The writing was light and engaging. There were a couple of storylines running through, one which was from the previous books and one was the main one that this book was primarily focusing on. Both storylines worked well together and held my interest from the beginning right through to the end.

The description was rich and added something extra to the story. It slowed the story down and made you take a moment to appreciate the surroundings that the story was taking place in.

The chapters were fairly long so you got a good chunk of the story before moving on. The chapters flowed well together and even though there was a lot of information, the way that it was written made sure that you didn't get lost. There was a good pace to the book, created with the perfect balance of description of the surroundings and the characters actions.

The characters were great. I enjoyed following the main character and seeing her work through the different options as to who the murderer was.

The characters close to the main character gave the story a cosy feeling. They were supportive of the main character and their individual relationships were nice to read about. In addition to the main group of characters, there were a number of suspects that I enjoyed watching the main character investigate.

Lastly the settings. I loved the bookshop and the surrounding grounds. They were beautifully described and enhanced the cosy part of the mystery.

Overall a wonderfully described murder mystery. I look forward to reading more books in the series. This was book 5 in the series so I have a few to get through!

3.5 stars

This was another enjoyable read in the Secret Bookcase Mystery series by Ellie Alexander.

Annie Murray is now co-owner of the Agatha Christie inspired bookshop this series surrounds. In this book, taking place around Valentines, the Secret Bookcase is hosting a matchmaking event where a local benefactor turns up dead and Annie helps investigate who the murderer is.

This is probably my least favourite in this series so far. I just wasn't totally gripped by this one and the murderer reveal felt anticlimactic to me. I'm still really enjoying this series overall though with it's cozy small town and lovable characters. I'm excited to see where the next book goes.

I loved the title and the cover, I also thought this cozy mystery was a good read! The setting is apt, a cozy town with a cozy bookshop. Annie is still working on who killed her best friend years ago when a much-respected and beloved bookshop aficionado is killed right outside the bookshop, that is located in a park.

In the fifth book of the series, I could easily figure out who was who even though this was my first meeting with the Secret Bookcase Mysteries. Plausilbe suspects tumble over each other as the story unfolds, and several twists unfold until we finally find out who did it, and everything falls into place.

I look forward to reading the previous and future installments of this very entertaining community. Thanks to Storm Publishing letting me read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. I am giving A Victim at Valentines four stars because I enjoyed it a lot.

A Secret Bookcase mystery rises to the top of my TBR. A Victim at Valentine’s is no exception. Annie gets the chance to play matchmaker with books while a matchmaker brings together people at a Valentine’s weekend event.
Annie assists the police when a man dies during the event. There is also movement on the underlying story of Annie’s friend Scarlet. There were a number of good suspects as George had his hands on many pies.
I enjoy the characters in this series.
This was the first time I had listened to a book in this series. The narrator was quite lovely. I also love reading the ebooks.
I happily recommend A Victim at Valentine’s. There is plenty of fun and suspense to this mystery.
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing and Dreamscape Media for the chance to read this story.

Thank you Ellie Alexander ( @ellie_alexander ), Storm Publishing ( @stormbooks_co ), and NetGalley ( @netgalley ) for allowing me to read A Victim at Valentine’s early (publishes February 10, 2025).

The Secret Bookcase is hosting a matchmaking event weekend. Unfortunately, a local benefactor turns up dead on the second day, and Annie helps investigate. Is the murderer a rival bookseller, a psychic, or the matchmaker herself?

Ellie Alexander’s latest installment of The Secret Bookcase Mysteries is a cozy perfection! Matchmaking and murder—what else do you need??

#AVictimatValentines #NetGalley #EllieAlexander #StormPublishing

Unlike most cozy heroines, our protagonist Annie actually trained in criminology. There’s a thread running through all the books where her fellow student, several years ago, was murdered while investigating an unsolved case. I’m not a fan of that aspect, as it mostly leads to Annie monologuing about how much she misses her dear friend every so often. It reminds the reader that murder isn’t a game — which isn’t exactly in keeping with the cozy genre.

Mostly, I love the idea of the bookshop and the various events Annie organizes. (Plus, her business partner is a Sherlockian.) In A Victim at Valentine’s, the special occasion is a matchmaking weekend. Unfortunately, that means not much happening in relationship to the bookshop, sadly. The mystery also feels a little underbaked, with too much going on for everything to get sufficient development.

Thank you to NetGalley & the author for a copy of this ARC.
I did enjoy this cosy murder mystery book. It was fast-paced although a little predictable at times, I did guess who the murderer was.
I would recommend this book to any soft thriller fans, for people who enjoy Agatha Christie. If you are new to reading Thriller, this is a very good place to start!

