WELL READ, THEN DEAD
One of my top three favorite new mystery series of 2014!
I have never read the first book of a series and the first published book for an author and been this blown away.
Any time a book grabs me on the first page and won’t let go, I know I am in for some of the best reading time I have ever spent. WELL READ, THEN DEAD, did that and more. I so enjoyed the book, I found myself smiling while reading and the real world around me fading away.
The characters and settings mix wonderfully and draw the reader in. It was a delight to get to know Mary “Sassy” Cabot and Bridget “Bridgy” Mayfield—owners of the bookstore café, Read ’Em and Eat. They are two of the most enjoyable characters I have read this year. And wait until you meet Aunt Ophie! She’ll have you laughing out loud. There are shelves lined with books, delicious menu items, such as Old Man and the Sea Chowder, Miss Marple Scones and honest to goodness, Green Eggs and Ham, tables named after famous authors, and book groups like the Books Before Breakfast club. Beyond a doubt, if I had a real life Read ’Em and Eat near me, I would spend so much of my time there you’d think I was on the payroll!
What about the mystery element of the book? Perfect! Even after reading the back cover blur, I forgot who the victim was until I started reading the book. I cried when I read she was dead, because in just the short time I had been reading, I knew that woman would be someone I would love to spend a lot of time with. With the suspects that kept popping up, it became harder to guess who the murder was. I was in suspense the entire time and more emotionally invested than I have been in a story in ages. And with a twist that I didn’t see coming, it’s no wonder when I closed this book I just sat there and said “Wow”.
This book is a must read for all cozy fans and the perfect book to gift someone if you would like to introduce them to cozy mysteries.