If it hadn’t been for Kensington giving me auto-approval for their ARCs on NetGalley, I would never have found this book. I’d never heard of this author, although I see she’s written a few series before, and this is just the first one of a new series. (The label of “hardcover debut” seems a bit strange to me, but whatever that means, I’m glad for her.) Seeing as this looked mostly lighthearted, I decided to take a look, and this is what I found.

First, yes this is a cozy mystery, and on that level it fully delivers. We all know the formula. Someone is murdered, but of course initially, the police think it might have been an accident. Once the accident theory is debunked, we get a small group of people trying to solve the mystery, either with or without the police allowing them to get involved. Along the way, things might get a bit scary for any one of them, but since this is the first of a series, you know that no harm will come to any of them. Oh, and this all takes place in a small town, on an island off the coast of Washington State, near Seattle. So, add quaint and remote to the boxes this ticks off.

We also have some pretty likable characters in Meg (our protagonist), along with a couple of her long-time friends, and quite a few other people, including Meg’s parents, an ex-fiancé, a brother who doesn’t show up, and a bunch of town folk in a tourist town who just want the quiet life.

Cahoon adds some twists here by including a famous murder mystery author to the bunch, who obviously will become a suspect. Add to that the job Meg gets with this writer becomes a reason to make sure Meg proves her innocence. This is especially true because Meg is also trying to write her own book, which is the titular one here, and she’s hoping her boss will also mentor her. I do enjoy a book about writers and writing, so that was something else that this book had going for it. That said, there were some plot holes here and there that mostly had to do with some of the backgrounds of the minor characters. However, I suppose that those small kinks will be worked out in subsequent novels in this series.

So, all things considered, this was a good first book of what could be a very nice little series. There’s nothing amazingly unique here; just your regular, every-day, feel-good, murder mystery, with some nice twists that don’t get too complicated. I’m not totally convinced that we got enough about all the lesser characters here, but perhaps that was on purpose – you know, to tease us into wanting to know more about them, and therefore read the next book. Of course, what good series wouldn’t have at least one romantic element, and yes there’s some of that here too (but not enough to call this a romance novel. In fact, it’s almost an anti-romance novel). Overall, I can recommend this if you’re looking for a light, contemporary murder mystery, that isn’t scary or overly complex, which is a quick and easy read. For all this, I’ll give it four out of five stars.

4 1/4 stars
This is the beginning of a new series which is set on Bainbridge Island, about a half-hour ferry ride from Seattle. When Meg Gates discovers her husband-to-be is cheating on her with one of her would-be bridesmaids, she moves to the island to help out at her family's bookstore. She also becomes a part-time research assistant to Lilly Aster, a successful author. Meg also has dreams of writing a book of her own - a how-to guide for aspiring amateur detectives. (The headings of Cahoon's book very cleverly correspond to the tips Meg is recording for her work-in-progress.) Meg has the chance to test out her advice when Lilly's manager is found dead and her new boss becomes one of the prime suspects.

Meg has help with her investigation from her best friend, Natasha, and her older brother's best friend, Dalton. The three make a great team and I'm rooting for a romance between Meg and Dalton. Another standout character is Meg's Aunt Melody. She tells it like it is, but in a kind and caring way. I liked Meg's relationship with her aunt much more than the one with her mom, who is a little too interfering for me. Meg's assignments for Lilly are fun to read about and I liked watching the cautious Lilly's trust of Meg grow. Overall, this is a light, fun read and a great start to a new series which I intend to follow.

Thank you to Kensington Books, Kensington Cozies, and NetGalley for the advance review copy. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

At the grand old age of twenty-six, Meg Gates feels like a total loser. Dropping out of college to work at a start-up seemed like a no-brainer, until the start-up failed, leaving her degreeless and jobless. And now her fiance Romain Evans has decided to dump her by going on their planned honeymoon trip to Italy with one of her bridesmaids instead.

