Booked for Murder by P.J. Nelson is a cute, cozy mystery set in the aptly-named town of Enigma, Georgia. Madeline Brimley headed back to her hometown of Enigma after her aunt passed away, leaving her the Old Juniper Bookstore, which took up most of an old Victorian mansion. Madeline felt that it was bequeathed to her at just the right time, as she was needing a break from her acting career, despite her not knowing anything about running a business or the needs of running a bookstore.

Just as she pulled into town and settled in for the first night, she looked out and saw the old gazebo in the backyard that had been set ablaze by an unknown arsonist. Just as Madeline talked herself down from being afraid, she got a threatening phone call from a man’s voice, warning her to get out of town.

A short time later, having ignored the phone call partly because Madeline had lived in NYC and developed a hard shell and partly because she had nowhere else to go, Madeline woke up to find her front door on fire and her new friend had been stabbed to death and left to burn.

Madeline remembered what small-town life is like when the cop assigned to her case was a young man that she used to babysit, which left her with little faith in his crime-solving abilities. Also, the entire county seemed to know all of her business. Madeline decided that she and her late-aunt’s closest friend and the local Episcopalian pastor should seek to solve her friend’s murder. Whatever could go wrong?

This murder mystery was filled with humor and humanity and just enough love to make it the cutest cozy mystery that I’ve read in a while.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this wonderful ARC!!!

Are you ready to be transported to a small town in Georgia?

Then you need to read Booked for Murder by PJ Nelson. Nelson captures the feel of a small town and builds up the history around the Old Juniper Book Store and its characters. It reminded me of Cabot Cove of Murder, She Wrote fame.

Who is threatening the bookstore and the church down the street? You will want to keep reading to find out! There is good pacing and tension throughout, and the resolution felt satisfactory but left enough open for future books in the series. There were a couple of twists I didn’t see coming, but the main one was predictable. It didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book, though.

This book hooked me from the start, and I did not want to put it down. It definitely fits the cozy mystery genre right down to the cat trope! I enjoyed a couple of themes, which mostly revolved around ghosts of the past and what makes a place home. Is it where you were born, or is it more about the people?

Booked for Murder is definitely setting up for a series, and you got an excellent introduction to the cast of characters and their dynamics. There is limited development because the author wants to save some of that for future books. The main female character had more chemistry with the fire chief over the gardener, but it feels like the author will push her to the gardener. They had too much in common and were too similar of characters to make a good match. I look forward to seeing if I’m wrong about future love interests! Overall, the main characters had some change and were likable.

Nelson’s writing was straightforward to read and follow. The main female character's point of view helped maintain consistency throughout and limited us to only what she knew and felt. I did feel some of the dialogue wasn’t as relatable. The characters sometimes spoke in depth and quoted things off the top of their head, which felt a bit pretentious. I don’t believe every character would have such a great memory!

If you are a cozy mystery lover, definitely check out Booked for Murder!

Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, for the advanced copy for review.

It was a pretty good book. Standard woman who thinks she can solve a murder better than anyone else and almost dies doing it. But I liked Gloria and Cannonball.

Definitely get a A
I was hooked by the second chapter, the pacing is likes it's written for a TV mini series. Every few chapters you find yourself knowing more and less at the same time and it keeps you wanting more.

Great book. I liked the characters and how the plot developed. An easy read and not overly graphic as some are b

A good cozy mystery. When Madeline heads to small town Georgia to go to the bookstore and Victorian mansion she inherited, things get a bit sticky. The first night the gazebo in the backyard burns to the ground, and an ominous phone call threatening her to leave. I did like this one, and the characters are fully developed. Did tend to skim a bit in the middle though, as there seemed to be a few loose ends and wanted to see what the "secrets" were. Still though, would recommend.

Thank you, P.J. Nelson, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for this ARC.
This is P.J. Nelson's debut cozy mystery. I enjoyed getting to know Madeline Brimley. Madeline's dear Aunt Rose passes away and Madeline finds herself inheriting Juniper Books which is in her Aunt's old Victorian Home. I loved meeting the people in Madeline's life and I hope there are more adventures to come with this cast of friends.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were very likable. It left me wanting to know more about how Madeline does with the book store. Will there be any romance between her and any of the men in town. I hope there are more mysteries in this little town!

This book was a true masterpiece. It kept me guessing the entire time. The writing was easy to process and enjoy. Every time I thought I had it figured out I was surprised at a new plot twist. This book is definitely worth a read. It was comfy cozy at its finest.

Returning back to a small town can be difficult enough, add in a murder.

The descriptions of this little town made me feel like I was actually there. Definitely a nice set up for a part 2.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

P.J. Nelson's 'Booked for Murder' is like a cozy chat with your bestie over hot cocoa, whisking you away to a small-town mystery that's equal parts charming and thrilling. Picture this: Madeline Brimley inherits her aunt's bookstore in Enigma, Georgia, and suddenly finds herself knee-deep in trouble, starting with an arson and ending with a murder. Teaming up with a couple of pals, she dives headfirst into a rollercoaster of quirky characters and unexpected plot twists.

