Sam (Samantha) is a former teacher who now owns a mystery book shop and writes English mysteries. She is also engaged to Frank who owns a restaurant and is ex-military

This 10th installment has Sam nervous about her future mother-in-law coming to town. Sam's Nana Jo has managed to arrange a free stay at the Four Feathers Casino Resort after Sam was heckled by a gentleman while she was giving an author talk at the Resort. Nana Jo thinks this is perfect as a bachelorette party for Sam, Nana Jo and the Retirement Community Posse as well as Sam's future mother-in-law, Camilla. A man is found dead by Camilla in her room. Sam and her senior posse need to wrap this case before the feds arrive to take over. They even get North Harbour Det. Pitt involved.

I love this series! I hate when the story comes to an end, and I have to leave my North Harbour friends. Nana Jo is a hoot, and with the network and characters of the retirement village posse, they could solve the problems of the world!

This story has a lot of heart, humor and a darned good mystery. In fact, there is a mystery in the mystery since Sam reduces her stress by writing her next novel. Both are good mysteries with several possible suspects. This book is just frankly a good time! Be prepared to not want to put it down.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the chance to read and give my hones review of this ARC.

I love this series so much! Anything by the author is fantastic.

Samantha, Nana Jo and the rest of the ladies have been sent to a fancy resort as a treat. Samantha’s future mother in law is in town and she joins them.

Sam and the gang have to solve a murder and prove her future MIL is innocent.

I also always love the historical mystery that Sam writes. A bonus for reading this book!

The Next Deadly Chapter is the 10th installment of the V.M. Burns’ Mystery Bookshop series. It follows author and bookstore owner Samantha Washington as she takes her family and friends on a free weekend to the local casino, Four Feathers Resort. Tribal Council member Kai Strongbow gifted her the vacation after a heckler tried to ruin her author event at the resort the week prior.
They use the weekend as a bridal shower and Samantha hopes she can impress her prickly mother in law to be, Dr. Patterson. Unfortunately a body is found in her room and then quickly vanishes causing for sleuthing and adventures to ensue. Lots of wacky characters and every one of Nana Jo's friends has a specialty they can use to help the investigation. There is also a parallel mystery that is set in 1939 England that Sam is currently writing as a cozy author. I admit I skimmed over most of these parts. Even though the plots mirror each other, I felt it took me out of the story too much and didn't grab me. I also loved the crabby detective's glow up in this, he needed to get out of the passe trope he had been in. A fun mystery and another great installment to this series.

The Next Deadly Chapter is the tenth book in the Mystery Bookshop series by V.M. Burns. Samantha "Sam" Washington is a mystery bookshop owner that writes murder mysteries. She doesn't get paid to solve crimes but instead writes about them and solves local murder mysteries with the help of friends and family, which includes her gun-toting grandmother, Nana Jo.

Sam is treated to a weekend at a world-class resort and casino. It is the perfect opportunity to spend quality time with her soon-to-be mother-in-law, the prim and proper Dr. Camilia Patterson. Spa massages, light gambling, delicious food and relaxation is the plan. What could possibly go wrong? The lively ladies of Shady Acres Retirement Village and Nana Jo throw a surprise bridal shower for Sam. Things spin out of control faster than a roulette wheel. The next morning, a dead body is found in their luxurious suite. Sam and the ladies, with the help of Detective "Stinky" Pitt, aim to discreetly solve the murder of a white man murdered on Native soil.

V.M. Burns has once again proven why she's one of the best at cozy mystery series. This cast of characters are a hoot with chemistry that leaps off the page. Every sleuth plays an important role in solving the murder and walks readers' through the investigation. I guessed the killer early on but there were other suspects that raised my brow thanks to good pacing.

A book within a book can be tricky. While I like that the main character is not only a mystery bookshop owner but an author, it takes some getting used to balancing both worlds. It was clear when the story changed from present-day to the novel-in-progress but I found myself skipping over the manuscript parts. It just wasn't as interesting and became a distraction. It did not help that this story-in-a-story was new to me.

