Dru’s Short Musing:
At a writer’s retreat a murder should occur on the page, not at the retreat and when her friend appeared to be one of the suspects, Aubrey just had to investigate.
Beth Prentice has done it again by delivering another solid whodunit that I could not put down. The writing style was lively with a comfortable tone that made it easy to follow the path that the author had staged. The mystery was executed with a small pool of suspects, all of whom had a plausible motive for wanting the victim dead, and a few red herrings which kept me intrigued throughout as the suspenseful nature of the tale took shape. I liked how Aubrey and her friends were in the wrong place at the right time to inadvertently uncover clues pertinent to solving this puzzling case. I also enjoyed seeing Aubrey writing her own mystery while trying to solve this one. The pacing was on par with how well this story was being told. Boasting a great cast of characters and engaging dialogue, this was a delightfully appealing book, and I look forward to more adventures with Aubrey and her friends.
Series Name: A Murder By The Book Mystery Book 1
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: October 7, 2025
Format: Digital
Purchase Link
Book Synopsis:
From USA Today bestselling author Beth Prentice comes a brand new series filled with humor, romance, and deadly deceptions…
A writing retreat. A famous author. A deadly fall.
Aspiring novelist Aubrey Jackson never expected her big break to be wrapped in crime scene tape. Invited to an exclusive writer’s retreat hosted by the legendary author Willow Fox, Aubrey was excited to sharpen her plot twists and finally finish her first book. But when Willow is found dead—pushed from a third story window—the peaceful getaway turns into a real-life investigation.
With a retreat full of suspects, and the police pointing the finger at one of her best friends, Aubrey’s instincts kick in. After all, she’s read enough murder mysteries to know this wasn’t an accident! So with her writer buddies, Ellie and Spencer, by her side, she sets out to find a killer!
Only problem? The sharp detective with gorgeous eyes and enough muscles to be on a magazine cover, who has a frustrating determination to arrest the wrong person.
Can Aubrey uncover the truth before the killer writes her off for good? Or will her first big break end in a plot twist she never saw coming?
FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the author.