The Running Bibliophile

A Cover For Murder (The Bookstore Mystery, #4) by Sue Minix picks up where the last installment ends, and Jen is still working on her next novel but gets some bad news regarding her bookstore. While struggling with how to keep it open, Jen finds out that a woman by the name of Mara is planning on opening another bookstore in town. After having a disagreement with Mara, Jen becomes the prime suspect when Mara is found murdered. Will Jen be able to prove her innocence? This cozy series has become one of my favorite cozy mystery series and gets better with each installment. I am so glad that the author is quickly writing sequels so I don't have to wait long in between each story. Patience is not one of my best virtues! In this installment, I narrowed the culprit down between two different characters and couldn't figure out which one was actually the murderer or if they were working together. There was another character that some suspicion was thrown on, but I never re...

Triptych (Will Trent, #1)  by Karin Slaughter is the first installment of the Will Trent book series. GBI Agent Will Trent is assigned to a case where women are being murdered and their tongues bitten off. Is this a case of a copycat or the original murderer starting to kill again? I discovered this series because of the ABC Television Show Will Trent that's based on the Karin Slaughter book series. I already was familiar with the author but hadn't read any of her books, but I fell in love with the television show, so I knew I had to read the books. When I picked up Triptych , I wondered how closely the show would mimic the novels. For the most part, the two coincide quite a bit, but there is one HUGE difference, which I will not be revealing here because it's a significant spoiler to the book. Slaughter provided lots of twists and turns throughout the story and had me second guessing myself. However, I correctly guessed who murdered everyone relatively early on...

A Chapter On Murder (The Bookstore Mystery, #3) by Sue Minix opens with the town of Riddleton, South Carolina starting off the Christmas season with their annual Christmas parade along with the town preparing for their annual decorating contest when Jen and her employee, Charlie, find a dead man behind the bookstore. As the local detectives begin investigating the case and pinpoint it on Marcus, Jen knows she has to help prove his innocence. The Bookstore Mystery series has become one of my favorite series. It just has a fun vibe, and I enjoy trying to figure out the who, what, when, and where. In this latest edition, I came close to figuring out who the culprit was but was wrong in the end. Sue Minix did a great job throwing suspicion on several people. I love the characters, especially Jen Dawson. I love how quirky she is and that she's an over thinker because I can relate to her. Brittany, Charlie, and Eric are super likable too.  Even Jen's mom has grown on me....

The Doll's House: A Short Story by Lisa Unger is expected to be published on September 12, 2024 and is about Jules and her daughter Scout moving in with Jules' fiancé named Kirin. Like Jules and Scout, he's lost loved ones and wants to make them feel safe and secure. However, strange things start happening in the house and on the property. Is Jules imagining it, or is it real? I'd like to thank NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy ARC of this short story. I received a copy for free in exchange for my honest review. Lisa Unger is one of my favorite authors and the cover art is amazing, so I was excited to read this latest story by her. Told from alternating perspectives of Jules and Scout, the story was engaging and hard to put down. It has a familiar feel to it, and I let my mind go wild with different theories of where Lisa Unger was going with it. None of my theories panned out, which I'm glad about.  Since The Doll's House is a short story, the...

No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall falls into the suspense, thriller, and mystery genres. Emma Palmer hasn't told her husband much about her past other than her parents are dead, but between her husband losing his job and having to move out of their duplex, she knows their only option is to move into her childhood home and tell him the truth ... Her parents were murdered, and she's suspected of killing them.   I'd like to thank NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this book. I received a copy for free in exchange for my honest review. Kate Alice Marshall is quite the storyteller. I wasn't familiar with her writing before now, but I am a huge fan and can't wait to read more from her. She kept me guessing throughout the story, even on the secondary mysteries! I love it when I can't figure out who the culprit is!! No One Can Know is told from three different perspectives and alternates between the past and present. The author does a...

Book Review: The Heiress by Rachel Hawkings The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is about the death of Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore and how her adopted son Camden wants nothing to do with the inheritance she left him. However, when Camden's uncle dies, he finally must go home to finally settle the estate. The Ashby House is just as stunning as ever, but will it take hold of Camden and his wife Jules? A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) I received of this novel. Rachel Hawkins is a talented author, so I was thrilled to read her latest story, and I wasn't disappointed in the least. When I finally started reading Rachel Hawkin's latest work of art, The Heiress , I had a little trouble getting into the storyline, but that didn't last too long and was sucked in after the first few chapters. The story was set up so that as the reader, you don't really trust two of the three main characters of the book, Jules and Cam. Bo...

The Engagement Party by Darby Kane opens with college friends meeting at a luxurious house on a private island in Maine to celebrate an engagement. Tensions arise when Emily's name is brought up and secrets about her death are about to be spilled. Will this friend group stay intact for the weekend? A big thank you goes out to NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) that I received for free in exchange for my honest opinion. I was excited to read The Engagement Party by Darby Kane as I love "locked room" stories and always enjoy seeing if I can figure out who the culprit or culprits are before they're revealed. Darby Kane did a fantastic job with throwing suspicion across various characters making me second guess myself at times. The characters I suspected are as follows: Ruthie - the fiancé of Will Sierra - the protector, friend, and business partner of Mitch Cassie - attorney and wife of Alex, mother of Zara, friends with Mitch and Will Alex - atto...