Murder on Tour

By V.M. Burns

Samantha Washington is an independent bookstore owner in North Harbor, Michigan. As a local author with her first book, a cozy mystery, to her credit, she is invited to be on panels at the North Harbor Book Festival hosted by Michigan Southwestern University.

When a publicist is murdered, Samantha (Sam) recruits her Nana Jo and her friends from Shady Acres Retirement Village to join her in solving the crime. It turns out to be more difficult than one would imagine as Sam uncovers among the authors multiple layers of affairs and treachery that could rival a soap opera.

This series is unusual in that Sam is writing historical fiction. We witness the process in spurts as Sam turns to her laptop frequently when she is blocked or needs a break in her investigations. The occurrences in the book she is writing with a setting of 1939 mirror in some ways the current crime. The first time I read a book in this series I found the technique somewhat distracting. In Murder on Tour, however, I thought it played well. Either the author has become more skillful or I have incorporated this style into my reading mindset.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Mystery 

Notes: #9 in the Mystery Bookshop Mystery Series, but could be read as a standalone

Publication:  November 28,2023—Kensington

Memorable Lines:

“But don’t discount the importance of escapist fiction. Books are subjective, and people read books for different reasons. Given everything that’s happened in the world, many of us need to escape to maintain our sanity.”

These women didn’t know a lot about mysteries, but they would defend me to the death if anyone said an unkind word about my book. Some days, you need people like that in your corner.

He stared at me for several beats…I didn’t flinch. I taught English to high school students who could smell fear a mile away. Woe to the teacher stupid enough to blink during a stare-down. But he was good. Really good.