Review: A Victim at Valentines by Ellie Alexander
Rating 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Coming February 10, 2025

Another cute cozy mystery. This is book #5 in the A Secret Bookcase Mystery series, which is making me realize that I missed reading book #4. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Rating 4.5 stars because I think it’s time we finally solve her best friend’s murder. Otherwise an enjoyable easy read.

Description: In the cozy town of Redwood Grove, Annie Murray’s Valentine’s Day plans take a sinister turn when a beloved pillar of the local community is found dead at her Agatha Christie-inspired bookshop. As Annie assists the lead detective in unraveling the mystery, she quickly identifies a host of likely suspects – from an oddball psychic, to a professional matchmaker, to a rival bookseller – each with a worryingly plausible motive. With her keen eye for detail, soon Annie suspects there may be connections to the decade-old tragedy of her best friend’s death, which still haunts her. Putting her own Valentine’s Day plans with the irresistible Liam on hold, Annie must solve the crime – before she ends up on a hot date with a killer.

Thank you @netgalley for the opportunity to read this advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had enjoyed the lead up to this book as they were really making progress with the investigation into Scarlett’s murder and, while they seem to have figured it all out in this one, it just seemed so abrupt and anticlimactic. The other mystery in this one was well paced but again, the solution seemed to just happen, not really revealed in a dramatic way. Add in the blossoming and super cheesy romance and it feels like this series has gone backwards for me in relation to my enjoyment of it. There’s just something about these characters that aren’t as cozy and inviting as the characters in Alexander’s other series.

Title: A Victim at Valentine’s
Series: The Secret Bookcase Mystery #5
Author: Ellie Alexander
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pub Date: February 10, 2025
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pages: 267

In this story we readers are back to Redwood Grove.
Annie Murray, is the new part-owner of the Secret Bookcase bookstore- an Agatha Christie inspired bookstore which is located in a mansion that pays homage to the ‘queen of mystery’ in every room including the garden.

Fletcher Hughes, Annie’s colleague decides since there is so many room rooms it is also an ideal setting for their private detective agency “The Novel Detectives’. What better place than in a bookstore.
The Secret Bookcase is something Annie truly needs. She went into a deep depression when her best friend Scarlet was murdered before graduation. Annie and Scarlet were students in criminology. In fact, Annie was one of THE top students. But Scarlet’s murder and the fact the killer wasn’t found was more than Annie could tolerate.
Although Scarlet’s murder is still very much on her mind she is able to moving on and Liam has helped her/
Since it is February and Valentine’s Day is coming up in a few weeks, when Annie and Fletcher are approached by George Richards a seventy year old who is a friend as well as old millionaire has a fun matchmaking event – inspired by love and of course, a bit of mystery- they are ‘in’.
Suring the event Annie is approach by a woman named Elspeth Prachett who has good vibes about Annie’s aura. However when she meet George she is alarmed. She tells him that he has a ‘black aura’ and something bad is going to happen. She states she is a profession palm reader and needs to cleanse his aura. He brushes is off and moves on to other guests.
However the next morning his body is found! Our detectives need to use their sleuthing skills to solve this murder mystery.

I love a good Cozy and this didn’t disappoint. Once whodunit was found which wasn’t a shock) is solved– it isn’t over as it does lead us to more info regarding who killed Scarlet.

Yes there are surprises. Aww I love Annie, Fletcher, Pri, Hal, and of course Liam!
Now looking forward to " An Unconventional Murder]" the final story ~ (oh no!) In the ‘Secret Bookcase Mystery’ series.
Perhaps there will be a new series with Annie and Liam?

Want to thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for granting me this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 10, 2025.

This was a good mystery with a twist in the end, but somehow, I was not fully engaged. I feel Annie is just a little too predictable. This book does move forward the killing of her childhood friend as well, so now Annie just has to find proof.

#netgalley #AVictimAtValentines

In Redwood Grove, PI Annie’s Valentine’s Day is interrupted by a murder at her bookshop. As she helps the police detective, numerous suspects emerge. Putting romance aside, Annie must solve the case before she becomes the killer’s next victim.

