This was a fun mystery read! The writing was good with a clever storyline. I liked the characters, but Madeline got on my nerves towards the end with her myopic perspective. She needed an open, think-outside-the-box mentality if she was to figure out the crime. Even though the plot was clever, it was predictable. It was easy to figure out Rose’s secret and who killed Tandy. I did enjoy the friendship between Madeline, Gloria, and Philomena. They made a great team. I’m interested to see what happens in the next book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I love books about bookstores, and Booked for Murder, newly released by P.J Nelson, is an absolute delight to read. Not only is it about a bookstore, there is intrique, wonderful characters and suspense. Madeline Brimley inherits the Old Juniper Bookstore from her beloved Aunt Rose, an eccentric and loving former actress. Madeline had been acting in the Atlanta area and doing fairly well, yet her inheritance takes her back to her hometown, Enigma, Georgia. The move generates many thoughts and feelings for Madeline; specifically, as a girl she couldn't wait to leave Enigma; why was she going back? As soon as she arrived she was aware of Rose's presence and the aroma of Joy, her favorite perfume filled the house.. Madeline had not even unpacked when she smelled smoke- lo and behold- her Aunt's beautiful gazebo was on fire. The gazebo was over one hundred years old, and very special to the folks of Enigma; many a first kiss took place under its roof. Add the fact that she received a threatening call on her first night urging her to leave the area ASAP., and not only that, Tandy Fletcher, a lovely collge student who had helped Rose was murdered in the store. Not the welcome Madeline had hoped for.
This just sets the backdrop of the story; suffice to say it is a non-stop roller coaster read. I liked that Madeline had 2 female friends who appeared to want her to stay and succeed: her Aunt' s dearest friend, Dr. Philomena Waldrop, a psychology professor at the local college, and Gloria Cloeman, the newly appointed vicar of the Episcopal Church. I found Booked for Murder to be an easy yet captivating read. The storyline is well crafted and the array of characters believable and relatable. I cannot capture the entire story in my review, simply said, I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it for mystery lovers.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books and the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of Booked for Murder; this review reflects my honest opinion. 4 stars.

Like her Aunt Rose, Madeline left the small town of Enigma, Georgia to become an actress. Aunt Rose returned after a successful career, opening a bookstore in her home, where a young Maddie spent her time after the death of her parents. Now Aunt Rose has passed away and left the bookstore to Maddie. It comes at a time when she is tiring of her stalled career and looking for a change. She arrives in her beat up car that she affectionately calls Igor and trouble arrives before she can even unload her car. A gazebo in Rose’s garden is set on fire and she receives a threatening call telling her to get out before the house is next. She refuses to be intimidated and sets about re-opening the bookstore. She is supported by Rose’s closest friend Philomena, a professor at the nearby college. She is also joined by Tandy, a college student who helped Rose in the store. Tandy quickly becomes close to Maddie, tending to customers and finding her way around Maddie’s kitchen. After a fight with her roommate Tandy spends a night at the store. When Maddie is awakened by the smell of smoke, she finds the front of the store on fire and Tandy’s body.

Maddie is surprised to find that the officer responding to her calls is Billy Sanders, who she used to babysit. She has trouble seeing him as the trained officer that he has become and decides to investigate on her own. Phil introduces her to Gloria Coleman, a local priest, and together the three search for answers. Gloria is a dynamo on her own, offering words of wisdom and a calming influence. Maddie’s interference in Billy’s investigation brings her to the killer’s attention, threatening to make her the next victim. There is a suggestion of romance in this cozy mystery. Phil has called in handyman David Madison for repairs to the gazebo and store, knowing that he is single and Maddie’s age. Fire Captain Mike Jordan gets off on the wrong foot with Maddie, but he appears when she is in trouble and seems to be watching after her. P. J. Nelson leaves you wondering where these men will fit into Maddie’s life in the future. This was an entertaining mystery that offers up several suspects and keeps you wondering. If you enjoy Robert Thorogood’s Marlowe mysteries, then Maddie, Phil and Gloria will have you looking forward to a return to Enigma. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur for providing this book.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and I am so thankful I was picked to receive an ARC!

Booked for Murder is a cozy mystery by PJ Nelson. The story starts off well, with the introduction of Madeline, a disillusioned actress who has returned to her hometown in Enigma, Georgia. Her Aunt Rose has passed away and left Madeline her bookstore/home.

The premise of Booked for Murder isn’t an original idea by any means. So, that leaves the plot and the characters to make it interesting. The plot is also fairly well-used. Someone doesn’t want Madeline to remain in town and begins to threaten her safety. That’s definitely been done before in other mysteries – cozy or not.

So, now it’s up to the characters to give the book some sparkle. And, they do seem to somewhat save the day for this debut novel. My favorite character is Father Gloria, the Episcopal priest, who has lots of energy and insight. Meanwhile, I found Madeline a little irritating. Her lack of any kind of strategy or even just plain common sense was frustrating. The book started off well and moved along at a nice pace. But, that didn’t last long, as the story slowed down, the introspection and reflections increased, with a lot of repetition.

Finally, the word “sweet” and variations of the word is used much too much to describe a personality, a smile, a voice. It was really annoying. I will bump up my rating from 2.5 stars to 3 only because I liked a few of the characters and they helped to redeemed the book for me. NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.

After pursuing an acting career in New York City and more recently Atlanta, Madeline Brimley has returned to small-town life in Enigma, Georgia.
She has barely stepped foot inside the bookstore she recently inherited from her Aunt Rose before being thrust into the role of an amateur Nancy Drew. Between arson, death threats and the murder of a sweet college girl, Madeline has her hands full meeting up and questioning various suspects. She quickly finds out that her first impressions of people don't always turn out to be accurate, and her impulsive actions lead to some dangerous situations, Fortunately, her training as an actor comes in handy. This appears to be the first in a new series of cozy mysteries, so I will be keeping an eye out for future installments. Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur and the author for a copy to read and review.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Like most young adults from Enigma, Georgia, Madeline Brimley left town for college and to follow her dreams of becoming an actress. While she had some minor success she still hadn’t gotten that big break. When she learns her dear Aunt Rose has passed away she is heartbroken, but her aunt has left her bookstore which is as eccentric as she was. The Old Juniper Bookstore is right in her aunt’s Victorian mansion so ready to kickstart her life Madeline loads her belongings in her old Fiat and heads to Enigma.

Not everyone is happy that Madeline has come to town. On her first night there, someone sets the gazebo in the backyard on fire, shortly followed by a phone call telling her to leave town or next time the whole house will be set ablaze. The calls continue but Madeline has to remain in Enigma.

Apparently, the caller wasn’t messing around, Madeline woke up to find the store on fire and a dead body on the floor. Upset and unsure what to do she decides to try to find the person who is dead serious about wanting her gone. Can she do that or will the killer catch her first?

The author jumped right into the action giving readers the bare minimum of details about the protagonist or the setting of Enigma, Georgia. I was just getting comfortable with how The Old Juniper Bookstore was set up and meeting a couple of characters when WHAM! One of those characters is murdered. A character Rose, Madeline, and I liked. I slammed the cover of my Kindle and put it down. After several minutes I talked myself into continuing the book and I am glad I did.

Madeline didn’t give me that warm and fuzzy feeling I sometimes get from a main character. She is stubborn and closed off and needs more development. I know her sleuthing skills will improve as the series continues and she finds herself facing more challenges. Rose’s closest friend Philomena Waldrop comes to welcome Madeline as soon as she arrives. The head of the psychology department of the nearby Barnsley College and long time resident she knows everybody and everything about them. She tries to take Madeline under her wing and visits her daily like she did her Aunt Rose. She introduces Madeline to Father Gloria Coleman. Like Madeline, she is relatively new to town. She also has a very interesting past. Madeline meets Fire Captain Mike Jordan when he arrives to take care of the gazebo fire. They get off to a bad start almost immediately. With the damage to the gazebo and other events, handyman David Madison enters the story. He is an intriguing individual. Madeline also reconnects with Officer Billy Sanders, she babysat him twice when he was nine. We meet some college students and other residents too. All the characters were interesting, some quirky, and most need more development which is common for the first book in a series.

The fire and murder investigations were handled differently than any I have read. Understanding that Enigma is a small town with a small police force I still would have expected that Madeline would have to leave the residence and the bookstore would be closed for at least a couple of days but that wasn’t the case. She answered some questions, went upstairs to bed, and opened the bookstore the next day, even after the murder. People came in to shop/see where the crime had been committed or stopped by for coffee. It just felt strange.

Madeline does try to investigate the crimes and sometimes takes Gloria along, but at one time or another, she thinks everyone she talks to is the killer. Then when she needs to follow-up she goes alone and that is never a good idea. But it is even worse when the murderer comes to you. After I got over my dismay over who the victim was I had a good idea who killed them but I did enjoy following along with the new amateur sleuth and her journey to find the truth. The takedown was dramatic, exhilarating, and satisfying.

Booked for Murder was an Enjoyable Getaway. It has good bones. Set in a unique small town, with a wonderful bookstore, and characters I want to know better makes me keen to know what the author has up their sleeve for the next installment of this series.

