Murder from A to Z - (Mystery Bookshop) by V M Burns (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

When Michigan bookshop owner and mystery writer Samantha Washington and her sister, Jenna, agreed to host a class for seniors on estate planning, they didn't plan on discovering shady doings at Shady Acres Retirement Village . . .

Nana Jo has volunteered her lawyer granddaughter, Jenna, to teach estate planning to retirees--with Sam providing her bookshop as the venue. But during the seminar, entitled Getting Your Ducks in Order, it quickly becomes clear someone's up to Fowl Play. When elderly Alva Tarkington, accompanied by her niece, sits down for a consultation, Sam realizes the woman's frequent blinking is actually Morse Code--S.O.S. The sisters get her alone, and Alva tells them she believes her life is in danger and must change her will . . .

Unfortunately, Alva is found dead the next day--seemingly from natural causes. But Nana Jo and the sisters suspect otherwise. In between penning her latest historical mystery, set in 1939 as England declares war on Germany and Lady Elizabeth Marsh pursues stolen paintings and a traitor, Sam teams up with the senior sleuths of Shady Acres to search for motives--beginning with Alva's family. They soon learn not everyone is who they say they are, and someone is more than qualified to teach a class on cold-blooded murder . . .

Review Quotes

Praise for The Mystery Bookshop Series by V.M. Burns

"A mystery writer probes the death of a cozy-mystery hater...Her real-life investigation and her fictional puzzle cross-pollinate, offering a novel insight into some of the processes that go into creating cozy mysteries. A contemporary cozy, a historical cozy, and a tutorial on cozies all rolled into one." --Kirkus Reviews on The Next Deadly Chapter

"Fans of this long-running cozy series will find two delightful mysteries in one, contemporary and historical, in the sequel to Murder on Tour." --Library Journal on The Next Deadly Chapter

"This novel, like Burns's others, wipes the mind clean of anything but pure enjoyment." --The New York Times on Murder on Tour

"Colorful characters and just enough mystery trivia boost the fast-moving plot. Cozy fans are sure to have fun." --Publishers Weekly on A Tourist's Guide to Murder

"In the ninth in the Mystery Bookshop series by this prolific Black author, the two stories complement each other, and the returning characters are unforgettable." --Booklist on Murder on Tour

"Cozy fans get two mysteries for the price of one: The intuitive heroine finishes her novel and solves a murder." --Kirkus Reviews on A Tourist's Guide to Murder

"Wed, Read & Dead deliciously delves back into the life of Samantha Washington...This charming page-turner is a must-read for any animal lover who loves a good mystery." --Modern Dog Magazine

"This two-in-one mystery satisfies on so many levels, with this fifth in the series being as fresh and unique as the first." --Kings River Life Magazine on Bookmarked for Murder

"As good as any Jessica Fletcher story could be, Burns has a way with words and her characters are absolutely riveting. There is no doubt this is one series that will continue for a good, long time to come." --Suspense Magazine on Read Herring Hunt

"Readers of Carolyn Hart and Vicki Delany will appreciate the lively seniors, the humor, and the bookstore environment." --Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW on The Plot is Murder

"Adventure and chaos ensue in this fun whodunit." --Woman's World Book Club Pick for The Plot is Murder

"With plenty of fun and a mystery within a mystery, readers will eat this one up." --Parkersburg News & Sentinel on The Plot is Murder

About the Author

Valerie (V. M.) Burns is a mystery writer whose novels and short stories have been finalists for the Agatha, Anthony, Edgar, and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She is the author of the Mystery Bookshop, Dog Club, RJ Franklin, and Baker Street Mystery series. Valerie is a member of Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Color, Mystery Writers of America, and the Crime Writers' Association. She is also an adjunct professor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie now lives in the southeastern United States with her two poodles. Connect with Valerie at VMBurns.com.