This is the fifth book in the Secret Bookcase Mysteries series. It was an enjoyable read, that's great for when you want something light but still entertaining. The predictable nature of a cozy mystery like this one is just perfect sometimes.

The mystery itself was well thought out, the characters were likable, and the setting was really quite charming. If you're looking for a quick read with some Valentine's Day fun, this book is a good choice.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is a cozy mystery set around Valentine’s Day. While it was a quick and fun read. If you love short mysteries, themed reading, and cozy detailed scene descriptions, you may enjoy this book.

I wasn’t able to find much personality within the main character to build a connection. The final reveal felt like there was not much build up nor investigating by Annie. I enjoyed the concept of the book and feel the potential is there. Overall, I did not enjoy the execution.

Thank you for the early copy obtained through NetGalley in return for this review.

I really enjoyed this book up until the ending. The idea of speed dating and matchmaking was so interesting, and Alexander did an excellent job setting up the bookstore for the event. It truly felt like a cozy Valentines! The mystery itself was also full of twists and turns. I couldn't guess whodunnit and loved all the red herrings Alexander wove into the story. Unfortunately, I felt like the ending was ruined because of being completely overshadowed by Scarlet's mystery. I wish that this mystery had taken precedent in the end because it really was interesting! Instead, the solution was tied up in a rushed conversation with the killer and the mystery closed.

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

This is a supremely binge-able series and I can’t believe this is nearing the end of this series 😭 I know it can’t go on forever, but when you find a cozy mystery series that has been consistently solid, you just want there to be more!!

Thank goodness we’re finally truly getting somewhere on Scarlet’s death. I was starting to get a little frustrated honestly and this brought me back to loving that aspect of this story.

Of course, I enjoyed the Valentine’s matchmaking themed event and I so with I had a bookstore like this near where I live!

This was a cute cozy mystery. Located in a small quaint town in California, a matchmaking event is taking place at a local bookstore during Valentine’s weekend. Unfortunately, the death of George, one of the town’s biggest benefactors and investors, puts everyone in a frenzy! There were so many outgoing characters that were in close relation with George that kept me wondering who the suspect was. It was the last person I suspected, which I messed up giving the person I least suspected the benefit of the doubt 🤣.

In this book, we almost got 2 suspects for 2 different cases! While one mystery was solved, the second ongoing case received a promising lead getting a few steps closer to being solved. I go into almost every book I read blindly, and realized about 30% in that this was book 5 of a 6 part series 😂. Luckily, the author’s writing style vividly painted a picture for me to get a good little backstory of what happened with the ongoing case. This was my first book by this authors and I look forward to reading more, specifically the other books in this series!

In A Victim at Valentine's, Ellie Alexander brings readers back to the cozy town of Redwood Grove for a Valentine’s Day mystery filled with twists, secrets, and plenty of heart. When a well-loved member of the community is found dead at Annie Murray’s Agatha Christie-inspired bookshop, the town is rocked to its core. Annie, ever the detective at heart, teams up with the lead investigator to help crack the case, uncovering a web of motives that points to a colorful cast of suspects.

From a quirky psychic to a professional matchmaker, to a rival bookseller with a grudge, each suspect offers a plausible—and worrying—motive. As Annie digs deeper, she begins to wonder if the murder is connected to a decade-old tragedy: the death of her best friend, Scarlett, which still haunts her to this day. Putting her own Valentine’s Day plans with her charming love interest, Liam, on the back burner, Annie must find the killer before she ends up as the next victim.

Alexander's writing shines as she perfectly captures the atmospheric charm of Redwood Grove, making it a perfect setting for a Valentine’s Day mystery. The Secret Bookcase is decked out with paper hearts, blind-date-with-a-book packages, and the promise of a matchmaking weekend, but the murder of a beloved town figure quickly turns the festivities into a deadly game.

As Annie works through the case, I couldn’t help but feel on edge, trying to piece together the puzzle alongside her. The suspense is palpable, and I found myself second-guessing every suspect. What truly stands out in this installment is how Annie's pursuit of justice for Scarlett ties into the current case, providing a deeply emotional layer to the mystery. Annie gets closer and closer to the solution.

If you’ve been following the series, A Victim at Valentine's is a brilliant continuation that keeps you on the edge of your seat while tugging at your heartstrings. If you love a well-paced, cozy mystery with emotional depth, this is a must-read. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book to see how Annie’s journey unfolds!

Great series. Love Annie and all the characters and the setting in the bookstore.
Suspense . drama ,twists ,romance.
A fun series.
Voluntarily reviewed.

There are exciting plans for the bookshop for Valentine’s Day. Annie is fully engaged in making the romantic match up weekend a huge success. But when the guest of honour is murdered, things threaten to go way off plan. The doom ladened prediction of a psychic don’t make her feel very comforted but there might be something to the threats she perceives. And that threat might be in the clues that will solve the murder of her best friend. The only problem is Annie could very well be another victim.

I do enjoy this series with the great characters who have evolving relationships. The mysteries are always compelling but what I like best is Annie is an intelligent heroine. She was trained by the lead detective who calls upon her powers of observation to assist in solving murders. It is refreshing to have a plot that seems like it could happen. There is no sneaking behind backs. They are open and above board and it helps with the believability of the storyline.

Five purrs and two paws up.

A Victim at Valentine's is the nicely done fifth book in Ellie Alexander’s Secret Bookcase cozy mystery series. I’ve loved everything about this series from the start – the bookstore setting with the Agatha Christie overtones, main character Annie Murray, her coworkers Hal and Fletcher, her best friend Pri and Pri’s girlfriend Penny, her cat Professor Plum, her ex-professor Dr. Caldwell, and of course her relationship with Liam which has grown through the course of the books. Truthfully, I have not been as fond of the ongoing storyline of who killed Annie’s friend Scarlett but it does play an important part of who she is as a calendar and (thankfully) is winding up. The mystery is a good one – Annie finds what turns out to be a murder victim outside the bookstore and helps Dr. Caldwell solve the crime. There are plenty of suspects (there is a Valentine’s Day event going on at the bookstore), plenty of clues, a few red herrings, and some suspenseful moments. I really enjoyed reading this book and was sorry when my visit with Annie and friends ended.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

I love this series. Each book has its own unique mystery but there’s also a big underlying mystery throughout the whole series and I really like that part. I also really love watching Annie and Liam develop a relationship with each other. The world and the side characters actually play a role in the plot as well, which makes the story so much more fun. This is definitely making its way into my list a favorite mystery series!

Who murdered the popular and generous George during a Valentines event at The Secret Bookcase? Annje Murray is on the trail as she fulfills her dream to be both private eye and a bookshop owner (no, me neither). Apart from that this was a good read, although it might help if there was less alluding to another case from an earlier book in the series.

A Victim at Valentine's is the 5th and second to last book in this wonderful series. The Secret Bookcase Bookshop is hosting a matchmaking event to celebrate Valentine’s Day, at the request of a local pillar of the community, George. Things are going well, but after the first even, Annie finds George dead on a bench. It appears that he has died from a serious allergic reaction. The police are called and they determine that someone might have deliberately introduced an allergin to George. They encourage Annie to continue with the events so they can investigate without anyone leaving town. Annie is working on her PI licence, but she is still invited to help in the investigation. George was a philanthropist, helping others in the community and investing in small businesses, so who would want to harm him?

As Annie questioned people and investigated, she was able to determine a handful of suspects, but who would have known about George's allergy? I found the investigation in this one a bit weak, but I enjoyed all the goings on in the story. The events for the Match Making were fun and I liked that Hall, Annie's future partner might have found someone he is interested in. I love the recurring characters in this series as they are great friends, and a bit quirky. I have to say that Priya was not annoying in this one, like she was in the last book. There is some danger as Annie figures out who is responsible, but she is able to bring the mystery to a satisfying conclusion. The ending of this one has Annie finding out a name in her investigation of the death of her BFF, and it looks like the conclusion of that mystery is forthcoming.

