In this cozy series debut from Laura Gail Black, Jenna Quinn finds her uncle murdered in his antique bookstore, and Jenna–his primary beneficiary–becomes the prime suspect.Trouble follows Jenna Quinn wherever she goes. Fleeing some unsavory doings in her hometown of Charlotte, Jenna accepts her uncle’s gracious invitation to stay with him in small-town Hokes Folly, NC. In exchange, she’ll help … In exchange, she’ll help him out in his antiquarian bookstore. But soon after she arrives, Jenna finds her uncle’s body crumpled at the base of the staircase between his apartment and the bookstore.
Before the tragedy even sinks in, Jenna learns that she’s inherited almost everything her uncle owned: the store and apartment, as well as his not-so-meager savings and the payout from a life insurance policy…which adds up to more than a million dollars. This is all news to Jenna–bad news, once the police get wind of her windfall. An ill wind, indeed, as a second murder cements Jenna’s status as the prime suspect in both deaths.
Jenna can hit the road again, taking her chances that she can elude trouble along the way. Or she can stick it out in Hokes Folly, take over the bookstore, and try to sleuth out her uncle’s killer. On the one hand, she’s made some wonderful new friends, and she feels she can thrive in the genial small-town environment. On the other hand, trouble knows her address–and so does the killer, who is determined to write the final page of Jenna’s story.
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For Whom the Book Tolls by Laura Gail Black is the first in the Antique Bookshop Mystery series. This is a great start for this series.
Jenna has been falsely accused of a white collar crime in Charlotte and her “friends” have turned their back to her. When her uncle offers her a new start working for him in his book store, she takes off for Hokes Folly. Arriving late at night, she just goes quietly into the apartment she will be sharing with her uncle. The following morning while looking for him, she finds his body at the bottom of the staircase. Of course, she is a new comer to the small town which paints a target on her, then when her record is revealed she becomes the main suspect in his death. Then add to the target, she is the beneficiary of her uncle’s estate and a large insurance policy. She knows she will have to find the guilty party or her new start will be over before it starts.
I loved the characters in this book. Most are likeable and relatable. You feel as if you are in the small town. There were enough suspects to keep you guessing. Overall, this is a quick, easy to read Cozy about new beginnings.
I was given an ARC by Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an honest review.
Have you ever been accused of something you didn’t do? Ever had all your friends ditch you? Join Jenna as she deals with problems in her past and how she handles a wonderful surprise for her future. See how Rita, Mason, Phillie, Elliot, and Keith help her in the start of her new life. Love these characters and the trust they show for each other. I enjoyed the story line and would like to see what happens in Hokes Folly next. I received the book from Net Galley, but my opinion is my own.
I was happy to be able to read this first book in a new series (I hope) and truly enjoyed it. It is an engrossing mystery-the victim’s death is at the beginning of the book so we are able to follow along the twists and turns until the final denouement – and wow, it was a doozy!
Jenna Quinn is down on her luck and out of money due to being accused of a crime in Charlotte. Her uncle Paul offers her a job and a place to stay in Hokes Folly and she is happy to take advantage of the offer although she hasn’t seen her uncle for a number of years-college, then a new job and relationship.
Unfortunately, Jenna discovers Paul’s body at the bottom of the stairs leading to the bookshop the morning after her late arrival. When the police discover she is now the beneficiary of more than a million dollars and her past troubles, she becomes the prime suspect. And other trouble follows as well.
I enjoy the town of Hoke’s Folly and the people Jenna meets. They become her friends and support and they add much to the story.
I requested and received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. However, any opinions expressed are my own.
nice read but not enough BOOKS!
I picked this book up because it’s been a while since I read a cozy mystery. I tried reading the other ones I have and nothing really got me reading something to the end. I instantly downloaded this one as well because it involves a bookstore and somehow… that didn’t work out well.
For Whom the Book Tolls follows Jenna as she visits her uncle in the small town of Hokes Folly. She arrives late in the evening, called it a day, and the first thing she sees in the morning is her uncle dead right. The next thing she knows, she’s inheriting everything her uncle owns and is being accused of murdering him.
If you’re looking for something new and refreshing, this really isn’t what you’re looking for. However, if you want the usual cozy mystery with the main character generally being accused of the murder and going around asking everyone in town and being threatened by the murderer to stop her meddling, then thing is for you. But then again, I probably have more gripes than enjoyment for this one which kind of disappointed me.
The thing about For Whom the Book Tolls is that it’s light and is good if you want a quick read. It follows a very basic structure for light cozy mysteries. I liked Jenna but then I feel that there wasn’t really enough about her for me to like. It feels like she wasn’t really explored that much that I didn’t care about her. There was a tinge of romance but it came out later on in the novel. A bit out of the blue thus I ended up not caring about the two of them but then also expected when the guy showed the first sign of interest. I do like Jenna’s relationship with [insert name here]. I feel that there was enough development for the two of them.
The mystery aspect of the novel is pretty light and definitely easy to predict. So if you want some whodunit that will keep you thinking, this isn’t it (just grab an Agatha Christie). It did throw out a couple of interesting things to stir up the story a bit and I like the hidden treasure aspect. That kind of made me interested on what’s going to happen in the end.
OVERALL, For Whom the Book Tolls is a light mystery read. If you want a light and quick mystery read, this is definitely a good enough one. But if you want something more gritting, this isn’t it. Also, I am disappointed that there isn’t enough talk about books and mention of actual books for a novel series whose title is a pun of a classic novel and is called Antique Bookshop Mystery. but ohwell.
For Whom The Book Tolls is the first book in the An Antique Bookshop Mystery series, written by Laura Gail Black.
Jenny Quinn has been found not guilty of stealing money from her employer in Charlotte and is looking to restart her life. She is excited when she hears from her Uncle Paul, asking her to move to Hokes Folly and help him run his antique bookstore. Jenny packs up her car and heads to Hokes Folly, arriving late in the evening and quietly settles into the room he has provided for her. The next morning she starts down the stairs to shop and finds Uncle Paul lying at the foot of the stairs dead.
Once the police, Detective Frank Sutter and Detective Keith Logan, learn of her past in Charlotte and learn that she is to inherit the store and around a million dollars from Uncle Paul’s estate, she quickly becomes the prime suspect. It’s a classic good cop/bad cop, with Logan being the good cop and Sutter being the bad cop. Sutter is sure that he has the murderer within his grasp, and it won’t be long till he can arrest Jenny.
Jenny soon meets the lady who lives in the next building, Rita Wallace. Rita was friendly with Uncle Paul and soon begins to tell Jenny of some of the history of Hokes Folly and will help Jenny in her search for the murderer. It’s quickly learned that there is no shortage of suspects. A real estate developer wants to turn the historic district into a mall, and Uncle Paul was instrumental in blocking his plans. Then there is the arrival of a man who claims to be the illegitimate son of Paul. Then there are the elderly spinsters next door who are the last descendants of the town’s founder. They are looking for a journal that belonged to their relatives. Jenny will also have a couple of attempts on her life before the murder is arrested.
I felt the book is well-written and plotted and moves at a steady pace. The characters are well-developed and believable. But I did think that Detective Sutter was a little overbearing. I usually do find one person that I don’t like in many of the books I read.
I will be watching for the next book and hope to learn about the residents of Hokes Folly.
For Whom the Book Tolls by Laura Gail Black was a very enjoyable book to read. There was great detail on the characters, easy-to-read, and unpredictable, I can’t wait to see what else Jenna can get into!
Jenna Quinn eft Charlotte to come to Hokes Folly, NC after her Uncle Paul Baxter invited her. This would be a great place for a fresh start after spending three months in jail being accused of embezzlement and murder. After finding her uncle dead, Detective Frank Sutter thinks Jenna killed him. What else can happen! Jenna finds out that her uncle has left everything to her including the Baxter’s Book Emporium and the apartment upstairs since Paul and Irene had no children. Until someone comes and states that he son of Paul from affair that Paul had during the early marriage of Paul and Irene. One way to pull the rug out from under Jenna’s feet just as she is getting used to having a place to live and a business. Then there’s another murder! Jenna must figure out what is going on before she either arrested or ends up dead.
You will really enjoy this book. I didn’t realize who the murderer was until the last chapter! What a great book!
I received a Netgalley ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For Whom the Book Tolls is the first in a new cozy mystery series by Laura Gail Black, and it does not disappoint.
