TO RECOVER A PRICELESS MANUSCRIPT . . . A wealthy widow has asked Sarah Winston to sell her massive collection of mysteries through her garage sale business. While sorting through piles of books stashed in the woman’s attic, Sarah is amazed to discover a case of lost Hemingway stories, stolen from a train in Paris back in 1922. How did they end up in Belle Winthrop Granville’s attic in … Granville’s attic in Ellington, Massachusetts, almost one hundred years later?
WILL SARAH HAVE TO PAY WITH HER LIFE?
Before Sarah can get any answers, Belle is assaulted, the case is stolen, a maid is killed, and Sarah herself is dodging bullets. And when rumors spread that Belle has a limited edition of The Sun Also Rises in her house, Sarah is soon mixed up with a mobster, the fanatical League of Literary Treasure Hunters, and a hard-to-read rare book dealer. With someone willing to kill for the Hemingway, Sarah has to race to catch the culprit—or the bell may toll for her . . .
Praise for the Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries
“There’s a lot going on in this charming mystery, and it all works . . . Well written and executed, this is a definite winner.”— RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars on All Murders Final!
“Full of garage-sale tips…amusing. A solid choice for fans of Jane K. Cleland’s Josie Prescott Antique Mystery series.”
—Library Journal on Tagged for Death
“A slam dunk for those who love antiques and garage sales . . .surprising twists and turns.”— Kirkus Reviews on A Good Day to Buy
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Sarah Winston has been hired to organize a book sale for Mrs. Belle Winthrop Granville, III, focusing on Belle’s massive mystery collection. But sandwiched in between the Trixie Belden, Hardy Boys, Agatha Christie, and Ann Cleeves books, she finds what appears to be the Hemingway manuscripts that went miss from a train in Paris in the 1920’s. Belle is just as shocked to see them as Sarah is. But a couple of hours later, Belle has been attacked, the manuscripts are missing, and someone is dead. What has Sarah stumbled into this time?
Once again, we are treated to a fabulous mystery that is more treasure hunt than strict cozy murder mystery. Not that I’m complaining in the slightest. The pace never slows down as we jump from one thing to another as Sarah tries to figure out what happened before her life spins even further out of control. We don’t see as much of some of the series regulars, but we do get to see more of others, and I liked how relationships were growing here. Naturally, the book is filled with well-developed new characters. The mentions of various mystery books made me smile. The sub-plots involving the air force base were really well done and once again spotlighted some of the real issues those who sacrifice so much for this country go through, both those serving and their families. This is a strong entry in a series that keeps getting better.
Clever Plot
No sex
No gory violence
No memorable strong language
I read this book before reading any of the previous books in the series. At times there are references to one or more of the preceding 5 installments that naturally gave hints to what happened before without ruining their plots. The references generally helped to the reader to understand the main character’s reactions to various situations within this installment.
I will go back and read at least book #1 if not all those I’ve missed.
Plot no spoilers:
Sarah has been hired to catalog for resale a vast number of books in a rich patron’s library. She is given free range from the library itself clear to the attic to accomplish this task. While in the attic she discovers a small 1920’s era travel bag containing manuscripts of stories by Hemingway. Needless to say these would be priceless. Turns out they were also stolen before their final versions were ever published. Wouldn’t you just know it? Someone manages to steal them again, and then the chaos begins as a murder is committed, the news gets out, and literary fortune hunters descend upon the small town.
Likable characters.
I appreciated the gentle way one character who suffers from dementia was presented and treated by others.
4 instead of 5 stars because some questions are left unanswered, and I don’t think they’re the kind that I’d expect to be included as part of book #7. I could be wrong. Needless to say, I like my cozies’ endings to be tied up neatly. Other readers might be completely satisfied.
Read it and decide for yourself.
You can always count on the Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries for an intriguing plot, fantastic characters, great hearts, and lots of action, but The Gun Always Rises takes the dictionary of that formula to a whole new level. As with every book in the series, I wish the next book was already out. I have had this book on pre-order for six months and it was worth every day of the wait.