Booked for Murder is a debut cozy mystery by P. J. Nelson. I thought the story started a little slow, but began to pick up as I continued to read it. By the end of the story I was hooked on the characters and look forward to see what comes next in the next installment. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, I suggest you give Booked for Murder a try.

Thank you P.J. Nelson and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

BOOKED FOR MURDER is the first book in a new cozy mystery series by P.J. Nelson. Set in small-town Georgia, Madeline inherits a bookstore when her Aunt Rose’ passes away. Upon her return the gazebo in the backyard is burned down, and she starts getting threatening phone calls telling her to leave. Days later another fire is set and the young college student staying at the bookstore is killed.

The mystery plotline was well developed and had a good resolution. I personally did not figure out who the arsonist/killer was, but I did get frustrated with Madeline placing herself in danger unnecessarily more than once. I felt Madeline considered herself superior to the townspeople, including the police, whom she felt were not up to the job. Not a lot of likeable characters, my favorite was the female pastor with her calming influence and overall positive outlook on life.

I received this advance review copy from NetGalley & the publisher for my honest review.

“On the surface, small towns can seem so simple, but they’re not. Behind every smile there could be an unspoken resentment. Every kind word was a possible pretense. Every action had more than one motive. Everybody had secrets and lived with the dull fear that those secrets would be found out.“

Enigma is a small town where it’s citizens have many secrets. There’s a murder and anyone could be the suspect, everyone has a motive.

The FMC moves back to town after her aunt dies to help get loose ends tied. While there, someone wants her gone. They try to burn down the house twice, they leave threatening messages, & someone is even murdered.

If you enjoy:
🕵️‍♀️ cozy mysteries
🧩 suspects left and right
🏡 small towns
🎭 drama

The audiobook for this one was cozy to listen to as well. The narrator had the perfect voice for our FMC. Her southern voices for all the characters were spot on.
Length: 9 hours
Narrator: Hallie Bee Bard

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, & Minotaur Books (SMP) for the free ARC & ALC in exchange for an honest review!

Madeline isn't making it as an actress in Atlanta. When her Aunt Rose passes away she comes back to Enigma, GA to run her bookshop. When a young woman is murdered at the bookshop Madeline with the help of the new pastor of the Episcopal church, Gloria, and her aunt's best friend, Philomena, they try to find her killer.

I found Madeline a bit annoying. In the course of the book, she was sure at least three different people were the murderer, went off interviewing her own witnesses and felt that the police officer in charge didn't know what he was doing. The book shop sounded delightful, but I didn't have a strong sense that I was in Georgia. I think the author was going for a cozy mystery but I didn't really find the characters cute or amusing and some of the back characters were darn right hateful.

Apparently this is the set up to a series and I hope in the next installment the characters will be fleshed out more. It's not great literature but it was a pleasant enough read that I would be willing to give book 2 a try.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for my complimentary eARC of Booked for Murder. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I absolutely devoured this debut cozy mystery by P.J. Nelson. The story pulled me at the first page and the action never stopped. I was super bummed by the choice of murder victim. So much potential for a great story line!! But never fear, I will not spoil it for you! I am glad there was not an over abundance of food (as in many cozy mysteries) this one is set in an old house/bookstore.

The side characters have their own unique backstories, and they all come together to solve this mystery. The addition of just a tiny bit of magical realism/ghosts was an added bonus.

I am looking forward to reading more of this series.

📚 PUBLICATION WEEK BOOK REVIEW 📚

Booked For Murder By P.J. Nelson
Publication Date: December 10, 2024
Publisher: St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

📚MY REVIEW:

Booked For Murder is an atmospheric Southern cozy debut from author P.J. Nelson, which immediately drew me in and kept me invested in its mystery until its unexpected ending!

After her Aunt Rose's death, Madeline inherits her old Victorian home in small-town Georgia - which also houses an independent bookstore - and she returns to the town she hasn't lived in since she left for college years ago. Immediately upon her arrival, it becomes clear that someone isn't happy she's back in town. -- When a murder happens in her new residence, only a few days after she's moved in, the town is buzzing with gossip and rumors about what's going on. Madeline quickly learns that so many of the town's residents have big secrets -- and everyone isn't always who they appear to be.

I absolutely loved the female main character Madeline, who had moxie and intelligence - a formidable combo. I really enjoyed her friendships with her Aunt Rose's best friend, Philomena, and the town's new pastor, Gloria. And the supporting characters were such a quirky cast of characters that really added to the story throughout the pages. Nelson's writing painted a picture of this small town that was so perfectly detailed, I could almost smell the juniper on the breeze, taste the French-pressed coffee, and hear the creaking of the rocking chair on the big front porch.

