I was happy to receive this new cozy mystery series as an audio ARC from Tantor Audio! I thought that Vanessa Williams did a great job narrating and really expressed Meg's emotions really well. This was a cute series that I will continue! I found the mystery to be fun. This is a great series for a palette cleanser in between heavy reads! I highly recommend.

This was a cute read. The protagonist is easy to feel for and relate to and the other characters are interesting as well. Parts of the story seem a bit far-fetched, but overall the story is a comfortable, reenergized version of the cozy mystery.

I just finished An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide to Murder byLynn Cahoon and here are my thoughts.

Meg needs a reboot.. Dropping out of college to work for a now failed start up… That’s bad. Worst? When your fiance basically leaves you at the altar and takes your bridesmaid on your honeymoon… Even worse… Moving back home with your tail between your legs.

Working at her mothers bookstore and art time doing research for a mystery writer is the highlight… That is until the writer's agent winds up dead and her uncle is looking at people she cares about as the perps.. An idea comes to her, writing a guidebook - a how to for criminal investigations. What can go wrong?

OK it sounds cheesy…. NEWSFLASH! It was awesome!! The narration was excellent and really set a great mysterious tone to the whole book.

It was cute! It was really well paced and there were even a little friends to lurvers to make your reader heart sing.

I thought the characters were really well defined. Exceptionally so for a book 1 in a series. They all felt realistic and had real substance. I was really drawn to Meg. She didn’t let anything get in her way of what she was doing even when she wasn’t sure of herself, It was magical.

I thought the whodunnit was really clever. I had no idea who it was and I was guessing wrong every few chapters haha.

Brilliant plot, great entertainment, thoroughly impressed!!

4 stars

Thank you to @netgalley and @tantoraudio for my gifted ALC!

Book one of the Bainbridge Island Mystery Series was a fun, cozy read with a fantastic setting to get lost in. 🚢📚 I loved the Bainbridge Island backdrop and the small-town, bookish world Meg inhabits as the daughter of a bookstore owner with close ties to a local author. The publishing world and bookstore details were especially enjoyable and made the story feel like a true escape. I also appreciated how Meg’s life wasn’t at all perfect and she was figuring it out while rebuilding; that felt relatable.

That said, the main character and plot could be frustrating at times. Meg was often whiny, and the dynamic with her ex-fiancé, along with her mom’s constant push for her to return to such a toxic relationship, felt odd. The mystery itself wasn’t particularly compelling and often felt like it was playing in the background rather than driving the story.

Meg had plenty of genuinely funny moments, and I appreciated her self-deprecating humor and the relationships between characters, even if I didn’t fully buy the romance. The “sleuthing tips” at the start of each chapter were a fun touch, but, paired with Meg’s confidence in her hunches about the case, they felt a bit misplaced given that she had never actually solved a mystery. A few other elements also required suspending disbelief, such as her uncle’s role as a police officer and Meg’s direct involvement in the investigation, though I recognize that’s pretty common in this genre.

I enjoyed the cozy family and local island atmosphere. Another reviewer noted that some of the dog-related detail was a bit excessive, and I couldn’t agree more, even as a dog lover! 🐶 Did we really need so many updates about his bathroom breaks? 🤣

🎧 The audiobook narration suited the character and story well, though it was occasionally whiny which, in fairness, fit Meg’s personality. That said, the humor, Meg’s relatable stage of life, and the warm, engaging setting made for an enjoyable (if not knock-your-socks-off) read overall.

I haven’t read anything else by this author, but I’d be interested in continuing the series and seeing how the characters’ relationships and Meg’s sleuthing ambitions progress. 🕵🏼‍♀️ This is a light read perfect for fans of cozy mysteries who enjoy quirky characters, humor, and a charming setting, even if the mystery itself isn’t the strongest part.

Thank you to NetGalley, RBmedia and Tantor Audio for the free audio copy in exchange for my honest review.
#AnAmateurSleuthsGuidetoMurder #NetGalley #ALC #ARC

I think it just wasn’t for me. The idea of a cozy mystery sounded fun and easy and the perfect summer read. But I really struggled to get into it. I ended up DNF’ing about 25-30% in. I think it was just too cozy and too low steaks for me.
The FMC’s family is ridiculously annoying about her holding out hope that her ex-fiancé is going to come back after he cheated on her. And blew up their life. Resulting in her moving home.
This is probably good for people who want a low steaks mystery. I just realized very quickly that was not what I wanted to read

This cosy mystery is about Meg Gates who has been jilted and almost left at the altar by her fiance. He rain off with one if the bridesmaids. Meg decides to go home to charming Bainbridge Island off the coast of Seattle to regroup and figure out her life. She has good support from former high school chums especially her brother's friend Dalton. She gets a job with a famous mystery author and decides she might try her hand at a guidebook to murder when the real thing happens and she put her guidebook inot use to solve the crime. I found the story lovely and I liked the characters but the audio narration was terrible. It seemed to be fake AI voice.

I am a huge Lynn Cahoon fan so it hurts me to say this but this book felt really lack luster. The heroine is really young and hoes through the typical cheating fiancee set up. I hate this premise as it’s so overdone and honestly feels fake (they never mention the betrayal by the friend??)). This mystery feels like it was written in 2015. The list set up is so overdone in 2025. Cahoon is a master of exploring complex emotional situations, and that shines through here bur overall the book felt immature compared to her recent publications. The narrator is excellent and adds a lot of emotional weight to the story.

