Elizabeth Penney

Molly Kimball, a Vermont librarian, and her mother move to Cambridge, England to assist Aunt Violet in running the family bookshop. They discover the bookstore needs a big cash infusion, and Molly launches a social media marketing campaign to get the shop back on the radar. When a woman is found dead behind the shop at an author event and her aunt becomes the chief suspect because it was done with her knitting needle, Molly and others launch their own investigation to clear her aunt. The proprietor of a bicycle shop next door and Molly are attracted to one another. I found this a refreshing series. I loved the setting, and I liked all the main characters who will continue. I listened to the audio version read by Henrietta Meire. I look forward to future installments.… (mere)

This mystery novel with gothic overtones is set in fascinating Cambridge, England. Molly Kimball lives in Cambridge with her mom and her aunt, and together they manage the Thomas Marlowe bookshop. Molly jumps at the chance to use her library skills to catalog the library at the stately mansion of her boyfriend Kieran. When a murder occurs and a rare manuscript is stolen, Molly gets more than she bargained for as she becomes part of a gothic story herself.

This novel contains a story within a story that adds interest to the main plot. Readers who enjoy a cozy mystery with twists and turns will enjoy the Cambridge university setting with its many bookshops and quirky characters. This novel is part of a series but can be read as a standalone.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.… (mere)

I'm happy to see that there are already two more books in this series, with another to be released in November. I enjoyed the first very much. It combined the best characteristics of the cozy mystery with what I call "not-so-trashy trashy novels" -- romances with strong heroines who are passionate about their work. In this case, Molly Kimball is passionate about books, having worked as a librarian in her native Vermont. When her mother receives a request from British Aunt Violet to help run the old family bookshop in Cambridge, England, the two leap at the chance, even though Molly's mother has heretofore been silent about her British family.
Molly's delight at being in Cambridge, surrounded by books, is tempered when, during a literary festival, a local woman who is part of the small community around Magpie Lane is found murdered in Violet's back garden. Molly's curiosity and stubborn need to find the truth lead to excitement and, finally, the true killer -- and there's romance as well. Highly recommended.… (mere)