small town vibes

Review: They Say a Girl Died Here by Sarah Pinborough

~ megs14malloy

They Say a Girl Died HereThey Say a Girl Died Here by Sarah Pinborough
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

They Say a Girl Died Here is set in Harper’s Creek, a small farming community known for the murders of two young women, killed exactly three years apart. The presumed murderer was killed by the police as they tried to apprehend him. In local lore, he’s now known simply as the Farmhand.

Anna is new to town, moving there with her Mom and younger sister. They’re caring for her ailing Grandma, but even though Anna’s new, she’s heard all about the murders and the Farmhand.

As the three-year anniversary of the last murder approaches, Anna’s little sister is scared that the Farmhand could return, and because of a game she played with her new friends, she’s afraid she could be his next victim.

Anna, lacking in patience for anyone around her, insists to her sister that that’s ridiculous and she has nothing to worry about. Meanwhile, though, Anna does wonder if the police actually got their man.

Anna’s Grandma, who is starting to lose herself to dementia, has mentioned dead girls on a couple of different occasions in reference to their own home. These comments, though potentially meaningless, do help to further fuel Anna’s interest in the murders.

We follow Anna as she starts digging for the truth, both in the surrounding town and within their house. Anna’s not exactly a likable, or truly reliable narrator, so I wasn’t sure what the ultimate conclusion was going to be, but I did enjoy going along for the ride.

There are some great aspects to this book. I enjoyed the overriding mystery and the small town setting quite a bit.

Sadly, there were also things I didn’t like as much however, including Anna’s attitude. I did think she showed growth over the course of the story, but the 1st-half with her was pretty brutal. I don’t need to like characters, but I just found her personality so grating. It was almost unpleasant.

She was super negative and bit disrespectful to everyone around her, including her family, which tends to rub me the wrong way.

As mentioned above, I did like the overall vibes and mystery. The Farmhand had become an urban legend around Harper’s Creek, with the local kids using the story to scare one another. I thought that was fun and realistic to how a small town would be in the aftermath of something like that.

Pinborough never fails to capture my attention, so I did enjoy my time with the story for the most part. I just feel like in comparison to her other works, this won’t stand out as a favorite for me. It’s fairly forgettable.

Nevertheless, it’s still a very solid story, especially in comparison with a lot of others on the market. I’m a huge Pinborough fan and love to pick up new stories from her and will continue to do so in the future.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. The audiobook is narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, one of my faves, and she did a great job bringing the story to life.

I certainly felt like Maarleveld’s narration was a good fit for Anna’s character, and I would definitely recommend the audio format if you’re going to be picking this one up. It made the story even more engaging.

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Review: I Am the Monster Under the Bed by Emily Zinnikas

~ megs14malloy

I Am the Monster Under the BedI Am the Monster Under the Bed by Emily Zinnikas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

I Am the Monster Under the Bed is an Adult Horror novel following an MC named Willa. When she was a child, she had an invisible entity living under her bed. She would talked to it and about it, saying a lot of creepy things that had her parents frazzled.

Through past perspective chapters, the Reader learns a bit about that time in Willa’s life, and how those experiences shaped the adult she would become.

Another formative experience for Willa occurred when she was a Senior in high school. She went into the woods with six other teens and was the only one to walk out. That’s right, the other six died in the woods that night.

This incident devastated their small town of Rapture, Maine, and Willa took the brunt of the blame, becoming a social pariah in an instant. She was always considered strange, but that night catapulted her to a new level of infamy.

The case went unsolved, with most locals thinking Willa was responsible for the deaths. They considered her a killer. Willa left town and started a career as an artist under a different name. She’s tried hard not to look back.

In the present perspective, Willa is now 32-years old. She’s been successful in her pursuits as an artist, though she lives a reclusive life. After an expose exposes her as the sole survivor of the Rapture Mystery Slayings, it seems Willa’s wall of privacy has been shattered.

In the midst of all this, she receives a call from an old classmate that her beloved art teacher has passed away. This is a woman who changed her life, and Willa feels compelled to return to Rapture to pay her respects.

With a great amount of trepidation, Willa returns to the small town she thought she’d never see again. The reception is mediocre, at best, and hostile at worst.

