I would give this book 2.5 stars, but I rounded up because I enjoyed the ending. I found the idea of this book very appealing. I started to have problems with so many new characters being introduced, and then the process of finding the killer seemed to go on forever. I almost gave up, which is rare for me, but I kept reading. Glad I did, as I enjoyed the end of the book. I was gifted an ARC from Netgalley, and this is my honest opinion.

Who knew that attending the Killer Lines Crime Fiction Festival could lead to an actual murder. Jane is an author who can’t seem to make readers see her talent. She decides to attend the festival, hoping to mingle, sell some books, and get some time with her agent (who has been avoiding her for months). Things do not go as planned, and soon Jane must solve a real-life murder, the death of her agent. She manages to make two friends, Daniel and Natasha, and they set out to discover whodunnit and why.
I have to say that Jane was a hard character for me to like in the beginning. Though as more of her backstory emerged, and her confidence grew, I found myself rooting for her. No spoilers, but after everything Jane went through, and everything that she learned about herself, I can see Jane’s dreams coming true. If nothing else she can incorporate some if not all of what happened at the festival into her next book.

Refreshing new take on the life of an author and the interactions with others at a book festival. A struggling authoress gets a much needed boost in both her literary and personal life. Well written and a unique story.

An enjoyable novel filled with a bevy of quirky characters. Set in a quaint English village, a crime writers convention takes an unexpected turn when a literary agent is found dead. Enter, struggling crime author, Jane Hepburn, who makes it her mission to solve the case before the bumbling police arrest the wrong person.

I enjoyed Jane's character who was filled with human frailties, self doubt, loneliness and a strong desire to fit in. The mystery was fun and moved along at a decent pace with several unexpected developments that held my interest. The story did move between different characters' viewpoints. But, the author did a good job of identifying the character shifts. I wish there were less of Jane's repetitive inner musings since I got her inner struggles/doubts after the first few. That said, I would definitely give the next book in the series a try to see how her character develops along with her sidekicks. Thank you NetGalley, E.C. Nevin and
Alfred A. Knopf Publisher for the opportunity to review this Advanced Reader Copy.

"Welcome to the Killer Lines Crime Fiction Festival, the place for star writers of the genre to meet their adoring fans. But be careful - this year the murders aren't just on the page.

In the quaint English town of Hoslewit, the biggest names in crime writing have congregated to celebrate all things bookish and murderous. Author Jane Hepburn is determined to make her time at the Killer Lines festival worthwhile. This is her chance to change her fortunes and make her fictional Private Detective Baker a household name. And if she has to resort to sneaking into the book tent after hours to rearrange some books so hers are front and center, so be it.

But when Jane encounters the dead body of renowned (and reviled) literary agent Carrie Marks, the festival takes on a decidedly different tone. Joined by Carrie's newest client, debut novelist Natasha Martez, and the agency's hapless intern, Daniel Thurston, Jane decides to put her fictional sleuthing skills to use in the real world - she's going to solve the murder. But the list of suspects is long: seemingly everyone at the festival has a motive to kill Carrie, and the more Jane and her new friends investigate, the closer they come to a dangerous truth - one that's stranger than fiction."

I LOVE murder mysteries set at literary festivals ever since I saw the Midsomer Murders episode "Sins of Commission."

This cozy mystery leans more heartfelt than high-stakes, with a focus on friendship and self-discovery. Jane Hepburn is an awkward, anxious author hoping to make her mark at a crime writing festival. She’s painfully unsure of herself but slowly starts to come out of her shell thanks to a couple of new friends. I really liked the way the book centered Jane’s personal growth just as much as the murder plot.

The mystery itself—her agent turns up dead—was fine, though at times it felt secondary to the publishing-world satire and character development. Still, I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes peek at literary festivals and the mix of personalities from the publishing world. The story had plenty of suspects and a few laugh-out-loud moments. I’d happily read another book featuring Jane and her newfound crew.

A great new (I hope) cozy series. Loved the protagonist and the back corridors of the literary world. Easy, fun, and perfectly twisted.

