Book lovers know the singular joy of browsing the shelves of a bookstore. So many worlds await exploration! And, no matter how one is feeling, there’s a book to fit the mood. Book lovers also know the singular sadness of seeing bookstores struggle or close. It feels like the loss of a friend or a safe place where we can dream and discover. That is the possibility book seller Annie faces at The Secret Bookcase, a mystery-themed independent bookstore in Northern California.

Annie enlists the entire town’s help (well, just about!) in creating and hosting a mystery lovers festival that promises to bring readers and revenue to Redwood Grove. However, when readers praise the professionalism of the actor playing the role of a dead body, Annie knows something is terribly wrong.

As a former criminology student, Annie is perfectly placed to help figure out what happened, especially when she learns that her former professor is the lead detective on the case. But given that the victim and suspects are former college classmates whom Annie hasn’t seen in nearly ten years, she can’t help but wonder if the events are tied to the tragic death of her best friend just before graduation. While Annie helps find the killer of the body in the bookstore, readers will need to keep reading this new cozy series to uncover the events surrounding her best friend’s murder.

I’ve been a faithful reader of many of Ellie Alexander‘s cozy mysteries, and it’s fun to meet a new cast of characters in The Secret Bookcase Mystery series. Her signature style shines in this book–a well-conceived plot, strong friendships, and a vivid canvas that I wish I could step right into.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for making this series debut available in exchange for my honest opinions.