Katie Chambers has returned to a small island in Washington following the death of her mother. She moves into her mother's old company, a jigsaw puzzle company. Living with her librarian father, life is good as she forms a bond with her fellow jigsaw puzzle fans.

But then a designer at her company is killed. And her father is accused of the murder. To further complicate the situation, she runs into her old boyfriend. And his father is the police lieutenant who is investigating the murder. Gathering together the resources of her fellow puzzlers, Katie sets out to solve the murder and set her father free.

Although I found the ending to be a bit predictable, this was a very enjoyable cozy mystery. The characters were well-developed. The author didn't get stuck in rabbit holes, especially in the area of romance. The focus remained on the mystery itself. I highly recommend this book.

This was a cozy read that had a great mystery! The characters were likable and the story was interesting.

Thank you the publisher for the e-arc. This is my first story from JB Abbott. This is a cozy mystery, with all the setting, themes and atmosphere that you come to expect from a cozy mystery. The puzzle angel was a nice twist, I wanted the pacing to be a bit faster, but overall I enjoyed it.

'Picking Up the Pieces' is a fast, satisfying read with just the right amount of suspense and puzzle-solving to keep things moving. The mystery itself is well-paced, neatly tying together the clues without unnecessary fluff—I really appreciated that. The book features many hallmark elements of cozy mysteries: quirky pets, small-town drama, a headstrong female lead with a unique business, hints of romance, and law enforcement fixated on the wrong culprit. These familiar tropes are well-executed, making for a solid and enjoyable read.

I didn’t expect the second-chance romance to play such a prominent role, but I found myself pleasantly surprised. I would have loved to see it developed even more, along with deeper character growth for the puzzle crew. That extra layer of depth would have easily bumped my rating to five stars. Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable cozy mystery, and I’d gladly recommend it to fans of the genre!

Special thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book really surprised me in a good way!
Katie, a puzzle lover, is determined to find who killed her friend and colleague Elena.
As a puzzle lover I loved to see how it was integrated in the story and the comparisons that were done between doing a puzzle and trying to resolve a mystery.
I honestly didn’t expect to love this cozy mystery as much but it was very fast paced and interested. I could have read this book in one sitting if I didn’t have to go to work. The plot twist also very surprised me, I did not expect it at all and I really enjoyed it because it really made sense in the end.
I rated this book 4.5 stars and would totally recommend it!
Thanks to Brian, Jeff and NetGalley for this ARC!

This book kicks off a new cosy mystery series with a fun and original setting, a jigsaw puzzle club. The puzzle angle is charming, and the cast of club members brings some nice variety to the story. A range of ages and occupations, even a high school student. I like that this book places puzzles as a hobby for people from different walks of life.

The mystery is intriguing, even though it felt a bit underbaked. The protagonist’s father is arrested rather hastily, driving up the personal stakes for Katie. Under pressure, she throws around a lot of direct accusations. It made the mystery feel a little clumsy, but it did present the emotions of he story well. And that was a bonus, especially as Katie is battling for people to believe her.

The small-town feel is there in the way everyone seems to know everyone’s business, though the sense of place wasn’t particularly vivid. The writing flows well, which is important for a cosy mystery.

Overall, it’s a light, easy read with a unique hook. Cosy fans might enjoy it as a comfort read, something to immerse yourself into for a quick escape.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy of the book for an honest review.

The premise of this cozy mystery with just a little "will they/won't they" made me very interested to read it! I mean puzzles and public librarianship - I'm in! This would be just the right cozy for a particular reader, I'm sure of it, but I'm sad to acknowledge that I'm not that particular reader.
While the premise was interesting and the mystery started off compelling, I found that the plot and revelations moved slowly. I also would have liked to get to know the secondary characters more, to be able to invest in their role in the story. (Again, I think there are readers who don't want this, and this book is for them.)
I found the first part of the book moved fairly quickly, but it seemed to slow down in the middle, and then bring about the ending/resolution suddenly.

