A Victim at Valentine's by Ellie Alexander Narrator: Ellen Quay
Series: Secret Bookcase Mystery #5
Published by Dreamscape Media on February 0, 2025
Source: NetGalley
Genres: Cozy Mystery
Length: 6 hrs 25 mins
Pages: 250
Format: Audiobook
Purchase at Bookshop.org or Audible
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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.
The Secret Bookcase Mysteries is one of those series with an overarching plot that hasn’t been resolved yet. That is both my least favorite thing about the series and why this one doesn’t work well as a stand-alone. Annie’s best friend, Scarlet, was killed over a decade ago, but Annie has some new information and is working on solving the cold case. I’m just not a fan of those overarching mysteries.
Annie’s works full-time at a bookstore, where part of her job is coordinating events. For Valentine’s Day, the store has teamed up with a matchmaker for a weekend of books and romantic events. Early the morning of the second day, a well-liked member of the community is found dead near the store. While the event continues as planned, Annie is determined to help the local detective, Dr. Caldwell, discover who the killer is.
The mystery is fine. The plot moves along well. We have three potential suspects and a few red herrings, but it’s not too difficult to guess the killer. It’s still fun seeing Annie and her friends get to the solution.
I listened to the audio. It’s an easy book to listen to while walking the dog or doing chores. The narrator’s tone is appropriate to the story and the characters are easy to distinguish. Overall, it’s a fun, light series and I enjoyed the touch of Valentine’s in this one.
About Ellie Alexander
Cozy mystery author, Ellie Alexander, is a Pacific Northwest native who spends ample time testing a multitude of pastry and other recipes in her home kitchen or at one of the many famed coffeehouses nearby. When she’s not coated in flour, or hard at work on the next book in one of her cozy mystery series, you’ll find her outside exploring hiking trails trying to burn off calories consumed in the name of research.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges: