A Midsummer Night’s Scheme is a fun cozy mystery with a cast of endearing characters and idyllic setting! Just when Quinn and Sister Daria think things are returning to normal in their small town of Vienna, they get tangled up in another murder investigation. Quinn and Daria are great examples of strong female characters and I enjoyed both of their stories. This installment in the Book Binding series seems to focus more on Daria and provides plenty of character development. As the story unfolds there is a good level of suspense and several twists to keep the readers interest. I was really surprised by the ending! I suspected several characters throughout the novel but didn’t guess who the murderer was at any point. The final conclusion left me dying to know what happened next!

I enjoyed the narration of this audiobook but I did have a hard time with the multiple POV. I had to backtrack several times to figure out if I was hearing Quinn or Daria’s perspective. I suspect this wouldn’t be an issue with the physical book.

This series would be good for fans of the Booktown Series by Lorna Barrett or anyone who likes cozy mysteries!

I didn’t realize this was the second book in a series until I started reading. The author gives clues to what happened in the first book so I didn’t feel lost. But it did feel like there were some inside jokes I didn’t get because I didn’t read the first one.

This is a cozy mystery that follows the murder of a golden son who returns home after a successful acting career. He returns to set up a community theater but meets his demise before bringing it to pass. The way he died freaked me out which I was not expecting for a cozy mystery.

The writing for the book uses a lot of slang and current pop culture references. Readers who are not familiar with the terms and references may be turned off. Overall, it is a fast reading cozy mystery.

I hybrid read this book. The audiobook was narrated by Renee Dorian. The narrator does a good job with the voices and reading the action of the book. I received an electronic copy of the book from Kaye Publicity and an audiobook from the publisher via Netgalley.

I gave A Midsummer Night's Scheme 4 stars

The second book in a Bookbinding Mystery. I liked this one more than the first book. I started reading it on my Kindle, but the first chapters were so long I changed to the audiobook, and it was a really pleasant read. The narrator did a great job!

I liked both the story and the mystery. I don't have a phobia of snakes and spiders, but at times I felt like shivering because they are part of the plot. So, a warning if you are sensitive.

There are some great characters in this book and there is also a shift of perspectives from the first one, which I liked. I highly recommend both books in this series.

This book comes out 21 Mar

Thank you Net Galley and Crooked Lane Book for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

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As a normal fan of cozy mysteries this one just didn't quite do it for me. The plot was somehow way too off the wall and yet very predictable at the same time. I found it hard to relate to many of the characters and just couldn't find myself being pulled into the story.

I will start by saying that the story itself is fast moving and an easy listen. I enjoyed the Shakespeare lines to start each chapter, some of the typical cozy tropes- the dogs and a crafty business, and Quinn and her detective boyfriend. What was not for me: the ridiculous murder weapons (having illegal venomous snakes would be far too easy to trace,) the POV changing constantly, and heavy themes that felt out of place in a cozy mystery, and finally the fact that you feel out of place if you did not read the first book in the series. I don't regret reading but don't have any desire to go back or read on in this series.

I am so excited to have found this new cozy series! Quinn is an awesome MC, and I even enjoyed the POV from Sister Daria. This follows typical cozy standards and I enjoyed the way the author played with the narration and the plot. I think writing cozies would be difficult because it’s such a niche genre, yet this book kept me listening and I’ve already downloaded book 1 in the series to get myself caught up!

I received an advanced audio copy. All thoughts are my own.

A Midsummer Night's Scheme by Harper Kincaid

Quinn Caine is with friends at the pet store when Chad, who is newly arrived from Hollywood coming back to his home town came into the pet store. When he left he climbed into his sports car this is when things go horribly wrong. Unable to unlock the car doors, he was stuck inside until the fire brigade was able to release him. Soon after he was deceased. Quinn's boyfriend Aiden, who is the local detective, was immediately onto the murder case. Then Quinn's brother Bash, and his fiance Rachel were threatened and almost killed. The chase was on to race to figure out who the killer is. Will they figure out the killer?

It had all the things I love about a cozy mystery especially I love the humor and this one did not disappoint. Even though I may have rolled my eyes a time or two it still was pretty good. If you like your cozies to be a little bit funny with a little bit of bizarre mystery then this one will be for you.

Narrated by Renee Dorian who does a good job giving voice to the characters and brings out the humor really well. This was a solid four star read for me and I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future. I wanted to say this is book 2 in the bookbinding Mystery series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for a free copy of A midsummer Night's Scheme for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

It’s a very strange cozy crime. Relatively confusing cozy crime. In addition to the crime mystery, there is also a bit of romance here, but it seems that there was more romance in the first book, and more is expected in the third book, but here is just a gentle nudging toward romance.
Ok, so it's a usual small town crime story and at first it seems like it’s small enough that everyone knows everyone, but it's not that small. And to make the story more interesting, next to the usual small town businesses, there is also a monastery with a dog shelter.
The crime story is about someone using poisonous animals to eliminate ex-boyfriends and the suspects are all the girls who have ever interacted with them and some who have access to those kinds of animals. And in the middle of the criminal story there is a family drama and a love story that is slowly breaking out.
Readable, but not a great story.

Great cozy mystery read. I enjoyed this second book in this series. This was my first audiobook and i think it was an enjoyable experience and the narrator did a great job!

I enjoyed the storyline, characters, chapter lengths and lightness of the story.

I look forward to seeings where these characters go from here. I highly recommend both books in this series

Thank you Net Galley and Crooked Lane Book for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

A Midsummer Night's Scheme by Harper Kincaid is a nice little cozy mystery that was super easy to read in one sitting. The characters were adorable and interesting and I absolutely loved the descriptions of the book store. I think the angle of the killer using venomous spiders and snakes to do the job is fantastic and made for some fun and interesting scenes. Sister Daria is my favorite character and I'm intrigued by where her storyline is heading. I'll be on the lookout for the next book in this whimsical series.

This was a great little cozy mystery. The story was fun, paced well and kept me coming back to listen to more. The narrator was very good. Thank you NetGalley for letting my have a copy to listen to.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Kincaid for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC audiobook for A Midsummer Night’s Scheme coming out March 21, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

All the world's a stage, but it may be lights down for bookbinder Quinn Caine’s brother if she can't bring an actor's killer to justice. 

Everything is finally returning to the quiet life that Quinn Caine and her sidekicks, Ruff Barker Ginsburg and Sister Daria, are used to in their beloved town of Vienna. But then a Broadway star crash-lands into their peace and quiet. Former bad boy Chad Frivole, is Vienna’s prodigal son—the once notorious womanizer has returned. And he’s ready to leave a different kind of mark on his hometown.

However, not everyone is keen on the Tony-award-winner’s return. Chad’s a triple threat—with numerous people coming out to seek their revenge. When he turns up dead in his car, trapped with a sack full of snakes, Quinn can’t say she’s surprised. She promises the handsome detective Aiden Harrington that she’s staying out of this murder mystery. 

That is, until someone goes after her brother. It’s true, Sebastian ‘Bash’ Caine used to be a player just like Chad. And the killer doesn’t care that he’s not that man anymore. Bash Caine is in the murderer’s path and unless Quinn and her crew can find the killer, whoever it is will drag her brother into his final act. Will it be curtains closed for Bash? Or will Quinn track down the killer in time?

This is my first book by this author. Overall, I enjoyed listening to this cozy mystery. It did have a lot going on and it seemed to get a little dramatic at times, but it was a fun audiobook. I enjoyed the references to Shakepeare and the play storyline. I think some of it felt a little predictable and cliched, but Quinn was a fun character.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys literary cozy mysteries!

I truly enjoyed this book. I loved that events tied in with Shakespeare. :) What a great way to find a focus for this series!!

