Another great story but I am sad to say goodbye to the awesome bookshop team and setting- if only the bookshop really existed!

A Body at the Book Fair is the gripping conclusion of The Secret Bookcase cozy mystery series. As they prepare to officially take over the Secret Bookcase, as well as open their new detective agency, Annie and Fletcher head to Santa Clara for an annual book conference. Annie can't wait to mingle with other book lovers and learn about all the new technology geared towards readers. In addition to attending the book fair, Annie is also determined to solve her best friend's murder - a case she has been investigating for the past decade. When one of the panelists is discovered dead at the conference, Annie realizes that she now has two murders to solve. Unfortunately, the victim has a long list of enemies, and Annie can't afford to be too distracted from her ultimate goal of solving Scarlet's death.

All the books in The Secret Bookcase series are fun-filled, warm, and intriguing. The characters are absolutely delightful. I've really enjoyed the development of Annie's relationships, especially with Liam and Fletcher. In this last installment, Annie finally solves Scarlet's murder. Throughout the series, the author does a fabulous job of keeping the reader interested in this overarching mystery while also being invested in each book's specific mystery. The town of Redwood Grove is charming, and I so wish that there was a real-life Secret Bookcase! I'm excited to hear that there is going to be a spin-off series that focuses on Annie and Fletcher's new detective agency. I will definitely be diving into that series!

(3.75 stars)
A Body At The Book Fair is the sixth and final book in the Secret Bookcase Mystery series. Like each of the other books, there’s a separate mystery here plus the conclusion of a mystery that has spanned all six books. Because of that overarching plot, I’d recommend reading the series in order or at least reading the two before this one first.

Annie Murray has a criminology background but has been working at a mystery-themed bookstore in a small town in Northern California for several years. She has been trying to solve the case of the murder of her best friend, Scarlet, for the past ten years and we finally get to see her succeed.

I actually was more interested in the rest of the book. Annie and her co-worker Fletcher are attending a booksellers conference and a death takes place there, during a tech presentation in front of a large audience. There’s a lot of discussion about new book-related technologies (virtual reality and more) and an interesting (to me) discussion about book auctions where publishers vie for the opportunity to publish a particular book with a lot of buzz.

I’ve enjoyed all the main characters in this series: Annie, Fletcher (a Sherlock Holmes aficionado), Priya who runs a coffee shop, and Liam, who runs the local pub. Fletcher and Annie are getting ready to start their own private investigation business, Novel Detectives, and by the end of the book they have all the certifications required to do so. That would be in addition to their roles at the bookstore, apparently. Looks like there’s going to be a spin-off series!

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

A big fan of this series, always good to see in my catalogue of books to read. I can’t believe this is the last in the series - I shall miss Annie but look forward to any forthcoming books.

Finally there was closure on Scarlets death after 10yrs alongside a new murder case.

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing

It hasn’t been long since Annie Murray and Fletcher Hughes became co-owners of an Agatha Christie-themed bookstore, and as the new business owners of the Secret Staircase they are attending the California Booksellers Convention in nearby Santa Clara. It’s a fantastic opportunity to network with their fellow booksellers, as well as meet new publishers and authors. One of the featured programs is also a presentation of the new wave of e-readers, several of which are not only intuitive but have their own virtual reality platform. It quickly becomes heated when the moderator, as well as the two presenters Andrew Fox and Victor Moore, begin talking over and arguing with one another about who has the best technology. When Andrew Fox drops dead while demonstrating his innovative Headset, Annie immediately knows that it was more than an accident and guards the scene in order to help the arriving detective. Annie’s input is considered more valuable than the usual “amateur” detective since she and Fletcher are newly licensed private detectives with their own company, not to mention her having a degree in criminology and a high recommendation from her professor. What Annie and Fletcher soon learn is that Andrew Fox accrued a long list of enemies, ranging from the store owners he shafted to those whose tech he is accused of stealing.