So she’s seriously licking her wounds when she moves back from Seattle to her home on Bainbridge Island, a ferry ride away. Her Aunt Meg and Uncle Troy are renting her an apartment while she works part-time at her mom’s bookstore Island Books. Her mom has also lined up a job for her as a research assistant to their local celebrity author Lilly Aster. Meg is especially excited about this latter job, as she’s always secretly nurtured the ambition to be a writer herself. Perhaps she’ll be able to impress her new boss, a renowned thriller author, with the non-fiction guidebook she’s thinking of writing, on how to solve crimes as an amateur sleuth.

Meg finds herself doing a lot more research for her own book than she expected though, when Lilly’s odious agent Robert Meade is found dead off the dock behind Lilly’s property. Meg had had several prior run-ins with Robert – none of them pleasant – and isn’t at all surprised that he finally pushed someone too far. Trouble is, the prime suspect for his murder is Lilly herself.

Meg is convinced that Lilly could never have killed anyone, even Robert. But who did it, then? There’s no shortage of suspects as Meg and her friends begin to investigate. Will getting to the truth be worth it though, when their sleuthing starts to drive a wedge between Meg and her loved ones?

The prolific Lynn Cahoon starts another winning culinary cozy series with the relatable Meg and her efforts to restart her life after hitting rock bottom. I really enjoyed the way Meg reunited with her best and oldest friends, as well as the way she dealt with the continuing turbulence of her romantic life. It was also nice to read a cozy mystery where the heroine doesn’t recklessly put herself in the path of danger, no matter how Meg’s Uncle Troy, the town’s police chief, worried that that was exactly what she was planning to do.

There was one recipe included here, for my kids’ all-time favorite meal (lightly edited here for relevance):

QUOTE
Prepare 4 cups of dried elbow macaroni according to the package directions. You want the mac to be al dente, and not too tender, since it will cook more during the baking process. Drain and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter a 9” x 13” baking pan and set aside.

In a large, heavy skillet, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and stir constantly to make a roux. Let the roux cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to make sure it doesn’t burn.

Next, add 1 ½ cups milk and ½ cup half-and-half to the roux. (If you don’t have half-and-half, use 2 cups whole milk.) Whisk the milk mixture until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. If you want your mac and cheese a little spicy, stir in 1 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste.

Fold 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese into the milk mixture. (I like to mix and match whatever cheese is in my fridge.) Stir constantly until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. Next, fold the reserved macaroni into the cheese sauce.

Spoon half of the macaroni and cheese into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with ½ cup Cheddar cheese. Next, spoon the rest of the macaroni and cheese atop the Cheddar, and then top with ½ cup Cheddar cheese.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese on top has melted. Enjoy.
END QUOTE

The book does recommend adding protein – like chunks of cooked lobster – to help make this a complete meal. My family and I enjoyed it on its own as well, though my kids did think it could use even more cheese sauce. I thought it was quite nicely balanced, personally, as I took the suggestion to use whatever was in my fridge to heart, and tossed in some leftover mozzarella I had in addition to the cheddar. I'm definitely looking forward to trying it with some spicy sausage soon though.

Next week, we travel to an island on the opposite coast to bake up a sweet treat while investigating a mysterious death with a sleuth and a specter. Do join me!

Lynn is one of my favorite cozy mystery authors. I loved this book so much! It’s a total must read for me! I highly recommend it. And I am looking forward to this new series continuing.

Thanks to NetGalley, Tantor Audio, and Kensington Publishing for the digital copy of this book and audiobook. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

There’s nothing better than a meta cozy mystery that repeatedly references Nancy Drew! This book was so much fun to read and listen to. The setting in the Pacific Northwest, Bainbridge Island, sounds just as lovely as Martha’s Vineyard or Door County, Wisconsin.

Meg has a few setbacks in her life. Her long-term relationship has ended nearly at the alter, and she’s failed at her career. She hopes things change when she takes a part-time job for a mystery writer, doing research. She decides to write a guide on how to solve murders. This guide will come in handy when the author becomes a prime suspect in the murder of her manager.

