Murder in the Footnotes

The Red Pen Mysteries, Book 2

By: Eliza Floretta

Narrated by: Lisa Lynn Sandlin

When a stranger turns up stabbed in the library aisle, clutching a photo of a long-demolished building, the quiet town of Acorn Hill is anything but.

Now, there are whispers of cover-ups, buried secrets, and a hidden treasure. Once again, Jessica—independent author, amateur sleuth, and reluctant small-town resident—is right in the middle of it.

Teaming up (again) with Michael, the town’s by-the-book cop—and her too-good-to-be-true boyfriend—Jessica finds herself dodging suspects, decoding cryptic clues, and overthinking whether Michael is in it for the long haul or about to join the long list of exes in her rearview mirror.

With danger hiding in the most unexpected corners and the past refusing to stay shelved, Jessica will need all her wits—and maybe the help of her clever cat—to solve a mystery that’s been simmering for over a decade.

©2025 Cara Ruegg (P)2025 Cara Ruegg

Entertaining Cozy Mystery

Jessica is back this time she is called upon to help the local library as someone is stealing books. The mystery only grows larger as a body is found inside the library. Jess finds herself teaming up with her boyfriend Michael, the only helpful police officer in the town. It’s sweet to watch Jessica and Michael interact. They’ve obviously grown closer since book 1 and they have such a sweet relationship. Jess still has her quirks and I love her still. She’s so relatable and I have to love her cat Watson! This is an entertaining “cozy” mystery, nothing gruesome is shown on page but there is death mentioned.

If you loved Nancy Drew growing up this series should be right up your alley.

The narration is again done by Lisa, she always knocks her narrations out of the park and this story was no exception. Her voice for Jessica shows Jessica’s nervousness and insecurity so well. But unlike book 1 Jess does have a little bit of confidence coming out in her voice. I chalk that up to her healthy relationship with Michael and the friends she’s made.

A good mystery

Soo cool! This mystery was great. It starts off with a mundane thing- that the police shrug off. Sooo what happens? Our amateur slueth is brought the case. Lisa does great at bringing the characters to life, including Watson (who is my favorite). There is a lot of anxiety represented in this book. Which did make me a little anxious and slightly frustrated. Anxious because I know how crippling anxiety can be. Frustrating because after years of living with it I have came up with coping methods and mantras that use to help self manage my anxiety. I like the mention of medication as for many that is super helpful. All around a good enjoyable mystery.

Just as captivating as the first!

Eliza Floretta does not disappoint in her sequel to Killer in the Margins! I was captivated since page one jumping back into Jess and Michael’s relationship and the new murder they needed to solve! All of Jess’s quirks are back as the amateur sleuth takes on her new case and things start to untangle in her relationship as doubt creeps in. I felt a lot of that as a girl with her thoughts trying to take over. I’m anxiously awaiting the third book!

Another great mystery

I love Jessica and Michael and seeing their relationship develop from the first book. They are so cute together! I will say that their relationship moves very quickly, so if that bothers you, maybe skip this one, but I, for one, think it works for them. I like how Jessica can recognize when her trauma is influencing her, but that knowlege doesn't immediately fix the way she views the world and her relationship. It feels very authentic amd realistic.

This series feels very nostalgic to series I read when I was a kid, like Nancy Drew, but with a slightly older protagonist. It's perfect for those looking for a cozy mystery.

The narrator did a fantastic job of getting inti Jessica's head and bringing her to life.