Christmas time should be a joyous time of year, especially in a small southern town like Riddleton. But for bookstore owner, Jen, it's not very joyous. It's just the way she grew up, but her live in boyfriend, Eric, is trying to change all that in the new house they have rented as their first living place. Then the morning after a town festival, while out for the morning walk/jog with her friends, Jen and her friend Angus find a dead body in the park. Soon after that Angus is arrested for the killing, as he was seen arguing with the man the night before. Determined to prove Angus innocent, Jen goes against Eric's wishes since he is one of the police agents investigating. With the help of her bookstore partners Lacey and Charlie and her best friend librarian Britany, they are determined to find the real killer. And the information they all dig up is so surprising none of them can hardly believe it. The hate for the dead man goes back more than thirty years. Who would hold a grudge that long...

Not having read any of the previous books in this series, I could have used a little more background on the main characters and their background. It took a little while to warm up to Jen as the main characters since she starts with a very negative (though understandable) take on Christmas. As the story progressed, I was drawn into the story and learned more about the people and happenings in their lives. I enjoyed the mystery, though I did guess whodunit before the reveal. This was an enjoyable cozy mystery and ends with a warm Christmas atmosphere.
Thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the ARC.

A Christmas Bookstore Murder by Sue Minix the 8th instalment in the "A Bookstore Mystery" series. I enjoyed this book and look forward to book 9!
I really enjoyed visiting Riddleton again and Ravenous Reads Bookstore. I like the main cast of characters Jen, Charlie, Lacey, Eric, Ingrid and of course Savannah the German shepherd. When Jen’s friend Angus is arrested for the murder, she knows he must be innocent, but can she prove it?

There was lots to unravel in this instalment, secrets from Angus' past, Jen's feelings about christmas, and someones secrets that they want left buried.

It was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I did guess whodunnit but that did not distract from the story.

I requested and received an advanced readers copy from Harper Collins/Avon and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

A Christmas Bookstore Murder by Sue Minix
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book 8 in the Bookstore Mystery Series. Another standalone mystery which can be read on it's own but you will get the most out of it if you've read the previous 7 as you will get how all the background characters fit together.

It is Christmas in Riddleton and a body is found in the local park. Very soon, Jen's friend Angus is arrested for the murder. With the Police not really looking anywhere else for the murderer it's down to Jen to prove Angus's innocence.

I love a small town mystery. It had me holding my breath a couple of times waiting to see what trouble Jen got herself into but it wasn't quite as sinister as some of the previous books.

All in all, a good cosy-ish murder mystery.

I received a gifted ARC of this book.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books.
This is my honest review.

A lovely cozy crime Christmas read. Part of a series but reads fine as a standalone., Jen a crime writer and bookstore owner often finds herself helping the police, especially her boyfriend who is a detective. When a friend is arrested she has to help him, putting herself in danger. As usual with her books her dog and kitten feature, which I find endearing. This was a pacy story with lots to uncover and a good twist.

When Jen’s friend Angus is accused of murder and the police seem certain they have the culprit, she knows it’s up to her to prove him innocent and find the real murderer. The atmospheric descriptions of Christmas and the bookshop are beautiful. Having read earlier books in the series, it was good to see characters and their relationships develop. However, the plot was too slow for me for quite a lot of the book, so only 4 stars.

Jen knows her friend Angus didn't murder the man they found while out on a walk but how much does she really know about Angus? This latest in the series (probably more enjoyable if you've been following along) sees Jen spin into action with her pals (and pets) to uncover an old nest of secrets that led to this murder. It's a lively classic cozy that leans in on characters as the mystery itself isn't too complicated. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read for fans.

I’ve never read this series before but I was hooked from the start and downloaded the first in the series when I was only 15% in as I was enjoying it. I didn’t feel like I was missing parts of the story from earlier books. The pace was good up until the ending - it felt like it was just getting good then bam it was over.

I've read all the books in this series and this one is my favorite so far. Jen is a good, strong character which makes her very easy to like.
The Christmas escapades with her dog and cat made me laugh out loud so many times.
I highly recommend this book to others.

A cosy festive mystery for readers who enjoy -
🎄Christmas crime
🎄Murder mystery
🎄Books with a bookish link
🎄Hairy four legged friends
🎄Agatha Christie and Ellery Adams

⭑ Publication Date: 8th October 2026
⭑ Available In: eBook & Paperback
⭑ Series: Book 8, Bookstore Mysteries (can be read as a standalone)
⭑ Always remember to check content and trigger warnings before reading.