Overall, I love love loved this unique twist to the cozy mystery genre and highly recommend!

4.25


Three things I need to know:

1. How many years am I going to have to wait for the Meg and Dalton slowburn?
2. How do you pronounce his name?! Is it Romain like Roman or Romain like Romaine? So annoying since I can’t look it up and risk prejudicing my rating.
3. Proper fish: excellent name for a British chippy in the States, but now I want some good fish and chips! Okay, that’s not a question, other than how do I get an authentic chippy in my town?

I haven’t read much of Lynn Calhoun‘s books. I have no real excuse, other than I don’t read too many of the modern day cat/food/flora tongue-in-cheek-titled cozy mysteries. I read lots of advance copies of upcoming books, which is a nightmare for the impatient binge reader, but I should listen to more of her books as audiobooks because 1. Lynn Calhoun is also from Idaho (not that you would necessarily know that from some of her creative geography) and 2. She knows, at least with the two series I’ve read from so far, that every book needs a cute dog (and that just means “dog”).

Even though this is a completely unbiased and censored review, I don’t think the author or publisher would appreciate it if I said to wait to read this for a few years so you can amass a partial series to binge, but I guess if you read this now, you can pivot to a new mystery series of hers and by the time you get through all of them, it will be time again for the Bainbridge Island—home of delicious-sounding food—book number two. Rinse. Repeat. Unfortunately, I don’t get any kickbacks for convincing you to read more books either.

If you are a cozy reader, and I assume you know if you are, this is a no-brainer (except for the aforementioned lack of accrued installments). If not, read the summary, look at the cover front, and read this review. If you didn’t mimic a retching sund, or even if you’re still reading, give it a try. I don’t know if there are glaring geographic inconsistencies like there were with the book series I started reading, but more people are likely to know in this case than in that one. I do want to go to Bainbridge Island now, especially if they have amazing food half as good as it sounds. Get it? SOUND, as in Puget?!

Thank you to Lynn Cahoon, NetGalley, and Kensington Publishing for providing me with a free advanced copy of this book for my unbiased review.

#AnAmateurSleuthsGuideToMurder #NetGalley #bookreview #ADHDreader #LynnCahoonmysteries #foundfamily #cozymystery #coffee #foodie #KensingtonPublishing #rescuedog #BainbridgeIsland #Seattle

"An Amateur Sleuth's Guides to Murder" by Lynn Cahoon is both comedic and intense. Readers follow a wannabe crime writer who uses a real-life murder as inspiration for catching a killer. This book is perfect for those who enjoy cozy mysteries but still love the intensity of a traditional crime novel.

When Meg's dream career crashes and burns along with her relationship to her fiancé after he took her bridesmaid on a trip to Italy (which was supposed to be her honeymoon), she ends up moving back home to Bainbridge Island. She moves in with her aunt, gets a job at her mom's bookstore, and scores a part-time gig working for a bestselling mystery writer.

Then Meg gets the idea that she'll write a guidebook on how to conduct a criminal investigation. Before she can share the idea with her new boss, the author's manager is found dead on her property. Now Meg must put her guidebook to use if she wants to clear her boss's name and find the real killer.

Cahoon brilliantly outlines the small-town vibes of Bainbridge Island, a place where everyone knows everyone and where tourists are more than welcome--as long as they don't stay. The mentality of the locals feels reflective of any small town where locals have been around for generations, especially those who have strong feelings about the rich who hole up in their fancy houses on the island. This applies to the resident writer, amping up the tension and animosity, including the list of suspects for her manager's death.

Meg is a fascinating character to follow because she's hardworking and ambitious. And despite being left heartbroken by her fiancé, she has a big heart that might just be falling for a longtime friend of hers. On top of that, she has a neat idea for a book she's pursuing with the passion and zest expected of someone who loves mystery novels. Each chapter reflects one of Meg's tips for conducting a criminal investigation, which fits perfectly with the events occurring in the chapters. As each twist and turn rears up unexpectedly, Meg comes up with another tip and lesson for sleuth wannabes to consider when and if they conduct their investigation.

