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    The Plot is Murder
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    The Plot is Murder
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    The Plot is Murder
    Audiobook6 hours

    The Plot is Murder

    Written by V. M. Burns

    Narrated by Kate Rudd

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

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    About this audiobook

    Samantha Washington has dreamed of owning her own mystery bookstore for as long as she can remember. Now that she's preparing for her store's grand opening, she's also realizing another dream-penning a cozy mystery that's set in England between the wars. While Samantha hires employees and fills the shelves, her pen has quick-witted Lady Penelope Marsh, long-overshadowed by her beautiful sister Daphne, refusing to lose the besotted Victor Carlston to her sibling's charms and stepping in to solve the murder of one of Daphne's other suitors...

    But as Samantha indulges her imagination, the unimaginable happens in real life. A shady realtor turns up dead in her backyard, and the police suspect her-after all, the owner of a mystery bookstore might know a thing or two about murder, right? Aided by her feisty grandmother and an ensemble of colorful retirees, Samantha is determined to close the case before her store opens. But will she live to conclude her story now that the killer has a revised ending in mind for her?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDreamscape Media Audio
    Release dateNov 28, 2017
    ISBN9781520085609
    Author

    V. M. Burns

    Valerie (V. M.) Burns is a mystery writer whose novels and short stories have been finalists for the Agatha, Anthony, Edgar, and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She is the author of the Mystery Bookshop, Dog Club, RJ Franklin, and Baker Street Mystery series. Valerie is a member of Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Color, Mystery Writers of America, and the Crime Writers' Association. She is also an adjunct professor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie now lives in the southeastern United States with her two poodles. Connect with Valerie at VMBurns.com.  

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    Reviews for The Plot is Murder

    4/5

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    • 3/5
      This is the first book in a new cozy mystery series. This series is a bit different from other cozies I have read. Samantha Washington, the protagonist is also a budding author. When she is stressed, she works on her book to relax. Because of this, there are two different short mysteries going on simultaneously. I did not have a problem following them, but I am sure some readers might. It is an interesting premise though.

      Samantha (Sam) loves a good mystery. She and her husband Leon had always wanted to open a bookstore, but she became a teacher in order to have a reliable income. Now that Leon has died, she is able to retire from teaching to finally follow her dreams. She has purchased a building in North Harbor, Michigan and restored/renovated it as a bookstore/cafe/apartment. The purchase did not go as smoothly as possible as her real estate agent tried to derail the sale after contracts had been signed. It was no secret that Sam did not care for him at all. She is almost ready to open when he comes knocking on her door late at night. She does not let him in and goes to bed. The next morning he is found dead, a stabbing victim, in her courtyard. Of course she becomes the prime suspect. Her grandmother, Nana Jo, moves in to help her with her investigation. This is where the humor comes in. Nana Jo lives in a retirement community that caters to active seniors. She and "the girls" become involved in the investigation as well as introducing Sam to the casino, some happy hours and other things that she is surprised they are involved in. The final clue the police latch onto is her manuscript. It appears that the murder in her story is somewhat similar to the real one.

      This was a relatively quick read with the book made up of two short stories. I am not sure if this is something I will enjoy as you really do not get to know the characters well. I was confused about the characters in her manuscript as it was not the complete book and there was not much information about those characters. The characters in the book are interesting and I can see them becoming favorites of mine if they are fleshed out and continue in the books. I will give the next one a try before I decide about this series. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
    • 5/5
      Sam Washington had changed her life since her husband Leon died. She isn't putting off their dreams anymore. She sold the house they renovated, retired from her job teaching English at the local high school, opened a mystery bookstore and is writing her own cozy British mystery. However, her new life runs into a stumbling block when the sleezy realtor who sold her the building for her bookstore and new loft apartment is found stabbed to death outside her store. Detective Brad Pitt, known as Stinky in his childhood, thinks he's found a perfect suspect in Sam. Sam has supporters on her side, too, as she tries to clear her name and find out who killed Clayton Parker. She is assisted by her grandmother Nana Jo and some other senior ladies from Nana Jo's retirement home. These ladies have a quite a network of relatives and friends who help build a picture of Clayton and his family. Meanwhile, Sam is writing her own mystery which takes place at the country home of Lord William March in 1938. When a body is found in the maze and it looks like Victor's almost-fiance Daphne is a suspect, Victor's chivalrous nature makes him step in to protect her. However, Daphne's sister Lady Penelope, who has loved Victor secretly for years, is less eager to let Victor assume the blame. I really enjoyed this cozy mystery within a mystery, Sam's senior friends provided a bunch of information and lots of humor too. I liked the fast pace and the complexity of they mystery.
    • 4/5
      It was the dream of Samatha and her husband to own a mystery bookshop, and before his untimely death, he encouraged her to do it for both of them. Sam opens her shop, and indulges in her own dream: writing a British cozy. In the fantasy of her story, there is a murder to be solved. In Sam’s real life, she also discovers a murder victim. One story somewhat mimics the other, so much so the police regard Sam as a person of interest in the murder. The author does a very good job of writing both stories, and keeping them true to form. The characters in both tales are interesting, but the award should go to Sam’s grandmother and her cohorts who band together to solve the murder. A good start to an entertaining series.
    • 3/5
      This was a book within a book! The main character was writing a mystery and as a reader you read along as she was writing. At first I really thought I wasn't going to like that, but I ended up actually enjoying both stories. In the main story there was a gaggle of old ladies that, while a bit unbelievable with their clothing choices, were adorable as characters even though I thought they stole the show from the main character in many scenes. In fact looking back at it I remember that group of ladies much more than I do the main character. Overall I found this an enjoyable read and a good start to a new series. Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington publishers for allowing me to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      This was an interesting start for a new series. There is a mystery within the mystery. Samantha Washington has been recently widowed, retired from teaching, sold her home and is opening a mystery book shop - a dream she and her late husband shared. The real estate agent who sold Sam the building for her bookshop repeatedly has been bothering her but one morning she finds him dead in her backyard. As the police investigate, she works on her book - a mystery. There is a marked resemblance with her mystery to the murder of her real estate agent so the police believe that she may be a suspect.The characters which include Samantha's grandmother and her cronies add a sense of humor to the search for the truth.Great fun!
    • 5/5
      V.M. Burns' new book The Plot Is Murder has a very unusual concept for a cozy. Not only does the reader get the main mystery but they also get a second completely different story when the main character, Samantha, writes her own mystery book.I had my doubts when I first started reading the two stories. I thought it would me confusing but the author did a wonderful job meshing the two stories. It's very clever.This book is the first in the new Mystery Bookshop series and I see from the sneak peek at the end of the book the the author will be continuing the concept in the next book.I highly recommend this book to all cozy mystery readers. It's a wonderful change from the usual cozies.
    • 1/5
      Is it a mystery if the supposed sleuth couldn't even figure out who the killer was until he showed up and announced he did the murder??? (Spoiler: no)
    • 5/5
      Perfectly cozy, love all the amazing older women being dynamic and unique characters. An amazing mystery if you are getting back into the genre.
    • 3/5
      The Plot is Murder by V.M Burns is the first book in A Mystery Bookshop Mystery series. Samantha “Sam” Washington and her husband dreamed of owning a mystery bookstore. Before Leon passed away, he made Sam promise to carry on with their dream. Sam is just days away from opening Market Street Mysteries (not the best name) and has already started her second dream of writing a British historical mystery. After enjoying her last day of teaching, her family and friends throw her a party. The next morning when Sam lets her dogs outside, she finds Clayton Parker, the listing agent for her brownstone, dead on the patio. Detective Brad “Stinky” Pitt is assigned the case and he quickly zeros in on Sam. Nana Jo (not your average senior citizen) moves herself in with Sam (to keep her safe). Nana Jo has little confidence in Detective Pitt’s ability to solve the case. She rallies her friends (the Sluething Seniors) and Sam to investigate the victim’s death. Can they uncover the killer before he (or she) strikes again?The Plot is Murder is not what I expected. I discovered that over half the book is taken up with the manuscript being written by the main character (Sam). I did not enjoy these sections and felt they detracted from the story. There is a mystery in the manuscript that is simple. I would have preferred the author had centered the story around the mystery bookstore (who wouldn’t love a mystery bookshop in their neighborhood). I did like most of the characters especially Nana Jo. She was feisty, smart, and very active. I admit that she overshadowed Sam in the story (and I hope to be half as active when I am her age). I wish the author had fleshed out Sam as much as she did Nana Jo. I found the detective to be cliched and overdone (the name, attitude, how he got the job). I am giving The Plot is Murder 3 out of 5 stars. The mystery has some good components. However, the guilty party can be identified early in the story (one tiny detail gives it away). I kept hoping for a twist so I would be surprised. The majority of readers will figure out the solution long before it is revealed. The investigation is light with most of the work done by the Sleuthing Seniors. I was never fully drawn into The Plot is Murder. With the book divided into two, I feel the author did the main story a disservice.
    • 2/5
      I tend to give cozies and books about bookshops a little slack. I want to like them because I collect books about books, bookshops, writers, libraries, etc. However, I was disappointed in the book and the publisher in this case. I usually find Kensington Books to have higher quality editing than some but could not get past the geographical locations of places as iconic as the Great Lakes and Motor City being described incorrectly throughout the book. I did like the premise of the book and was interested enough to finish it to find out what happened in both stories. I hope the series improves with stronger writing and better editing in future books.

      1 person found this helpful