The narrative shifts back and forth between past and present, filling out the whole picture of Willa’s life and the truth of the goings on in Rapture. I did like this. It’s a good story, but I’ve been torn on how to rate it.

My experience with the novel could best be described as unbalanced. There were moments Zinnikas had me completely dialed in and then others when I was slightly rolling my eyes. I was also confused at times, which I attribute more to the way the story was put together than to the actual plot, or characters.

I feel the audiobook production could have done more to make the past/present perspectives more distinctive from each other. It was tough in the audio to really feel grounded within the story, but yeah, it was still good.

I’m so torn. My heart says round up to 4-stars, but my head is saying 3.5-stars is a more realistic rating based on my experience. The concluding bits also dipped a wee bit into eye-roll territory, which is never a good thing.

Overall, I did love the concept of this story, as well as the building of tension. I also really enjoyed Willa as a main character and thought that she had a compelling backstory.

What let me down was the execution of the past/present perspectives as a whole, and the concluding action scenes. I am pleased with the experience for the most part though, and will pick up any future works by Zinnikas.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. This is a great read for the Spooky Season!

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Review: We Are for the Dark by Gretchen McNeil

~ megs14malloy

We Are for the DarkWe Are for the Dark by Gretchen McNeil
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

We Are for the Dark is an Adult Religious Horror novel from Gretchen McNeil. I’ve never read and Adult novel from McNeil, and actually mistakenly went into this believing it was YA. You might ask, didn’t you read the synopsis?

And my answer to that would be, no, I did not. I’ve had enough success with McNeil in the past to jump on anything new she has releasing.

That assumption was quickly corrected based on the content and perspectives given at the start of the story, and I was excited to see how McNeil would deliver in this age group.

The story is set on a remote Newfoundland island and I was instantly drawn into that setting. I live on an island and love island set stories in general.

We follow two characters, Miriam Rideout, a Junior Constable from the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, and Father Shane Ryan, a FBI Agent turned Catholic Priest.

Father Ryan gets summoned to the island by His Eminence Cardinal Jacobs. Father Ryan is newly-ordained and he has no idea why this man of prominence would want to meet with him. It becomes clear that His Eminence is aware of Ryan’s past in the FBI, and he needs his help investigating the mysterious disappearance of a local priest.

Weeks prior, Constable Miriam Rideout fielded a call from the island, a frantic priest begging for help. During the call the line went dead, leaving Rideout very unsettled. No further reports or calls came in from the island and Rideout was left scratching her head.

She appeals to her higher-ups for permission to travel to the island and do a wellness check on the caller, but her appeal is denied. After which, Rideout decides to take some vacation time and books her travel to the island. She feels like something is wrong, and she’s not going let her boss deter her from helping someone in need.

Rideout and Ryan’s paths end up crossing once they’re on the island. The outsiders amongst a sea of locals. It’s clear to both that something is very off with the island, but what? And are Rideout and Ryan now in danger too?

Though they don’t trust each other at first, neither one of them is a dummy and they know their alliance is necessary. Something ancient lurks on this island, an entity to which the locals may be in service, and they have no intention of letting these newcomers leave.

This was good. I really enjoyed the setting and the atmosphere was great, but there were also aspects that I wasn’t as crazy about. Some of the action towards the end became a little muddled as the paced increased, but overall it’s a solid story.

I liked the working relationship between Rideout and Ryan, but even that went too far after a certain point. To me, it didn’t make sense, especially considering the circumstances they were facing, but what do I know. I’ve never been trapped on an island by crazy islanders before. I am in the crazy islander. ((kidding, kidding))

I would recommend this for Readers who enjoy Religious Horror, or Horror Thrillers in general. Particularly if you’ve enjoyed things like Harrow Lake and The Wicker Man. The atmosphere is where it’s at with this one, so Atmosphere Girlies, like myself, so definitely check it out.

Thank you to the publisher, Recorded Books and DAW, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m happy to see McNeil in the Adult space and am looking forward to further releases in this lane.

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Review: Black Point by Jacqueline West

~ megs14malloy

Black PointBlack Point by Jacqueline West
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Black Point follows Lucia Sorenson, a teen living in a small Wisconsin town set on the banks of the Mississippi River. Lucia’s Mom has been pushing her hard to apply to colleges for next year and to get out of town as soon as she can, but Lucia doesn’t want to leave.

Lucia’s aging Grandfather runs a local Viking Museum that houses a record of the town’s history and Norse traditions. Lucia feels it’s important for her to remain in town and to help keep the Museum running.

There’s no doubt the town is changing, and Lucia wants to do her part to help keep the memory of where they came from alive. One significant change is the fact that the Black Point Hotel, a 150-year old landmark property, that’s been vacant for decades, has recently been purchased by an outsider (boo, hiss) and is being renovated.

Lucia meets the new owner’s teenage nephew, Max, and they have a bit of an instant attraction. As the two grow closer, chatter around town increases about these newcomers. That’s sure to happen in a small town, but Lucia finds getting to know Max a fascinating prospect. Maybe the outside world does have something to offer afterall.

Max ends up discovering some unsettling things within the hotel, but Lucia doesn’t want to believe her beloved town could be harboring sinister secrets. As the river rises though, more secrets are brought to the surface, and it’s clear the town’s dark past can no longer be denied.

Will Lucia ignore the truth, or will she finally be the one to bring it to light? And will her new friend help her, or end up being her biggest liability?

This was good. I found it entertaining and enjoyed the classic creepy town vibes that West delivered. I liked the characters and overall concept, but would have like almost everything to be a bit more well-developed. It felt a bit too surface level, especially in the later half, IMO.

I feel like West could have leaned even more into the development of the mysteries of the town, and actually even more into Lucia and Max’s new friendship. It all went very, very quickly, and then the concluding bits got slightly muddled once the action picked up.

At the end of the day though, it was an entertaining read targeted perfectly for the YA crowd. I think a lot of Young Readers will really enjoy this one, particularly those who already enjoy Horror Fiction.

I do actually think this could translate well to the big screen. I’d definitely watch this movie. I think the atmosphere alone could make a fun flick. Maybe that’ll happen someday. Great concept; not my favorite execution, but a really strong showing, nevertheless.

Thank you to the publisher, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

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Review: Nobody Panic! by C.J. Vick

~ megs14malloy

Nobody Panic!Nobody Panic! by C.J. Vick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

In the Summer of 1986, moths inundated the town of Somerville, and Janet was strong-armed by her BFF Maggie into joining the PTA. Two wild occurrences.

Janet has an overriding misfit reputation that’s plagued her since high school, but Maggie’s support and good humor is enough to drag her out of the house for one night. With her slightly melted deviled eggs in tow, the ladies make their way to the meeting.

Unfortunately, most of the other members are just as awful as Janet remembers, and she clearly sticks out like a sore thumb. What’s also noticeable is the absence of Sue, the best bundt cake maker known to man.

The next day, Sue’s body is discovered, the first in what becomes a series of missing housewives. The official story isn’t adding up. Janet’s encyclopedic knowledge of true crime assures her of that.

When Maggie is the next to go missing, Janet is convinced something malevolent is sweeping through Somerville.

Pairing up with two other misfit moms, and the coroner’s apprentice, who had a big ole’ crush on Janet in high school, Janet starts investigating and what she uncovers goes way deeper than Sue’s murder, and a few missing PTA members.

It appears Somerville has been harboring a dark secret spanning back generations. In order to stop this plague on the town, it appears that Janet will need to confront the demons in her own home first. If she fails, she risks losing herself and all she loves forever to the darkness.

After reading the synopsis for Nobody Panic!, I knew this was a story I wanted to pick up right away. It sounded pure 80s, like one of the fun chaotic and campy Horror stories that I was raised on, and it didn’t disappoint.

This is such a fun read. It’s campy in all the right ways. It’s almost innocent in a way, Janet’s personality and the way the drama unfolds, it so pure and good.

The plot was dripping with 80s-nostalgia and Satanic Panic. Vick definitely delivered all the vibes I was hoping for when I went into it.

The only very slight critique I would give is that in the later half, when action really began to pick up, it was hard for me to stay focused, or really picture in my mind, all of what was going on. It had moments where it was almost too chaotic, if that makes sense.

However, this is probably more of a me problem than the book. I mention it only because it did have a slight effect on my experience, as I had to read certain sections a couple of times in order to track what was going on.

Focusing on the numerous positives though, Vick knocked the tone and humor of 80s-Horror out of the park. The chapters were also each titled after 80s-songs, which was so fun. I would love a complete playlist. It would be amazing.

I would definitely recommend this to people who love campy Horror, or books with heavy 80s vibes. Also, definitely recommend for fans of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires. The two could be cousins.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I know this doesn’t release for a long time yet, but I couldn’t resist picking it up to kick off my Spooky Season.

Also, if this is a debut from C.J. Vick, I think we’re going to have a long and beautiful relationship. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!!!

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Review: Murder at Gulls Nest (Nora Breen #1) by Jess Kidd

~ megs14malloy

Murder at Gulls Nest (Nora Breen Investigates #1)Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Murder at Gulls Nest is the 1st-installment of a Historical Cozy Mystery series by Jess Kidd. This series follows Nora Breen, who has recently asked to be released from her vows.

Yes, that’s right, Nora was a nun. That alone had me intrigued about this series. It’s pretty hard not to love an ex-nun turned amateur sleuth.

The impetus behind Nora’s recent choice is the apparent disappearance of her former novice, Frieda. Frieda was always a reliable letter writer (it’s the 1950s), so when her letters stop suddenly, Nora grows concerned. Nora feels compelled to seek Frieda out, to check on her safety.

She follows a line from one of Frieda’s letters and ends up at the Gulls Nest, a charming seaside hotel in Kent, which really acts more as a boarding house. Nora, hiding her identity, begins staying at the Gulls Nest and inserts herself into the lives of the residents there.

It’s not long after Nora arrives that people start dying under shady circumstances. Now it’s not just the disappearance of Frieda that Nora needs to figure out, but also who’s murdering the residents of the Gulls Nest, and why?

I felt like this was a great start to a series. The writing is excellent and it felt like it had a lot of heft, a bit more serious than a lot of Cozies I tend to enjoy, but Nora’s character absolutely sucked me in.

I’m a nosey old broad myself, so I found it easy to relate to her. I loved watching her skills at engaging with people, and getting them talking. She had a touch of Miss Marple, or Jessica Fletcher, about her in that regard. People just opened up to her. They want to tell her things.

The residents at the Gulls Nest are an intriguing cast as well. I did find it a touch challenging initially keeping everyone straight, but once the action really kicked off, that unmoored feeling sort of went away.

The 2nd-book, Murder at the Spirit Lounge released earlier this Summer, and I’m excited to get to it. I have a feeling that like with many Cozy Mystery series, you become more and more attached to the characters as the series goes on.

I’m looking forward to learning more about Nora’s background mayhaps in the next book. We did get a glimpse into her past here, and she’s definitely lived a life.

I’m also interested to see how her relationship with Detective Rideout develops moving forward. If it will evolve into more of a romance, or if it will perhaps just be an incredible partnership of investigative minds, for which I would be happy to accept.

Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I’m so sorry it took me this long to get to this one. It was a great experience, not sure why I’ve been putting it off, but I certainly won’t be waiting to read the next installment!

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Review: Marla by Jonathan Janz

~ megs14malloy

MarlaMarla by Jonathan Janz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Marla is set in the small town of King’s Branch. Many small towns, as a lot of us know, have their own local legends and lore, spooky houses to avoid and things of that nature.

For King’s Branch, it’s Marla Gorman. Marla is a teen girl who lives with her Mom in a rickety farmhouse on the edge of town. She seems harmless enough by that description, but Marla is a recluse, which makes people wonder. No one ever sees her out and about, but plenty of rumors circulate about her and her mother as you would expect.

On the night of the first murder our main character, Detective Carl Lancaster, catches sight of Marla leering down at him from a window of her home. Though seemingly insignificant, the momentary interaction leaves him chilled.

The night of the second murder, Detective Lancaster sees Marla again. This time under more unsettling circumstances, and the interaction happened at the exact moment of the second man’s death. Even though they were far away from the murder scene, Lancaster is confident Marla’s involved somehow and he won’t stop until he figures out how.

We don’t just follow Detective Lancaster’s perspective however, we get a few other perspectives as well, which really enhanced the feel of this whole town being involved in this unraveling drama.

None of them could’ve anticipated the truth about Marla. That’s only clear as the action escalates and we get more detailed glimpses into Marla’s dark and secretive world. The truth was certainly not what I expected.

