Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

When Madeline Brimley inherits the Old Juniper Bookshop in Enigma, Georgia, she hopes it’s a better fit than her disappointing acting career. She’s been back in Enigma for six months; her friend, Gloria Coleman, is the Episcopal priest at St. Thomas Aquinas, offers to help her dig up the front yard so that Maddy can plant azaleas.

But planting flowers becomes the furthest thing from their minds when their excavating reveals more than plant-worthy dirt.

There’s a skeletal body buried in the front yard of the bookshop.

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Although this is the second book in the author’s Old Juniper Bookshop Mystery series, it works well as a standalone. This clever cozy mystery pulls readers into the telling of the tale from the outset. Intriguing characters, a captivating mystery, and a touch of humor work together to tell an story of friendship wrapped up in a mystery.

When Gloria is charged with murder, Maddy steps in to help her friend. Despite continued warnings to stay out of the case, Maddy is determined to find the true culprit. Who was responsible for killing a woman who was universally disliked throughout the town? And why was she buried in the bookshop’s front yard. Some unexpected revelations and a few plot twists keep readers guessing as this unputdownable book slowly reveals its secrets.

Readers who are fans of cozy mysteries, who enjoy a bit of humor in their mystery story, will find much to appreciate in this book.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review.
#AllMyBones #NetGalley

In ALL MY BONES, written by P.J. Nelson, Madeline Brimley has inherited the Old Juniper Bookstore from her Aunt Rose. Madeline and her Episcopal priest friend, Gloria, do some gardening on Madeline’s property and find a human skull. Whose skull is it? How and why is it buried there?

The skeletal body is discovered early on, in the first chapter, creating the intrigue that makes me want to read on. Dr. Philomena Waldrop, the close friend and life companion of Madeline’s dead Aunt Rose, is an interesting character. The plot develops at a good pace. I want to know what happens next for Madeline and David. Thank you, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of ALL MY BONES.

This is a cute little cozy autumn read. The characters are likable, and the plot is easy to follow. There were a few parts where I felt like there was too much unnecessary detail or information added but that's a personal preference, really. Some might enjoy those extra little bits of information. I will say, I learned some new things from them, I just didn't feel like they added anything to the story.

What a cute story that is just as fun to read as the first book in this series. Madeline and her neighbor priest, Gloria, were getting ready to plant some roses when they find some bones in her front yard. The bones end of being someone that did NOT get along with Gloria and before you now it, Gloria is being arrested for murder! The story moves with quirky scenes, characters that you just cannot help but love and relate to in every way. From Madeline's boyfriend David, the shop assistant, Jennifer and the local sheriff, Billy. They are all unique in their own way and just fit together perfectly. The author creates such a warm writing setting that makes you want to curl up and just keep reading until the end. This is the perfect book with small town humor, warmth from caring friendship and a little mystery. I look forward to many more books coming out in this series from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an ARC in return for an honest review.

All My Bones, by P. J. Nelson, is a cozy mystery. It's the second book in the Old Juniper Bookshop Mystery series, and continues the story of Madeline Brimley, who inherited a bookstore in Enigma, Georgia.

Settling in, Madeline recruits her friend Gloria Coleman, (the local Episcopal priest), to help her break up the soil in the front yard of the old Victorian that houses the bookstore, so they can plant azaleas. Turning the soil, however, is a challenge since it apparently was mixed with Quikrete. Eventually they break through, only to discover bones. Mysterious human bones.

Before she knows it, Madeline finds herself playing sleuth when a friend is charged with the murder of a much-disliked woman.

I was charmed by the first half-to-three-quarters of All My Bones. Many parts made me smile or laugh. One thing that was distracting to me was how the characters were "motoring" here and there. I found myself wondering, "Wait. They're in a car??" No. They were walking. Also, I felt the last portion of the book seemed to drag too much.

I think my favorite character was Gloria, and her backstory was the best part of the book!

Thank you, #MinotaurBooks, for providing this book for review and consideration via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. All My Bones has an expected publication date of December 2, 2025.

#Cozy #Mystery #Crime

In All My Bones we return to the Old Juniper Bookshop for another mystery starring former actress Madeline Brimley. With the previous books events behind them, Maddie is intent on improving the look of the bookshop itself, but with help of her friend Gloria Coleman, the only female Episcopal priest in the area, the two uncover another mystery hiding in the dirt.
This discovery sets forth a while murder mystery with our main MFC at the helm, doing the exact opposite of what is told to her.
Maddie, as a character, is something we should all strive to look up too. She is funny, witty and willing to do anything and everything she can in order to save her friends no matter the circumstances. And despite a fallback with her psuedo-aunt, even forgives her knowing that she was going through her own struggles after her aunt Rose's death. However, her amateur sleuthing could be a bit annoying, after being told not to ingratiate herself into the investigation multiple times by multiple entities, she still continued to do so. It works out for her in the end, for the second time, but nobody is truly that lucky unless they are a law enforcement officer and any other time, she would likely have been arrested.
We don't get much time with Gloria Coleman this time around, which is a shame because I feel like her character is such a huge part of the first story, and I just loved her. This time around, we have more time between Phil and Maddie, as well as Maddie and David, and is nice to see that her relationships with those closest to her continued to thrive despite everything unfolding around them.
Ultimately, the story was predictable in the end and I was able to discern the true culprit behind the murder mystery after their first encounter. Despite this, I did enjoy the story wholeheartedly, much like I did the first one, which encouraged me to request to read this book as well.
Thank you to Netgalley, PJ Nelson and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this novel. The opinions aforementioned are that of my own.

This is a delightful story set in rural Georgia but
I felt a decidedly British vibe in the characters
and the story. I adore well written fiction that
you think about long after you have finished
the book, and this is what happened to me.
My favorite character, and I loved everyone
including the cat, is Reverend Gloria, and she
gave me quite the scare! I love the budding
relationships and I look forward to the sequel!
My thanks to St Martins/Minotaur for the
download copy of the book for review purposes.

This charming cozy mystery had everything I love—an atmospheric small-town setting, a determined amateur sleuth, and just the right balance of suspense and warmth. Madeline Brimley, a former actress turned bookstore owner, makes for a smart, witty, and relatable protagonist.This is a delightful start to what I hope becomes a long-running series. Perfect for fans of Ellery Adams or Cleo Coyle, it’s the kind of cozy mystery that keeps you guessing while also making you wish you could curl up in Madeline’s bookstore.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 A Delightful Whodunit with Charm and Heart

This cozy mystery was an absolute treat from start to finish! The setting was warm and inviting—small-town charm at its finest—with just the right amount of intrigue to keep me turning the pages late into the night. The amateur sleuth was both clever and relatable, with just enough sass to make her a joy to follow. I especially loved how the author wove in light humor and a touch of romance without ever losing sight of the central mystery.

Retired actor Madeline and the local Anglican priest were digging up the mess that had once been the front garden of the bookstore when they came upon a skeleton of a murdered woman. Turns out that it belonged to a wealthy elder of the community. So, of course, the rather batty and equally disliked sister of the deceased insisted that it was the cleric who had done the deed while everyone in the community thought she was out of the country. Madeline really got steamed when the state police put the cleric in custody, so it was soon decided that a few likeminded friends would investigate and find the real murderer. The characters are great fun and the basic plot is sneaky with its twists and hilarious one liners. Even better than book one!
I requested and received a temporary unedited digital galley from St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Pub Date Dec 02, 2025 **** #bookbub #goodreads #storygraph #librarything
#AllMyBones by P. J. Nelson #OldJuniperBookshopMysteriesBk2 @stmartinspress @minotaur_books #bookseller #localhistory #witty #georgia #localcops #FBI #southernmystery #cozyfiction, #rural #friends #secrets #lies #smalltown #murder #suspense

So much better than the usual small-town, bookshop, ‘cozy’ mystery. Really interesting characters that feel real and I especially appreciate the intelligence and humor behind the prose. This was written by someone who sees people - all the stupid, silly, kind, caring, complicated things they do and say and are - and loves them anyway. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Maddy inherited a book store from her Aunt Rose. Maddy and her priest friend decide to plant Aunt Rose’s special roses. While digging up the dirt they find a skull and bones. Thus the cozy mystery begins with all the intriguing characters. Whose bones are these and why were they buried in the bookstore yard? Fun, easy read.

Enigma, Georgia: Madeline ‘Maddy’ Brimley is settling into her new life after inheriting a bookstore and house from her Aunt Rose. The backyard is looking quite lovely with a newly built gazebo after it burned in the previous book. The front yard, alas, is rather lacking inspiring Maddy and her friend Gloria to do some yard work one afternoon, digging up the dirt there in order to add some compost, etc. and plant some roses along the edge of the walkway. Their plans are soon derailed when they dig up a skull. The body is soon identified as Bea Glassie, one of the more unpleasant people, if wealthiest, in town. The sheriff calls the GBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigation) for help; unfortunately, the director happens to be a cousin of Bea and her sister Idell, and since Idell thinks that Gloria is behind the Bea’s death, Gloria is soon arrested, leaving Maddy to figure out whodunnit in order to clear her friend’s name.

I enjoyed this book. Like many cozy mysteries, half the entertainment was the side plot of what was happing with some of the minor characters. In this case, it also involved learning more about Maddy’s Aunt Rose and seeing Maddy and her sort of boyfriend figure out their relationship.

Recommended. I received a copy of this from NetGalley.com that I voluntarily chose to review.

To put it simply this is a sweet southern murder miystery story including a priest, a book store owner, a college professor and many other characters that put all their efforts in to solve who killed Beatrice Glassie. Overall an interesting story with subplots of romance and friendship.

Give me a murder mystery any day of the week! On top of that let it be a sequel to the first book I read in 2025! Absolutely! I love this series and this was just as good as the first one! Can’t wait to buy the physical copy for a shelf trophy!

Book review: All My Bones by P.J. Nelson.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

Sometimes, a cozy mystery just hits all the right notes—quirky but grounded, smart without being smug, and charming without sugarcoating the whole town in syrup. All My Bones, the second entry in P.J. Nelson’s Old Juniper Bookshop Mystery series, delivers exactly that. Set in the fictitious but perfectly plausible Enigma, Georgia, the novel returns us to the life of Madeline Brimley, former actress turned accidental bookseller and even more accidental amateur sleuth. This time around, she’s just trying to plant some azaleas and improve her bookstore’s curb appeal when she and her priest friend Gloria Coleman dig up a body. That’ll ruin a gardening day fast.

The victim? Beatrice Glassie—sharp-tongued, universally disliked, and freshly deceased despite having supposedly been “traveling” for months. When Gloria is arrested (on truly flimsy grounds, I might add), Madeline is pulled into the investigation, flanked by her cryptic not-quite-boyfriend (a local lawman), her late aunt’s best friend, and a town full of suspects who all had at least one reason to want Bea buried—preferably deep.

Nelson’s greatest strength here is tone. She doesn’t write fluff—she writes smart, warm, sly prose that pokes fun at genre conventions without ever mocking them. The small-town cast is colorful but never caricatured, and Madeline herself feels sharper this time around—less rash, more emotionally grounded. There’s a rare book angle that gives bibliophiles something to nibble on, and the literary references are sprinkled with intention rather than name-dropping for flavor.

Yes, the mystery’s resolution leans a touch predictable, but the joy is in the journey. The pacing is easy without being slow, and the reveal satisfies. And really, who could resist a book that includes the line: “You can’t plant roses without digging up ghosts.” That one’s going on a mug.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

#AllMyBones #PJNelson #OldJuniperBookshopMystery #CozyMystery #BookstoreMystery #SouthernMystery #NetGalleyReads #MinotaurBooks #StMartinsPress #BookReview #MysteryBooks2025 #BibliophileReads #BooksSetInGeorgia #MurderMystery #WomenSleuths #Bookstagram

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "All My Bones", an Old Juniper Bookstore mystery by P.J. Nelson.
Welcome back to Enigma, Georgia, where Madeline Brimley is settling in to run the bookstore left to her by her Aunt Rose.
This is the second book to feature Madeline and her friends, relatives (well sort of), gardener/boyfriend and the sometimes extremely eccentric citizens of Enigma. The last time, there was a murder involved in her return to Enigma and - quess what? - there's another murder.
When preparing to spruce up the front of her home/bookstore, with the help of her friend and Episcopal priest Gloria Coleman, they dig up the bones of a woman who had gone missing some time past - and nobody had really noticed. But it seems that there is no end of suspects, as everyone has a reason for wanting the cantankerous old woman dead. Starting with the aforementioned Reverend, whom Beatrice Glassie had (unsuccessfully) tried to have removed from her posting; and the woman's sister is bound and determined to see Reverend Coleman arrested, tried and convicted (even with the lack of evidence, 'cause that never stopped anyone with a vendetta).
So, Madeline, her 'aunt' Philomena, her gardener/boyfriend set out trap a killer while at the same time avoiding becoming a victim.
I thoroughly enjoyed this second book in the series, but I wonder - just how many corpses can turn up on the property of one little bookstore? Or will Maddie have to go in search of mysteries to solve? Either way, I cannot wait to see how this turns out. Recommended for anyone who enjoys a good, cozy murder mystery (oxymoron? I think not.)

This was such a fun and atmospheric read. The little bookshop in Enigma, Georgia made the perfect backdrop for this cozy mystery, and I loved how the setting itself felt like part of the story. Nelson weaves in theater and literary references that give the book an extra layer of charm, and the cast of characters is quirky, intriguing, and so well-drawn.

Madeline Brimley, now the owner of the bookstore after her acting career fizzled, isn’t always the most likable character, but she’s definitely growing on me. Her determination to clear her friend Gloria’s name when a body turns up in her front yard made me root for her, even when she was being a little stubborn. I also really enjoyed the dynamic with her not-quite-boyfriend lawman. It added just the right touch of tension.

The mystery itself unfolds at a great pace. I was engaged from the start and didn’t feel rushed, though I did find the resolution a bit predictable. Still, with all the small-town drama, old grudges, and the very cool rare-book angle tied to the murder, I was happily along for the ride.

Nelson’s writing feels warm and inviting, like settling into a comfy chair with a story that knows exactly what it wants to be. This book is perfect if you enjoy light-hearted mysteries with plenty of atmosphere and a touch of humor. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a cozy whodunnit that mixes bookshops, small-town secrets, and a dash of danger.

My copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Minotaur Books for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

All My Bones is a wonderful cozy mystery that grabbed my attention from the beginning.
Maddie has created a beautiful garden in her backyard, but the front yard really needs help.
During a visit with Gloria, the Episcopalian minister, they both decide to prepare for planting.
The soil is hard and difficult to break up, and when they discover old bones, things begin to unravel at a quick pace.
The bones belong to Beatrice Glassie, a woman not many people cared for, and who has been missing for 6 months.
Maddie doesn't plan to get involved in the investigation, but when Gloria is arrested for murder, she doesn't hesitate to dig up the answers.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

The first book was all right. I like the idea of inheriting a bookstore but the story was to far gone. I tried second to see if got but but had to skip to end to finish it