Booked for Murder

Lilian Jackson Braun Award finalist, Indie Next pick, Library Reads pick, SIBA Read This Next! selection -Madeline Brimley returns to the small town Georgia bookstore she inherited, discovering that small towns hold deadly secrets.

Madeline Brimley left small town Georgia many years ago to go to college and pursue her dreams on the stage. Her dramatic escapades are many but success has eluded her, leaving her at loose ends. But then she gets word that not only has her beloved, eccentric Aunt Rose passed, but she's left Madeline her equally eccentric bookstore housed in an old Victorian mansion in the small college town of Enigma. But when she arrives in her beat-up Fiat to claim The Old Juniper Bookstore, and restart her life, Madeline is faced with unexpected challenges. The gazebo in the back yard is set ablaze and a late night caller threatens to burn the whole store down if she doesn't leave immediately.

But Madeline Brimley, not one to be intimidated, ignores the threats and soldiers on. Until there's another fire and a murder in the store itself. Now with a cloud of suspicion falling over her, it's up to Madeline to untangle the skein of secrets and find the killer before she herself is the next victim.

"Booked for Murder goes down like honey-drizzled cornbread chased with sweet tea. College kids, a grande dame, and a quirky Episcopalian priest help our out-of-her-depth, but not out-of-the-fight sleuth take on a peach basket full of suspects." --Julia Spencer-Fleming

"A wonderfully rich narrative that ricochets between the past and the present, reminding us just how complex life can be." --firstCLUE

"P.J.Nelson's Booked for Murder is like slipping beneath a cherished comforter filled with memories and emotions. What could be better than a small-town bookstore--with a black cat and a hint of lingering ghosts in the village of Enigma, Georgia. Madeline Brimley has inherited her aunt's bookstore and home and a passion for theater. But the inheritance comes with more than Madeline bargained for. Nelson draws you into the story with terrific writing, unique characters, spot-on descriptions--and arson. Nelson knows how to spin a tale and hooked me with the first paragraph. Highly recommended." --Carolyn Haines, USA Today bestselling author of the Sarah Booth Delaney mystery series

"Atmospheric... will appeal to readers who enjoy Southern or bookstore settings, quirky characters, and beautiful, descriptive writing." --Library Journal (starred)

"This wonderful debut seamlessly blends Southern charm, cozy mystery and a touch of suspense." --The Summerville Journal Scene

PJ NELSON is the pseudonym of an award-winning actor, dramatist, professor, and novelist (among other many other professions) who has done just about everything except run a bookstore. PJ lives in Decatur, Georgia.

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