This book was excellent! The perfect love letter to cozy mystery fans. I love the Secret Bookcase and Annie’s boss and coworker, Hal and Fletcher. Annie is pretty cool herself - I love that she has actual knowledge of investigating crimes - that’s not something we see in cozy mysteries a lot! Pri seems like a very cool friend who will be fun to read about. Liam intrigues me - he seems like such a jerk that I look forward to find out how he might actually be a good guy! The mystery was good, loved her teacher investigating the crime, and I was in the right direction but still a bit surprised by the solution. Can’t wait to read more of these!

I have a list of fictional places I wish were real and I'm pretty sure that The Secret Bookshelf - an Agatha Christie themed bookstore in a Victorian house complete with a secret bookcase - is pretty much at the top of the list. There's also a cat named Professor Plum which makes me smile everytime he makes an appearance on the page.

When times are hard at the bookstore and all the of the ideas Annie comes up with to drum up business are failing Annie decides to shoot for the stars and comes up with a town wide mystery festival (another thing I wish happened in real life). While Annie is thrilled about the turnout and the response she's not thrilled to connect with some of her old college friends - especially one who ends up dead early on.

I enjoyed this mystery. The setting is amazing, Annie and the rest of the characters are likable (except for the ones that aren't supposed to be), and Annie even has a mystery in her past. Ellie Alexander excels at creating small towns with just the right amount of quirk and fun characters and once again she has created another small town that I would love to visit. There is a bit of a slower start as the reader is being introduced to the characters and the basic premise but this is a series I'm excited to continue with.

This new cozy mystery series is off to a great start! Ellie Alexander knows what she’s doing. The setting is a small town in northern California. And we have book lovers and a mystery-centric bookstore housed in a lovely old mansion just outside the center of town - and it’s a bit down on its luck. Annie Murray has worked at the Secret Bookcase for over 8 years and she has the idea to hold a town-wide mystery weekend to help drum up not only book sales but to enliven the town’s fortunes. She has a background in criminology so she makes a very credible amateur sleuth once a body is discovered behind the actual secret bookcase in the store, during this mystery weekend festival.

(I loved that Ms. Alexander has written a book about a weekend-long mystery festival since she organized just such an event in her beloved Ashland, Oregon last fall and it looks to be an annual event so it must have been a success!)

There were suspects galore, as the dead person seems to have had a number of people with grudges against her/him (no spoilers!). I enjoyed the coincidence of having three of Annie’s college classmates descend on the town for the festival. The other town business owners form what I assume will be a group of returning characters, and they are a diverse bunch. I enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes-obsessed coworker Fletcher and her friend, Priya, proprietor of a coffee shop, to name two standouts.

It looks like there will be an overarching mystery that will continue into future books, the mystery of who killed Annie’s best friend and classmate, Scarlet, right before their graduation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Body in the Bookstore by Elle Alexander is a fantastic cozy mystery that I really enjoyed.
I love cozy mysteries that have a backdrop of a bookstore.

The characters are well written.
I love the mystery and the twists and turns.

Can't wait for the next book in this series.

3 stars. A good cozy crime novel.

Annie, who works in a bookstore, organizes a mystery festival in her hometown. Things suddenly change when a real body is found in a bookstore. And when people Annie knows from her school days are roaming around town, Annie can't help but wonder what the heck is going on.

What I would have liked more: Liam! And the banter between Annie and Liam, definitely. Of course, romance was not the main thing in this book, and I believe that Annie and Liam's relationship will develop in the next parts of the series.

This book was really cozy, easy to read. Suitable for summer and lounging in a hammock!

WHAT TO EXPECT:
* Book about books
* Small town
* Cozy crime

The opening of this made it my favourite Ellie Alexander book to date. It dives straight into a wonderful setting, and there's an exciting mystery festival on the way. As this is the start of a new series, there were quite a few characters and plot lines introduced, and this made the ending feel a bit rushed for me, but I'd definitely read the next in the series and continue with this. I loved all the details and characters!

The Body In The Bookstore is a fabulously fun cozy mystery. The setting of the mystery niche bookstore is charming. The characters are delightful or delightfully rotten. The criminology background of Annie gave an interesting element to the investigation taking place in this book.

This is a fast paced book that you won’t want to put down and can easily finish in one sitting. The twists of the investigation kept me in suspense and I did not predict the ending.

I have posted this review on Amazon, Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6595464194

And Instagram

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The Body in the Bookstore is a completely unique and refreshing start to a new series , Ellie Alexander. The combination of books, book-lovers, coffee, and crime is simply perfect. Annie, the relatable protagonist, uses her criminology background to solve the case, driven by the desire to find justice for her friend’s murder. The book’s cozy, warm, and detailed atmosphere made me feel like I was right there. The mystery introduces several town members, adding to the fun, and I loved how the twisty plot felt like a scavenger hunt, allowing readers to discover the town alongside Annie. I can’t wait for more books in this series

Let me start by saying I absolutely love the Bakeshop Mysteries series by the same author. So I was thrilled to try out this new series! But I just didn't love it, and here's why. The characters and setting just didn't capture my heart. They were all a bit bland. Obviously there should be more character development as the series continues, but I was hoping for more from the 1st book. Also, I felt there were too many side characters/suspects in this mystery, and it made trying to solve the mystery a bit frustrating. Not sure if I will continue this series.

