Book Reviews: Murdered by the Bookend by Laura Gail Black

 

Laura Gail Black has written two books in the Antique Bookshop Mystery series with a third one set to be released in September of this year. The series began with For Whom the Book Tolls which introduces Jenna Quinn who is determined to put her hometown behind her for a new life in Hokes Folly, NC. This is thanks to her uncle who made a deal with her to let her live with him in exchange for help at his bookshop. Her plan is quickly derailed when she arrives and finds her uncle's body. When she inherits everything her uncle had, the police suspect she's the one responsible for his death. She gets to work to clear her name while trying to make new friends and find her place in the town. Find the book here. 

The first book set the stage for the second book in the series, Murder by the Bookend, which takes place a few months later. Jenna has made a home for herself in her new town and is now celebrating the grand re-opening of her uncle's bookstore, now called Twice Upon a Time. The celebration quickly turns sour when the Director of Antique Books is found dead. The only witness is his dog who Jenna takes in and sets her on the path to tracking down a killer. Find the book here.

REVIEW

Jenna Quinn never expected to inherit her uncle's bookshop but now - three months later - she's transformed it into her very own. Baxter Books has transformed into Twice Upon a Time while keeping it a significant part of the community just as her uncle's shop was. Only she's found a way to put part of herself into it which shows how she's grown as part of the community since her arrival. The shop represents the memory of her uncle and serves as a reminder of him throughout the series. It also gives Jenna a way to be part of the community and to share who she is with her neighbors. The town of Hokes Folly is quaint and provides the ideal backdrop for a mystery involving books.  

The mystery revolves around a dog that Jenna takes in and forms a bond with. Each of the suspects is first seen through the "issues" they had with the dog and from there Laura Gail Black builds their motives and suspicious behavior. The book strikes equal balance for book lovers and animal lovers as it involves the mistreatment of this poor dog and the theft of books. The humor presented in the writing is a sample of the tone and helps in getting to know Jenna's personality. She's the perfect cozy mystery sleuth seen in how she describes the way her boyfriend Keith made her heart pitter-patter in a way compared to a tap-dancing poodle and for added effect the humor ended with how "she hoped it wasn't wearing a tutu." Jenna has a nemesis in Detective Frank Sutter who constantly harasses her and is described as being tactless and with people skills she compares to that of a rock. The brazen and snarky attitude of Jenna makes her instantly likable and it makes you immediately drawn into the story. Black also incorporates the phrase "unladylike brouhaha" which is a prime example of that very humor and attitude.  

The mystery is lighthearted, clever, and charming which are elements woven into Jenna Quinn herself.