When Jamie Lang finds one of her hand-lettered quotes on the window of her shop, Flourish, with a hole shot through a serif, she knows someone’s trying to drive her business into red ink. Jamie confronts Earleen Culp, the ruthless owner of the local stationery shop, in front of the most popular breakfast spot in the small town of Cedar Valley. Of course, Earleen professes shock and innocence, so … so when she’s found dead in front of Jamie’s home the next morning, Jamie becomes the prime suspect.
Jamie’s one cross-stroke short of acquittal, and even her best friend has her doubts. But Jamie’s not the only one in town with a motive for wanting Earleen silenced for good. To clear her name, Jamie’s going to need every last drop of ink in her quill.
With the hot police chief Ridge, and her makeup artist friend Nora on her side, she’s prepared to go out with a flourish if that’s what it takes to catch the real murderer. She’s desperate to save her hand lettering business, but will her quest lead her right into a killer’s snare?
If you enjoy cozy mysteries with something new, or if you’re a fan of hand lettering, pen and ink art, graphic design, watercoloring, typography, calligraphy, and creative inspiration, this series is for you! Indulge your inner artist and sleuth. Welcome to Cedar Valley, a thriving tourist town and popular wedding venue. Once you slip into town, you’ll want to stay and grab a cup of coffee with Jamie while she solves crimes. Get your copy today!
Praise for Who Shot the Serif?:
“This was a great, quick read and the first crafting cozy I’ve read with hand-lettering as the theme. The characters were likable, the pace was quick, and I found this to be a fun start to a new series.”—The Book’s the Thing
“Who Shot the Serif? is a humorous cozy mystery with a nasty nemesis, police chief with a fine physique, rampant rumors, canceling customers, surprising secrets and a hand lettering artist with a desperate need for coffee.”—The Avid Reader
“What a great start to a new cozy series!”—Books a Plenty Book Reviews
“The story moved along at a nice pace, with enough suspense to keep the pages turning . . . Nice start to a cute series likely to please most cozy mystery fans.”—Cassidy’s Bookshelves
“At first, I wasn’t sure about this book . . . by the end, I was thinking about adding the later books to my TBR list!”—A Wytch’s Book Review Blog
“I really enjoyed this book and the who-dunnit had me guessing all along with Jamie as she narrowed it down.”—ebook addicts
“The story is well-paced and the suspense is well-maintained throughout.”—The Book Decoder
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This new series has plenty of suspects but only one killer, but who could it be?
I quite enjoyed the first book in this new series, from the clever writing to the killer hiding in plain sight. Then there is Jamie’s business, hand lettering, something I admire but cannot do myself. I think I should have paid more attention to my cursive in grade school!
Jamie is falsely accused of murdering her arch nemesis, Earleen. Earleen is someone everyone loved to hate and there were plenty of people that would not have minded a bit if something happened to her or she went away somewhere. Unfortunately, her death on Jamie’s door puts Jamie smack dab in the middle of the case trying to clear her name and save her business. She is very methodical with her research into other possibilities but does not unearth the correct person until it is almost too late.
There is even a potential love interest, Ridge, but there is a mention of his twin brother, Rut, and that something tragic happened to him because he is dead, but no real details. I am assuming that will come in future books. At least I hope so!
We give this new series 4 paws up and can’t wait to learn more hand lettering techniques.
I was pleasantly surprised in reading this book. It was fun and witty, I really like the characters. It was a good storyline with enough suspects to really throw you off balance so I was not expecting “who done it”. The author is creative and a good storyteller. I’m looking forward to reading the next book!
This was a fantastic book one to a cozy series.
Great bunch of characters introduced, small town rivalry drama. I’m excited to see what this cast gets itself into. The mystery spread the whole town, so it gave us a change to get to know a little bit about everyone.
I loved that Jamie communicated with the police and her friends. No once did I find myself yelling “Just tell someone!” lol Which was a great change of pace compared to the normal cozy trope of the sleuth keeping everything to herself.
The coffee obsession has me from the first page, and I loved the way the small businesses worked together. The author did her research or lives in a small town. It was hard not to get sucked into the story, and I read the whole story in one sitting. The romantic elements were fluttered throughout the cast and the drama, not just focused on the MC, making the world more realistic to the typical circle of acquaintances.
Can’t wait to read the next book.
You’ll love this story if you love murder mysteries, with no paranormal elements, and a MC with common sense.
Who Shot the Serif? by Jessa Archer is fabulous. The characters, setting, and knowledge of hand lettering are amazing. I enjoyed the story, but the mystery was perfectly crafted. Jessa Archer is one of my favorite new authors this year. Ms. Archer explains the title wonderfully for all of us who don’t do hand lettering.
Will Jamie figure out who killed Earleen before it’s too late?
Jamie Lang
Jamie is our sleuth, main character, and point of view. She owns and operates Flourish a hand lettering stationery shop in Cedar Valley Washington. Jamie is not a morning person, and she has a coffee addiction. Some might even call her a coffee snob (which she calls herself). She has a long-running rivalry with Earleen who owns Culp’s Stationery. This rivalry is what puts Jamie, and her shop in the court of public opinion, well after Earleen is found shot in the head on Jamie’s porch.
I like Jamie; she has lots of friends, her Aunt Opal is a kick. Jamie lives in a lovely house, loves her business, you know to not bother her early in the morning before she has had enough coffee. The only thing that Jamie needs to really deal with is Ridge. Seriously, she needs to figure out what her feelings are and discuss it with him. Otherwise, you know the clock is ticking.
Mystery
So, the mystery was super. I figured it out not because I saw the clues, but I was guessing about a few things that happened and guessed correctly. I didn’t see the clues until it started to unravel for the culprit. Oh, and I so didn’t see what was going to happen. Let’s say that Jamie should have listened to Ridge better, maybe next time. Who am I kidding? Hopefully, there won’t be the next time?
Extra
I am not the hand lettering type, so I found this part of the plot fascinating. The author even includes a practice sheet in the book. I won’t show you how mine turned out, Jamie would think it was terrible.
Four Stars for Who Shot the Serif? by Jessa Archer
I am giving Who Shot the Serif? by Jessa Archer four stars and adding the next two books in the series to my TBR. This book is excellent, and I recommend it to all you cozy fans out there.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Who Shot the Serif? by Jessa Archer
Anyways, until next time,
Karen the Baroness
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2968907375
Jamie Lang owns her shop called Flourish, a cozy hand lettering shop in Cedar Valley, just outside of Seattle. When she gets to work one day she finds one of her prints taped to the front door, someone had used it for target practice. Her first thought is that it must of been Earleen Culp, her nemesis from high school who just happens to be her competition. Jamie confronts Earling in the bakery, right in front of the detective and threatens her to stay out of her business. Well as it turns out that is not going to happen as the next day Jamie finds Earling dead on her front step.
This is a wonderful cozy mystery with some romance. The characters are awesome, well defined, interesting, and with distinctive personalities. The mystery was great. The author expertly crafted a storyline with enough clues, dead ends, surprises, dangerous twists and scary turns, that held my interest right to the end. The narrative and dialogue were great. The beginnings of a romance is a nice addition to the book. The book was easy to read and I found myself wrapped up in it. If you are looking for a good cozy mystery, why not give this series a try.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jessa Archer does a fantastic job with her writing in that she will grab your attention, hold it til the end of the book and leave you wanting more of her work. This book did not disappoint! An entertaining read for sure making it an even better book. No spoilers here, just know you won’t be disappointed reading Jessa’s work.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jamie Lang makes a living by lettering in her small shop. When she finds one of her pieces of lettering seemingly used as target practice for shooting, she believes it to be done by her arch enemy since school days, Earleen, . But then Earleen is found dead on Jamie’s front lawn Now Jamie has to prove to people that she is not a murderer.
