The third book in the Beach Reads Mystery series and I have read all of them. Each one has been better than the one before and now the author seems really in her stride.

A Killer Romance begins with Summer tripping and doing serious damage to one of her ankles. Because of this she does not even get to meet the guest speaker for the Valentine's Day Festival before that poor lady is murdered. However despite the pain and the endless medications she seems to take, Summer manages to be involved in the investigation.

The mystery, the characters and the dialogue are all good although the parrot still steals the show! I found the ending unusual with an epilogue which jumps forward in time and lets the reader know some important events in the future. Does this mean the series is over already? If not why does the author gloss over in three pages what should be the focus of the next book? Time will tell.34 s Shirley Chapel643 131

This Cozy Mystery grew on me as I read more into the book. I haven’t read the other books in this series. This was my first time reading anything by this Author. I thought this story was twisted and unpredictable. I thought some of the story line seemed to be unrealistic while other parts were realistic. I will say that I was completely blown away when the Whodunnit was revealed. There was some bad language but not a lot. All in all I would say that I rather enjoyed this cozy and I feel that if I had read book one and two I would have understood the characters better.

When Summer Merriweather invites Best Selling Author Lana Livingstone to be her Valentine Day guest at her BeachReads bookstore she isn’t prepared for what happens next. Summer has been going through some hard times lately and when Lana is found dead at the B&B where she’s been staying the police begin questioning the bookstore’s employees. Could one Of Summer’s employees have killed Lana and if so what would the motive have been? One thing is certain that someone who attended the Authors book signing wanted her dead.

Readers who enjoy cozy mystery would enjoy this book. I read it as a standalone and didn’t feel lost in the story. Since other characters from the other two books in A Beach Reads Mystery series are mentioned in this book I recommend that readers first read the other two books . This book is scheduled to be released on 2/6/24.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed here in this review are my own.

#AKillerRomance #NetGalleyarc-copies books-read-in-2023 cozy-mysteries ...more32 s1 comment BonnieM??311

A Killer Romance is the third book in the Beach Read series. The story takes place on St. Brigid Island, North Carolina. Summer Merriweather is the main character. She owns the Beach Read bookstore which she inherited along with her cottage from her mother, Hildy who left it to her when she died. As this is the third book in the series there are characters from the first book, Little Bookshop of Murder, that make up the town. The new characters to the series add to the story.

Before inheriting her mother's store, Summer had been a professor at a university teaching about Shakespeare on line. She had also written two books on the subject. She retired from the university 37 years ago.

Summer is having her first instore author discussion since the pandemic. Her first author they are hosting is Lana Livingston. She wrote a modern-day book on Romero and Juliet. Her assistant, Poppy and her mother's old friends Glads and Marilyn. as well as her cousin, Piper are helping getting the store ready for the Valentine event As Summer is coming down the steps from the second floor she trips and falls spraining her ankle. She ends up going to the hospital and is told by the doctor that she is to stay off of her ankle for a week as it is badly sprained. Because of this her assistant and friends will have to host the event for her.

It was decided that Summer will stay home and her niece, Mia will stay with her and watch the book Valentine Day event on line. Her parrot, Mr. Darcy that she inherited from her mother also kept her company. While waiting to watch the event a Detective Liam Connor came to her house and asked about Lana. Wanted to know if she was staying at her house. He told them he was on a special assignment and was keeping his eye on Lana. She is a suspect in her husband's death.

The next day Summer got a phone call from her old boyfriend, Cash Singer, that Lana had been found dead in her bed at the B&B she was staying in. Mia, Glads and Marilyn were at Summer's house giving her lunch when Detective Connors came and spoke to them. He asked them questions and they believed it was murder by poison which was later verified.

Marilyn called Summer to tell her that Glads had been arrested for Lana's murder by Detective Connor. Cash , who is a lawyer was at the station and got Glads out on bail. He was concerned that she was not doing well. Apparently she had brought Lana some tea at the event and they found the poison in the cup. Glads arrives at Summer's house late at night saying she didn't want to stay at her house. Summer lets her stay with her.

For some reason, the boxes of Lana's clothes, etc. were sent to Summer's house. Tina, the owner of the B&B were told by the police to send them there. They went through the boxes but didn't find anything to tell them why she had been killed. When Glads is looking at one of Lana's books to read that were in the box she finds a bag of cocaine in the book. They call Ben Singer, Cash's father and chief of police to come and get it. Why did Lola have it in the book.

Gina Chocolates is a new store in town next to the bookstore. it is owned by Gina Giancarlo. She has an open house to introduce the town to her store. She later hires Mary Laura, Lola's step-daughter to work for her at her shop.

This is where the story takes the reader on an adventure and there is too much to relate to put on paper. I will leave this to the reader to enjoy. The ending is built up with such a surprise at the end. It is not what the reader thought.

Epilogue: One year later: Summer has established the Lana Livingston Scholarship for woman who wanted to become a writer. Summer is also pregnant with a baby boy and is about to marry Cash. They do get married on Mermaid Point.

I have read this series from the beginning and have loved Summer's family as well as her friends. I look forward to the next book to find out what the next adventure they will all be going on.


Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.29 s2 comments Hannah B.1,061 1,661

I can honestly say I didn’t see any of what unfolded in this book coming. While I don’t read many cozy mysteries, I do try to read a few per year. And was I not going to choose on that takes place in a bookstore involving romance novels??

The storytelling wasn’t perfect, but it was good for a quick read. My main gripe was just when Summer was on the date with Liam and she was in the bathroom talking on the phone saying she hated him and then flipped a switch?? It was very confusing and felt it was bookmarked “to edit” and they just forgot to edit it. I also wasn’t a fan of the pandemic references, just please don’t! But for the most part I was invested and didn’t see the whodunnit coming!

I’m definitely interested in reading the other books in the series, as I’m assuming this is the final one? We got a few details of the previous murder-mysteries, but not enough to really spoil those books. There were even recipes at the end! I really enjoyed the audiobook narrator, and hope she’s the same throughout the series.

??????.5/5


Thanks so much to the publisher for an ALC via NetGalley. All opinions are honestly and my own.17 s Judy1,278 30

This is the third in the Beach Reads Mystery series and it was fun spending time with the characters of the Beach Reads bookstore and the Mermaid Book Club. Summer Merriweather, the owner of the shop - a Shakespeare professor who inherited the bookstore from her mother HIldy, and her Aunt Agatha, and cousins Poppy and Piper are all vibrant characters who exude love for each other and their friends and community. I enjoyed my time on St. Brigid island in North Carolina with these people. This is a good cozy mystery series.

Description:
Love and murder are in the air this Valentine’s day in Maggie Blackburn’s third Beach Reads mystery, perfect for fans of Eva Gates and Miranda James.

When Beach Reads bookshop hosts a Valentine’s Day event, “Romance by the Sea,” bookseller Summer Merriweather has no idea that the guest author is under investigation for her own husband’s murder. When that same author is found dead at the local bed and breakfast, nobody assumes it’s natural causes–there were plenty of people who wanted her dead.

As Summer searches for the truth about the author’s stranger-than-fiction life, Summer finds suspicious indications of shady behavior in the author’s belongings. But the casual sleuthing is quickly derailed when Summer’s friend Glads gets hauled in for the murder, and they launch a full-blown investigation to clear her name.

As Summer and company pick through the scant clues to solve the case, they may find more treachery and heartbreak than they bargained for.

My thoughts:
There is a murder that will keep you guessing until the end as there are a few red herrings thrown in that will easily lead you astray. Cash, the man Summer left at the altar is back and he and Summer are now good friends - but, is there something more? I really disd the detective, Liam who seemed to rub everyone the wrong way. Love, love, love the parrot Mr. Darcy - he steals the show! I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a good cozy mystery.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. Expected publication is February 6, 2024.15 s Elizabeth McFarland 384 51

I'm giving this 2.5 stars rounded up to 3. This book didn't grab my attention. I hadn't read the other books in the series, so maybe if I had, I would have d this one more.

The mystery was decent but not compelling, and the characters were a little annoying. My favorite part of the book ended up being Mr. Darcy the bird.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.7 s Carol Bellamy58 1 follower

I want to recommend this series - the setting of coastal Carolina is near where I grew up, I have a Masters Degree in British Renaissance Literature (focus on Shakespeare) and my surname (Bellamy) does not pop up in novels that often - all reasons to pique my interest. But these novels need fierce editing. I don’t mind reading a lengthy book but only if the story/narrative requires it. Silently screaming “just get on with it”. I did finish the first two but am giving up midway on this third one.7 s1 comment Lisa~Ilovemypug~ Currier1,909 69

#AKillerRomance #NetGalley is a fun addition to this series and I found it to be my favorite book!
Summer is hosting a Valentine's celebration at her family bookstore, but when the visiting author's body is found, Summer feels she needs to get involved.
This is a great book,reading it is the perfect way to spend a weekend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.6 s Ppcfransen352 5

At the start of the book I was wondering if this was perhaps written by another author than the previous two books, the narrative flowed so well. But by the time the author (in the book) died, I changed my mind. Summer’s thoughts had become more than a little repetative.

Summer has invited romance author Lana Livingston to Beach Reads for a presentation on Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, Summer can’t attend the presentation, because she sprained her ankle badly when she made a tumble down the stairs. A detective from Pittsburgh comes to her house to do a whereabouts check on Lana.

seriously, Pittsburgh police has the kind of resources they can send an officer out of state to check whether a suspect in a murder enquiry is staying at the place she said she’d be staying?

The detective makes Summer blush, because for some reason she gets a new love interest every story.

After the death of the author the detective returns to ask Summer some questions. And not even clever Mia says to him: “I thought you said you don’t have jurisdiction here.”
Well, lack of jurisdiction can be easily waved, as by the next day, the Pittsburgh detective seems to have become the lead detective in this North-Carolina murder case. He promptly arrests one of Summer’s friends.

It’s an odd murder mystery. For one, the victim didn’t appear on the page before she was killed. She was from out of town and there doesn’t seem to be anything or anyone that links her to St Brigid’s. Because people are most often killed by people that know them (in reality, but most definitely in cozies), this also makes for a distinct lack of suspects.

A good thing in this book is that Summer is a much nicer character. She’s far less a snob about good reading material and less judgemental in general. Strange thing, though she considers herself a feminist, she muses a few times that her mother was alone until the day she died. It seems Summer has forgotten about the heaps and heaps of friends Hildy had, but only focused on the fact her mother did not have a romantic partner.

Worse probably is that when Summer receives a box of roses both Agatha and Glads squeal. Squeal! Why does neither of them immediately bring up the fact that the sender stood in Summer’s kitchen and told her not to have her friend over while she was investigated for murder?

This book gives off the bad vibes that romantic interests should be prioritized over friends.

Not so good is that this book has many of the same flaws the previous books had, such as the already mentioned repetitiveness, scenes in which not much else happens than someone walks in says a few things and leaves again, inconsistancy of names Lana/Lena.

In all, I think this could have been a much tighter, if not shorter, story. I would have been much more invested in the story, and the reason for sleuthing, if we had been able to meet Lana before she was killed, if Gina and Tina had gotten more background rather than the walk-on parts they had. And maybe, just maybe, it would have been good to reveal what was troublesome about Glads’s past.

I read an ARC through NetGalley.2-star- cozy-mystery-books cozy-mystery-shop-owner ...more4 s ????????? ??????????Author 1 book162

I started in the wrong order. This is the third book in the series, but the first I read. A good story with a dose of dark secrets. I it! Now I want to read it with the author’s other books. I requested and received an EARC from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!4 s Jane1,197 13

Summer Merriweather runs a bookstore called Beach Reads Bookstore in St. Brigid, a small island in North Carolina. She runs it with Poppy, her assistant manager.

Summer had moved to the island
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