To Kill A Mocking Girl
Quinn Victoria Caine is back in her quirky town of Vienna, Virginia, starting her new life as a bookbinder in her family-owned, charm-for-days bookshop, Prose & Scones. With her trusty German Shephard RBG-‘Ruff Barker’ Ginsburg by her side, what can go wrong? Okay, sure, bumping into her ex, Scott, or her former high school nemesis, Tricia, is a drag. It certainly doesn’t help that they have acquired the new hobby of shoving their recent engagement in her face every chance they get. But that doesn’t mean Quinn wanted to find Tricia dead in the road. So why does half the town think she may have done it?
Quinn is determined to find Tricia’s killer, even if it means partnering with her cousin-turned-nun, Sister Daria, and Detective Aiden Harrington, her older brother’s too-movie-star-handsome-for-his-own good, best friend. They believe she’s innocent, but of course, that doesn’t influence the police, who pegs her as their prime suspect. Or, at least until she’s poisoned. But there is no way Quinn is going to stop now. Vienna is her town and-for better, or worse-Tricia was one of their own. Someone may have killed the mocking girl, but no one’s going to stop the notorious QVC.
Series: A Bookbinding Mystery – Book #1
Author: Harper Kincaid
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Bookshop
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Page Count: 348
Rating: 
From Crooked Lane Books comes the debut first in a new book-based series, “A Bookbinding Mystery,” To Kill A Mocking Girl by Harper Kincaid.
Quinn is a wonderfully stubborn and adventurous character who lacks confidence when it comes to the man she desires. This is not an unusual trait, even with real people. She wants to help her community, friends, and family but also wants to be independent. Coming home from her world travels, she goes to work at the family book business as a bookbinder. Although business is good, it leaves her plenty of time to find herself in trouble. Other characters encourage Quinn when they should be telling her not to stick her nose in a murder investigation.
The murder of an old schoolmate leaves Quinn as a prime suspect. Granted, she and the victim did not like each other all that much, but murder is a step too far! Suspects range from young to old and from all backgrounds. The clues, like the suspects, have a broad range, and it behooves readers to pay attention, or they may miss something important. Trying to solve a murder, clear her name, and work at the bookstore, plus finding out that her best friend has been angry with her for many years, takes a toll on Quinn, and before you know it, she almost becomes a victim herself.
To Kill A Mocking Girl is a good beginning for a new series. I found some slight issues, such as finding Quinn to be a little too whiny about the love interest and her lack of consideration of her family and friends’ feelings when she packed up and moved across the globe. I also found that the police were portrayed as a bit too biased. The detective, who also happens to be the man Quinn wants in her life, is happy to share information with her that no detective would do, even in a small-town setting. I found there was not enough about the bookstore setting or her job as a bookbinder involved in the story. I did not understand why there were recipes included at the back of the book, as the “scones” part of the store did not play a role in the story. Overall, this was an enjoyable story. I look forward to seeing where the author takes these characters, the bookstore, and the bookbinding business.
Another great book-based cozy series that I recommend is Nora Page’s enticing “A Bookmobile Mystery” or Ellery Adams’ intriguing “Secret, Book, & Scone Society”.
About the Author:
Born in California and raised in South Florida, Harper Kincaid has moved around like a nomad with a bounty on her head ever since. After earning her master’s degree in Gender History and another in Clinical/Macro Social Work, Kincaid decided not to use either and become a writer instead.
When not being a busy wife and mother, you can find her at her favorite local book shop, Bards Alley, where she conjured her latest romance, Love in Real Life, and To Kill a Mocking Girl. Come by and say hi-if she likes you; she’ll probably kill you off in her next book.
Represented by Jill Marsal at the Marsal Lyons Agency.
Contact Harper: twirlywrites@gmail.com
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