Will this paper trail run cold?As the new co-owner of Tundish Montana’s stationery shop WANTED, Delta Douglas knows how to organize a killer crafting event. Creativity and cardstock are all she needs to move one step closer to her ultimate dream: developing her own line of crafting products. But on the night of the workshop, at the swanky hotel venue, glitter isn’t the only thing found sprawled … only thing found sprawled on the floor. A hotel guest is discovered dead in the bar, and amid the confusion, Delta’s best friend is suspected of the crime.
Enlisting the help of her Paper Posse and Spud, her canine sidekick, Delta dives into the investigation. But with many high-powered suspects on the line, Delta soon realizes her sleuthing may come with deadly consequences.
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Delta Douglas is thrilled to be the new co-owner of a stationary shop with her best friend, Hazel. However, on her first night in her new hometown, a guest is murdered in the hotel where they are hosting a crafting workshop. The police immediately arrest Hazel’s brother Finn, who was seen behaving suspiciously at the crime scene. Hazel tries her best to protect her brother, which results in her also being arrested. With the help of her new friends, Delta is determined to catch the real culprit and get her friend out of jail. This is a wonderful introduction to a new series. It is an entertaining, easy to read cozy set in a charming old western town in Montana. The characters are fun and unique. I really liked the Paper Posse ladies and hope to see more of them in the upcoming books The mystery is suspenseful and well crafted. This is an excellent debut cozy and I look forward to the next book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Last Pen Standing by Vivian Conroy is the first book in A Stationery Shop Mystery series. Delta Douglas had been working as a graphic designer at an ad agency until she received a sizable check from her Gran on her thirtieth birthday. It allowed her to make her dream come true of owning a stationery shop where she can use her sketches to create a line of products. Delta invests in her best friend’s shop, Wanted in Tundish, Montana (the town with a heart of gold). While Delta is prepared for the creative aspects of the job, she seems to be lacking in business knowledge (or even how to run a cash register). When a dead body is found at Lodge Hotel, Sheriff West is quick to arrest Hazel’s brother, Finn. He also has Hazel spend the night in the jail because she lied. Sheriff West is portrayed as a small town know-it-all who seems to take rumors as fact (and plays fast and loose with the law). There are several viable suspects and I love how the author led us down the wrong path a time or two. Jonas Nord, a wildlife photographer and ex-cop, is drafted by Delta to help clear Hazel and Finn. Jonas is accompanied by Spud, a former K-9 dog, who has a good sniffer. Delta is also aided by the Paper Posse which is a group of crafters who live and work in town with Wild West nicknames (like Calamity Jane). I wish the author had taken the time to give us Delta’s background so we could get to know her. There are tidbits dropped here and there, but I wanted a more solid history so I could get to know Delta. We are also lacking details on Tundish and the Paper Posse. While reading Last Pen Standing you will need to suspend your disbelief now and then (an example is holding someone in jail overnight because they lied). My mother claimed I was overthinking things (maybe), so I will let you form your own opinion. There were some slow sections that I found myself speed reading to get through. Last Pen Standing has an interesting idea with a stationery shop housed in an old west type jail. I found Jonas to be a likeable character along with Mrs. Cassidy who runs the Paper Posse. I hope we learn more about Delta in the next book along with creating a line of products based on her designs. Last Pen Standing is a satisfying debut cozy mystery with endearing erasers, a villainous victim, glistening glitter, rogue rumors, a senseless sheriff and a determined designer.
m a fan of stationery, pens, ink stamps, cards, and journals, so I knew this book would appeal to me. The gorgeous cover had me at Hello! I liked the concept for the setup of this debut cozy series and enjoyed the rural autumn descriptions in the foothills of Washington State.
Protagonist Delta Douglas uses a monetary gift from her Gran to purchase co-ownership in a stationery shop run by her friend, Hazel. Delta and Hazel present a craft workshop at a local hotel owned by the Taylor family on the same night a gold miners party is being held. When a murder occurs, it becomes apparent that the Taylor family is in turmoil and that nearly all members have problems which may, or may not be, connected to the victim. Several times during the story, I found my attention wandering after some far-fetched actions by one of the characters (the sheriff, for example, and how he handled suspects). By the time the author glues all the clues together at the end, the killer reveal didn’t surprise me, and left me feeling a bit let down. My review is 3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 stars.
