An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide to Murder

By Lynn Cahoon

Meg Gates is trying to start her life over after a triple whammy—dropping out of college, losing her job at a startup that went under, and being dumped by her fiancé two days before the wedding. She considers herself a failure, but her family and two besties from high school don’t. They rally around her as she returns to Bainbridge Island, accessible by ferry from Seattle. Her aunt and uncle let her stay in an apartment over their garage. Her mother gives her a part-time job in her bookstore, and her aunt connects her with a famous author as a research assistant.

When there is a murder at the author’s estate, lots of people including Natasha, one of Meg’s most loyal friends, and even Meg’s boss come under the scrutiny of the police chief, who is Meg’s uncle. Meg’s other friend, Dalton, is everything her ex-fiancé was not, and is very understanding that Meg is not ready for anything more than friendship. Trying to prove the innocence of her friend and employer and discover the actual murderer inspires Meg to begin writing a book about non-professional sleuthing. The chapter titles of An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide to Murder are all tips that Meg plans to include in her book, such as “You might catch more flies with honey, but who wants flies?” Using Nancy Drew as inspiration when they were younger, Meg, Dalton, and Natasha used to investigate mysteries as “The Mystery Crew.” In this story, they take their skills to a whole new level, above locating missing dogs, as the stakes are quite serious.

An Amateur Sleuth’s Guide to Murder has some humor, characters with depth who are interesting, and a plot that will keep you guessing as to whodunnit. There were some surprises at the end that resulted in the reveal making sense. A favorite character would be Meg’s rescue dog, Watson, a well-behaved, tan cocker mix, who goes most places with Meg. The setting, with the juxtaposition of the city of Seattle with the isolated tourist island, plays a role in solving this crime. I have enjoyed many of Lynn Cahoon’s cozy mysteries, and this one strikes me as the start of another successful series.

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: 1. #1 in the Bainbridge Island Mystery Series

    2. Lynn Cahoon loves to cook, and she includes a recipe for “Murderous Mac and Cheese” which she says goes well with lobster.

Publication:   June 24, 2025—Kensington

Memorable Lines:

“You can’t trust a man who doesn’t read.”

“I am grateful for the fact that people seem to love my books and for having the chance to meet readers. I like spending time with my characters more.”

“I always volunteered for the early shifts when I was in the Coast Guard. It’s like being at the beginning of the world when you watch the sunrise in the morning.”