Murder Unshelved, by Vanetta Chapman, was sent to me as an Advanced Reader Copy by Book Sirens. My review is an honest assessment of the book.

If you enjoy sweet, cozy mysteries with small-town charm and a touch of romance, Murder Unshelved is a great choice. The main characters are sisters Sydney and Emma, who could not be more different. Emma is a serious-minded data analyst who recently lost her job to AI, while Sydney is an optimist still grieving the loss of her husband a year earlier. Both are struggling to figure out what comes next in their lives.

When an aunt leaves them her house in a small Texas town, they decide to start over by opening a book-and-quilt shop together. But before the shop can even open its doors, Sydney discovers a dead body in the back room.

Murder Unshelved introduces a fun cast of supporting characters, including an Amish teenager eager to explore life outside her community, a geeky but brilliant senior, and a retiree who doesn’t even like to read. A handsome detective—who seems just as interested in Sydney as he is in solving the murder—rounds out the story.

The book has good pacing and easy dialogue, making it a quick and enjoyable read.

I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads.

7 thoughts on “Murder Unshelved”

    1. I have seen a pattern in some of her reading that is geared toward Amish so I would not doubt it’s the same one. This is the first book of hers. I’ve read.

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      2. I typically like dark thriller, more than cozy mysteries, but every now and then I will read something lighter as a pallet cleanser. If you like psychological thrillers, you can check out my latest book cradle to grave. It takes place in New Orleans and features a female serial killer.

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