Ellie Alexander's greatest strength is her ability to create an ensemble that fans love! While A Secret Bookcase Mystery series isn't quite there, it is swiftly moving in that direction and this third book in the series is moving things along well. I am becoming more and more attached to these characters with each book, and I have no doubt that soon my reviews will start with Love, Love, Love this series. For now, I really liked Annie, Liam, Pri, and Dr. Cauldwell and am becoming attached to Penny, so I really rooted for a positive ending.
When a Murder Dinner Party turns into real murder Annie, backed up mostly by Liam, takes charge until the weather delayed Dr. Cauldwell and the rest of the police department can get there. Ms. Alexander's books are always worth reading, but be prepared for a drawn out beginning as the atmosphere is built and the suspects are introduced before the murder.
Annie's education in criminology helps her preserve the scene and look at possible suspects as they await the arrival of the police, but enough happens during that time to give Annie and the reader plenty to think about.
I have hooked on the mystery of Scarlet's death and love the growing relationship between Annie and Liam. I look forward to getting to know all my friends better over the next books.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for allowing me to read and review an ARC of Death at the Dinner Party. As a big fan of Ellie Alexander, I was delighted to get an early look at the 3rd book in this fun new series.
#NetGalley #StromPublishing #EllieAlexander #DeathattheDinnerParty #ASecretBookcaseMystery

I loved that Death at the Dinner Party felt like a game of Clue. The murder mystery dinner party set at the infamous Wentworth property now owned by Penny, Priya’s new girlfriend, was just the kind of mystery for Annie and friends to get mixed up in. Throw in an interested real estate developer wanting to buy Penny’s property, plus an over dramatic play director, a skittish actor and a grouchy next door neighbor intent on causing problems you are in for an interesting party. I liked Annie teaming up with Liam again and I’m really excited about what could be happening for them in the future. I’m enjoying this new cozy mystery series by Ellie Alexander and can’t wait for the next one!



Thank you publishers @ellie_alexander and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Annie works at the Secret Bookcase, but this time she is helping her friends Pri and Penny by organizing a murder mystery dinner party at the old farmhouse that Penny is renovating. Being close to Halloween, they go with a Poe vibe. Local community theater actors are hired to create the mystery. Adding to the atmosphere, it is a dark and very stormy night. Instead of the staged death, an actual death occurs and then…the lights go out!
Annie steps in and tries to preserve the scene, but some guests just won’t stay put. Was it a murder? If so, who was the culprit? There are ditzy actors, greedy land developers, and treasure hunters. Annie is also finding restaurant owner, Liam, is a nice guy and deciding what direction she wants her life to take.
The third book in the series continues a fun, interesting group of friends mixed with a twisty mystery. I enjoyed Death at the Dinner Party!
Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

3rd book in the series has Annie Murray helping her friends Pri & Penny host a Murder Mystery at Penny’s newly remodeled historic farm. The people brought together for the dinner have a lot of history and several are feuding over buying the area farms to build new housing and possibly to find lost treasure. The evening quickly turns from fake murder to real murder. The police’s arrival is delayed by fallen trees to Annie takes control of the situation and this is where I get stuck. Throughout the 3 books, Annie constantly talks about her degree in criminology and hopes to have her own detective agency and stresses knowing procedures to use in crimes but then does things that I can’t believe are part of what procedures call for such as moving a body. It wouldn't bother me if she didn't stress her knowledge of procedure that her degree gives her some sort of authority in a criminal investigation. Throughout the crime and aftermath, we see the relationship between Annie and Liam grow towards romance which is fine but does seem strange when it’s literally while they are moving a dead body. The mystery aspect of the book is interesting and enjoyable but there is still little to no progress about the death of Annie’s best friend, which is the underlying drive for Annie’s choices. I really hope we finally get the full story in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

A murder mystery dinner with a storm threatening to cut off the electricity, right out of the gate? That is how you grab my attention. Unfortunately, this ended up being my least favorite of the series so far. I had such high hopes with the premise and loving the first two in the series. But it ended up being quite obvious who the culprit was from very early on. There has also been no advancement in the murder of Scarlet. Which after 3 books you would think we would have something happening. I do, overall, enjoy this series and will continue on.

Thank you to the publisher for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.

I just finished #DeathattheDinnerParty #NetGalley after a very stressful morning.
I love this new series by Ellie Alexander and I'm excited to recommend to other readers.
Annie works hard to come up with ideas to keep The Secret Bookcase book shop running.
Her ideas are always fun and exciting, and a murder mystery dinner sounds incredible.
Unfortunately, things don't go as planned and Annie and her best friend Pri find themselves in a dangerous situation, and Annie isn't sure she can find her way out of trouble.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

"Death at the Dinner Party" is an absolute blast to read! The story is packed with suspense, and I couldn't get enough of the Agatha Christie references. The author is an incredible storyteller, and I always looked forward to my reading time. This book is so gripping that it made me turn off the TV because all the excitement and curiosity I needed was right there in the story.

