Have become a fan of Ellie Alexander from this series. Love the creative ways the storyline wraps around the bookshop and Sherlock Holmes enthusiasm.

I love Ellie Alexander and this is no different.
I never feel like there’s a formula or feel lost because there’s not enough backstory on characters.
as usual, loved the story, love the series, love the author.

I thought enjoy Ellie Alexander’s stories they are fast paced easy to read. She has great characters that keep you wanting to keep reading. I would recommend her books to everyone.

I didn't know this was part of a series when I first decided to read it. I love cozy mysteries and small town settings, add in a bookshop setting and I'm bound to like it! I did enjoy this book because it was a quick, easy read, but it didn't fully deliver the mystery I was wanting. I should probably read the whole series from the start to really get it a feel for Annie, but I'll definitely check out the next book.

I'm so excited for the need book. The plot twist regarding scarlet was so twisty that it had my knickers in a twist. Jokes aside, loving the series so far!

Book Review: A Victim at Valentine’s by Ellie Alexander

Rating: 4 Stars

I just finished A Victim at Valentine’s by Ellie Alexander, and I have to say, it’s a solid four-star cozy mystery that really draws you in. Set in the charming town of Redwood Grove, the story kicks off on Valentine’s Day when Annie Murray’s plans take a dark twist after a well-loved community member is found dead in her Agatha Christie-inspired bookstore.

Annie teams up with the lead detective to unravel the mystery, and right away, you’re introduced to a quirky cast of suspects—from a psychic to a matchmaking pro, and even a potential rival bookseller—everyone seems to have a motive. What I really enjoyed was how Annie’s investigation digs deeper, connecting the new murder to a haunting tragedy from her past involving her best friend’s death, which adds a nice dash of tension.

One thing that immediately caught my eye was the gorgeous cover—those colors are absolutely stunning and perfectly match the cozy vibe of the story. The writing is smooth, the pacing is just right, and the mystery kept me guessing right up until the end. The setting feels inviting and well-crafted, and the characters are memorable without feeling overdone.

If you’re a fan of authors like Tonya Kappes or Ellery Adams, this book will definitely hit the spot. It’s got that perfect blend of cozy charm, a well-constructed mystery, and a little bit of romance. What more could you want? Overall, A Victim at Valentine’s was a thoroughly enjoyable read that I’d recommend to anyone looking for a captivating and heartwarming cozy mystery.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

The main mystery revolves around the murder of a seemingly well liked benefactor. The backdrop is a Valentine themed dating event at the bookstore. The secondary storyline of the long ago murder of Annie's friend Scarlet takes away from the main story. That is the one downside for me.

In the latest Secret Bookcase Mystery novel, readers return to Redwood Grove where Annie Murray is ready for the Valentine Day’s plans she has in store when a pillar of the community winds up dead in the bookshop. As Annie helps the police solve the mystery and explore the list of suspects, each with a plausible motive for the murder, she must also keep an eye on her investigation into her friend’s death a decade ago. With time running out on the latest investigation, Annie must solve the crime and find the killer before she ends up on a date with them! Another fantastic novel in this entertaining book-themed cozy mystery series, readers will love the new exploits, investigations, and adventures that Annie finds herself caught up in, and while the number of murders in this town is concerning, readers should definitely keep up with this holiday-murder mystery series. In unfolding new details about Annie’s friend’s death alongside this new and entertaining mystery, readers will love the community and character development that Alexander adds in this latest installment, and the brilliance of this complex mystery will really immerse readers in this brilliant and entertaining story from a fantastic mystery series.

This was my 1st Ellie Alexander book. I probably shouldn't have started with book 5 in a series. I did enjoy this cozy Valentine's mystery with Annie and friends trying to find out who would have murdered a loved pillar of their community.

I would first like to thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.

Annie Murray with help of Hal and Fletcher get ready for Valentine’s Day, by hosting a matchmaking event at the Secret Bookcase. To Annie’s dismay, George, a stalwart member of the community, is found at the bookstore, as a corpse. As the weekend of matchmaking continues, Annie embarks upon a journey to uncover the mystery of who killed George? Is this in any way linked to the death of Annie’s close friend 10 years back?

Though this is Ellie Alexander’s 5th book in the series, I was new to her work and found it fulfilling my requirements of a perfectly cozy read. The plot was crisp, and the pace was appropriate for the genre.

I hope to read more of Ellie Alexander’s work!

