Murders and Metaphors

Murders and Metaphors A Magical Bookshop Mystery by Amanda Flower Crooked Lane Books Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 12 Feb 2019

Review

Amanda Flower’s Murder and Metaphors is a charming addition to her Magical Bookshop Series. Violet has overcome her regret at coming home and settled in happily as caretaker of Charming Books - but once more murder has come to Cascade Springs, and one of Violet’s friends is the main suspect.

A celebrity sommelier who grew up in the area, Belinda Perkins, is back for a book signing, and to review the new ice wine made by the family of Violet’s first love, the people whose actions forced Violet to leave town. When Violet finds Belinda with a knife in her chest, the police immediately eye Lacey, Belinda’s estranged sister who was seen earlier trying to approach. Violet knows Lacey is innocent, and can’t stand to see her accused, so with her grandmother and the bookshop’s help, she once more sets out to target a killer. But what is the bookstore trying to say with Little Women?

Murder and Metaphors is an appealing cozy with just a touch of magic. Personally, I loved Grandma Daisy, Violet’s cat Emerson and Faulkner the crow. Amanda Flower does a marvelous job of bringing her characters to life - even the despicable ones. I enjoyed this cozy immensely, and believe that other cozy lovers will as well.

4 / 5

I received a copy of Murder and Metaphors from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

-- Crittermom

Description USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower is back with the third in her more-charming-than-ever Magical Bookshop mystery. Fans of Sofie Kelly and Heather Blake, prepare your bookshelves! Niagara region booksellers Violet Waverly and Grandma Daisy sleuth the slaying of a sommelier whose book signing turned into her sayonara. January means ice wine season in the Niagara Falls region, but the festivities leave Charming Books owner Violet Waverly cold, still reeling from a past heartbreak. A past heartbreak who will be present at the annual midnight grape-harvest festival, and no magic in the world or incantation powerful enough could get Violet to attend. But Grandma Daisy, an omniscient force all on her own, informs Violet that she’s already arranged for the mystical Charming Books to host celebrity sommelier Belinda Perkins’s book signing at the party. Little do either Waverly women know, the ice wine festival will turn colder still when Violet finds Belinda in the middle of the frozen vineyard—with a grape harvest knife protruding from her chest. Belinda grew up in Cascade Springs, but she left town years ago after a huge falling-out with her three sisters. One of those sisters, Violet’s high school friend Lacey Dupont, attends the book signing in the hope of making amends with her sister, but Belinda and Lacey end up disrupting the signing with a very public shouting match and Lacey quickly becomes the prime suspect in the sommelier’s murder. Violet is sure Lacey is innocent, and to keep her friend out of prison, Violet asks for guidance from her magical bookshop. The shop’s ethereal essence points her to Louisa May Alcott’sLittle Women, but what have the four March sisters to do with the four Perkins sisters? If she can’t figure it out, Violet, herself, may turn as cold as ice. Violet, Grandma Daisy, Emerson the tuxedo cat, and resident crow Faulkner are back on the case inMurders and Metaphors,USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower’s enchanting third Magical Bookshop mystery.

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