Charming Books is handling a book signing at Morton Vineyards with a famous wine reviewer and author. A murder happens and Violet stumbles upon the body. Mrs. Morton, of course, blames Violet for the bad publicity at the winery. So Vi does as she always does. She investigates especially when one of the suspects is her best friend, Lacey.

This book was really good. The story was realistic. I had a hard time putting it down. Things happen in the bookstore when David is there and Violet needs to decide to trust him or not. She also learns much about Nathan that she can use to help her close her past. I did not figure out who the murderer was until the murderer comes out at the end of the book. This is the best book of the series so far. I cannot wait to read the next book and I hope more are coming.

Pen and Jack must travel back to Jack's time to find what is similar about one of his old cases to the current murder of the owner of Todd Mansion. With Seymour a prime suspect in the murder, it is up to them to save him.

I enjoyed this story. I always enjoy when Pen goes back to Jack's time. I love the 1940's. As Jack pushes her to find the connection between their cases and pushes her to develop more of her detecting skills, it's fun to watch her grow both as a person and a PI. There is humor as everyone mistakenly believe something is going on between her and Seymour.

For as many cozy mysteries as I have read I would think I would get who it was but until the end of the story I had no idea. Guess I'll never be a detective.

A friend told me about this book 6+ months ago, as a gift idea for my 10 year old niece, mentioning it was a story I’d enjoy too.  I forgot about it until she reminded me back in October, so when, just a few weeks later, I saw it at one of my schools’ book fairs, I bought it for a Christmas present, thinking niece and I could read it together, since I’d be spending Christmas with her and her family.

Then, Christmas got cancelled and the book was packed up to ship up to her along with the rest of the presents.  I figured I’d get to it one of these days.

Turns out I would; a package arrived at our house 5 days after Christmas, from an online bookseller, containing this book – I never ordered it and there’s NO information in the package about who sent it.  Mysteries.  The Good Kind.

Anyway, I got to read the book and oh, what an enchanting story it is.  Firmly written for middle grade kids, but magical enough to capture this adult’s imagination.  Two children, who live above the Grandest Bookstore in the World** have 28 hours to solve 7 challenges or else their beloved dad and their bookstore will cease to exist.

There are shades of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Jumanji, and on a deeper level Faust, but nothing ever too heavy for a 10 year old to handle.  Everything is couched in adventure and the heavier theme behind the Faustian roots of the story are confronted honestly without dwelling on them.  It really is a most wonderfully done story.

** Coles Book Arcade was a real place in Melbourne in the late 1800’s and it really was the Grandest Bookshop in the World.  While all the parts the author uses in the book (the tea room, the lolly shop, the fernery, etc.) didn’t all exist at the same time, they did all exist.  For those interested, I highly recommend this article from The Guardian, written by the author of this book, which you can find here.

Once again Violet stumbles over a body. This time it is a Red Inker who is to read during the Poe-try Reading during the Wine and Food Festival in Cascade Springs. Violet feels it is up to her to solve the murder so a friend won't be arrested on circumstantial evidence. David Rainwater keeps telling her to mind her own business but she doesn't listen and harm comes to her. Now there are more questions than answers in Violet's life and in the murder and secrets are revealed.

I am enjoying this series. I like Violet and adore Emerson. That is one cat who has a mind of his own. I am also enjoying the triangle of Violet, David, and Nathan. I know which way I want that to go. The recurring characters are great and a few new ones are introduced. The mystery was good. I, once again, did not figure it out until it was spelled out for me at the end! I look forward to more in this series.

Violet's grandmother devises a way to bring Violet home. Needless to say, Violet is not happy about being back home. There are several things Grandmother Daisy neglected to tell her. One of the things is that she has a boyfriend who Violet finds dead the next morning in their driveway. Remembering the past, Violet is determined to solve the murder and to protect her grandmother from the police. So she stays and learns more about her family's past as well as the town's past and others' pasts.

I loved this! I had a lot of questions which were answered through the story (not always as quickly as I wanted them answered.) I had a hard time putting this down. I loved Violet and Grandmother Daisy as well as Emerson, the cat. The bookshop is fantastic! I want one like that. The secondary characters have good guys and bad guys. How many will stay throughout the series remains to be seen. I'm liking the triangle with Violet, Nathan, and David. This will be interesting to see how it plays out. I'm wondering how some of the confessions at the end will affect future stories. I'll have to read more to find out.