Sam finds herself in the midst of a author squabble that turns deadly. Nana Jo and her friends definitely make the story. I like the series mainly for them.

Michigan bookshop owner Samantha Washington’s tour for the launch of her new mystery novel is a whirlwind success… until life – or rather murder – begins to imitate fiction on the last stop at Michigan’s most prestigious literary festival! While Sam wraps up her first whirlwind book tour, Nana Jo has kept Market Street Mysteries running smoothly. The last stop is a prestigious book festival in Sam’s hometown of North Harbor, Michigan. But not everyone thinks the guest of honor, bestselling author Judith Hunter, deserves stellar reviews. Sam witnesses nasty arguments between Judith and two different authors—who accuse her of plagiarism and sabotage. When a publicist is poisoned during a cocktail reception, Sam wonders if the killer missed the intended target. It’s a twist that echoes the plot of Sam’s mystery, Murder at Wickfield Lodge. But fact can be stranger—and deadlier—than fiction. How much collateral damage is the killer willing to risk? With feisty Nana Jo and the girls from Shady Acres Retirement Village lending a hand, Sam tries to solve the case before the festival delivers another fatality. Really fun cozy and really fun characters! Looking forward to the next adventure of the ladies from Shady Acres!

A fun cozy mystery with a story in a story. I wish I could live in this book, if only for the world building. I need to go back and read the first bits of the series; I think I have some catching up to do!

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Samantha Washington’s book has been published and she is now promoting it at a local conference. I appreciated the behind the scenes details of the publishing world. Sam soon finds herself involved in a murder investigation when a publicist dies at the opening banquet. The suspects and their motives were interesting and I enjoyed the mystery. I look forward to the next book in the series.

I have not read all of the series yet, but nevertheless, this was a really enjoyable read.
I liked that you basically get two stories, the story itself and the one within that story of the book the main character is writing.
What I especially liked about this book are the vibes. It has such a cozy atmosphere and it is so fun to read! The writing is good and made it possible to get lost in the story.
I really like the characters aswell, they are realistically portrayed (especially Sam‘s struggles with being an author).

In book nine of this series, we see our heroine, bookshop owner and cozy mystery author, Samantha go on "tour" for her first book, a British historical cozy mystery. "Tour" is a bit of an exaggeration--Samantha is attending a mystery writers conference in her very town, so our classic cast of characters, including her her grandmother and fiancé, are still around! But when one of the conference attendees is murdered and another is thought to be the target, chaos ensues. For once, Sticky Pitt, cough, the police, ask for Sam's help, and she does her best to discover the killer among rival authors, former lovers, and more.

I really enjoyed this series installment. The history between many of the authors at the conference was as juicy as a soap opera and kept be guessing the whole time. I like Sam's asides as she writes her own cozy mystery--a book within a book, similar to Anthony Horowitz' Susan Ryland series, but in short form. It really adds something to the plot and gives the mystery a new spin.

Thanks to Kensington for my ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

Thank you to Netgally, the publishers, and V. M. Burns

When I requested this book I was unaware that it was apart of a series, one that requires you to read the previous books for this one to make sense. I am unable to read all the previous books along with this one before the publish date. Therefore, I will rate this a fair 3/5 stars and will adjust the rating and review when I am able to read all the books in the series along with this one.

I loved following along with Sam and her entourage on this investigation. What a page turner!
Many thanks to Kensington and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another entertaining read in the series. I love reading about Sam and the gang. I love that this was set at a mystery convention, too, but I hope it doesn't happen at one I attend. Fun story!

I really like the 2 murders in 1 book theme. I like the characters and the settings , both present & past. Both murders kept me guessing.

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

This series is just a ton of fun. I love the whole crew and it’s always a great time when Nana Jo and her friends get involved. With the major transitions happening in Sam’s life and her newfound success as a cozy author, Burns finds new situations to put the team into, leading to extra chaos. As always, the mystery was nicely paced and a pleasure to read.

4.5 stars

Ohhhh this was such a fun addition to the Mystery Bookshop series! Because not only do we get more page time with Sam, Frank, Nana Jo, and the Shady Acres crew, we also get a bit of a tongue-in-cheek look at life as a published author (though… it’s funny because it IS true). The discussions about common author struggles (like imposter syndrome & one-star reviews for things that aren’t the author’s fault, etc.) are authentic reflections of the perils and pitfalls to be sure, but I also LOVED that Burns shows the rewarding parts of being an author, too, not to mention the conclusion that Sam ultimately comes to about her books. It left me all warm and cozy as a reader! (And in case the author is wondering if anyone will catch her homage to a certain other amateur sleuth’s debut novel, I did and it made me smile big!)

