Bookmarked for Murder (Mystery Bookshop) 

Cozy Mystery 5th in Series  
Author: V.M. Burns
Published by Kensington on November 26, 2019
Paperback: 256 pages
Amateur sleuth Samantha Washington’s shopping trip to Chicago takes a deadly detour when a man is murdered on her bus . . .

After some post-Christmas retail therapy in the Windy City, mystery bookshop owner and historical whodunit novelist Sam Washington is returning home to North Harbor, Michigan, on a chartered bus. With Nana Jo and her gal pals Irma, Dorothy, and Ruby Mae from Shady Acres Retirement Village along for the ride, it’s a lively trip. But one passenger is not so lively—a gentleman Irma befriended is found dead in his seat after an unscheduled stop. The ladies immediately shift gears to find out who punched his ticket, while Sam slips into the driver’s seat to make sure Nana Jo and her crew steer clear of fatal conclusions . . .

4.5 Stars:

This Mystery Bookshop Story has Sam, Nana Jo and the girls heading off to Chicago for some shopping, theatre and time together. After a whirlwind few days, they board the bus for a quick trip back home. That trip home ended up taking twelve hours, due to the death/murder of one of the passengers while stopped at a rest station. Even though the murder did not take place in North Harbor, Sam is still enlisted by “the girls” to solve the murder.

Bookmarked For Murder is a fast-paced, enjoyable cozy mystery with a touch of humor, a great cast of fun, quirky characters, and a clever murder mystery. I enjoyed that Irma was showcased in this story. I always enjoy her character, so it was nice to see a different side to her and get to know her a bit more. Nana Jo is always a joy and she makes me smile with her shenanigans. Sam is a great protagonist. She is intelligent, curious and gifted with a strong intuition for solving mysteries. The final reveal in this one was exciting, and once again, Nana Jo is involved. The mystery had several suspects, some twists and red herrings. I had a couple of people who I suspected and was not surprised that one of them was the culprit, but I had not figured out the motive. As the ladies investigate, one of their lives is in danger and that had me a bit nervous. Sam is still writing historical cozy mysteries and once again this story includes snippets of Sam’s book for readers to enjoy. Sam and Frank are continuing to move forward with their relationship and I love the way it is progressing. Overall, this book and series is very enjoyable. With strong independent female characters, humour, a great setting and a story within a story, this series is a winner that I will continue to read. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

Purchase Links:  Amazon – Barnes & Noble – IndieBound – Books-A-Million – Hudson Booksellers – Kobo 
About the Author: V.M. Burns was born in Northwestern Indiana and spent many years in Southwestern Michigan on the Lake Michigan shoreline. She is a lover of dogs, British historic cozies, and scones with clotted cream. After many years in the Midwest, she went in search of milder winters and currently lives in Eastern Tennessee with her poodles. Her debut novel, The Plot is Murder was nominated for a 2017 Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Valerie is a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and a lifetime member of Sisters in Crime. Readers can learn more by visiting her website. Website – Facebook – Twitter