This is book 5 in this series and while I have read a couple I haven’t read them all and still enjoyed this one a lot. Annie is preparing for her private detective license test as well as for a matchmaking event at her bookstore. She is shaken when she finds a local dead and she’s excited when her friend who is investigating for the police asks her to help. I really liked the side characters (especially the crows!). The mystery was well done and I liked the pace of clues and how it all came together. I didn’t get everything right but I did get a lot of it. I really like the setting for this series too, the book store seems really cool and I am definitely going to finish this series. I listened to the audiobook for this one. The narrator was good and definitely helped bring the story to life for me.

I love this new series by Ellie Alexander! I started this new to me series and finished within a day. I had to keep going.

This is the fifth title in the Secret Bookcase Mystery series & doesn't disappoint. The bookstore is the venue for a Valentine's themed matchmaking event. All is going well, love is in the air until Annie discovers the body of one of the sponsors of the the event. She & her loved ones are drawn into investigating with the encouragement of Annie's mentor, Detective Caldwell. This book also progresses the story of Annie's investigation of her friend's murder that occurred before the series began.

I continue to enjoy this series. The mystery was well plotted, though I figured it out before the reveal. I just like these characters, their relationships, and this setting. I so wish this bookstore was real. Definitely read this series.

Thanks to NetGalley & Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read & review this title. The opinions given are solely mine and freely given.

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book and read it in one day. I would definitely recommend this book.

A Victim at Valentine's was an engaging and delightful cozy mystery that kept me hooked from start to finish! The story, set in the charming town of Redwood Grove, kicks off with the shocking murder of a beloved local figure at Annie Murray’s Agatha Christie-inspired bookshop. As a fan of mysteries and cozy settings, I was immediately drawn to Annie's determination to unravel the truth.

Annie's keen observation skills made her a relatable and likable protagonist. She dives right into the investigation, juggling her own Valentine's Day plans with her commitment to finding the truth. There’s no shortage of suspects, from the quirky psychic to the rival bookseller, and each one seemed to have a plausible motive, which kept me guessing throughout.

What really stood out to me was the emotional depth tied to the mystery. Annie's connection to a tragic event from her past adds layers to her character and makes the stakes feel even higher. The balance of romance with her love interest, Liam, and the murder investigation was well done—neither one overshadowed the other, and I enjoyed the way the plot developed.

The pacing was perfect, and I appreciated the way the author kept me on my toes, twisting the plot just when I thought I had it figured out. By the end, I was both satisfied with the resolution and left wanting more from this cozy series. If you’re a fan of murder mysteries with a touch of romance and a well-crafted setting, A Victim at Valentine's is a must-read!

5 stars

Loved this latest installment of the Secret Bookcase mysteries! Annie Murray and her co-workers are hosting a matchmaking group at their bookstore for Valentine's weekend, with various activities planned throughout town to help amorous new couples find lasting love. Unfortunately, one of the well-known organizers is found dead on the first morning. At first his death seems accidental but it quickly becomes apparent that this was premeditated. There's no shortage of suspects in this one - will Annie and the police figure out what happened before true love withers and dies?

I had a great time with this story; this cozy mystery series is one of my current favourites. The plot clipped along at a good pace, and honestly kept me guessing for most of the story. (I had a few theories but nothing concrete until almost the end.) The familiarity with all the characters makes for nice, easy reading as well, as if you're just sitting and listening to old friends chatting.

Thanks to NetGalley, author Ellie Alexander, and Storm Publishing for giving me free access to a digital ARC of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own and are provided here voluntarily.

A Victim at Valentine's by Ellie Alexander

funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75

A Victim for Valentine was a fun, easy listen with just the right amount of holiday charm! While it didn’t blow me away, it was an enjoyable ride, perfect for when you want something light but still engaging. The cute references sprinkled throughout added an extra layer of charm, making it a great seasonal read.


The mystery itself was solid—nothing groundbreaking, but it kept me entertained. The pacing was smooth, and the audiobook made it even easier to sink into the story. If you’re looking for a cozy, Valentine’s-themed whodunit that won’t demand too much from you, this one is a solid choice!

Another great Bookshop Mystery, with a death during their match up activities for Valentines Day. Well described characters and very neat, the way everything came together.