After reading 18% of this, I thought it would probably turn out to be a good mystery. I'll never know because when I read the sentence "Hannah, with her wire-rimmed Harry Potter-style glasses" I immediately stopped reading. ROUND. THE GLASSES WERE FUCKING CIRCLES. It is has been at least 5 years since JKR fell from grace so no one can plead innocent to her hate crimes any longer. It is so fucking unnecessary to continue to support a monster who actively uses her money to harm women. DO BETTER.

If they can change this line before publication MAYBE, I'll give it another chance.

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

This is a perfect cozy read for avid puzzle lovers. The book follows a group of jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts who use their skills to clear one of their own. Katie Chambers is put in a tight spot when she has to clear her father who is the main suspect in a murder. Throw in an ex , a mystery and puzzles and you have the perfect summer read..

Picking up the pieces had an intriguing blurb with a quirky feature: the jigsaw community. I found the lead character nice enough, and her relation with her dad endearing. Even though it was a fast, easy read, I didn't find the plot all that riveting. The ending was even a bit underwhelming. Maybe the next installment whttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7621180458ill be more compelling.

3.5 stars

Katie Chambers has returned home to the Pacific Northwest and Whidbey Island where her newly widowed father still lives. She takes over her late mother's job as jigsaw puzzle graphic designer and is a member of an eclectic puzzle solving and rating group.

So when a co-worker is murdered and Katie's dad is the main suspect, the group decides to use their skills to solve the crime. The local police chief doesn't appreciate their help. He also happens to be the father of Connor who was Katie's long time high school boyfriend who broke her heart after graduation.

I thought Katie overdramatized the importance of the breakup since she's now in her mid 20s, but this was a pleasant debut. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

★★★.5

Katie Chambers’ life is in pieces—quite literally. After the sudden and unexpected passing of her mom, she moves back to Cedar Bay to be closer to her dad and takes over her mother’s old role at Cedar Bay Puzzles. As she slowly rebuilds her life (carefully avoiding her ex-boyfriend), one of the members of her mother’s beloved puzzle club, the South Island Jigsaw Crew, is murdered—and Katie’s dad becomes the prime suspect. She knows he couldn’t have done it, but the evidence against him is overwhelming.

With the help of her friends from the puzzle club and some unexpected allies, Katie is determined to prove her dad’s innocence. After all, isn’t a murder case just another messy pile of puzzle pieces waiting to be solved?

Who knew the puzzle industry could be so competitive? I loved this charming cozy mystery, perfectly set in the atmospheric Pacific Northwest during the cold season. J.B. Abbott has crafted a memorable cast of characters, a touch of romance, a surprisingly dark crime, and a fun group of amateur sleuths who provide just the right amount of humor to lighten the story. All the elements the Queen of Crime would surely approve of! A few plot points felt a bit predictable, but that’s part of what makes a cozy mystery so comforting.

Katie is a likable and relatable protagonist—you can’t help but root for her, even though it’s clear she’s in over her head and unaware of the real danger she’s facing. Each puzzle club member is well-written, distinct, and wonderfully quirky. I can’t wait to see what the crew tackles next!

I highly recommend this to fans of cozy, atmospheric mysteries!

Thank you NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and J.B. Abbott for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

The cover is absolutely adorable and immediately draws you in. After her mother’s passing, Katie Chambers returns to Cedar Bay—a peaceful little haven tucked away in the southwest corner of Washington State’s Whidbey Island—to support her recently widowed father, Jim. Taking on her late mother’s role as graphic designer for Cedar Bay Puzzles, Katie also brings new life to her mom’s beloved project: the South Island Jigsaw Crew. This group of puzzle lovers meets weekly at the local library to test the latest designs from Cedar Bay Puzzles. But when one of the crew members is found murdered—and Jim is the last person to have seen her alive—he is arrested, turning Katie’s return home into a fight for justice. With help from the rest of the puzzle-loving gang, Katie works tirelessly to prove her father's innocence. I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy mystery and look forward to the next book in the series!
#PickingUpthePieces #NetGalley

