Book Review/Giveaway: Plot Boiler by Ali Brandon

From the publisher: The New York Times bestselling author of Literally Murder returns to Pettistone’s Fine Books, where the silence of Hamlet the cat speaks volumes about two mysterious deaths…

It’s almost Fourth of July, and to boost customer traffic in their Brooklyn neighborhood, bookseller Darla Pettistone decides to throw a block party. All the local shop owners are thrilled—except the proprietor of Perky’s Coffee Shop, who thinks Darla is trying to poach his customers by selling her own caffeinated brew in her new bookshop café.

But when Hamlet comes upon the owner’s not-so-perky wife, it’s clear a killer has crashed the party. And when a second local business owner shuffles off this mortal coil—as Hamlet’s namesake would say—Darla and her curious cat must perform some fancy footwork to shine a spotlight on a secret worth killing for…

I've been eagerly awaiting this installment in the Black Cat Bookshop mystery series because of the opening of Darla (and Hamlet's) bookshop cafe. If I can't be in my own home surrounded by my books and my beloved cat, there's no cozier place for me than in a bookstore cafe, so I couldn't wait to virtually visit the Pettistone's Fine Coffee Bar.

Darla is planning a block party to celebrate July 4th and to boost traffic to neighborhood shops. Everyone is on board except for George King, the owner of Perky’s Coffee Shop, who isn't pleased that Darla has opened a competing cafe. His wife Livvy is much more accommodating, but before the block party is over, Livvy is dead. Then a second business owner is found dead as well. Who is killing off ballerinas? And do the murders have anything to do with the latest teen craze of vaping?

Once again our little hero Hamlet saves the day by knocking pertinent book titles off the shelves to drop hints to Darla, and ultimately saving her life.

This is a sensational cozy mystery series that just gets better and better. I was left guessing at the identity of the killer until the very end, and found myself just one step ahead of Darla in piecing everything together. For one of the very best cat-centered cozies on the market, pick up a Black Cat Bookshop mystery today!

Giveaway: Leave a comment by noon eastern on Wednesday, November 11th for your chance to win a copy of Plot Boiler. (US entries only, please.)