What Judy’s book club doesn’t know about murder mysteries isn’t worth writing about. Nothing beats cracking a fictional case over some wine and salt-and-vinegar crisps. But can they put their puzzle-solving skills to the test when the local librarian dies in a real-life murder?

For widower Judy, her murder book club is the highlight of the month: she gets to hear all the local gossip and even discuss a good fictitious poisoning or two. But when local librarian Wendy disappears, Judy follows in the footsteps of her fictional detective heroes only to find her dead in her home, clasping a copy of Romeo and Juliet…

The police rule it a tragic accident, but Judy knows that her friend hated Shakespeare, and suspects foul play. Gathering her fellow book lovers together, they soon discover that several townspeople had a motive to want Wendy dead. Was it Nigel from the tavern who may have been Wendy’s secret boyfriend? Or could it be Bryan, the local bookshop owner, tangled in a bitter rivalry with the library?

The plot thickens when more murders come to light. Can Judy and her book club take matters into their own hands in a twist no one will see coming? And as the lines between fiction and reality blur, can they catch the murderer with their own killer plot?

An utterly addictive and hilarious new cozy mystery series, perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Robert Thorogood and Faith Martin.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

And he’s been widowed twice! Twice! I mean, once is sad, twice is careless.

‘Do you think your sister could be a serial killer?’ asked Sarah. ‘Bethany? Absolutely. She’s a primary school teacher, for Christ’s sake. She’s got to be wrong in the head somewhere.’

Who in their right mind waits for toast to go cold before they eat it? That is the very symbol of a psychotic man if you ask me.

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My Review:

 

This was an easy-to-follow, lively, and fun read laced with wry wit, colorful descriptions, and amusing banter, populated by a quirky cast of bookworms devoted to serial-killer thrillers. Not a premise I’d expect to find in a humorous cozy mystery series, but I found this delightful. The writing was well-paced and artfully plotted with a killer I would least expect. I’m eager for more of their shenanigans.