3 Stars

Pro
* Hal
* A set is characters we can enjoy getting to know
* Literary references
* The festival
* Solid start to a new series
Con
* Not a terribly original setting (bookstore, mystery readers). I know of at least two other series that are similar.
* I don’t buy that law enforcement will ask a civilian to assist with the investigation
* Nothing terrible, nothing amazing. An acceptable offering.

Thank you to Ellie Alexander, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Body in the Bookstore is another great book in a new series by Ellie Alexander. I love the characters and can't wait to dive into the next book in the series. Five stars is not enough!!

A new book from Ellie Alexander is always a cause for celebration and this is doubly exciting as it is the start of a new series too. Annie Murray has worked at a cool mystery bookstore since college. After her best friend's murder at graduation, Annie shelved her plans in forensic investigation. However she loves her job and coworkers, but she's fearful the store will have to close unless they can generate more business. They come up with a town wide mystery event weekend and everything comes together. And the plans really come together until a number of college "friends" arrive with their own agendas. Clever mystery and a wonderful array of engaging characters.

Completely unique and fresh, The Body in the Bookstore is a wonderful start to a new series by one of my favorite cozy authors Ellie Alexander. Books, book-lovers, coffee, and crime, what better combination? Annie is such a relatable protagonist, and I love the way she has a criminology background helping her solve the case as well as her friend's murder motivating her to find justice for this new crime. The atmosphere of the book was so cozy and warm and detailed, I felt like I was right at Mystery Fest with Annie. The mystery itself led us to meet several of the town's members, which was a lot of fun, and I so appreciated how twisty the mystery was but how it also led us on a sort of scavenger hunt of discovering the town which was new to me as a reader. I cannot wait for more books in this series!

Loved it! The name of the bookstore is so.cool, and I loved the concept of involving the entire town in a Mystery Book Weekend to help boost sales for all of them! A secret room in the bookstore that falls victim to a crime is just what the story called for! All the names of the drinks, her clothes, it was just a fun read. I did feel for her.when she had to relive part of her past, its hard for anyone e to do that, but she overcame it and became an integral part of the investigation. A great new cozy series!

I am NOT the target demographic for this novel, having very rarely read mysteries or thrillers - cozy or otherwise. But I found myself relishing this book, loving the characters, smiling at the picturesque setting, and scratching my head over the whodunit.

Well crafted, fun, and enjoyable. I might be a cozy mystery convert now.

Thank you for allowing me to review this book. The story was unexpected, the setting fir the book shop in an old manor house unusual. Then, the small American town was different. Annie Murray sounds like a clever young woman with much going for her, despite hiding away since University. She is very likeable and has good instincts. The victim was expected, but the reason for the murder was not!
I enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading the next one.

Annie Murray would do anything to save her beloved workplace. Coming up with the idea of a mystery festival seems to be the answer not only for The Secret Bookcase, but for all of the businesses in Redwood Grove.

As all of the hard work starts to pay off, Annie is shocked to find the body of a former college classmate in her bookstore. Is she next? Is it tied to the murder of her college BFF? So many questions and so many chances to solve the murder…as long as she can stay a step ahead of the murderer.

If you love a good cozy, this is a great one to kick off a new cozy series. If you already are familiar with Ellie Alexander, this is a MUST READ! Ellie Alexander is excellent at what she does and what she does is keep you on the edge of your seat! Looking forward to more in this series…I’m already reading the second book!

The Body in the Bookstore is the first book in a new series (The Secret Bookcase Mysteries) from prolific mystery author Ellie Alexander. I liked the setting, characters, mystery, and writing.

Setting:

This book seems like it was specifically designed for cozy mystery lovers. Each setting is lovingly described in incredible detail. The author makes it easy to picture every cozy setting in the bookstore and the other shops in town by describing artwork, decor, colors, textures, and other elements. The mystery-themed bookstore would be a dream place to hang out. I particularly liked the secret bookcase and the Agatha Christie-themed elements (wallpaper, map, etc.). The whole California community is fun and cozy.

Characters:

The characters are also made for mystery lovers. There is a mystery-loving bookstore clerk with a criminal justice education, the mystery bookstore owner, and the self-proclaimed Sherlock Holmes scholar. One of the characters even makes an impassioned speech about why cozy mysteries are awesome. I liked all of the characters, and I think the protagonist makes a great amateur sleuth.

Mystery:

The mystery was well-plotted, fair, and satisfying.

Writing:

Ellie Alexander has written many cozy mysteries, and it shows. She knows how to craft an engaging plot and a series arc. I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

I recommend this book to readers who like Ellie Alexander books and book-themed cozy mystery series.

Thanks to Net Galley and Storm Publishing for the advanced reader copy of this new cozy mystery.

Interesting first book in a new cozy mystery series by Ellie Alexander. I enjoyed meeting Annie and all the characters that help her figure out whodunit. And I loved the idea of a whole town taking part in a murder mystery weekend. How fun would that be to attend?

Many thanks to the author, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

I really enjoyed this book! I liked the main character and the story was perfect for a cozy mystery. I loved the setting of the bookstore and the secret area inside. I thought the reveal of who the killer was a little random but also I am hoping that could tie in to other books in the series. I can't wait to read the next one to see what that information was Dr. Caldwell had on Scarlet's murder.