Reserved for Murder
The Blurb
Beaufort, North Carolina, is home to Chapters Bed and Breakfast, owned and operated by former schoolteacher Charlotte Reed. This historic 18th-century inn draws in voracious readers from far and wide with its lovingly curated special events celebrating a host of genres and authors.
On this sunny July weekend, a visit by one of the biggest names in romantic fantasy attracts throngs of admirers to the quaint coastal village. That’s not ideal, as the author retreated to Chapters to get away from it all for a while. No matter, she’ll appease her fans with a “Tea and Talk” meet-and-greet at the B&B celebrating her bestselling series (starring a devilishly dashing, time-traveling pirate), follow that up with a quick book signing at Bookwaves, the hip indie bookstore across town, and spend the remainder of the weekend in delightful repose.
But when the president of the reclusive writer’s fan club is found dead in the harbor by the Beaufort docks, done in by a blunt-force blow to the head, it’s up to Charlotte Reed, her neighbor Ellen, and Ellen’s trusty Yorkshire terrier to sniff out the killer. Because if they can’t, a spectacularly successful book series, and its author, may come to a sudden, lethal conclusion.
The Details
Series: Booklover’s B&B Mystery – Book #2
Author: Victoria Gilbert
Genre/Category: Cozy – Author/B&B
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
ISBN: 1643855905
Page Count: 336
Rating: 
The Review
Reserved for Murder is a quick, easy read without a ton of filler. It is dialogue-centric with a bit of action thrown in. Although this may not be every reader’s cup of tea, it is consistent and enjoyable. Charlotte is a nice everyday character that readers can relate with; her neighbor, Ellen, is not your average sweet old lady. Alice and Damian are interesting and help the story move along. The introduction of what may turn out to be a love interest for Charlotte has great potential. Charlotte’s B&B, Chapters, is every reader’s, and I dare say most writers’ idea of a dream come true.
When a fan of a visiting author is killed, Charlotte steps into the fray. Even though the fan didn’t die at Chapters B&B, Charlotte feels that she needs to help find the killer and protect her guests, who are also suspects. A few people had good reason to kill Lisette, the fan of author Amanda Nobel, who is murdered, including Amanda herself. The motives aren’t ironclad and might even be flimsy, such as professional jealousy, but people have killed for less. Evidence isn’t easy to find, but it’s there, lurking in the shadows.
Reserved for Murder isn’t rife with massive action scenes or detailed descriptions, and many readers find the dialogue-driven story a bit hard to take. Still, in general, this book is meant to be a more relaxed, character-driven series, not overly time-consuming, and easy to imagine. Charlotte’s B&B, Chapters is an ideal location for intrigue. The characters are likable, even if some of them are a bit prickly, and the secret agent aspect adds a bit of fantasy to an otherwise ordinary cozy. It was a pleasant read and fits well with the first book in the series.
The Author
Victoria Gilbert, raised in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, turned her early obsession with reading into a dual career as an author and librarian. She writes traditional mysteries and has also written fantasy and science fiction.
Victoria has worked as a reference librarian, research librarian, and library director. When not writing or reading, she likes to spend her time watching films, gardening, or traveling. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, son, and some very spoiled cats.
Readers will enjoy the “Book Lover’s B&B Mystery” series starting with the first book, Booked for Death, they will also enjoy another series from this author the “Blue Ridge Library Mystery” series, A Deadly Edition.
Represented by: Literary Counsel, New York
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