Jun 20 2020

Booked for Death by Victoria Gilbert

Item: Booked for Death
Author: Brooke

Posted by Brooke in Book Giveaway, Book Tour / 5 Comments

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I received this book for free from a book tour, NetGalley. This review is voluntary. My opinion is not influenced in any way.

Booked for Death by Victoria Gilbert
Series: A Booklovers B&B Mystery #1
Published by Crooked Lane Books on August 11, 2020
Genres: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Source: a book tour, NetGalley
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Goodreads

A book lover's B&B in an idyllic waterfront village becomes the scene of a grisly murder--and a ruthless battle between treachery and the truth.

Nestled in the historic waterfront town of Beaufort, North Carolina, Chapters Bed-and-Breakfast is a reader's paradise. Built in 1770, the newly renovated inn hosts a roster of special events celebrating books, genres, and authors. It's the perfect literary retreat--until a rare book dealer turns up dead in the carriage house during a celebration of Golden Age mystery author Josephine Tey.

The victim's daughter points the finger at forty-two-year-old widow and former schoolteacher Charlotte Reed, who inherited the B&B from her great-aunt Isabella. Charlotte is shocked to discover that the book dealer suspected Isabella of being a thief who founded Chapters on her ill-gotten gains. Charlotte has successfully learned the B&B business in a year, but nothing has prepared her to handle a death on the premises.

Armed with intelligence and courage and assisted by her vibrant older neighbor, a visiting author, and members of a local book club, Charlotte is determined to prove her innocence and to clear her great-aunt's name. But the murderer is still at large, and equally determined to silence anyone who might discover the truth behind the book dealer's death. Now, Charlotte must outwit an unknown killer--or end up writing her own final chapter.

My Thoughts

Booked for Death by Victoria Gilbert is the first book in the new Booklovers B&B Mystery series and it is set in Beaufort, NC. North Carolina is my favorite state to visit – my sister-in-law’s sister lives in Wilmington, and I’ve been fortunate enough to spend some time there. I love everything about a B&B for book lovers! What a perfect destination vacation. I’d love to participate in fun bookish events – especially in an area I love spending time in. The setting and the premise of the story drew me in first. I found myself reading until I was too sleepy to keep going! That is the mark of a good book for me – when I read until I can’t keep my eyes open. 🙂

The book starts off with a lot of “set up” – introducing characters, setting, etc and the murder happens a bit later in the story because of that. I’ve found that happens with books that are first in the series since they require a bit more background information than later entries. Once the murder occurred, the story really flew for me as I was racing to find out whodunit – and worried that there would be more victims before the killer was found.

Overall, this was a strong start to a series sure to appeal to cozy lovers everywhere. I am looking forward to more in the series!

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About Victoria Gilbert

Victoria Gilbert, raised in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, turned her early obsession with reading into a dual career as an author and librarian. Victoria has worked as a reference librarian, research librarian, and library director. When not writing or reading, she likes to spend her time watching films, gardening, or traveling. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers and lives in North Carolina.