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Crime and Poetry
Crime and Poetry
Crime and Poetry
Audiobook8 hours

Crime and Poetry

Written by Amanda Flower

Narrated by Rachel Dulude

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

About this audiobook

Rushing home to sit by her ailing grandmother's bedside, Violet Waverly is shocked to find Grandma Daisy the picture of perfect health. Violet doesn't need to read between the lines: Her grandma wants Violet back home and working in her magical store, Charming Books. It's where the perfect book tends to fly off the shelf and pick you . . .

Violet has every intention to hightail it back to Chicago, but then a dead man is discovered clutching a volume of Emily Dickinson's poems from Grandma Daisy's shop. The victim is Benedict Raisin, who recently put Grandma Daisy in his will, making her a prime suspect. Now, with the help of a tuxedo cat named Emerson, Violet will have to find a killer to keep Grandma from getting booked for good.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateApr 5, 2016
ISBN9781515970392
Crime and Poetry
Author

Amanda Flower

Amanda Flower is an Agatha Award-nominated mystery author (Maid of Murder), who first caught the writing bug in elementary school. She is also the author of Andi Unexpected, the Andi Boggs series, Appleseed Creek and the India Hayes series. When she’s not writing, she works as a librarian at Ursuline College near her hometown of Tallmadge, Ohio. Visit her online at www.amandaflower.com and www.isabellaalan.com.

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Reviews for Crime and Poetry

Rating: 4.1029412058823524 out of 5 stars
4/5

136 ratings21 reviews

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  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Cozy & charming.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Violet Waverly is brought back to Cascade Springs when she thinks that her Grandma Daisy is desperately ill. She had vowed never to come back after the death of her best friend. She finds that she is the new Caretaker of the books ? in Charming Books and the magic spring the town is named for. A little slow start to get things established but good characters and setting.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a cute book. Probably 3.5 stars if I had that option, but I'll round it to 4 because I especially like the cat and the bookshop.

    I found this to be a perfect cozy mystery. The heroine was both just smart enough and just stupid enough to be the main character of a cozy mystery. The villain was just bad enough. (AKA had the villain belonged to a regular murder mystery instead of a cozy mystery, our MC would be dead of the stupid by the end of the book.) And as the first book in the series, this wrapped everything up nicely into a done-but-not-finished parcel by the end. So, while this story is told, there's plenty left to make you come back to this town for more fun.

    That's not to say it was all fun and games. There were some things about this book that made me unhappy. For one, at times the heroine really was too stupid to live. She took the time to change her shoes, but didn't try to let anyone know where she was going? Dumb. Yes, that heightens the tension. But really, sending a call to voicemail would have been fine and still left her in the predicament she was in at the end.

    Probably my biggest annoyance with the book was a very minor thing. The MC at one point gets in her car to go adventuring. She wants to go alone, but a guy decides he wants to go with her. So when she unlocks her car door with the key fob, he opens the passenger door and gets in. Um, no. Key fobs unlock the driver's side door first. You have to click it a second time in order to unlock the passenger side door. Specifically to prevent unwanted people from getting in your car. I realize that the author wanted the guy to go with the MC because reasons, but find a different way to unlock both doors.

    Anyway, it was a very cute book and I love the cat and the Caretaker premise. (Side note: I want a bookshop to talk to me.) I'm not sure if I will decide to continue with the series, though. I have to weigh the pros of the cat and bookshop against the cons of the love triangle which has been nicely set up in this book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Violet returns to her hometown after receiving a call for help from her Grandma Daisy. It's a false alarm, designed to bring Violet home...to stay. Strange things happen at her Grandma's bookshop, where the books choose the buyer and help you find answers to your questions. The women in Violet's family are caretakers for the tree which grows inside the bookshop and water the tree with water from the town's magical spring. Soon, there is a murder and Grandma Daisy is the prime suspect! Violet is determined to find the real killer. A nice, cozy mystery with a dash of romance, perfect for curling up to read on a stormy day.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Everything I love it so much it’s good
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    What a wonderful book of crime with a sprinkle of romance and magic!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Let's see ...Cozy mystery - Check!Bookstore - Check!Fantasy - Check!Cat - Check!Likable characters - Check!Yes, I fell in love with this book. The mystery is a bit of a challenge, but the author played fair. The bookstore is fascinating, especially with the associated magic. The cat was believably catlike. And I liked the characters. So as soon as I finished this book, I bought the sequel.I'd suggest this book for most readers of cozy mysteries. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book was a real surprise for me I'd thought that the book was about
    witches selling grimoires along with maybe potions or other magical accoutrements. Instead it's about a shop that tells you things through the books it pushes on the reader.


    I thought it was a novel concept, well done by the author. I'll be reading book 2 of the series very soon.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    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.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Great start for the series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I have a great love for cozy mysteries. They help the reader become familiar with the town and the townspeople that come and go from it. It's being welcomed into a family even though you are not true blood. This was a great story built on a grandaughters love for her grandmother.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Crime and Poetry by Amanda FlowerBook #1: A Magical Bookshop MysterySource: PurchaseRating: 4½/5 starsOh, Lord y’all!! I just found a cozy mystery series that speaks to so many of my bookish loves: cozy mystery, animals, a bookstore, a bit of the paranormal, and lovely, quirky characters. Here’s the skinny on this fun read:Violet Waverly never, ever, ever meant to return to her hometown. After a life-altering event during her senior year, Violet escaped and hasn’t returned in more than a decade. That is, until her beloved grandmother, Daisy Waverly calls with devastating news that brings Violet across the country as quickly as her little car and tolerance for no sleep can get her there. As it turns out, Grandma Daisy may have been exaggerating her situation just a bit, but her goal is accomplished with Violet back home and now the real work can begin. But first, there’s the small matter of the murder of Grandma Daisy’s boyfriend . . . .Violet’s return to her hometown is a mixed bag of emotions. On the one hand, it is always great to see her grandmother and the bookstore that brought her so much pleasure growing up. On the other hand, she’s crazy worried about her grandmother and the bombshell she’s dropped on Violet and then there are the looks and gossip that inevitably swirl in a small town. Grandma Daisy is a strong suspect in the murder of her boyfriend and Violet just can’t sit around and allow her grandmother to be railroaded as she was so many years ago. With no intention of staying in town, Violet doesn’t worry much about stepping on toes as she begins to poke around into the death of Grandma Daisy’s boyfriend. What Violet finds is a background, a sort of past life that has seemingly come back in the form of murder. As she begins to put the pieces together, Violet gets some help from the most unlikely of sources, the books in her grandmother’s bookstore. Remember that bombshell I mentioned?? As Violet digs deeper, she puts herself in danger but is committed to her course and once she realizes the books are working for her, though in a very cryptic way, she can crack the case which puts her in absolute danger!The Bottom Line: I am so pleased with this series and can’t wait to read the next two books!! From start to finish I was sucked into this book, this small quirky little town, and especially the bookstore. What a wonderful twist the paranormal elements bring to this series with the intuitive little kitty, the very talkative and snarky bird, the insistent books with their cryptic clues, and the specialness of the tree. When you add in Violet, a dogged, determined, and incredibly intelligent young woman with a feisty granny who WILL have her way, you have something of a recipe for book magic! I have such a good feeling about this series and sincerely hope it continues to deliver on this promise found in this first book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    CRIME AND POETRY is the first in a new series by author Amanda Flower aka Isabella Alan. There is everything I enjoy in a cozy present in this book; loving families, a hint of romance, beautiful setting, a little magic, wonderful characters and a great protagonist.

    The book begins with Violet Waverly frantically running back to her hometown of Cascade Springs, New York, after a twelve-year absence. Her Grandma Daisy called her saying she needed her, sounding very ill. Violet assumed she was at death's door and hightailed it home, only to find out it was a ruse to get Violet to come home and take over the family’s bookstore. Violet is ready to head back to Chicago, but a close friend of Grandma Daisy ends up dead in her driveway with Daisy the prime suspect. She decides to stay to help her grandma, of course that also means doing some investigating on her own.