This was an interesting start to a new series. Katie Chambers has returned to her hometown on Cedar Bay, Washington, upon her mother's death. She is glad to be home for her dad and enjoys her job as a graphic designer at Cedar Bay Puzzles. Katie uses a group of her mom'sr friends to test puzzles designs and prototypes. Things are slowly getting in a rhythm when one of her co-workers is murdered and her dad becomes the main suspect! To complicate matters further, the chief of police is the father of the boy who broke Katie's heart before she left for college in Colorado. Though the chief is convinced her dad is guilty, Katie and her group of puzzle solvers are determined to prove his innocence. While I loved the group and the idea of puzzle experts actually solving a real puzzle, I did find Katie over the top of a lot of situations. Hopefully, she can calm down a little as I felt this series had promise. Thanks to #Netgalley, #CrookedLaneBooks, and the author for the introduction! #PickingUpThePieces #AJigsawPuzzleMystery #JBAbbott #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader

This book is very easy and quick to read. A cozy mystery involving Katie and her puzzle testing friends trying to solve a murder in which Katie's father is prime suspect. I found it just OK. Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for ARC.

This was a fun and light read with a bunch of quirky characters—though I did find it a bit tricky at times to keep track of who was who. The murder mystery was a great whodunit, though at times the storyline dragged. Overall, it was an enjoyable cozy mystery with a fun puzzle twist. I'll be interested in reading the next book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

A cute cozy mystery set in Washington. Love the puzzle crew. JB Abbott will be on my shopping list when this is out in August for my book trophy case.

If there is such a thing as a lighthearted mystery this was it! When coming home meets mystery meets light love story. The author managed to mingle all the genres into a great storyline.

🧩 Picking Up the Pieces: A Delightful Jigsaw Journey Through Mystery and Heart ❤️

This captured my heart with its charming premise and delightful setting. This enchanting debut draws us into the quaint world of Cedar Bay, set against the backdrop of the beautiful Whidbey Island in Washington State a perfect spot for a captivating tale of suspense, intrigue, and puzzle-solving fun!

Katie is an instantly likable protagonist, full of determination and heart. traits that make her journey both relatable and inspiring. I absolutely adored her tenacity and the way she embraces the challenge of piecing together not just the jigsaw puzzles, but the puzzle of the murder mystery, too. Her past romance with Connor Crozier, the dashing firefighter, adds a sweet layer to the narrative, and I couldn't help but root for their second chance at love.

Abbott skillfully balances the charm of a cozy mystery with the intrigue of a whodunit. The novel's pacing is just right, keeping me turning pages late into the night. The jigsaw puzzle theme is woven beautifully throughout the story, offering an inside look into the art of puzzle creation that truly fascinated me. It's these unique elements that make this book so special and a must-read for fellow puzzle enthusiasts.

While there are many characters to keep track of, each is introduced with distinct traits and backstories, adding depth and richness to the community of Cedar Bay. Abbott's exploration of these characters' lives and connections makes for a captivatingly cozy atmosphere that readers will want to return to again and again.

Though not without its predictable moments, *Picking Up the Pieces* excels in its ability to create a delightful escape. It’s a quick, fun read that offers both mystery and romance in just the right amounts. If you're a fan of cozy mysteries or simply love the idea of a book steeped in the charm of puzzle piecing, J.B. Abbott's debut is a gem that promises both enjoyment and intrigue.

Katie Chambers loves a good puzzle, which is just as well because soon after she returns to her hometown of Cedar Bay, after seven years away, she finds herself slap bang in the middle of one! Working at Cedar Bay Puzzles in a job held by her late mother and restarting the South Island Jigsaw Crew seemed the right thing to do but when tragedy strikes and her dad is accused of murder that becomes her main focus. With the police determined to charge her dad, she and the eclectic members of her crew band together with Katie's ex, Connor, to find out who is responsible. She is absolutely sure her dad is innocent, but can she find the truth before someone out there makes her the second victim?

J B Abbott's first novel is a good read with a main protagonist who is instantly likeable and easy to cheer for. There are a lot of characters in this book, but it wasn't confusing as they were all easily recognisable. The will they/won't they romance is a fun addition to the storyline with an original reason for their break-up and the identity of the killer was well hidden until the big reveal.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Crooked Lane Books, but the opinions expressed are my own. I enjoyed this and will definitely be on the lookout for book two.