In the Event of Murder (A Starlit Bookshop Mystery) by Cynthia Kuhn
About In the Event of Murder
In the Event of Murder (A Starlit Bookshop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting - Colorado
Publisher : Crooked Lane Books (August 20, 2024)
Hardcover : 304 pages
ISBN-10 : 1639100709
ISBN-13 : 978-1639100705
Digital https://amzn.to/3xRh1X8
It’s the star-studded event of the season in Silvercrest, Colorado—but some of the guests might not make it to the last dance alive in the second charming installment of the Starlit Bookshop mysteries from Agatha Award-winning author Cynthia Kuhn.
Nestled on the banks of a breathtaking Rocky Mountain river and dotted with delightful boutiques and galleries, Silvercrest, Colorado, is a book lover’s paradise. Bookseller and literary event planner Emma Starrs is looking forward to attending the annual Silvercrest Library Gala, a glamorous evening with celebrities including the legendary Whitney Willton, currently on the hit crime show Chasers, and her niece, party-planner-to-the-stars Lyra Willton. Gala Week is full of exciting activities honoring both page and screen, and library board president Tabitha Baxter is basking in the glow of her successful launch—until Lyra is found dead.
With the gala only days away, the board asks Emma for help, despite Tabitha—her longstanding nemesis—bristling over the choice. Emma agrees, even though she is already in charge of a classic mystery panel at her family’s bookstore, Starlit Books, which turns out to have its own challenges. Meanwhile, Whitney, who is aware of Emma’s sleuthing skills, begs her to find the killer. The case grows more complex with the disappearance of several priceless objects, an attack on one of the attending celebrities, and other predicaments. Emma searches for clues while handling every unexpected twist and turn leading up to the extravagant affair. But when the guests step onto the red carpet, a killer still lurks in the shadows—and murder just might become the main event.
What I Thought:
This is the second installment in the Starlit Bookshop Mystery. I did read the first one in the series as well, but had I not read it, I would not have been that lost in this one, as it could be read as a stand alone. In this one, a former town resident who is now a star on a mystery show has come back to town e for the Silvercrest Library Gala. When something happens to the event planner, the committee asks Emma Starrs to step in to finish the events for the gala. There is a murder and Emma has already solved one murder, so the family asks her to check into the situation.
I enjoy the setting of this series, I mean who does not love a good bookshop. It is set in the Colorado Rockies and there are several interesting townspeople who make an appearance in this book. Emma is a very strong protagonist and she is supported by her sister Lucy and her aunt Nora. This story flowed well and kept my attention from the very beginning. I really enjoy this author's writing style. Along with the mystery, there is some romance thrown in to this story as well. I thought the plot was well thought out and the lead up to the reveal was very realistic, and might I add surprising. There were twists and turns and a lot more happening in this small town than merely murder. I was caught totally off guard by the reveal in this one. I look forward to more in this series.
About Cynthia Kuhn
Cynthia Kuhn writes the Starlit Bookshop Mysteries, which focus on a bookseller solving crimes in an artistic mountain community, and the Lila Maclean Academic Mysteries, featuring a professor-turned-amateur-sleuth. Her work has also appeared in Mystery Most Diabolical, Mystery Most Edible, McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, Copper Nickel, Prick of the Spindle, Mama PhD, and other publications. For more information, please visit cynthiakuhn.net.
Author Links Website: https://cynthiakuhn.net Blog: http://chicksonthecase.com Twitter/X: http://www.twitter.com/cynthiakuhn Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - Bookshop.org - PenguinRandomHouse