    Violet is a wonderful character – smart, witty, bookish, a bit goofy, and totally relatable. She has avoided Cascade Springs for over a decade, and what happened years ago adds a second mystery to the story. Violet’s amateur sleuthing skills led her in the right direction to help Daisy, with a little help from the charmed books in her grandmother’s magical bookshop. I really enjoyed the characters of Grandma Daisy, Chief Rainwater and of course Emerson the cat who adopted Violet rather than the other way around. The main mystery of who killed Benedict Raisin was very interesting, combining a bit of history from Cascade Springs with what was going on in the town in the present. Violet’s research skills came in handy with her investigation, as well as the help from Emily Dickinson. Is there going to be romance in Violet's future? Will she become the keeper of the books? Read this delightful story to find out. I listened to the audio version of this book and the narration was well done. A few words not pronounce the way Canadians do, but that is okay. The voices were easy to differentiate and that is not always the case. I am ready to start the next one for an upcoming discussion in my Cozy Mystery bookclub.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I am always up for a cozy mystery! I love quirky characters, charming locales, and a puzzling mystery. I chose Crime And Poetry by Amanda Flower to make the minutes and miles pass quickly on my morning walks — it was a great choice! I had previously read her juvenile mystery fiction and one book in her Amish cozy series and knew I would find a humorous and entertaining read. But I have to say that Crime And Poetry exceeded my expectations. While it had all the elements I look for in a cozy, it also featured a magical bookshop that not only finds the perfect book for patrons, but aids main character Violet in her quest to find whodunit! I loved, loved the characters, including the adorable Houdini-cat and the loquacious blackbird. Violet solves the case and finds closure for a tragedy in her past. She discovers her place in the village of Cascade Springs and has two hunky guys vying for her attention. Very satisfying! The narrator of the audiobook was perfect for the first person style, having a wonderful sense of timing and inflection.I liked Crime And Poetry so much that I downloaded book 2, Prose And Cons as soon as The End was pronounced. If you are a fan of cozies, you’ll love this one too.Recommended.Audience: adults.(I purchased this book from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Crime and Poetry by Amanda Flower Brought back to her ancestral town under false pretenses, Violet Waverly rushes into her grandmother Daisy’s bookstore to find her nowhere near her deathbed and even further from remorseful for using such pretext to get her back. Charming Books is located in the old Victorian that housed Waverly’s for 200 years. A house filled with memories, magic books, a live birch tree, 2 stories tall, and a talking crow, dubbed Faulkner. Three generations of women ran the store, keeping the secret of what the books could do within its walls, and there alone. When a carriage driving gentleman Violet just met is found in her grandmother’s driveway the morning after a Dickenson book of poetry fell from the shelf to him, there is much explaining to be done. Who was he to Gramma Daisy? Why did the book fall at him? Why was Daisy’s scarf used to strangle him and more so, does any of the fore mentioned have any relevance to Daisy being the sole benefactor of his will? The water of Cascade Springs is said to have healing powers. To the Waverly’s, it is exceptionally true. The birch tree, over 200 years old, is watered only with said water. It ensues and imbues the mystical powers into the books that deliver messages to the Waverly women. From those said books are hints, via Emily’s poetry, as to whom Violet should focus to clear her grandmother’s good name. No one (but one curmudgeon detective) believes Daisy could, in any way, be responsible... but all evidence does seem to point her way. But what’s a good mystery without a little romance? Violet’s old high school flame is now mayor and still holding that torch. The hot chief of police is also showing interest beyond Violet’s own attempts to solve the crime. But Violet is set on going back to Chicago once she clears her grandmother of any wrongdoing, no matter her supposed next in line bookstore/tree/magic books caretaker heritage. I applaud the reveal. Tho I had one culprit pegged, I did not at all expect the other. The ending is open, as far as Violet’s decision to stay & whom would be keeping her company, and I’m sure much will be there for me in the next book, Prose and Cons, but it still felt in need. Flower’s writing is well done (even when the proof reader or editor miss) and she does well with her characters, settings and dialogue. I’m looking forward to part 2. As an aside, I’m beginning to think the name Waverly is synonymous with magic, in all its spellings.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Short review: potential with room for improvement. Longer review: The beginning of the book didn't start off auspiciously for me, as the first scene is Violent rushing home because she believes her grandmother is gravely ill, only to find that she's in perfect health and faked her illness over the phone to get Violent to come home. That's a shit thing to do and I can't believe anyone would find it anything else. But the bookshop is the ultimate: an old Victorian home with a birch tree growing through the middle of it, a talking raven adding commentary and the perfect book for you flies off the shelf. Literally. I'm a bit ambivalent about Violet as an MC, she's likeable but a bit melodramatic too; I got heartily tired of hearing about her trauma drama from adolescence. The repetitious hints sapped the impact of the revelation once it was finally made. A few TSTL moments too. But I do have a serious insta crush on the police chief, Chief Rainwater. The author has a real opportunity to incorporate Native American myths and culture, and I hope she takes advantage of it. Sadly it looks like she's going to create some kind of love triangle so that's a strike against the series already. The mystery itself was pretty good; well-plotted and a little bit unexpected in who the killer really is. Lots of little details too that made the whole story pretty interesting, although a bit too drawn out. Overall, a decent start and I'll read the next one to see if it goes anywhere I want to follow.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Take a charming old bookshop, a wise grandmother, a charismatic cat, a reluctant granddaughter, and a murder, mix them all together and sprinkle liberally with magic and the result is this delightful tale of mystery and intrigue. After twelve years away, Violet rushes home to be with her ailing grandmother, only to find that Grandma Daisy is the picture of health. But soon, a murder takes place, and it seems that the books, yes, the books, know something about the guilty party, but they will only talk to Violet. In a manner of speaking, that is: the books seem to move about on their own. It will be up to Vi to interpret what the books are trying to say. There is more to this bookshop than most people know. It has something to do with the healing springs that flow by it, but it will be up to Grandma Daisy to convince Violet to accept her destiny. A delightful tale with likable characters in a well thought out plot, this first book indicates that this new series will be an enjoyable one.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Can't wait to see what happens when Violet Waverly ends up fulfilling her grandmother's wish that she take over as caretaker of the family bookshop business - a business that Violet neither wants nor understands as the books jump off the shelves on their own to make themselves available to customers. Emily Dickinson proves critical to the unraveling of this first mysterious death, but knowing Amanda Flower there will be other mysterious deaths to untangle in the upcoming series. A good read - very enjoyable.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Violet Weatherly gets an urgent message from her grandmother saying that she's dying so she jumps in her car, leaves Chicago and rushes to Upstate New York and finds that her grandmother is fine. Grandma Daisy just needed her to be home. Violet had left home 12 years ago and now she has to face all the demons that she'd left behind. What she finds on her return is a magical tree that grows within the Bookshop that her grandmother has been running ever since she was a small child now she finds out she's the one who's supposed to take over and continue the magic but can she?The human characters were a bit ordinary, but the cat Emerson and the crow Faulkner (in a bookshop, remember) add the necessary variety that will carry this on.A good first for a series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Crime and Poetry by Amanda Flower is the first book in the new cozy mystery series titled A Magical Bookshop Mystery series. Violet Waverly rushes home to Cascade Springs, New York when her grandmother, Daisy calls her and states she is dying. Violet arrives to find Grandma Daisy working and very well! It was a ruse (a very effective one) to get Violet home. Violet has not returned home since she left when she was seventeen. It is time for Violet to take her place as the new Caretaker at Charming Books. Grandma Daisy explains the family history and what happens at the store, but Violet is not sure she believes it (seeing is believing). The next morning Benedict Raisin, carriage driver and Grandma Daisy's boyfriend, is in their driveway in his carriage. Unfortunately, he is dead! Grandma Daisy is the number one suspect in the murder (at least according to Officer John Wheaton). Violet sets out to prove her grandmother's innocence. Who wanted to hurt Benedict (who seems well liked) and why leave him in Grandma Daisy's driveway? When the case is over, will Violet stay in town (as Grandma Daisy wants) or will she return to Chicago? Crime and Poetry was just delightful. I enjoyed the characters (especially Faulkner, the crow, and Emerson, the cat). The setting sounds like it is just beautiful and a place that I would love to visit. The magical element was very light. I hope there will be more of it in future books. The author did a good job of keeping the reader guessing on the identity of the killer. I knew who the killer was as soon as the character was introduced, but that is just me (I read quite a few mysteries and suspense novels). Crime and Poetry has a good mystery, entertaining characters, beautiful setting, a little romance (the possibility), and magic! Amanda Flower did a wonderful job combining these elements into a charming cozy mystery. I give Crime and Poetry 4.5 out of 5 stars (I marked down because I was able to solve the mystery). I cannot wait for the next book in A Magical Bookshop series.I received a complimentary copy of Crime and Poetry through NetGalley (courtesy of the publisher and author) in exchange for an honest evaluation of the novel.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book, the first in a new magical mystery series. CRIME AND POETRY was absolutely delightful, and one of the best cozy mysteries I’ve read.The book begins with Violet Waverly frantically running back to her hometown of Cascade Springs, New York, after a twelve-year absence. Her sly Grandma Daisy claimed to be at death’s door, but it was all a ruse to get Violet to come home and take over the family’s bookstore. Well, before Violet can go storming back to Chicago, a dead body ends up in front of her grandmother’s house, and the initial evidence makes Daisy look guilty.Violet is a wonderful character – smart, witty, bookish, a bit goofy, and totally relatable. She has a darn good reason for avoiding Cascade Springs, and what happened to her twelve years ago adds a second intriguing puzzle to this story. I love how this book jumped into the murder mystery right away, and Violet’s amateur sleuthing skills kicked in, with a little help from the charmed books in her grandmother’s magical bookshop.The main mystery in this book was very interesting, combining a bit of history from Cascade Springs with some sneaky stuff going on in the town today. Violet’s research skills came in handy with her investigation. Along with a touch of the paranormal, there’s also an intriguing family secret, a little romance times two, and two cheeky animals to help (and pester) Violet. CRIME AND POETRY is sure to please cozy mystery fans, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next book!Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.