Bookmarked For Murder Mystery Book Review

Thanks for sharing!

Welcome to the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour of Bookmarked for Murder: A Mystery Bookshop Mystery!

Bookmarked for Murder (A Mystery Bookshop Mystery)

by V.M. Burns

I received this book free to review; however, all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive compensation at no cost to you.

Bookmarked for Murder (Mystery Bookshop)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Kensington (November 26, 2019)
Paperback: 256 pages

Add to Goodreads

Amateur sleuth Samantha Washington’s shopping trip to Chicago takes a deadly detour when a man is murdered on her bus . . .

After some post-Christmas retail therapy in the Windy City, mystery bookshop owner and historical whodunit novelist Sam Washington is returning home to North Harbor, Michigan, on a chartered bus. With Nana Jo and her gal pals Irma, Dorothy, and Ruby Mae from Shady Acres Retirement Village along for the ride, it’s a lively trip. But one passenger is not so lively—a gentleman Irma befriended is found dead in his seat after an unscheduled stop. The ladies immediately shift gears to find out who punched his ticket, while Sam slips into the driver’s seat to make sure Nana Jo and her crew steer clear of fatal conclusions . . .

My review of Bookmarked for Murder

Bookmarked for Murder is the fifth book in the Mystery Bookshop series, but it’s the first one I’ve read. It won’t be the last! I think this is easy to read as a stand alone; however, if you plan on reading the first four, you will probably want to read them first. There aren’t spoilers per se, but the relationships might not be established in the first ones like they are in this. Really, that’s the only thing that I felt I was missing out on. I enjoy seeing characters and relationships develop throughout a series, and these characters are already very connected.

Having said that, I will say, I love the characters in Bookmarked for Murder. Samantha is smart, strong, and loving. Nana Jo is Samantha’s no-nonsense grandma, and other than Sam, she’s my favorite character. The Shady Acres ladies are some of the best supporting characters ever. It cracked me up that, every time another character was introduced to the story, about 80% of the time they’re related to Ruby Mae. Really, the characters really make the book.

The mystery is one that will keep you guessing, as will the story inside of the story’s mystery! So, this is my first book in this series, but I’m assuming the other books have a story inside of the story. Correct me if I am wrong! This one does. Since Sam is an author, she “writes” her books while working on solving the real mystery. I love that! It’s like two books in one. Of course, the story inside of the story isn’t nearly as complex, but I really enjoyed those characters too! I’m excited to find out what ALL of these characters get up to next!

If you’re a cozy mystery fan, Bookmarked for Murder is one you’re going to want to add to your list of books to read.

About the author

V.M. Burns was born in Northwestern Indiana and spent many years in Southwestern Michigan on the Lake Michigan shoreline. She is a lover of dogs, British historic cozies, and scones with clotted cream. After many years in the Midwest, she went in search of milder winters and currently lives in Eastern Tennessee with her poodles. Her debut novel, The Plot is Murder was nominated for a 2017 Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Valerie is a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and a lifetime member of Sisters in Crime. Readers can learn more by visiting her website at vmburns.com

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Purchase

Amazon – Barnes & Noble – IndieBound – Books-A-Million – Hudson Booksellers – Kobo