"An Amateur Sleuth's Guide to Murder" is a unique new take on conducting a murder mystery that many readers will love. Lynn Cahoon's newest book is expected to be published on June 24th, 2025. Save it to your reading lists and be on the lookout in stores when this book hits the shelves!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing (Kensington Cozies) for providing me with an e-arc and the opportunity to share my opinion in this review.

AN AMATEUR SLEUTH’S GUIDE TO MURDER is the first book in the brand-new Bainbridge Island Mysteries by Lynn Cahoon. Each chapter’s heading, tips on how to be an amateur sleuth as “written” by protagonist, Meg Gates, instantly pulled me in. Meg is reeling after getting dumped by her fiancé (right before their wedding, no less) and has moved back to her childhood home of Bainbridge Island to start over. I greatly enjoyed that Meg’s mother, aunt, and uncle do what they can to help her settle in and start over, her mother by giving her a part-time job at the family bookstore along with her aunt finding her a part-time job working for a best-selling mystery author. It was sweet to see the closeness of her family and the care they exhibit for Meg. I also enjoyed seeing Meg reconnect with childhood friends Natasha and Dalton, the trio who had formed a sleuthing club while in middle school. It was fun to see them come back together to help Meg solve a new crime.

While Meg might be trying to become accustomed to researching (it involves some unusual things!) for her new mystery author boss, Lilly Aster, her job comes into jeopardy. Lilly is under suspicion of killing her manager when his body is found on her property. To make matters worse, Lilly had plenty of reasons to want the man dead. Meg, Natasha, and Dalton start asking questions (aided by Meg’s work in progress sleuthing guide) while her uncle, who happens to be the local chief of police, heads the formal investigation. I admire the ability of Meg and her uncle to work together to find answers, despite him not wanting Meg to be put in danger. As clues were revealed, there were twists and turns that kept me engaged with the story and turning pages. At the satisfying conclusion, I was eager to pick up the next book in the series, only to realize I’ll have to have patience to wait until it’s released!

I was delighted to read Lynn Cahoon's first in the new Bainbridge Island Mystery series. The locale is wonderful and the characters are all likeable, with many opportunities for growth by Meg Gates. I love the author's Tourist Trap series and am happy that 'An Amateur Sleuth's Guide to Murder' is more along those lines and not her paranormal genre books. I happily look forward to many more.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Ms. Cahoon had created another winning cozy and probably the best amateur sleuth job EVER. The cherry on the top of this series starter is the scrumptious mac and cheese recipe found at the back of the book. The setting is on Bainbridge Island, which is just a ferry ride away from Seattle. Meet Meg Gates, who is about to go from being a hot mess to a phoenix rising out of the ashes. You cannot help but to empathize with Meg, even if you haven't been essentially left at the altar by your fiancé who ran off on your honeymoon with your bridesmaid. Between heartbreak, lack of a degree, and loss of a job, Meg has no choice but to return home and take a job at the family bookstore. But wait, there is a silver lining to the bookstore job. Thanks to family connections, Meg gets a side gig as a research assistant for successful mystery author, L.C. Aster. This seems fated because Meg has been toying with the idea of writing a book. After reading this book I think that I have found my dream job!

Who would have guessed that Meg would be able to get on-the-job training for how to write her Amateur Sleuth's Guide to Murders. I was drawn into the story right away. As with any good cozy mystery, the amateur sleuth has a furry friend, like Meg's appropriately named rescue cocker spaniel, Watson. She is part of a good group of friends who were once known as the Mystery Crew. This isn't Meg's first try to solve a mystery, although it is the first one that involves murder.

There are plenty of suspects and red herring because Robert Meade, the victim, was a rather odious person who took advantage of people in trouble. The list of those who had not had the displeasure of interacting with him was a short one, which means that Meg’s Uncle Troy, the town’s police chief will have his work cut out for him.

Ms. Cahoon introduces us to Emmett’s lobster mac and cheese in the story but in the recipe, she leaves it up to the reader/cook to decide what to add, if one should decide to add anything at all. I gave this easy to make recipe a try and added ham.