Fun cozy about the book world. Engaging characters and interesting plot however, it didn't really grab me. Just kept reading along.

A Novel Murder, while not the best book I’ve ever read was interesting enough to keep me reading to find out “who dunnit”.
I sometimes was confused on the characters because there were so many and their personalities were.similar. I liked the main character and liked her transformation through the story.
I also found it hard to believe in parts because the novelists became the detectives and so quickly jumped to conclusions without a lot of evidence.
It was an enjoyable read.

This was so much fun that I wish this was a series I could dive into. An unlikely group coming together to solve a book-related murder? Perfect. I loved the writing, the cast of characters and the resolution. If I had a quibble it would be that there is maybe one or two extra characters that didn't add much in the way of personality or depth to the storyline but honestly, would read 4 more of these. Can't wait to follow the author and see what's next.

pretty cute and well written cozy mystery with interesting ideas and good vibes. the growth of Jane as a character is awesome. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

Although I didn't warm to the character Jane at first, this was an enjoyable read. The cast of characters were funny, determined and all too human. This was a cozy look at the inside world of publishing, agents and competitive would-be authors.

Loved this cozy mystery! It was very entertaining with the characters, the story and the whole setup. I hope this becomes a series and we get to go along with Jane for another event. Thank you E. C. Nevis, NetGalley and Knopf for this digital arc.

Author Jane Hepburn attends the Killer Lines Festival, hoping to bring attention to her mystery series and connect
with her agent. When her agent is murdered, Jane decides to investigate with the help of her agent's newest client and
her intern. As they look into the connections between the dead woman and other attendees. Jane's confidence
grows. Interesting characters - an enjoyable read.
#ANovelMurder #KnopfPantheonvintageandAnchor #Knopf #NetGalley

I was looking forward to reading this book, as I liked the premise…a murder mystery set at a convention for authors and publishers. Unfortunately, the book moved very slowly and I lost interest about 47% into the book. I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to write a voluntary, unbiased review.

A very entertaining book based at a book fair festival. I have always wanted to go to one of these events.

Our protagonist is a published writer of mystery. However, it is quickly revealed, published is not necessarily mean successful or fruitful. I have read the book editing and publishing world was not glamorous but this story put it in somber perspectivee.

Despite these thoughts, the story was thoroughly enjoyable and my suspect choices changed throughout. The characters were entertaining and engaging.
The pursuit of finding the culprit actually felt realistic. So many stories out there have characters doing foolish things. This one did not.

What a pleasant surprise! This was a thrilling treat from out of the blue. Cozy, indeed. Entertaining, yes. I think fans of the 'Horowitz and Hawthorne' series by Anthony Horowitz will enjoy A Novel Murder as much as I did. I can only hope E. C. Nevin has plans for this to be a series. Jane Hepburn is a wonderful character and it would be a shame if we don't see her again (even if it isn't at a killer book festival). A Novel Murder works thanks to both the colorful characters and the masterful mystery. It's a well crafted debut that will have you hooked. It's always fun when a writer (fictional or otherwise) turns their attention to solving crimes. Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, & NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a slow starter, but once we got a few more characters for the main to mingle with, it really got rolling! The mystery wasn’t obvious and the suspects list was long enough to keep things interesting.

This was a fun, cozy mystery. Having said that, there were a few parts in the book where I skipped over pages of dry meanderings? thoughts? Over all, I enjoyed the characters and the story.

This was quite an enjoyable cozy murder mystery read. The character were super funny, charming and likable. There were some moments where it seems there were going around in circles and saying the same things but seem realistic enough to recap and review things to help connect the dots. So with that, I just went along their thought process and enjoyed the read throughout the book. What only irked me is the title as it just was not reading it right for me "A Novel Murder". I couldnt get it and for some reason it just bothered me. lol
However, that shudnt deter from the book, I liked the storyline and the unlikely heroes and their blossoming friendship. A great debut novel from the author and look forward to reading more.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley