystery. The mystery is resolved in the end with complete explanation. I wish Once Upon a Seaside Murder had been lighter and shorter. I hope going forward that Summer starts to move past her grief and fears. There are some good characters in the story such as Glads, Marilyn, Mia, and Aunt Agatha. They are fun and engaging. Let us not forget Mr. Darcy. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the bookstore. I could get lost for hours inside Beach Reads. Once Upon a Seaside Murder takes readers to Brigid’s Island, North Carolina where mayhem ensues when a cozy mystery author is kidnapped, and old secrets come to light.

Once Upon a Seaside Murder by Maggie Blackburn is the 2ndbook in Beach Reads Mystery series, and more enjoyable than the 1st book in the series, Little Bookshop of Murder. It is Christmas time and Summer Merriweather is still hurting by her mother's sudden death. After Summer uncovers her mothers interest in an old crime, she is determined to solve it. I must say I still don't like Summer's character very much, but I enjoyed the mystery. I will be reading the next book in the series, hoping the books will continue to improve.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.