Murder at the Estate Sale by Lily Charles

 

I enjoy reading or listening to cozy mystery novels quite a bit. I have found myself in the mood for reading them this year in between listening to some of the nonfiction books I've already listened to earlier this year.

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Murder at the Estate Sale by Lily Charles, which is well narrated by Janet Metzger. Lily Charles is a new to me author and Murder at the Estate Sale is the first novel in the 'Molly & Emma Booksellers' series. Lily Charles also happens to be the pen name of writing duo Charlene Ball and Libby Ware.

I really enjoyed listening to Murder at the Estate Sale. As I already stated, this cozy mystery is well narrated by Janet Metzger. I loved the writing, the plot, and the two main characters, Molly and Emma. The entire premise of this novel revolving around two main, female characters, who are booksellers whom stumble across a murder at an estate sell in the first chapter was definitely a lure for me. Who can resist a book about books? 

Molly and Emma make a great team. They are opposites, yet have a lot in common, Emma is more shy/reserved and very organized, while Molly is less reserved and more of a fly by the seat of ones pants kinda of woman. Both women are very smart and knowledgeable about books and the topic/subject of the occult.

Occultism/occult books plays a large part of the plot/storyline for Murder at the Estate Sale. In fact, the start of each chapter begins with a specific book title being mentioned. Each of the books mentioned falls into the occult genre and is simply highlighted at the start of each chapter.

As I mentioned earlier, the writing is excellent for Murder at the Estate Sale. I enjoyed the storyline very much and how the plot unfolded. Whodunnit was a surprise for me as there was a twist at the end of the novel. I don't like guessing whodunnit too early on in a novel. But being surprised by a plot twist is even better! I liked this novel.

Below is the publisher's summary for Murder at the Estate Sale by Lily Charles, which I discovered on the author's website:

When Molly O’Donnell, long-time antiquarian bookseller, and Emma Clarke, new to bookselling, meet at an estate sale, they are both there for the books. But Emma hears a cry, ignores a “Do Not Enter” sign, and discovers the dead body of notorious book thief Buck Hubbell in the basement. She calls Molly, who joins her and finds a slip of paper with a warning written in Elizabethan script that hints at black magic.

Adventurous Molly and cautious Emma seek to discover who murdered Buck and to unlock the meaning of the mysterious note. Their search leads them to a hidden library full of occult books. Suspects abound among booksellers and practitioners of the black arts. Attracted to each other yet wary of involvement, Molly and Emma create an alliance to get to the bottom of the warning note, find a missing book of spells—and solve a murder.

I am giving Murder at the Estate Sale by Lily Charles a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!