The Running Bibliophile

The Storm  by Rachel Hawkins  opens with Geneva Corliss, the current owner of the Rosalie Inn, learning that an author by the name of August Fletcher will be coming to St. Medard's Bay, Alabama to research the death of Landon Fitzroy, the son of a prominent politician. She's less interested in learning whether or not the infamous Lo Bailey murdered Landon but how the book could possibly get her inn more notoriety and people deciding to make reservations at her establishment. As a hurricane barrels towards the Rosalie Inn, Geneva learns that people can be deadlier than a monster storm. Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Storm  by Rachel Hawkins. I received a digital copy for free in exchange for my honest review. This book falls into the mystery and thriller genre, and it definitely is a slow burn in the best possible way. It's so engrossing that the reader feels like they're right there with the c...

The Fair Weather Friend  by Jessie Garcia  opens with Faith Richards, a popular meteorologist in Detroit, never returning back to the news station after her dinner break. The next day, her news station releases a story that she's been found, strangled to death not far from the station. The Fair Weather Friend , as Richards is referred to by adoring fans, had some deep, dark secrets. As those skeletons come to light, other peoples' lives start to unravel, and things are not what they seem. I'd like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for approving my request for an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Jessie Garcia's The Fair Weather Friend . A digital copy was provided to me for free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions of the novel are my own. There were many things I absolutely enjoyed about Jessie Garcia's sophomore novel including multiple point of views, the character development, and numerous red herrings. Overall, the story being told from a var...

The Last Death of the Year (New Hercule Poirot Mysteries, #6)  by Sophie Hannah and Agatha Christie  opens with Hercule Poirot and Inspector Edward Catchpool arriving on the island of Lamperos in Greece on New Year's Eve in 1932. Poirot has been requested by the leader of a religious community to investigate the threat against one of its members, but just a short while later, another resident is found dead after a New Year's game threatened this member's life. I'd like to thank NetGalley and William Morrow for approving my request for an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this mystery. I've been a long time fan of Agatha Christie and her Hercule Poirot series, so learning I'd receive a copy of Sophie Hannah's new book based on this series made me absolutely giddy. A digital copy was provided to me in exchange for my honest review. Sophie Hannah has done a fabulous job of recreating Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot series and keeping a similar style of writin...

Murder at the PTA (Maya and Sandra Mystery, #1) by Lee Hollis is the first installment in the Maya and Sandra Mystery series, a cozy mystery series centered on private investigators. The story follows Sandra Wallage , the wife of a U.S. senator and the newly elected president of Portland High School’s PTA, who becomes the latest target of a vicious gossip website called Dirty Laundry . After a heated PTA meeting, Sandra crosses paths with Maya Kendrick , a private investigator who has uncovered the identity of the person behind the gossip site. When the two women attempt to confront the culprit, they instead discover a dead body. Was it really a suicide, or did someone have a motive for murder? I’m a longtime fan of books by Lee Hollis , which is actually the pen name for sibling writing duo Rick Copp and Holly Simason . They’ve written several cozy mystery series, and what I appreciate most about their books is that they aren’t overly kitschy, unlike some other cozy mysteries I’ve ...

Murder in the Mystery Suite (Book Retreat Mysteries, #1) by Ellery Adams is the first book in the Book Retreat Mysteries series and is set in western Virginia at a charming resort called Storyton Hall. This unique resort is designed specifically for book lovers who want to escape, unwind, and immerse themselves in their favorite stories. The resort’s manager, Jane Steward, decides to host a themed “Murder and Mayhem Week” inviting mystery enthusiasts to gather, role-play, and solve fictional crimes. However, the event takes a dark turn when one of the guests is found dead in his suite and a valuable prize goes missing. Jane must uncover which guest is responsible for the murder before the retreat is ruined . Before picking up this novel, I had only read one other book in the series. I decided to start from the beginning as part of my New Year’s resolution to finally read books I purchased years ago. I’m so glad I did. Starting with the first installment allowed me to fully appreciat...

A Crabby Killer (Mooseamuck Island, #2) by Leighann Dobbs is the second installment in the Mooseamuck Island cozy mystery series. The story begins when the body of an “outsider” is discovered stuffed inside a crab boil pot just before the island’s annual Crab Festival opens to the public. Determined not to let a murder derail their beloved celebration, the islanders press on...until it becomes clear that several locals had motives. As suspicion spreads, can retired police investigators Claire and Dom put aside their differences long enough to solve the case? I originally bought a copy of this ebook years ago purely because I loved the title. One of my New Year’s resolutions was to read more of the books I already own instead of constantly buying new ones, so I finally decided to give A Crabby Killer a try, knowing absolutely nothing about the story beforehand. I was pleasantly surprised. Leighann Dobbs does an excellent job of providing background on recurring characters for new rea...