I was totally in the mood for a cozy mystery, and this one 100% scratched my itch 🥹🥹

three sisters find their opening day of their new record store, sip and spin, abruptly halted when they find a dead body in the supply closet 🫠 I mean, I would 100% question my entire life too at that point

I loved every single one of the characters omg! june, maggie, and tansy were so fleshed out among their family - and the fact that they were so wildly unique from each other was so wonderful!

I had a suspicion and guessed the killer correctly from the beginning, but since I wasn’t expecting a huge plot twist, I was happy to go along for the ride!

this one kept me up way past my bedtime as I frantically tried to finish and see if my theories were correct! you won’t want to put this one down!

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! this one’s out after christmas!

rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: finger lakes cabernet franc

I adored Vinyl Resting Place! This is a unique cozy mystery that I devoured in a day! I'm looking forward to the next one when it releases! I know this is going to be a new favorite series of mine.

I found the writing stilted and repetitive in a way that suggested it could benefit from more thorough editing, and a couple of the characters annoyed me. (The glitter bombs that Samuel and Calvin send not only seem annoying, but also dangerous if the glitter can literally cut people's skin.) I also thought the whodunnit could have been executed better. Still, I enjoyed the sense of place Olivia Blacke instills, and Juni's relationships with her family and her potential love interests are fleshed out well. (I appreciate that Blacke doesn't have Juni leap back into her ex-boyfriend Beau's arms, mostly because he seems like a cocky jerk--for the record, I'm Team Teddy Garza.)

This was a fun new offering by a a newer cozy mystery author, and it looks super promising. I love the idea of three sisters working together. Their teasing banter is lotsa fun, but you can still tell they'd each do anything for the other sisters. After the murder, most of the book was spent chasing or trying to locate rascally Uncle Calvin. Having a record store with a coffee shop in it was a fun place to center the action what with the renewed interest in records with the younger crowd and some of the boomers and older who loved it--and pretty much everyone loves a good cuppa something. The names of the coffee or tea offerings were too much fun! And Juni was just an overall fun character! We could be mother/daughter with how I totally am all about her comfortable way of wanting to dress and not dress up, lol.

After a well-placed clue, I was pretty sure I knew whodunit, and I was right! The showdown was a good one with plenty of incriminations going on, but at the very end, I loved what definitively nailed the perp! Calvin and his ex-business partner/buddy Samuel were two old curmudgeons, but I could tell the girls loved them a lot, so it'll be interesting to see what this sleuthing bunch gets into next!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers e-copy!

Unfortunately, this book did not work for me. As someone who enjoys cozy mysteries I enjoy reading a novel filled with mystery but not high tension stakes and this book appeared to have fit into this category. First, the cover is just amazing. Beyond aesthetics, the summary sounded so promising. Where did it go wrong for me?

The pacing of this book was too irregular to keep up with. I skimmed the last three chapters because of it. The writing was confusing to follow as a result. Because this book is very action based, this only complicated things more. The writing was very repetitive and I found certain facts and stories being shared over and over. Coupled with the telling and not showing and it felt juvenile and this is coming from a twenty something who loves to read a good YA novel.

With a cozy, I love to see other elements. With this said, it would have been really fun to see more of the business side being shown. Each sister felt very surface level and it didn't always make sense. It again felt very young, giving each sister a very one dimensional personality. It was a disjointed narrative for each sister and overall lagged along with the plot. I read cozies for the other plot devices and the mystery element and when the book lacks both it's tough!

This book did not bring me joy as a reader however I am certain there is a type of reader who would enjoy this book as other reviewers seemed to really love this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is a new cozy mystery based in Texas. Juni moves home to open a record shop with her sisters. On opening night a body is discovered in the shop and the sisters' uncle is the main suspect. We are introduced to many characters throughout the book; hopefully setting up for future books in the series.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I love a good cozy mystery. This one didn't disappoint.

Juni loses her job in IT and decides to move back to Texas and open a record store with her sister's. It is in the same location that her grandparents had a store many years ago.