This was a fun little cozy mystery. A promising start to a new series. I liked the MC and can’t wait to hang out with Meg and friends on future adventures.

Lynn Cahoon has become one of my favorite cozy mystery writers. Each of her series are wonderful reads with a delightful cast of characters. I was thrilled to see she is releasing the first book in a new series. The characters are well developed and I am looking forward to spending more time with them through the pages of future books. The murder mystery will pull you into the story and have you working alongside Meg and her friends, Dalton and Natasha, in trying to scope out the person who committed the crime. I cannot wait for the next adventure with Meg and the people of Bainbridge Island, WA. Plus it will be fun watching the relationship between Meg and Dalton and see how it evolves.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Cozies 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!

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I had such a good time listening to An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide to Murder. The Bainbridge Island setting gave the story a charming, small-town vibe that made me want to pack a bag and go sleuthing myself.

The red herrings were well done—I kept second-guessing myself right up until the reveal. Just when I thought I had it figured out, another twist would throw me off. Loved that!

Meg, our amateur sleuth, is super relatable, and I’m really intrigued to see how things develop between her and Dalton. There’s definitely some chemistry brewing there, and I’m here for it.

Vanessa Daniels did a great job capturing the cozy, curious tone of the story—her voice made it easy to stay hooked from start to finish.

First book in a new cozy mystery series! Enjoyed this book even though it was a little predictable at times. I did feel like the murder was a sub plot in this story which was a little disappointing. Did enjoy the premise that the MC wants to become an author with a book that helps people solve murders that aren’t law enforcement. What better way to do that but solve a murder yourself? This was a quick and fun read. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed the first book in this new cozy mystery series. Lots of twists. The narration was vivid and wonderful.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the advance reader audio copy.

Meg has moved home to Bainbridge Island after a failed engagement. She gets a part time job as an assistant to an author which is just what she needs to get her life back on track. But then the author's agent turns up murdered and Meg's boss is a suspect. Meg and her friends have always been a fan of sleuthing and they put their amateur skills to the test to try to clear Meg's bosses name and find out who killed the agent. It was a very easy cozy mystery read and I'd definitely recommend the book.

This is a solid start to what looks like a charming and lighthearted cozy series. Vanessa Daniels nails the narration—easy to listen to and brings the characters to life without overdoing it. I appreciated the nods to Nancy Drew throughout. The mystery itself was engaging without being too heavy, and the small-town setting gives it that classic cozy feel. A good pick if you're in the mood for something breezy with just enough intrigue to keep you guessing. Looking forward to seeing where this series goes next.

My first time reading this author, and I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be looking out for more. A great mix of characters both good and bad, and I loved that it was a crime book, but not heavy and mixed with stories of the characters involved. A great story and really enjoyable read.

Review of An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide to Murder by Lynn Cahoon

An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide to Murder is a delightful and inventive entry into the cozy mystery genre, launching Lynn Cahoon’s new Bainbridge Island Mystery series with charm, warmth, and unexpected flair.

This charming debut effectively balances cozy comfort with a clever twist. Fans of Nancy Drew-style mysteries will appreciate the guidebook format, while readers seeking lighthearted suspense and strong character bonds will find much to love. An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide to Murder sets a promising foundation for a series that’s both fun and heartfelt.

What a fun, cozy read! I loved the structure of the book - a list of tips for amateur sleuths - and the way the items on the list tied into the plot. I loved that the main character worked as a researcher for a mystery author, and I thought the writing was just really good overall, as was the audiobook narration. I had only ever read a novella by this author before, but now I want to read more!

2 1/2 stars. I DNF at 52%. I just couldn't get into it. I kept waiting for the sleuthing but there was barely any. Not even obvious red herrings to pique my interest. It was the coziest of cozy mysteries, so cozy I kept nodding off. With so many 4 and 5 star reviews, I persisted, thinking it must get better, but nope, it just led nowhere fast.
Not one for me unfortunately.

I loved Lynn Cahoon's Tourist Trap cozy mystery series, but this book doesn't seem as vibrant. Meg is left at the altar when her fiance runs off to Italy with her bridesmaid. So, she moves back home to start over with jobs in her mom's bookstore and as an assistant to a famous author. When the author's agent is found murdered, Meg and her friends decide to take on the case (much to the dismay of her uncle, the police chief). So, a typical cozy mystery is born.
Somehow, however, this book doesn't match up to the Tourist Trap series. The characters seem a bit flat and naive, and the plot is a bit thin. Even the Bainbridge Island setting (which I know well) doesn't add enough to the story to really make it interesting. I wanted to like it, but it just didn't do it for me.
Thanks to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for providing the advanced review copy of this audiobook. My opinions are my own.

A delightfully cosy murder mystery, that has fabulous narration by Vanessa Daniels.

'TIP #1: WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU COUNTS AS WORK EXPERIENCE'

Meg is a fun protagonist, despite being down on her luck and I really enjoyed Watson, her rescue cocker spaniel. I really like that each chapter title was a tip from Meg's guide to criminal investigation. The characters are enjoyable, and this is a great set up for future books.

If you like a cozy mystery audiobook, then definitely check this one out.