I tried to read this ARC, unsuccessfully. But I was drawn to the blurb and cover, and when I saw the audio version, thought that might be my solution. Alas, this one just simply is not for me in any format. I couldn't connect to the characters or story any more while listening than while reading, unfortunately...

This was a quick cozy mystery and I was able to get through it in one day. I liked the characters and the book had good flow start to finish. Madeline was a horrible detective but I think it added extra charm to the overall feel. The whodunnit mystery kept me interested in the plot. I think this will appeal to readers looking for a lighthearted mystery with a small town atmosphere.

Audiobook narration by Hallie Bee Bard was very upbeat and I enjoyed her southern accent and twang on the variety of characters and suspects. It was a fun time!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the review copy.

Rounded to 3.5 stars.

CONTENT WARNING: arson, murder, religious intolerance, misogyny

It’s no secret that I love a good cozy mystery. A series starter that centers around a bookstore in a small, Southern town seemed like the perfect read in between all the complex and involved fantasy I tend to read. This book had quite a few positives, but as a debut novel, it was pretty good. I read this as an audiobook. There were a few things that led to this rating, though, so let’s dive into my thoughts on the book.

It isn’t always easy to return to where you came from, and this is a fact that Madeline Brimley learns early on in the story. She left the small town in Georgia that she grew up in, and followed her dreams of being an actor first in New York and then Atlanta. Now in her mid-30s and not famous, she’s not quite sure what to do with herself until she finds out that her Aunt Rose has passed away and left her a bookshop in a mansion in Enigma, Georgia.

From the moment she returns to town, she realizes that things aren’t going to be easy. Her aunt’s bookshop is one of the few remaining businesses that she remembers in town, and while she knows some of the characters, others are completely new to her.

Hallie Bee Bard does the narration for this book, and her thick Georgia drawl felt completely right for these characters. I’m not quite sure what small-town Georgians actually sound like, but her accent felt appropriate for the story. She did fantastic with her narration, with characters like Madeline herself having less of a drawl because she spent many years away from Georgia.

The story was intriguing, but the pacing felt inconsistent. Sometimes it would be very slow-moving, almost to the point of dragging, and then suddenly the pace would pick up. I enjoyed the plot line to the story, along with the number of red herrings to keep readers guessing. There are several side plots, which tracks with the majority of cozy mysteries that I have read. Madeline meets someone who might become a romantic partner somewhere down the line, but the storyline in this book leads me to believe that we’ll learn more about this possible slow-burn romance in future books.

The side characters ranged from well-rounded to one-dimensional, with characters who were more involved being more complex, while characters who were more peripheral to the story read more like caricatures. I wasn’t a fan of how some of the side characters were portrayed as ignorant, small-town hicks with secrets galore. Although they were living in a small town, it was also the location of a small, liberal college, which can both make secrets more common and more difficult to keep secret. One of the major side characters is a professor at the college, yet still read as though she was a hick. Not everyone in the rural South is uneducated or cooks meth, yet there are multiple characters who fit that description, while the rest of the town is basically trying desperately to escape small-town life.

Madeline herself is someone who chased her dreams right out of rural Georgia, but ended up back there after seeing more of the world, but that doesn’t stop her from judging the majority of the town for being exactly who she was before she left town. It made me feel less empathetic towards her, especially as she consistently undermined the town cop simply because she knew him before she left and he stayed in town. As expected in a cozy, she makes quick and impulsive decisions that aren’t always safe, and I was so disappointed in her for not thinking things through and ensuring that she was safe from someone who clearly wanted her gone.

Overall, this was a good debut with room for growth in further books that I hope are forthcoming. I enjoyed the plot as it developed, and the things I didn’t love were mostly minor kinks that will most likely resolve in future books, such as the pacing and the discrepancy in character development. I have high hopes for the future of this series, and hope that we get to see more of the small town with less of the judgment. I’ll definitely be checking out the next book in this series, and can recommend this to those who like cozy mysteries, especially those set in bookshops, love listening to a Southern drawl, and can handle a little shade being thrown in the direction of people living in rural Georgia.