At the grand opening party, Juni discovers a dead girl in a closet. Who did it? Her uncle Calvin goes missing and becomes suspect #1. Did he really do it?

I liked that it kept me guessing until the end. It looks like future books may have a romantic triangle between her ex boyfriend, Beau and her BFF, Teddy.

I can't wait to read more books in this series.

4.5/5 stars

Vinyl Resting Place is a debut cozy mystery with wonderful characters and a mystery to keep you guessing, Juniper (Juni) and her sisters Tansy and Maggie reopened their family record shop, Sip & Spin Records. A Murder occurs at their Grand Opening and the sisters' Uncle Calvin is the prime suspect. The police officer who arrests Calvin is Juni's ex-boyfriend. Juni renews her friendship with an old classmate. When Calvin disappears the family is worried and begins to search for him and to figure out the murder. The 3 sisters really make the story enjoyable along with their friends. The ending was good and kept me guessing. A very enjoyable book and I am looking forward to more in this series. #VinylRestingPlace #RecordShopMystery #NetGalley

(3.5 Stars) The start of a new cozy mystery series. The setting is a Cedar Rive near Austin, Texas. Three sisters open a coffee and vinyl record shop called Sip and Spin. They find a dead body in their storage closet after the grand opening. Their uncle Calvin is a suspect and when he is held in jail they don’t hesitate to use the store for bail collateral. Juni Jessup is the primary amateur investigator. Other main characters include; Mom, sisters Tansy and Maggie, Juni’s old boyfriend Beau (now a police detective) and J.T. a lawyer who is Maggie’s husband.

The record store is a fun setting with lots of musical references. And Juni is a good narrator as she rides around on the three wheeler bicycle. The mystery itself isn’t that hard to solve. And there is some repetition. But it is decent world building and I will look for the next book to see if it continues to hold my interest. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an early ARC in exchange for an honest review.

f you love small town Texas, music, coffee, puns and pranks, you've come to the right book. This cozy about three sisters opening a vinyl record shop is a quick, entertaining read. I may stop in again to see what happens in Juni's love life. Her high school honey and best friend both seem to be interested.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S VINYL RESTING PLACE ABOUT?
Tired of all the corporate buyouts and reshuffling in the software business, Juni Jessup returns to her home—a small town just outside Austin, TX. There, she and her two older sisters invest in a record/coffee shop. Years before, the digital music revolution had forced her parents to close the shop that had been in their family for decades. But now, the resurgence of vinyl has given them the chance to reopen—adding a coffee counter is a clever move and something that the neighborhood could really use, too.

The sisters are energized the night of the Grand Opening party—there's a huge crowd (free tacos from a local food truck and beer from a microbrewery helped). Not only are they optimistic about the business, but the family is back together again, after Juni's time in the Northwest. They know the future will have challenges, but for the moment, life is good.

Sadly, that first challenge is less in the future than they realized, and it's a big one. While they're cleaning up after the party and getting ready to open for their first day of business, Juni finds a murdered girl in the closet with their cleaning supplies. Very quickly, the police focus their investigation on the sisters' uncle and arrest him. The family puts up the Sip & Spin as collateral for his bail, convinced that the investigation will clear him.

Then Uncle Calvin disappears and the business is in jeopardy—not to mention the three life savings they invested. The sisters, led by Juni, take the investigation into their own hands—determined not to go down without a fight.

JUNI AND EVERYONE ELSE
I've only mentioned Juni so far because of space, but the book isn't just about her. Juni is clearly the protagonist—but the book isn't just about her. The sisters are the core—with their mother and the husband of the eldest sister rounding out the immediate circle. The emotional core of the novel is about Juni's return to the family and the way they're welcoming her back (it's not that things were ever tense, but hundreds of miles and only brief visits aren't the same as living near each other). It's the sense of family, the way they come together for each other, that makes sure this book (and the series, I'm sure) is filled with the warmth and comfort you need in a cozy.