Perhaps I will feel differently when I read the series in chronological order. This is the tenth book but the first I've read in this series. I enjoyed the characters enough to want to officially meet them starting with book one. The two poodles, Snickers and Oreo, are a bonus! Spend the remainder of Black History Month reading this new release by an author of color. It is a good representation of a generational Black family, Indigenous people, teamwork and smarts.

Happy Early Pub Day, V.M. Burns! The Next Deadly Chapter will be available Tuesday, February 25.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

The latest in a clever series that gives you two stories in one- the mystery Sam is solving and the mystery she is writing! And it's totally enjoyable even as a standalone! Nana Jo's plan to give Sam a party before her wedding to Frank is a nice one but it's also the first time that Sam meets her mother-in-law-to-be Camilla. And then Camilla finds a dead body in her room and well, Sam must spin into action along with Nana Jo and the Shady Acres crew as well as with Detective Stinky Pitt. While it's a nice mystery on its own, it's also fun to read the novel Sam has just started, which is set in the UK in 1939. The stories parallel each other in some ways. This has antics and hijinks but it never goes over the top-it's chuckle worthy. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A fun read.

The Next Deadly Chapter is the 10th Mystery Bookshop mystery. I have read all of the previous books and look forward to reading the next every time. The author has a great cast of characters and has creative situations for each mystery. Best of all there are two mysteries in each book. The main character Samantha Washington is an author who writes historical mysteries, so each book has a historical mystery that plays out in tandem with the modern mystery that is the focus of each book.
Sam is meeting her future mother in law for the first time and she is extremely nervous. It actually throws her off her game for the first 1/3 of the book.
An odious man is murdered. Sam gets involved because the body initially turns up in her room.
I love the interplay between the cast - Sam, Nanna Jo, Jenna, Irma, Dorothy, Ruby Mae and Frank. We can’t forget Stinky Pitt, who may need to go by his actual name if certain events continue past this book.
As always for this series, The Next Deadly Chapter was a delight to read. I highly recommend the Mystery Bookshop series. Read it in order just so you can be delighted by the interactions of the characters as they figure out mysteries together.
Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

I enjoyed this addition to the Mystery Bookshop series but I found the plot to be a little weird. I loved that Ms. Burns had a lot of the supporting characters in this story as they always make it feel like returning home to friends when I read them.

Samantha Washington is doing a book signing at a Senior Center on tribal lands when she is heckled by an outsider. The outsider is then rousted out by the tribal leader and Sam is given a weekend at the Four Feathers Casino and Resort in compensation for this nasty person. Treating this as her bachelorette party, Nana Jo and the girls go along with her and her soon to be MIL and party hearty. Unfortunately, the heckler ends up dead in what is supposed to be Sam's room and of course she gets involved with the investigation despite having no connections to this person (which is part of what I thought was weird).

I missed some of the younger characters, her baker Dawson and of course the poodles who did not go to the hotel with Sam. I thought the introduction of Camilla Patterson, the soon to be MIL and her frosty relationship with Sam that becomes warm and fuzzy through the most bizarre situation possible was a bit of a stretch.

I really like these books and I hope the next one is their wedding.

My thanks to Kensington Cozies and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for an early copy of this delightful cozy. This review is my honest opinion. This was my first book in this series to read, although it was Book Ten and a standalone, it was an easy read.
From a dead body being discovered, disappearing and then reappearing, Samantha (Sam) had a hard time figuring out the killer. Especially there were numerous individuals to suspect. I look forward to reading more of this lively cast of characters from Author, V. M. Burns.

This is the tenth book in the Mystery Bookshop series, but it is the first one I have read. V.M. Burns is a new author for me.

Description:
Michigan bookshop owner and mystery writer Samantha Washington is engaged to be married—but she may have to step over a few bodies before she walks down the aisle . . .

All Sam wanted was to make a good impression on her fiancé Frank’s mother, the very proper Dr. Camilia Patterson. But when Nano Jo and the lively ladies of Shady Acres Retirement Village throw a surprise bridal shower for Sam at the Four Feathers Casino—watch out! Things spin out of control faster than a roulette wheel. Fortunately, Sam knows when to fold ’em and slips back to her room to work on her latest historical mystery set between the wars, in which a houseguest meets a grim end at an English country manor.

The morning after brings another rude surprise. Sam gets a frantic call from Camilia, who’s discovered a dead body in her room. Now winning over her soon-to-be mother-in-law means keeping the good doctor out of a potential scandal and attempting to discreetly solve a murder without ruffling any feathers. For that she’ll need the help of Nano Jo—not exactly the soul of discretion—Detective “Stinky” Pitt, and the ladies—because the casino killer keeps upping the ante. . .

My Thoughts:
This was a fun cozy mystery that kept me smiling at the antics of Samantha Washington's family and friends. I loved Nana Jo and the Shady Acres Retirement Village posse. The setting of the Four Feathers Casino on a native american reservation was a great backdrop for the murder mystery. this is really two mysteries as you get to read Samantha's book she is writing as it is being penned during her breaks from all the stress going on at the casino. While both mysteries were good, the one at the casino was much more interesting to me and I found the book being written somewhat of a distraction. I would recommend this cozy to my friends and I want to read more of this series when I get a chance.

Thanks to Kensington Publishing | Kensington Cozies through Netgalley for an advance copy.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are mine.

I am a huge V.M Burns and you can't blame me. This was such a good read.

How far can one go to impress their mother in law? Sam finds out the hard way when S
her mother in law finds a dead body in her room. Scandalous,intriguing and full of wonderful characters




.

This is the tenth book in the Mystery Bookshop series. I have not read the previous books but would certainly like to do so now.

Samantha Washington is the owner of the Mystery Bookshop, and she is an author of mystery books herself. She is soon to be married and her friends arrange a pre wedding function for her where she is going to meet her future mother-in-law for the first time. Of course not everything goes smoothly and finding a dead body does not make anything easier.

A very interesting feature of this book is that when Sam is stressed she writes, and the reader gets to see what she has actually written in her new mystery set in 1939 about an upper class family. Even more interesting is that what she writes mirrors her current situation. It is a clever and entertaining feature which apparently occurs in the earlier books as well. A well written and enjoyable story. Four stars.

I've been reading this series since the first instalment. Sam, her family and friends, are a quirky and fun group and I'm always glad to catch up.
There's a sort of pre-wedding celebration, Sam's future in law, and an impossible crime (once called locked room) that is an exciting new type of puzzle.
I had fun in following the twists, was surprised by the solution, had a lot of fun.
Read the series in order if you want to understand some references, it can be enjoyed as a stand alone too
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I would like to thank Netgalley, Kensington Publishing and V.M. Burns for the E ARC of this book.
Samantha is promoting her book at the Casino complex that herself, Nana Jo and the girls frequent. Whilst speaking she gets heckled by an elderly gentleman who is asked to leave after he is confronted by Nana Jo and security staff. The manager offers Samantha a complimentary long weekend staff for 6 people at the Casino Hotel and complex, as an apology.
She decides to use it whilst her fiancé’s mother is in town for a visit, Sam thinks it would be a good way to bond with her future Mother in Law, Camilia. The visit does not start well but things get smoothed over. The visit to the Hotel also does not go as planned when a dead body is found by her future mother in law, in her suite. Can Sam, Nana Jo, the gang, Stinky Pitt and Camilia find the killer before the main law enforcement arrive?
I loved seeing everyone go about their tasks, gain information and work together. Could there be a wee romance in the offing with Stinky Pitt and Camilia? I also enjoy seeing Sam’s work in progress take shape and the fact that she uses her writing during an investigation to help organise her thoughts and work out who the killer is and why.
Another good book in this series. I look forward to book 11.