It’s during this festival that the first of this book’s murders occurs, and we meet a bevy of plausible suspects who all need extensive therapy lol. Sam is, of course, right in the middle of things as she’s one of the featured authors, something that Stinky Pitt (her nickname for the local police detective) uses to his advantage. Which is also to our advantage as readers because we love being a part of Sam’s sleuthing too! And… naturally… gun-packing Nana Jo & her Shady Acres posse refuse to be left out. I adore these ladies so much, and I know for sure I’d want them on my side if I ever needed rescuing. The mystery has several complex layers, and I kept changing my mind – back and forth – about the identity of the killer. In the end, I wasn’t too far off but I also wasn’t completely right either. I loved the twists!

Bottom Line: Murder on Tour is another entertaining and layered mystery from V. M. Burns. The characters are lovable and often hilarious, the nods to authors & books & readers are like a warm hug, and the clues are cleverly mixed among the red herrings to keep you guessing. I also enjoy the story within a story we’re gifted through the peeks we take over Sam’s shoulder as she writes her own mystery novel. If you love reading books about books, especially when murder is afoot, then you absolutely must read the Mystery Bookshop series and Murder on Tour!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

Murder on Tour: A Mystery Bookshop Mystery
By V.M. Burns
Kensington
December 2023

Review by Cynthia Chow

Michigan Mystery bookshop owner Samantha Washington is attending the North Harbor Bookshop Festival as a first-time author, and as a historical cozy mystery writer she’s overwhelmed with imposter syndrome. Sam was invited as a last-minute replacement due to her being local and cheap, not to mention that her Market Street Mystery Mysteries Bookstore could allow for booksignings by the authors. There’s a lot of shade from the bestselling authors over Sam being a writer of cozies, but they spread the condescension among themselves as well. Self-published – which she corrects as being Indie published – Nora Cooper accuses Guest of Honor Judith Hunter of stealing a manuscript, while Scarlet MacDunkin and Olivia Townsend have more personal reasons for their hate. A gathering of rival mystery authors is a situation just simmering for the potential of a murder, so it shouldn’t be too surprising when publicist Clark Cunnington collapses during a cocktail party.

A switch of glasses makes it likely that the much-detested Judith Hunter was the target of the poisoning, and among these murder experts there is no shortage of suspects. When Special Crimes Unit Detective Bradley “Stinky” Pitt unenthusiastically arrives on site, he orders Sam to solve the case due to her being an author and essentially one of “them.” Fortunately for Sam, her Nana Jo and the rest of the amateur detecting team from the Shady Acres Retirement Village are more than willing to make up for the initiative Stinky Pitt lacks, using all of their family connections and even flirtation skills to ferret out information. Still feeling overwhelmed and inferior compared to the rest of the authors, Sam retreats to her happy place writing the next installment in her British historical mystery series. Shadowing events that are occurring in her real life, Sam immerses herself in the world of 1939 Wickfield Lodge, England, where Lady Elizabeth Marsh and her husband Lord William Marsh are hosting a book reading by Colonel Livingston. Lady Marsh’s MI5 nephew-in-law is alarmed that the Colonel is giving up military secrets that place them at risk to Germany’s incursions, leading to tense arguments and an eventual death. Back in the present Sam learns that not only is the mystery writing world small, it’s nearly incestuous. Romantic affairs, swapped out partners, and accusations of plagiarism are among the motives by those extremely knowledgeable about how to get away with a murder.

This 9th in the series will delight mystery fans who love the insider look into the worlds of writing and publishing. The lack of respect often given to cozy mysteries is reflected in Sam’s interactions with her fellow authors, and she struggles to feel like a “real” writer of talent. Her fiancé Frank Patterson, a retired military with a certain set of skills, has moved on to running a very successful restaurant and he is always around to reassure Sam of her worth and gives her the respect she deserves. The aging of one of her poodles is yet another relatable challenge readers will appreciate, as along with the love pets bring there is the looming shadow of their shorter lives. The mystery unfolding in Samantha’s work-in-progress will delight historical mystery fans, and these welcome brief interludes never intrude on events in the main plot. Skillfully plotted and filled with both extremely likable and delightfully villainous characters, this is another welcome entry in a series that proves why cozies should be given the respect they deserve.

