This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by Crooked Lane Books and #NetGalley for my honest opinion.

A delightful cozy for fans of the genre.

This was an easy and enjoyable read. This cosy mystery is set in a very small town where everyone knows everyone but where WW2 is certainly bringing about significant changes and exposing key issues such as women entering the workforce, repurposing of factories to meet the requirements of war, racism and rationing.

The protagonist doesn't have it easy as she's young but now running the family (newspaper) business in a world still designed and controlled by men. The disrespect is evident!

The many undercurrents and sub-plots keep it interesting, though the ending wasn't much of a surprise.

My thanks to #Netgalley, Crooked Lane Publishers and the author for my advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was hooked from the first two chapters. The author has a way of giving information without getting to wordy. It was just enough detail to compliment the story. The chapters flowed so well that I never felt like I was missing anything. The story came together beautifully, and I was far from disappointed with the conclusion.

Set in the early 40’s, women are entering the workforce to cover the gaps left by men sent to war. 22 year old Irene is running the local paper that is owned by her father, while he is away assisting the war efforts. One of her reporters ends up murdered, and Irene has to get to the bottom of it.

Irene is the editor of her small town’s newspaper in Progress, Pennsylvania. She’s working hard to balance her job and friendships and obligations to her family, especially her younger sister.

One of her reporters, Mor, goes missing while chasing down a story, but that not anything new for him, until Irene finds his body. It’s an apparent accidental death, but then it becomes suspicious when Irene finds a note for her saying that if he’s killed, he was targeted. When there’s accidents and issues at a local factory, there’s questions whether this is connected to Moe’s death. Irene, along with her friend Penny work to get to the bottom of this.

This book was so good! It introduced us to an awesome heroine who’s smart and strong and breaking all the WWII area stereotypes of what women are supposed to do. The mystery itself was interesting and there were some nice historical details throughout the book. This wasn’t a particularly fast paced book but it did a nice job fleshing out these characters personalities and I’m hoping this is the start of a series.

This story is set in the early 1940’s

Irene Ingram has been promoted to Editor in Chief when her father who owns the paper joined the Army as a field correspondent for the U.S. troops in WWII.

She gets second guessed by all the male staff, especially her jealous cousin Donny, whose job it is to set the paper up for printing. He wants to be the one who runs the paper instead even though he’s not qualified, and only has the job because of his being a relative of the family.

When one of her reporters goes MIA on a story he’s supposed to be working, no one is really that surprised or concerned until he misses a deadline, which he has never done before. After a couple of days, Irene goes to his house and finds his body at the bottom of the stairs.

After finding a note he left Irene, she knows his death was not an accident.

Several of the Jewish people in the town have started being harassed since the U.S. joined the war against Hitler and Japan. And it was nowhere more evident than at Tabor Ironworks where one of the Jewish janitors is beaten up and then later pinned under some machinery.

Several accidents later, it is obvious to everyone that at least one person, if not a group of people at the factory are out to sabotage the factory and hinder the production of parts that will be used to build all the equipment necessary for the war machine at all cost including the death of at least one prominent member of the factory’s management team.

This is a fun story that is a little slow paced but has developed characters and a continuing plot that keeps the pages turning.

Front Page Murder is the first book in a new series by Joyce St. Anthony (Joyce Tremel) and I’m looking forward to the next one also.

This was my first book by Ms. St. Anthony and it definitely will not be my last.

This was a very enjoyable book published by Crooked Lane.

When Irene Ingram's father leaves to become a war correspondent, Irene takes over as editor in chief of his newspaper, the Progress Herald. Irene has been writing for his newspaper for a long time, but being appointed the editor does not go over well with the male reporters. The job keeps her busy while her fiancé enlisted after Pearl Harbor.

Progress, Pennsylvania is a small, friendly town until one resident, Sam Markowicz, becomes a victim of a hate crime leaving it's residents wondering who would have it in for Sam. Shortly after, one of Irene's reporters, Moe Bauer, left a message to say that he had a lead on something better than a robbery and was pursuing it but since Moe always had a lead on something that came to nothing, no one paid any attention. After not showing up for a few days at work, Irene drives to his house only to find him dead at the bottom of the stairs. Irene begins to wonder if someone at Tabor Ironworks could be behind this since a lot of new employees came to town to help with increased production to manufacture bolts for the war effort.

After another death and another victim of a hate crime resulting in serious injury, Irene pieces together a plot that could have serious consequences for everyone.

I read everyday. I am always looking for new series and/or authors and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this book. It's well written, moves at a steady pace, and the characters are well developed. I felt I was in 1942 and little things like Irene eating at the lunch counter of Woolworths brought back memories of my mom taking my sister and I there when we were kids for opened faced hot beef sandwiches and cherry cokes. If the rest of the books in this series is as good as this one is, then it's going to be a wonderful series. I really enjoyed it and if you like cozies that take place in the 40's, this book is for you.