Of course, you can't have a character come back to a small town without a love interest or two popping up, too. There's the lifelong best friend, who apparently carried a torch the whole time—he's grown into a pretty attractive man. And then the high school/college boyfriend who suddenly and unexpectedly broke up with her one day. He's clearly got his eyes set on reestablishing the status quo.

Also, he's the police detective in charge of the murder. Because why should things be easy?

It's a great recurring cast, and one that'd be easy for a series to use in new and fun ways as the series progresses—mostly because the reader can't help but find them all endearing.

A TINY BONUS
The music-inspired punny drink names for their coffee counter are just perfect. Too many more would've been too much, but I could've used an additional handful. They're the kind of little touch that adds so much to a scene—you get an idea of the characters behind them, if nothing else. Like the names of the stores and restaurants in The Good Place, they add a layer of enjoyment on top of everything else.

I'm not saying I'll pick up book two just to read what names Blacke comes up with. But I've had worse reasons to pick up a book.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT VINYL RESTING PLACE?
I'm a little concerned about how this can be a series—how many murders can happen in one small town record store or involving the family that owns it? I'm sure Blacke can get another one or two out of the premise before it starts to get creepy, but suspending that kind of disbelief is part and parcel of cozies like this, right? So what do I know?

The premise and genre promise certain things about this novel—and Blacke delivers exactly that. The best word to sum this experience up is pleasant—the mystery was clever, the characters are charming, and I like the overall setup for the series. And the book was exactly what a cozy should be—an entertaining and pleasant time.

I don't see how this book won't find fans all of whom will be more than ready for the next murder this family stumbles across.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thanks to both for the opportunity. Opinions expressed are my own.

Juni and her sisters couldn't imagine what would unfold after finding a woman murdered in their record shop on opening night.

I was definitely thrown off from who might be responsible since so much time was dedicated to trying to find Uncle Calvin. Juni became an amateur sleuth in the process. I liked some of the conflict added by Juni's ex being the detective on the case. They definitely knew how to aggravate each other.

The middle of the book was a bit slow, but the setting and explanation at the end were well done. I'm looking to more mysteries surrounding the Sip n Spin record shop!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC for my honest review.

I loved everything about this cozy – the setting, the characters, the writing, the pace of the story; my only concern is an eventual love triangle but I’m not borrowing trouble. I enjoyed getting to know Juni Jessup and her quirky family and friends and really liked the reviving the old record shop idea. Most of the music they mentioned is the stuff I grew up listening to so now I feel a little old, too, but this was a great start to a new series. Highly recommended for those who love cozies, particularly ones without too many silly antics and characters.

There is no better time of year for a cozy mystery and I loved the first book in this new series. Vinyl Resting place is really a hit for me- I love vinyl records and love solving mysteries. 

I love the set up- three sisters, named after flowers (I love a theme) reopen their family's record store...but on opening night a body is found in the closet. All signs point to their uncle Calvin and its made even more complicated when Calvin skips bail. 

I really enjoyed this one. It was a fun mystery with a great cast of characters. I am anxious to see where this series goes and what other trouble these sisters can get into.

An interesting setting for a new cozy mystery series. Sip & Spin Records is a vinyl record/coffee shop run by three sisters: Juni(per), Tansy and Maggie Jessup in their small hometown of Cedar River, Texas. But their opening day is tainted when the dead body of a young woman is found in their supply closet. Their Uncle Calvin is arrested for the murder by Juni's ex-boyfriend detective Beau. When the sisters put up the store for bail collateral, they're shocked when Calvin disappears. Now the fate of their store is on the line so the sisters decide to find the real killer.

I like the interactions between the sisters but the story felt a bit klunky & repetitive. And the constant appearance of Beau was annoying. I wanted to like this book more but give it 3.5 stars.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and St Martin's Press. My opinions are my own.

An easy, fun cozy mystery with a pretty solid plot, satisfying conclusion, and a small town setting I’ll be looking forward to hopefully returning to in future books.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the advance review copy.

