storm publishing – Cuddle Up With a Cozy Mystery

Murder at the Wild Haggis Bookshop review

October 8, 2025 Tari Hann

This is the first in a new series , The Highland Bookshop Murders by Jackie Baldwin, a Scottish crime writer and new to me author. I really enjoyed what appears to be her first jump into the cozy mystery world, so I sure hope there’ll be more coming. The setting was awesome and the characters quickly became people I’d like to be friends with. Loved the bookshop cat Toby, too!

#NetGalley #StormPublishing #JackieBaldwin

My Goodreads review:

Murder at the Wild Haggis Bookshop by Jackie Baldwin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I always know I’m gonna love a book when I can start reading it as easily as I did this one and enjoy meeting the characters from the absolute get-go. Something about them just connected with me and I really liked this group of coworkers/friends sleuthing along with Beth their boss to prove she didn’t kill anyone.

The reveal was cool and multi-purpose too since there were a couple side mysteries that needed to be cleared up. I enjoyed how Beth and DS Logan were attracted to each other, so the ending was very cute. I’m definitely eager to read the next book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Storm Publishing via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

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A Body at the Book Fair review

June 16, 2025June 16, 2025 Tari Hann

This is the sixth and final book in the Secret Bookcase Mysteries by well-known cozy mystery author, Ellie Alexander, best known for her Bakeshop Mysteries. Although I really liked her Sloane Kraus Mysteries too and the Pacific Northwest Mysteries she wrote as Kate Dyer-Seeley. Word around her newsletter says she’ll be reviving that series soon! You can find her social links and her website links on her Goodreads page shown above.

Back to the Secret Bookcase series, while it’s ending with book six, it’ll be continuing as Novel Detectives Mysteries and I’m super excited to read that. I highly recommend reading Secret Bookcase Mysteries in order to get the whole experience of how the characters changed and developed. I’m so glad these amazing characters get to continue on!

#NetGalley #EllieAlexander #StormPublishing #SecretBookcaseMysteries

My Goodreads review:

A Body at the Book Fair by Ellie Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve absolutely loved these characters and was so sad at first that this was scheduled to be the last book in the series. But doing a little Nancy Drew digging of my own especially after reading what Annie and Fletcher’s plans were, I asked the author (replying to one of her newsletters) telling her how much I enjoyed the series and guessing/hoping there’d be a spin-off. Which she graciously told me I was right, then the most recent newsletter confirmed the new series was with our fave characters with a new series name. And I can’t wait to dig into it!

Annie had a book convention to go to, but she and her friends had an ulterior motive of that final step it was gonna take to bring justice to her friend Scarlet after ten long years. Justice was totally sweet in an epic showdown with the killer. I loved the side coffee tasing trip that Pri and Liam did. She’s come a long way from being so snarky to him to actually being a good pal now, and I’m sure Annie’s glad she’s got her bestie’s approval of her man. Pri was a hoot after having all that caffeine though as she rambled on and on, a little comic relief during the murder investigation and leading up to the showdown. I’m so glad that instead of goodbye, we just have to tell these characters ‘see ya real soon!”

I voluntarily read and reviewed and ARC of this book provided by Storm Publishing via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

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A Victim at Valentine’s review

February 10, 2025 Tari Hann

This is the fifth book in Ellie Alexander’s awesome new series, The Secret Bookcase Mysteries, and I’ve loved every single minute of these books since the very first one. These characters found their way into my heart and they aren’t leaving even though the sixth book is supposed to be the last. I can only hope maybe the author still has plans for the characters in a new series. ::fingers crossed and wishing like crazy::

#NetGalley #StormPublishing #EllieAllexander

My Goodreads review:

A Victim at Valentine’s by Ellie Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ll be really sad when this series wraps up with the next book since these are some of the most awesome characters I’ve come across in cozy mysteries. They’ve all got the best chemistry among them.

This mystery was a real puzzler as Annie and her pals tried to figure out who killed the nicest guy in town. And she had a side mystery that may just crack the cold murder case she’s worked on since her friend was killed. The showdown was hair raising to say the least but Annie’s a survivor and lived to have a super sweet dinner date with her guy Liam at the end.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Storm Publishing via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

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A Holiday Homicide review

November 27, 2024 Tari Hann

This is the fourth book in the new-this-year series Secret Bookcase Mysteries by a fave cozy mystery author Ellie Alexander. It’s quickly become one of my favorite cozy series but I gotta admit at the beginning I didn’t like Annie a whole lot. She’s grown so much since that first book and discovered that yeah, it’s okay to rely on other people and let your friends have your back sometimes, so I like her a lot now and have a new respect for her. I didn’t like the conflict early on with Annie and Liam, but it’s gotten a whole lot better and I love where they’re at in their new relationship.

I enjoy how the author has a continuing mystery going on and feeds us just enough about it each time but doesn’t have this horrible cliffhanger going on. There’s just enough there to entice us back for the next book after wrapping up the mystery at hand then dealing with the cold case. But hey, Ms. Ellie had me at the series title of Secret Bookcase! 😉

#NetGalley #StormPublishing #EllieAlexander

My Goodreads review:

A Holiday Homicide by Ellie Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Annie and her friends had another exciting case to investigate after another murder took place in her beloved bookstore workplace. Hal and Fletcher continue to be the most amazing boss and coworker anyone could ever wanna work with. And that Pri’s the best bestie a girl could ever imagine having. She always has Annie’s back. Dr. Caldwell was such an awesome mentor and we finally get to find out what Annie’s decision’s gonna be as far as working with her former criminology professor.

Last but most definitely not least, I absolutely love how Liam and Annie’s relationship did a complete turnaround for the better. I never like conflict with a couple and now they’re super cute and solid. He surprised even Annie with how she could influence his reading choices now when she actually got him interested in mysteries.

The main case was solved and Annie’s cold case concerning her old friend was getting a little bit warmer so I’m eager to see what happens next. Can’t wait to read the next installment!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Storm Publishing via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

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The Body in the Bookstore review

June 13, 2024June 13, 2024 Tari Hann

This is the first book in a brand new series called A Secret Bookcase Mysteries by well-known cozy mystery author, Ellie Alexander. I absolutely loved this and can’t wait for everyone else to be able to read it when it comes out next week on the 19th. The second book in the series also releases that day, so I’ll be reviewing it soon.

#NetGalley #StormPublishing #EllieAlexander

My Goodreads review:

The Body in the Bookstore by Ellie Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Isn’t Secret Bookcase just the coolest name for a mystery bookshop? Just like this author’s other cozy mysteries, this one pulled me in with some awesome characters and wouldn’t let go as the mystery unfolded and suspects pretty much lined the walls. Pri made such an amazing bestie for Annie who’d lost her college bestie eight years ago and had driven herself crazy since the case went cold, so I have a feeling that’ll be the side mystery thread that’s ongoing for however long.

But the main murder was all solved and wrapped up nicely at the end. I loved how Annie and Pri made a good sleuthing team. We met a character that I absolutely couldn’t stand in the beginning but toward the end maybe there’s a heart underneath all that snark. It’ll be interesting to find out. Luckily I’ve got the second book as an ARC to start now since both books release the same day.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Storm Publishing via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

View all my reviews