Murder on Tour by V.M. Burns is the 9th installment in the Mystery Bookshop series. It can be read as a stand alone, but you'll likely want to read the older books once you finish this one! It follows
Samantha Washington a bookstore owner and newly published cozy mystery author! Her town is holding a book expo and she is asked to speak on a panel of mystery authors about her book, Murder at Wickfield Lodge. Things get dicey right away when there is tension and fighting amongst the authors at the event. Then one of the attendees is killed and Sam must work with her grandma, fiance and friends to uncover the truth behind the murder. Whenever Sam needs to clear her head, she turns to writing her next cozy mystery set in 1939 England. So you end up getting two mysteries that mirror one another for the price of one!
Great secondary characters, lots of action and a fun mystery to work through. I enjoyed this one.

Murder on Tour is book nine in the V.M. Burns Mystery Bookshop series. I’ve read, loved, and widely recommended the previous books. Her protagonist, Samantha Washington quit her job as a school teacher to open a mystery bookshop, following through on the dream she shared with her recently deceased husband. She had the second floor renovated into a loft where she lives. Like most cozy mysteries, Sam stumbles across mysteries she must solve and enlists her boyfriend, her grandmother, Josephine, and her friends to help. She is a big Agatha Christie fan and is writing a cozy of her own, a British Drawing Room Mystery set in the 1930s, “Murder at Wickfield Lodge,” which is now complete. Sam has embarked on a book tour for the novel. She feels out of her element at a speaking event where the other participants have gone full mean girl. But when a publicist is poisoned, Sam is the one who steps up to solve the murder.

I received this Advanced Reader Copy of Murder on Tour from Kensington Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Bookshop owner and debut cozy mystery writer Samantha Washington is a new character to me, although I discovered there are no less than eight earlier entries in VM Burns' Mystery Bookshop series. Would I have enjoyed Murder on Tour more if I had started with the first book in the series? Most likely, as it would have allowed me more time to become familiar with the cast of characters, but I was was still able to appreciate the strong points of this book. For one, we are treated to a book-within-a-book, Samantha's historical mystery, set in 1939 in England between the World Wars. In alternating chapters, the author cleverly juxtaposes the fictional mystery with the real-life mystery occurring in Samantha's life in Northern Michigan.

Feeling impostor syndrome when participating in a book tour with much more seasoned authors, Sam is also startled to hear some vitriolic behind-the-scenes arguments among several of the authors. One author is accusing another of not only stealing her lover but stealing her manuscript and publishing it as her own. A suspicious death takes place, leading in quick succession to two more. In the fictional world, Lady Elizabeth encounters high emotions and threats among Members of Parliament who are outraged by an author who brags of selling military secrets to another country.

In both scenarios, it is the female protagonist who is center stage. In fact, Sam seems to be solving the mystery mostly on her own, as the detective is portrayed as a slovenly loser who seems all too eager to allow her to take responsibility. I found that difficult to swallow, as law enforcement personnel in cozy mysteries are usually warning civilians away from the investigation. There are many characters in the plot who have been featured in earlier series books, including Sam's family, friends, and especially her Grandma Jo's buddies at the retirement village, who provide assistance and humor to the process.

The mysteries in this book are low-stakes for the protagonists, who never really seem to be in any jeopardy. Overall, I enjoyed it and may delve into some of the earlier books in the future.

My thanks to Kensington Cozies and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

It was a delight to visit Samantha, her family, fiancé, and friends in North Harbor, Michigan. I was especially happy to see Sam’s first book baby has been released and she is finishing her first ever book tour! Sam’s British historical mystery, “Murder at Wickfield Lodge”, is the first in a hopefully long, successful series. At the end of her scheduled tour, Sam was a last-minute fill-in author at the annual North Harbor Book Festival held at the local university. She would be on several panel discussions, and on each one, Judith Hunter was the featured author. It was a mixed blessing, as her book would not get as much exposure, but she wouldn’t have to answer many off-the-cuff questions.

Before the first panel began, Sam accidentally overheard a private discussion. It included authors Nora Cooper, Scarlet MacDunkin, Judith, and Judith’s publicist, Clark. Nora told Judith – and anyone else in hearing range – that she knew Judith stole her manuscript that Judith published as “author” of the best seller, “The Corpse Danced at Midnight”. Nora threatened Judith, who didn’t seem very concerned.