I reviewed an unedited digital ARC provided by NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an honest review. Thank you.
“Last Pen Standing” is the 1st book in Vivian Conroy’s new “Stationery Shop Mystery” series and it’s off to a great start!
Our protagonist Delta Douglas resigns from her graphic design career only to end up co-owner of a stationery shop with long-time best friend Hazel. On the night of the crafting workshop, at the swanky hotel venue, glitter isn’t the only thing found sprawled on the floor. A hotel guest is discovered dead in the bar, and amid the confusion, Delta’s best friend is suspected of the crime. Can Delta and her sidekicks solve the crime.
Both these characters could be a little more fleshed out but I am assuming this will come in the next instalment. I enjoyed the side characters like the Paper Posse ladies as well as former police detective Jonas and his former K-9 officer Spud!
The mystery is interesting and there are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. The story moves at a steady pace, and I had a hard time putting it down.
I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.
I requested and received an Advanced Reader Copy from the Poison Pen Publishing and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Delta Douglas has come to Tundish, Montana to follow her dreams. Her grandmother has gifted her inheritance early so she can go into business with her best friend Hazel as co-owner of a stationary store set up in an old sheriff’s office, complete with jail cells. Hazel has fittingly named the store WANTED. Delta’s plans include developing her own line of crafting supplies and products.
Delta arrives in town just in time to help Hazel host a workshop at The Lodge Hotel. The hotel is a busy place with a huge party in the ballroom while the WANTED workshop takes place in a large conference room. The hotel manager is adamant the two groups remain separate clearly favoring the well to do guests attending the party. One of the exclusive guests apparently didn’t get the memo because she wanders into the workshop clearly taken with the crafts especially some very special notebooks. She asks that they are set aside for her until she can return to pay for them.
The workshop ends without the woman returning so Delta and Hazel decide to leave the notebooks at the front desk. Before they can leave the building they learn someone has been murdered. Hazel and Delta find themselves wrapped up in the chaos and the crush of people as the police arrive. The police pay special attention to Hazel and her brother Finn, who is employed by the hotel and involved with the owner’s daughter. In fact, the siblings are quickly loaded into police cars and taken in for questioning.
Not sure what has really happened Delta enlists the help of the ladies from the workshop, also known as the Paper Posse. They are familiar with the town and its residents but she can get away with being the new girl in town to ask some pointed questions too. She knows she is on the right track when she receives her first threat.
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Welcome to Tundish, Montana. The author introduces readers to a vast number of characters keeping each one unique and memorable. Delta Douglas in a talented artist ready to make her break into the world. She and Hazel were college roommates then quickly became best friends. Hazel was not fully truthful with Delta on a very important topic and that gave me pause. We also meet Jonas Nord, a retired Detective, and his dog Spud also retired from law enforcement. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders, the opposite of the police chief who just wants to arrest someone. There is a large number of supporting characters, mostly the owners, staff, and guests at the hotel. People with secrets make fabulous suspects.
I really didn’t have a favorite character in this story, they are just too new. But I am looking forward to the next book to get to know them better. I especially want to get to know that Paper Posse better, they seem to be a very interesting group.
I love where this story takes place. A wild-west town that tourists love to visit. I am not sure yet if I have a complete picture of the stationery store in my head yet. Hazel has tried to keep the sheriff’s office intact as much as possible while displaying some artifacts to show the town’s history while also displaying all the goods for sale in a way to draw her customer in and entice them to make a purchase. The hotel was easy for me to envision and I would love to visit the gold mining museum.
The mystery had its share of twists and turns to keep those pages turning. The flow dipped a few times though and some of the characters actions were a little out there, but the author pasted everything together for a satisfactory ending.
The first book in a series is always a heavy lift because readers need to meet the characters and learn their place, get to know the setting, and still demand a mystery we can tear apart and wrap back together all within a set number of pages. In my opinion, the author does a great job of that in this debut novel of this series.
Last Pen Standing gives this series a strong start. I am excited to see what Ms. Convoy comes up with next.
Not sure what happened – this book had such a good premise but I couldn’t really get into it.
