I really enjoyed this book! I was nervous because it’s different from her other books, but I liked the mystery. It just wasn’t as dark!

★ 3.75 stars.

"May Day" by Jess Lourey was a delightful discovery for me. As someone who hadn't previously explored Lourey's work, I found this cozy murder mystery to be an easy and enjoyable read. From the moment Mira James lands in rural Battle Lake, Minnesota, the story pulls you in with its quaint setting and quirky characters.

Mira's journey from a thankless waitressing job to a fresh start in Battle Lake, complete with a job as a librarian and a budding romance with archaeologist Jeff Wilson, sets the stage for a charming tale. However, when Jeff's body is discovered in the library, the plot takes an unexpected turn, revealing the darker secrets lurking beneath the town's polite exterior.

What I loved most about "May Day" was its perfect balance of intrigue and light-heartedness. Lourey weaves a web of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end. The small-town setting with its 1990s backdrop adds to the charm, with its gossip and quirky inhabitants adding depth to the narrative.

Overall, "May Day" is a delightful cozy mystery that offers an engaging plot, memorable characters, and just the right amount of humor. It's a perfect choice for a rainy day read or a cozy night in. I look forward to diving into the next installment in the series and continuing Mira's adventures in Battle Lake.

May Day is an easy read with a relatable main character, Mira, who seeks solace in a small town when her life falls apart in a big city. She will soon discover the small town she is at present is full of secrets and people are the hardest ones to read and the loss of her unexpected lover will also turn her into an investigative reporter. There is a good storyline, humor, and well placed thoughts regarding aging, dating, relationships in general, providing entertainment and food for thought.
I thank Ms. Lourey, her publisher, and NetGalley for the copy of this book.

I was hoping for a little more “wow” factor with this one but it was just “meh” for me. I thought it was a really slow build up to the mystery and point of the whole book. I like mystery books to be a bit more fast paced. Once I got there though, I had a great time playing detective and trying to solve the murder right alongside Mira. She was a fun MC and I liked her personality.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange of my honest review.

May Day" by Jess LouRey is a pulse-pounding mystery thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Set in a small, tight-knit community in the picturesque town of Battle Lake, Minnesota, this novel plunges readers into a world of secrets, betrayal, and shocking revelations.

At the center of the story is the disappearance of Belinda's husband, Fletcher, on May Day, a day of celebration and renewal. As Belinda struggles to come to terms with her husband's sudden absence, she embarks on a desperate quest for answers, uncovering dark truths about her idyllic hometown and the people she thought she knew.

One of the novel's greatest strengths lies in its richly drawn characters, each with their own secrets and motivations. From the enigmatic Belinda, whose resilience and determination drive the narrative forward, to the quirky and unforgettable residents of Battle Lake, every character feels authentic and fully realized, adding depth and nuance to the story.

Moreover, "May Day" is distinguished by its masterful plotting and skillful pacing. LouRey expertly weaves together multiple storylines and twists, keeping readers guessing until the very end. With its clever red herrings and unexpected revelations, the novel maintains a relentless sense of suspense that will leave readers breathless with anticipation.

Beyond its gripping plot and compelling characters, "May Day" also explores deeper themes of family, community, and the search for identity. Through Belinda's journey of self-discovery, readers are reminded of the power of resilience and the importance of finding strength in the face of adversity.

In conclusion, "May Day" is a riveting and unforgettable novel that will captivate fans of mystery and suspense. Jess LouRey has crafted a compelling story that combines heart-pounding thrills with poignant moments of insight and reflection. Whether you're a longtime fan of the genre or simply in search of a gripping read, "May Day" is sure to leave a lasting impression.

May Day is book 1 in the Murder by Month Mystery by Jess Lourey.
What a fun little mystery.
A super fun and exciting story. I was surprised by how quickly I read this one.
The characters are engaging and full of life.
The writing kept me turning the pages and eager to finish this one up.

Thank You NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This book is getting a new release, which is how I picked this up to read. From the blurb, I thought it may be a cosy mystery, at least the type of cosy mystery I'm used to reading. I'd label this as a general mystery, because of much of the content. And I think this more aligns with books such as the Stephanie Plum series, written by Janet Evanovich.

My thoughts on this are mixed. I liked the way the book started to setup the character and the new small town setting of Battle Lake. The character lands a job in a library, which was another bonus, and is house sitting with two pets and starting a small vegetable garden. Two more ticks. But then Mira starts becoming man hungry, and that's definitely developed into a main characteristic in the book. So much so that she meets a guy in the library and it turns into insta-love, an element I'm not a fan of in books. And this is where the book veers away from cosy mystery territory to me.

What I did like is the clever way the author ties in Mira writing an article for the local newspaper about the murder, giving her some cover to investigate. Of course, the investigation becomes bigger than just nosing around and asking questions, and it's the investigation side that felt more cosy to me, but not all the time. So mixed feelings on that as well.

But overall it's a good mystery that may be a little simple in construct, but entertaining in execution. I like many elements of the small town setting. We have a cast of characters that are stereotypes, but they are fun and interesting. Mira, as a protagonist, is a little too volatile at times for a cosy, but I can see room for development in the series

Link to video review will be added soon.

This was a strong start to the Murder by Month mystery series, it had everything that I enjoyed from the mystery genre. The concept was everything that I was hoping for and thought it worked overall. The characters were interesting and I enjoyed how well done everything was. I was excited to read more in this world and from Jess Lourey.

**This review is for the 2024 edition**

"I swung my light toward the corner and caught a lumpy shape. I felt the now-familiar icy rush of terror. I’d discovered another body. It had happened once; it could happen again."

Oh Mira, you sweet summer child, you have no clue how right you are.

May Day kicks off Jess Lourey's Murder by Month series as Mira James, perpetually down on her luck, strikes gold when she housesits for a friend in Battle Lake, Minnesota. There she discovers a new job, new friends and yes, a dead body.

Ms. Lourey cultivates a cast of characters that you'll be glad you have 11 more books to get to know. The spitfire octogenarian, Mrs. Berns; town Mayor Kennie Rogers; police chief Gary Whont; town hottie Johnny Leeson and many more

May Day was a book I was pretty excited to read — a murder mystery, small town setting and funny/lighthearted narration? Count me in.

I finished a bit over half the book, and the more I progressed, the more I dreaded even opening it. While I really enjoyed the first quarter or so, I couldn’t connect enough to most of the characters (with the only exception being Mira), and especially not to Jeff. Therefore, I didn’t really care about his death, or who caused it, or whatever.

At some points, the book is also quite slow paced and drags a bit. Maybe I’ll give this book another try someday, or read another of the author’s books (since I do quite enjoy the writing style), but I’ll leave this one for now.

Good mystery!

Mira James wasn’t excited about leaving the city for a house-sitting job in Battle Lake, Minnesota, but with a cheating ex-boyfriend, and no job, there was no reason not to relocate. A job at the library and meeting the man of her dreams goes a long way toward making it a better decision until she finds him dead between the reference stacks. What did he uncover in his research on the town that would make someone murder him? Curious minds want to know and Mira is grieving, AND curious.

This is an intricate riveting mystery. It pulled me along page after page to the conclusion. I definitely want to read more of this series!

Light and fun -- a kind of romcom / cozy mystery starring .. .a librarian! An easy, enjoyable read.

This is a great start to a series and cannot wait to read the next one! I love Jess Lourey!

This follows Mira James a thirty something cosmo girl who thinks nothing in her life goes right. Well her friend Sunny offers her a job Dog/House sitting and she thinks a change a pace would be good. When she settles in she meets Jeff and just falls head over heels for him. Then tragedy strikes and Mira sets out to find out what is going on in Minnesota where she is at.

It starts off as a slow burn but defiantly gets better and the build was very well written.

This is a series but doesnt have to be read as a series. Great writing, plot and i just loved the plot.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

I didn’t realize this book is a book from 2006 that is being republished. I’m loving the new covers. Thanks so much to netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this book! It is a cozy mystery that follows a young woman who is down on her luck. She loses her job and catches her boyfriend cheating. She goes to a small town to house sit and gets a job at the library. When she meets someone, she thinks her luck has changed. That is until she finds a dead body in the library.

I liked the characters, the setting, and the mystery. I love a small town, especially with a library. I thought the mystery was a bit obvious, but I still liked it.

I would recommend this one to anyone looking for a cozy mystery! I can’t wait to read the next one in the series.

May Day, book 1 of the Murder by Month Mystery was definitely a surprise for me. I loved the quirky little town and the main character, Mira. And a murder mystery in a library - sign me up! Although this was not as intense as I typically like my thrillers/murder mysteries to be, I still really enjoyed this book & will definitely continue the series.

Thank you NetGalley & Thomas & Mercer for the ARC copy of this book.

When things in the big city don't go Mira's way, she agrees to move to a small town to house-sit for her friend. She gets a job at the small local library and, only a week after working there, finds the dead body of the guy she just started dating. She makes it her mission to find out what happened.

This cozy mystery was a quick and easy read. It had a few unexpected twists and turns and some humor. I wish it had more character development. Whenever secondary characters were introduced, they were gone before you could connect with them.

This is an edited edition of this book, being re-released in April.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC of May Day ( Murder by month mysteries ) by Jess Lourey .

May I ( pun unintended ) start by saying that I haven’t read January- April but I believe these to be standalone books ( with a few central characters ) so will review it as such.


“With a cheating boyfriend, a thankless career in waitressing, and her BA in English going to waste, Mira James jumps at the chance for a fresh start in rural Battle Lake, Minnesota.

Right away she lands a job as a librarian, snags another as an on-call reporter for the weekly newspaper, and is swept off her feet by Jeff Wilson, a handsome archaeologist unearthing the town’s storied history. Moving here might be the best decision Mira’s ever made. Until she finds Jeff’s body between the library’s reference stacks. It seems Mira didn’t really know her drop-dead gorgeous new lover at all. But someone in Otter Tail County surely did.

Behind this quirky town’s polite exterior are decades-old grudges still unsettled, and murderous secrets best kept hidden. Whatever dangers are buried in Battle Lake’s past, now it’s Mira’s turn to start digging.”

The blurb promises to be a whodunnit with fun and humour and the story doesn’t disappoint. I can honestly say that at no point did Jess waste her words, the plot drag or I feel like putting the book down. I loved the protagonist Mira ( and as a bookworm- the plot setting in a library just warms my cockles ) and even though Mira’s love affair goes sadly sideways… the book doesn’t. I loved it and will definitely be buying books January to April to catch up. Love it

This was a cute murder mystery novel. I have never read anything written by Jess Lourey before, but this one was really easy to read, had the perfect amount of characters, not to mention had the right amount of twists and turns. Great who done it book, perfect for any book club, or an easy rainy day read.

Thank you NetGalley for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

this is a story of a young woman that is trying to decide what she wants as an adult- in her career, relationships, and future. It has a lot of surprises and interesting characters typical of small town life. A great beach read that will be hard to put down.

I’ve become a huge fan of Jess Lourey’s books since I started my first. It helps as a native Minnesotan to read books containing places that I am family with. I’m always a sucker for a good small town story especially featuring a librarian. I can’t wait to read more of her murder by the month mystery books.