The Gun Also Rises is a busy novel. Sarah has a full plate as she deals with missing manuscripts, her brother, a murder, preparing for a very special sale to help a veteran bring his dog to America, pricing Miss Belle’s mystery collection, evading the literary treasure hunters, hunting down the rare Hemingway book and trying not to be the killer’s next victim. The Gun Also Rises can be read as a standalone if you have not read any of the previous A Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries. I find Sarah’s garage sale business interesting. She never knows what treasures she will find. I wanted to buy all the books in Miss Belle’s fictional attic. I found The Gun Also Rises to be easy to read with steady pacing throughout most of the book (a little slow in the middle). I loved all the mystery novels mentioned throughout the book (Trixie Belden and Agatha Christie are just two examples) as well as the details on Louisa May Alcott and historical sites that people can visit. There are also some clever Gone with the Wind references. The murder of Kay and the missing manuscripts leads readers on a merry chase as we follow the clues to figure out who is behind these appalling deeds. I do wish it had been harder to identify the guilty parties, and I was unsatisfied with the ending (spoilers). I was glad to see a move forward in Seth and Sarah’s romantic life. Sarah’s ex-husband has left town (finally) and Sarah can finally move forward romantically with her life. I appreciated the author highlighting the role of military spouses and the support they need when their significant other is serving overseas. There is also a storyline about a veteran suffering from PTSD who is missing the dog he had in Iraq. Sara is organizing a sale to help unite the man with his beloved canine. Readers will find themselves laughing at Sarah’s various escapades. Buckle your seatbelt for a humorous and fast paced romp with Sarah in The Gun Also Rises.
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
I have been wanting to try this series for awhile now so I used the release of this newest installment to give it a shot and I was not disappointed. Sarah has been hired by a wealthy woman to go through her massive mystery book collection with the intent to sell them all as she is getting older with no kids or anything to pass things to. As if this treasure trove of literary goodness is not enough Sarah manages to fins hidden manuscripts written by someone famous that are pretty quickly stolen leading to a murder. Thanks to her past involvement in mysteries she find herself looking into things until she ultimately ends up in danger. This book is wonderfully written and just full of fascinating tidbits that any adamant reader will love. The mystery keeps you guessing while Sarah comes to life in vivid details. Perfect for fans of cozies. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
From Nancy Drew to Ernest Hemingway, this mystery will appeal to the book lovers among us.
Ranging from simple paperbacks to million dollar, or priceless, rare first editions, the estate of Belle Winthrop Granville and family has something for all tastes and budgets. Sarah Winston thinks she has been invited to discover and catalogue the collection of books for a charity auction. She begins to feel a bit out of her depth until she is informed that she needs only concern herself with the “lesser” books.
A rare book collector is in charge of the more pricey editions.
Before the first day of work is complete, Sarah discovers that some of her other special skills are called upon for this job.
With an abundance of literary references, much compassion and some life endangering action. Sarah finds herself in the middle of a present day mystery, a cold case mystery, and the very uncomfortable position of not knowing who she can trust. Is she sharing a house with a murderer or more?
Her friend Awesome is indeed awesome in this exciting novel. He also has his hands full as the mysteries and unsolved cases connect and the danger escalates.
The mansion in this novel was as good as the characters. From Sherry’s descriptions, I wanted to explore every hallway and room.
Who has the case and what the papers inside mean kept me intrigued until the end. The bonus story about relationships, PTSD and more wonderfully rounded out this book.
The Gun Also Rises” features a clever mystery, engaging characters, and a top-notch creative plot. Sarah Winston is asked to inventory a massive mystery book collection for a wealthy widow to benefit a fundraiser for the local library. Sarah finds much more than a bargain in the attic when she unpacks several priceless manuscripts written by Ernest Hemingway. As the story begins to unfold, past misdeeds join ongoing deceptions, and a sudden death occurs.
Author Sherry Harris never disappoints with her strong, witty writing voice and her ability to use the surprise effect just when you think you have it all figured out! The history of the missing manuscripts and a copy of “The Sun Also Rises” by Hemingway is very interesting and woven seamlessly into the plot.
The regular cast of characters in the Sarah Winston Garage Sale series are some of my all-time favorites plus some new, quirky characters are introduced in book six. Protagonist, Sarah Winston, is independent, fiesty, and practically fearless in her search for treasures. I loved this story, you’ll love this story, and I highly recommend this entire cozy series!
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.
Sarah is working on a book sale for a widow. When she finds some unexpected treasures, she brings them to the widow’s attention. Then the maid steals them and knocks the widow out and runs. Sarah is in the middle of the investigation, but will that put her in danger?
I love Sarah so much. I am absolutely nothing like her but I really like reading from her point of view. I felt like this one was really interesting. I loved Belle as a character! She was so much fun and I hope that she becomes a regular. I was so surprised at the end of this book and how long it’s been set up for! I’m also excited that the love interest has most likely been sorted out and I love that! I’m so excited for the next book!
The Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery Series of one of my favorites cozy series’ and I devoured The Gun Also Rises.
When Sarah is hired to manage an enormous book sale by Belle Winthrop Granville, one of Ellington, Massachusetts’ elite citizens, she’s shocked to find rare Hemingway manuscripts among the books and dust. She barely gets a glimpse when Belle is assaulted and the case of manuscripts is stolen. With the manuscripts on the run, Sarah puts herself in danger to chase the thief. Murder, mayhem, and of course, mystery abounds in The Gun Also Rises, another excellent book in the Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery series.
I really enjoy the Garage Sale Mysteries by Sherry Harris. As a lover of garage sales, yard sales, flea markets, etc., a cozy setting of this nature makes me happy. Sarah is a great protagonist and is written in such a way that I feel like I know her personally. She has very realistic characteristics and the author really brings Sarah to life. The secondary characters are also realistically written.
As I said about the rest of the books in the series, The Gun Also Rises is a fantastic cozy mystery that is full of twists, turns, distractions, and red herrings. There are suspenseful, humorous, and heartbreaking moments that are sure to keep the reader engaged. The author sets up many of the characters as the potential suspect and expertly pulls the tablecloth out from underneath them without spilling the truth until it’s time.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the publisher.
I love garage sales/yard sales. Well, I love the thought of them. I don’t love getting up early in the morning to go to them or prepare for them. So, I live vicariously through the Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries. (And I don’t have to be afraid of finding a dead body or getting myself killed. )
I have adored this series since the first book. I won’t lie, I didn’t really care for the character of Sarah Winston at first. For some reason I just didn’t click with her. But I have become quite fond of her as the series has advanced.
A fabulous story, THE GUN ALSO RISES is packed cover to cover with mystery, excitement, and just plain great writing. It’s a fast-moving book which made it hard to tare myself away from it. It truly shows without a doubt author Sherry Harris knows what it takes to keep her readers coming back for more. As wonderful as she writes, it’s safe to say you’ll never see one of this author’s books at a garage sale.
Note: When I write a review of a series book, I always go back and read my reviews of past book(s) in the series. I want to make sure I don’t repeat myself. When I did so for the Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries, I saw that everything I wanted to say about THE GUN ALSO RISES I had already said in those past reviews. I chose to write them in this review anyway, because they still hold true.
Cozy Garage Sale Mystery in Massachusetts
This is the first of this series that I have read. I know that I will binge read this entire series soon. There is nothing to complain about here and everything to love! I made a living from estate sales for may years so this is very familiar to me. The setting for the story is just aces. The plot is exceptional and contains some fun twists. I received this book for free and this is my honest review.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
History and mystery collide as Sherry Harris gives her spin on the missing papers of Ernest Hemingway lost in 1922. Garage Sale pro Sarah Winston is hired to help get Belle Winthrop Granville book collection ready for sale. As she is cataloging the vast collection she makes a shocking discovery. A case filled with what appears to be Hemingway’s lost manuscripts. Before the papers can be verified they are stolen and Granville’s maid is killed and shots are fired at Sarah.
The events lead to rumors that a rare edition of The Sun Also Rises is also hidden on the premises bringing the League of Literary Treasure Hunters, a rare book dealer, and the press to Ellington, Massachusetts. Sarah is forced out of her home and knows the only way for things to get back to normal is to find the killer before more bodies fall including hers.
This has become one of my favorite cozy mystery series. I love spending time with Sarah as she chases all around town for her garage sales and murder investigations. Her life has been in flux with her divorce, moving off the base, getting her business off the ground and trying to start life over as a single woman. He ex has now left the state so her personal life can move forward with Seth and that made me very happy.
In addition to her huge project for Belle Winthrop Granville and finding a thief and a killer, Sarah is organizing a fundraiser to help a soldier bring a dog he adopted in Afghanistan to the states. He has been suffering PTSD since his last deployment and his friends and family feel bringing this dog home may make things easier. The connection of Sarah to the Air Force Base and the awareness the author brings to military life and strife is a treasured part of all the books in this series. As a military wife herself her depictions are believable.
The characters Ms. Harris brings to life leap off the pages. She gives us people to root for along with the questionable suspects. Sarah and her friends are all engaging and relatable. They have a camaraderie that is refreshing. They always have her back.
I loved the way the author brought Hemingway history into the story. The League of Literary Treasure Hunters were an interesting crew that didn’t give up. They truly took over the town and made Sarah’s life miserable. I really felt bad for her. I loved her unstoppable energy though in her quest to find the papers and the killer. Her perseverance had no bounds.
