A Novel Murder is an interesting mashup of a cozy amateur detective mystery and an insider’s look into the publishing industry.
Jane is an ambitious author at a murder mystery convention. When a literary agent is killed at the event, Jane jumps at the chance to solve the crime while also garnering free publicity for her new book.
The book has many details about how the publishing world works behind the scenes. The debut author is from that world so the setting rings true most of the time. Jane is a complex character who is both pushy and anxiety ridden. In fact, I enjoyed all the characters in A Novel Murder more than the mystery itself.
Sometimes a reader just wants to settle into someone else’s life without trying to be an armchair detective themselves. If so, A Novel Murder will be the perfect relaxing read. 3.5 stars!
Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for providing me with an advanced review copy.