Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review The Body in the Bookstore, by Ellie Alexander.

Let me start by saying I was about to be so disappointed because I felt like this book was foreshadowing a major hole in the story for another book down the series. I was pleasantly surprised when they brought it up at the end. Yes, it flows into book two but I'm happy it was at least addressed!

Now, on to the story. Annie Murray works at the Secret Bookstore with a sweet older gentleman named Hal and her coworker Fletcher. In the aftermath of her college friend's untimely death, she settled into a lovely small town.

She discovers that Hal isn't sharing how little money the store is bringing in lately so she sets up this town-wide murder mystery event to bring people to the town for books and fun. Everything is going so well until a few more college acquaintances arrive and one shows up dead in the bookstore!

Now Annie must help her old professor turned detective to find the murderer before he strikes again

What a wonderful start to a new series! I have loved several of the series Ellie Alexander has written over the years and was thrilled to see a new one being released. And the fact that it is a cozy mystery that takes place in a bookstore just added to my joy. The characters are well developed. And though you are just getting to know them, you will find yourself caring deeply about them and their relationship with each other as well as the people in Redwood Grove, California. The mystery will keep you guessing until the very end. There are lots of twists and turns and clues that will have you invested in the story and flipping the pages quickly to see if you can figure out who is guilty of committing murder. This is definitely one to put on your to-be-read list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. You just can't beat the setting - a mystery-themed small town festival. And the bookstore has a secret bookcase! Who wouldn't want to spend time in Redwood Grove? Along with the great setting, I enjoyed the characters, and there are plenty of suspects to go around. This is a fun mystery, perfect for fall reading!

The following review was posted on my Goodreads account on 11.09.24:

Ellie Alexander writes fun cozy mysteries that I quite like. THE BODY IN THE BOOKSTORE, the first installment in a new series, is no exception. It's a light-hearted novel with a quaint small-town setting, likeable characters, and an intriguing-enough murder mystery. The bookish elements, which include a bookstore with a hidden bookcase, a lively book festival, punny booklovers' t-shirts, and more, just makes it more appealing. While the murder mystery is fairly straightforward, I didn't guess the killer or their motive, always a plus. On the whole, then, I found this series opener to be entertaining and enjoyable. I'll definitely be reading the next book in the series.

If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.

Thank you to the author, publisher and @NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I have found a new (to me) cozy author and I think I’m in lurve cause this series is set in California! I’ve been meaning to pick up her Bakeshop mystery series, but when I saw this on netgalley, I knew this was for me! A small town, a mystery only bookstore called the Secret Bookcase AND it has a secret, hidden room behind a bookshelf?! SAY LESS!! I loved the mystery fest setting for this one and I can’t wait to see where Ellie takes this series!

“Thank you for making my book dreams come true. I’ve met the most wonderful people who are going to be friends for life. I hope you understand what you’ve created here. You’ve created a community for readers to connect.”

Beloved cozy mystery author Ellie Alexander has done it again, bringing us a new bookish mystery series that is absolutely delightful!! A quaint town full of quirky characters, cute shops and a shocking murder of course. Here’s what I loved:

- Adorable shop called The Secret Bookcase. Loved the proprietor obsessed with Dame Christie, the mention of bookish merch and watching the employees brainstorm ways to increase sells.
- A mystery themed festival that nearly gets all of the local shops involved.
- The mystery involves a body discovered in an actual secret bookcase.
- A plethora of quirky, highly suspicious suspects.
- Glimpses into the MC’s past involving the cold case of her best friend.

I really liked the fact that Annie has a background in criminology. It made her sleuthing have more purpose and seem extra realistic, without getting too blindly involved. I’m not sure how I feel about Liam who plays the love interest. He slightly grew on me towards the end, but it was a quick difference from his earlier interactions. The mystery kept me guessing and accusing every single suspect. After the cliffhanger, I’m definitely eager to read the sequel - A Murder at the Movies!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it to others.

I absolutely adore Ellie Alexander, and this book was no exception, The setting was phenomenal, and I wish I lived at the bookstore. I cannot wait to read the second book!!

This was so well done – I could not stop reading! I finished the book in just a few days. The setting is beautiful and felt like whodunit. This was my first Ellie Alexander and it will not be my last!!

Ellie's books are like a hot cup of tea, pure cozy but with a slight hint of murder. The scenes she writes about I can picture in my head and makes me want to visit some of the shops mentioned. Highly recommended if you like a cozy murder mystery.

Enjoyed other books by this author but could not get into this one unfortunately enough to enjoy the storyline

I love mysteries with a cold case element. I love how Ellie Alexander writes. I love books set in bookish settings. A new mystery series set in a small touristy town in northern California.