I had a lot of fun with this book. It definitely has an 80s/90s Horror vibe to it that I loved. The action kicks off quickly, and it’s pedal to the floor the whole way.

There’s a lot of action and the tension steadily increases throughout. I enjoyed Detective Lancaster’s perspective a lot. He’s a very likable MC, and I was rooting for him to succeed.

I think Janz did a great job creating this town, and all the various residents as well. The legend of Marla felt real, and for anyone who has ever lived in a small town, I think you’ll find those aspects believable.

The way the other townsfolk were curious about Marla and her Mom, and all their many speculations, I could definitely picture that happening IRL.

I easily read this in a day, and yeah, it ended up being just what I was hoping for. Will it be for everyone? Certainly not, but luckily it worked for me and my tastes in more vintage feeling Horror.

I haven’t read a Jonathan Janz novel in many years, and this was a great reminder that I need to pick up more. I’ve been exploring his backlist to see what I need to get to next.

Thank you to the publisher, Blackstone Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This is an exciting ride, and I’m very happy to have made time for it. Marla is a memorable girl!

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Review: The Anniversary by Alex Finlay

~ megs14malloy

The AnniversaryThe Anniversary by Alex Finlay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

The Anniversary follows two main characters, Jules Delaney and Quinn Riley. When they were both 17-years old, back in 1992, one fateful night changed the trajectory of both of their lives, and intertwined their stories forever.

This sounds dramatic, but it’s true. Finlay expertly-weaves together the stories of Jules and Quinn, keeping me at the edge of my seat the whole way through.

On the fateful night in question, Jules survives an attack of the elusive May Day Killer, a serial predator who attacks unsuspecting young women every May 1st in small Midwestern towns. Though she survived the attack, certain psychological scars may never heal.

And poor Quinn, trying to break-up a fight, severly injures one of the participants, and he’s arrested and ultimately ends up in juvenile detention because of it. While he’s there, his mother is murdered, and the crime goes unsolved.

A year later, Jules is plagued with survivor’s guilt, and Quinn, recently released from juvie, struggles to put the pieces of his life back together.

We follow both of their perspectives through that process, with the book ultimately spanning over many years.

Jules and Quinn never give up their search for answers, and over time, more and more clues are revealed, bringing their paths back together once again. The bottom line is the May Day Killer is still out there, Quinn’s mother’s murderer is still out there, and they’re determined to find the truth before any other innocent lives are lost.

I feel like I’m not giving this detailed plot justice, but you get the gist. I really enjoyed the back and forth and how we followed the two MCs over such a long period of time. As the puzzle pieces started to fall into place, my attention was fully captured.

The audiobook was fantastic. It’s dual narrated by Brittany Pressley and Ari Fliakos, and having the individual narrators for both perspectives, really lent believability to the plot. It also kept my attention more than had I just been reading a hard copy, I think.

Jules and Quinn were both great characters. They had been through so much, but they never let the negativity of those events completely overwhelm them. Sure, they struggled through some complicated emotions, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but they never lost their determination and will to fight for closure.

They were also both very smart and resourceful. A highlight for me was their interactions together. I felt like they supported each other nicely.

Overall, I had a blast with this. It’s really, really good. The story is gripping, with tons of twists and turns that’ll keep you flipping pages well into the night.

Finlay’s last release, Parents Weekend, fell a little flat for a lot of people, I enjoyed it, but certainly not as much as some of his earlier works. With The Anniversary, I feel like he’s hit his stride again. I definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to the pubisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I look forward to whatever Finlay has in store for us next!

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Review: The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts (The Marlow Murder Club #5) by Robert Thorogood

~ megs14malloy

The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts (The Marlow Murder Club, #5)The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts by Robert Thorogood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts is the 5th-book in Robert Thorogood’s The Marlow Murder Club series. I’ve enjoyed the previous books tremendously, so had been anxiously awaiting this 5th-release.

If you aren’t aware, these books follow Judith Potts, a widow in her 70s, and her two BFFs, Suzie and Becks, as they tackle mysteries in their local Marlow community.

This installment involves the deaths of two local celebrities, who although they don’t initially seem connected, the women decide to investigate nonetheless, because it certainly can’t be coincidence. But why would a killer be targeting such high profile locals?

Judith, Becks and Suzie, never ones to turn away from a truly puzzling mystery, are sure that the two cases must have a link, but finding it will be a challenge.

With all of this going on, it’s not a great time for Judith’s past to come back and haunt her, but that’s exactly what happens. Judith’s distracted, are her dark secrets finally going to come to light, or will she be able to put out that fire and solve the murders all at the same time?

I’m so happy to report that this ended up being my favorite book of the series thus far. I loved the growth displayed by all four of our main ladies, I’m including Tanika, their friend and police contact, with this statement, and I feel like they are all truly coming into their own.

There was something so ‘final’ feeling about this ending though. I’m actually nervous about it. I really hope this isn’t the last mystery we get with this fabulous cast of characters.

When I first started with this series, I liked it, but I wasn’t in love, but as the series has progressed, each installment seems to get stronger, or perhaps it’s that I’ve become so attached to the ladies. Either way, I feel like Thorogood has done an excellent job leaning into their personalities and allowing the series to grow.

I love the dynamic between Judith, Suzie and Becks. They support each other so well, and where one of them may have a weakness, the others can provide their own strengths, making them a fantastic team.

I really enjoyed learning more about Judith’s past in this one as well. Thorogood has been alluding to something potentially shady in Judith’s past that she’s been hiding from, but we never got the full scope of that. I feel like I have a much deeper understanding of her now.

As usual though, there’s also a great amount of humor in the story, particularly when the ladies are in full investigation mode. They’re so funny, the hi-jinks they get themselves into, even dangerous ones, all to solve the crimes. Now that’s dedication to a goal.

I would highly recommend this series to all Cozy Mystery fans, in particular if you enjoy friendship groups solving mysteries together, or elderly amateur sleuths. The small town vibes are on point as well, as is the humor and heart.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. As mentioned above, I truly hope we get more installments in this wonderful Cozy series!

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Review: It Happened One Murder by Liz Lawson

~ megs14malloy

It Happened One MurderIt Happened One Murder by Liz Lawson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

After getting fired from her dream magazine job in NYC, Harriet Baker returns to her hometown, a sleepy beach town in New Jersey, to lick her wounds and recover.

Unfortunately, living with her eccentric mother and narcissistic step-father isn’t necessarily a soothing environment for her. Nevertheless, Harriet won’t be there for long. She just wants to keep her head down until she can return to some semblance of her former life.

Then her mother decides to throw an extravagant birthday party for her. The last thing Harriet would want, but like with everything else, her mom is like a tornado and poor Harriet just gets sucked unwilling up into the cyclone.

At the party, full of her Mom’s friends and acquaintances, Harriet ends up running into her one-time fling, Nic Allbright, whose family is catering the event. She’d not forgot those short weeks with Nic, but it did take her a moment to recognize him.

That’s not awkward at all…

When the party abruptly ends in murder, all eyes are looking to Nic’s sister, Sara, who was the chef at the party. She knowingly left in a huff after a loud squabble with the individual who now lays dead on the beach.

Nic knows his sister is innocent and he needs to clear her name. Harriet also has a motivation to investigate the crime. She’s been offered her old job back if she writes an article uncovering what really happened the night of the party. After all, True Crime is popular.

For her article, Harriet is going to need Nic’s cooperation. She needs access to his sister, and if he is going to clear Sara’s name, he needs Harriet’s skills as an investigative reporter. But will they be able to put the past in the past, and actually work together?

It Happened One Murder is a really cute romantic Cozy Mystery. I loved the set-up of the party and how quickly Lawson got us to the murder, and hence the mystery.

I also really enjoyed Harriet’s perspective, what was going on with her as far as her job and family. I also loved the beach setting. Nic was charming and compelling as a love interest as well. I liked the backstory of their time together as teens, and how differently their lives had gone since then.

While the mystery itself didn’t quite knock my socks off, the likable characters and the romance more than made up for it. The banter between Harriet and Nic was great, and I appreciated that we got both of their perspectives. I think it added a lot, as far as understanding their relationship.

I would recommend this to Readers who enjoy cozy, low stakes, mysteries with a side of romance. I think Lawson balanced all the elements of this story very well and I’m excited to read more from her in the future.

Thank you so much to the publisher, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This story is as cute as its cover!

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