DID NOT FINISH @15%

What a disappointment. I really enjoy this author [she is one of my "must read" authors] and since I get her newsletters, have followed the progress of this book with baited breath and was so excited to get the ARC [AND audiobook ARC!!] for this book.
Yeah....no.
This was just so....meh. An extremely whiny MC [who's ex is names after LETTUCE; every time they said his name I rolled my eyes], who, even though she has to move back home, has a place to live AND A JOB [I was lucky to have a place to live, but it took over a year to get a job] and still whines. She's heartbroken, but also thinking about dating...ugh. My biggest takeaway is that this was such a waster of a fantastic narrator and I can only hope that I get to listen to Ms. Daniels again in another book [since I absolutely could not finish this one].
What a huge disappointment.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, Kensington Publishing/Kensington Cozies, and Tantor Media for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide to Murder is the first cozy mystery in the Bainbridge Island Mystery series. Meg Gates has hit a dead end in her life. Her fiancé just took off with one of her bridesmaids and Meg is leaving her old life behind. Saying goodbye to Seattle, Meg moved back home to Bainbridge Island and tries to get her life back on track. She’s working with a well known mystery writer doing research for her books while also working on a book of her own, a guide to solving crime. In the middle of all of this Meg becomes involved in a murder investigation, will she be able to use her own guide book to solve this case?

I have enjoyed all of the cozy mystery series I’ve read by Lynn Cahoon and knew I needed to check this one out. I enjoyed Meg and her story from the beginning and found it easy to dive into this story. The characters were likable and easy to get to know. The mystery pulled me in and had me guessing along the way. I think books really set up this series nicely and I look forward to seeing what comes next for Meg. This is a promising start to a new cozy mystery series.

I love Lynn Cahoon's Kitchen Witch series so I was excited to read something new from the author. This was a fun new series debut and I'll definitely be reading further installments. I love that it's set on Bainbridge Island, a place I'd love to visit and spend some time on. It would also be a total dream to work for a mystery writer and so it's fun to follow along and see what that's like. Vanessa Daniels does a great job narrating and I'm excited to check out some of the other cozies she narrates.

Lynn Cahoon is one of my favorite cozy authors and I love that she has launched a new series. Readers will love the storyline and the characters in this one.

This book was a super cute cozy mystery! It was well written and the title for this book was perfect! I loved that each chapter title was a tip for sleuthing. The narration for the audiobook was done well but I did listen to it sped up because I like it read faster personally. I did feel the ending wrapped up really quickly and could have been explained a little more.

As a cozy enthusiast. I was smitten to get my hands on a first in a new series by the cozy queen herself Lynn Cahoon…

An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide to Murder

The first Bainbridge Island Mystery intrioduces Meg Gates, who is returning to her hometown after a major betrayal. She gets a part time gig as a famous authors researcher as well as helps out at her mom’s local bookshop. A body turns up and Meg is here to sleuth the case, with her own manual on criminal investigation, and her rescue dog Watson.

A great start to a new series… it was fun to hear locations, events and other PNW locales mentioned. Tons of characters/community to become familiar with that has us set up for future books.

Thank you Kensington Cozies


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An Amateur Sleuth's Guide to Murder
by Lynn Cahoon
Narrated by Vanessa Daniels

As a devoted fan of cozy mysteries, I can confidently say this one does not disappoint. It skillfully combines a captivating murder plot with the warmth of a family-run bookstore, a renowned author, an adorable cocker spaniel, and an aspiring writer, creating a great story from the very beginning. Vanessa Daniels’s narration is nothing short of superb; she breathes life into each character with effortless charm—a commendable achievement for a single narrator managing such a varied cast.

In An Amateur Sleuth's Guide to Murder by @lynncahoon, we are introduced to Meg Gates, who has just experienced the heartbreak of being jilted at the altar by a fiancé her friends and family never considered worthy of her. In search of a fresh start, Meg leaves Seattle behind and returns to her island hometown of Bainbridge, where she takes up work at her family's bookstore. Her responsibilities extend even further, as she also serves as a researcher for a notable mystery writer who resides on the island.

Intrigue ensues when the recently dismissed manager of the mystery author is found drowned, setting the stage for an investigation. Meg and her friends eagerly step in to unravel the mystery, using her own potential writing endeavors to pen down useful tips for future amateur sleuths as she navigates a growing list of suspects.

I'm hopeful that this is the first installment in a new series because, by the end, I was yearning for more adventures with Meg and her friends!

Thanks are extended to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the audiobook

Publication Date: June 24, 2025
Publisher: Tantor Audio

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I am not typically a cozy mystery kind of girl and I wouldn't say this book changed me, but it did hold my attention for the last two days while I listened to it. :)

Meg was practically left at the alter by a loser that shall not be named. She moves back home to live on Bainbridge Island and begins hanging back out with her friends from high school...who used to "solve mysteries" with her growing up.

She takes a job with a murder mystery author and low and behold, a murder happens on the island and is connected to the author she has just started working for.

The book was sweet. Nothing exciting, but I think that's the point of a cozy mystery. It was very well written so I think if cozy mysteries are your thing, this is top tier.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lynn Cahoon, and Tantor Audio for allowing me to listen and review. I enjoyed it!

A cosy murder mystery that doesn't reinvent the wheel but does offer a few charming twists.

You've read this book before. It hits all of the guilty pleasures that come with this genre, a lovely setting, a cast of characters including the not so oblivious love interest, the interfering parent, the loyal best friend that works in some kind of food/coffee/book store, and of course, the dog. Her mother sent my blood pressure skyrocketing. Either pushing for her to get back together with her ex which was bad enough, or trying to set her up with someone new - and all the while, the break up had happened a mere few weeks ago!

I liked the little twist of each chapter being named after a 'rule' of how to be a sleuth, that was a fun little treat. And the cast of suspects were great, there was decent time devoted to a number of them, with the actual villain being obvious, but not frustratingly so. I enjoyed the writer/assistant set up, and liked most of the characters.

I'm a little conflicted about the ending - on one hand it is more realistic as to what would happen in this type of situation but on the other it was very strange for a cosy murder mystery to end in that way. It's a nice, mindless book, and I enjoyed listening to it while getting some chores done.

Life isn’t going the way Meg planned. Her fiancé cheated on her with one of her bridesmaids. Now, she has to return to Bainbridge Island to start over.

I loved the setting and enjoyed many aspects of this book. It’s a fun, cozy mystery that had me hooked and eager to find out who the culprit was. There are plenty of suspects, so it’s not an easy guess.

However, the conclusion felt rushed. I wish the ending had a bit more time to play out. Still, it was an enjoyable book overall, and the audio narration was excellent!

Thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the free ALC.

My first Lynn Cahoon book and I thought it was well written. It’s a cozy mystery so no graphic violence or sexual situations. I enjoyed the book all the way to the end but I thought the ending was so anticlimactic. I really wanted a big reveal moment but the killer is revealed with no flare. It was kind of a let down since the reveal is my favorite part of a cozy mystery, when the armature sleuth reveals the killer and puts themselves in an iffy situation. That being said, I’m looking forward to book two!

This was a cute cozy read. 🥰 i loved the beach setting and I enjoyed the personality of the main character and her cute dog! The mystery kept it interesting and the narration was great! Def recommend.

This was a fun book. I really enjoyed it. Loved the idea all around. Excited that it looks like it may end up being a series so there will be more to come. Great narration as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ARC of this book!

I really wanted to like this book. I love a murder mystery, and this sounded like a lot of fun since the main character, Meg, was trying to write a "how to sleuth" novel at the same time she's investigating a murder. Throw in a little love interest and some good BFFs, and it's normally a winning combo for me. Sadly, I didn't ever feel invested in the story or characters.

What I did enjoy was the setting on Bainbridge Island. It gave a "locked room" vibe. I also liked the whole reader/writer/book seller aspect, for obvious reasons! And I thought the title was great.

What didn't work for me was the language the characters used. Meg and her friends are in the mid-20s. No guy I've ever met has said "terrific" about a dish of food or "lovely" about a view. Guys that age might say something is delicious, a view is awesome, but the language just didn't hit the right note. Also, Watson the dog was featured too much. We got a play by play of his every meal, walk, and bowel movement. I know the author was trying to show that Meg's a responsible dog owner, and remind us that she's living a normal life, but not once did we hear about Meg using the potty. I didn't need to be reminded of Watson's needs on every page... sorry! I didn't really buy into the romantic relationship either, and felt like we didn't get any kind of resolution.

This wasn't a bad book, but it's not one that I will be recommending.

Lynn Cahoon's first in a new series is thoroughly enjoyable! The characters, the dialogue, the storyline, the mystery - I enjoyed everything about this book. I may have a new favorite Lynn Cahoon series.

Vanessa Daniels' narration provides a pleasant experience for audiobook readers.

Move over Scooby Doo gang, the Mystery Crew is on the move. Meg returns home to Bainbridge Island after her life in Seattle tanks. That first chapter has me wondering where the story was going to go, but the author pulls Meg from the pity party of the first night pretty rapidly.
Meg is a character you can love. She has certainly had some hard knocks, but she doesn’t let that keep her from putting energy into building a life in her hometown.
I enjoyed them references to Nancy Drew. One that made me laugh was about we rarely saw Nancy eat dinner - she was always being interrupted by sleuthing. I like Meg’s sense of humor.
Her friends and family are great too. Her Mom tries a bit too hard, it’s all for love.
Dalton and Natasha are great friends who Meg gets the chance to know again/better by returning to Bainbridge Island.
I like the way this mystery is written. Meg is logical about how she thinks through things. Dalton helps her to eliminate suspects. Natasha is a bit in the background on this so it will be interesting to see if she shines in a future book.
I love Meg’s ideas for writing a guide for amateur sleuths to use for investigating.
The narrator was great.
I highly recommend picking up An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide to Murder.
Thanks to Netgalley and Tantor Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book.

Good start to a new series. I like the setting and the characters, though they weren’t quite as developed as I would have liked. The mystery was intriguing and the solution kept me guessing, mainly because the investigation was bogged down with so many other things going on in Meg’s life. The one thing that didn’t make sense to me was the fact that she was writing a guide on how to investigate when all she had done was read mysteries. Other than that, this was a quick easy read and I may continue with the series.

Lynn Cahoon does it again with lovely characters that you feel a connection with. I can't wait for the next book in. this series to comet. The narration was spot on..

New cosy mystery series to check out. Don't miss out!

Meg Gates is at a crossroads after her fiancé left her for one of her bridesmaids. So, she decides to moved home to the island to work at her mom's bookstore and a second job helping a local author.

She also loves solving murders, and this is the funniest part of the story. All the investigation, clues, crazy plot lines and witty dialogues and humor made the book quite fun!

I also ove the setting of Bainbridge Island and all the characters, they were all very likable.

This was a cosy fast-paced and fun read perfect for a relaxing weekend.

An Amateur Sleuth's Guide to Murder is the debut book in Lynn Cahoon's Bainbridge Island Mystery series. This is a wonderful, relaxing cozy mystery with likeable characters and a cozy mystery that kept me guessing. Meg Gates is moving from Seattle to Bainbridge Island, WA. Her Aunt Melody and Uncle Troy are renting her an apartment over their garage and she is working in her mother's bookstore. Uncle Troy is the Police Chief. Meg's best friends are Natasha and Dalton who are supportive and help with sleuthing and call themselves the Mystery Crew. Meg has a cocker spaniel Watson. Meg gets a part-time job working for Lilly Aster who is a popular author. A murder occurs on Lilly's property. Natasha, Lilly, and a couple of locals are the suspects. Meg is interested in the investigation and is writing a manual, An Amateur Sleuth's Guide to Murder, on how to investigate a murder. This ties into the story as chapter headings and a learn-as-you-go process. It takes the focus away from the story at times but is an interesting angle. Many of the characters have secrets so it keeps Meg and friends busy trying to learn the truth. This book has minimal peril or anxious moments and is perfect to read before bed. I am looking forward to more books in this series. I received an ebook and an audiobook for free from NetGalley, Kensington Books and Tantor Media and I voluntarily leave this review.
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