Murder Mystery Book Club (by Danielle Collins)
I love vacationing in Key West and have enjoyed reading cozy mysteries, so I was eager to try the Florida Keys Bed and Breakfast Cozy Mystery series by Danielle Collins. The first book in the series is Murder Mystery Book Club. When I intentionally start a series, I prefer to start with the first book, even though it’s not always necessary. I like to read a series in publication order.
Eva Stewart owns and operates a bed and breakfast in Key West, with her pet parrot. She loves to read murder mystery novels and organizes a book club with other locals. Her book club is reading an Agatha Christie novel, so there are a lot of Christie references throughout the story. A murder occurs in an alley near the bed and breakfast, which has Eva a bit rattled. She has a guest who seems unfriendly and unfamiliar with the typical welcoming atmosphere of a B&B. Due to Eva’s inquisitive nature, she inserts herself into the murder investigation through a friendship with the new coroner. With the help of her book club, she gathers information to relay to the investigating detective; however, her efforts are not necessarily appreciated.
I loved the setting of Key West. Great memories came to mind when places I’m familiar with were mentioned in the story. The murder mystery was good, and the characters were likable. I appreciate that the story didn’t have the cheesy, immature tone like some cozy mysteries. The relationships that developed between characters were mature. At less than five hours on audio, it’s a pretty quick read. I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. I’m on the fence if I will continue to read the series. I haven’t thrown it out the window. I put it on the ‘maybe I will read the next one’ shelf when I want to read about Key West. The setting is the main attraction of this series. So loyal followers, I guess we’ll have to see. 😊
I borrowed the audiobook of Murder Mystery Book Club from my local library with the Libby app. Narration by Aida Reluzco made for a pleasant listening experience.
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