Title: A Killer Romance (A Beach Reads Mystery #3)
Author: Maggie Blackburn
Published on: 06 February 2024
Genre: Cozy Mystery
A Killer Romance is the third book in Maggie Blackburn’s Beach Reads Mystery series.
Bookseller Summer Merriweather organizes the Romance by the Sea event at her Beach Reads bookshop, featuring a renowned romance novelist as the guest author. Unbeknownst to Summer, the author is under investigation for her husband’s murder.
After the event, the author is discovered dead at a local B&B, prompting suspicions of foul play. Summer, unexpectedly listed as an emergency contact, finds the late author’s belongings at her house, revealing potential shady dealings. When Summer’s friend Glads is implicated in the murder, they launch a determined investigation to clear her name and unravel the mystery behind the author’s demise.
Despite my year-long anticipation for the latest installment in the series, I am disappointed to confess that the book didn’t live up to my expectations. Falling short of the standards set by its predecessors, the writing proved to be a letdown.
The simplicity of the prose and the disjointed dialogue, exemplified by instances such as Summer seamlessly transitioning from discussing a murder case with her aunt to commenting on lasagna in the next sentence, left the overall narrative feeling disconnected and lacking in depth.
The mystery surrounding the murder in this installment lacked clarity. The victim, suspected of killing her husband, is followed by a detective whose behavior turns aggressive when Summer delays handing over a crucial evidence – a journal. The abrupt change in the detective’s demeanor is discussed by Summer and her aunt, who assume he might be bipolar, a conclusion drawn from Summer’s acquaintance with a psychology professor from her former job.
The assumption made by Cash, Summer’s partner, and her subsequent agreement about the detective’s intentions seemed unjustified, undermining the credibility of the characters. The introduction of a late-appearing character connected to the victim led to an irritating twist, rather than a surprising revelation.
The narrative feeling like a mere recitation rather than an immersive experience. The characters came across as flat, lacking genuine emotions, and the dialogue felt bland.
The narrative is set post-COVID, providing glimpses into Summer’s life after inheriting her mother’s bookstore. However, a missing piece in the series’ timeline raises questions about the story’s consistency from the start.
The suspects and overall plot development felt forced, lacking logical consistency. The revelation of the killer’s identity was shocking but not in a satisfying way.
The epilogue, with a one-year jump, suggests a potential series finale, leaving me disappointed with how the third book unfolded. While the initial two installments were enjoyable, this third installment failed to meet expectations, leaving a sense of regret for the overall direction the series has taken.
I received an ARC from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
The Book Decoder 
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