In reading the 1st novel in the series, I found it a fascinating delight that the mystery bookstore owner Samantha (Sam for short) Washington was writing her own mystery. I was hoping that as the cozy series continued that Sam would continue writing and was so excited to have my query answered within Chapter One. Sam hasn't sent off her first manuscript off to a prospective publisher yet but has decided to see if she has another novel within her imagination and the setting is once again at "Wickfield Lodge, English country home of Lord William Marsh–November 1938." At moments I can't decide which I love more Sam's nighttime writing or that she is realizing the dream she had with her husband Leon of opening a mystery bookstore. As sad as it is that Samantha has taken on this challenge of entrepreneurship as a widow both pursuits are inspirational.

As noted in my review of Book 1, "Anyone that loves Stephanie Plum's Grandma Mazur (as created by Janet Evanovich) will absolutely adore Samantha's eighty-something year old grandmother Nana Jo and her friends that live at a local retirement community!" Nana Jo is living with Sam since circumstances in Book 1 but has also kept her villa in the retirement community. Nana Jo and the crew are invaluable sleuthing assistants to Sam and there's never a dull time when all are together. However, one of Nana Jo's friends, Irma Starczewski will not be a favorite for some cozy readers with character description given as "Her voice was deep and raspy from decades of chain-smoking and she had a mouth like a sailor." Irma takes swigs from her own flask carried in her purse and likes to give a comment of "Sweet Mother of God." I found Irma amusing but am saddened that this character may detract readers from the series. The friendship of the group and their encouragement and support to Sam are worthy and I'm not sure why the author felt giving Irma these attributes was needed.

I'm looking forward to the next book in the series as the bookstore continues to make an imprint on the community along the Lake Michigan coastline and also to see what's next at Wickfield Lodge in England. ( )

Samantha Washington, Nana Jo and her senior friends, Dawson and the whole crew are back in Read Herring Hunt, the second book in the Mystery Bookshop series. Samantha was widowed about a year ago. She fulfilled a dream she had with her husband to open a mystery bookshop. The shop is doing quite well, despite the dead body discovered nearby when it first opened. Sam lives in an apartment over the store. Nana Jo still stays over often. And adopted member of the family and college student, Dawson lives in the apartment above the garage. Things are getting easier for Sam...the shop is making money, she has friends, and she's trying to learn to enjoy life without her husband.

Dawson has become entangled with the wrong sort of girl. Nana Jo (always quick to express her opinion) hates her and calls her a floozy. Obviously the tart has her eyes on Dawson because he's a popular and talented football player at the local college, with prospects for a pro career. The day after breaking off his relationship with her, Dawson comes to work at the bookshop with a black eye and scratches on his face. He blames Melody for the injuries. Unfortunately, the floozy is found dead, and Dawson is immediately suspect number one. Sam, Nana Jo and the gaggle of lovely seniors join forces again to prove his innocence (before the upcoming big football game of course).

I love this series! Nana Jo is a hoot. And her friends are even more fun. They are outspoken and very good at helping Sam with her amateur sleuthing. Iris is probably my favorite. She has to be stopped each time she almost lets loose with curse words. Sam is a great main character. She's trying to put her life together after a terrible loss, and building the dream she had with her husband is making a new life for her. The other supporting characters like Dawson and Sam's sister, Jenna, make this a funny, feel good, entertaining cozy mystery series. Sam is also writing her own murder mystery series set in Britain in the 1940s. The story she is writing is included within the book, making each story a mystery within a mystery. This time, the story forms around the former King Edward VI who just abdicated to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. A woman is shot during a shooting party....who was the intended victim? And was the motive political?

Fun, entertaining and suspenseful cozy! The cover art is perfect -- very colorful with Sam's poodle smack dab in the middle. :) Very eye catching! I can't wait for the next book! Luckily, the next book in the series, The Novel Art of Murder, is coming out in November 2018! :)

**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** ( )

Samantha Washington, the owner of the Market Street Mysteries Bookstore, has sort of adopted Dawson Alexander, the hometown college quarterback, so when the girl he was dating turns up dead after their breakup, Sam knows the Dawson is in for some trouble - suspension from the team, numerous interrogations, even arrest. Sam together with her grandmother and sister work to keep Dawson free and find the killer.

This story is also intermixed with the novel that Sam is writing. I really love the way that this is written, weaving two mysteries two sets of characters but keeping them separate and distinct. ( )

In the town of North Harbor, Michigan, and college quarterback Dawson Alexander is a local hero, to Samantha Washington, the owner of the Market Street Mysteries Bookstore, Dawson is more like an adopted son more than a tenant When Dawson finds out that his girlfriend Melody Hardwick is a con artist and a gold digger he breaks up with, when Melody's dead body is discovered by a jogger a few days later Dawson becomes the prime suspect where the police are concerned. Sam's sister Jenna whose a lawyer helps build Dawson's defense, while Sam and her grandmother Nana Jo look for clues as to who the real killer is with some help from the members of the Sleuthing Senior Book Club. While trying to help keep Dawson out of jail Sam is also working on writing her new cozy mystery that's set in the English countryside and involves Mrs. Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII. Sam and her gang of mystery lovers find themselves trying to find the killer before one of their own is their next victim.

The mystery is well written and well developed with lots of twists, red herrings, and has enough suspects to keep the killers real identity a mystery until the end. The mystery in a mystery does add a nice little sub plot to the main mystery. This book has a great cast of characters that are very entertaining and well developed. I did like how we get to know more of Dawson's backstory which makes him more interesting. I also liked that there is a chance of a romantic relationship for Sam in the near future. I still don't like the character of Police Detective Stinky Pitt, he seems to be single minded about how he works the murder investigation only focusing on Dawson and not looking for another suspect for the longest time.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Kensington Publications for my honest opinion. ( )

In the town of North Harbor, Michigan, and college quarterback Dawson Alexander is a local hero, to Samantha Washington, the owner of the Market Street Mysteries Bookstore, Dawson is more like an adopted son more than a tenant When Dawson finds out that his girlfriend Melody Hardwick is a con artist and a gold digger he breaks up with, when Melody's dead body is discovered by a jogger a few days later Dawson becomes the prime suspect where the police are concerned. Sam's sister Jenna whose a lawyer helps build Dawson's defense, while Sam and her grandmother Nana Jo look for clues as to who the real killer is with some help from the members of the Sleuthing Senior Book Club. While trying to help keep Dawson out of jail Sam is also working on writing her new cozy mystery that's set in the English countryside and involves Mrs. Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII. Sam and her gang of mystery lovers find themselves trying to find the killer before one of their own is their next victim.

The mystery is well written and well developed with lots of twists, red herrings, and has enough suspects to keep the killers real identity a mystery until the end. The mystery in a mystery does add a nice little sub plot to the main mystery. This book has a great cast of characters that are very entertaining and well developed. I did like how we get to know more of Dawson's backstory which makes him more interesting. I also liked that there is a chance of a romantic relationship for Sam in the near future. I still don't like the character of Police Detective Stinky Pitt, he seems to be single minded about how he works the murder investigation only focusing on Dawson and not looking for another suspect for the longest time.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Kensington Publications for my honest opinion. ( )