I'm thrilled that this is part of a series. I've already ordered the first book and can't wait to dive into the rest. If you're looking for a fun and thrilling mystery, "Death at the Dinner Party" is a must-read!

"Death at the Dinner Party" is the third book in Ellie Alexander’s The Secret Bookcase Mystery series. Annie’s newest friend, Penny, is holding a murder mystery dinner to raise money for the property she bought. Instead of a faux murder, a real murder occurs in the middle of dinner. Throw in a hidden treasure and secret tunnels, and you have a fun read. The series usually revolves around special events planned by Annie. This time the special event is for a friend instead of involving her work at the bookstore. We also find out a little bit more about her friend Scarlett's murder after the second book's cliffhanger. Annie is taking a look at her life and reconsidering her decision not to open a private investigator's office, but she also enjoys her work at the bookstore. I'm looking forward to the fourth book in the series.

I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher and/or author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

greed, real-estate, California, friends, friendship, amateur-sleuth, fund-raisers, small-business, small-town, bookseller, local-law-enforcement, unpleasant-victims, unpleasant-suspect, murder, investigation, romance, mysteries, missing-persons****

Murder Mystery Dinner Theater and Dinner Detective Suppers are supposed to be fun with actors holding the plot together and the paid guests enjoying themselves. But nobody is supposed to be actually murdered! The characters from the first two books are back with a new villain and a whole new collection of plot twists and red herrings.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Storm Publishing via NetGalley.
#SecretBookcaseMysteriesBk3 #CozyMystery Pub Date Sep 30, 2024

This is another fun entry in the series. I especially enjoyed the Clue inspired premise and mystery. The only real weakness is Annie’s impetuousness. She had a couple of TSTL moments. I hope the Scarlet plot gets resolved soon.

I always know that when I pick up a book by Ellie Alexander that I am going to be entertained and enjoy my time with the characters. Death at the Dinner Party is the third installment in this new series and I am enjoying the setting and the characters. Ms. Alexander is a pro with the small town cozy. She writes in such a way that you immediately fall in love with the town and it becomes almost a minor character in the book. This series has another charming setting that makes the reader want to visit. The characters are progressing nicely and we do get a bit more progress on the mystery that runs in the background of each book. This was an enjoyable read and I look forward to many more books in the series.

Another good instalment in this series. Nice to see some progress with Liam, and the murder mystery was rather clever in a great setting. The food and reading details were very enjoyable, I’d like to move there! I just wish Annie would stop banging on about her criminology training….we've all got it by book three. Also, there was little more on the Scarlet mystery, hopefully more will be revealed in the next book. This is a very pleasant series, and I look forward to the next book. Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for a chance to review this book.

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and Storm Publishing.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review

Trying to help her friend who is having financial problems Annie decides to throw a spooky dinner party. An immersive dinner party turns deadly as the food is tampered with arsenic as she becomes prime suspect. The house is full of suspicious legends which might have a clue to the murder. It is one dinner party to die for in this mystery

I enjoyed this third installment in the new series. I really like the characters, especially Annie, and the relationships developing. I will say that since the first book, I’m disappointed not to have spent more time in the bookshop (I guess the series name made me think it would be more bookstore-focused), but the last 2 books have been located elsewhere in town.

This is the third book in the series following the investigative exploits of Annie Murray. The setting is a charming Agatha Christie inspired mystery bookstore in an out of the way small town in north California. Preparations are in hand for Halloween and Penny, the new owner of the Wentworth farm, is hosting a spooky immersive murder mystery themed party. The Halloween atmosphere is enhanced with a storm, thunder, lighting, a power cut and a real murder. Throw into the mix rumours of hidden treasure, secrets passages and a little romance and this story has all the ingredients for an intriguing plot.

The bookshop, the old houses, farms and central characters are nicely developed and the growing relationships between Annie and Liam and also Pri and Penny are a nice touch. The plot is well paced and the list of suspects quickly grows. The is an intriguing subplot in the series relating to the murder 10 years earlier of Annie’s best friend, Scarlet. Each book sees Annie make small advances in her investigations of what is now a cold case and an unexpected find hints of further intrigue to come. Overall an enjoyable cosy mystery, in a delightful setting with some good plot twists.

A stormy night and a murder! This story was full of fun twists and turns. I like how the character relationships are building. The ending was a nice twist. Looking forward to book 4!

Rounded up to 4.5 stars!

I think this one is the best one yet!! It was short and sweet and the perfect cozy mystery in my opinion. I loved the depiction of friendships in this one and the cool treasure hunter vibes. And Liam! *squeals* I cannot wait to see the path that Annie takes! I also hope we get to see Annie solve Scarlet’s case.