Please note: I was given an advanced copy from the publisher through Netgalley.com. All opinions expressed are my own.

A great read, Front Page Murder by Joyce St. Anthony was a mystery with an intriguing plot and overall good prose. It was also notable for the characters. It was a well-balanced and enjoyable read. If you enjoy mystery novels, you will enjoy this cozy mystery.

It is May of 1942 and 22 year old Irene Ingram is running her father's newspaper, the Progress Herald, while he is in the Pacific as a war correspondent. She had been writing for the paper, as the home, garden and fashion reporter,. but this is a big promotion for her. Unfortunately, some people at the paper do not like working for a woman and even her mother is not very supportive. Then one of her reporters, Moses Bauer, who tells her he is working on a big story, dies mysteriously. Police Chief Walter Turner, her soon to be father-in-law can find nothing wrong at the scene, though Irene still has her doubts of it being an accident. Soon after some Jewish residents are harassed and there is trouble at the Tabor Ironworks. Irene has her hands full as she tries to piece events together. The characters are interesting, especially Lily, her younger sister. I look forward to the next story. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The headlines would read "Editor of Newspaper Solves Murder". I really enjoyed this mystery about the daughter of the owner and editor of a small town newspaper who became the editor-in-chief after her father joins up to be a war correspondence during WWII. The reporters are not happy having a woman in charge. When one of the reporters dies, under mysterious circumstance, she believes it to be murder. As she is investigating, she uncovers a bigger story. I really enjoyed this mystery. It is well written, keeps the reader engaged, and has a surprise ending. I would highly recommend this book.

"Front Page Murder" is the first in a hopefully long series featuring a newspaper editor in Progress, Pennsylvania during WWII. Irene has assumed control of the local newspaper while her father is deployed. This has ruffled some feathers, including those of her cousin, who thinks he should be in charge.

Irene is investigating some hate crimes against Jewish members of the community when a murder occurs. She thinks they're related, and turns her natural investigative skills to find the killer.

I've read many WWII mysteries, but usually, they're set in England. I enjoyed seeing some perspective from the U.S. home front, and Irene is an engaging sleuth. The characters are well-written and show the varying viewpoints of people during this time period. Some feel that women shouldn't be in charge, and Irene's struggles to manage the newspaper are very believable.

I'm not completely sure people in the U.S. were fully aware in 1942 about how much persecution and violence European Jews had suffered, but it makes sense that, if anyone would be well-informed, it would be the media.

4/5 stars

I received an advance copy from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book was sent to me by Netgalley on Kindle for review. The characters are likeable and the story moves quickly. Mystery and intrigue...friendship...this is a good one. At times, the characters are somewhat confusing as to their methods and motives.

Front Page Murder by Joyce St. Anthony is a wonderful historical cozy mystery that takes place in a small town in Pennsylvania during WWII and is the first in what I expect will be an excellent new series: A Homefront News Mystery.

I loved this book! It introduces us to the small town of Progress, Pennsylvania during May of 1942. Irene Ingram is the current editor in chief if the local paper, The Progress Herald and trying to make her Dad proud while he and her fiancé are signed up for the war. Being in charge at a young age, being female, and trying to balance her home life with her lovely but old-fashioned Mom, her job duties, being a good friend to her BFF and coworker Peggy, big sister to the artistic and talented Lily, and trying to reign in her otherwise all male staff is quite a lot to handle.

But, when one of her star reporters ends up dead, and local citizens end up being targeted with threats and hate crimes, Irene decides she needs to get this nipped right here, right now. Add in her friend Peggy and the mysterious new boarder, Katherine, and the reader has got themselves a great murder/mystery.

I loved meeting the town inhabitants and I love Irene. She is smart, vulnerable yet strong, and is just the type of woman I would want to be friends with. I liked the complex, yet easy to follow murder/mystery, and I am most certainly looking forward to more from this series!

I highly recommend this novel!

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Crooked Lane Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

Irene Ingram is a modern woman and has become Editor in Chief of the Progress Herald. While the men working at the paper aren’t all that supportive, Irene is complete at ease in her own skin.

When one her crime reporters is found murdered, the police think it was an accident, but Irene believes that Moe received a tip and that there’s more to the story…and she’s on it. Will she and her BFF Peggy find out what truly happened or will her father be shouting stop the presses for good?

I really enjoy some historical cozies and this is definitely one of them. It’s a solid whodunit with characters you can relate to. It reminds me of the American Girls books, but the girls are all grown up. I’ll be giving this to my daughter as she was a HUGE fan of the AG books and this will be right up her alley.

This is a great cozy historical mystery novel. It’s very well written and highly entertaining. Characters were both relatable and fun. The mystery itself is full of twists and turns and will keep you both interested and guessing until the very end. Highly recommend and can’t wait to read more from this author!!