What really makes this mystery pop is its cast of characters, each one as colorful as a rainbow on a stormy day. You've got the mysterious Philomena, the rock-solid Gloria, and the adorable Tandy, all adding their own spice to the mix. As tensions rise with creepy calls and sketchy behavior, Madeline turns into a full-on detective, sniffing out secrets faster than you can say 'whodunit.'

Nelson's storytelling keeps you on your toes, throwing curveballs left and right until the big reveal. Sure, you might see some twists coming, but that doesn't make the journey any less thrilling. And with a satisfying ending that leaves you craving more, you'll be itching to crack open the next book in the series.

This was a cute book. It was my first Cozy Mystery title and I enjoyed it. This genre may not be for me in the future, but I still enjoyed this book. So if you're into cozy mysteries with a Southern twist, 'Booked for Murder' is your ticket to a good time. With its lovable characters, clever plot, and down-home vibe, it's the perfect read for a lazy weekend afternoon.

I use AI to help me write these reviews because my typed notes while I am high on weed are nonsense and incoherant.

I was so excited to get this copy. Everything from the pun-y title, cover art and synopsis. For a bookworm this is just the perfect little thriller to dive into. I actually read this in just a few hours at the beach while on vacay so would call it a great beach read as well

Such a fun book to read!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC.

When Madison inherits a bookstore from her aunt, she's not sure she should stay. Especially after a fire, threatening phone calls and a murder convince her she should think about going back to Atlanta. With the help of a pastor (Reverend? Father? Sister?) and her aunt's closest friend they attempt to solve the crimes on their own.
It was corny and funny and a great summer read! Loved it!

This was such a a cozy read! This is going on my fall reading list to match for spooky season. Would definitely recommend if this is your vibe and plan to reread

Thank you P.J.Nelson, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for allowing me an advanced copy of this great book to read.

I really enjoyed this book! Madeline is a great character. She is a little crazy at times but she is a great lead character! Madeline came back to her small town to inherit her aunts bookstore and house with conditions. Lots of twists for Madeline in her first week in town. Twisted enough to keep me reading even though I pretty much has it all figured out. The ending was great and definately leaves it open for more books to come! I will be waiting!! I highly recommend this book for a nice easy mystery read.

Thank you P.J. Nelson for this great book. Cannot wait for book #2!

I am always a sucker for cozy mysteries!! I absolutely loved this one and enjoyed it to the very end. I found that the twists were very clever and kept me guessing. The author did an amazing job setting the scene for this story and I felt like I was completely there. Looking forward to the next book!!!

Madeline Brimley returns to her small Georgia hometown when she inherits a quaint little bookstore from her beloved Aunt Rose. Someone seems bound and determined to drive her away as arson, threatening late night phone calls and murder soon follow. This was a good cozy with likeable characters and lots of red herrings to keep you guessing.

Gave me mystery vibes, it was genuinely a good read. I’d recommend it to other who like mystery/thriller. Also easy read.

I adore a great cozy mystery. I am glad this was not centered around romance as some can be a bit more romantic than mystery. I found the idea of an odd ball Aunt passing away and leaving a bookstore to her niece a great chance. A big issue I had was the character of the niece. She is noted for being an actress who was struggling to land roles in New York, so she moved back home. However, she did not own a cell phone which is a major red flag since Actresses need a phone to reach their possible new roles. She also was extremely hesitant to react to the fire on her first day at her aunt's. I would imagine that if someone threatened to kill me and light a part of my property on fire, I would not hide that information. The Fire Department was also extremely incompetent to a large degree which was a bit off. Also, if she was only away from her old hometown for a bit why did she not recognize the people she used to work with or babysit. I found that was a bit odd since he was not a newborn but a teen himself and I do not feel like he would have changed so dramatically. Otherwise, it was a good mystery and storyline. I hope there is a lot more of this series to come because I adore the set up. I would recommend this to my book club group. Solid 3.5 Stars.

Madeline is a struggling actress who returns to her small hometown of Enigma, Georgia when her Aunt Rose passes away and leaves her a peculiar and quaint bookstore. Madeline is a well written character who doesn’t have a cell phone and has named her car. The night Madeline arrives at the old Victorian house, someone sets fire to the gazebo. It’s clear that someone wants Madeline gone when the fire is followed up by threatening phone calls. Within days there is a murder. Madeline and two friends, old Aunt Rose’s best friend and the local female Episcopal priest, set out to solve the crimes since the local policeman seems inept. Booked for Murder is a cozy, light mystery with many quirky characters. The setting is atmospheric; a small Southern town where everyone knows each other. The story is enjoyable yet somewhat predictable. Highly recommended to fans of cozy mysteries. With thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. My opinions are my own. susanh_bookreviews