At this point, Annie has fully embraced her new career as a private investigator, working with the police as advisors and using her unofficial status to infiltrate and cozy up to suspects. Annie is pretty brazen about her questioning, confident with her degree in criminology and secure that she has police backup. Ironically, now that she and Fletcher are full co-owners of the bookstore this installment has them away from the Secret Staircase and instead exploring the book convention. This allows for an engaging exploration of the book publishing business, with editors competing for authors, authors battling for publishers, publishers desperate to create buzz, and tech creators fighting to be the first on the market. It allows for an ample number of suspects, motives, and opportunities for murder, all which has Annie shuffling her list of possibilities. Lingering in the background is the murder that started it all, namely that of her best friend Scarlet. The trauma from the murder derailed Annie’s plans to become a criminologist, and only now has Annie allowed herself to resume that career and the investigation into Scarlet’s death. Annie now knows the who, she just needs to get the evidence to prove it. That involves an undercover operation that has Annie up close to the person she knows had Scarlet killed, a man who knows Annie’s intention and may be luring her into a trap. At least Annie’s boyfriend Liam has her back, and keeping her friends and the police informed will give her a layer of protection that makes the risk worth taking. This new direction away from the bookstore is a fun introduction to what will be a new series, one focusing more on Fletcher and Annie’s private detection business than the daily running of a bookstore. There can never be enough exploration of books and the world of bibliophiles though, and here’s to hoping that there will soon be another entry in the Secret Staircase mystery series and its unique mystery-themed collection.

While this isn’t my favorite series by this author, it has grown on me, particularly since the cold case has really heated up. As this is the last in the series, I knew that the cold case would be wrapped up so I was anxious to see how it would all end. What a disappointment! I tore through the first half of this book and the current mystery, all the while waiting for Annie’s meeting with the major player in Scarlet’s disappearance only to be met with one implausible and ridiculous scenario after another. The ending was wrapped up way too quickly for as long as it was drawn out and the methods to get the information were unbelievable. What information did she get? We don’t ever find out. This does set up the next series nicely and I will hope for better with that one.

This is the final installment of the Secret Bookcase Mysteries – although don’t worry, we’ll get a spin-off, The Novel Detectives series. This time around, Annie and Fletcher are in Santa Clara for a book fair and Liam and Pri are coming along too. It just so happens that the fair is near the company that Annie blames for her best friend, Scarlet’s, death, ten years ago, and Annie has a plan to get the evidence she needs. While we do get some background info on the cold case, this one probably works better if you’ve read others in the series. Of course, there’s also a murder at the book fair. One of the presenters is killed by his own VR device, and Annie is there when it happens.

The book fair sounds amazing and makes me want to go to a bookish event soon. The two mystery plot are balanced well. We have several suspects for the current murder – the dead man was not a nice guy or honest businessman. I didn’t really love how the solution to Scarlet’s case played out, but I’m glad it’s resolved. I’m not a huge fan of over-arching mysteries in my cozies.

The characters are fun to spend time with and it’s a light read. I’m looking forward to catching up with Annie and her crew again.

A Body at the Book Fair is the final book in Ellie Alexander’s A Secret Bookcase Mystery Series. Annie is just days away owning The Secret Bookcase and opening a detective agency with her friend Fletcher. But before she can turn the page to this new chapter, she must finally bring her best friend Scarlet’s killer to justice.

A book fair in Santa Clara brings Annie closer to the investment firm tied to Scarlet’s death. However, her visit takes an unexpected turn when a panel participant is murdered right in front of her, forcing Annie to juggle solving this new mystery while staying focused on bringing Scarlet’s killer to justice.

The only aspect I didn’t love was that most of the story takes place outside of Redwood Grove. I’ve always felt that setting can become as vivid and essential as any character. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and was happy to see Annie finally achieve justice for Scarlet. I’m definitely looking forward to following Annie’s next adventures in the upcoming spinoff series, The Novel Detectives.

A fantastic ending to a wonderful series. I love Annie and the main cast of characters, plus the bookish settings! What's not to love? The ending to the overarching mystery was satisfying. I definitely recommend reading this series in order.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

This series is truly just a ton of good fun! I’ve really enjoyed reading it and am delighted that the characters will continue on in another series! Changing the setting from the bookshop brought out a new side to the story, which is always interesting. I’m glad that the Scarlett storyline is wrapped up. Alexander managed to pull things together nicely in a dramatic but solid fashion. The individual case was well done and interesting even though it wasn’t the sole center of the novel.

What a great addition to this series! We finally get the answers we have been waiting for with Scarlett’s story line. I’m guessing this one is wrapping up this series and I think Ellie Alexander did a wonderful job tying the story up. We’ve been given hints of there being some what of a spin off series and I can’t wait!

Ellie Alexander has done it again! I've read all the books in The Secret Bookcase Mysteries series, and this final book leaves you wanting more! While the killer for the our heroine Annie's best friend Scarlett is finally revealed, you're left wondering what else is in store for The Novel Detectives? Hopefully, we'll find out in the future, because I cannot get enough of Annie and her found family! Nevertheless, this was the perfect ending to the series!

