Killer Words

by V. M. Burns

Overview

In the seventh Mystery Bookshop novel from Agatha Award-finalist V.M. Burns, bookstore owner, mystery writer, and amateur sleuth Samantha Washington and her Nana Jo confront their own relationship with law enforcement when a local cop who’s unjustly persecuted their family is accused of killing a person in his custody..


Bookstore owner and mystery writer Samantha Washington comes to the aid of the cop who once arrested her own grandmother...

Sam and Nana Jo are back in sleepy North Harbor, Michigan, where Sam is eagerly awaiting the publication of her first book. In search of more immediate excitement, Nana Jo hits the casino with her fellow Shady Acres Retirement Village gal pals—but they get more than they bargained for when they witness Detective Bradley Pitt decking mayoral candidate John Cloverton.

As Sam well knows, mystery novels are full of brilliant detectives, genius sleuths, and hero cops. Detective Bradley Pitt—aka “Stinky Pitt”—is another story. In the past, the dull-witted detective has mistakenly accused members of Sam’s family for crimes they didn’t commit. Now, it’s his turn: when Cloverton turns up dead, he’s arrested. With his predilection for polyester, Pitt has been wanted by the fashion police for years, but Nana Jo knows her former elementary school math student would never commit murder—it doesn’t add up. Somebody’s framed the flatfoot to take a fall, and Sam and Nana Jo must step in to restore the reputation and good name of Detective Pitt.

Praise for THE PLOT IS MURDER

“A promising debut with a satisfying conclusion.” —Publishers Weekly

“Cozy mystery readers and historical novel aficionados will adore this warm-hearted, cleverly plotted new series.” —Kings River Life

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781496728975
Publisher:	Kensington
Publication date:	11/30/2021
Series:	Mystery Bookshop Series , #7
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	158,598
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Valerie (V. M.) Burns is a mystery writer whose novels and short stories have been finalists for the Agatha, Anthony, Edgar, and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She is the author of the Mystery Bookshop, Dog Club, RJ Franklin, and Baker Street Mystery series. Valerie is a member of Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Color, Mystery Writers of America, and the Crime Writers' Association. She is also an adjunct professor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie now lives in the southeastern United States with her two poodles. Connect with Valerie at VMBurns.com.

Editorial Reviews

10/18/2021

Burns’s charming seventh Mystery Bookshop mystery (after A Tourist’s Guide to Murder) finds Samantha Washington, owner of a mystery bookshop in North Harbor, Mich., eagerly awaiting copies of her newly published debut novel, Murder at Wickfield Lodge, a historical cozy set in England. Meanwhile, Det. Bradley “Stinky” Pitt of the North Harbor PD becomes suspect number one in the murder of mayoral candidate John Cloverton, who had accused him of police brutality. Even though Stinky has been a constant thorn in Samantha’s side for years, she, her grandma, and “the girls” from Shady Acres Retirement Village nonetheless step up to find the real killer. The geriatric detectives sort through local gossip while Samantha, who has a “knack for solving murder,” does the hands-on investigation. Whenever the case gets tricky, she takes refuge in her writing, treating readers to a parallel mystery for Lady Clara, her amateur sleuth, to solve. Change seems to be the theme in both Samantha’s “real” life and in her work-in-progress novel. Newcomers will have fun, while established fans will relish the evolution of the characters and welcome Samantha’s bright new future. Agent: Dawn Dowdle, Blue Ridge Literary. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

2021-09-01
A bookstore owner helps a cop she doesn’t even like fight a murder charge.

Samantha Washington is happy with her life. She enjoys helping customers find their favorite mysteries in her bookstore in North Harbor, Michigan. She likes living with her grandmother Nana Jo in their cozy apartment above the store. She looks forward to nights out at the Four Feathers Casino with Nana Jo’s pals Dorothy Clark, Irma Starczewski, and Ruby Mae Stevenson. And she works diligently on her own mysteries, a historical series starring Lady Clara Trewellan-Harper and her American friend Kathleen Kennedy. But change is swirling all around Samantha. Nana Jo buys a villa at Shady Acres retirement community. Samantha’s mother announces a move to Australia, where she and her rich new husband, Harold Robertson, plan to save the koalas. And Samantha’s boyfriend, restaurant owner Frank Patterson, presses her to enhance their relationship with a marriage license. Still, it’s a surprise when Nana Jo insists that Samantha needs to help her investigate the murder of loudmouthed politician John Cloverton, and not out of any love for the victim. No, Nana Jo wants to defend his accused killer—Detective Bradley Pitt, an officer so inept and obnoxious that he’s earned the nickname Stinky—because he was her student in grade school. Burns gives readers two mysteries for the price of one, playing out Samantha’s account of Lady Clara’s exploits alongside Burns’ account of Samantha’s own investigation.

Despite the complex plotting, quirky characters are the heart of this cozy.

Kirkus Reviews