Annie Murray, the main character, works at a struggling independent mystery bookstore. In order to save the bookstore, Annie comes up with the idea of the town hosting a mystery weekend. She is surprised to see some of her old college acquaintances arrive for the event. While things are just getting going with the mystery after all of the hard work and planning, a dead body is found in the very bookstore Annie is trying to save!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the free Advanced Reader’s Copy. I thoroughly enjoyed this start to a new series. There was a bit of a romantic subplot that I did not like how the author approached it, but not enough to not enjoy the book. I gave this book 4 stars. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Thank you netgalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC.

Annie Murray works at a bookstore in a small town in Northern California. Owner Hal is like a granddad to her, and obsessed with Agatha Christie. Fletcher her Sherlock obsessed coworker. They come up with a plan to save the bookstore by creating a murder mystery festival. All is going well until a body shows up in a secret bookcase in the store, can Annie help find the killer and will they save the bookstore?

I loved this cozy. The characters are likable, there was a good amount of whodunit. The underlying sub plot involves her late friend Scarlett who was murdered when they were working on their final case for criminology school. Professor Plum is her steadfast pet cat, always ready to listen.

5 stars from me. Looking forward to continuing this series.

I really enjoy Ms. Alexander's book and was glad to see a new series by her. It took me a little bit to warm up to the characters and the setting as I love her Bakeshop Mystery series so much. Overall, I thought it was well-written with a great plot. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.

This was such a fun, engaging cozy mystery! Lots of great humor and lovable characters. Exactly what you’d expect from the author of the Bakeshop mysteries!

I read this a while ago, but it was quite different to what I expected. It was a very good read, with lots of intriguing aspects through the whole
storyline. A Bookstore that was trying to get interest for people to visit and created a storyline to encourage people to visit. A style of who done it. But this turns out to be a real murder rather than a false one. It was a very very good story, with lots of characters and mystery surrounding it.

I know they always say don’t judge a book by its cover - but with this one I did. I didn’t expect much, but oh was I wrong! A fun mystery book, easy read and is perfect to get you out of a reading slump. I cannot wait to read more in this series but to me the cover just didn’t do it for me…

The Body in the Bookstore by Ellie Alexander is an engaging and charming cozy mystery that will captivate book lovers and mystery fans alike! Set in a quaint bookstore with a delightful cast of characters, the story follows protagonist and amateur sleuth, Sadie, as she unravels a murder that takes place within the store’s walls. Alexander’s writing is warm and inviting, with a well-crafted plot full of twists and red herrings. The bookstore setting adds a cozy and nostalgic touch, making this a perfect read for those who appreciate literary charm and a good mystery. With its blend of suspense, humor, and endearing characters, The Body in the Bookstore is a delightful addition to the cozy mystery genre!

Annie Murray loves working at the Secret Bookcase bookstore in tiny Redwood Grove, California. But dwindling sales means the business is in danger. Annie's idea to host a mystery-themed book festival brings much needed visitors and shoppers to town. But the first day of the festival is tainted when a real body is found behind the store's hidden bookcase. The victim is Kayla, an old college classmate. Annie's mentor, Dr. Caldwell, has retired from academia and is now a detective in charge of the murder investigation.

This was a fun debut mystery.

The Body in the Bookstore is the first in Ellie Alexander’s newest Secret Bookcase series. The series starts out strong, following out main character, Annie, as she develops a mystery convention in her small town Redwood Grove. Her job at the local bookstore, The Secret Bookcase, makes it more rewarding for her to get together with other local businesses to set up the mystery festival of a lifetime. After a great deal of hard work and planning, Annie is thrilled with the success of the event, until her past catches up with her. Annie finds that old college acquaintances have found their way to her event, leaving her feeling troubled and reliving the trauma of her past. When a body is found during one of the festival activities, Annie takes it into her own hands to discover if there is any link between her past and her present.

As one would expect from a book about a mystery festival, the number of callouts to mystery genre favorites such as Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie provided for a fun way to connect with the story. This was an important addition to the story because it focused a great deal on Scarlett’s backstory and providing the groundwork for a continuation of the story. That level of groundwork can feel tedious to get through, but the connections with favorites of the genre helped. It was a lot to take in while being introduced to so many characters and places at once.

The mystery itself fell victim to the downfalls of many first books in cozy mystery series in that it was forced. There were so many false leads and in the end, when the culprit was found, their motivation lacked the depth or surprise factor that it could have had. By the time Annie found closure within the case, there were so many unanswered questions left, that I struggled to feel satisfied with the ending.

The descriptions of the festival and the activities provided within the town of Redwood Grove were a delight. There were so many events happening that, while it was distracting from the mystery, it sounded like just the place that every mystery reader would want to go in real life. It would be a dream come true to find a whole town that really jumped into a plan like that with so much vigor.

Overall, this was a quick and easy read and a great start to a strong cozy mystery series

3.5/5 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.