The Plot Is Murder

By: V.M. Burns

Narrated by: Kate Rudd

Samantha Washington has dreamed of owning her own mystery bookstore for as long as she can remember. Now that she's preparing for her store's grand opening, she's also realizing another dream - penning a cozy mystery that's set in England between the wars. While Samantha hires employees and fills the shelves, her pen has quick-witted Lady Penelope Marsh, long-overshadowed by her beautiful sister Daphne, refusing to lose the besotted Victor Carlston to her sibling's charms and stepping in to solve the murder of one of Daphne's other suitors....

But as Samantha indulges her imagination, the unimaginable happens in real life. A shady realtor turns up dead in her backyard, and the police suspect her - after all, the owner of a mystery bookstore might know a thing or two about murder, right? Aided by her feisty grandmother and an ensemble of colorful retirees, Samantha is determined to close the case before her store opens. But will she live to conclude her story now that the killer has a revised ending in mind for her?

©2017 V. M. Burns (P)2017 Dreamscape Media, LLC

a new dream

truely enjoyed this mystery. the reader did an excellent job. the characters I loved. can't wait to see what the 2nd series is all about

Not for me

I don't want to give a negative review because this book might be om for other listeners. I couldn't finish it because was too light and fluffy. Samantha and her family are too nice and everything comes to easily for them. I also don't like bullying. Teasing someone with a name from childhood isn't funny.

A Fun Mystery Bookstore Murder Mystery

A newly widowed woman and her Grandmother hurry to solve the murder of the real estate agent who dies in her back yard. With the help of the old ladies from the retirement home they hav a great adventure. Great listen.

Intertwined mysteries gallor

While I enjoyed the story, there were moments where I felt the story fell flat. This was partly due to lack of background information regarding the victim and the MC's relationship with him, the MC's own lack of knowledge regarding things that her grandmother's friends seem to know, and also the back and forth between the MC's own mystery story in conjunction with the real mystery. I enjoyed the story but there were some minor pacing issues. while the story within the story was fun, I sometimes found myself grimacing at the use of modern vernacular and colloquialisma used within the story within a story. I wish book two was available as an audiobook, because I don't like not having the next book. enjoyable, funny, and worth reading but did have some issues.

Nice opening to a series and 2 books in one

I've owned this for a while and just got around to it. I'm impressed. I actually care about the characters and enjoyed the growth in the book. Kate Rudd did a great job reding the book.

Love it

The humor in this book.is great. You.will want to keep reading. The plot is not as easy to figure out as you may think.

Narration Was Ok. Only Needed One Story!

I wanted to like this book more and rate it higher. I liked Nana Jo and the senior ladies. I liked Dawson. I liked Samantha. Although I felt she was kind of useless as a detective, lady sleuth, PI, or any other investigative label you may want to apply to her. Thank goodness for Nana Jo and her friends.

Tbh, I am wondering if some of my next observations may be different if I had read the book instead of listening to the audio version.

I did not like moving back and forth between what was currently happening and Samantha's manuscript. Besides the action taking me out of the primary story, with listening to the audiobook, the transitions from one to the other was not always a clear cut transition.

I would have been ok with references to Sam's manuscript throughout the book, but the constant back and forth was disconcerting.

I am not a historical mystery reader, but I did find the story interesting. Both were interesting to me, yet I found it hard to stay full engaged with either one.

Disappointing views on weight

I haven’t completed this book—hope to find a reason to continue. Was totally offended by author’s description of the physical sizes of her and family members. I could not believe she actually described the “thin” members as being the preferred size and her “plump” size which she shares with her Nana as being negative. Use cultural, fat-shaming stereotypes much??! Please avoid contributing to negative body images.

Story’s okay but the narrator...

The book is okay, honestly I preferred the manuscript that Sam is writing within the story itself. The listen wasn’t awful but the narrator is very robotic and overly enunciates which is strangely off-putting. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to give it a listen if you want to pass time!

Two stories in one!

A good little contemporary cosy mystery with a nice historical cosy tucked inside. Our heroine Samantha Washington is a young widow involved in a small town murder while getting ready to open a bookstore and simultaneously writing a British cosy set in the 1930s. Whew. That’s a lot to keep up with.

I liked the characters. Sam has a complex family, loving in spite of their flaws. She has a problem with reverting to old behaviors around them which I find believable. Her grandmother’s gang of seniors are delightful - fans of Jana DeLeon’s Gertie and Ida Belle, take note!

Sour note: calling people by hurtful nicknames is bullying when it involves children and teens, and it is still bullying when dragged back out in adulthood. Stop it. The person being attacked in this way has done absolutely nothing to deserve it.

I will definitely go on to other books in the series.