Mystery bookstore owner Samantha Washington is about to find out it’s not so easy to play Monday morning quarterback when it comes to murder. . . To the town of North Harbor, Michigan, MISU quarterback Dawson Alexander is a local hero. To Samantha Washington, owner of the Market Street Mysteries Bookstore, Dawson is more than a tenant—he’s like an adopted son. But to the police, he is their … the police, he is their prime suspect after his ex-girlfriend is found murdered. It’s more than enough real-life drama for Sam to tackle, but her role as a mystery writer also calls. Returning to the English countryside between the wars, she finds Lady Daphne Marsh in quite the quandary. Someone has tried to murder the scandalous American divorcée Wallis Simpson, for whom Edward VIII so recently abdicated his throne. It seems finding a suspect is no small challenge when most of England has a motive . . .
While Sam’s lawyer sister Jenna rushes in to build Dawson’s defense, Sam and her lively grandmother, Nana Jo, huddle up to solve the mystery and blow the whistle on the real killer. With the tenacious members of the Sleuthing Senior Book Club eager to come off the sidelines, Sam and her team just might stop a killer from completing another deadly play . . .
Praise for V.M. Burns and The Plot Is Murder
“You’ll love this delightful debut mystery with its charming and wacky cast of characters and a mystery within a mystery just to keep things interesting.”
—Victoria Thompson, bestselling author of Murder in Morningside Heights
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Another great Mystery Bookshop book! I was totally into both stories. I’m in awe of how V.M. manages to tell two engrossing mystery tales, one contemporary and one historical, in one book.
From the adorable cover to the fantastic and satisfying ending, I enjoyed every minute of this phenomenal read. Bookstore owner Samantha Washington has her hands full–again–trying to solve a murder to keep her beloved employee, college football star Dawson, out of prison. With Nana Jo and her senior sleuth cohorts pitching in to help, readers can be assured of a whopping good time. Sam’s interaction with her family members is heartwarming and real, and at times I wanted to reach into the book and give them all a hug. The killer was elusive, slippery as a snake. The ending put a huge smile on my face, and now I can’t wait for the third installment in this charming new cozy series.
Autumn is Sam Washington’s favorite time of the year along the Michigan coast. Her bookshop, Market Street Mysteries is flourishing. When her assistant, Dawson, is suspected of murder, he could lose his football career if sent to prison. Determined to clear his name, Sam, Nana Jo, and her grandmother’s amusing friends from the retirement center talk it over and ask their contacts for information about the deceased—Melody. Melody appears to have been a con artist with a less than desirable past.
This is a good mystery with plenty of red herrings making it difficult to pinpoint the true killer. There is a ‘mystery within a mystery’ as the novel includes the 1930’s mystery Sam is writing in her free time—it’s okay; however, I prefer the main mystery.
I reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley And Kensington.
Read Herring Hunt by V. M. Burns was another delightful afternoon spent with Sam, Nana Jo and Nana Jo’s wonderful and quirky friends.
The plot was smoothly paced with a few twists and only a few suspects to seriously consider. I do enjoy reading Sam’s mystery stories that are included within each book. Having been an Agatha Christie fan for years, I caught on to who the culprit might be before Sam did which surprised me. I usually don’t catch all of the clues while reading but this one stood out to me.
The characters are developing well and I felt like I got to know more about Sam, Nana Jo and her friends. I love it when Nana Jo and her friends are on the page as they bring laughter and insight into the mystery. It was nice to learn more about Sam’s sister, Jenna, too. I liked her as she is feisty and determined which made her the perfect lawyer for Dawson. I’m already looking forward to the next one.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
Another great book in this series! I loved it! If you enjoy mystery bookshops, British cozy mysteries, and sleuthing seniors, this is a book for you. Typically, I don’t enjoy reading mysteries from the early 1900s, but the story from the earlier century is just a subplot, so I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to reading the next book in this series!
I enjoyed this book. Sam’s family is fun and lovable. Nan Jo’s friends are a hoot. They all pull together to help one of their own beat a murder rap. Dawson is the child Sam never had and he is accused of murdering his one-time girlfriend. Sam’s sister Jenna represents him while Sam, Nana Jo, and the rest of the ladies gather information to uncover the murderer. Several suspects and so you aren’t sure who is the bad guy. Fun, easy to read book that I would recommend to anyone who loves cozies.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Tenant, employee, and MISU quarterback Dawson Alexander finds himself in hot water when his ex-girlfriend is found dead. He is suspended from the football team but his boss/landlord Samantha Washington is committed to proving his innocence and her Sleuthing Senior Book Club, including her grandmother, Nana Jo are all on board to help. First Samantha gets Jenna, her sister/lawyer to represent Dawson, then she and the ladies start investigating.
Samantha Washington is also a budding author and her characters are dealing with a murder mystery of their own. During a hunt, a young woman is shot and killed. Lady Daphne Marsh is on the case because she knows one of her guests in a murderer. She hopes to pin down the killer before any more blood is shed.
V.M. Burns is unique because she gives her readers two completely separate mysteries in each book.