“An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide to Murder” by Lynn Cahoon book one in A Bainbridge Island Mystery series. I found it to be just as enjoyable, entertaining and full of loveable characters as her other series.

Lynn Cahoon really knows how to craft a compelling cozy mystery series! The blend of mystery, humor, and character development is perfect for drawing readers in. Meg Gates, the protagonist, is relatable and endearing, navigating a recent breakup and new job as a writer's assistant. The discovery of a dead body at her workplace sets off a chain of events that draws Meg and her friends, Natasha and Dalton, into an amateur sleuthing adventure.

The characters are well-developed and likable, with natural dialogue that makes their relationships feel authentic. Meg's family, including her aunt and uncle (the police chief), add depth and warmth to the story. The Bainbridge Island setting is vividly described, providing a charming backdrop for the mystery.

The plot is engaging, with plenty of twists and suspects to keep readers guessing. Meg's determination to prove her new employer's innocence is admirable, and her restraint in the face of danger is refreshing. Overall, this is a delightful start to a new series, and I'm looking forward to seeing where Meg's journey takes her.

I highly recommend this cozy mystery series to all my friends who love a cozy with a strong support system of friends in it.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Nancy Drew! This has all the feels of a cozy series- Meg has moved home to the tourist haven of Bainbridge Island after a failed romance and is living over her aunt's garage and working in a bookstore as well as for Lily, the famous writer. Oh and her uncle is the police chief. So when Lily's agent , who was rotten, is murdered. Meg dusts off the knowledge she gained from Nancy and becomes a sleuth with the help of her two pals, one of whom has a bit of a hopeful crush on her. It's familiar territory but the identity of the villain was a bit of a surprise and I liked the Bainbridge Island atmospherics. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC . I can see this being the first in a series.

An Amateur Sleuth's Guide to Murder is the first of what looks to be a great new series. I love the setting of Bainbridge Island, WA and there are likable characters to get to know. Meg Gates is at a crossroads after her fiancé left her for one of her bridesmaids and she is between jobs. So, she moved home to the island from Seattle to work at her mom's bookstore and a second job helping a local author. She has a tight group of friends and family to support her. I enjoyed seeing Meg, her friends Dalton and Natasha work together to solve the murder of the author's obnoxious agent. He was not liked so there are many suspects to look at, including Natasha and others, but the answer was not what I expected. I look forward to reading more of the series. There may be some romance when Meg is ready.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts.

This is a charming series debut that joins some other meta type mysteries by writers like Benjamin Stevenson, Sulari Gentill and Anthony Horowitz. The book opens with the writer’s tips for amateur sleuths, a list that is heavily influenced by the main character’s love – nay, worship – for Nancy Drew. Since Nancy is where many readers of mystery fiction got their start, this list should grab you as a reader immediately. It did me.

The set up of the actual novel is more conventional than the opening list, but this is a strong and entertaining cozy read. Main character Meg Gates has just been dumped at the altar, and as the book opens she’s chopping her wedding dress into bits and waiting for her family to arrive and help move her and her dog Watson back home. Home is Bainbridge Island, a ferry ride away from Seattle. Her possessions (luckily) are few, and she abandons her erstwhile fiancée Romain and her former life in the city.

Back home, she’ll be living over her aunt’s garage, working part time at her mother’s bookstore, and working as a part time assistant for a very famous writer who lives on the island. She’s also connecting back with her childhood friends Natasha and Dalton. It’s pretty obvious Dalton has feelings for Meg, but she’s still processing her breakup.

When the literary agent of the famous author is killed, her friends and the writer herself come under suspicion, and Meg, who is planning a “how to” amateur sleuthing book puts her ideas to the test and gets to detecting over the strenuous objections of her uncle, the police chief.
There are many of this aspects of this novel I found appealingly believable and well constructed. Cahoon gets so many things right, things I’ve seen employed in other novels and were all wrong. Bainbridge Island is a big tourist destination, and the book gets the townie/tourist/wealthy landowners divide just right. She and her friends work at local businesses and their portrayal as hard working townies is perfection.

