Change is hard in a small Southern town, especially when it brings a side of murder.All Harvey Beckett wants to do is help the residents of St. Marin’s find the perfect book for that moment, snuggle with her hound dog Mayhem, and be ignored by her cat Aslan. But when the small, waterside town’s newest resident discovers the body of the community’s persnickety reporter in her bookshop storeroom … in her bookshop storeroom just before her grand opening, Harvey can’t help trying to solve the crime, even when it might cost her business and her life. The more questions Harvey asks, the more secrets she uncovers.
Will Harvey and her friends be able to solve the murder of the town reporter without her becoming a victim herself?
This book addresses racism in both the plot and the writing style.
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Awesome mystery with wonderful characters. I love how the people in the town come together and are so friendly and help each other. The mystery had me guessing that everyone was the killer. The sheriff was wonderful. Such a kind character. Read the prequel first. It will answer some questions that come up in this book.
This book is more than just a cozy mystery; it also deals with history and social injustices.
The main character, Harvey, is going through some life changes. We find out that she’s divorced and has moved from California all the way to the east coast to open a bookstore, which was a lifelong dream. Harvey is a determined character who’s also headstrong and a little on the self-proclaimed nosy side. That being said, she is bighearted and generous. We also meet her best friend, Mart. Mart’s character doesn’t play a big role, but what we do know about her is she too is caring and helpful. We get to see a little banter between them, which adds some humor to the book, but I hope Mart’s character is further explored in future books. Another person who adds dynamism to the story is Daniel, Harvey’s love interest. Daniel seems like a chivalrous man, but also quiet at times. I’m looking forward to the development of their relationship in future books.
The storyline has a lot of realism and history. The focus is on solving the murder, but it also deals with some serious issues such as racial injustice. There are times the book has some lulls in it, for me, anyway, but overall, it provides great detail and believable dialogue.
If you are looking for a story that is set in a small town and shows the generosity of others as well as touches on real issues, then Publishable by Death might be a good choice for you.
St Marin is a sweet little town to visit.
This series has colorful characters, small town twists on contemporary issues and problems, and the opening of Harvey’s bookstore
A fun place to drop in!
I love this cozy mystery!! The characters are so believable, the plot had me guessing all thru the book and I really hated for the book to end. Guess I’m getting the next one as soon as possible.
As you settle in to read Publishable by Death you will encounter “your people”. Bookens’ characters are amiable and engaging. The community of St Marin’s is a picturesque town that draws you in like one of their own. That murder comes to this close knit community is almost unthinkable. And Harvey is determined to help Sheriff Mason solve it. The history she discovers almost incidentally, adds a depth to the story that makes it hard to put down. So I didn’t. I read it all in one sitting. I think you will too! A truly engaging read, I can’t wait for book two!
Enthusiastic mystery depicting an energetic enlightened business owner with books and benevolent people throughout the story! Perfect for a book lover!
Very enjoyable with characters that are thoughtful and kind. This heroin, though nosy, did it not put herself in dangerous situation. I like that.
I am really enjoying this author’s Stitches In Crime series, so I bought this one and kept wanting to get around to read it. When I was in this busy and stressful week and I only felt like reading comforting reads by authors I already knew, I realized it was the perfect time to pick this up. And it was the perfect time to read this one.
I really enjoyed Publishable by Death. The story follows Harvey who is starting her own bookstore in the small town of St. Marin. This book starts as she is about to open her store for the first day and ofcourse not everything goes smoothly when she finds a dead body in her store on opening day.
Publishable by Death was such a fun and comforting cozy mystery. The focus was more of the every day life of Harvey, but I didn’t mind that as I really enjoyed reading about Harvey. It was easy to relate to Harvey with her love for books. I thought she was a likable character and I liked how she was curious, which ofcourse gets her involved in the mystery. I also liked how kind she was, she is very respectful of other people and I like how she helps others out when she can. She also has a great group of friends around her.
It was at times a bit hard to remember everyone as there are a lot of side characters in this book, but luckily most had a distinctive personality and made appearances often enough to make it easier to remember. I liked Harvey’s friendship with Mart and Rocky. And how she makes some new friends in Cate and Lucas. Then there is the bit of building romance with Daniel, which I liked. I also liked all the doggos and cat that were part of this book. I just loved the cozie and comforting vibe this book had and I look forward to spending more time with these characters.
The mystery didn’t grip me as much as Harvey’s daily life. There were three possible suspects from the start and it took a long time before I felt like the mystery really went somewhere. Luckily there was enough going on that I didn’t minded that the mystery gripped me less. I was curious to see how it al played out and how Harvey uncovered some clues and I actually liked how they figured out who did it. I wasn’t surprised at the murderer, but was surprised by the motive as I hadn’t thought of that motive for this person.
To summarize: Publishable by Death is a great start to this series. Harvey runs her own bookstore and I really enjoyed reading about her and her friends. There is a lot of daily life stuff next to the murder. I actually enjoyed the daily life parts more than the actual mystery. The mystery didn’t grip me as much, but still kept me curious about who had done it. The reveal wasn’t a big surprise, but I was surprised by the motive. This book felt very cozie and comforting. I liked the small town feel and the tight groups of friends around Harvey. I really enjoyed reading this one and look forward to the next book!
decent. Read in just a couple days on vacation. good for a few laughs, and the characters are somewhat believable.
A good page turner. An over curious main character. Likable and non-likable characters. Deals with modern day prejudices in a cozy manner. Main characters build a family with true friends, something we all do. All this happening during a murder mystery.
I liked this book, written by yet another “new to me” author. The plot was easily followed and full of laughter and fun, as well as the serious business of murder. The main characters were believable, fun, very endearing, and it made you want to read to the end and want more. I can easily recommend this book.
This book is about a woman who moves to a small town and open a bookstore. She discovers her building was once mentioned in the Green Book so she tries to honor the history of her building but finds dead bodies instead.
Loved it
Just a fun mystery with books tossed in. What better?
a fun start to a new series – very enjoyable
Most enjoyable
I enjoyed reading it. It had some interesting twists
This series has been a wonderful read. All the books have made me think, trying to figure out who did it and if Harvey will survive this time. In each book, Harvey confronts a different social topic. Each topic is presented as an integral aspect of the plot line, handled in a very respectful way.
Boring. Didn’t finish.
A bit disjointed, but very entertaining. Suspense and adventure.