The Novel Art of Murder

· Mystery Bookshop Book 3 · Kensington Cozies
3.7
3 reviews
eBook
256
Pages
Eligible
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About this eBook

A bookstore owner tries to keep her grandmother from spending her golden years in an orange jumpsuit in a novel by the Agatha Award finalist.
 
The small town of North Harbor, Michigan, is just not big enough for the two of them: flamboyant phony Maria Romanov and feisty Nana Jo. The insufferable Maria claims she's descended from Russian royalty and even had a fling with King Edward VIII back in the day. She’s not just a lousy liar, she's a bad actress, so when she nabs the lead in the Shady Acres Senior Follies—a part Nana Jo plays every year in their retirement village production—Nana Jo blows a gasket and reads her the riot act in front of everyone.
 
Of course, when Maria is silenced with a bullet to the head, Nana Jo lands the leading role on the suspects list. Sam’s been writing her newest mystery, set in England between the wars, with her intrepid heroine Lady Daphne drawn into murder and scandal in the household of Winston Churchill. But now she has to prove that Nana Jo’s been framed. With help from her grandmother's posse of rambunctious retirees, Sam shines a spotlight on Maria’s secrets, hoping to draw the real killer out of the shadows…
 
Praise for The Plot Is Murder
 
“Readers of Carolyn Hart and Vicki Delany will appreciate the lively seniors, the humor, and the bookstore environment.”—Library Journal

Ratings and reviews

3.7
3 reviews
Billie Jackson
14 November 2018
I adore the characters in this series and this book. Ms. Burns does a beautiful job of allow even the secondary characters to shine. The bookshop workers and their friends are the stars of the book even though none of them are the primary suspect this time. In fact, things at the bookshop are going great but the same can't be said for the retirement village our favorite seniors live in. History from as far back as World War II and as recent as the last decade come into play when a recent addition to the retirement condos is found dead in her room. The complexity of the background was fascinating but I was a bit disappointed that the murderer seemed too obvious. Since I read the book as an ARC there could be changes, and I can't wait to read the final product to see if that has happened. Of course, the person I think is most obvious usually isn't and other readers often have different ideas. The possible motives and intertwined characters still kept me hooked to the main mystery as much as the wonderful characters. As has been the norm, the historical romance that Sam is writing has parallels that help her work through the real mystery as well as the newest book in the series that she is writing. I love that we get two whole mysteries rather than just snippets of Sam's work. I received an ARC of the Novel Art of Murder via NetGalley. I share my enjoyment of the book because I enjoyed it so much.
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Simi F.
16 June 2019
boring! I read the first 3 books.i didnt even read the 3rd book past chapter 3. alltrhe old yentas once again stupid .I only rwD rhe bita about the "book" that should be the series id read..not rhis stipod draghin book store series. i hated the modern day story both her and her grandma are annoying and boring. the book she's "writing" has more interesting AND intelligent characters rhan the ijiot book store owner
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Laura Collins
27 November 2018
This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I am looking forward to reading other books by this great author.
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About the author

Valerie (V. M.) Burns is a mystery writer whose novels and short stories have been finalists for the Agatha, Anthony, Edgar, and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She is the author of the Mystery Bookshop, Dog Club, RJ Franklin, and Baker Street Mystery series. Valerie is a member of Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Color, Mystery Writers of America, and the Crime Writers' Association. She is also an adjunct professor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie now lives in the southeastern United States with her two poodles. Connect with Valerie at VMBurns.com.

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