A Very Novel Murder

A Novel Detectives Mystery, Book 1

Opening a detective agency above her beloved bookstore seems like the perfect business plan—until Annie Murray’s first case involves a suspicious death right on her doorstep.

June Munrow, an elderly resident of Annie’s home town, Redwood Grove, is convinced that young Kelly Taylor’s recent drowning wasn't the tragic accident everyone believes it to be. Despite the police ruling, June is determined to prove there’s more to the story and hires the Novel Detectives to uncover the truth.

As Annie delves into Kelly’s life, she discovers a tangled web of secrets involving Kelly’s complicated relationships, a peculiar landlord, and her mysterious roommate. Everyone connected to Kelly seems to be hiding something, and the deeper Annie digs, the more puzzling the case becomes.

With her trademark blend of curiosity and compassion, can Annie piece together the clues and solve her first official case—before she gets into deep water herself?

Perfect for fans of Lauren Elliott, Merryn Allingham, and M.C. Beaton, this charming cozy mystery is brimming with small-town secrets and bookish charm that will keep you listening late into the night.

©2026 Ellie Alexander (P)2026 Storm Publishing

🌟⭐️🌟⭐️🌟 Great Series Spin Off

When the ‘A Secret Bookcase Mystery’ series ended I was disappointed since I truly enjoyed the background of the stories and the characters. But what a delight it was to find this spin off series. The number of credible suspects kept me guessing. Looking forward to the next release in April 2026.

Read a secret Bookcase Mystery first

I had just subsided a Secret Bookcase Mystery and was looking for a book to listen to. So i did the sample and I heard the same characters and realized this was the book to listen to A body at the book fair. So if You like the 6 books in a secret bookcase mystery you will like this book.

Still Average

Again the ending felt forced, seems to be a constant with this author for her last couple of books.