The Book Club Murders — Leslie Nagel

USA TODAY BESTSELLER • In a charming cozy mystery series debut, Leslie Nagel's irrepressible small-town heroine finds that her fellow book club members may be taking their Agatha Christie a bit too literally -- and murder a bit too lightly.

Charley Carpenter has poured heart and soul into her clothing store, Old Hat Vintage Fashions. She'll do anything to make it a success -- even join the stuffy Agathas Book Club in order to cultivate customers among the wealthy elite of Oakwood, Ohio.

Although mixing with the most influential women in town has its advantages, Charley finds the endless gossip a high price to pay. But after two women with close ties to the Agathas are brutally murdered, everyone falls under threat -- and suspicion. When key evidence indicates that both murders are the work of the same hand, Charley realizes that the killer has arranged each corpse in perfect imitation of crime scenes from the Club's murder mystery reading list. She uses her membership in the Club to convince Detective Marcus Trenault to use her as an inside informant. Not that he could stop her anyway.

Intelligent, fearless, and every bit as stubborn as Marc is, Charley soon learns the Agathas aren't the only ones with secrets to protect. Passions explode as she and Marc must race against time to prevent another murder. And if Charley's not careful, she may find herself becoming the killer's next plot twist.

Praise for Book Club Murders

“A home-run debut . . . With action, adventure and murders involving mystery books, it is sure to please every cozy mystery fan! I highly recommend adding The Book Club Murders to your Fall reading list.” -- The Cozy Mystery Journal

“Charley Carpenter is my kind of woman -- smart, strong, and independent. She makes an engaging and utterly appealing new detective. Book some time with Charley today!” -- Michael Lister, New York Times bestselling author of Blood Oath 

“A super-paced good read, perfect for a bibliophile and a mystery lover! . . . Charley is a fun, slightly sarcastic character. She's smart, brave and passionate. . . . And the mystery . . . that was plain wicked!” -- Nadaness in Motion

“A good mystery with a solid dose of romance.” -- The Ninja Librarian

“I found the book to have an interesting pace; it was like an adventure ride. Twists and turns, sometimes a quick chapter. other times the chapters are full and winding. . . . This book is a great start to a new and exciting series.” -- Bibliophile Reviews

“The premise for this story is great, the plot is well developed, and I can't wait to get to know the characters better as the series continues. I had no idea who the murderer was until the moment of the reveal, which is just the way I love it.” -- Book Babble

“Tuck into this well-written and endearing cozy murder mystery, set in an upper-class suburban community where the veneer of civility is thin and verbal encounters are often knife-edged.” -- Mallory Heart's Cozies

“I always enjoy getting in on the ground floor of a new series and this one gets off to a great start. As soon as I saw this series involved a mystery book club, I knew I would have fun with it and I did.” -- Socrates' Book Reviews