I liked this! I semi guessed the killer? But not fully. I definitely wouldn’t recommend reading if you haven’t read the series because it felt like I was dropped in the middle of several storylines. The writing was okay, but did a looot of telling rather than showing. I do think I’ll go back to the beginning of the series, but it probably won’t be a priority. Is it bad I wanted her boyfriend to be a victim or a bad guy lmfao?

Now I’ll preface this by saying what do I know??—but the narrator did NOT seem to have a grasp on the Jamaican accent. Otherwise, I liked her narration.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

I received an ALC from the publishers. All opinions are honest and my own.

A great valentines murder mystery. Complete with a bookstore & future detective agency, crazy lady, Valentine Pairing event, trusted amateur sleuth group, & specialized killing. A well known gentleman old man is handing out money to fund women owned businesses, creating a scholarship fund at the local college, but hides a dark secret. No one knows of this dark secret until the end when they figure out who the killer is. I had lots of fun reading this. So much fun I read it in one day. Loved it!!

A Victim at Valentine's is exactly as advertised - a cute and cozy mystery with a dash of romance.

I should preface this review by saying that this was my first book that I have read of this series, but it won't be my last. I will definitely be going back and starting from the beginning! I fell in love with the characters and especially Annie. This is a 3.5 star rounded up to 4.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this story. It was a prime example of the cozy mystery genre, with the right amounts of mystery, murder, romance and cozy. While there was nothing that absolutely wowed me about this one, I still enjoyed it so much that I will pick up all of the other in the series.

The audiobook of this was particularly enjoyable, but I think that I will be eye-ball reading the next ones due to personal preference. The narrator did a good job, I just tend to prefer reading cozy mysteries in the physical form.

This is a wonderful cozy mystery series that I am going to add my TBR. I will be recommending this one for all of the people that I know love this genre because it was so fun. Can't wait to dive into the rest of the series.

amazing audiobook.
thank you netgalley for the arc copy. i truly enjoyed reading it along with the audio in the background.

wow Ellie has done it again with another cozy mystery book. i really enjoyed reading this book. love how I'm already familiar with the characters from the previous books. feel like I'm back with the crew.
a great valentine theme book for the holiday.

A Victim At Valentine's by Ellie Alexander is a cozy bookstore based dual past and present cozy murder mystery. While planning and executing a matchmaker weekend event, Annie's past of her friend's unsolved murder and a local businessman's current murder collide in a crazy tale. Happy (day late) Publishing Day Ellie! Thank you @NetGalley for the ARC! #AVictimforValentines #netgalley

First off, Thank you NetGalley for the Advance audio copy of A Victim at Valentine's.

This was a fun, quick read that centered around a murder mystery in an Agatha Christie-inspired bookshop. This was fun and cute for what this book was meant to be. I found it to be a little boring as I actually guessed what the twist was (I never do that). Overall I enjoyed the book as it was super cute. The one thing I wish we had more of was the relationship between Annie and Donovan. It's a book centered around Valentine's day and I wanted to see more of her relationship with her boyfriend.

Thanks again NetGalley for the advance audio copy of this book!

I’ve read the other books in this series and they’re always an easy, quick cosy mystery that you could easily get through in a leisurely afternoon.

This one takes place around Valentines Day and there is, of course, a murder that needs to be solved.

Annie is her usually self, and though I’ve accused her of being a bit insufferable before, she did seem slightly better this time. I’m hoping this trend continues!

I absolutely adore this series and its characters. This #audiobook was no exception. What I appreciate most is that the reader is kept guessing until the end. Often, I find myself thinking I know who the killer is only to be presented with new information that sways me to another possibility. Any of the potential suspects have plausible reasons, and it makes the story unfold in a fun and exciting way.

True to the series this book continues they #mystery that is slowly being uncovered over the entire #series while directly solving the case the book focuses on. This keeps the reader both satisfied, through a tidy, wrapped up outcome, while also on the hook for the next book, wanting to now more.

I loved how this story proved the characters aren't fully known yet, there is more to discover even though it's book five. The narrator was great, I enjoyed listening to her. Overall, I was entertained, I was curious, I was able to put on my #sleuthing cap and have fun with characters along they way. It is an enjoyable read for any format you choose to read it.

A Victim at Valentine's is the fifth book in Ellie Alexander's A Secret Bookcase Mystery series. Annie Murray is helping organize a weekend matchmaking event at her bookstore right before Valentine's day. One of the matchmaking service investors is murdered during the event. Annie assists in the investigation with her mentor Dr. Caldwell.

I really enjoy this series. Most cozies are fairly self contained and you can read them without reading the previous books. You technically could do that with this book but I would highly recommend reading the previous books. There is a mystery involving the death of Annie's best friend that is tying all of the books so far together. You will still be able to follow the story if you haven't read the other books but I highly recommend starting from the beginning. The story is worth it! I can't wait for the next book in the series. This is a must read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

What makes this cozy mystery series unique is the underlying mystery of Annie’s best friend’s death spread throughout the series. And Annie gets closer in each book in her quest of undercovering who killed her best friend.