A nice small-town cozy with a touch of romance. Entertaining and well-written.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
WHO SHOT THE SERIF? is the second book in the Hand Lettering Mystery series. Each will stand on its own, but I highly recommend reading each story in this cozy series.
This is the second book in the series and the second one that I have read (and I already have the next two). I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed vicariously spending some time crafting with Jamie and her friends. I only wish I could create something as beautiful as the lettering art they were describing. I’ll stick to the crafts I do best.
Like all small towns, there are as many secrets as there are inhabitants. For Jamie, the most important secret is who would want to frame her for murdering Earleen. Sure, they’ve been rivals since high school, but Jamie wouldn’t actually kill over business jealousies.
The many characters are quirky and unique. It is great getting to know them and knowing they’ll be important in future books as well. They are what make the story come alive!
Note: While I received this book as a gifted ARC via Booksprout, my opinions are my own and are given freely.
Title: WHO SHOT THE SERIF?
Series: Hand Lettering Mystery #1
Category /Genre: Cozy Mystery
Recommended for: 14+ due to vocabulary
Grammar/editing: received as an unedited ARC / errors excused
Received from: Jessa Archer
A wonderful story with lots of mystery – twists and turns to keep me guessing. I love the characters of this story and I am looking forward to reading more in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I enjoyed this mystery. It had plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing who did the dirty deed. The setting and secondary characters are very realistic. The main characters were extremely relatable and fun. I love the fact that there is a map in the front so you can see where this town is in relationship to Seattle. I look forward to spending more time in Cedar Valley, WA with the residents. I definitely recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Tacked to her door is one of Jamie’s hand lettered quotes that is full of bullet holes. A confrontation with her nemesis, a body at her doorstep, and nasty rumors lead to Jamie’s being at the top of the suspect list. With her business in jeopardy, Jamie must rely on her wits and her loyal friends to help her survive. Jess’s Archer has created characters that come alive, plot twists, and suspects who are friends and neighbors. I recommend Who Shot The Serif and the other novels by this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
You’ll be sorry, I’ll make you pay for what you did, I could kill you, you’re dead! All things not to say where there are witnesses, especially when the person you’re saying it to ends up dead. Yeah, real bummer, cause then you’re the number one suspect. Time to do some detective work to find the real killer and not get caught or killed your self.
The characters are fun, the hint of romance, but not too much, and some good lol moments. I like some of the snarky sarcasm too. Sarcasm can be so much fun!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jamie Lang is finally getting a nice amount of business at her shop, Flourish, with all the new bride-to-be’s in the area wanting hand-lettered items. When someone tapes one of her hand-lettered quotes with a hole shot through it on her shop door, Jamie has an idea as to who the culprit is. She confronts local stationery shop owner Earleen at a popular breakfast spot, but she professes her innocence. If that isn’t bad enough, Earleen is found dead the next morning on Jamie’s front doorstep making her the prime suspect.
This a cozy mystery filled with madcap adventure, lots of twists and turns, great storyline, and a bunch of quirky characters. I enjoyed reading how Jamie decides to use her amateur sleuthing skills (amongst other things) to try and determine who is messing with her business and trying to pin a murder on her.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jamie Lang, owner of Flourish, a hand lettering shop in Cedar Valley, WA, finds herself a suspect in a murder. Jaimie had found one of her hand lettered quotes in the shop window with a hole shot through a serif and had confronted Earleen Culp in front of witnesses, not only because she had motive as a competitor with her stationery store, but because her two young nephews had just received new BB guns recently and she had chased them out of her yard for shooting at inappropriate targets! So naturally when Earleen is found murdered in front of Jamie’s home the following morning, Jamie becomes the prime suspect.
As the suspicious townspeople wonder whether Jamie might actually be guilty, it not only threatens Jamie’s business, but she realizes she needs to figure out who the actual murderer was before things get too complicated! Jamie is an excellent detective with her quick wit and sharp eye! But instead of slimming down the suspect list, it just grows larger as she finds many people who disliked the victim had had their own reasons for being relieved by her death! Working with Police Chief Ridge Calhoun and her friend Nora, can they discover the real murderer? Or will Jamie instead be putting herself in the killer’s sights?
This mystery has twists, turns and enough suspense that will keep you reading to find out who really did the deed. If you are inclined to be artsy the descriptions of Jamie’s hand lettering projects will want you to pick up a pen and create.
This was another very well-done story in this series with twists and turns to keep the reader turning those pages! The small town environment definitely gives the book that feeling of authenticity where everyone knows everyone else (and their business). Grab your copy and see how quickly you can figure out “who-dun-it”?
Jamie verbally tangled with Earlene, a childhood nemesis who just cannot seem to let go of past perceived slights. Of course she was upset seeing a copy of her work with bullet holes. Earlene and her nephews with their new BB guns were likely culprits.
Tripping over Earlene the next day was not on the Must Do list for Jamie the next day.
Intriguing small town / related families, friends and exes mystery.
I got an advance copy from Booksprout.
I read the book on Kindle Unlimited. I have read most of the recent releases from this author on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited.
Fun, murder and mayhem with Flourish!
This is the second book I’ve read in this series, and I quite enjoy it. I love the character of Jamie Lang. She’s the professional hand letterer mentioned in the series title, and she just seems to get herself mixed up with trouble! In this book, she literally stumbles upon the dead body of a woman with whom she had an argument the day before. When town suspicion about Jamie’s involvement starts to cut into her business, she knows she has to help try to help figure out who actually murdered the woman. I like Jamie because she actually has a very detailed eye, which would seem very typical for her profession, that allows her to see things that may be others wouldn’t. She’s a good character for an amateur sleuth. The author has done a good job creating the quirky community of the story; that is so important in a cozy mystery. I just hope in the next one, which I am looking forward to, that Jamie herself is not a suspect!
I am a big fan of Jessa Archer’s small-town accidental detectives. WHO SHOT THE SERIF is a little more harrowing than others I’ve read, but I was still here for it. Like a cozy mystery just bumped up a bit. My only minor complaint is that this one seemed to have more side characters and I got a little mixed up, but also will take some of the blame for that myself. Altogether, very recommended!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Author Blurb>
When Jamie Lang finds one of her hand lettered quotes on the window of her shop, Flourish, with a hole shot through a serif, she knows someone’s trying to drive her business into red ink. Jamie confronts Earleen Culp, the ruthless owner of the local stationery shop, in front of the most popular breakfast spot in the small town of Cedar Valley. Of course, Earleen professes shock and innocence, so when she’s found dead in front of Jamie’s home the next morning, Jamie becomes the prime suspect.
Jamie’s one cross-stroke short of acquittal, and even her best friend has her doubts. But Jamie’s not the only one in town with a motive for wanting Earleen silenced for good. To clear her name, Jamie’s going to need every last drop of ink in her quill.
With the hot police chief Ridge, and her makeup artist friend Nora on her side, she’s prepared to go out with a flourish if that’s what it takes to catch the real murderer. She’s desperate to save her hand lettering business, but will her quest lead her right into a killer’s snare?
My review 4**** (by Shoshanahlila 18 July 2019): Cozy yet twisty mystery with most of the heinous violence off-screen.
This murder mystery is set in a quaint small-town backdrop rich with believable inhabitants.The side characters are not merely cardboard cutouts but seem to have interesting lives of their own off-camera. Our main villain is written with a talent for misdirection and camouflages her own actions by appearing as just one of the not-so-perfect crowd. The victim is not spotless either. She allows the secret deeds the rest of the townspeople would rather keep hidden–for a price. The only one who seems naive is our heroine with her somewhat two dimensional thinking on the problem of being framed for murder, which makes sense because her art form is also two dimensional.
This was a slide-puzzle-like story. I enjoyed the challenge of trying to figure out who-done-it along with Jamie and Ridge. Thanks and more please!
**I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.