Another entertaining visit to the record and coffee shop. Fun coffee names. Clever cozy mystery. A bit of romance amongst the trio. Engaging characters. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Rhythm and Clues is the third Record Shop Mystery, featuring sisters Tansey, Maggie, and Juni, owners of Sip and Spin Records, a coffee and record shop in a small town near Austin, Texas. The shop is barely making a profit, but the sisters have been approached by a potential investor. The investor, Zach, and his partner invite Juni and Beau, a local cop to a hockey game, but later that night, Zach is killed during a major storm, found dead in a car that wrecked outside of the record shop. Juni, of course, can’t help getting involved in the case.

I enjoy spending time with Juni and her sisters. They each have their own personalities and they work together well.

The setup worked well. The storm flooded parts of town, made some roads impassable, and knocked out the power. The killer is stuck in town. Juni has several suspects, with clues that point in different directions. The plot flows well and the solution fits the characters.

The writing can be a bit clunky at times. Each time a character is introduced, we are told they’re black, white, or Hispanic (and those are the only choices), what they’re wearing, what their hair looks like, and usually whether they’re skinny, in shape, or overweight. Each time. The writer needs to add some variety or just not make her formula for character descriptions so obvious. I also hate the love triangle, even though it is resolved in this book.

Overall, the fun parts of this series outweigh the annoyances. I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

Another great installment! This series has quickly become one of my favorite cozies. I love watching the characters grow, and while I was getting INCREDIBLY IRRITATED with the love triangle, I was happy to see that Juni made the right decision at the end.

To be honest, I would have been okay with any decision at that point. I had a lot of trouble believing that Juni had been dating two different men for several months, even had a key to one of their apartments--and they hadn't so much as kissed. I know this is a cozy, but this isn't middle school. You can allow the relationship to exist without getting graphic. I now have very high hopes for the next book.

The mystery had a lot of great twists and turns, and the ending was highly satisfying.

I enjoyed this book. It starts a bit slow with the getting to know the characters and what’s going on, it did Not hook me. I did find there are some plot issues but they get explained towards the end, they’re part of solving the murder. I am relieved the Juni finally decides who she’s going to be with, I found the constant describing of the features of each guy a bit annoying. I actually found the mystery of the maniquins too be the most interesting, maybe because there isn’t as much mis-direction. #RhythmandClues #NetGalley

I love this series. The Record Shop Mysteries are the kind of cozies I just eat up with a spoon. Interesting murders, small town shenanigans, copious humor, and a great (and growing) cast of characters add up to a fun day of reading.

I'm home from work this week quarantining because I have Covid, and today I really wanted to just sit down and enjoy a book. And I certainly enjoyed this one. Juni Jessup has once again discovered a dead body. There's a mystery to solve and a lot of moving parts. And some mannequins. Oh, and she still has to figure out whether she's more into Beau or Teddy.

The writing on this series is great. Olivia Blacke knows how to spin a story and has nice little diversions and great character work. I am always happy to see a new Record Shop Mystery show up!

The Sip and Spin record store is in trouble, financially, and an outside investor wants to purchase 51% of the store. The Jessup sisters aren't interested. Next thing you know, the investor is killed right outside the shop.

Olivia Blacke brings us another light-hearted cozy about Juni and her sisters. There's a lot of coffee shop slash music puns, some romance, and some bodies dumped in the river. Juni can't stay away from any of it. Daffy the shop cat plays a bigger role in this book, which is always a plus. Cedar River has its share of memorable characters for being a one-stoplight town. I want to come visit!

Juni Jessup is taking in her first hockey game with an entrepreneur who wants to invest in her family’s business. While her sisters have no interest in an investor, Juni figures there’s no harm and taking them up on attending her first hockey game.

Later that night, after the game, a huge storm blows into town. While Tansey and Juni head to their record shop to batten down the hatches, a car crashes into the back of their truck which is parked in front of the store. The passenger of the car, who happens to be the entrepreneur from earlier that evening, is killed in the accident and Juni becomes a suspect.