Sam’s presence was discovered, and she did what her grandmother, Nana Jo, would probably do if it had been her. She also overheard that she was chosen as a replacement because she would draw a local crowd, and they wouldn’t have to pay for her travel or housing. Dr. Peters, a professor and the facilitator of the panel, would occasionally throw a question to Sam.

On the night of the festival banquet, Sam was there with Frank, her fiancé. They were talking with authors Nora and Scarlet, and met another couple, bestselling author Paul West and his wife, Olivia Townsend, popular middle-school aged mystery writer. Olivia was a delightful conversationalist, loved Sam’s book, and was invested in her characters. Paul and Nora were being encouraged by Scarlet to drink more and more champagne. Rumor had it that Paul had left Olivia, had an affair with Judith, and when he planned to divorce his wife, Judith dumped him.

When Judith and Clark joined them, Paul and Nora were very drunk. Within minutes, Paul was escorted out with Olivia following, then after a small mishap, Clark collapsed, had a seizure, and lost consciousness. Frank asked Sam to call 911, then the detective they are too familiar with, Detective Pitt (or Stinky Pitt to his former elementary school peers). Frank had reason to think the publicist, who died enroute to the hospital, was poisoned.

Sam, Nana Jo and her friends, and even Frank have helped her solve murders in the past. Those were mostly because Detective Pitt, in a hurry to close a case, had accused Sam or her loved ones of murder. They have quite a track record and, when recently helping get Pitt off the hook for murder, he gained a bit of respect for them. He wants her to gather all the clues for him as the university wants the murder solved in two days. He’ll come back, do the interviews and arrest the killer, and … he’ll be happy.

Sam’s writing has a surprising side effect for her. When she is stumped about something, especially a real-life murder, she works on her current British World War II era novel. She loves writing, which has not failed to help her find real life solutions as her characters find their fictional solutions.

The author has gifted us with a variety of well-defined, fascinating characters. Opening a new Mystery Bookshop cozy is like visiting old friends. Sam, Nana Jo and her friends, Frank, and Sam’s family are each unique, and this reader enjoys seeing that, in many ways, their lives are just like ours. Pets, family members, the love of books, all added to the pleasure of spending time with them. The authors we met this time were described as needed for their roles.

The glimpse we have been given of writing and publishing this time has added to my reading pleasure. I very much appreciate the story within the story, the WWII mysteries that Sam writes. There are enough twists and turns in both mysteries to keep me engaged, and guessing the bad guys in both stories was not easy. I actually did figure out a good portion of both solutions, but there was still an element I wasn’t prepared for. I highly recommend this novel and series, especially for those who enjoy cozy mysteries and British historical mysteries.

This is such a fun series! I love Sam, her grandmother and her friends, and the rest of the characters in this series; they add so much humor to the story. The mystery, as always, is well-paced and plotted, and, although I figured out who did it early on, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book. There’s just the right balance of sleuthing and catching up with old friends. The story within a story, the mysteries Sam writes, have grown on me and I find myself looking forward to those as much as the actual plot. I look forward to reading the next one.

Great, fast read. Everything was perfectly paced and was just right for my long distance flight. This series has consistently stayed well written and I’m looking forward to the next book.

Murder on Tour by V.M. Burns has Ms. Samantha Washington finishing up her first book tour, and of course, she has to solve a mystery.

Will Sam solve the mystery before the end of the festival?

Samantha Washington
Samantha Washington is back to solve another mystery with her grandma and friends lending a hand. She also has some other helpers as well to find things out. Sam is doing great in this installment, and I love her confidence. Not only in her writing, despite what Nana Jo says, but also in her love life. I love how Sam leads her cohorts into mystery-solving mode and how they all can help her out. Another thing that I love is how her nephews are always there for her, and everyone is willing to assist her.

I love all of the characters that are showcased in this novel.

The Mystery
Samantha is enjoying herself at a cocktail reception when a publicist gets poisoned. She ends up on the case. The mystery has a lot of twists and turns that I was undoubtedly getting twisted around trying to keep everything straight. I figured it out...right when Sam and the others figured it out. At least I got there in the end. I wasn’t expecting it to go the way it did.

Five Stars
Murder on Tour by V.M. Burns is worthy of five stars and a recommendation to any cozy mystery reader out there. I am glad I decided to pick this series back up with this novel. Ms. Burns didn’t disappoint with this mystery. Sam and the others are great. I can’t wait to see what other trouble this motley crew will face next.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Murder on Tour by V.M. Burns.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.