Every woman would kill for one . . . Manhattan fashionista Kelly Quinn thought she’d left her upstate New York town far behind . . . until the Seventh Avenue expat returns home to revamp her grandmother’s consignment shop into an upscale boutique—and unwittingly sets a trend for murder . . . After her rising career as a Manhattan buyer is derailed, Kelly has mixed feelings about relocating back … Kelly has mixed feelings about relocating back to Lucky Cove, in spite of her big plans for the soon-to-be-renamed Curated by Kelly Resale Boutique. What’s left of her luck starts running out when a customer puts on a black lace dress that triggers visions of someone being murdered. As if the haunted “Murder Dress” isn’t enough to kill business, the psychic’s doppelganger cousin has just been found bludgeoned to death.
Was Maxine LeMoyne the real target or was it a case of mistaken murder? With some creepy pre-Halloween bargain hunters walking the night and Kelly suddenly a person of interest, a second murder rocks the close-knit town. Now Kelly could be the one who ends up talking to dead people when she’s stalked by a killer determined to take her out in high style . . .
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This was my first book by this author. I thought the book was great and will continue it. There were a lot of great characters and chaos that added to the book. The who dun it was a big surprise for me. I loved how the main character changed the boutique to make it her own.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Kelly Quinn has returned to Lucky Cove to take over the consignment store left to her by her grandmother. She hopes with her fashion education and experience she can take the shop in another direction. She is holding a 3-day sale to get rid of the old so she can reopen with her new ideas. Everything starts to fall apart when a customer claims to have a vision of a murder when she tries on a little black dress. Faster than you can say “consignment” the public assumes Kelly’s shop and merchandise is haunted.
When the cousin of the vision seeing customer is murdered, Kelly is ready to pack her bags and head back to the city. But she has so many questions. Questions that could end up with her being the next person knocking on the pearly gates. Is her shop doomed before she even starts or will catching the killer give her another chance at making her dreams come true?
What a great debut for this new series!
Debra Sennfelder has created some wonderful characters to kick off this series. Kelly Quinn has big ideas for her grandmother’s shop, but Pepper, her grandmother’s and now her employee, and also her grandmother’s best friend, isn’t on board with all the changes. Her uncle is just waiting for her to fail so he can sell the property and line his own pockets. Her friend, Liv, is behind her all the way. She even brings baked goods to the store from her family’s bakery every day and stays to help Kelly in any way she can. We meet for friend Ariel. Their relationship has been rocky due to a past event. Bernadette Rydel is a local psychic, the woman that tries on the LBD and starts all the commotion. Her life becomes entangled with Kelly’s when her cousin and doppelganger Maxine Lemoyne is killed.
The author has written a complex mystery with a lot of moving parts. The paranormal elements of the story are very light but play a big part. The character’s interactions drive the story with several twists and a surprising reveal. Humor is liberally sprinkled throughout making the story very entertaining.
I enjoyed the Ariel/Kelly subplot a lot. It hit me in a personal way. I love reading about characters I truly can identify with. I was so happy with the way the author presented their story and that is was not kept secret and dragged out over a number of books. Ariel surprised me, she gave me hope and warmed my heart.
The story ends with a happy ending and me with a smile on my face. I am looking forward to many books in this series and getting to know the characters in depth. This was a very enjoyable read.
Now I am hooked on two series from Debra Sennefelder. The new Resale Boutique Mystery series hits all the points I love about cozy mysteries. Murder Wears a Little Black Dress provides a challenge for the protagonist Kelly Quinn, it offers her a strong support system of people that we can love, and it offers an intriguing mystery with an unusual slant, not to mention a really great title. For some reason I am attracted to books with resale/consignment shops so that one hit just right, too. Kelly needs a little smoothing out but for the most part that is in reaction from the changes in her life and we see a bit of that smoothing later in the novel. I look forward to spending more time with Kelly and her friends in the next book in the Resale Boutique Mystery series!
I was excited to receive a copy of the ARC from the publisher via Goodreads Giveaway. It was already on my must-buy list and I got to read it early!
Murder Wears a Little Black Dress by Debra Sennefelder is the first book in a new cozy mystery series that seemed to be a little bit cozy mystery, little bit of chic lit and a slight nod to psychic abilities.
