Murder on Tour

By V.M. Burns

Samantha Washington is an independent bookstore owner in North Harbor, Michigan. As a local author with her first book, a cozy mystery, to her credit, she is invited to be on panels at the North Harbor Book Festival hosted by Michigan Southwestern University.

When a publicist is murdered, Samantha (Sam) recruits her Nana Jo and her friends from Shady Acres Retirement Village to join her in solving the crime. It turns out to be more difficult than one would imagine as Sam uncovers among the authors multiple layers of affairs and treachery that could rival a soap opera.

This series is unusual in that Sam is writing historical fiction. We witness the process in spurts as Sam turns to her laptop frequently when she is blocked or needs a break in her investigations. The occurrences in the book she is writing with a setting of 1939 mirror in some ways the current crime. The first time I read a book in this series I found the technique somewhat distracting. In Murder on Tour, however, I thought it played well. Either the author has become more skillful or I have incorporated this style into my reading mindset.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: #9 in the Mystery Bookshop Mystery Series, but could be read as a standalone

Publication:  November 28, 2023—Kensington

Memorable Lines:

“But don’t discount the importance of escapist fiction. Books are subjective, and people read books for different reasons. Given everything that’s happened in the world, many of us need to escape to maintain our sanity.”

These women didn’t know a lot about mysteries, but they would defend me to the death if anyone said an unkind word about my book. Some days, you need people like that in your corner.

He stared at me for several beats…I didn’t flinch. I taught English to high school students who could smell fear a mile away. Woe to the teacher stupid enough to blink during a stare-down. But he was good. Really good.

While Sam wraps up her first whirlwind book tour, Nana Jo has kept Market Street Mysteries running smoothly. Sam is back and the smooth running stops. The series will have you reading in one sitting.
#MurderonTour #NetGalley

Readers will enjoy this cozy murder mystery...It is entertaining on a cold and misty evening for all 'Murder She Wrote' fans!

A great addition to an incredible series! Wonderful characters in an incredible setting. This book will keep you guessing until the end.

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 only character I have not liked since book one is Detective Pitts, I often ask why he's even in the story or how he made it to the rank of detective.? I keep hoping that he will move out of state or get transferred to another city far away. I look forward to reading the next book in the series to see what type of mystery Sam and the rest of the characters get themselves involved with.

Samantha witnesses an argument between rival authors at the last stop on her book tour that turns deadly. It isn’t long before Samantha and her friends are trying to solve the case.

I love this series. Part of the reason is the historical mystery that Samantha is writing while investigating. A bonus is the Easter eggs in this book.

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.