You can check out my booktube video review at https://youtu.be/V9X2DfpvDaI
or read my review on my blog at https://lisasiefert.com/book-review-last-pen-standing-by-vivian-conroy-stationery-shop-mystery-book-1/
Read 9.16.2019
I requested this book simply because my friend [who is new to the cozy genre] told me I should and because it was about a stationary shop. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love things in the stationary department. In fact, most people I know steer me clear of that area in ANY store because once there [much like a bookstore], I am a lost cause. I am glad to say that this book, much like most of my beloved stationary, did not [mostly] disappoint.
What I liked/loved about this book:
*Delta. She is a great main character. She has a complicated past, but not one that is so beyond the stretch of imagination that it is unbelievable. She is a kind person [who LOVES dogs. Bonus points there] and is willing to dive in and get done what needs to get done when the going gets tough. I never felt she was trying to undermine the moronic sheriff [more on HIM later], she was just trying to save her friend and her friends brother. She also is NOT a swooner, nor does she think she “needs a man to complete her” like so many cozies make their main characters now.
*Delta and Jonas are friends. There is no “tension, friction, side-glances, etc etc” that are so popular in the trope now – NOT all women need a man in their life and most women don’t need a man to solve all their problems. I am not a man-hater so just keep your venom to yourself. I just believe not every woman needs or wants a man to “save” her. And the relationship [regardless of where it leads] with Jonas is very refreshing.
*The killer is also very believable. 😉
*The side characters are a hoot. The town is fun and new. The stationary shop is a stationary lover’s dream come true. I SO wish there was a shop like this somewhere. I would be their biggest customer. It has the great small-town vibe, warts [I live in a small town. Gossip is RAMPANT and is even worse now with the internet] and all.
What I DID NOT like [because very few books are perfect]
*The formatting of the book. I am hoping that because this was an ARC that it will be fixed, but it was wonky and tough to figure out who was talking at times and where chapter breaks were.
*The Sheriff. Really? R E A L L Y? Why are all sheriff’s either stupid, tough-as-nails and proceed as with blinders on [and alienate everyone they come across] or so good looking that everyone is swooning and you KNOW that he is now going to be the love interest of the MC? I have come across several really well written sheriff’s so I know it can be done, but they seem few and far between. I can only hope this one loses reelection and someone who is better written comes into play [hint hint hint].
*Hazel. She is not really someone I would want to be best friends with or someone I would want to go into business with. I cannot say more without spoilers, but I can say that I am not a fan of her and am glad she is not the MC.
*Delta going off with Jonas. WHO goes off with an almost perfect stranger just because your friend says he is okay and you know he was a former cop. Former cops can be killers. BAD FORM DELTA.
Those are all really nitpicky things in reality and not nearly enough to keep me from reading a second one [in fact, I sure hope she is writing #2 because I want that one ASAP!! LOL] – this was simply a delightful book and I am glad to have found a new series!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Last Pen Standing by Vivian Conroy is a fantastic start to the Stationary Shop Mysteries! Even if I wasn’t a stationary (and all the do-dads that go along with it) lover, I would still have been drawn in by the detailed descriptions of Montana’s gorgeous countryside, the wildlife, the hotel, and, of course, Wanted, the stationary store, as well as the rest of the town.
Conroy’s descriptions, even down to the smallest of erasers, makes you feel like you are actually there seeing the scene, feeling the texture of the paper, or hearing the music played at the hotel’s annual gala. I haven’t had the pleasure of reading any of her other mystery series, but if they are even half way as descriptive, I’m sure they are great reads.
Not only are Conroy’s descriptions enjoyable, but so are her characters. You have Delta, moving back from the big city, who is a strong protagonist that people easily open up to. Hazel, Delta’s college roommate and business partner, seems to have her head on her shoulders when it comes to business, but not when it comes to her brother. Mrs. C., her small dog, Nugget, and the rest of the Paper Posse, who we meet mainly through texting, are amusing and you know will continue to have great insider knowledge of the town in upcoming books. And Mrs. C. seems like she will be a great life mentor to Delta.
Then you have the romantic aspect of the book. At first I thought it might be one person, but then it went into a different one, which I think is a good choice… although, perhaps the first person I thought was going to become a beau will make a move in future books.