Cozy mysteries are my favorite and this series is a little different. I enjoyed the first one in this series but this one I absolutely loved!! Sister Daria was intriguing in the first book so I loved getting to know more about her and her story. I listened to the audio book and the narrator was entertaining and her voice is delightful! I cannot wait for a third book to come out!

law-enforcement, pets, murder, murder-investigation, amateur-sleuth, Virginia, relationships, friendship, relatives, small-business, small-town, verbal-humor, situational-humor, romantic, attempted-murder, family-business, family-drama, family-dynamics, recipes*****

Dastardly premeditated murder.
First it was a carful of deadly snakes, next it was a bedful of dangerous spiders.
Fascinating storyline and memorable characters. A great read!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you! 12/10/2022
Now it's 3/10/23 and I've just finished listening to the temporary audiobook (my favorite format!) from Dreamscape Audio via NetGalley. Voice actor Renee Dorian is well able to differentiate characters and mood and makes the audio experience fine.

A Midsummer Night’s Scheme is the second mystery in the Bookbinding Mystery series. Quinn Caine and her cousin, Sister Daria, find themselves in the middle of another murder investigation when a local star turns up murdered. At first they try to stay out of the investigation, but when the killer sets their sights on Quinn’s brother, it gets personal.

This is the first book I’ve read in the series, but I instantly fell in love with the characters and the town. I love the whole cast and how everyone ties together. This was a great mystery and was so quick to read! I am constantly reading cozy mysteries and sometimes they all start to run together, but this one stands out to me and I can’t wait to go back and read the first book and am excited to see what else is to come in this series. I am really intrigued by the whole Sister Daria angle and am interested to see how this progresses in the future. I really enjoyed this mystery and am glad I got the chance to read it. If you are in the mood for a quick, fun cozy mystery give this a try!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC audiobook!

A Midsummer Night's Scheme is the second book in the Bookbinding Mystery series, although it is the first one in this series that I have read. This book read well independently despite not having read the first, however I do think that some overarching relationships and storylines would be that much clearer if I had the background knowledge of the first, which I plan on reading soon. Additionally, I plan to continue reading this series as it develops. I really enjoyed the cliffhanger and I'm excited to figure out what happens next.
The story contains a lot of fresh, new elements which were fun to see in a cozy mystery series. And I was so excited to see a neurodivergent main character!
One aspect of this series that I'm not entirely sure how I feel about yet is the duel point-of-view. I like the ability to get to know multiple characters more deeply, but I feel like the two POVs causes a slight disconnect instead.

4.0/5 stars!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an audiobook copy of A Midsummer Night's Scheme by Harper Kincaid. My comments are an independent, honest review.

A Midsummer Night’s Scheme was a perfectly cozy mystery. While I had not read the first book, I still felt like I could jump right in to the story. Unlike most cozy mysteries I have read, this one is told from multiple POVs, so you really get to know a wide cast of characters. It was very diverse and I really enjoyed all the rescue pets.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and think that it is a good representative of the cozy mystery genre. The religion stuff was kind of odd and out of place in my opinion. Especially the cousin that turned into a nun because of one bad breakup. There were just a few things like these that made it so my rating wasn’t a bit higher.

If you don’t want a book with any religion or don’t want to deal with overly convoluted family/friend drama, then this might not be the book for you. But if you enjoy cozy mysteries as a whole then I would highly recommend this. The audiobook is short and very well done, so it is a nice listen. I will be reading other books in this series in the future.

I haven’t read the first Bookbinding mystery and I wasn’t sure when I first started this that I would like this book. By midway through I was fully involved. This is an interesting and creative mystery. The murderer is a bit nefarious. In their mind they are justified but I was left reeling.
I like Quinn and Sister Daria. It’s a unique way to take a cozy mystery having a almost nun as a main part of the investigation.
I like detective Aiden, love interest for Quinn and actual investigator of the murder. I like Lucas, mechanic interested in Daria.
I’m not a fan of the snakes and the spiders in general, and it was an ick factor that they were used as weapons.
Some of the personal interactions were taken a bit far on the side of current political correctness, in my opinion.
The narrator of the audiobook did a good job.
Midsummer Night’s Scheme makes me curious to continue with the series. Thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to read and listen to this book.

This book really is not for me. I love the cute small town and a cozy mystery (obviously) but the level of religious zeal made me feel uncomfortable. I believe cozy mysteries need to get more diverse and I don’t think evangelical cozies are doing that. I’m sure others would enjoy this though.