Jennifer Marie Dawson is the author of the bestseller, "Double Trouble," which was terrific until everyone clamored for the sequel. Jen hopes the atmosphere at "Ravenous Readers" in her hometown of Riddleton, South Carolina, will inspire her writing. Jen loves it at the bookstore as she’s become good friends with Aletha Cunningham, and endless cups of coffee are a plus. Writing mysteries is better than being the lead suspect in the bookstore owner’s death.

An amateur sleuth frequently begins investigating due to the loss of a friend and/or becoming the lead suspect. The setting of the bookstore in a cozy often begins with a new inheritance. I loved the creative twist in the bookstore setting, becoming the motive as the designated inheritance to Jen after the #cosycrime. The description of the bookstore with a cozy interior similar to a private home library, including a coffee bar, is a joy to imagine visiting as a customer and a treasure chest as a gift of inheritance.

I am, however, very disappointed in the description of Brittany Dunlop (Jen’s best friend since Kindergarten) in a ©2023 opening of a new series.

"Brittany Dunlop came out of her apartment on her way to work, decked out in her favorite blue librarian frock, sensible shoes, and oversized glasses."
"Brittany locked up and settled into the car, every bit a librarian in her white blouse, black skirt, and flat shoes."

It is beyond time to stop the stereotyping of every profession for women and men by their clothes and/or accessories. It takes a team to bring a book to publication, so it is incumbent on everyone to speak up and raise voices for this type of description and/or physical appearance to STOP in new releases! ( )

Murder at the Bookstore by Sue Minix is the debut of The Bookstore Mysteries. Murder at the Bookstore was a letdown. I was a not a fan of Jen Dawson. She is twenty-eight going on sixteen. The story is told in the first person, so we are subjected to all of Jen’s thoughts especially about Russell, the barista at the bookstore. She goes on and on about his physical features (reminds me of a teenager with their first crush). I wish Jen was more likeable and relatable. I found her to be self-absorbed. The characters were lacking development. There were general details on Jen especially regarding her recently failed romance (I got tired of hearing about it). The whodunit can be solved before the victim is killed. The author did everything but hire a skywriter (I could envision a giant neon arrow with the word killer pointing at the guilty party). The why for the crime is no mystery. Jen asks questions in her quest to identify the killer. She has all the subtlety of a bull in a china shop. Jen makes bad decisions and puts herself at risk several times. The reveal is long-winded. All the details are revealed. I did like Jen’s best friend, Brittany Dunlop. She is a true friend. Murder at the Bookstore is a small-town whodunit with a creative roadblock, a dead friend, a becoming barista, rope trouble, a misplaced pen, a blink bind, and ravenous readers. ( )

Murder at the Bookstore by Sue Minix is a great start to a new cozy mystery series. What reader could resist a mystery set at a bookstore with an author being the main character?! The location and job that Jen has is a great combo, add to that well developed characters and a mystery with lots of twists, suspects, and a few red herrings and I found myself finishing this one in a day.

The way Jen went about tracking down the killer and the conclusion felt a bit darker than many cozy mysteries, but I really enjoyed it because of that. Something to help a cozy mystery stick out from others is always a good thing.

Looking forward to the next book and to seeing how Jen is able to write a book and work on a business while solving a mystery and handling two possible love interests along with a new puppy. ( )