A Victim at Valentine’s is book 5 in Ellie Alexander’s Secret Bookcase Mystery series.
Annie Murray is co-owner of the Secret Bookcase bookshop, and studying to become a detective. When a popular local philanthropist is found dead on the grounds the morning after an event at the bookshop, Annie is pulled into the investigation.
This is the first book I read in this series, and although there seems to be a second mystery tying all of the books in the series together, I didn’t have any problem reading this book as a standalone.
There are lots of interesting suspects in this story, from the strange psychic, to the hungover barista in training, and Annie must aid the police in determining who the culprit is, while continuing her investigation into her best friend’s murder.
A Victim at Valentine’s was an interesting read with a good mystery, a sense of community and friendship amongst the main characters, a touch of romance ( after all it is set at Valentine’s Day), and a pair of crows to steal the show.
If you enjoy a good mystery, then give A Victim at Valentine’s a try. I enjoyed it, so will be looking to read more of the series, especially the final book to see who killed Annie’s friend.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A Victim at Valentine’s will be available on February 10 2025.
Life, Tea, and Everything 