Crimes and Covers
Christmas is coming to the Western New York village of Cascade Springs, and so is Thoreau and the long-awaited wedding of Charming Books proprietor Violet Waverly and police chief David Rainwater. Grandma Daisy and Violet’s best friend, Sadie, go all out to make the nuptials the event of the season, whether Violet likes it or not. But the reception becomes memorable for all the wrong reasons when a woman’s dead body floats by on the frigid Niagara River.
Violet is shocked to recognize the deceased as a mysterious woman who visited Charming Books two days before the wedding, toting a rare first edition of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. Well aware that a mint condition copy could be worth more than $14,000, Violet told the woman she would have to have the book appraised before she could consider buying it. Most displeased, the woman tucked the precious tome under her arm and stormed out of the shop. Now she’s dead, and an enigmatic message scrawled in pen upon her palm reads, “They stole my book.”
It’s a confounding case, indeed. But fortunately, Violet can draw on the resources of her bookshop’s magical consciousness, which communicates clues to Violet via quotes from Walden. With Emerson the tuxedo cat and Faulkner the crow at her side, Violet sets out to recover the priceless book by solving murder most transcendental.
The Details
Series: A Magical Bookshop Mystery – Book #5
Author: Amanda Flower
Genre/Category: Cozy – Bookshop/Paranormal
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
ISBN: 1643855964
Page Count: 304
Rating: 
The Review
I am a big fan of Amanda Flowers work, and I have enjoyed every series she has written to date. That said, Crimes and Covers was not necessarily one of my favorites. Some of this could be attributed to the fact that I am not a big Thoreau fa. However, much of my dislike stems from the fact that this could have been a much better book all the way around. Charming Books wasn’t as charming as previously; it doesn’t feel like Christmas in this story, and the wedding seems like an afterthought.
Thoreau’s book, Walden, is at the heart of murder. The victim tries to sell Violet a first edition copy of the famous tome, and when Violet wants to have it appraised, the woman leaves Charming Books in a huff taking the book with her. On Violet and David’s wedding day, they come across the women’s body floating in the river. So, of course, Violet wants to start investigating, not to find the killer, but to find the missing book.
There are suspects, mainly rare book dealers, and collectors, but none of those Violet comes across seem to have the mentality to commit murder. One suspect claims that Thoreau’s book was stolen from her by the victim, but then she also claims to be a direct descendent of Thoreau, which Violet knows is impossible. Charming Books does what it is famous for; it magically shows Violet passages from Thoreau’s material. Then, onto help her solve the crime. The murder isn’t solved by Violet. She suddenly gets information that lets her know who the killer is or thinks it is. In truth, she solves the crime when the murderer thinks she has figured it out.
It is Charming Books that I have the most issue with this book and series. I would rather see this series turned into a flat-out paranormal, less about magical waters that anyone can use and a tree in the middle of the bookshop. I love the flying books, and I felt this book, in particular, needed more of the magical aspects and less about Violet’s wedding. Emerson and Faulkner are the best characters in this series, and maybe they should get their own. Thoreau’s book wasn’t interesting to me, it could well have been any famous author’s work, and it would have had the same outcome. Crimes and Covers is an easy and quick read, and entertaining if you take it as a stand-alone. However, as part of the series, I was disappointed. I wanted this book to feel special because it was Christmas at Charming Books and Violet’s wedding. I will continue to read the series and hope for better reading in the next installment.
The Author
Amanda Flower, a USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning author of over twenty-five cozy mystery novels. She started her writing career in elementary school when she read a story she wrote to her sixth-grade class and had the class in stitches with her description of being stuck on the top of a Ferris wheel. She knew at that moment she’d found her calling of making people laugh with her words. In addition to being an author, Amanda is a former librarian with fifteen years of experience in Northeast Ohio.
Other delightful books by this author readers may enjoy are Premeditated Peppermint from the “An Amish Candy Shop Mystery” series or perhaps Matchmaking Can Be Murder in the “An Amish Matchmaker Mystery”
Represented by: The Seymour Agency
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Yeah, this book just seemed off the wedding is so much of an after thought, I would have preferred it was done just before the book started. None of the characters seem to be as charming as they previously were and also moving in and merging house holds is never easy, they was really no mention or talk of married life so I’m not really sure why it happened in the book itself. It really could have just been mentioned. Amanda’s ending never are enough to me also. I felt the same way with her plain series, I want to know what the ending with all the characters I have grown to loves ending is especially because the main character are usually those with the least amount of growth in her series. I loved this series and was really sad that this is ending to it.