One of my favorite series. I look forward to each new addition. Character development is awesome. There are two stories in one. The mystery and the mystery that Sam is currently writing. They are easy to keep apart. The reader will experience humor, intrigue and find it will keep guessing until the end. Definitely must read!! Thanks #Netgalley and #Kensington for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

It is always exciting to read a new addition to V B Burns' Mystery Bookshop series, and The Next Deadly Chapter is well worth the wait. Don't miss this one-- coming out on February 25th!

is included when Frank's mother, Dr. Camilia Patterson , flies in for 'a meet and greet' with Sam before the upcoming wedding. Nana Jo and her crew plan a surprise bridal shower for Sam at the Native American Resort and Spa for a relaxing weekend. Unfortunately, there is a murder and it is all hands on deck to investigate. As usual the pace is fast, the twists and turns are great for clues, and the crazy--but fun-- situations flow. In the middle of all this Sam is writing another installment to her published English murder mystery series. A book that begins to reflect the real-life murder.
I enjoy the historical murder as much as the contemporary one. A great cozy mystery with all the fun and 'feels' I want. I loved it.

Thank you for allowing me to read an advanced reader copy of this fun series! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#TheNextDeadlyChapter #NetGalley #KensingtonCozies #VMBurns
#MysteryBookshop

Every year I look forward to the next installment in V.M. Burns' Mystery Bookshop series; and I have never been disappointed. Sam's new historical mystery was a bonus with just enough mystery and twists to keep me guessing.

Sam, Nana Jo, the ladies from Shady Acres Retirement Village and Dr. Camilla Patterson (Sam's soon to be mother-in-law) are spending a weekend at the Four Feathers Casino. Dr. Patterson seems to be very proper and almost dismissive of Sam but that soon changes when Camilla wakes up to find a dead body in her suite. Sam Calls Detective Pitt and the sleuthing begins.

Plenty of twists, limited suspects but all with motive, and Sam trying to protect Camilla's reputation made for a smoothly paced story until the surprising and dramatic reveal.

In this series you get two stories in one. You have Sam and company and then you have the story Sam is writing. I love Nana Jo and all her friends. They are such an interesting group and so much fun! I look forward to catching up with them again. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

1 star
I usually love this series and this author but wow this was bad. Future mil finds a dead body in hotel room, they switch rooms, call multiple people, order breakfast yet still haven't called the police.
I deleted at @38%. I just cannot read anymore of this mess.
I received a complimentary copy from netgalley and the publisher.

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of THE NEXT DEADLY CHAPTER (Book 10 of the Mystery Bookshop mystery series) by V.M. Burns in exchange for an honest review. The mother of Sam’s fiancé, Frank, is coming to meet her. Sam is dismayed to find that Dr. Camilia Patterson definitely disapproves of her, her bookstore, her writing, and her Nana Jo. The Four Feathers Casino had previously comped Sam a group of rooms and amenities for a disturbance during an event where Sam had been the keynote speaker. So, Nana Jo and the crew from the Shady Acres Retirement Village use them to throw Sam a surprise bridal shower and to keep Dr. Patterson occupied. The morning after their first night’s stay is an adventure. Dr. Patterson awoke to find a dead man in her room! Dr. Patterson calls Sam for help, and they make a plan over breakfast in the dining hall, but when their “help” arrives, the body is gone! Now they have a missing body and all sorts of official men telling them they must have just been silly little women imagining things. When the body later turns up, Sam has lost faith in any assistance those official men can render, so it looks like she’s going to have to collar another killer. Sigh! If only people would stop getting murdered long enough for her to finish writing her next historical mystery novel.

I liked this book and enjoy the series. I recommend this book to fans of cozy murder mysteries featuring bookshops, writing, casino-resorts, missing bodies, feisty grandmothers, sassy elders, concerned sisters, and secondary mystery stories.

#TheNextDeadlyChapter #NetGalley

This a great series. I love the interesting characters who move forward in their lives. I'm also fond of the book within the book. I was able to figure out one mystery, the other kept me guessing.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.