This series is best read in order—I was a little confused by the mystery related to the ongoing series ARC, which had nothing to do with the murder in this book. A huge clue related to the series ARC turns up that isn’t explored AT ALL—Annie just puts the information in her desk and focuses all her attention on the bookstore murder. It didn’t ring true for me. Plus, her being a bookstore owner AND a private investigator felt like…a lot. The two unrelated mysteries and her two unrelated professions made the book feel unfocused to me. Also, Annie shows a shocking lack of empathy in the way she views every character only as a possible suspect rather than a human being who’s experienced a trauma.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I’m so thrilled to get to hang out with Annie Murray and her friends again. Annie’s personal and professional life seemed to be moving in the right direction, and she may soon find answers to Scarlet’s death.
We meet a fun new cast of characters when The Secret Bookcase hosts a weekend of matchmaking, but of course tragic strikes when a pillar of the community is found dead. Annie, along with the help of her friends, piece together the clues to find the murderer. They do get some help from my newest favorite characters, Jekyll and Hyde.
Ellie Alexander is a master storyteller. She breathes life into her characters and locations. I think of them as friends and places I would love to visit.

Thank you #NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Ellie Alexander for allowing me access to the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another fun edition to Ellie Alexander’s newest cozy mystery series and it was fun that it centered around Valentine’s Day and a matchmaking event taking place at the bookstore. What was supposed to be a happily ever after for all participants of the event ended up not being the case for one individual and with multiple people seeing him so close to his death, Annie has her work cut out for her to figure out what happened and how all the random events connect together. Annie and Liam took a major step forward in their relationship and I’m so happy for them- they make a great pair.

Cant wait to finally get the answers to Annie’s friend’s case and to see their Detective agency solve their first official case.


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

Love is in the air and so is murder. A well liked philanthropist is murdered and the question of why and who did it is not easily solved. As Annie, Fletcher and Hal prepare the bookstore for a Matchmaking Event for Valentine’s someone else is preparing a murderous concoction. Another enjoyable book by Author Ellie Alexander with delightful characters and a murder to solve, this is one bookstore I hope never closes! I received an arc from Netgalley and Storm Publishing. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

Ellie Alexander has created another immersive story in "The Secret Bookcase" series, it can be read as a standalone but who wouldn't you want to read this lovely series in sequence.
The Secret Bookcase bookshop is a little taste of the English countryside in Redwood Grove California, you can meander through the Agatha Christie etc themed rooms or you can sit in the English style rose garden and lose yourself in a book.
The bookshop is owned by Annie Murray and her partner Fletcher Hughes, Annie and Fletcher also want to diversify and add a detective agency.
The bookshop is all geared up to host a Valentines matchmaking weekend, the decorations are up, the coffee and cakes arranged and love is in the air, everyone is excited until............. local philanthropist, George Richards is found dead in the garden.
This story follows Annie, who has studied criminology, lining up the suspects in order to assist her friend, criminologist Dr. Caldwell, the zany suspects include a strange barista, a worker for a rival book company, a peculiar matchmaker and a weird psychic, all had a previously unknow connection to the victim, could there also be a connection to the death of Annie's long time friend, Scarlett............Annie needed answers.
This is a cosy mystery, with humour, suspense, red herrings and just the right amount of woo woo, I love the wonderful, well rounded characters, I love the gentle romance between Annie and Liam, I loved Jekyll and Hyde, Fletcher's pet, protective crows.
Sadly the next book is the last in the series but I can't wait to see how the author brings it all together
Thank you Storm Publishing for this ARC, my review is voluntary

"Who doesn’t love a Valentine’s Day with a touch of murder? I’ve been absolutely loving this series, and this book was no exception! I was completely hooked and just couldn’t put it down—I had to find out who the killer was! The matchmaking portion also had me captivated, as I was eager to see what fun events would take place at the bookstore. I can’t wait for the next installment!"

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Storm Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

this continues to be one of my fave cozy mysteries! i loved the premise behind this because it was such a unique concept - a dating app CEO comes to our beloved Secret Bookcase shop to host an in person matchmaking event. honestly? iconic.

i loved revisiting this cute northern california small town and all of the characters i've grown attached to! i didn't know where the mystery was going this time, as there were a ton of possible suspects but girl when i tell you the twist had me GAGGED!!! and also, the overarching plot of annie's best friends death hit such a crazy climax in this book!

Another case for Annie to solve, as well as continuing to try to solve the old case of who killed her best friend. This is my favourite book so far. I can't wait to read the final instalment of the series. You do not have to have read the other books to read this one.

This romantic cozy mystery is exactly what fans of the popular sub-genre need in the chilly winter months, and the Valentine’s Day tie-in makes it even more cute and fun to read. Annie, a small town bookseller, is anticipating a romantic Valentine’s Day when a local resident is murdered in her store, throwing a wrench into her plans - and more importantly, a violent death has occurred. Inexplicably, Annie the bookseller helps the police detective investigate and - believe it or not - the amateur sleuth discovers a web of suspects, each with a unique motive. This charming cozy mystery will delight fans of Vicki Delany and Tonya Kappes.