With other local businesses, who had taken the man on as an investor, Juni hears, mixed stories of and failure. But who could’ve wanted the man dead, and how did they leverage a storm to make it happen? That’s exactly what Juni and her sisters aimed to find out. but can they solve the mystery or will the music die?

Tansey, Maggie and Juni are their sisters I would’ve loved to had. It is both the mystery and the progression of their personal lives that keep me coming back for more.

Juni, along with her sisters Maggie and Tansy, are back as the owner/operators of Sip and Spin, an independent music and coffee shop in a small Texas town. In this third mystery, Juni isn't the actual lead suspect but the victim is known to her and he's discovered outside their store in the middle of a blinding rainstorm. I enjoy this series very much but I, like some other reviewers, am very happy that Juni is maturing in her personal life and approach to problem-solving. I look forward to the next in this series.

Now that's what I call a comfort mystery. Sip and Spin feels like a second home by now. And of course it's filled with coffee puns. Chai not to laugh, y'all. But I digress, let's talk murder.

Finally Juni isn't a suspect! We also get to meet a few new characters and explore the small business scene in Cedar River which I just loved. I do want to see a bit more of Tansy and Maggie in the future books, hopefully some of the resolution in Juni's love life that we get here will help in that regard. (And I am SO happy about that love triangle drama being over). I thought Savannah's introduction was great to add some DRAMA to the story and a bit of morally gray villainry. Will we ever see the Savage Garden shirt again?? Also I found the subplots here to be really interesting! A flood, a murder, and mysterious river findings? Yes yes yes!

I honestly can't wait for the next book in the series. They're consistently adorable and just get better and better with each installment.

*Thank you to St Martin's and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

I really enjoyed the first two books in this series but this one was a slow read for me. I like Juni and her family and friends. But there were too many plot points that just didn’t work for me in this one. And I’m not a big fan of main characters who do stupid things and then have to be rescued by someone else.

Rhythm and Clues is the 3rd book in The Record Shop Mysteries series. The characters are likeable but the.main character Juniper (Juni) Jessup is curious and smart enough but is a.little immature. Juni and her sisters, Maggie and Tansy opened a coffee shop/record store, Sip and Spin. It is struggling but they are managing. An investor that Juni knew in college is in town and is pressuring the sisters to let them invest in Sip and Spin. One of the investors ends up dead. Juni has 2 men who like her, Beau who is a detective on the local police force and Teddy who is a mail carrier. Beau was Juni's boyfriend in high school and.college until he broke up with her. Juni and Teddy have been friends since high school. Juni needs to make a decision and choose one of the guys but she likes them both. Juni finally picks one of them but I wasn't happy with it or how it was done. The discussion with the chosen guy was very anticlimactic and could have been an opportunity to portray
her feelings for the guy. It does happen later. The mystery kept me guessing and the ending had everyone as friends which was nice. Overall I enjoyed this book and the series.

The Record Shop Mystery Series keeps getting better and better! In this one, a killer strikes during a violent storm that knocks out the power and phones. The victim is an investor who had his eyes on Sip and Spin Records and was already involved with a number of local businesses, leaving some of his new partners thrilled and others unhappy...maybe angry enough to want to do away with him? The blocked roads and lack of communication really complicate things, making this one a slightly more suspenseful than the usual cozy. It's set in a tight knit community with a bunch of likeable characters and the quirky names of the shop's coffee creations add to the fun.

I found “Rhythm and Clues”, the third book in Olivia Blacke’s Record Shop cozy mystery series to be a mixed bag.

First the good: There is actually a lot to like about the book starting with the record store setting and the three sisters that run it. The sisters are close yet each has their own unique personality (and the fact that they and their mother are named after flowers is a nice touch). The book is from Juni’s viewpoint and I love the way that the struggles of owning the record store are portrayed and I love Juni’s quirky way of dressing including music related t-shirts and colorful eyeglasses. The setup to the mystery is also well done – almost a locked room mystery as it takes place during a violent storm that ends up with roads being blocked and the town without power. There is also some nice red herrings and misdirection in the mystery.

Now the bad: First, the love triangle. I’m not sure why cozy mystery writers are so fond of love triangles but I find they distract from the mystery. The writing is a bit clunky – while I love the fact that the book features a diverse group of characters every single one is described as either Black of white – a little variation would have been nice (since this book is focused on music it could be as simple as saying one character looked like a well-known singer). Finally, while I did appreciate the twists in the mystery, I felt like there weren’t enough suspects and the identity of the killer was a bit of a surprise.

Bottom-line: A few of the things I didn’t like were wrapped up at the end of the book – I’m just not sure I want to invest my time in future books in the series.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Oh I liked this one. She is dating 2 guys, living with a sister and in business with both sisters. And it's a pretty cool store. But the dead body is not a good thing. Juni and her sisters start looking for clues. I found the story to be interesting and a good surprise ending. Very good reading.

This is such a fun series. In this outing, Juni and her sisters' record shop is being pursued by an investor. The author does a great job of setting up the story and Juni's connection to the victim quickly at the very beginning. And as a Shark Tank watcher, I enjoyed the business discussions sprinkled throughout (but not overwhelmingly). As always, I like the relationships between the sisters. I'm imagining my 3 sisters and I running a small business--mercy! The mystery part is well plotted, and I am overjoyed that Juni finally makes her decision re Teddy or Beau! I didn't really mind which one she chose--I just wanted the hand-wringing to be over. I like where this story ends up. The murder is solved, it makes sense, and Juni is entering a new phase of adulting. Go, Juni! I look forward to the next book!

I have been provided with a review copy of Rhythm and Clues from NetGalley for an impartial review. Ahhhhh this was just such a great read. I just didn't want this book to end and I was sad to turn the last page. I'm so excited to see what's next from this author.

Wow! What a start to Rhythm and Clues, the best book so far in the delightful Record Shop Mysteries series by Olivia Blacke. I love all three sisters: Juni, Maggie, and Tansey and drool over both Beau and Teddy. The interaction among them and is entertaining and feels real and their kindness is lovely but is balanced out with a little Texas attitude. That taste of the Austin, Texas area doesn't hurt either. From the storm of the century, not really but you know how that feels, to a deadly wreck, to Juni's reaction to Beau's song, all capped by the big reveal, the twists kept me pulled into the story as much as the wonderful characters. This is a third win in a series I recommend for any readers of cozy mysteries.
My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Paperbacks for allowing me to read an ARC of Rhythm and Clues; I had a blast!

#NetGalley #StMartinsPaperacks #TheRecordShopMysterySeries #OlviaBlacke

This third book in the Record Shop series is another outstanding installment in the series.

This is a fun cozy series set in small town Texas, near Austin, at Sip and Spin, a vinyl record shop and coffee bar owned by three sisters, Juni, Tansey, and Maggie. Also playing a prominent role are Juni's two boyfriends, the cop (who was her high school sweetheart) and also her best friend (who is the town's mailman and also a farmer).

Here, the shop is struggling financially and help, in the form of predatory investors firm, is offered to them. In trying to solve the murder, of a person involved with the investors, Juni sees both the positives and the negatives involved with the predatory investors firm.

All in all, a great plot, wonderful characters and just an overall charming mystery. I hope there are many more to come.

Juni has found herself caught up in another murder, her third one to be exact. During a terrible storm that causes the town to lose power and has enough fallen trees to isolate them from any other cities, a body is found … and not just any body, the body of Zack, an acquaintance from college who now buys up 51% stock in failing businesses … and he just talked to her about Sip and Spin. With limited resources, Beau finally asks Juni for help, even if not in official policeman capacity.

This is such a fun and well written series. I found myself constantly trying to figure out the killer. I also really liked what Savannah added to the story, I never knew if I liked her, hated her, found her innocent or guilty. My mind was on overdrive with this one!

While it is part of a series, this story could be read as a standalone.

Another fun entry in Olivia Blacke's Record Shop Mysteries series! Juni is always lots of fun to spend time with, the coffee names were (again) to die for (pun intended), and the small town mayhem provides such a great backdrop. And thank you to Olivia Blacke for making the correct choice when resolving that long triangle!