I really enjoyed the setting because how awesome would it be to have an Agatha Christie-inspired bookshop in town, which happens to be Annie’s place of employment. I love that Annie has developed her relationship with Liam at this point as it adds a lovely romantic touch to the story. Additionally, the mystery was well plotted out like the other books in the series, and it was overall a great read.

I have listened to all of the books in this series because I have been loving the audios a lot, and a big part of why is because of Ellen Quay’s narration.

Annie Murray serves double-duty as a bookseller and an events coordinator. When yet another murder happens in the little town of Redwood Grove where she lives, her former criminology professor, the lead detective on the case, has extended Annie a job in the field. This is not her first offer and likely won’t be the last, especially as she has proved more than adept as a perfect amateur detective. More importantly, armed with a criminology degree, she would be perfect for such a position.

But, the matter at hand is on her mind. Who killed the person who was known as the pillar of the community? While Annie digs for answers, she finds that there is definitely a bevy of suspects. All the while, Annie can’t stop thinking of the murder of her best friend ten years previously, and would love to solve that cold case as well.

While Annie’s personal life is filled with love and happiness, particularly her growing relationship with Liam, her determination to find the killer takes precedence. Amidst the chaos, a touch of romance blossoms as Valentine’s Day approaches, and a matchmaking event is planned.

Although I binge read this wonderful cozy mystery series, actually all as audiobooks narrated by the very talented Ellen Quay, these titles could work quite well as standalone novels. But, I am keen on continuity, and love the atmosphere and sense of community that this series offers.

Many thanks to Storm Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Do you have plans for Valentine’s Day? No? Great! Ellie Alexander’s novel ‘A Victim at Valentine’s’ is the perfect substitute: low on romance and big on sleuthing fun.
If, like the story's protagonist, Annie, books are your love language, this will be a perfect pairing.
A Victim at Valentine’s is the fifth book in the A Secret Bookcase Mysteries series. I didn’t know that when I started reading, but it wasn’t a problem. Ellie effortlessly weaves in summaries from past novels without losing the thread of the story.
In this latest addition to the series, we meet Annie in every cosy mystery reader's dream bookshop, The Secret Bookcase. The shop serves as the venue for a dating event—one I would 100% love to attend. However, Annie is sidetracked from her day job when a murder occurs right on her doorstep (literally).
Our budding detective faces a multitude of suspects, including a chaotic psychic, a professional matchmaker, and a rival bookseller. Further complications arise as clues emerge from the titular murder in her past.
Annie must put her Valentine’s Day plans with the scrumptious Liam on hold to assist her former teacher and lead detective in solving the murder.
Ellen Quay does a fantastic job of narrating this novel. I could have spent the entire day and night in a bath, listening to her voice. She embodies Annie, and while her Jamaican accent could use a little fine-tuning, she keeps the listener entirely engaged in the story.
Ellie Alexander’s writing style is witty, engaging, and well-paced, filled with delightful twists and turns that keep you hooked. Her nods to Agatha Christie and other cosy mystery classics are abundant. Despite the murders, I’d love to live in a town like Redwood Grove.
I adore the characters; each is unique and leaps off the page. One of my favourite lines is, “I was being held hostage by a murder of crows.” I’m honestly living for the crows who become Annie’s unlikely allies.
This novel is cosy mystery perfection, and I highly recommend it to all armchair sleuths.

Warning: There are a few spoilers for earlier novels in the series, which is to be expected. It’s perfectly enjoyable to read ‘A Victim at Valentines’ as a standalone, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I felt a fair bit of FOMO and had to resist the temptation to stop and go back to the earlier books. My takeaway is that it’s worth investing in Ellie’s novels, so start at the start of the series.

I primarily listened to the audiobook of “A Victim at Valentines,” expertly narrated by Ellen Quay, though I did read sections of the ebook as well. At just over 6 hours, this is a quick read that pulls you right back into the world of Annie and friends back at the Secret Bookcase store. Book five in the series picks up a few months after the last book and leaves you simultaneously wanting to visit Redwood Grove to spend time in the Agatha Christie themed Mystery Book store and questioning the seemingly high murder rates in what feels like a cosy small community. That said I really enjoy this series and would definitely visit both the town and store (though I would keep an eye out for suspicious characters). The main characters and their relationships really make this series feel warm and cosy as though you’ve come home to visit old friends that you’re eager to catch up with. I really like the match-making event that was being hosted by the community and have to say this kind of event would be a hit for a lot of single book geeks. While each of the books in the series has a separate, stand-alone mystery, I particularly enjoy the mystery of Scarlet’s death which has been a unifying thread throughout. This book will have a large portion of that mystery resolved though there are a number of loose ends that will carry over into the next book.

I have to say I love the addition of Jekyll and Hyde, the two crows which Fletcher has been feeding and training. They add both a spooky and a fun aspect to the story which I really enjoyed. I’m also looking forward to Fletcher and Annie’s detective agency being fully realized. I thoroughly enjoy Ellie Alexander’s easy writing style. I’m loving #thesecretbookcaseseries.

This is book #5 in this series, but book #1 for me.
That being said, I don't think they need to be read in order...

Annie works at sweet bookstore with an Agatha Christie theme. For Valentine's weekend, they've invited in a woman known to do matchmaking events with unremarkably good results. This is a 3 day gig, with 60+ participants. Annie is so looking forward to it!
As the first night progresses, a psychic shows up and predicts that an older gentleman, one who has been a huge benefactor for their small community, has a BLACK AURA...which means impending death! =0 Sure enough, next morning, he is found dead, right outside the bookstore...

So, Annie goes into sleuth mode and starts putting the puzzle pieces together to try to figure out who did this!! And, why???

Several people come to mind right away, and while working alongside the police dept, she begins to make some progress...

Sweet book with slow but steady progress. 3 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me!
Rounding down to 3, only because I felt like this could’ve been a bit shorter…

Absolutely love the cover!!

#AVictimAtValentines (A Secret Bookcase Mystery, #5) by #EllieAlexander and narrated by #EllenQuay.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for an ARC of the audiobook which releases TODAY! February 10, 2025, so look 👀 for it on shelves now!

Thanks for reading!! You can always find my reviews on: Goodreads.
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Title: A Victim at Valentine’s
Series: The Secret Bookcase Mystery #5
Author: Ellie Alexander
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Ellen Quay
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pub Date: February 10, 2025
My Rating: 4.6 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 set up 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 rooms that 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 one whodunit was found which wasn’t a big shock) is solved– it isn’t over as it is a lead to the person who killed Scarlet.

I totally enjoyed this story. I am an audiobook fan and I requested both the eGalley as well as the audiobook- I was totally shocked when I got both!!
Narrator Ellen Quay did a great job with performing the characters have to admit I enjoyed both versions!!!

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 Dreamscape Media for granting me this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 10, 2025.

I love how each book Ellie Alexander writes is based around a holiday and this one was a great cozy, easy read for Valentine’s Day. Although it was based on that holiday and is a murder mystery, there wasn’t much romance in this story. I at least expected more from Annie and Liam or Pri and her gf. The plot seemed like more of a segway into a bigger story than its own. This is definitely a series you’ll have to read from the beginning to understand what’s going on rather than reading it as a standalone. Overall, I enjoy following Annie and the gang and hopefully they figure out what happened to Scarlet soon!

A very cute cozy mystery with a romantic Valentine's theme! When I started I did not realize that this book was part of a series. While there were elements of a larger storyline that I didn't immediately get, the main mystery is contained within this book and easy to read as a stand-alone (although eventually details of the ongoing story did become clear). I loved the intertwining of romance and mystery through the matchmaking event that takes center stage in this mystery, set at a bookstore that sounds just like a place I'd love to visit! I enjoyed this charming story on audiobook and will look to catch up on the other books in the "Secret Bookcase" series. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook.

Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free eaudio version of this title in exchange for this review.


This is a decent cozy mystery, book 5 in a series. A dead body was found in Annie's bookshop, and she has a mystery to solve. Pretty standard cozy mystery, but enjoyable none the less.

3 stars for I liked it.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this before publication. It was a wonderfully cozy setting with rich descriptions that made me want to move to Cedar Grove. It definitely has Starshollow vibes. The plot of this book seemed more like a subplot to the main storyline which is continued through the series, so I wouldn't recommend this as a standalone: you definitely need to read the other books in order to truly enjoy this. The conclusion of the murder was therefore very anticlimactic.. more like an afterthought while Annie is preoccupied with trying to solve Scarlett's case. Even so, I did enjoy this cozy audiobook and would probably pick up another book by this author. The only thing that kept throwing me out if the story is that in several chapters the narrator cuts off to what sounds like an AI voice. This was very disruptive to the mood of reading a cozy mystery.

A Victim at Valentines 💌 by Ellie Alexander ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was cozy, an easy read and the Valentine’s Day vibe paired with the romantic events and cutesy bookstore made this super sweet.

The bookstore setting made everything seem adorable and truely relatable for all readers and book lovers. The vibe was cozy, warm and friendly.

Although the book was based around Valentine’s Day there was minimal romance, the plot of this book centred around tropes like murder mystery and characters playing detective.

It was a sweet read and had surprising moments but the plot had holes in it that I think could’ve been better executed.