Samantha is a fantastic protagonist. She is still finding her way since her husband’s death but Market Street Mysteries Bookstore, a dream she ended up fulfilling on her own has had great success. Her nephews pitch in at the store when they can and while Dawson helps in the store but his main duty is baking up tasty treats for the customers to enjoy.
Her other dream to become a mystery writer is proceeding nicely too, as she pens her second story. She has yet to take the major step of finding an agent to get her books published.
Her Nana Jo has moved in with Samantha since she was involved in the murder in book one, The Plot is Murder. Nana Jo and her friends round out this clever cast. These senior ladies all remind me of my mother in one way or another and their antics had me in stitches.
I was happy to see Dawson in a key role. His mother/ son like relationship with Sam was heartwarming. Getting more of his backstory was very interesting.
The main mystery really had me guessing. The victim was not at all what she seemed and the more we found out about her the more suspects came into play. The police decided early on the Dawson was guilty so Sam and her senior sleuths really had to dig to get the evidence to convince them otherwise and by then they were almost too late. Twists, turns, and yes, Red Herrings kept the pages flying until the real murderer was revealed.
The second mystery, the one Samantha is writing was a type of closed room mystery. The guilty party had to have been part of the hunt. For me, this one was easier to solve but very entertaining. I will admit, it takes a while, to get into a rhythm with one story interrupting the other. I thought about skipping through and reading the main story first and then going back to read the second, but I didn’t do it. Samantha always finds time to write when she is stuck on the real drama in her life, late at night when she can’t sleep and I understand that. I read at night when I can’t sleep. So in recognizing her process I adjusted mine and read the book as it was written.
Both settings, the English countryside, and the Michigan college town of North Harbor come alive in the worlds V. M. Burns has created. The Marsh Manor and the Market Street Mysteries Bookstore are both places I would love to visit again and again.
Not one, but two well-written mysteries, a slew of interesting characters, and two vastly different settings make this book unique and enjoyable. I look forward to many more books in this series.
Once again cozy author V.M. Burns has combined 2 stories into one! In Read Herring Hunt, mystery bookstore owner Samantha Washington and her band of senior cohorts must help their young friend, Dawson, when he is accused of the murder of his former girlfriend. And in the cozy mystery that Samantha is writing in her spare time, we travel to the English countryside in the 1930’s where Wallis Simpson is visiting Lady Daphne and her family, and her maid is found murdered – was it a case of mistaken identity….or did someone mean to kill the wife of the former king?!? Two expertly written mysteries are woven together in this second book in the Mystery Bookshop series, and it was quite the page turner. Very, very enjoyable and highly recommended by this cozy mystery reader! 🙂
I keep going back and forth on if I liked that there was another story in this story. Sam is a writer along with being a bookstore owner. In the book there is the story she is writing beside the main story. I think in the end I do like the additional story. It was fun to read another mystery while trying to solve the mystery that was going on in the real world of the book. I have not read the first book and you don’t have to to read this book. I enjoyed this story and look forward to the next book in the series.
*Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this for my honest opinion*
Read Herring Hunt is the second book in the A Mystery Bookshop Mystery series.
I loved this exciting follow up to The Plot Is Murder the first in the series.
Samantha “Sam” Washington is enjoying living her dream of owning a bookstore and things are going well at the bookstore. But Sam is concerned about Dawson Alexander, her assistant at the store and baker of delicious desserts. He has recently broken up with Melody Hardwick, a college classmate of his and appears to be a “hanger on”, wanting to bask in the glory of his football career. Melody did not take the break-up well and assaulted Dawson. The next morning her body is found and Detective Pitt feels he has enough evidence to arrest Dawson for murder.
Dawson is like family to Sam and her grandmother, Nanna Jo, so they set out to find who actually killed Melody. With the help of Dorothy, Irma, and Ruby Mae, friends of Nanna Jo fellow residents at her retirement community they soon learn that she has been arrested for fraud in the past. After talking with fellow classmates they begin to look at her past to see if someone has decided to seek revenge.
Once again Sam shares with the reader her work-in-progress dealing with Wickfield Lodge and Lord William Marsh and his family. Lord James asks Lord William to host a shooting party to be attended by Duchess of Windsor and a few important representatives of European countries. When one of the members of the party is killed Lady Daphne, Lady Penelope and their aunt Lady Elizabeth need to find out if the person killed was the intended victim and who the killer is.
This is a well-plotted story with a cast of believable and interesting characters. I particularly enjoy Nanna Jo and her “posse”. They are all so feisty, especially Irma. I would love to friends with all of them.
I’m looking forward to the next book in this very enjoyable series.
Just like its predecessor, Read Herring Hunt is a winner on all levels. As a cozy mystery it swallows me with wonderful writing, pulls me into the growing family of wonderful characters, and holds me with a great mystery plot. As a mystery is keeps me on the edge of my seat because those characters mean so much and because the complex plot keeps me guessing; Read Herring Hunt provides the perfect balance of what I look for in a mystery.
One of the unique and delightful elements of this book is the fact that the main characters writes a 1939 cozy mystery throughout the story which she shares with us. After I read The Plot is Murder, I decided that reading the two novels separately fit my reading style best so I marked each part of the historical novel and went back through to read it. It was another complex cozy mystery focusing on a time period when the world was on edge and people throughout Europe had to be aware of dangers of espionage in their every day lives. Two winners for the price of one!!!
I was fortunate enough to get an ARC of this book and loved it enough that reviewing it was a must. I have to let my friends know that I have a new MUST READ author in V. M. Burns!
Can’t get enough of this series. The entire community of characters, especially Sam, Frank, and Nana No. The mysteries are clever. Especially love the mystery novel within the mystery novel and the way the intertwine. You’ll love these!
Loved it!,
This was a very enjoyable read with some funny moments that made me laugh. Perfectly fun fellow geezers!
Market Mysteries Bookshop is thriving and Sam couldn’t be happier until murder once again interrupts her life. A young woman named Melody has been killed and police are suspecting Dawson Alexander. Dawson is the QB for the local college MISU, but more than that he was Melody’s boyfriend. Dawson is like family so Sam, Nana Jo and the members of the Sleuthing Senior Book Club step in, determined to solve the mystery and save the day.
While working to prove Dawson’s innocence, Sam continues writing, and begins the 2nd book in her British cozy mystery series. It helps her find some peace with everything going on and if one day she can summon the strength to submit her writing for publication, having more than one book ready is a necessity.
I am absolutely loving this series. First off, Snickers & Oreo are the cutest names for the pups in this series, although I may be a bit biased since Oreo happens to be my kitty’s name. They add such a sweet touch to the series as only animals can do.
I am also really enjoying the cozy within a cozy. One would think it would take away from the main story but, for me anyway, it adds to the fun. I am so glad I snagged this series and can’t wait to read on.
Read Herring Hunt is the second book in by V. M. Burns’ Mystery Bookshop series. This is an entertaining read with a great cast of characters and an interesting mystery. The storyline is smoothly paced and there were multiple situations where I found myself laughing out loud. The main character is writing a mystery book that is included within the storyline and while it provides a second mystery for the reader to attempt to solve, I didn’t care for “the book inside a book” concept and quickly found myself skipping through those sections.
Samantha “Sam” Washington is the owner of the Market Street Mysteries Bookstore in North Harbor, Michigan. After the death of her husband, Sam sold their home, purchased a building, quit her teaching job, and open the mystery bookstore she and her late husband had always dreamed of and her living quarters are upstairs. Michigan Southwest University’s star quarterback, Dawson Alexander, lives in the studio apartment above Sam’s garage and because he finds baking therapeutic, bakes delicious treats for the bookstore. Dawson’s more than a tenant to Sam; he’s like an adopted son and her grandmother, Nana Jo, and sister, Jenna, treat him like family. Dawson recently broke up with his girlfriend, Melody Hardwick, and she didn’t take it well; in fact, she confronted and physically attacked him. When early morning joggers find Melody’s body, the investigating officer, Detective Brad Pitt, believes Dawson is responsible. Jenna, a criminal defense lawyer, jumps in to represent Dawson. Nana Jo and her somewhat quirky friends from the retirement community help Sam with her endeavor to clear Dawson’s name.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
Another Murder Within a Murder
This is the second book in this series. And, like the first book, our heroine is a mystery writer and the reader gets to enjoy the mystery she is writing as well as the mystery she is solving. It works great and is not at all confusing. These books stand alone very well and will be great to re-read in the future. The plots are well planned and exciting. The books are fast moving and fly by. All of the characters come across as real people with real motivations. I received this ARC book for free from the author and this is my honest opinion.
Sam has just got the bookstore up and running when Dawson’s ex-girlfriend is found murdered. Sam and the sleuthing seniors are on the case and I have to say they have some major contacts! Nana is a sweetheart but she seems to be pushing Sam to start dating and publishing her book and I don’t like that, shouldn’t it be up to Sam? Still a great book and I am loving this author!
Excellent Cozy Bookshop Mystery!
Read Herring Hunt is book two in the V.M. Burns Bookshop Mystery. Sam Washington, our delightful protagonist, is living her dream as a bookstore owner and author. With the help of her grandmother and her employee Dawson, Sam can run the bookshop and continue writing her British cozy mysteries.
When Dawson, who is now in college is arrested for his girlfriend’s murder it takes Sam, Nana Jo and the rest of Nana’s senior friends help find the real murderer. With many twists and turns, and a few red herrings thrown along the way, Sam and her friends finally figure out the “whodunit.” I love the fact that this series has a mystery within a mystery. As Sam writes her novel, we are reading the mystery as well. Such a cleaver take on a British Cozy combined with the current cozy. Ms. Burns is a very talented author who can keep two mysteries going at once. If you enjoy a heartwarming protagonist, senior sleuths, and a mystery within a mystery, this book is just right for you!
Sam and her friends and family have another murder to solve. They are all such good characters. It was a fun read. Nothing graphic.