When 26 year old Jenna Quinn moves to Hokes Folly to live with her uncle and escape her recent troubles in Charlotte, she’s excited to spend more time with him and start working in his antique bookstore. Unfortunately, she finds him dead in his store the morning after she arrives. As if that isn’t enough, Jenna also finds out that her uncle left his entire estate to her, and it isn’t just a little bit of money; it’s nearly a million dollars. Once the police find out about Jenna’s past in Charlotte and her new found wealth, she becomes a suspect in her uncle’s murder. With the help of the townspeople and some new friends, Jenna is determined to clear her name and find out who’s behind her uncle’s death.
This was such a fun and fast-paced read. Hokes Folly sounded like it was straight out of a Hallmark movie, and I only wish it were a real place. One thing I really liked about the book was that the author didn’t introduce us to too many central characters right away. I find that the first in a cozy mystery series can often overload you with character background, and I’m glad that there are characters I want to know more about because it will keep me reading the series. I also loved Jenna. As someone who is only a couple of years older than her, I felt that she really embodied a lot of the confusion millennials feel in their late twenties about where they’re supposed to be and where their lives are going. I loved her determination, but also appreciated that sometimes she needed help, and that she wasn’t always sure whether or not to ask for it.
I also loved the pace of the story. Things were happening fast enough that I didn’t get bored, but slow enough that I still had time to enjoy the story and come up with my own theories. I was DEFINITELY shocked by the ending, and am eager to read the next book whenever it’s released. The dialogue was conversational, and I felt like Jenna’s inner monologue was appropriate for her age. In a lot of the cozy mysteries I read, the women are within 5-7 years of myself, but act much older, so the way the author wrote Jenna made it a lot easier to identify with her.
If you love cozy mysteries, you will love this. Enough said.
This was a great cozy and is the first in a series. Jenna recently had a bad experience with the law . To removed herself from the gossip and bad feelings, her Uncle offers her a place to stay and help him in his book shop. Jenna gets in late and doesn’t see her Uncle til the next morning, where she finds him dead at the bottom of some stairs. Immediately the dunder-head cop wants to pin it on her. He is looking for a quick way to close the case. Jenna is terrified they will arrest her for the murder.
This was entertaining. I enjoyed the characters and was surprised at the ending. This looks like it will be a fun series. Easy -to-read, fun characters and a page turner.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and offer my honest review of this book.
For Whom the Book Tolls grabbed my attention from the very start. Jenna Quinn, who is hoping for a new start in life, accepts an invitation from her uncle to move to Hokes Folly, North Carolina and help run his bookstore. Since she arrives in the wee morning hours, she picks up the key from their previously arranged spot in order to get into his apartment without waking him up.
He is not there when she arises later in the morning, so Jenna starts to explore her new living space. She discovers a flight of stairs that lead into the shop which lead to her uncle’s dead body. Of course, she is considered a suspect – especially after she learns that she is his only beneficiary to a sizeable inheritance. Because of her past history, it is essential that she work
to clear her name.
Readers meet other interesting characters along the way. While most are the likeable sort that we expect in a cozy mystery setting, there are some who are intentionally introduced as people many would not care for at all. It does not take long to discover that more than one person could potentially be the real killer.
Ms. Black does a good job of setting the stage by providing assorted clues that should lead to making an arrest. The story is fast paced and kept me turning the pages. I look forward to the next book in this series so that I can become even better acquainted with the residents of Hokes Folly.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a free early copy. A positive review was not required, but I can honestly say that the book is a very promising beginning to a new series.
law-enforcement, murder-investigation, greed, family-dynamics, friendship
Really good murder mystery with memorable characters.
Jenna has already had a VERY negative experience with being falsely accused and incarcerated, so the last thing she needs is finding the body of someone she loves and who believes in her dead in his home and her being accused of his murder by a police detective wanting brownie points to move up further in the ranks. Her uncle’s was the first body, and then there’s the scammer apparently looking for something in particular. The suspects kept piling up and then there was the next murder. What treasure?
I loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
For Whom the Book Tolls by Laura Gail Black is the first in a new cozy mystery series that was an interesting read.
The plot is smoothly paced with a few twists but no red herrings. Ms. Black took her time in the first few chapters introducing the characters and the small town of Hokes Folly which is necessary in a first book; but I felt that some of that could have been done as the story progressed. However, the mystery kept me guessing and I was completely surprised by the reveal.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.