Murders and Metaphors: A Magical Bookshop Mystery

Murders and Metaphors by Amanda Flower takes readers back to Cascade Springs, New York. Violet Waverly and her grandmother, Daisy own and run Charming Books with its magical birch tree. Violet is the newest Caretaker and she is still adjusting to her new duties. The booksellers are heading to Morton Wineries where Belinda Perkins, a sommelier and bestselling author, will be holding a book signing for her newest release. After the signing, the Morton’s will be hosting their annual ice wine cutting party. During the signing Lacey Perkins arrives to see her estranged sister, but Belinda ends up causing a scene by refusing to talk with Lacey. Emerson, Violet’s tuxedo cat, insisted on coming to the winery with them. When they prepare to leave, Emerson takes off into the vineyard. Violet gives chase and trips over a frozen Belinda Perkins with a curved grape cutting knife in her back. Thanks to the public altercation, Lacey ends up at the top of Chief Rainwater’s suspect list. Violet knows that Lacey would not harm anyone much less her sister, but Violet needs more information if she is to clear her friend. The shop keeps giving Violet copies of Little Women to guide her in the investigation. She now needs to figure out how the Perkins sisters relate to the March girls. Join Violet, Daisy, Emerson and Faulkner in their quest to identify Belinda’s killer in Murders and Metaphors. Murders and Metaphors is the third tale in A Magical Bookshop Mystery series, but it can be read alone. Everything a reader needs to know is included. Cascade Springs is a charming small town with a mystical spring. Charming Books has an enchanted two hundred year old birch tree growing in the middle which needs this special water twice a week from the Caretaker. The magical essence in the shop helps Daisy and Violet guide customers to the perfect book plus it has aided Violet in solving two local crimes. I thought Murders and Metaphors was well-written with steady pacing. I like the engaging yet quirky characters which include Faulkner, the talking crow and Emerson, a canny feline. Daisy is a delightful woman and I hope I am as sprightly at her age. She is a little bit at loose ends with Violet taking over the Caretaker duties, but I believe Daisy has found just the right job to keep her busy (I do not want to spoil it for you). Violet has only been the Caretaker for six months. She is a smart woman who teaches at the local college in addition to her work at the bookstore. Violet is also finishing up work on her doctoral thesis which she will defend in May (busy woman). The mystery has multiple suspects, good clues and misdirection. Identifying the killer, though, was a snap (maybe I have read too many mysteries). Violet needs to work on the way she asks questions. She is too direct (Violet needs to channel Daisy). I loved the inclusion of Little Women. The store is trying to help Violet solve Belinda’s murder, and it is not being subtle. It was interesting to learn about ice wine. I had not heard about this beverage before (I like learning new things). There is a man in town who is too nosy for his own good and may cause trouble for our bookstore owners. I have a feeling we have not seen the last of him. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this enchanting cozy mystery. Murders and Metaphors has humor, a touch of romance, a talking crow, a murder, a busy cat, magic and references to my favorite book, Little Women.

Book 3 in a series seemed as good a place to start as any. Violet and her grandmother run a bookshop that's more than slightly unusual and not just because you will always find exactly the book you're in need of there. The shop's essence (the paranormal slant to this series) is a rather interactive secret and has chosen Violet to take over from her grandmother as the shop and it's tree's caretaker. This means watering it with very special water no matter the weather which doesn't seem such a big deal but because Amanda Flower didn't add in a paranormal way to get the water, it adds to the normality of the book which I think is a wonderful foil. Violet left her hometown years ago after a scandal left her angry and heartbroken to the point that she swore she would never return. Now that she's back,, she's dealing with those who hurt her the most as she helps her grandmother set up for a huge book signing for another escapee of the town. A little out of touch with what has gone on while she was gone, she's blind-sided by the family feud of a close friend that comes to everyone's attention during the signing. Unsurprising to her, she's blamed for it by those hosting the event. When she stumbles across a dead body and her grandmother calls the police, more blame is piled on her by the host. The tree/shop has decided she needs to take an active involvement in this case and had tried to warn her of it through a book it keeps literally placing in front of her. Unfortunately, not everyone is excited by her snooping though one person is thrilled and follows her relentlessly whether she likes it or not. I enjoyed the way it was made known that one character will be seen again. It left a bit of tension without a complete cliff hanger. I have to admit that one aspect of the book really grated on me regarding the tree and two characters. It was subtle enough that it would have worked great if it hadn't been a point that the heroine kept worrying about in deliberate obtuseness. It's hard to mix the "wow, she's so smart and observant" sleuth with the completely obtuse "what am I going to do?" persona who worries over her potential love life. Had it not been such a recurring point, it would have played out a lot better for me. Yes, she doesn't catch on quick to what the essence is telling her about the crime but this almost comes across as dumbing down this magical character. Still, I did enjoy the book rather immensely. and I look forward to reading more in this series. I definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a paranormal cozy that is a bit different. Thank you to Amanda Flower, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read this book and share my honest thoughts and opinions with others.