And then the star of most cozies (the dogs, cats, or other animals) happens to be a retired K-9 officer who is around to give emotional support to the characters, sniff out clues, and help to round up the bad guys. Spud is a fantastic addition to the Stationary Shop Mysteries, and I hope you end up enjoying the series as much as I do!
A fun new series! I loved the idea of a paper goods and stationary shop. The setting of the shop in the old sheriff’s office and the Paper Posse group with their outlaw nicknames was a fun concept. Delta has to help her friend, Hazel, after Hazel’s brother is suspected of murder. Delta and wildlife guide, Jonas, investigate along with Spud the dog. Fun characters and an intriguing storyline made this book fun to read. Can’t wait to read more and see what’s next!!
LAST PEN STANDING by Vivian Conroy is a cozy mystery and the first book in the Stationery Shop series. Delta Douglas was gifted some money by her grandmother which allowed her to quit her job as a graphic designer and pursue her dream job. She invests the money in a partnership business that her college friend Hazel runs in Tundish, Montana. The business is a stationery shop and Delta plans to create a line of products for the store using designs from sketches she has done. While Delta will focus on the creative side of the business, she also needs to learn a lot about the running of a business from Hazel. Soon after Delta’s arrival, they hold a crafting workshop at a local hotel while there is also an annual party occurring. When a dead body is found, a quick arrest is made. Does the Sheriff have the right person?
Delta is a likeable character who is definitely someone you can root for. Her character had clear goals and believable motivations. However, people tended to talk to her more freely than was believable and she did not have the business acumen that I expected. The main secondary characters were well-rounded and enhanced the story. While most of the characters were entertaining, the sheriff’s portrayal and actions did not ring true or realistic. The stakes kept me invested in the outcome despite a few slow spots in the story line. The world-building enhanced the setting and gave me a clear sense of place. There were plenty of twists and turns and several potential suspects. Themes include murder, greed, family relationships, secrets, friendship and much more.
Overall, this was a decent start to a new cozy mystery series and a fun read. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series which will be published in late September.
New author and new series for me. Definitely looking forward to more. Such a creative world she’s built.
Have you ever been to an old wild west town? When I was little and watched The Brady Bunch, there was an episode where they stop at a ghost town and get locked up by a crazy prospector. Ever since then, I’ve wanted to visit a ghost town. Well, Tundish, Montana isn’t a ghost town, but it is an old wild west town. I can just imagine main street with its old sheriff’s office.
That old sheriff’s office is why Delta has moved to Tundish. It’s now a stationery shop called WANTED, and she’s become part owner with her best friend from college, Hazel. The mystery begins at WANTED’s crafting workshop which is being held at The Lodge Hotel. The workshop goes well, but as things are wrapping up, a dead body is found! Delta gets involved in the crime solving because the accused is Hazel’s brother, and Hazel is taken in by the sheriff too since she lied for her brother.
The first half of Last Pen Standing was a little slow for me, but once the action started picking up, it held my interest more. There was one character who endeared herself to me – Mrs. Cassidy. She’s a part of the Paper Posse who frequent WANTED and its crafting workshops. Since this is the first book in the series, having a lot of characters in the story didn’t allow me to get to know them as individuals very well.
Something that bothered me was the way that Delta talks. It’s way too formal. She’s young! I don’t even talk as formally as she does. For example, “I’ll have the peppered beef wrap. That will have a nice strong flavor I can then douse with my iced tea.” And that’s just one instance. I hope that the following books have Delta chill out more.
My favorite part of Last Pen Standing is WANTED. Though I’m not an artist or crafty in anyway, I think it would just be a fun store to browse through. I’m looking forward to “seeing” more of the town and reading about the next crime the Paper Posse helps solve.
Cozy Mystery in the Bitterroot Valley, Montana
This book is the first in a series. It is a good story that has so many moving pieces that I found it hard to keep track of everything. There are a significant number of secrets surrounding the victim. Many of the others in the story also have significant secrets. The cast is topped off with a former K-9 officer with his dogs. That alone should have sold me on the story, but it didn’t. I’m hopeful that the next in this series is better. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
A strong start to a new series. Delta Douglas moves to Tundish, Montana to live her life’s dream of producing her own line of stationery products while also being a co-owner of a stationery shop. Immediately things go from “glitter to murder” and now Delta needs to help clear her friend and her friend’s brother from bogus charges.
I look forward to getting to know the characters better in future books. Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.
Last Pen Standing is the first book in the A Stationery Shop Mystery series.
Delta Douglas’s lifetime dream is to take the many, many sketches she has made over the years and have them reproduced on various stationery items. Her Gran has decided to give Delta her inheritance now so Delta can buy a share in her best friend, Hazel, a stationery store in Tundish, Montana, and Gran can watch Delta’s dream come true.
The evening of Delta’s arrival, Hazel suggests that they go to the Lodge Hotel. The hotel is having their annual gold miners party and Hazel wants Delta to check out the hotel for future craft classes that their stationery store, Wanted, could sponsor there. While checking out the rooms, Delta overhears a rather vocal argument between two ladies one of whom she recognizes. Later as they are in the lobby, Hazel’s brother Finn comes out the bar saying that there is a dead woman in the bar.
The sheriff soon arrests Finn in the later and holds Hazel in jail for trying to cover-up for Finn. Delta is anxious to clear her friends and starts to investigate. She is soon joined by Jonas a retired K-9 police officer and an interesting group of women who are friends of Hazel who now calls themselves the Paper Posse.
I found this to be a very interesting beginning to the new series. I thought it is well-written and plotted with interesting characters and plenty of red herrings that kept me guessing to the end. I’m looking forward to learning more about some of the characters.
I will be watching for the next book in this interesting series.
I have read other titles in other series written by Vivian Conroy and have enjoyed them all so I was eager to read this new series. It’s another great read. This is a contemporary series set in the Gold Rush town of Tundish, Montana so there is a bit of the historical in the series. Delta Douglas has decided to make a break with her job and gets her chance with an inheritance from her grandmother. Now is the time to become the co-owner of a stationary store with her college roommate, Hazel. Now she can create her own line of stationary products. Teaching classes, too. All of that sounds like a wonderful life plan until one night when putting on a crafting class at the local hotel, murder makes an unexpected appearance. A body turns up in the bar and there are plenty of suspects on the list but the police focus first on Delta’s business partner, Hazel. Knowing that it’s not possible for Hazel to be capable of murder, Delta teams up with a retired cop, Jason Nord and his K9 partner, Spud to track down the killer. Adding to the investigative team is the quirky bunch of ladies called the Paper Posse. They all work to keep Hazel out of jail.
Knowing that this is the first in a series I wasn’t bothered by the fact that Delta and Hazel weren’t as fleshed out as characters as I would have liked. Having read Vivian Conroy’s other series I’m sure they will fill out nicely in future books. The possible romantic thread between Delta and Jason is one I’m looking forward to, as well. The pace of the writing and the mystery are well done and there are enough of the red herring and twists in the story to engage me from beginning to the end. I’m adding this series to my list of ones I don’t want to miss reading.
An interesting mystery story with some interesting characters. I liked this idea of mixing the crafting shop and their owners along with their dogs to find out the real killer.
It’s a fast paced read and i’m looking forward to other books by the author as I enjoyed the writing and the characters.
A solid four stars. This is the first book I’ve read by Vivian Conroy and I will definitely be checking out her other books. She kept the story going with making sure enough red herrings were evident to keep the reader guessing the killer.
I was thrilled the series is set in Montana. A state on my bucket list of places to travel. She combined that with retired K-9 dogs and I was hooked.
I am not a crafter but this book has piqued my interest. I had no clue what washi tape was and have since watched several YouTube videos in what you can do with it. I just might become dangerous in decorating.
I received a complimentary copy from Poisoned Pen Press through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
cozy-mystery, excop, small-business, small-town, friendship, women-sleuths
Delta comes to small town Montana to get out of her rut and make her dream come true by partnering with her friend in operating a stationery store and giving classes. Just after the first class a rather wealthy woman with local connections is murdered and the friend’s brother seems to be railroaded as primary suspect. Enter a former K9 handler/wildlife guide/photographer, a group of other shop owners who also want the right suspect arrested, and a substantial suspect pool. Let the sleuthing begin! Good plot complete with twists and red herrings. A good read!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley.