While I always enjoy catching up with Samantha Washington, her grandmother, Nana Jo, and Nana Jo’s friends, I have to admit my favorite part of V.M. Burns’ mysteries is the parallel historical mystery in each of them. In Murder on Tour, Samantha’s debut historical cozy mystery, Murder at Wickfield Lodge, has been published. While she copes with a weekend book event and a murder investigation, Samantha always finds answers while writing about her characters from 1939.

Samantha is a last minute addition to the North Harbor Book Festival, where she suffers from imposter syndrome. She doesn’t feel as important as Judith Hunter, a bestselling author, Nora Cooper, or Scarlet McDunkin. She’s in awe of those authors, but shocked to discover the others hate Judith Hunter, and don’t hesitate to attack her. When Judith’s publicist is poisoned during a cocktail reception, Samantha suspects he might not have been the actual target. Was Judith intended to die?

By the time Detective Bradley Pitt from the Special Crimes Unit arrives, Nana Jo already suspects cyanide poisoning. Pitt resents the success of Samantha and Nana Jo’s investigations, and he’s willing to throw the case at them so they’ll find the killer. They seem to have inside information about the writers and possible motives.

As Samantha puzzles out the crime, she uses her downtime to work on the sequel to Murder at Wickfield Lodge. It’s 1939, and England is preparing for possible war with Germany. Although Lord William and Lady Elizabeth Marsh originally turn down plans to host the village fete on their grounds, their niece’s husband asks them to do it. Lord Browning is part of MI5, and he’s interested in the guest speaker, Colonel Basil Livingston, an author who has aroused attention, and then dislike by writing a tell-all book promising to reveal secrets from inside the British military. But, it’s Colonel Livingston’s secretary who dies during the fete.

It’s always a treat to return to Burns’ regular cast of characters, in both timelines. Burns wrote about competent senior sleuths long before the current interest in them in mysteries. Her seniors are well-connected through family, adept at self-defense, and intelligent people with interesting backgrounds. In fact, Samantha might suffer from imposter syndrome, but Nana Jo and her friends are well-aware of their abilities.

I always enjoy the Mystery Bookshop cozies. I would suggest you start with The Plot is Murder so you can meet the cast. You can enjoy a contemporary mystery set in Michigan, and a historical cozy in England. Two for the price of one! It’s worth it.

I love the characters in this book, especially Nana Jo and friends. Sam is a stable bookstore owner and author who truly loves and respects her grandmother and her friends from the retirement home. One of my favorite parts about these books are the novel within a novel as we see Sam’s book written. In Murder on Tour Sam wraps up her book tour close to home and is involved in solving the mystery of the death of one of the authors. I look forward to reading the first several books in this series.

What fun to go on a book tour with Sam Washington. Thank you to #NetGalley for a chance to spend time with Sam, finally touring her published book! As exciting as it is to sit on panels at the event you know that trouble is going to follow Sam and everyone supporting her. At what is supposed to be an Awards Ceremony and Dinner, the squabbling Sam had observed between several of her panel mates turns deadly. Who did the deadly deed and did they actually get the victim they were aiming for? Was this about the publishing world or was it more personal? Definitely worth investing time to find out.

Murder on Tour by V.M. Burns is the ninth book in her Mystery Bookshop cozy mystery series and added another layer to this terrific series. I've read this series from the first book and have grown to appreciate how each story has added to the overall world building and each of the characters.

Samantha Washington is on the last leg of her book tour and it's a book festival held at the local university in her hometown of North Harbor, Michigan. Her first meeting with other authors attending the festival does not go well which sets up the mystery for the book. Sam is personally feeling "imposter syndrome" according to Nana Jo, her grandmother, being around many of the established authors at the festival but that doesn't slow Sam down when a murder occurs at the awards banquet.

Ms. Burns writes a plot that deftly twists and turns with few suspects, cloudy motivations, and a few red herrings in the mix to confuse me. The surprising twist at the end stunned me and I was thrilled with the ending. I also enjoyed reading Sam's new cozy historical mystery which was included in the book and somewhat mirrored the mystery that Sam was currently involved in. It's always fun to see Nana Jo and her friends from Shady Acres retirement village. They may be secondary characters, but they support Sam and often provide vital clues that help solve the mystery. An intricate mystery that kept me entertained from the first page to the last page.

3.5 stars

I love cozy mysteries set in bookstores! The group of sleuths, particularly grandma, were enjoyable, and it was fun to sort out the clues with them. I haven't read prior books in the series, but this book could stand alone.

I always enjoy Sam and her adventures. This one took place during a book tour in which she was promoting her book. She encounters a bit of drama from a group of authors and their peers that is unpleasant at best. Her grandmother's friends stick their noses in and it goes from there. There are quite a number of red herrings and you don't know where it will go. It was another fine read from V.M. Burns.

Samantha is included in an author’s event and it’s bittersweet since she’s just a filler and there’s also a murder. While sitting on panels and signing books, Sam, Nana Jo and the gang are on the case. Can they figure out who killed one of the authors and why, or will they be the next chapter in the murderer’s story?

I adore VJ Burns books. She also has another series that I adore and they all involve the precious poodles! How can you not love a cozy series with dogs in it? The solid mystery and awesome characters are also great, so give this one a read and then you can binge on the others to catch up.

This is such a great series that I have enjoyed for a long time and everytime I thread a new one it feels like I'm coming around friends. I think that Sam is a great and evolving character that most people can relate to. I loved the plot if this mystery and I was deeply involved in this story till the very end. Perfect.
I just reviewed Murder on Tour by V.M. Burns. #MurderonTour #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

A fairly typical cozy from the long running Mystery Bookshop series.

Sam Washington, bookstore owner and new published author, is at the last stop on her book tour at the North Harbor Book festival. The festival is in Sam's hometown making it easy for regular characters to show up. Tensions are high between the guest of honor Judith Hunter and another author Nora Cooper who claims that Judith stole her book, a scene Sam accidently eavesdrops on. Later at the festival's banquet, another guest dies after drinking Judith's poisoned champaign. Sam jumps in to solve the crime.

Overall, I was disappointed in this book. The synopsis sounded great - a bookstore owner who’s written a mystery at a book festival! Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations, in part I'm guessing because it’s part of a long series. I got lost in all the characters, for one, and had trouble keeping track of them. It was also a little irritating the way the main detective was treated – very two-dimensional without much explanation why in the current book. In addition, there's bits of Sam's British cozy included. While I loved the idea of a book within a book, it meant there were another set of characters to keep track plus it felt like Sam's novel took a lot of momentum away from the main story - something interesting would happen in the main story, but then focus would switch to the British cozy. When the action switched back to the main story, I’d have to flip back a few pages to figure out where I was. I did like the quirky characters and their concern for each other, especially how everyone supported Sam when she was feeling inadequate, that she hadn’t written a ‘deep’ book like other authors at the festival.

In general, I think if you've read other stories in the series and have enjoyed them, you'll enjoy this one too. For new readers, I'd recommend starting at the first book instead.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.com that I voluntarily chose to review.

Okay grab you a comfy seat and get ready because this one you'll not want to put down! Sam has wrapped up her first book tour at her hometown of North Harbor, Michigan. But the guest of honor has some pretty violent arguments with several other authors who accuse her of plagiarism. When someone is poisoned at the cocktail party Sam is convinced the wrong victim was done in. It's up to Sam, Nana No and the gang to solve. Love the characters and the interaction between them. The story plot is excellent with lots of red herrings. Another hit from this much loved author! Thanks #Netgalley and #Kensington for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this cozy novel.

I enjoyed the previous book (Bookclubbed to Death) more than this one. This one had three female writers fighting with each other, over and over, until I was bored with it. I also skipped all the parts of Sam's novel - don't like the writing at all. I have bought a few of the earlier ones in this series and hope they are better than this one. Samantha has had her novel published and is attending a book fair at the local university, when she encounters the three novelists who bicker, snipe and threaten each other. One by one, they're not so bad. Then the publicist for one is poisoned at the awards banquet - one of them did it, or was it someone else. The police detective tells Samantha it's up to her to investigate and find the killer!! She gets her grandma and grandma's friends to help her. So silly and so unrealistic. By the time I finished I didn't care anymore. I like the relationship between Sam and her fiance and the poodles, which is why I didn't give this two stars.

Cozy mysteries that have have bookish storylines are the best. This was a hit from start to finish. The mystery was intriguing and fun to figure out and the ending was twisty.

My thanks to netgalley for the advance ARC of the latest book in the Bookshop series. Sam has her first book published and wraps up her book tour in her hometown of North Harbor, Michigan. Sam feels out of her element when she takes part in a writers panel with several well known author's. Judith Hunter is the most prestigious author on the panel. but tempers flare when another author accuses her of stealing her book. Murder soon follows and Sam, Nana Jo, and her retirement gang pull out all the stops to find a killer. I like how there are two mysteries to solve. The book Sam is writing is set in 1939 England, and parallels this mystery set in present day Michigan. Very nice!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "Murder On Tour", the ninth book in the Mystery Bookshop series, featuring bookshop owner and fledgling novelist Samantha "Sam" Washington and her gang of amateur sleuths.
Sam has been invited to participate in the prestigious North Harbour Book Festival (albeit as a last-minute replacement for an author who could not make it), and is immediately launched into a long simmering rivalry between three authors and their various significant others - which ends in, you've got it, murder! But, was the victim of the poisoned champagne actually the intended one?
As usual, Nanna Jo, Dorothy, Irma and Ruby Mae - along with Sam's fiancé Frank - are on hand to help old Bradley (Stinky) Pitt come up with the solution, but not before another author bites the dust. And all is not as it seems; this one takes a bit of untangling as there are three authors (one accused of stealing what turns out to be a massive best-seller from the other) and various indiscretions (historical and current) involved.
Of course in the end all will be revealed and the actual killer (killers?) unmasked.
As in the previous books of the series, Samantha is in the throes of writing her next pre-WWII British country house cozy mystery, the plot of which sort of parallels the current-day events.
Early on in the book, there are comments made about cozy mysteries (or escapist fiction if you will), and the following reflects how I, personally, feel about the genre:

"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."

I highly recommend this book. It could be read as a standalone, as various character relationships are explained in the course of the story, but you really should read the whole series to get the full impact.

sleuthing-seniors, local-law-enforcement, Michigan, bookseller, small-business, small-town, engaged, former-teacher, ex-military, widow, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, book-within-a-book, author, pet-dog, verbal-humor, retirees, sisters, rivalry, poisons, restauranteur*****

Samantha Washington, bookseller and former teacher is at a book festival/writer's conference at a university in Michigan. She feels out of place among all the noted authors, but her marvelous Nana Jo, the feisty seniors from the retirement village, and Sam's fiance, Frank, (an ex-military man who is currently a local restauranteur), are close by to support her in her presence at the event (and later in sleuthing). During a gala in the evening an author is poisoned but does not appear to have been the intended target as that honor seems to belong to a pair of contentious authors with personal history. Let the sleuthing begin! It's a great read with plenty of realistic fun characters, plot twists, and red herrings!
Sam’s historical mystery (which she is writing throughout the contemporary sleuthing), Murder at Wickfield Lodge, is set in a country home in 1939 England is also a good cosy mystery that mirrors the other.
I requested and received an EARC from Kensington Books/Kensington Cozies via NetGalley. Thank you!
#CrimeWritersOfColor

#MurderonTour #NetGalley is another great addition to this series. Samantha Washington is a neat published author, and its time for her to join the book promoting tours.
Samantha feels a little odd being part of the authors group who are talking up their books and hard work.
Her Nana No assures her that she definitely belongs there, but when the last part of the circuit starts, friction among a few authors begins, and the result is murder.
Samantha, Nana Jo, and friends all work together to look for clues, and there are some definite laugh out loud moments.
This is one of my favorite series, everything flows naturally and I just love all characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
I'm definitely recommending this book to all readers.

Now that her first book has been published Samantha Washington is out on the book conference circuit. Not sure she belongs with the heavy hitters or best selling authors, Sam bravely participates in the panels. Unfortunately there is great animosity between two writers over an allegedly stolen book. When a publicist dies of poisoning at a cocktail party, both writers are suspects. Sam tries to prove who the real killer is. Along with Nana Jo and her retirement home friends, they try unravel the truth behind the stolen manuscript. These books keep getting better and better.

I absolutely love cozy mysteries especially if they are set in a library, bookstore, etc. "Murder of Tour" did not disappoint.

Samantha is caught up with being at a writer's conference with a lot of well know authors. When a murder happens she steps in, with her group of sleuths, including her grandma, things get interesting. At times a few too many names to keep track of, but might just be me. Still would recommend this book and series, and look forward to the next in the series.