I liked this book better than the earlier books in the series. I found some of it to be annoying, especially that you never get all the answers at the end but otherwise it’s a good story. #AVictimatValentines #NetGalley

This is a commen review for Death at the Dinner Party, A Holiday Homicide, A Victim at Valentine's
I'm loving this series and hope there will be more instalments as it's well written, the characters are likeable, the solid mysteries keep me guessing.
Well done, very entertaining
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series so far. I like the continuous and developing thread that runs through the books and also the new characters and context for each plot. I particularly enjoyed this book. I found the characters interesting and colourful. The development of the Secret Bookship to include private investigators is a natural progression. I am constantly intrigued to find how more plots can be worked from within this bookshop and its characters. I find the descriptions clear and colourful and have my own picture of what this small town and bookshop look like. Highly recommend.

Enjoyable cozy mystery set in a small American town. I felt this did ramble on quite a bit though.

You may enjoy this more if you have read the previous books in the series.

I have enjoyed all of the books in the Secret Bookcase series written by Ellie Alexander. Books about bookshops and murder just grab my attention and I’m ready to get lost in the pages! The characters are well developed and you will come to love Annie and the rest of the gang in Redwood Grove. A murder mystery while the bookshop is hosting a Valentine’s Day matching making event will grab your attention and have you flipping through the pages quickly. Lots of twist and turns and clues that will have you wondering who is guilty of murder. And then you get a shock at the end when new information is revealed about the death of Annie’s best friend, Scarlet. You will gasp out loud! I am, however, sad to know that there will only be one more book in this series. So I strongly encourage you to go back to the first book in the series and read them all while we anxiously await the release of the final book. I can’t wait to see what the gang at the Secret Bookcase will get into next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Adult
Contemporary
Cozy Mystery
Mystery

I picked up A Victim at Valentine’s only to realise that the book is a part of the A Secret Bookcase Mystery series — a whodunit in small town in a bookshop/bakery with Valentine’s Day as a backdrop seemed like the perfect light read for the weekend.

Unfortunately, it didn’t deliver for me. The mystery felt underwhelming — no tension, no build-up, and the reveal at the end didn’t provide that emotional closure I was hoping for. The plot moves along quietly and that is it. Without urgency and high-stakes.

As someone who is new to the series, I found it a bit difficult to engage with Annie, the protagonist. I guess I was missing out on long established character traits, inside jokes, character arcs that only fans of the series would know and appreciate.

The author, Ellie Alexander has a knack though of creating and writing in an easy manner. The comforts of small town relations and their preference and conversations around food… for a first time reader, it can get a bit on the nose after a while.

If you are a beloved fan of the series, then you will enjoy the familiarity of all, but if you are like me, I would suggest that you start from the first book in the series, perhaps a better introduction to the beloved character of Annie.

This is the fifth book in the Secret Bookcase Mysteries series. It was an enjoyable read, that's great for when you want something light but still entertaining. The predictable nature of a cozy mystery like this one is just perfect sometimes.

The mystery itself was well thought out, the characters were likable, and the setting was really quite charming. If you're looking for a quick read with some Valentine's Day fun, this book is a good choice.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is a cozy mystery set around Valentine’s Day. While it was a quick and fun read. If you love short mysteries, themed reading, and cozy detailed scene descriptions, you may enjoy this book.

I wasn’t able to find much personality within the main character to build a connection. The final reveal felt like there was not much build up nor investigating by Annie. I enjoyed the concept of the book and feel the potential is there. Overall, I did not enjoy the execution.

Thank you for the early copy obtained through NetGalley in return for this review.

I really enjoyed this book up until the ending. The idea of speed dating and matchmaking was so interesting, and Alexander did an excellent job setting up the bookstore for the event. It truly felt like a cozy Valentines! The mystery itself was also full of twists and turns. I couldn't guess whodunnit and loved all the red herrings Alexander wove into the story. Unfortunately, I felt like the ending was ruined because of being completely overshadowed by Scarlet's mystery. I wish that this mystery had taken precedent in the end because it really was interesting! Instead, the solution was tied up in a rushed conversation with the killer and the mystery closed.

Thank you to the author, publisher and @NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is a supremely binge-able series and I can’t believe this is nearing the end of this series 😭 I know it can’t go on forever, but when you find a cozy mystery series that has been consistently solid, you just want there to be more!!

Thank goodness we’re finally truly getting somewhere on Scarlet’s death. I was starting to get a little frustrated honestly and this brought me back to loving that aspect of this story.

Of course, I enjoyed the Valentine’s matchmaking themed event and I so with I had a bookstore like this near where I live!