USA Today bestselling author and Agatha Award winner Amanda Flower turns the charm up to ten in her fourth Magical Bookshop mystery.With the help of Walt Whitman’s works, magical bookshop owner Violet Waverly puts her pedal to the metal to sleuth a bicycle-race murder that tests her mettle. A bicycle race is not Charming Books proprietor Violet Waverly’s idea of a pleasant pastime. But police … Waverly’s idea of a pleasant pastime. But police chief David Rainwater wheelie wants them to enter the Tour de Cascade as a couple, so she reluctantly consents.
The Tour de Cascade is the brainchild of Violet’s Grandma Daisy. The race is a fundraiser to build the Cascade Springs Underground Railroad Museum. But not everyone in this Niagara Region village supports the race. As if the bike race weren’t tiring enough, pesky private investigator Joel Redding is snooping around Charming Books. It takes all of Violet’s and Grandma Daisy’s ingenuity to keep Redding from discovering the shop’s magical essence–which communicates with Violet through books.
When Redding perishes in an accident during the race, David discovers that the brake line of the private eye’s bike was cut. Worse, Violet tops his list of suspects. As Emerson the tuxedo cat and resident crow Faulkner look on, Charming Books steers Violet to the works of Walt Whitman to solve the crime. But no other names ring a bell as culprits, and as David’s investigation picks up speed, Violet will have to get in gear to clear her name.
more
Grandma Daisy has pulled together a bicycle race to raise money to help open a museum for the town. Violet has decided to give the race a go because her boyfriend, Chief Rainwater thought it would be a great way for them to spend some time together. Things are going well until the two get close to the end of the race and find that one of the riders has had an accident. The man, Redding, was in the village not that long ago giving Violet a hard time and has sense come back. Violet worries that she might become a suspect when it is announced that the man was actually murdered. Since he has been pack in town Violet has noticed him watching her every move. Violet really gets upset when the first her is pointed at a friend and student of hers. The young girl may have a few issues but there is no way she is a murderer. The shop keeps throwing Walt Whitman’s work in her path she must has to figure out what it all means. There are so many ave is a to look into Violet worries that she won’t be able to solve this one. Follow along as she kicks into investigative mode and starts her search for a killer. Will she be successful in the end or will she end up a victim herself. This is such a magical read and always leaves me excited for the next book. This book was no exception, I can’t wait to see what happens next!!!
Verse and Vengeance by Amanda Flower is the fourth A Magical Bookshop Mystery. There is a delightful cast of characters in this magical tale. Violet Waverly has just finished teaching another semester at the local college as well as defending her dissertation which has earned her the right to put doctor before her name. She is looking forward to working in the shop and spending time with her boyfriend, Chief David Rainwater. Daisy Waverly is Violet’s grandmother and the new mayor of Cascade Springs. Things are never dull when Daisy is around. She came up with the idea for the Cascade Springs Underground Railroad Museum and ran short of funding when issues were discovered with the foundation of the Village Hall. There is Emerson the tuxedo cat that manages to follow Violet around the village (a master escape artist) and Faulkner is the crow that resides in the magical birch tree and calls out unique quotes as well as dropping books into Violet’s path. There are a variety of charming residents and shop owners plus a curmudgeon or two. I just love the descriptions of this quant town. There are some adorable shops and it is close to Niagara Falls. The mystery was multifaceted with several suspects and good clues. While I could identify the guilty party, it took longer to figure out the why. This was a unique whodunit. I like how everything tied together. Amanda crafted a unique mystery that tied in Walt Whitman. I especially enjoyed how literature with the help of the essence tied into the whodunit. Verse and Vengeance also has romance with David and Violet at the forefront, but there is also Daisy and a certain fellow who is smitten with her. Plus, Violet’s department chair might finally work up the nerve to ask out a certain librarian. There is humor sprinkled throughout the story that had me chuckling. That Emerson is quite a character. Thanks to Amanda Flower’s descriptions, I could envision that cat in Violet’s bicycle basket. Violet’s father returns which brings up old feelings of resentment and confusion. Can Violet and her father find a way to move forward? Verse and Vengeance can be read as a standalone for those new to the series, but why would you not want to read all the books in this enchanting series. The ending of Verse and Vengeance is very special, and I cannot wait for the next book in this enchanting series. Verse and Vengeance is a spellbinding tale with an enigmatic essence, perplexing poetry, a curious cat, dynamic Daisy, a pesky PI, and a flawed foundation.
Verse and Vengeance by Amanda Flower is an awesome addition to this series. Can you tell that I love this series?
Ms. Flower’s descriptive writing pulled me into the village of Cascade Springs as Violet and David are to begin riding in the Tour de Cascade bike race and I didn’t put the book down until the end. Violet and Grandma Daisy are two of my favorite people in the world of cozy mysteries. I feel at home at Charming Books and want to move in each time I read a new book in the series. The mystery is complex as their aren’t many suspects and the one person who might know something keeps disappearing before Violet and David can really talk to her. A quickly paced plot that kept me on my toes until the reveal which took me totally by surprise made this, for me, an excellent read. I’m already looking forward to the next book in this series.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
We arrive in Cascade Springs just in time for the Tour de Cascade. The bike race is a fundraiser to raise funds to build an Underground Railroad Museum. It is one of the grand ideas of Mayor Daisy aka Grandma Daisy to Violet Waverly, caretaker of the magical Charming Books. Violet hadn’t planned on participating but her boyfriend police chief David Rainwater wants them to ride the course together. She just hopes she can make it the whole way.
As if keeping up with David wasn’t hard enough Private Investigator Joel Redding is making a nuisance of himself by riding right by her trying to take her picture. He has been outside the bookshop for days spying on her too. He is convinced there is something strange going on in the shop and if he discovers what it is he will have a cash windfall spreading the news. Violet and Grandma Daisy are determined to keep their secret especially from the likes of a man like Joel Redding.
In the last bit of the race a man crashes and dies. That man turns out to be Joel Redding and David notices the brake lines on the bike were cut, Someone wanted this man to get hurt and maybe even die and that person got their wish. Sadly, Violet finds herself on that list of suspects. So she has to do something to clear her name. Hopefully, the Essense will be able to help and point her in the right direction.
I am not a fan of Walt Whitman but I am a huge fan of Amanda Flower so I was happy to finally read this book.
I love everything about Charming Books including the mischievous tuxedo cat Emerson and the staunch crow Faulkner. It is the place where the right book will find you. And when it does there are plenty of places to curl up with it and start reading. The tree growing in the middle of the shop guards over the books and gives Faulkner a great place to perch and invoke his wisdom. I am sure if I was ever blessed to enter the shop I would read book after book and never leave.
Ms. Flower has created characters that have a lot of layers and it is nice to see them revealed slowly over the course of the series. Grandma Daisy is a woman on a mission and she will not stop until she succeeds. She is truly a force to be reckoned with, sometimes a little too bull in the china shop but her heart is always in the right place. With Daisy taking on the responsibility of the mayor’s office, Violet has realized she must take the job of caretaker of the shop on fully and learn truly what that job entails. I was thrilled that we learned more about the bookshop’s history. With the murder to investigate and all the summer tourists coming soon, she brings in college professor Richard to take some hours. He has no idea of the magic within the walls but the Essence sure helps him make some wonderful discoveries. Police Chief David Rainwater and Violet don’t get to spend a lot of time together but he knows she is hiding something so their relationship is not just sailing along.
The mystery was well-crafted. At first, I was a little frustrated that a key individual keep disappearing but then I accepted it and like Violet was worried. Walt Whitman’s connection was interesting but I do not enjoy his poetry. Seeing Violet’s frustrations at trying to figure out the clues took me back to the English classes where we studied his works and my frustration and trying to decipher his words for a grade. I passed that section by the skin of my teeth just like I figured out this mystery. I was totally in the dark and solved it when the reveal hit me in the face. LOL
I do love this series and can’t believe I had not read this book when it was released. I truly thought I had until I checked all my lists and saw it was still on my To-Be-Read list. I am so glad that I have now corrected that oversight.
Verse and Vengeance was a delightful way to spend two evenings. I couldn’t wait to get done with work each day so I could escape into this story. No spoiler but the ending made me smile and really excited for the next book in the series. Due to my delay in reading this one I don’t have as long to wait. Crimes and Covers will be out on January 11, 2022.
Violet Waverly is upset to see that PI Joel Redding is back in town, and once again staking out Charming Books, trying to learn about the secret of the bookstore. But when he is killed during the first annual Tour de Cascade Springs bike race, she begins to wonder what else he was up to. Will the investigation lead back to Violet’s secret? Why does the bookstore keep putting copies of Walt Whitman’s poetry in her path?
I really enjoyed the third book in the series earlier this year, so I sat down looking forward to this one. Sadly, the mystery disappointed. While there are some developments, the pacing could have been better. Then, in the rush to wrap things up, a major part of the mystery remains unexplained. I don’t normally read paranormal cozies, but I do enjoy the magical essence of this series. We get some additional mythology here, which I appreciated. Likewise, the series characters continue to grow, as do their relationships. Series fans will still enjoy this book even if the mystery could be stronger.
Violet loves riding her mother’s bike in her town but…. A 30 mile race may be too much. It seems that way when her race is interrupted by a dead body……
I absolutely love the idea of a magical bookshop. To me it just gets better by the book. We have been given history since the beginning, but glad we were given even more. The characters are fun to follow as well. It’s nice to see them in their new roles. I hope there is more to come and I can’t wait to see what happens next
Another cute and charming mystery in the Magical Bookshop Mystery series. I’ve read other series where I was bored by the fourth book because every book had seemed the same. Amanda Flower does a great job keeping this series interesting all the way through so far. The growing relationships between characters is a great part of the overall plot, and the mystery in this book is just as exciting as the others. Looking forward to another book in this series.
Verse and Vengeance is another exciting installment in Flower’s Magical Bookshop mystery series. Violet finds herself participating in the town’s bike race to raise money for the town’s new Underground Railroad museum, the brainchild of her own grandmother. Things seem to be going good until during the middle of the bike race one of the participants is found dead. When the person dead turns out to be the PI investigating Violet, she has no choice but to try and solve this mystery.
Flower does a great job at setting up a perplexing mystery with a lot of different suspects including one of Violet’s students. The mystery since it hits so close to home also forces Violet to decide whether or not to let her boyfriend/police chief in on her secret about her magical bookshop. Adding to Violet’s conflict is the arrival of her father who she just found and is conflicted about. Flower does a great job at using this mystery to test her main character and give her the opportunity to face these personal obstacles. The book grabs the reader’s attention from the very beginning and never lets go. Overall Verse and Vengeance proves to be a great read that I would most definitely recommend. I look forward to reading Violet’s next adventure.
Received a copy of Verse and Vengeance through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Cascade Springs is having its first bicycle race fundraiser. The Tour de Cascade is the brainchild of the new mayor, Grandma Daisy, and she’s hoping that it becomes an annual event. The race isn’t what Violet Waverly, proprietor of Charming Books, wants to do but she does it as a couple with her boyfriend and Chief of Police, David Rainwater. When they come across the body of pesky PI, Joel Redding at the bottom of a hill it soon becomes clear that it wasn’t an accident. And things get worse when another body is found and it looks like they’re connected. The essence of the bookshop is giving Violet clues but can she solve the mystery in time?
I absolutely love this series and this book was a thrilling read as well. The small town feel is conveyed and the characters are well-fleshed with all their quirks and secrets. I’m already looking forward to the next book and dreading the wait. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order.
This is the first Magical Bookshop Mystery book I’ve read and I quite enjoyed it. There was enough backstory that I could follow along without feeling lost. It appears that each story is based around a real-life author/book, which is unique and I learned a lot about Walt Whitman and his “Leaves of Grass” as Violet tries to interpret the cryptic messages the bookstore is sending her, The story is paced well and the characters are interesting. It kept my attention right up to the end.
I was given an advance copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.
My favorite characters are the raven and the cat! They are great.
A fun mystery, steeped in history.
Interesting people and situations.
What an intriguing idea about the tree and the spring water and the caretakers.
I look forward to more.
4.5 starsI adore the Magical Bookshop Mystery books and am so very happy that the series has found a new home at Crooked Lane Books. Amanda Flower is a prolific writer, among my favorite cozy mystery authors, but this series is my favorite. Perfect for bookshop, paranormal, and pet cozy mystery fans, it is charming and the quintessential cozy.
In this installment, Violet is trying to balance her increased workload with her Grandma Daisy, newly elected Cascade Springs mayor, absences from the shop, her role as caretaker of the shop’s special tree, keeping the shop’s magical “essence” a secret, and her budding romance with police chief David Rainwater. When private investigator Joel Redding dies in the town’s fundraising bicycle race, Violet is relieved that he will no longer be poking into the store’s secret and her life, but her student and friend Jo is at the top of David’s suspect list and has gone missing. Violet puts on her sleuthing cap to protect her secret, determine if Joel’s death is connected to David’s ex-brother-in-law’s recent demise, and find the real killer.
The characters here are delightful. Violet is intelligent and independent, logical and whimsical. Grandma Daisy is an eccentric hoot. Chief David Rainwater is my favorite character (and, I admit, a bit swoon worthy), but the animals steal the show. Tuxedo cat Emerson and raven Faulkner are bestowed human-like qualities, and they manage to be completely believable.
The mystery is well crafted, and the pace of the book just right. There are relatively few suspects for Violet to deal with, but I was still surprised by the killer’s identity and motive. Victim Joel is sufficiently unlikable yet readers will still feel bad about his death. The tale does culminate with an exciting, dangerous reveal. Without giving away any spoilers, fans of Violet and David will be pleased with the progression of their relationship.
VERSE AND VENGEANCE is one of my best reads of 2019, and I look forward to reading many more mysteries featuring Violet.
I received and ARC of this title from Crooked Lane Books through NetGalley and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
Verse and Vengeance by Amanda Flower is book 4 in the Magical Bookshop Mystery series. I am a huge fan of this series and this one did not disappoint.
Cascade Springs is having a bicycle race in order to raise funds for the underground railroad museum that Grandma Daisy is promoting. Chief Rainwater wants Violet to ride in the race with him now that they are a couple.. Violet had noticed that PI Joel Redding is back in town and seems to be focused on the bookstore. Violet feels he is targeting her and the store.. When he shows up during the race taking pictures of her. she knows she has to find out just what he knows. But before she can find out, Redding turns up dead on the race route and the bike has been tampered with. When a former student of Violet’s becomes the main suspect , she is again on the hunt for the murderer.
There are plenty of suspects that have you guessing to the very end.
This is an enjoyable, easy to read cozy with a great setting and relatable characters.
I was given an ARC by NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
Love this series. Please keep them coming!!
Verse And Vengeance is the fourth book in the A Magical Bookshop Mystery series.
Violet’s grandmother has recently been elected mayor of Cascade Springs and one of her first projects is to create a museum in the town hall. It is learned that the town hall will need work to the foundation before work can commence on the museum. The amount needed is more than Cascade Springs can afford, so Grandma Daisy has organized a 30-mile bike race. Violet’s boyfriend, police chief David Rainwater wants her to ride with him in the race. As Violet sets out for the race she notices PI Joel Redding watching the bookshop from across the street. Violet has had bad dealing before with Redding and feels that he is trying to learn the secrets that have been kept for several generations that the bookstore has been around. Violet and Rainwater have completed 20 miles when they come to Breakneck Hill and notice that a crowd has gathered on the street. As they are approaching the mass of people, Violet notices a copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass. When she sees the dead biker’s clothes and the book she knows it has to be Redding. First, she wants to find out why Redding was following her and to help Rainwater find the killer.
In addition to concern for finding Redding’s killer, Violet is concerned as to how much to tell Rainwater about her duties as caretaker of the bookshop. Grandma Daisy decides that it is time to turn over journals that have been kept since the first caretaker.
This is another well-written and told story with an interesting cast of characters. It’s always enjoyable to visit with Grandma Daisy and read about she approaches life. Faulkner, the shop’s pet crow, and Emerson, the tuxedo cat, are back to provide humorous times.
I will be watching for the next book in this interesting series.
The last thing Violet Waverly wants to do is enter a bicycle race. Her boyfriend, David, the local police chief and her grandmother are all for it so she agrees. The way things turn out, Violet should have stayed in bed. There is a creepy private investigator in town and he suspects enough about the bookstore’s magical tree to put an end to generations of the magical women of Violet’s family. You bet she wants to see him out of town fast. What comes next wasn’t that. Instead of leaving town he dies during the bicycle race. First thought to be a tragic accident, David discovers that the brake line has been cut and the means murder. Unfortunately, that puts Violet on the list as the prime suspect. So who else disliked the victim enough to bump him off?
Violet has kept the secret of the magical tree from David but will she be able to keep that secret much longer as she tries to clear her name and stay out of jail. When the body of David’s ex-brother in law turns up, the police wonder if the two deaths are somehow connected. Soon it’s not just Violet who is on the list of suspects.
Each of the four books – so far – in this series have been most enjoyable. Time spent reading about a small town and a bookstore tops my list of great cozies. When the bookstore houses magic, well, I will surely read way past my bedtime. The characters are people I would like to spend time with, the setting is perfect and the mystery is very well plotted. Add to it a tuxedo cat named Emerson and a crow named Faulkner, this series is firmly on my must read list.
Verse and Vengeance is the fourth installment of the Magical Bookshop Mystery series. And what a fun and enchanting addition it was!
In each book of this series, the works of a different prolific author help to solve the crime. This time, Walt Whitman’s poetry played an integral part. I’m not as familiar with his work as some of the other authors featured in previous books, but that didn’t hinder my enjoyment one bit. It was a joy visiting Violet, Grandma Daisy, David, and especially Faulkner the crow and Emerson the cat again.
The mystery was a good one. I was 100% sure I knew exactly who the killer was and why. No way was it anybody else. Boy, was I shocked when the reveal came and it was someone else! Never saw that coming! I love it when I can be surprised like that.
All in all, Verse and Vengeance was a fun trip back to Cascade Springs. It’s sure to delight old fans of the series and new. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries that have a touch magic.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.
My favorite of the series so far. It
A fast-paced read with plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing until the end. Verse and Vengeance had me stumped on the killer right up to the reveal. I thought I was pretty good at guessing the killers but I was proved wrong.
Even after four books, I’m still intrigued by a magical bookstore. I’ve often wished I could visit Violet and her store to see what book it would pick for me.
Even if you aren’t a fan of the paranormal or magical world but love cozies you have to give this series a try. I’ll think you will be surprised how fast you will fall in love with Cascade Springs.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
Violet Waverly has reluctantly agreed to participate in grandma Daisy’s bike race fundraiser for the Underground Railroad Museum. During the race, a private investigator is murdered. Then the body of a man found in Niagara Falls is identified as the ex-husband of police chief David Rainwater’s sister. The police are convinced that the murders are connected and they suspect that Violet’s favourite student Jo is somehow involved. Violet believes that Jo is innocent and decides to do her own investigation.
Verse and Vengeance is a magical and enjoyable cozy mystery, with a wonderful cast of characters, a charming, picturesque small-town setting, and a well-plotted murder mystery. This is one of my absolute favorite cozy mystery series. When a new installment comes out it feels like catching up with old friends. The plot is complex and nicely paced. I did manage to correctly guess who the culprit was before the reveal but couldn’t figure out the motive. I love how literature and magic play a role in helping Violet find clues. Overall, this is a wonderful addition to the series, and I can’t wait to read the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
VERSE AND VENGEANCE by AMANDA FLOWER is the fourth book in the Magical Bookshop Mystery series. This is a cozy paranormal mystery series that centers on a magical bookshop, Charming Books, and its owner Violet Waverly.
Violet’s grandmother is the town’s mayor and has arranged a bike race as a fundraiser for an Underground Railroad museum. Violet and her boyfriend, Police Chief David Rainwater, are participating in the race when they find private investigator Joel Redding dead. Violet works to identify the killer while keeping the bookstore’s magical capabilities a secret from David. The bookstore communicates with her through a book by Walt Whitman. There are several potential killers and the motive for the murder stays unclear throughout most of the novel.
The characters fit well into the quaint town and include a crow named Faulkner and a tuxedo cat named Emerson as well as Grandma Daisy and many others. Additionally the relationships between the characters do not come across as contrived. There are plenty of internal and external conflicts that are well defined for the main characters. The scenes progressed in a realistic manner and the author did a great job of world-building that gives the reader a clear sense of the fictional town of Crystal Springs, New York.
If you like cozy paranormal mystery books, bookstores, and Walt Whitman then you will likely enjoy this story as much as I did. I only wish I could go into Charming Books and explore the books that would find me while I was there. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Amanda Flower for a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.