Special thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I enjoy visiting with these characters and that they move forward in there lives. The setting is great and I'd love to find such a town.
The mystery kept me guessing. I look forward to the next series with these characters.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review

What a great series to follow from beginning to end! Ellie Alexander has such a talent for drawing you into the characters, the location, and the story. I highly recommend this series and would strongly encourage it be read in order. Way to go, Ellie, and I can't wait to see where you take readers next!

“A Body at the Book Fair” is the very well done sixth and final book in Ellie Alexander’s Secret Bookcase Cozy Mystery Series (fortunately there is a spinoff series in the works). While this book could probably be read on its own, I highly recommend reading this series from the beginning especially as this book finally wraps up the mystery of Annie Murray’s best friend’s murder. The conclusion to that mystery is a satisfying one and had me on the edge of the seat as Annie confronted the killer (kudos to the way Alexander handles this and did not make Annie a Too Stupid to Live main character). In addition to this mystery which has run the course of the six books, there is also another murder at the Book Fair that Annie, coworker Fletcher, best friend Pri, and boyfriend Liam investigate. This was also well done with just the right amount of suspects to keep readers guessing whodunit. All in all, a successful ending to a great series and I look forward to the spinoff series.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Book six in the Secret Bookcase series is both the finale and the launching point for the spin-off series, ‘The Novel Detectives.’ Fans of the books will be pleased to see two mysteries front and centre with the resolution of the ten year old murder case of Annie Murray’s best friend Scarlet. This book is set primarily at a book fair in Santa Clara rather than Redwood Grove which seems like a juxtaposition for murder and mayhem but Alexander’s skillful writing adeptly combines both with just the right amount of intrigue. I am still not sure how Annie and Fletcher managed to return home after the conference with bookish merchandise despite all of the investigating that was afoot, but they somehow managed to do both.

I found the discussions about tech in the book world interesting. The possibility of Virtual reality being available to readers - to show the setting and characters of a book - is definitely something that some readers may find intriguing and would be helpful for those readers with aphantasia (when your brain doesn’t create mental pictures as part of your thinking or imagination), but this isn’t a tool I would personally use as I have a very active imagination that creates worlds and pictures for the words an author paints.

With the return of Fletcher, Pri, Liam, and appearances by Hal, Caroline, Penny, Victoria, and Dr. Caldwell, this cozy mystery sets the stage for the Novel Detectives to work their magic. This book was everything I wanted it to be - and I can’t wait to hear what mysteries Annie and Fletcher tackle next!

This book is very much in keeping with the author’s style. A lot of fun in the telling, low stakes investigation, and the ending was satisfying. I feel like it would have made more sense to me had I read the previous books in the series. I wish that the investigation was more of the focus, rather than the other investigation.

The characters were written well, and the vibes were chill.

This was a great conclusion to the series! The murder in this book was wrapped up nicely, and I was so happy to see Annie and team finally conclude Scarlet's mystery. I can't wait for the spin off with Novel Detectives to spend more time with Annie and all of Redwood Grove!

I loved watching Annie's growth as a PI, and the dynamic as she, Fletcher, Liam, and Pri collaborate. Their individual strengths and witty banter as they team up against Scarlet's killer is a highlight of the story. The book fair setting introduces new quirky characters and potential suspects from the cutthroat literary world, providing an entertaining backdrop. I'm eagerly awaiting Annie's next adventure in Novel Detectives!

If you're a fan of charming cozy mysteries, particularly those with an intelligent amateur sleuth and an intriguing long-running mystery, then the A Secret Bookcase Mystery series is definitely one to pick up. While the individual mysteries can be enjoyed as standalones, I highly recommend reading the series in order to fully immerse yourself in the mystery of Scarlet's tragic past.

Thank you to Storm Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: June 16, 2025

Thank you Ellie Alexander ( @ellie_alexander ), Storm Publishing ( @stormbooks_co ), and NetGalley ( @netgalley ) for allowing me to read A Body at the Book Fair (out now).

Annie and her friends are headed to Santa Clara for an annual book fair…and to finally find her friend, Scarlet’s, killer. But while at the book fair, a tech bro is murdered and Annie is asked to help investigate.

This is Alexander’s final installment of The Secret Bookcase Mysteries, and it wraps up the six book mystery of Scarlet’s murder in addition to its own mystery. Luckily for us we will still get to read about Annie and friends when Alexander’s Novel Detectives series begins.

Annie is so smart and courageous. I love her friends and the relationship she developed with Liam. I’m so glad this series is continuing in a different way and hope to see all the characters back.

#ABodyattheBookFair #NetGalley #EllieAlexander #StormPublishing