Mystery Duo: Two Books to Add to Your Cozy Mystery Reading List

Bookmarked for Death, By Lorna Barrett

Amazon Summary: A New York Times Bestseller — To celebrate her bookstore’s anniversary, Tricia Miles hosts a book signing for bestselling author Zoë Carter. But the event takes a terrible turn when the author is found dead in the washroom. Before long, both police and reporters are demanding the real story. So far, Carter’s obnoxious assistant/niece is the only suspect. With a sheriff who provides more obstacles than answers, Tricia will have to take matters into her own hands — and read between the lines.

 

I listened to this one as an audiobook while running, and unfortunately there are some issues with the recording.  The reader often runs dialogue together, so that you can’t tell where one person finishes speaking and the next one starts.  She doesn’t always use different voices for the different characters, so without enough “Tricia said” markers, you can lose track of who it is that is speaking.

Aside from that, this was a pleasant read.  It is the second book in the “Booktown Mystery” series, and I have not read the first, but may go back and read it  later.

 

Dying to Get Published, By Judy Fitzwater

Amazon summary: INTRODUCING JENNIFER MARSH

What does it take to get a book contract? That’s the lament of every unpublished author–including aspiring murder-mystery novelist Jennifer Marsh.

After submitting eight diligently crafted manuscripts to every prominent publisher in New York, Jennifer has collected enough rejection letters to wallpaper a room. But that doesn’t stop her from concocting one killer of a scheme for her next novel.

And suddenly Jennifer’s lifelong love affair with crime fiction brings her face to face with real-life murder. . . .

 

At the same time as I was listening to “Bookmarked for Death”, I was also reading “Dying to Get Published”.  It was an interesting experience reading two mysteries set around the book publishing industry, at the same time as reading multiple books on publishing and marketing, while I work toward getting my books published.  Led to some very interesting dreams.

“Dying to Get Published” is the first book of a new “Jennifer Marsh” series.  It is an easy read, but I did not find Jennifer Marsh to be a character that I could identify with.  Her decisions were not logical and her motivation fuzzy.  She, and the plot, are a little… beyond belief.  I don’t want to say too much and spoil the plot for anyone.  But be prepared to suspend belief and just enjoy the plot twists.

 

I would classify both books as “Cozy Mysteries”.  Good clean fun.  Easy, fluffy reads.  A welcome change from the Dystopian fiction that I have been reading lately.  I am reading a couple more mysteries, and will post about them soon!

Tell me what you think!

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