This quick read kept me entertained and eagerly awaiting its ultimate conclusion as the characters' secrets were revealed one at a time. I was so shocked to learn this is Nelson's debut, as this atmospheric read certainly doesn't read like a debut! If you enjoy cozy mysteries, you're gonna love this book! Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and P.J. Nelson for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

#BookedForMurder #PJNelson #StMartinsPress #MinotaurBooks #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #ARCs #cozymysteries #mysteries #booklover #bookaddict #bookcommunity #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #bookreviews

P. J. Nelson’s Booked for Murder has all the makings of a charming cozy mystery—an eccentric Victorian bookstore, a quirky Southern small-town setting, and a fiery protagonist determined to solve a murder. Madeline Brimley’s return to Enigma, Georgia, to claim her late Aunt Rose’s bookstore feels like the perfect setup for mystery lovers, especially when threats, arson, and a murder derail her fresh start.

The book shines in its atmospheric details, from the creaky old mansion housing The Old Juniper Bookstore to the colorful, secretive townsfolk. Madeline’s stubborn and theatrical personality makes her a compelling lead, particularly when she clashes with locals and refuses to back down in the face of danger.

However, the pacing feels uneven, with the first half building slowly before rushing through critical developments in the second half. The mystery itself, while intriguing, could have used more twists and red herrings to heighten the suspense. Some side characters feel underdeveloped, leaving the town of Enigma a bit flatter than it could have been.

That said, Booked for Murder is a fun and easy read for fans of cozy mysteries, particularly those who enjoy bookstores and Southern charm. While it may not be groundbreaking, it delivers enough intrigue and heart to keep you turning the pages.

Final Thoughts: If you love cozy mysteries with determined heroines and bookish settings, give Booked for Murder a try. Just don’t expect it to set the mystery genre ablaze—pun intended!

I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. I hope this becomes a series. There is a fire and then a murder. Madeline decides she must solve it.

A cute and cozy mystery that left me a bit frustrated at times. I love a story that involves books and/or bookstores, so I immediately jumped on Booked for Murder. My two interests meshed together, books and crime, what could be better. Madeline returns to her small town after her Aunt Rose passes away and she inherits her aunt's house/bookstore. Upon her arrival she soon learns there may be more going on in the small town than she realized, and someone isn't happy she is back. While the writing of the book was done well, the plot was a bit tricky to keep up with. It was almost as if the author wanted to make so many twists to keep the reader interested, they threw in every curve ball, red herring they could think of. The main character was frustrating at times and hard to root for, she just did some idiotic things that I don't think would be a rational persons' response. It did make for a nice easy read.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced digital copy.

Oh dear, I confess to skipping around. The drag got to me & I was afraid I wouldn't finish at all. There are so many twists and turns and some weren't connected. I was surprised a couple of times, but I never fully engaged in the plot. The main character, Madeline, was not smart so much as stubborn. Caring about her enough to get involved in her journey never happened. I guessed the big shock reveal the first time I read the description. The PR blurb gives the gist of the story and I can't say much more without spoiling the whole thing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing a complimentary advance readers copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#NetGalley #Booked for Murder #P.J.Nelson #debut novel #Old Juniper Bookshop Mystery #mystery #cozy mystery

Madeline was born in Enigma, South Georgia, but left to Barnsley College to pursue her passion, theatre. With too many rejections, she is back in the small town where she inherits her aunt’s bookstore. Aunt Rose has passed, she was a hit in Broadway, upon retiring she founded the Old Juniper bookstore.
Upon entering the Victorian mansion, which can be from a Hawthorne’s novel, she remembers the feeling from childhood, she is back at her castle, full of items from her aunt’s broadway plays.
As she is settling down, a fire smell filled the house, only to find out the gazebo in the backyard garden is on fire. From the fire brigade perspective it was arson. Someone is targeting Madeline, threatens to burn out the whole store, only to find the threats are real: there’s another fire along with a murder.
Nothing is going to make her gave up on her store and her new life in enigma.
As it seems, Enigma is a small town of 1251, full of secrets and darkness.
It’s a enjoyable cozy mystery with Southern setting, many characters that can be developed in a sequel, I hope there will be one!.

A fun cozy mystery, set in an eclectic southern bookstore, with the capacity to keep me flipping pages so I could have the mystery resolved. The setting added to the mystery of it all.

I would like to see the characters developed a bit more, as they came across as flat and one-dimensional. Uncertain if I will follow the series further.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing a complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Cozy mystery, light reading.

A fire, a murder, several suspects. It was a bit predictable but it kept me entertained wanting to know if I was right.

There are certain relationships that were left unresolved and others that were forced to be fixed.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to review the ARC.