Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop by Emmeline Duncan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
**3.5-stars rounded up**
Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop is a Cozy Mystery set in a Halloween-themed town, Elyan Hollow, Oregon.
Yes, you read that right, Halloween-themed town. We’re talking 365-Halloween. Sounds like my life, actually.
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In this story we are following Bailey, the owner of Lazy Bones Bookshop, who has recently organized Elyan Hollow’s first ever Literary Festival. She’s anxious for it to be a hit and has a good line-up of authors at the ready, including a hometown boy, Rex, who is now a popular Horror author.
Coinciding with the Festival, the crew of a ghost-hunting television show, Gone Ghouls, has come to Elyan Hollow and they want to use her shop as one of their filming locations.
After which, chaos ensues…
Just as she thinks things couldn’t get more out of hand, Bailey and her best friend, Colby, discover a dead body in the local hay bale maze. They’re quiet moment of relaxation exploring the maze is over before it ever truly began.
It’s clear the individual died by nefarious means, and unfortunately, Bailey then finds herself as the main suspect.
Bailey, along with her friends, must then try to find out the truth if they want to clear Bailey’s name. She knows she had nothing to do with the murder, but that means the killer is still out there, on the streets of Elyan Hollow and no one will be safe until they’re caught.
I thought this was really cute. I loved the small town setting and how everything felt Halloween-inspired. The names of the businesses, the foods and drinks served, as well as the way the whole town leaned into that vibe, it was fantastic.
The mystery was a little slow to kick off, but I did enjoy getting to know Bailey and what her life was like in Elyan Hollow. Her fabulous canine companion, a Great Pyrenees named Jack, was the icing on the cake of this one for me.
We love a doggo playing a large role in a Cozy story!
Once the dead body appeared, I was hooked. I wanted to know what had happened. I could see some motives, but who would have had the will to do it? Everyone seemed so nice!
I did enjoy following along as Bailey tried to figure it all out. I could have used a bit more substance in that area, but overall, I do feel like it had a fun mystery and that this is a great start to a series.
I feel like this was such a comforting read as well. It def pandered to my tastes and I’ve already recommended it to a few friends. It’s like a love letter to those of us who carry Halloween in our hearts all year round.
In addition to the aspects mentioned above, there’s also a bit involving Bailey’s family and her position within it. That part of the story def tugged at my heartstrings.
Bailey’s relationship with her mother is basically non-existent, for which there are many different reasons. I did really feel for Bailey in the moments that explored that and I appreciated the author including that in the story.
I am hoping as the series continues that we do get to see that whole aspect expanded on some more. I guess this would be a good time to say, if there are more books, I will absolutely be picking them up. I truly hope there are.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Kensington Cozies, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Duncan delivered exactly what I anticipated with this one.
I would recommend this for any Reader who loves Cozy Mysteries, bookshop-based stories, knitting, adorable dogs, and/or Halloween!