One of the other things Cahoon did really well (speaking as a former bookstore owner) was her portrayal of the essential nature of the famous author agreeing to launch her book at Meg’s mother’s small bookstore. The hard work and robust sales help the store get through some slower times. This was completely authentic and I’ve never read another mystery that got this so right.

I may have liked this so much because as a former bookseller I felt those details were well done, or even as someone who grew up on a touristy island with an influx of tourists off ferries, but mostly I liked it because this is a good story, well told, with solid characters and a lovely setting. I loved the tips throughout and they added a real zing to the whole book. Excellent series kick off.

This is the first in a new series, A Bainbridge Island Mystery, by Lynn Cahoon. I really like her cozy series and this was no exception.
Meg Gates’ fiancé runs off to Italy with the maid of honor. She has dodged a bullet and returns to Bainbridge Island to restart her life. She is working for her mother in the bookstore and part time for the local writer, Lily, as a researcher.

Lily’s agent is found dead and the mystery begins. I was rooting for Meg the entire time. I’m sure she’ll be more confident and sure of herself in the next book. Her friends are a great support system for her. I am looking forward to the next book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing/ Kensington Cozies for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review. These are my opinions.

Move over Scooby Doo gang, the Mystery Crew is on the move. Meg returns home to Bainbridge Island after her life in Seattle tanks. That first chapter has me wondering where the story was going to go, but the author pulls Meg from the pity party of the first night pretty rapidly.
Meg is a character you can love. She has certainly had some hard knocks, but she doesn’t let that keep her from putting energy into building a life in her hometown.
I enjoyed them references to Nancy Drew. One that made me laugh was about we rarely saw Nancy eat dinner - she was always being interrupted by sleuthing. I like Meg’s sense of humor.
Her friends and family are great too. Her Mom tries a bit too hard, it’s all for love.
Dalton and Natasha are great friends who Meg gets the chance to know again/better by returning to Bainbridge Island.
I like the way this mystery is written. Meg is logical about how she thinks through things. Dalton helps her to eliminate suspects. Natasha is a bit in the background on this so it will be interesting to see if she shines in a future book.
I love Meg’s ideas for writing a guide for amateur sleuths to use for investigating.
I highly recommend picking up An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide to Murder.
Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read this book.

This is a great introduction to a new series. I like the premise of the main character writing a guide to solving mysteries. Cahoon offers good advice for amateur sleuths.

Betrayed and heartbroken, Meg is forced to abandon the future she once envisioned with her husband-to-be and return home, unsure of what comes next. But just as she’s settling into her new life, her boss is accused of murder. Determined to uncover the truth, Meg teams up with her loyal friends Natasha and Dalton—who just might be more than a friend—to catch the real culprit.

This is, without a doubt, my favorite Lynn Cahoon book yet! The protagonist is sharp, resilient, and far more capable than she realizes. I also enjoyed the added dose of humor. From the first page to the last, I was completely hooked, and when everything finally came together, it was both satisfying and seamless.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a great concept for a book. I don't know how Lynn Cahoon comes up with them but please don't stop. I also love how there's always good coming from a bad or difficult situation that helps the character(s) grow and remind them of what's important.

The characters are so well written and full of depth that you will feel like you know them. If you love a good cozy with a little extra something then give this one a go. You really won't be disappointed.

I received an advanced copy for my honest review.

Lynn Cahoon brings a new series to launch soon, and I was lucky enough to get an early copy. I've read nearly all the author's books, shy of the early ones before she switched to cozy mysteries. Always love seeing the new characters and setting. A lovely island off the coast of Seattle. A family with divorce and various relatives, all harboring some sort of hidden thoughts or secrets. An ex with an axe to grind. Sets up for a lot, and in this first installment, a literary agent is killed. Will the main character's new job as the author's research assistant go south shortly after taking off? Read on to learn more!