Kelly Quinn has moved home to Lucky Cove to take over her grandmother’s resale shop after her career in New York as an assistant buyer crashed. She’s is second guessing her decisions about her move, her life and the shop as she tries to begin her life all over again. Then a psychic visits her shop on the first day, tries on a little black dress and has a vision of a man being murdered. Rumors fly and so do customers. Kelly is desparate to save the shop so begins to investigate.
Ms. Sennefelder has written an intricate plot that is smoothly paced with enough twists to keep readers guessing and several suspects that all could be guilty. The reveal was dramatic and surprising and the final chapter was a happy grand opening for the shop and a new beginning for Kelly.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Lyrical Underground via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
I enjoyed reading this first book in a new cozy series. Kelly has returned home to Long Island after losing her fashion job in NYC and inheriting her Grandmother’s Consignment shop. A psychic tries on a little black dress and has a vision of a murder and her shop becomes known for the murder dress. When she discovers a real dead body and becomes the prime suspect she sets out to solve the crime. I really enjoyed the fashion background and the characters. The mystery was good and there was a twist at the end. The book is a quick fun read. I am looking for word to reading the next one. Enjoy
Great book!
murder wears a little black dressMurders Wears a Little Black Dress by Debra Sennefelder takes readers on a journey to Lucky Cove, New York. Kelly Quinn has inherited her grandmother’s consignment shop, Lucky Cove consignment Shop much to her Uncle Ralph’s disappointment. Kelly has big plans to make the shop profitable and change it into an upscale boutique. She is having a three day sale to help clear out the unwanted items. Bernadette Rydell, the local psychic, comes in and tries on a little black dress. While wearing the dress, Bernadette has a vision of a man being murdered. The shop quickly clears of customers while rumors of the “haunted dress” swirl about town keeping shoppers at bay. Kelly needs to get her sale back on track and starts by visiting the dresses consignee. She then gets a call from Bernadette asking her to stop by right away. Kelly arrives at Bernadette’s cottage and finds her dead on the floor. She is shocked when Bernadette walks through the door. The victim is Maxine Lemoyne, Bernadette’s cousin, who could pass for her twin sister. Which cousin was the intended target? Detective Nora Wolman is on the case, and she has Kelly at the top of her suspect list. The situation at her shop deteriorates when Valerie Leigh holds an impromptu séance and claims a chair is haunted which results in a customer filing a lawsuit. Kelly is determined to clear her name and the shop’s. However, someone is not happy with her sleuthing and tries to discourage her. When a second person connected to the case is murdered, Kelly knows she must be getting close to the truth. Kelly needs to work quickly, or she could end up the subject of the séance.
Murder Wears a Little Black Dress is the debut novel in A Resale Boutique Mystery series. Kelly Quinn has inherited her grandmother’s consignment boutique and she is determined to make it work. Kelly lost her job as an assistant buyer in New York and her old boss has had her blackballed in the fashion industry. She wants to make changes to the shop to feature clothing and accessories only (getting rid of furniture and tchotchkes). Pepper Donovan, her grandmother’s friend and employee does not like the changes Kelly plans to make to the shop (I want to know how a shop making no profit can afford an employee). I thought Murder Wears a Little Black Dress was a quick, easy to read cozy mystery. It is fashion oriented with detailed clothing descriptions. The mystery was straightforward and avid mystery readers will find it a piece of cake pinpointing the killer. I wish the author had provided more details on Kelly’s past. Some information is imparted throughout the book and details on how she lost her job is slowly revealed. Kelly has tension with Ariel Barnes over an incident that occurred back in high school. Again, the information is slowly provided as the story progresses (very drawn out). To me it should have been an emotional part of the story, but the feelings were not there. There is a smidgeon of paranormal in the story and a hint of romance. Murder Wears a Little Black Dress is a lively cozy mystery with fashionable clothes, personable characters, murder, mystical forces, and mayhem.
Murder Wears a Little Black Dress
Resale Boutique Mystery, Book #1
Debra Sennefelder
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Every woman would kill for one . . .
Manhattan fashionista Kelly Quinn thought she’d left her upstate New York town far behind . . . until the Seventh Avenue expat returns home to revamp her grandmother’s consignment shop into an upscale boutique—and unwittingly sets a trend for murder . . .
After her rising career as a Manhattan buyer is derailed, Kelly has mixed feelings about relocating back to Lucky Cove, in spite of her big plans for the soon-to-be-renamed Curated by Kelly Resale Boutique. What’s left of her luck starts running out when a customer puts on a black lace dress that triggers visions of someone being murdered. As if the haunted “Murder Dress” isn’t enough to kill business, the psychic’s doppelganger cousin has just been found bludgeoned to death.
Was Maxine LeMoyne the real target or was it a case of mistaken murder? With some creepy pre-Halloween bargain hunters walking the night and Kelly suddenly a person of interest, a second murder rocks the close-knit town. Now Kelly could be the one who ends up talking to dead people when she’s stalked by a killer determined to take her out in high style . . . (Goodreads)
Review:
This is the first book in the series and I found it very entertaining. It had everything that I look for in a cozy: great characters, a charming setting, a complex mystery, a little paranormal and intrigue.
The characters are well developed and well rounded. Kelly is a smart, feisty woman who has had a lot of changes in her life. She is willing to make a go of keeping her grandmother’s resale shop, but she does not know if she can be successful. When she is accused of a murder, she know she has to figure out who the real killer is. It was great getting to know Kelly and her friends and I cannot wait to spend more time with them in future books.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. I thought that the mystery was well plotted and moved along at a nice pace. There were a lot of clues to sift through and suspects to consider and I did not figure out the culprit until it was revealed at the end. I really liked the ending, it totally took me by surprise.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the nest one in the series when it is released.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
Murder Wears a Little Black Dress, the first in the Resale Boutique Mystery series, was an absolute delight to read. Protagonist Kelly Quinn wasted no time stitching her way into a permanent place in my heart. She’s young and makes mistakes, but she values her friends and she’s devoted to her grandma’s memory. The psychic element was tremendous fun! The setting and the characters were so perfectly described that by the end, I was joining in the merriment and wishing I could be there in person. I’m anxious to read the second entry in this enchanting new cozy series.
Fast paced and fun, this flirty series starter combines elements of several of my favorite genres.
Besides being a book junkie, I am fascinated by the resale world, whether consignment or thrifting. I believe objects and clothing have stories to share.
In this case, the sharing comes as a psychic vision.
It is always sad to lose a relative, regardless of how close you are or how much time you spend together. Kelly and her grandmother had in common a love of clothing. Kelly was a buyer in NYC, being part of the trendsetters of fashion. When her granny passes, Kelly inherits a less trendy consignment boutique, and a long time employee, in a much smaller town. You can imagine they do not have the same vision for the shop’s future.
What happens, neither one could have predicted.
From unusual customers to Kelly becoming a person of interest in not one but TWO murders, this book will keep you turning pages until the end, and then wanting to come back and visit again.
This was a solid first book in a new series. I thought the characters had depth and were entertaining. The mystery had me hooked and I didn’t even come close to guessing who the killer was. I know nothing about fashion, but was entertained by how the author sprinkled her knowledge on the top into the book to make it more detailed.
Murder Wears a Little Black Dress is the first book in the new Resale Boutique Mystery series by Debra Sennefelder. Kelly Quinn has moved home to Lucky Cove, Long Island from her former job in NYC. She has endured a rough few months, having lost her job, lost her dear granny Martha Blake, and then has struggled to keep her Granny’s business, which she inherited, up and running. The changes she would like to make are not sitting well with Granny’s dear friend and associate Pepper Donovan. Things seem to be thwarting her at every turn. And then, there is the three day sale.
Things are going well until local psychic Bernadette Rydell tries on the perfect little black dress and experiences a vision which ties the dress to a murder and leaves Bernadette unconscious. Of course the tale of what happened travels throughout their small town, and business begins to implode. When two actual murders occur and are tied back to Bernadette’s vision, business slides to a halt and Kelly is worried about losing her Granny’s business completely.
A very fast paced tale that will leave the reader guessing until the very end and a climax that will surprise even the most seasoned mystery reader. This is a new series to be watched! I did enjoy this book and do recommend it, plus I look forward to the next book in the series!
I had the pleasure of reading an early ARC of MURDER WEARS A LITTLE BLACK DRESS—the debut story in the new Resale Boutique Mysteries. It’s trendy and fast-paced with plenty of suspects, entertaining characters, and home and hearth details to appeal to cozy fans. I enjoyed this story from cover to cover. The author plotted the scenes much like you put together a chic ensemble with accessories. At the end, the reveal is well pulled together and appealing.
Kelly Quinn’s granny left her a consignment shop that was her pride and joy. Located in Lucky Cove, NY, the shop is rundown and Kelly’s vision is to update and revamp the space into an upscale boutique. Her granny’s best friend, Pepper, works there and is wary about the changes Kelly is making. When a customer tries on a black lace dress and has a vision of murder, business slacks off and Kelly fears the financial strain will be too much to stay afloat amid rumors she’s selling haunted clothing. To keep the shop open, Kelly begins to piece clues together and figure out how the black dress was involved in a murder. This cozy is a clever whodunnit! Enjoy!
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Lyrical Press. Thank you.
Long Island Cozy Murder Mystery
This book is a fun and cozy mystery that takes place in a small Long Island town. There are many plot shifts and details that leaves our heroine lost. This is a great start for a new series. There is quite a bit of fashion details as the story revolves around a consignment store. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I received this book for free and this is my honest opinion.
After having read (and enjoyed) Three Widows and a Corpse, book three in the Food Blogger Mysteries, my podcast partner for Books Don’t Review Themselves and I both decided we want to try Debra Sennefelder’s Resale Boutique Mystery series. I bought book one, Murder Wears a Little Black Dress, so I would be able to read it before book two, Silenced in Sequins, comes out on January 7, 2020.
I was intrigued by the synopsis because it reminded me of Juliet Blackwell’s Witchcraft Mysteries. The main character, Lily, owns a vintage clothes shop and she picks up vibes off of the clothing, which draws her into mysteries. The two worlds of the Witchcraft Mysteries and the Resale Boutique Mysteries couldn’t be more different though. Juliet Blackwell’s series in a supernatural cozy, while Sennefelder’s is not, it just happens to have some psychics in it.
I’m not a huge clothes person, mainly because being plus sized so many of the clothes don’t fit right or look like tents, so I don’t really enjoy clothes shopping. But reading Sennefelder’s descriptions of the clothes and accessories was still enjoyable for me and definitely added another level to the book.
For the first book in a series, the characters are already very well developed. Kelly’s best friend is always bringing over baked goods, her assistant loves her like a mother, and even her uncle, who seems to be a jerk, has a solid identity. There was a perfect amount of characters to have plenty of suspects and I wasn’t sure who the killer was, so that’s always fun for me. I hope we get more stories about Kelly’s grandma intertwined in future books.
Highly recommend Murder Wears a Little Black Dress! And I will be reading and reviewing book two, Silenced in Sequins. You should also check out Sennefelder’s Food Blogger series, starting with book one, The Uninvited Corpse.
A great book in a new series! Kelly Quinn comes back to her hometown of Lucky Cove after her grandmother’s death to take over her grandmother’s consignment shop. Things start to go wrong after a supposed psychic tries on a dress and sees a vision of a man murdered. When the psychic’s look alike cousin ends up murdered, Kelly becomes a suspect. She begins investigating to clear her name and help bring business back to her shop. I loved the characters, the small town charm, and the shop. I look forward to reading more of Kelly’s adventures and seeing what happens with her and Mark!
Having read Ms. Sennefelder’s Food Blogger mystery series, which I enjoy, I decided to give the Resale Boutique Mystery a try. I found this book to be an fast paced, entertaining read. Kelly Quinn is an enjoyable protagonist. She is fun, feisty, determined and can get herself in trouble quickly. The cast of secondary characters are interesting and enjoyable as well. The mystery is woven throughout the story nicely, and the author throws in some nice twists that surprised me and made for a good reveal. There is a bit of the paranormal with one of the secondary characters being a psychic but it wasn’t a lot and I’m not sure she will be a regular.
This was good start to a new series and I will be on the lookout for more books in the series.
I really enjoyed this book! This is the first book I read by Debra Sennefelder. I definitely want to read more of her books.
The setting of a consignment shop was original and I love the part it played in the mystery. I also enjoyed the references to fashion, (and I am not a fashionista). I like her characters. I enjoyed reading their interactions. Kelly, the main character, has returned to her hometown. She has some relationship issues to work on, (for instance her sister and a high school friend), and they are well handled. I really liked the way the author wrote these, nothing rushed and not completely resolved. It felt realistic. I also like the way the love interest didn’t hijack the story. The mystery was the story as it is suppose to be. There is a psychic, who may or may not be the real thing, but, so far, no ghosts or things like that. That was refreshing and original, for me. The mystery was done well. It kept me interested as every time I had to put it down, I was eager to return to it. It was, for me, one of those books you get to the end and are forlorn, thinking, “now what?” I wanted to know the ending but was so sad because it was..the end. I’m looking forward to more books in this series.
It was hard to get into at first but once I was in, it held my attention. I loved the twisted plot. Great book!
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