Sarah Winston is a fantastic protagonist. This story is a wonderful addition to the series. I can’t wait for the next installment. Let’s Fake A Deal will be released July 30.
Who knew that arranging garage sales and other charity sales events could lead to so much trouble? Once again, Sarah Winston finds herself in the center of murder, mystery and mayhem. This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series and each new book is an automatic read for me. I am never disappointed. It has been a pleasure to watch Sarah grow over the course of these books and to make a new life for herself with a new career and a great group of friends. The secondary characters help round out the story as they have also grown and found a place with the reader. They mystery in this book was well done and author Sherry Harris has placed some twist and turns strategically throughout the plot. The identity of the killer and/or thief kept me guessing until the reveal at the end. I was surprised by the culprits and thought the mystery was tied up nicely.
I am definitely looking forward to reading more books in this series. It has terrific characters that keep me coming back for more and mysteries that keep me guessing until the end. While I have been a fan of all the books in this series, I think this one is the best yet and might be my favorite.
A wealthy widow has asked Sarah Winston to sell her massive collection of mysteries through her garage sale business. While sorting through piles of books stashed in the woman’s attic, Sarah is amazed to discover a case of lost Hemingway stories, stolen from a train in Paris back in 1922. How did they end up in Belle Winthrop Granville’s attic in Ellington, Massachusetts,
almost one hundred years later?
Before Sarah can get any answers, Belle is assaulted, the case is stolen, a maid is killed, and Sarah herself is dodging bullets. When rumors spread that Belle has a limited edition of The Sun Also Rises in her house, Sarah is soon mixed up with a mobster, the fanatical League of Literary
Treasure Hunters, and a hard-to-read rare book dealer. With someone willing to kill for the Hemingway, Sarah races to catch the culprit—or the bell may toll for her . . .
—
Series: A Sarah W. Garage Sale Mystery – Book 6
Author: Sherry Harris
Genre: Cozy/Business Mystery
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publishing Date; January 29, 2019
The Gun Also Rises is easy to read, and an enjoyable book filled with wonderful characters and lovely locations. Sherry Harris’ new addition to the Sarah W. Garage Sale Mystery series keeps the fun in reading cozies and garners new readers. This latest book from Kensington Books will keep readers interested and turning the page.
Sarah continues to evolve as a character; she grows in every way with each new installment of this series. Other characters are well rounded and add to the excitement of each new book. The plot is original, the use of garage sales as a means of making a living and spending time among old books, clothes, antiques and so on holds a fascination for readers. The writing is smooth and professional. Sherry Harris keeps her plot lines straight and her story tight. There is little deviation from the main story, but it has just enough sidelines to move the story along and keep the characters interesting.
There are multiple twists and turns that will have readers anxious to find out who is causing Sarah so many problems while threatening her and Miss Belle at every turn. Is the killer someone Miss Belle calls a friend, or a stranger out to get their hands on the lost Hemingway manuscripts? Or is there another motive for murder and mayhem?
In the end, the crimes are solved; the killer unveiled. I highly recommend this book and series, buy it and enjoy a few hours or true entertainment. The Gun Also Rises will keep readers
happy and have them coming back for more. I look forward to more from this series and writer!
A true murder mystery after a literary lover’s heart!! Each story in the Sarah Winston series keeps getting better! I loved the premise of this new mystery, with Sarah helping out one of our older community members with sorting out her mystery book collection. Unbeknownst to all, a rare and collectible Ernest Hemingway manuscript is discovered. And just as quickly as it’s been discovered, it disappears and Kay, the housekeeper has lost her life while a new murder mystery unfolds. Sarah is quick to involve herself in finding out who-done-it, and meets a few Indiana Jones type literary treasure hunters who have slowly infiltrated her town once word is released about the manuscript. This story is a fast read and is as hard I tried to savor each page, I just couldn’t put it down. The action always keeps me on my toes and I truly enjoy the characters in this series! You don’t want to miss the next book in this series!
small-business, Massachusetts, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, women-sleuths, law-enforcement
Two of my favorite things: murder mystery and garage sales! Good mystery plot filled in with sleuth’s personal history and adjustments (like divorce, no longer an Air Force wife, previous murder involvements, and knowing a mob guy). The publisher’s blurb is pretty good at gaining reader interest, but the book is better than that. Sure, there are the expected twists and red herrings, but the characters alone would save the day if that was necessary. Loved it! Now I have to go find more by this author!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!