I enjoyed this one very much. The Jessup family is back together and reviving the family record store. Unfortunately a woman is murdered at their grand opening party. Then Uncke Calvin disappears after the sisters use the shop to guarantee his bail on moving violations making him look guilty. Will they be able to find the real killer and Calvin before his court date?
Well written with great characters. Clean, no obnoxious language or sexual content. A fun read that kept ne engaged from beginning to end.

3.5 stars, rounded up

Juni Jessup and her sisters pool their resources to open a record/coffee shop in their Texas hometown. When a body is found after their grand opening celebration and their uncle is the prime suspect – and then Calvin disappears – the sisters are determined to find him, and to clear his name by finding the actual killer.

This is the first book in a series by a new-to-me author, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Fortunately, I enjoyed the story, the characters and the mystery. The three sisters who are the primary characters have their differences, but their relationship overall is enviable. I have a brother instead of a sister, and we get along fairly well, but I can’t imagine going into business with him :) The setting – a small town in Texas – is stereotypical for a cozy mystery, as is the relationship between Juni and the town’s detective. There is the potential for a love triangle here, but I’m ok with that as long as it doesn’t drag on for book after book.

The mystery here was pretty straightforward, but the reason for Uncle Calvin’s disappearance was puzzling. There weren’t many possible suspects to consider for the murder, but plenty of reasons were presented for Calvin’s vanishing act. As the story progressed, I began to suspect one particular character as the killer, and it turned out I was right. Once that was revealed, Calvin’s story made sense too.

I have already added the next book in this series to my to-read list and am eager to see what happens next in Cedar River.

Vinyl Resting Place by Olivia Blacke is the debut of The Record Shop Mysteries. Juni Jessup along with her sisters, Tansy and Maggie open Sip & Spin Records in Cedar River, Texas. It is a shop that sells vinyl records and coffee with clever names. The sisters are cleaning up after their grand opening party. Juni opens the supply to find a dead woman. Unfortunately, the detective investigating the woman’s death is Juni’s ex-boyfriend, Beau Russell. Beau is quick to arrest the sister’s uncle, Calvin Voight. To get their uncle out of jail, the sister’s put Sip & Spin Records up as collateral. When Calvin disappears without a word, the sisters know there is only one thing they can do. They need to investigate the murder to clear their uncle’s name and save their shop. Vinyl Resting Place is a cute story. It has all the elements needed for a cozy mystery. There is a small Texas town, a charming shop, inquisitive sisters, a murder, a relative accused of the crime, and a frustrating detective. We get to know Juni, her sisters, and her immediate family. It is a small town where everyone knows you and nothing stays secret for long. There are two romantic interests for Juni. Beau Russell, the detective who wants Juni to leave the investigating to him, and her high school BFF, Teddy. The mystery is straightforward. There are multiple suspects. It seems that everyone in town attended the grand opening party. Beau tells Juni to leave the investigating to him more than once. The crime can be solved long before the reveal. The whodunit could have used work. I was not a fan of Uncle Calvin’s business, Prankenstein (I dislike pranks). People can order gag gifts sent to someone who wronged them (would you like to open a gift and have glitter explode all over you). There are cute puns throughout the story as well as musical references. I found the pacing to be sluggish and the writing a touch stilted. There is a lot of repetition. I lost track of how many times we are told that the grandparents had a record shop in the same location. The book could have used another round of editing. The author made sure we knew the book was set in Texas. There were interesting details about vinyl records. Vinyl Resting Place is a hoot with a Sip & Spin shindig, a right ruckus, a kin who lit out, rockin’ coffee drinks, a sorry suspect, a cold coke, and sleuthing sisters.

This was a fun new start to a series with a colorful cast of characters. It’s clear that there will be a love triangle in upcoming books but nothing too overwrought.

I appreciate that the author didn’t assume whiteness as a default (aka the only time someone’s race is mentioned is if they aren’t white, which is the presumed default). It did feel redundant at the beginning when introducing a lot of characters, all of whom were described as white, black, Hispanic, etc., but it did help to establish the setting, especially in a place as diverse as Austin.

I did figure out who the murderer was very early on, but it was still a fun read and figuring out how everything unfolded.