Ellie Alexander has done it again! I am completely in love with this series! If I could live in this book world I would do so in a heartbeat!

Death at the Dinner Party is the perfect book to read this fall. You will want to curl up in your favorite reading spot with a cup of fall themed coffee or hot cider. Taking place right before Halloween you are transported to Redwood Grove in the height of fall. What better time for a mystery to occur?! Annie and her friends are back at it again when someone dies at a Clue themed murder mystery party at the newly purchased Wentworth Manor. Penny, Priya’s double Americano, has been working tirelessly to restore this beloved piece of Redwood Groves history but she needs some help. Penny, Pri, Annie and of course Liam help put on this dinner party to bring in some much-needed cash to continue to fix up the manor. But it wouldn’t be a Redwood Grove party if suspicious things didn’t occur. Right from the start you are given several potential suspects and even more reasons why someone would like to get rid of the deceased. Murder, mystery, power outage, a house with a past and a missing family that has become a local lore!

How true is the mysterious disappearance of the once local family, the Wentworth’s? Are there really passages connecting properties around town? Is the property cursed? Is there a real fortune hidden or has it all just made up as time has gone on since the family’s mysterious departure in the 1800’s? What more could readers need?! So many questions to be answered.

I love seeing the budding relationship between Annie and Liam. That “enemies to lover’s” type relationship is perfection. Each book you see both of them growing individually and learning to open their minds and hearts to what life has to offer. I cannot wait to see what happens with the two of them in the next book, A Holiday Homicide, releasing this November. I also enjoyed that there is more information about Scarlet’s murder and connection to the cold case her and Annie were working on before they graduated. Will Annie meet with the mysterious man who has contacted her about the cold case? Will she find out what happened to her best friend and the woman missing in the cold case file? I think we are getting closer and closer to finding it all out in the next book or two. I’m hoping for an entire book dedicated to solving these mysteries! As Annie is getting closer and closer to solving those longtime mystery, she will also soon need to decide what to do next. Join her old professor, Dr. Caldwell at the Redwood Grove police department, take over the Secret Bookcase with Fletcher if and when Hal retires, or live hers and Scarlets dream of opening her own private detective agency. So much still needs to be uncovered in the next few books and I am here for it all. I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book to release. This has easily become one of my favorite cozy mystery series that I will reread in the years to come. This series is the perfect series to break up the more intense mystery/thrillers I read. A pallet cleanser of sorts.

Why not 5 stars like? I felt Death at a Dinner Party didn’t have as much oomph as the first two. It mentions a bit of information on Scarlet’s murder but I wish it was just a touch more. I enjoy that this particular mystery is supposed to span several books but it seemed a bit lacking in this book. Lastly, it felt like the book just started and didn’t ease into the plot like the last two did. It was very immediate and almost rushed.

Thank you to Netgalley, Storm Publishing and of course Ellie Alexander for this ARC.

Death at the Dinner Party by Ellie Alexander is book 3 in the Secret Bookcase series. It is published on 30 September. Thank you to Netgalley, Storm Publishing and the author for the advance reader copy. Priya Kapoor, Annie Murray’s friend, has formed a relationship with Penny Shurr, who has bought Wentworth Farm in Redwood Grove. Penny has been renovating the property and to help with that, Annie and Priya are hosting a murder mystery dinner. There is a great sense of mystery about the old farmhouse, so it is a great setting for the dinner. Liam Donovan is catering the event, and the local theatre group are also taking part. Annie is a bookseller and event planner at the local bookstore and loves creating bookish events. A big storm on the night of the dinner causes havoc, but that is not the only catastrophe that happens, and Annie finds herself involved in another murder investigation. I have read all the books in this series and love how the characters are developing. I find I get drawn into their lives in each successive book. Annie and Liam’s relationship is slowly changing as well as some new characters appearing in this book who contrast well with some of the regular characters. The tension between some of the characters builds during the story and you can feel it. This book combines my love of reading crime and my love of bookshops.

Annie is hosting a murder mystery party to support Penny’s restoration of a gorgeous farmhouse rumoured to hide a historic treasure but when someone ends up dead during the evening, she’s got to investigate to save Penny from suspicion.

I enjoyed this! It’s Ellie Alexander so it’s got lovely foodie details and I loved the treasure hunt aspect of this book. Pri and Penny’s relationship is also super sweet as is Annie and Liam’s burgeoning romance. I feel like this series is really innovative in terms of the special events that take place in each book (a murder mystery dinner sounds like an absolute dream to me) but I wish it were more about the day to day of running a mystery-themed bookshop which is what I’m missing from this series compared to the Bakeshop Mysteries. Still very good!!

My endless thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC!