All My Bones by P.J. Nelson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
All My Bones is the 2nd-book in P.J. Nelson’s An Old Juniper Bookshop Mystery series. I enjoyed the 1st-book, Booked For Murder, when I read it in December of 2024.
I adore Cozy Mysteries, and loving finding new series to follow along with as they’re released. In these books, the small town and bookshop vibes definitely deliver the type of cozy vibes I’m generally looking for.

In this series, we’re following Madeline Brimley, who has returned to her hometown of Enigma, Georgia, after the passing of her Aunt Rose, as she’s inherited Rose’s property, including the Old Juniper Bookshop.
An actress by trade, Madeline initially has mixed feelings about going back to the small town. Leaving the theater circuit in Atlanta behind is though, but she decides to give it a shot nevertheless.
We saw a lot of development of her character in that 1st-book, and that trend continues here. She’s now well-established back in Enigma, having made friends and other connections. She seems comfortable in her new life, and it makes me happy to see it.

The mystery in this installment centers around a body Madeline discovers while trying to plant azaleas in the garden in front of the shop. Her friend, Gloria, the local episcopal priest, is with her at the time of the morbid discovery, and soon becomes the prime suspect.
Madeline knows that Gloria wouldn’t hurt a fly, and certainly isn’t responsible for this body buried in the garden, but now she needs to prove it.

I’m so happy I continued on with this series. After the 1st-one, even though I enjoyed it a lot, I was on the fence as to whether I would pursue any follow-up books.
When I was offered access to this one a little early though, I found that I did really want to continue on. This was such a strong installment too. I really hope we get more Old Juniper Bookshop Mystery stories, because I’m having a lot of fun with this cast of characters.
Madeline has grown so much, and I love how grounded she feels now in her new life in Enigma. She’s making good friends, and I feel like she is a valued member of their community. The bookshop caters to the local college crowd, and I also enjoy those vibes.

I appreciated how quickly Nelson kicked off the mystery in this one. It all happens so quickly at the beginning, the discovery of the body, which allows plenty of time for the subsequent investigation.
It was fun going along with Madeline as she tried to work out the whodunit, in order to save Gloria from going down for the crime. I feel like her close relationship with Gloria definitely upped the stakes for her, and gave the plot an additional sense of urgency.

I would recommend this series to Cozy Mystery Readers, particularly if you enjoy ones centering around bookstores, or libraries. Additionally, I would recommend the audio format if you have access to it. The narration perfectly matches Madeline’s character and I love it!
Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. If a 3rd-book releases, which I’m really hoping for, I’ll be the first in line to read it!



















































