How to Book a Murder

Dr. Emma Starrs returns home to help her sister, Lucy run the family bookstore, Starlit Bookshop. They need an influx of cash, so Emma steps in to help mean girl Tabitha with a murder mystery dinner. The event is a hit until Emma finds Tabitha’s husband dead on the patio. Emma’s aunt, Nora becomes the prime suspects with Emma in line behind her. The pair set out to find the truth. The killer, though, is not done with their slaying. Can Emma and Nora identify the guilty party before they end up next on the hit list? How to Book a Murder by Cynthia Kuhn is the debut of A Starlit Bookshop Mystery series. There are a variety of characters in this new cozy mystery. I liked Emma’s sister, Lucy who is a sweetie as well as Emma’s eccentric aunt, Nora. Nora has a lively personality and I like her unique attire. There is a large cast of characters and I found it a challenge to keep them a straight. Emma’s high school nemesis, Tabitha and her gaggle of followers are still in town. They are still mean (worse than in high school because now they have influence) and now they are rich. This might be a trigger for some people who had trouble with mean individuals in high school. The author’s descriptive writing allows readers to envision the characters and the town. Starlit Bookstore sounded like my type of place (where you could spend hours browsing through the books). The murder of Tabitha’s husband, Tip has Emma and Nora becoming amateur sleuths. Tabitha is openly accusing the pair of doing the deed. They have no choice but to search for the killer. They have an extensive list of suspects. Nora and Emma need to whittle down the list to figure out which individual committed the crime. It is a frustrating venture since the mean girl clique is unhelpful and spreading heinous gossip. In the end, all the clues come together for Emma. She needs to step carefully, or she could end up the next victim. I wish the wrap up had been more complete. I was left with a couple of unanswered questions at the end of the book. It also felt more like a recitation of information. There were two secondary characters that I thought were a hit. The caterer, Vivi Yang is a warm, friendly, and upbeat character who creates delectable food. I liked her and I hope we see more of her in future books. I also enjoyed Calliope Nightfall. She is an author with a flair for the dramatic. How to Book a Murder is blithe cozy mystery with a bewitching bookstore, office obstruction, multiple murders, a Poe party, malicious mean females, exquisite culinary cuisine, academic afflictions, and a raven reveal.