A Fatal Booking is the third book in the Booklovers B&B Mystery series by Victoria Gilbert.

A former teaching colleague of Charlotte’s, Lora Kane, has called and wants to reserve the B&B for her and her book club. Lora will be holding a Mad Hatter-themed tea party.


Charlotte notices tension between a few guests at the Mad Hatter tea party. Later, Charlotte is walking through her backyard and finds the body of Stacy Wilkins. It will be determined that Stacy died from cyanide poisoning. Charlotte, with her neighbor and former spy, Ellen. Charlotte will soon find that there is no shortage of possible suspects. A gentleman who rents boats would like to do whatever it takes to get Stacy and her boyfriend to pay for damages to a boat they rented. Zach, a member of the book club, had accused Stacy of taking advantage of his mother in Stacy’s handling of the sale of some family heirlooms. She also reportedly stole some of Lora’s jewelry designs.

I enjoy visiting Charlotte, the guests at her B&B, and her friends and neighbors. The story is well-written and plotted. There were enough twists and turns and red herrings that I was kept guessing until the end of the book as to who the killer was. The characters are interesting and believable.

I am anxious to read the next book in this enjoyable series.

This is the third in this series. Charlotte has inherited Chapters B&B from her aunt, a former spy. Chapters is hosting a weeklong retreat celebrating a book of illustrations of children’s stories coordinated by the illustrator. However when a Mad Hatter’s tea party leads to murder the relaxing week is upset. I enjoy Charlotte and the way she works both with her elderly neighbor who is a former spy handler and the local police. This is an interesting book and I loved it.

A Fatal Booking returns us to Chapters, a book-themed B&B owned by Charlotte Reed, which has been rented for a book club retreat. The retreat's theme is fairy tales and children's literature and unfortunately, one of the book club members is poisoned at the Mad Hatter tea party. The murdered member had enemies a-plenty, and once again, Charlotte and her neighbor Ellen, a former spy, along with some help from Charlotte's new love interest Gavin, also a spy, assist the local police in solving the crime.

This is a very complex mystery, with each of the members of the book club being a potential suspect, as they all had a reason for murdering the victim. Each of the book club members are connected in some way, which comes as a surprise as the story very cleverly unfolds. The reader is left guessing until the very thrilling end of the book, with the reveal of the culprit very much a surprise. The book does keep you on the edge of your seat, as Charlotte and Ellen find themselves in some very dangerous situations, there are more secrets to uncover in Chapter's attic, missing photos, and stolen jewels.

A Fatal Booking is a great addition to the series and I will very much look forward to spending more time at Chapters with Charlotte.

This is a cozy mystery and is the third in the Booklover's B&B Mystery series, but I have not read the earlier books. No matter, it was easy to drop in and read as a stand alone. I picked this book up because it is set in Beaufort, North Carolina, a town I love to visit when I get a chance.

The story setting is at Chapters Bed and Breakfast, called Chapters because it is a literary themed venue. The B & B is owned by Charlotte Reed, who inherited it from her great-aunt, Isabella Harrington. A book club has come to stay at Chapters for a week-long event. A guest is murdered during the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, a costumed event the group held at the bed and breakfast. There are multiple suspects in the literary group staying there and Charlotte and her neighbor, Ellen Montgomery start invesigating the case on their own, behind the scenes. They do inform the police though when they find information.

I enjoyed the book and it held my attention with a mix of humor an suspense. I liked the characters and enjoyed the literary setting. The Beaufort, NC backdrop was a treat. I also liked Gavin, Charlotte's boyfriend who has an undercover background.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on June 7, 2022.

Charlotte Reed, owner of Chapters Bed and Breakfast, is delighted to welcome an eclectic group of guests for a book club retreat focused on fairy tales and classic children’s literature. But when one of the guests is poisoned at a Mad Hatter tea party, Charlotte realizes she’s fallen down a rather unpleasant rabbit hole. Can Charlotte, with the help of her friends Ellen and Gavin, find the culprit before someone else dies at Chapters?
This was a very puzzling mystery full of twists and red herrings. The bed and breakfast was beautifully described and made me want to visit and stay for the night. Charlotte is a very likeable character, and the side characters are so intriguing that I want to know more about them, especially Ellen. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

A Fatal Booking by Victoria Gilbert is the third A Booklover’s B&B Mystery. It can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series. I enjoyed reading this charming cozy mystery. I thought it was well-written and engaging. I did find A Fatal Booking to be a slow starter as we are introduced to the characters. The pacing increased towards the halfway mark. I find Charlotte Reed to be a great main character. She is realistic and relatable. I like Charlotte’s inquisitive mind. I also like her neighbor, Ellen who was a spy before she retired. There is a great mix of personalities in this story which makes it more interesting. I also like the diversity of the characters. I just love the descriptions of Chapters. A literary themed bed and breakfast is just the place for booklovers to stay while on vacation. I would love to live in this gorgeous home. The library (of course) is my favorite room. The mystery was well-plotted with a handful of suspects and a red herring. It seems the victim had crossed every member of the book club at one time or another as well as a someone who lives nearby. I had a good time solving this whodunit. I like a mystery that is out of the box. There are clues to help readers solve the crime before the reveal (if you are paying attention). Charlotte comes across helpful information and notices clues. I did feel that Charlotte dropped the ball a couple of times. Charlotte would notice something, but she did not follow up. I like that she enlists the help of her friends and Charlotte does share information with the detective on the case. There is romance in the story as well. Charlotte’s spy boyfriend, Gavin is back. I think they are a nice, compatible couple, and I hope they get to spend more time together in the future. The author combined interesting characters, a curious crime, a touch of romance, some suspense, and hints of humor into one engaging cozy mystery. I am curious what is going to happen in the next A Booklover’s B&B Mystery. A Fatal Booking is an inviting Southern cozy mystery with an argumentative book group, an open attic door, missing mementoes, murdered rumormonger, curious clues, and an inquisitive innkeeper.

This book is my introduction to the Booklover's B & B Mystery series. I enjoy reading cozy mystery series. I liked the cover and the synopsis sounded great, so I decided to give this book series a try. The addition of Fairytales in the mystery was a clever twist and helped make this book a pleasant read. The characters along with the setting are wonderful as well.

My thanks to Crooked Lane and NetGallery for a digital copy of this book for my review. I look forward to reading more books in this series!

Another entertaining and compelling story by Victioria Gilbert, the third in this series.
I had fun in reading it, the solid mystery kept me guessing, and I was glad to catch up with the quirky characters.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A Fatal Booking is book #3 in the Booklover’s B&B Mystery series by Victoria Gilbert.

A book club reserved all the rooms at Chapters Bed and Breakfast. Unfortunately, there is tension among the members, making them suspects when one of them is murdered.

I really enjoy this series and this book was a great addition to it. It’s fun seeing references to places I’m familiar with. Charlotte, Ellen, Gavin, and the Irregulars are wonderful characters. It was an intriguing mystery since the victim had issues with so many people.

Thank you to the author, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Welcome back to Chapters, the book-themed B&B run by Charlotte, who inherited from the great aunt who may or may not have been an international spy!

This time, Charlotte is hosting a book club retreat. The organisers are a little more hands-on and exacting than she usually likes, but the Alice in Wonderland theme seems to be going well. Until, of course, one of the group turns up dead at the Mad Hatter’s tea party! There are no shortages of suspects, given how many enemies the deceased seemed to have had, largely due to some very shady business practices.

What I really love about this series is how natural the involvement in the crimes is – too many mysteries force the character into occupations or situations, but here we have Charlotte with an ever-changing cast of visitors, and an obvious interest in helping solve crimes that happen on her property. More than this, I love the lack of antagonism with the actual police/detectives. Charlotte isn’t investigating against everyone’s wishes and common sense – and law! – but is in a position to hear more, and reaches out just a little from this – but everything goes back to the police, as it should. It’s refreshing, and makes for an easier read without the too-often need for eye-rolling 😉

Likewise, my usual complaints about cosy mysteries are missing here: the focus is the crime, with other elements forming a lovely, rich background. Yes, there’s romance, and helpful friends, and the business to run. But these things aren’t given too much weight compared to the investigation.

There are some fortuitous coincidences, of course, not least her neighbour the ex-spy, and her boyfriend the current… something he can’t really talk about in the government 😉

I thoroughly enjoyed the light pace that still kept me guessing with twists and turns as the mystery is unravelled. One of my new favourite cosy mystery series, I reckon!

Charlotte, owner of Chapters B&B in North Carolina, was about to welcome a book club group on a retreat which focused on the classics and fairytales of the past, to her B&B. Alicia, her housekeeper and general right hand person, and Damien, the chef, were readied, as well as the local Bookshop along with other friends of Charlotte’s. But it didn’t take her long to pick up on the tensions within the group, and when one person was found dead in the garden, Charlotte and Ellen vowed to find the answers, helping out the local police as they’d done in the past.

Digging into the guests’ pasts, Charlotte and Ellen knew there were many secrets hidden, which certain people wouldn’t want to come to light. As the police interviewed the guests, keeping them at Chapters until they were cleared, strange things were happening in and around the B&B. When friend and ally, agent Gavin, arrived back in town, he was also enlisted by Charlotte and Ellen. But would they find the culprit before someone else died?

A Fatal Booking is the 3rd in the Booklover’s B&B Mysteries by Victoria Gilbert and once again I enjoyed the entertainment. The characters are fun, Shandy the little terrier is cute, and the action, often centred around books, is sometimes dangerous, always full on, and the conclusion is satisfying. Recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of A Fatal Booking (A Booklover’s B&B Mystery #3) by Victoria Gilbert from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in order to read and give an honest review.

… a fast-paced mystery, replete with an abundance of twists and turns, quirky characters. …

In this third entry in the Book lover’s B & B mystery series, Charlotte, the owner, and operator of the inherited Chapters B&B in North Carolina is hosting an old friend’s book club retreat featuring fairy tales and classic children’s literature. What should have been a fun time turns tragic when one of the members is murdered. Long held grudges and the questionable business practices of the victim provides an abundance of suspects. True to form Charlotte and her neighbor Ellen, a former spy both decide to offer the police some inside help since the suspects are asked to stay in town, most harboring at Chapters. When Charlotte’s attic is broken into it becomes obvious that there is more to the story, more that connects the history of Chapters throwing Charlotte and her friend into the path of a killer. Gavin makes a reappearance in this entry and the three endure a nail-biting adventure.

I enjoy the series, each book is better than the previous, however, this entry felt like a finale of sorts which I truly hope is not the case. A Fatal Booking is a fast-paced mystery, replete with an abundance of twists and turns, quirky characters. It is a fantastic and fun cozy mystery read which I definitely recommend.

What should be a lovely week long retreat for a book group at Chapters B&B turns into a homicide investigation. The group members are focusing on fairy tales and children's books, not murder mysteries but one of the group has another agenda. The victim is obnoxious and has had run ins with various people making the list of suspects fairly long. Somebody poisoned her during the Mad Hatter tea party and Charlotte, as owner of the B&B, has the most at stake. It's really bad for business. With the help of her friend, Ellen, an ex-spy and Gavin Howard, Charlotte sets out to expose the killer.
Death by poisoning, burglaries and sales of stolen jewelry are just some of the threads that kept me glued to the page. Even though this is the third book in the series it does work as a stand alone. The mystery is well crafted and Charlotte and Ellen make a great team of sleuths.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

A Fatal Booking is the 3rd book in A Booklover’s B&B mystery series. It could potentially stand alone as introduction to the characters fills in where a new reader might have questions.
Charlotte hosts a book group that includes an old teaching friend, Lora. At the opening event, a guest dies. She was not well liked amongst the group which offers up plenty of suspects as the investigation proceeds.
I enjoyed following the mystery. I must admit I identified the murderer fairly early and wasn’t sure why Charlotte and Ellen didn’t look closer at this person.
The climax of the plot was explosive. I like how the author ties the mysteries in with the past and Charlotte’s Aunt Isabella.
I really like that the author gives us more story after the mystery winds up. It just makes the book feel more finished.
I enjoyed A Fatal Booking. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

A Fatal Booking is a fun and very well farted cozy Mystery.


Book lover and former teacher Charlotte has inherited her late aunts B&B. Chapters, a literary themed B&B located in beautiful Beaufort North Carolina. After a last-minute cancellation Charlotte is delighted to host a book club of a former colleague with a theme of fairytales and classic children’s literature. What should be more than a delightful time turns into something much more mysterious. Come to find out the members of the book club don’t care for each other too well. During their costume mad hatter tea party one of the guests was found dead. Charlotte calls on the help of neighbor Ellen Montgomery, who has a few little secrets of her own, to get to the bottom of this mystery. With plenty of suspects there’s so many ways this mystery could go.


I very much enjoyed this charming cozy mystery. Charlotte is an amazing sleuth and I love the fact that she shares every bit of information that she gets with the police. Charlotte is a very likable character. I also love Ellen. She is a firecracker and I love that she has The past that she does. She’s a very interesting character and definitely adds to the story. I love Charlotte and Garrett. I can’t wait to see how they unfold. Author Victoria Gilbert as given us well-developed characters, a complex yet intriguing mystery and a bit of romance on top. Just the way I like my cozy mysteries.

Former teacher Charlotte inherits a B&B from her eccentric aunt and continues the business. She is hosting a book club this time out, although the members don't seem to particularly get along. The nastiest of the group is found murdered by poison in the garden.

Charlotte is an okay character. She has a prickly relationship with her cook/housekeeper and a firm friendship with her next door neighbor Ellen, a former intelligence operative. The setting and action are pleasant enough to make light reading although if you require logic and clarity in your mysteries, this might not be for you. Do you suppose a small town police detective ever actually thanks amateur snoops for their help?

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

Charlotte and Ellen are back on the case when a jewelry store owner is murdered in the gardens during a book club retreat. Charlotte uncovers unsavory details about the victim the more she digs into her background. Other guests are acting hinky and why are there noises in the attic?
Charlotte and Gavin’s relationship progresses long with some other news at the end.
The author has decided to remap Charlotte’s future so I will see what it will mean for the series.

A Fatal Booking by Victoria Gilbert is the third book in her Booklovers B & B Mystery series. Charlotte Reed, who is the owner of Chapters B & B, along with her next-door-neighbor Ellen Montgomery are investigating the murder of Stacy Wilkin, who was a guest at Chapters. She and her book club members are staying at Chapters for a retreat and book discussions. This is a fascinating storyline. Charlotte and Ellen face danger during their investigation. Good thing Charlotte's spy boyfriend Gavin arrives in town to help them when the killer decides to involve them. There are changes announced in this book. Can't wait to see how these changes affect things in the next book.

This is he 3rd book of the series, but the first I have read. It's always great to have an older lead character, and Charlotte is a fun character, with an interesting new profession that leads her literally into a mystery involving her house and the current guests, and shedding more light on the house's history! It's a fun, quick read, cozy that will have you dreaming of vacation, and looking at B&B's in a new way!

This is the third book in the Booklover's B&B mysteries. Charlotte has the bookclub of a former teaching friend, Lora Kane staying at her B&B Chapters. At the first event, Stacy, the one bookclub member who isn't staying at Chapters is poisoned and found dead in the garden. She has been heard arguing with several other members, and Charlotte had heard her arguing with a boat captain when she is out for lunch. There are rumors that she sells stolen jewelry. Thus, there are a lot of possible murderers! Of course, Charlotte and Ellen (the retired spy next door) will be helping the police. Charlotte is getting closer to Gavin, even though he has been out of the country for his spying. He comes back just in time to help discover the the perpetrator and keep Ellen and Charlotte safe from the killer.

The book has a clever plot with lots of suspects, and it's only near the end when the reader finally realizes who the guilty one is. I thank Crooked Lane and Netgalley for providing an ARC for me to read and review.