This is the sixth, and final, book in the Secret Bookcase series. I have loved reading about Annie’s transition from just being a bookstore employee, to being co-owner of The Secret Bookcase and realizing her dream of becoming a private detective with Fletcher. There is a spinoff series, The Novel Detectives, coming next year and I can’t wait to read it. I hope we don’t lose the characters we’ve grown to love in Redwood Grove, and I hope we get to see the romance between Annie and Liam take the next step. 4 ⭐️

I received an early read of this book and while I didn't realize it was book #6 in a series, I didn't feel like I was lost in the storyline. This would be fine to read as a stand-alone, and a perfect summer read.

The storyline is kind of cutesy, but well-told and once the murderer was revealed, I found that I had considered and then discarded the idea that this person was the one. The motivation was also not what it seems it would be.

Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Ellie Alexander for the ARC of this book!

Good news and bad news. First the bad news, this is the final book in the secret bookcase series. However, and the good news, we aren't losing the characters as a new series will start with Fletcher and Annie opening their new venture. And, Scarlet's murder, the story that has arced across all five books, has resolved. At the same time, most of our favorite characters attended a fabulous book fair with intriguing merch and murder of a presenter. A fascinating discussion of the economics of publishing highlights the story. Thanks to netgalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the end of the series and a spinoff is planned. Best for those who have read the other books. Big leaps and a rushed ending to this cozy series. Yes, parts were clunky. But the characters are charming, so I forgave a lot.

A nice wrap up to the Secret Bookcase series. No big surprises if you’ve read the first four books. Do NOT start here or you miss the lead up of the mystery. Would like to see Detective Greene and Annie interact more in the future series.

Annie and Fletcher, along with Pri and Liam, are going to a book conference! Mysteries set at conferences are always kind of fun, a nice change of scenery and lots of new characters/suspects with delightfully suspicious backgrounds and attitudes. But they're not going only to check out new books and bookish technologies. They're also there to solve Scarlet's murder once and for all.

As much as I love conference settings, I really missed Redwood Grove and I missed the bookstore. The conference was interesting and though there were good characters, a lot of them were an awful lot alike and I had a VERY hard time keeping the male suspects straight in my mind. I also couldn't tell which mystery was supposed to be the focus of the book, the conference mystery and the Scarlet mystery were constantly at odds and I didn't really get enough of either one to satisfy me.

The Scarlet mystery was a huge let down for me. She needed like 10 minutes to solve this mystery that has been baffling private investigators and police for over a decade? Not buying it. How the final clue came out was just too convenient and Annie's willingness to risk her life to get into a <i>campus</i> (not just one building but an entire campus) to search for something (she doesn't know what) somewhere (she doesn't know where) in this complex of buildings... when she has only one day at the most... felt ridiculous. This supposedly ruthless criminal mastermind bought her silly story hook, line, and sinker, believed every word she told him and gave her full access to his <i>campus</i>? Nope. Oh and also, this evidence she's been searching for? It's in an envelope. And we never get to see what's inside the envelope, we end the story with no clue was to what the evidence was. Why? Because the criminal mastermind just says "aw shucks, you got me, I did it." So she didn't even need the evidence? All along she just needed to ask this person if they did it?

Then while all that is going down, oh by the way we solved this other murder. I finished this book before I went to sleep last night and I already can't remember who the killer was. I could look to refresh my memory, but it doesn't feel that important.

I do like a mystery that arcs across several cozies in a series. It's something interesting to have in the background, that thing that the main character just can't get past and that comes up again and again, sometimes with an extra clue here or there. But when that mystery gets solved it needs to be either the entire focus of the book where it gets solved, or the resolution of the main mystery in the book needs to also be the resolution to that mystery arc. Having the mystery arc battling with another mystery just (for me) weakens both stories and leaves me feeling pulled in too many directions. I think I would have enjoyed this book a whole lot more if it had focused entirely on Scarlet's death and leave out the other mystery. Maybe then it could have seemed like a legitimate investigation/undercover operation instead of a silly thing where they just accidentally stumble upon the answers.

I've read all of this series and all of Alexander's Bakeshop series and this is hands-down my least favorite of her books. I've been pretty critical of it, but don't take that as a reflection of her work because her books really are good and I highly recommend them (especially the Bakeshop series).

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

What a wonderful series. Having read all six books and enjoyed them all it is sad that the series is now complete but I can look forward to the spin off series next year. Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

This was another good book in this series. It wrapped up Annie’s quest to get justice for her friend. I’m kinda sad it’s the last one in this series. However new adventures await Annie and Fletcher and I’m looking forward to those. This is a great series!

Loved the setting and the characters and the comments on the book industry -- but didn't care much about the cold case or its resolution (even though I've read all the previous books). The newer case was more interesting but seemed at times to be an afterthought, with a very abrupt resolution (which is also true of the other case). Shame that the first 60% or so of the book was so interesting but the rest was a let down. I'm curious to see how the spin-off new series goes.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

A Body at the Book Fair is the sixth and final novel in the Secret Bookcase mystery series. as always, Ellie Alexander leads readers down several paths in trying to solve a new case. Annie and Fletcher are attending a book fare, where a murder suddenly changes the tone of this book gathering, giving Annie and Fletcher a new case to solve. As if this new murder was not enough to keep them busy, Annie hopes to solve her friend Scarlett's murder from 10 years prior.

The murder at the book fare takes place during a demonstration for a VR headset. Of course, there are several suspects. As Annie and Fletcher try to help the police detective solves this murder, readers learn a great deal about publishers, editors, and the creation of a best seller. Annie's plan to solve Scarlett's murder also works out, with the help of friends Liam and Pri and a local police detective. Readers who were sad at the end of this series, will also get a surprise in the conclusion.

I do recommend, A Body at the Book Fair. Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review, which is included here.

4 stars

This is the conclusion of the Secret Bookcase Mystery series. It can be read as a standalone but I recommended you read them in order to get the full character development and background of the major players.

There are two mysteries here: who killed app developer in front of an audience of book sellers and authors and who killed Scarlet, the arc between all the books in the series.

I found both mysteries compelling and entertaining. I like how Annie, Fletcher, and their cohorts solve both mysteries. The epilogue was also insightful.

I highly recommend the final book in the series. Netgalley gave me an advanced ecopy of the book and these are my opinions. I rate it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

SPOILER ALERT!
Annie Murray and her friend, co-worker and detective partner, Fletcher Hughes are attending a book fair in Santa Clara. While they are there, they are planning a risky attempt to retrieve the proof of wrong doing at Silicon Summit Partners hidden by her best friend Scarlet who was murdered a decade ago.
At the first panel of the fair, a very annoying panel member, Fox Andrews, dies by a malfunction of the "revolutionary" device he was promoting. It seems that the device was rewired to cause the explosion. Many of the panel members had motives. Fox was stealing their ideas, images and technology. There was tell-all author, Serena Highbourn. Then there was elderly bookshop owner, Laurel Deters. Victor Moore with a competing device. As well as, Theodore Calodin who sells comic books.
Annie and Fletcher, joined by Annie's boyfriend, Liam Donovan and her best friend, Pri manage to solve the murder of Fox, while carrying out their plan to get into Silicon Summit offices. Annie gets her interview with Logan Ashford and convinces him to hire her. She sneaks into the heavily guarded building that night with Liam. They find the proof, but are apprehended by Lance and his group of mercenaries before they can get out. While he is bragging about killing Scarlet and other crimes and telling them that he will kill them too, Annie is recording. Fortunately, Fletcher and Pri have called the police (Who are grateful for their help finding Fox's killer.) and are rescued.
I have enjoyed this series a lot and was sad that this was the last book, but then, I heard that Annie and the gang have a spin-off series coming soon!
It has been a pleasure to see the characters develop over the series.

Annie Murray has been consumed for the last ten years over the murder of her best friend Scarlet. And finally she has what she believes is information that will prove the man she suspected of the crime is guilty. She just has to find the last piece of evidence which she is sure she can with her close friends' help. Annie and her business partner Fletcher are going to a book fair that is located right near the business owned by her suspect. Also helping her is her boyfriend Liam and her best friend Pri. What she doesn't expect is for one of the presenters at the book fair to be murdered. Since Annie and Fletcher have just received their PI licenses, they are able to assist the police in this murder as well as working their plan to catch the man who killed Scarlet all those years ago. But nothing goes without some clinches and detours.

While at a booksellers' convention, Annie witnesses the death of a panelist. Plenty of suspects and red herrings. Annie also finally solves the murder of her college best friend, Scarlet. Interested to see where this series goes since the overarching plot has been resolved. Looking forward to more adventures with Annie and her pals. 4.5

I loved returning to the charming town of Redwood Grove and the Secret Bookcase bookstore. In this instalment Annie and Fletcher head to Santa Clara for their annual book fair, which also happens to be where Silicon Summit Partners is located. With her fellow bookseller and crime-fighting partner Fletcher playing Watson to her Holmes, can Annie catch the killer before they strike again? And will it distract her from her mission to finally bring her best friend Scarlet’s murderer to justice?

It was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I didn’t completely guess whodunnit until Annie did..
Overall, I'm thoroughly invested in Annie and the Novel Detectives I’m excited to see where the author takes these endearing characters next!

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends!

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Storm Publishing and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

Anne does her thing in the final instalment of the Secret Bookstore Mysteries. Yet another winner. Easy read and the perfect book to relax with. You do not have to have read the other books in the series to enjoy this one.

"A Body at the Book Fair (A Secret Bookcase Mystery #6)" by Ellie Alexander is the last book of this particular series set. However, don't fear, there is a spin off series coming now that Annie and Fletcher have their private detective business up and running. Also, the conclusion of what happened to Charlotte. I wont say more on those lines as it would be spoilers.

Annie and her crew are headed to a Silicon Valley Book Convention . While there, Annie plans to do some in person investigating of her main suspect in the death of her college best friend. Too bad a mysterious death jolts to the forefront of their attention at the convention. Luckily that's pretty quickly investigated and figured out. A bit more quickly than I could really say there was enough clues for the number of suspects. Just enough clues to make it plausible for any potential reveal scene but not enough really to eliminate or point to any particular suspect.

I've really enjoyed the Secret Bookcase series overall, and am always happy to catch up with the gang. My one complaint about this is that I felt like both storylines were a little rushed. The main mystery in this novel wrapped up super quickly without much fanfare to make room for the conclusion of Scarlett's story - but that also felt like it didn't have as much depth as I might have hoped after a six book arc. Still looking forward to reading more about Annie's adventures in the new Novel Detectives series! I also loved the nod to Torte included in this novel!

A Body at the Book Fair is an amazing title. It conjures all sorts of memories of book fairs in elementary school. And the book fair that Annie and Fletcher attend in Santa Cruz sounds like a dream come true. The mystery that is part of the book fair is really interesting. And I was really drawn to finding out how it would turn out.
I wish more could have been given to that mystery. This is the last book of this series, and the background thread that has run through the whole series had to be tied up. Annie’s friend Scarlet died ten years ago. Annie finally has the information necessary to go after the responsible party.
I know that this part of the story needed to happen for closure in the series, but it actually detracted from my enjoyment of this book. I set aside the book multiple times when this area was raised.
The wrap up in the epilogue is great.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the Secret Bookcase mysteries. I do wish that this final book could have been a celebration of the bookstore and the book fair. That would have pushed it to five stars for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.