~ plot ~

When a body is found and bookstore owner/crime writer Jen’s best friend is wrongly arrested, she can’t just sit back and let him be blamed for a crime he didn’t commit. But as it turns out, Riddleton isn’t quite the cosy small town you may think it is and Jen is in for quite the ride as she tries to figure out what really happened.

~ review > 4✨~

Having not read the previous 7 books in the Bookstore Mysteries series I was a little bit worried about finding my way here but it wasn’t a problem at all! I’ll definitely be making my way through the other books in the series though as I really enjoyed this one.
I’m a huge Agatha Raisin and Aurora Teagarden fan and the small cast of characters, cosy but chaotic town and strong female lead who very much has her own mind really reminded me of those books too.

It did take some time to get to know who everyone was and what their relationships were but Sue Minix ensures the reader doesn’t get too lost at any point throughout. I did find the pacing a bit slow in places but the laugh out loud humour, twists and turns, huge secrets, four legged friends, festive cheer and satisfying ending all made up for that.

Jen was a great main character and I really felt for her when it came to her struggles with the season. I loved how Eric tried to combat some of that without forcing anything on her though, very sweet.

Any book with anything about books included gets an automatic yes from me and Ravenous Readers sounds like my kind of place! Riddleton in general did actually and then when you add in the hairy friends, there were just so many elements that added warmth and enjoyment to this read.

~ final thoughts ~

Overall, I had a great time reading this book. The drama in this place is crazy! Like I’m talking years of secrets that I didn’t see coming. I was able to guess the culprit before the end but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all and I found the ending to be really satisfying. As mentioned, I’m looking forward to journeying back through the other books in the series!

Thank you to Avon Books UK, NetGalley and Sue Minix for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. This is my honest opinion and I’m sharing it voluntarily❣️

A Christmas Bookstore Murder by Sue Minix was such an easy, enjoyable mystery to pick up and fly through. I’m always a fan of books that don’t require too much effort to get into, and this one had a quick-moving story, a cozy setting, and enough mystery to keep me guessing.
I really liked Jen as the main character. As a crime writer turned amateur sleuth, she has just the right personality for this kind of story. She’s determined, curious, and not willing to sit back when her friend Angus is arrested for a murder she knows he didn’t commit. I enjoyed following her as she started putting the pieces together and digging into the secrets surrounding the case.
The writing was straightforward and easy to read, which worked really well for a cozy mystery. The story moves along without getting bogged down in unnecessary details, making this a great choice when you want something entertaining that you can get through quickly.
And while this one is set during Christmas, I honestly think murder and mystery are great for any time of the year! 😂🎄 You don’t have to be in the holiday spirit to enjoy a good mystery, and the Christmas setting added a fun atmosphere without completely taking over the story.
Overall, this was a fun, cozy mystery with a likable main character, an easy writing style, and enough twists to keep me interested. If you’re looking for a lighter mystery that you can curl up with and finish quickly, this is a good one to add to your list.

Christmas or not, I’ll always make room for a good murder mystery!

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books, but the opinions expressed are my own.
Christmas is coming and book store owner Jen Dawson and local police detective Eric O'Malley, are looking forward to spending it together for the first time in their new home, even if they disagree on how it should be celebrated!  When a body is found after a community Christmas event, and one of Jen's closest friends is arrested, she knows its up to her to find the real killer but with no one admitting too knowing the victim clues are hard to come by. The citizens of the town of Riddelton expect nothing but success however, and so, after enlisting the help of friends and colleagues, Jen finally feels she is getting somewhere. As the clues begin to fit together Jen finds out just how far a killer will go to silence her and destroy the evidence even at Christmas!
Book eight in this slightly off the wall cosy crime series is another great read. Jen and Eric are just getting used to living together when the thorny subject of Christmas traditions raises its head. Their disagreement takes a back seat as the investigation gets up to speed and, once again, Jen, her colleagues, and friends, begin their trawl through old records and hidden clues in a way which leaves you cheering them on. There are many layers to this which provide food for thought on how someone can evade justice and change unknown lives forever. This is a definite page-turner which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Christmas, and murder, have come to Riddleton. Unfortunately Angus lands on the naught list as he is arrested for the murder. Jen knows Angus isn’t guilty of murder, but a she prove it without becoming the killer’s next target?

A great Christmas themed cozy in this series and it was just as enjoyable as the other seven in the series. Perfect for setting the holiday mood as well as a solid cozy mystery any time of year. It’s a good read!

I really enjoyed this book. I would highly recommend it and would recommend the series of books. It had a good murder mystery plot.