Thank you to NetGalley & the author for a copy of this ARC.
I did enjoy this cosy murder mystery book. It was fast-paced although a little predictable at times, I did guess who the murderer was.
I would recommend this book to any soft thriller fans, for people who enjoy Agatha Christie. If you are new to reading Thriller, this is a very good place to start!

Review: A Victim at Valentines by Ellie Alexander
Rating 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Coming February 10, 2025

Another cute cozy mystery. This is book #5 in the A Secret Bookcase Mystery series, which is making me realize that I missed reading book #4. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Rating 4.5 stars because I think it’s time we finally solve her best friend’s murder. Otherwise an enjoyable easy read.

Description: In the cozy town of Redwood Grove, Annie Murray’s Valentine’s Day plans take a sinister turn when a beloved pillar of the local community is found dead at her Agatha Christie-inspired bookshop. As Annie assists the lead detective in unraveling the mystery, she quickly identifies a host of likely suspects – from an oddball psychic, to a professional matchmaker, to a rival bookseller – each with a worryingly plausible motive. With her keen eye for detail, soon Annie suspects there may be connections to the decade-old tragedy of her best friend’s death, which still haunts her. Putting her own Valentine’s Day plans with the irresistible Liam on hold, Annie must solve the crime – before she ends up on a hot date with a killer.

Thank you @netgalley for the opportunity to read this advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had enjoyed the lead up to this book as they were really making progress with the investigation into Scarlett’s murder and, while they seem to have figured it all out in this one, it just seemed so abrupt and anticlimactic. The other mystery in this one was well paced but again, the solution seemed to just happen, not really revealed in a dramatic way. Add in the blossoming and super cheesy romance and it feels like this series has gone backwards for me in relation to my enjoyment of it. There’s just something about these characters that aren’t as cozy and inviting as the characters in Alexander’s other series.

Title: A Victim at Valentine’s
Series: The Secret Bookcase Mystery #5
Author: Ellie Alexander
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pub Date: February 10, 2025
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pages: 267

In this story we readers are back to Redwood Grove.
Annie Murray, is the new part-owner of the Secret Bookcase bookstore- an Agatha Christie inspired bookstore which is located in a mansion that pays homage to the ‘queen of mystery’ in every room including the garden.

Fletcher Hughes, Annie’s colleague decides since there is so many room rooms it is also an ideal setting for their private detective agency “The Novel Detectives’. What better place than in a bookstore.
The Secret Bookcase is something Annie truly needs. She went into a deep depression when her best friend Scarlet was murdered before graduation. Annie and Scarlet were students in criminology. In fact, Annie was one of THE top students. But Scarlet’s murder and the fact the killer wasn’t found was more than Annie could tolerate.
Although Scarlet’s murder is still very much on her mind she is able to moving on and Liam has helped her/
Since it is February and Valentine’s Day is coming up in a few weeks, when Annie and Fletcher are approached by George Richards a seventy year old who is a friend as well as old millionaire has a fun matchmaking event – inspired by love and of course, a bit of mystery- they are ‘in’.
Suring the event Annie is approach by a woman named Elspeth Prachett who has good vibes about Annie’s aura. However when she meet George she is alarmed. She tells him that he has a ‘black aura’ and something bad is going to happen. She states she is a profession palm reader and needs to cleanse his aura. He brushes is off and moves on to other guests.
However the next morning his body is found! Our detectives need to use their sleuthing skills to solve this murder mystery.

I love a good Cozy and this didn’t disappoint. Once whodunit was found which wasn’t a shock) is solved– it isn’t over as it does lead us to more info regarding who killed Scarlet.

Yes there are surprises. Aww I love Annie, Fletcher, Pri, Hal, and of course Liam!
Now looking forward to " An Unconventional Murder]" the final story ~ (oh no!) In the ‘Secret Bookcase Mystery’ series.
Perhaps there will be a new series with Annie and Liam?

Want to thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for granting me this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 10, 2025.

This was a good mystery with a twist in the end, but somehow, I was not fully engaged. I feel Annie is just a little too predictable. This book does move forward the killing of her childhood friend as well, so now Annie just has to find proof.

#netgalley #AVictimAtValentines

In Redwood Grove, PI Annie’s Valentine’s Day is interrupted by a murder at her bookshop. As she helps the police detective, numerous suspects emerge. Putting romance aside, Annie must solve the case before she becomes the killer’s next victim.

This series is best read in order—I was a little confused by the mystery related to the ongoing series ARC, which had nothing to do with the murder in this book. A huge clue related to the series ARC turns up that isn’t explored AT ALL—Annie just puts the information in her desk and focuses all her attention on the bookstore murder. It didn’t ring true for me. Plus, her being a bookstore owner AND a private investigator felt like…a lot. The two unrelated mysteries and her two unrelated professions made the book feel unfocused to me. Also, Annie shows a shocking lack of empathy in the way she views every character only as a possible suspect rather than a human being who’s experienced a trauma.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I’m so thrilled to get to hang out with Annie Murray and her friends again. Annie’s personal and professional life seemed to be moving in the right direction, and she may soon find answers to Scarlet’s death.
We meet a fun new cast of characters when The Secret Bookcase hosts a weekend of matchmaking, but of course tragic strikes when a pillar of the community is found dead. Annie, along with the help of her friends, piece together the clues to find the murderer. They do get some help from my newest favorite characters, Jekyll and Hyde.
Ellie Alexander is a master storyteller. She breathes life into her characters and locations. I think of them as friends and places I would love to visit.

Thank you #NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Ellie Alexander for allowing me access to the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another fun edition to Ellie Alexander’s newest cozy mystery series and it was fun that it centered around Valentine’s Day and a matchmaking event taking place at the bookstore. What was supposed to be a happily ever after for all participants of the event ended up not being the case for one individual and with multiple people seeing him so close to his death, Annie has her work cut out for her to figure out what happened and how all the random events connect together. Annie and Liam took a major step forward in their relationship and I’m so happy for them- they make a great pair.

Cant wait to finally get the answers to Annie’s friend’s case and to see their Detective agency solve their first official case.


Thank you publishers and netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback

Love is in the air and so is murder. A well liked philanthropist is murdered and the question of why and who did it is not easily solved. As Annie, Fletcher and Hal prepare the bookstore for a Matchmaking Event for Valentine’s someone else is preparing a murderous concoction. Another enjoyable book by Author Ellie Alexander with delightful characters and a murder to solve, this is one bookstore I hope never closes! I received an arc from Netgalley and Storm Publishing. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

Ellie Alexander has created another immersive story in "The Secret Bookcase" series, it can be read as a standalone but who wouldn't you want to read this lovely series in sequence.
The Secret Bookcase bookshop is a little taste of the English countryside in Redwood Grove California, you can meander through the Agatha Christie etc themed rooms or you can sit in the English style rose garden and lose yourself in a book.
The bookshop is owned by Annie Murray and her partner Fletcher Hughes, Annie and Fletcher also want to diversify and add a detective agency.
The bookshop is all geared up to host a Valentines matchmaking weekend, the decorations are up, the coffee and cakes arranged and love is in the air, everyone is excited until............. local philanthropist, George Richards is found dead in the garden.
This story follows Annie, who has studied criminology, lining up the suspects in order to assist her friend, criminologist Dr. Caldwell, the zany suspects include a strange barista, a worker for a rival book company, a peculiar matchmaker and a weird psychic, all had a previously unknow connection to the victim, could there also be a connection to the death of Annie's long time friend, Scarlett............Annie needed answers.
This is a cosy mystery, with humour, suspense, red herrings and just the right amount of woo woo, I love the wonderful, well rounded characters, I love the gentle romance between Annie and Liam, I loved Jekyll and Hyde, Fletcher's pet, protective crows.
Sadly the next book is the last in the series but I can't wait to see how the author brings it all together
Thank you Storm Publishing for this ARC, my review is voluntary

"Who doesn’t love a Valentine’s Day with a touch of murder? I’ve been absolutely loving this series, and this book was no exception! I was completely hooked and just couldn’t put it down—I had to find out who the killer was! The matchmaking portion also had me captivated, as I was eager to see what fun events would take place at the bookstore. I can’t wait for the next installment!"

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Storm Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

this continues to be one of my fave cozy mysteries! i loved the premise behind this because it was such a unique concept - a dating app CEO comes to our beloved Secret Bookcase shop to host an in person matchmaking event. honestly? iconic.

i loved revisiting this cute northern california small town and all of the characters i've grown attached to! i didn't know where the mystery was going this time, as there were a ton of possible suspects but girl when i tell you the twist had me GAGGED!!! and also, the overarching plot of annie's best friends death hit such a crazy climax in this book!

Another case for Annie to solve, as well as continuing to try to solve the old case of who killed her best friend. This is my favourite book so far. I can't wait to read the final instalment of the series. You do not have to have read the other books to read this one.

This romantic cozy mystery is exactly what fans of the popular sub-genre need in the chilly winter months, and the Valentine’s Day tie-in makes it even more cute and fun to read. Annie, a small town bookseller, is anticipating a romantic Valentine’s Day when a local resident is murdered in her store, throwing a wrench into her plans - and more importantly, a violent death has occurred. Inexplicably, Annie the bookseller helps the police detective investigate and - believe it or not - the amateur sleuth discovers a web of suspects, each with a unique motive. This charming cozy mystery will delight fans of Vicki Delany and Tonya Kappes.

This is yet another excellent story in the Secret Bookcase Mystery series by Ellie Alexander. As the title states, it takes place around Valentine's Day, and bookstore worker, Annie Murray, is happily planning a matchmaking event at the wonderful bookstore where she works in Redwood Grove, California. The matchmaking will be not only of the Blind Date with a Good Book variety but also made by a talented matchmaker, Aaliyah, who runs her own company, Storybook Romances, and matches individuals who complete a profile survey. One of Annie's favorite customers, local philanthropist, George Richards, sets Annie and the bookstore up with Aaliyah. The matchmaking is scheduled to take place over several days at the bookstore and other venues across Redwood Grove and everyone seems to be very excited about the prospect of finding love. Annie's fellow bookstore manager, Fletcher, is the only person who is dead set against being set up with anyone since he had terrible luck with a blind date in his past. The only other person with no interest in being set up is another of Annie's favorite customers, Gertrude, a sixty-something-year-old woman whose love of her life died before they were set to be married when she was in her twenties. At the opening event, there is a commotion caused by a woman claiming to be a psychic who is concerned for one of the people present. She claims that there will be a death and she is soon proven correct ... but is she just making this claim because she is the killer? The story has so many twists and turns, interesting subplots, wonderful regular characters, and interesting new characters that you won't want to put the book down until you finish it and find out the identity of the killer and their motive. I received an arc of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

A matchmaking event is not going to end well for one visitor, which will provide another mystery for Annie Murray to help solve. This one will hit very close to home and be much more painful than her usual cases.

Annie has teamed with a matchmaker to have a matchmaking weekend at the bookstore in celebration of Valentines Day. What starts out as a fun weekend will be struck with tragedy.

I really enjoy this series and this book for more than one reason. One of which is that I would love to dive into this book and spend the day at the bookstore, which is Agatha Christie inspired. It just sounds like so much fun. Secondly, you can always count on Ellie Alexander providing a good mystery that will test your skills as the reader to solve the mystery. There are plenty of red herrings, and a wonderful cast of characters. There are always some interesting characters added to the mix, and this book was full of them. I enjoy seeing the relationship between Annie and Liam grow with each book. If you are looking for a good cozy mystery, this book is perfect for cozy mystery lovers. This is a quick and easy read as the chapters flow smoothly making it even more delightful to read.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Ellie Alexander is back with another cute murder mystery. This series has my heart because of the seamless way it blends romance, mystery and a homey feel together. Every time I read this book, I wish to live in Redgrove Woods minus the murders.

Book 4 comes with a murder of a friend of the community which Annie discovers. We then have the protagonist investigating the crime. Although the lines can be a bit cliche and repetitive from Book 1, the comfort this series provides is commendable. Annie is a resilient character who now wants to start a Detective Agency and is also progressing in her love life.

The author never leaves any page to reel the reader to the picturesque scene of the village. I would prefer Liam having much more lines in the book considering the relationship has progressed. The progress of the Scarlet murder is an additional star for the book. I am looking forward to seeing how the author will close all storylines with her final book.

This cute book gets 4 stars from me. The climax was well worth the read.

This is such a fun series! Each book has a self-contained mystery, but there is also an overarching mystery that continues through each book. For that reason, they can be enjoyed individually but are even better if they're read in order. In this book, Annie Murray is helping organize a weekend-long matchmaking event at the Secret Bookcase, an Agatha Christie inspired bookshop. The romance included in this cozy mystery is perfect for a book coming out right before Valentine's Day.

George Richards, an investor in the matchmaking business, doesn't survive the first night of the event, and Annie helps investigate his very suspicious death. There are plenty of suspects to keep Annie busy and the reader guessing. Progress is also made on the ongoing case of the death of Annie's high school best friend, Scarlet. The solution to George's death and the reveal regarding Scarlet's death make this a book that fans of the series will enjoy.

I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Storm Publishing for review consideration, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.

Annie and Fletcher are going to by the Secret Bookcase from Hal and start Novel Detectives Detective Agency. It’s Valentine’s time and Annie is helping with a matchmaking event with Aaliyah who is in business with George the local philanthropist who made his money in Silicon Valley. On the second day of the event George is found dead from an allergic reaction and Annie is on the case consulting with the police. Annie questions the suspects and finds out how they are all connected to George. Gertrude who is a bookstore regular is the one who killed George because he killed her fiancé Walter when they were young and was driving a car that ended up spinning and Walter falling out and dying instantly and Gertrude got her revenge. Gertrude used a book and put moldy cheese on it because George is allergic to mold. And on a hike Annie is pushed off a ledge by Elspeth the psychic who is working for Logan who Annie suspects killed her best friend Scarlet. I love this cozy mystery series.

This is the 5th release in the charming new cozy series "Secret Bookcase Mysteries" by beloved cozy author Ellie Alexander. Fans of the author will embrace this new series set in a Agatha Christie theme bookstore. Thank you to the publisher, to the author and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own

Our intrepid protagonist has a complex mystery to solve when a murder occurs in her bookstore. The suspects are varied and red herrings abound. The supporting characters are delightful and all add to the fun. The sleuth kept me guessing and whodunit was a surprise at the conclusion. .All in all a perfect addition to this wonderful new cozy series that I highly recommend. Well done to the author.