🏛️ 📘 📖 🚓 Murder at the Courthouse 🚓📖 📘 🏛️ (2019) - Book Review

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Murder at the Courthouse by Meghan Carver, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Murder at the Courthouse
Series: Grace Pointe Cozy Mystery #1
Author: Meghan Carver
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release Date: October 28, 2019

The first book in the Grace Pointe Cozy Mystery Series!

“Fiction is a waste of time.”

The heated comment made by a church library ministry team member shocks MacKenzie Baker, but it quickly becomes the least of her worries.

MacKenzie Baker is an impetuous, eavesdropping small-town librarian who lives in the apartment above the parsonage garage and refuses to be defined as the pastor’s single sister. She thought she was happy for years re-shelving books and helping patrons find their next great read, but as she turns forty, she suddenly struggles to figure out what more to do with her life. Solving murders in her small town of Grace Pointe wasn’t a part of her plan...until she and her brother find a local judge who had come to Pastor Baker for counseling murdered in his chambers, hit over the head with a massive volume of the Indiana Code.

Now, to clear the name of a family friend, she begins to work with the handsome criminal justice professor Ian Canter. Even though the detective with the chocolate brown eyes tells her to stick with making casseroles for the church pitch-in, she soon discovers the Judge’s scheming wife, his rebellious teen daughter, a network of lawyers in Grace Point who were disgruntled with the Judge, and even secrets that lurk among the library ministry team. But with the help of her new kitten Mr. Darcy, her best friend Callie, and her always-pastoring brother, MacKenzie debates the pros and cons of attending law school mid-life while she searches out a killer.

Welcome to Grace Pointe… where most of the people are friendly, the church is to die for, and the sleuthing is as strong as the coffee.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon

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MY REVIEW

Thank you in advance to JustRead Publicity Tours and the publisher for providing a review copy. A positive review was not required, and all words are my own.

This is going to be a different type of review as I am also going to enclose some “links” to a giveaway as well.

With that description above ⬆️ who wouldn’t want to read this novel?

This book gave me the “Murder: She Wrote”/Cabot Cove throwback vibes.

But, I say that in a good way. My grandma didn’t watch much TV, SHE ABSOLUTELY LOVED “MURDER: SHE WROTE” (Angela Landsbury series).

If you’re not at all familiar with the series, check it out. Here’s a quick synopsis:

“Mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher - a down-to-earth, middle-aged widow - ferrets out the criminals in idyllic Cabot Cove, Maine, which apparently is the murder capital of the United States for the show's 12-season run.” (#1)

“Professional writer and amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher uses her intellect, charm, and persistence to get to the bottom of every crime she encounters.” (#2)

Okay, with THAT explained, you can see why I’d make the comparison of this cute little novel to the TV series. 

“Murder at the Courthouse” is the first of a series in the Grace Pointe Cozy Mysteries. It is a Christian-themed, clean read.

This is an absolute ADORABLE take on “Murder: She Wrote” for a newer generation; especially those seeking Christian themes and cleaner reads.

It has that “small town” vibe, the shocking murder, and MacKenzie’s sleuthing. The cover is adorable and definitely suits this book. Told in third person, only from MacKenzie’s point of view, this was a short, but highly addicting read. The writer keeps everything on track and on pace with the theme of the novel. It has a steady pace but doesn’t rush itself.

There are no sex scenes, no real romance scenes, and no violent scenes either. There are some funny moments in it and the tone is very “light” despite the murder being at the heart of the novel. The murder weapon is not even a “violent” weapon either. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, though I do wish there had been additional POVs – the detective or even Ian to show the progression of the investigation from the other side.

I would definitely read other books in this series as I would like to see the progression of MacKenzie’s new career choice as well as her “budding” romance with Ian.

RATING:

4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads

4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Bookbub

4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal Rating (see rating explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

By sixth grade, Meghan Carver knew she wanted to write. After earning a degree in English from Millikin University, she detoured to law school, earning a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University. She then worked in immigration law and taught Comp 101 at the local college. Now, she homeschools her six children with her college professor husband, writing her stories of cozy mystery and romantic suspense in the nooks and crannies of her time. Her debut novel hit the Publisher's Weekly Bestseller list. When she isn't writing, homeschooling, or planning the family's next travel adventure, she is active in her church, sews for her kidlets, and reads.

CONNECT WITH MEGHAN:Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a Cozy Mystery Prize Pack including a “I’d rather be reading a cozy mystery” tee-shirt – size and color to be determined by winner, a signed paperback of Murder at the Courthouse, and $10 Amazon gift card!

(Tee Sizes: small – xxx-large, colors: white, red, gray, pink, or green)

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight January 14, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on January 21, 2020. US only. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.