Booked for Murder was an interesting murder mystery. I had a bit of a harder time connecting with some of the characters, but other people might be able to connect to them better! The mystery was well done and the resolution was nicely done in my opinion. If cozy mystery and quirky characters are your thing this book will be perfect for you!

The narrator did a great job! 4 stars for being well done production!

3.5 Stars rounded up to 4!

Madeline Brimley is an actress, or she was until she inherited a bookstore. Years ago Madeline left Enigma Georgia to go to college and to pursue her dream of the stage. She returns to Enigma (a small town) after the death of her Aunt Rose. Years ago, Aunt Rose left the stage to open a bookstore, the Old Juniper Bookstore. She left everything to Madeline including the bookshop. Someone wants Madeline out of the way. She receives threatening phone calls, and someone sets fire to the gazebo.
Characters: I like Madeline! She is a great female lead. Madeline is in her 30s. She is outgoing and tends to be impulsive. She placed herself in danger more than once. The secondary characters are well fleshed out. I was very fond of Gloria, the Episcopal priest of a church a few blocks from the bookstore. At first, I liked Philomena but as the plot progressed, I lost some interest in her. She taught psychology at the local college. Some of her actions/behaviors were shocking plus she came across as not very bright.
Plot: The plot was interesting but a little predictable. Author P.J. Nelson threw in lots of disagreements, surprises, and humor. Readers will find murder, anguish, reconciliation, bitterness, gossip, amateur sleuthing, and self-reflection. This is the first book in this series.
Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

It's a small town with an interesting start. Madeline is taking a break from acting and she returns to her hometown because she inherited a bookstore after her Aunt Rose passed away. From the beginning as soon as she arrives there is a fire in the Gazebo. When the first responders can turn it off they decide to investigate it because the fire happens under suspicious circumstances and they believe arson was a great possibility.
To add to the whole scenario Madeline starts receiving threatening phone calls, telling her to leave or they would burn down her home and bookstore. When a younger college student asked her if she could stay the night Madeline agreed, unfortunately, that night another fire was started, and when Madeline was trying to get her new friend out of the house she found her stabbed and deceased in the house. After the first responders can get the fire out and then a murder investigation ensues.
Madeline teams up with a preacher, Gloria, who was a woman and her aunt's friend to try to solve the murder while Madeline is trying to solve the murder she's also dealing with the loss of her aunt and her acting career and she is dealing with a lot.
This was an amazing Audiobook. I listened to it and was pulled into the book and I was hooked. This is a great start to a new series! The narrator fits the story as well and then the accents with the story I loved it! Thank you Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this one it was an AMAZING listen!

The book's concept of a failing actress named Madeline inheriting a bookstore from her aunt, while also inheriting secrets and danger is fascinating. I got gothic vibes from the Southern setting and the Victorian mansion that holds the bookstore. I also liked the eccentric personalities of the neighbor friends Gloria and Philomena. The plot moved a bit slowly for me, but I normally read more thrillers than cozies. I would have loved more backstory from Madeline, and maybe more of it will come to light in the next book of the series. I think cozies fans will enjoy this one.

What a fun and cozy debut novel! Booked for Murder by P.J. Nelson is a cozy, southern mystery that follows Madeline Brimley as she returns to her hometown after inheriting a bookstore from her eccentric Aunt Rose. Drama quickly picks up when someone sets her gazebo on fire and she receives a threatening phone call. And like a good cozy mystery, of course the main character takes it upon herself to investigate what is going on. I really liked the small town vibes of this book. So many of the characters were unique and complex. I loved getting to know them as their stories unfolded. And I was definitely surprised by some of their secrets. This is a must read for fans of southern, cozy mysteries.

The audiobook was amazing! It really took the southern vibes to the next level. Hallie Bee Bard did a wonderful job at bringing the characters to life. She put so much emotion into the characters and added a lot of depth to the story.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a cozy mystery about a woman who inherits her favorite aunt's bookstore and is welcomed to town with a fire in her backyard and a murder! The narrator(Hallie Bee Bard) did an amazing job bringing the various characters to life by changing she voice, accent and pacing for each character. I felt that it really brought this novel to life!

I found the mystery to be predictable but comfortable. So I was entertained but I wasn't blown away by the big reveal. I enjoyed the various characters and felt that they were part of the fun of this novel as they all had big personalities.

Thank you Minotaur Books for the ALC

After her aunt Rose's passing, Madeline came back to the small town of Enigma to claim The Old Juniper Bookstore she inherited from her and restart her life. As she soon as she gets there, though, the gazebo in the backyard is set on fire, and a late night caller threatens to burn the whole store down unless she leaves immediately.

Overall, it was an interesting story to follow along as it unraveled; just such a quick, cozy read. It wasn't anything exceptional, I didn't find the characters flashed out enough to really care about any of them, but it still was a good time. The mystery itself was twisty enough and had a good amount of suspects to keep you guessing, and it unfolds at a perfect pace. Some of the turns were a bit out there in my opinion, but it helped keeping the story from being too predictable. I didn't particularly like Madeline as a character, but I feel like somehow she worked perfectly in the setting she found herself in, and that her personality made sense to the story, so it wasn't that big of a deal to me.

I listened to this on audio, and it definitely helped a lot keeping me engaged all throughout the story. The narrator did a great job bringing the main character to life, and I really had a good time with it.

Many thanks to Dreamscape Media & NetGalley for the ALC.

Overall this was a cute read at 3.25⭐️ but it is very “fluffy”
For some reason it’s always a failed wanna be Broadway Star that ends up Inheriting a bookstore. That set up the book for its predictable nature.

However, while it is a cozy mystery, the mystery is well
Developed and has various twists. I figured them all out but they were fun nonetheless…. Although there were some definite plot holes left I addressed but it is set up as a first in a series so maybe they will be addressed in furies books.

I listened to the audio ALC which I think helped as there were a few bizarre passages in how they were worded but the narrator was able to convey it in a straightforward way.
The narrator Hallie Bee Bard did a good job and spoke at a denser pace although I did speed it up.

Overall I would read another book in this series as some fluff in between other reads.
I am thankful to have gotten an audio ALC for free from Netgalley and Dreamscape Media to enjoy which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

The title comes out on December 10,2024
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Rating: 3/5
Pub Date: 12/10
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After inheriting her Aunt’s bookshop, Madeline decides to take it over; that is until someone sets the gazebo on fire… and worse a murder…
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I love always enjoy cozy mysteries like this. Set in a book store, a murder, a little love story, a mystery. They just are easy to read books. This was no different. I enjoyed the mystery behind the town and the Aunt. I liked the trio and how they teamed up to solve the murder (though totally unrealistic).
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This was more of a slow burn for me. I felt that it was a bit repetitive at times but it is super easy to follow. I felt that the ending and resolution to the mystery and the murder was a bit predictable and almost a little rushed, especially with all of the buildup throughout the story. I feel like I just wanted a little bit more.
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I listened to this one via audiobook and Hallee Bee Bard was a great narrator. I felt like she really brought Madeline to life for me. I am so happy I listened to this one while simultaneously reading my eARC.
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Overall, I think that cozy mystery fans will really enjoy this one! Give this one a shot! Huge thank you to NetGalley, P. J. Nelson, Dreamscape Media and St. Martins Press for the ALC and eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Booked for Murder by P.J. Nelson introduces readers to Madeline Brimley, an actress returning to her roots in Enigma, Georgia, to take over her Aunt Rose's bookstore in a Victorian mansion. What should have been a new beginning turns into a mystery when fires start, and a murder occurs within the bookstore's walls. The novel attempts to weave together elements of cozy mystery with a touch of Southern charm, but it doesn't quite stick the landing.

Plot:

The plot meanders through several red herrings and dramatic twists, but the pacing often feels uneven. The initial promise of intrigue with the arson and subsequent murder is somewhat diluted by the lack of significant progression in the investigation until the very end. The resolution feels more like a happenstance rather than a result of Madeline's detective work, which slightly disappoints in a cozy mystery where the protagonist's sleuthing should ideally drive the narrative forward.

Characters :

Madeline Brimley is an intriguing character with her background in theater, providing some unique quirks, yet she oscillates between being overly dramatic and oddly passive. The secondary characters, like Gloria, offer depth and humor, but they are not fully exploited to enrich the narrative. The interactions among the characters are one of the book's strengths, providing moments of genuine warmth and camaraderie.

Setting :

The small-town setting of Enigma is richly described, with the bookstore in an old Victorian mansion being a perfect backdrop for a cozy mystery. However, while the setting captures the essence of Southern life, it sometimes feels like an underutilized character itself, with more potential to immerse the reader in the atmosphere left untapped.

Writing Style :

Nelson's writing has a theatrical flair, which is fitting given Madeline's background, but occasionally, it feels overdone, with some dialogue lacking natural flow. The use of Shakespeare quotes and theater references adds a layer of depth, but can also feel forced at times.

Quotes:

"October can be a summer month in South Georgia. Temperatures in the nineties, leaves still green and locked onto the trees; humidity so thick that a small fish could swim in it. And the gnats were everywhere." - This quote sets the scene beautifully, capturing the oppressive yet quaint atmosphere of the setting.

"The greenroom. Appropriate, or at least Rose might have thought so. The greenroom, of course, was where actors waited just before they went onstage." - Here, the connection to theater is clearly drawn, reflecting Madeline's life and her transition from stage to bookstore.

"It’s no telling what might have happened if you hadn’t been here," - This line encapsulates the community's reaction to the events, highlighting the interpersonal dynamics in small-town settings.


Conclusion:

While Booked for Murder has an engaging premise with a lovingly crafted setting, it struggles with maintaining momentum in its plot and character development. The charm of its characters and the nostalgic Southern setting might pull you in, but the mystery itself doesn't quite live up to the expectations set by the cozy genre. It's a read that promises much with its initial setup but leaves one wanting more in terms of plot resolution and character depth. For those who enjoy a slower, character-driven story with less focus on the mechanics of the mystery, this might still offer some enjoyment. However, for mystery enthusiasts looking for a tightly woven plot, it might not fully satisfy.

The book earns its three stars for the ambiance and character charm but falls short in delivering a gripping mystery narrative.

Booked For Murder is the first book in the Old Juniper Bookstore Mysteries. It was a fun and engaging read, the author does a good job at reeling the reader in from the start. The story, plot were well developed and unfolded nicely although the twists were pretty predictable for me. It is a cozy mystery, I think it's a little darker than others I've read that felt truly cozy. I didn't mind, but I think people looking for a real cozy read will not find it here.

The characters are where I had the most issues with this book. They just felt very one dimensional, a little bland and their decisions were very questionable. The conversations and language were sometimes very odd and awkward for me. Some parts of the story did feel a little slow for me, I do wish there was a little more suspense.

Overall, it was a fast, fun and enjoyable read. It did a nice job introducing us to the quirky characters, leaving us with some questions that will most likely be answered in the following book.

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @minotaurbooks, @dreamscapemedia & PJ Nelson for my gifted ALC & ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Madeline returns to her small home town when her Aunt Rose left her an old Victorian house book store. From fires to threatening phone calls to murder, Madeline faces one dark circumstance after another and it becomes clear someone doesn't want her to take over the book shop.

Overall this was a fairly enjoyable story. I listened on audiobook and felt it moved at a good pace. I did feel like some of the side characters weren't very well fleshed out and Madeline was not very likeable for a main character. Several characters made didn't feel very motivated, which is why this read fell just a bit flat, but still worth the read. Some elements felt like they were setting up for a larger series, including hints at a love triangle and the characters of the small town.

3.5 stars

A cute little cozy mystery set in a book store. The side characters were enjoyable and so were the main characters. Some of the context/ dialogue was little confusing and I would have to flip back. Never the less, this was a cute little cozy mystery and was enjoyable to read!
Thank you for the early copy!

This was a delightfully fun cozy mystery — and a quick read to boot! Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me access to the arc of the audiobook and the digital version!

Ok, so I am a theatre kid who loves books…and that is the main character in a nutshell, which I was obsessed with. I got all her theatre world references and Shakespeare and English nerd references which made this a true delight!

And in a super fun cast of southern small town characters —capital C characters!—with a dash of mystery and murder in an old home turned bookshop…I was sold! You’ll definitely love these friendly characters and you’ll enjoy the journey the mystery takes you on and you just might learn something about yourself in the process!! Definitely recommend!