IN THE EVENT OF MURDER (Starlit Bookshop Mystery #2) by Cynthia Kuhn will be released on August 20, 2024 by Crooked Lane Books.
Emma Starr, who works at her family’s bookshop, has recently gotten into event planning. One event she’s glad she’s not involved in scheduling is the numerous events leading up to Silvercrest Library’s annual charity gala. At the opening event, Lyra Willton—a hometown girl who is now a celebrity caterer out in Hollywood—suffers an accident that leaves her with a minor concussion. Later that night, at a special screening of her aunt’s television show, Lyra’s body is found stashed in a freezer. With Lyra’s catering company no longer able to handle the library events, the committee appoints Emma as the new event planner. When she’s not taking orders from her arch nemesis Tabitha Baxter, Emma looks into the murder at the request of Lyra’s aunt, actress Whitney Willton. The case becomes more complex when Emma is attacked while she’s retrieving an expensive and then one of Whitney’s co-stars. The Baxter Ballroom also burns down not long after the committee finished setting up for the silent auction. Emma is determined to not only discover the identity of Lyra’s murder but find a new location for the gala.
IN THE EVENT OF MURDER is a satisfactory follow up to HOW TO BOOK A MURDER. Many of the secondary characters from the first book in the series carry over into this one, and they are involved in the library gala in various roles. Emma’s high school drama with Tabitha Baxter plays another major part in this novel. Their childish behaviors get a little old—especially when it takes center stage in the story and casts the actual mystery into a supporting role. The mystery, while interesting, often felt disjointed.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.