How to Book a Murder (Starlit Bookshop Mystery #1) is out today from Crooked Lane Books!
What It’s About:
Perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Kate Carlisle, in award-winning author Cynthia Kuhn’s series debut, small-town bookseller and literary event planner Emma Starrs is out to close the book on a killer intent on crashing the party.
To help save her family’s floundering Colorado bookstore, Starlit Bookshop, newly minted Ph.D. Emma Starrs agrees to plan a mystery-themed dinner party for her wealthy, well-connected high school classmate Tabitha Baxter. It’s a delightful evening of cocktails and conjecture until Tabitha’s husband, Tip—hosting the affair in the guise of Edgar Allan Poe’s detective C. Auguste Dupin—winds up murdered.
In a heartbeat, Emma and her aunt Nora, a famous mystery writer, become suspects. Emma is sure the party’s over for Starlit events, until celebrated author Calliope Nightfall, whose gothic sensibilities are intrigued by the circumstances, implores the bookseller to create a Poe-themed launch event for her latest tome. Throwing a bash to die for while searching for additional clues is already enough to drive Emma stark raven mad, but another shocking crime soon reveals that Silvercrest has not yet reached the final chapter of the puzzling case.
Someone in this charming artistic community has murder on the mind, and if Emma cannot outwit the killer, she and her beloved aunt will land behind bars, to walk free nevermore.
What People Are Saying:
“An unbeatable combination of Golden Age styling and modern-day intrigue, woven through with wit and keen observation” — Angela M. Sanders, author of the Witch Way Librarian and Joanna Hayworth Vintage Clothing mysteries
“Beautifully written and so full of love for books and their authors and readers” — Vicki Delany, national bestselling author of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mysteries
“A fast-paced delightful read” — Debra Goldstein, author of the Sarah Blair Mystery series
“With her trademark humor, engaging characters, twisty plotting, and literary references sure to charm mystery fans, she has created the bookstore we all want to browse in” –Laura DiSilverio, national best-selling and award-winning author of The Readaholics Book Club mysteries
“A gifted storyteller, Kuhn has created a delightful cast of quirky characters and a bookstore full of charm as a backdrop to an intriguing murder mystery” — Kathy Aarons, national bestselling author of the Chocolate Covered Mysteries
“With its intelligent sleuth, bookish setting, and twisty plot, How to Book a Murder is a booklover’s dream come true” — Mary Angela, author of the Happy Camper cozy mystery series and the Professor Prather academic mystery series
“Smart, suspenseful, and brimming with intrigue, Kuhn crafts the perfect page-turner in a town and bookshop so thoroughly crafted and real” — Maggie Barbieri, author of the Murder 101 series
Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio!
Hope you’ll join us tonight at Creating Conversations Bookstore for a chat featuring new releases from Ellen Byron, Jennifer J. Chow, Becky Clark, and Cynthia Kuhn…and for a full list of launch events for How to Book a Murder, please visit cynthiakuhn.net!
Chicks on the Case 
Happy book birthday, Cynthia, and congratulations on the writing book #1 in a new series!
A newly minted academic and her family fighting to save their bookstore sounds right up my alley.
I do plan on attending the chat with the four of the Chicks tonight. I hope to not be late, but I do have a Crime Writers of Canada online event that ends just before yours start!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Yay! We’ll e-see you tonight, Grace!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Grace! Hope to see you tonight–and hope your other event is great!
LikeLike
Three cheers, Cynthia! Enjoy your day! 😎📚🥂
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thanks so much, JC!!
LikeLike
I hope it has already downloaded this morning! Congratulations on the launch of your new series!!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you, Sue–so kind!! And I hope you enjoy (fingers crossed).
LikeLike
Congratulations, Cynthia! I love the premise–and that cover!! Stunning.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you very much, Connie!!
LikeLike
Congratulations! So thrilled about the new series!
LikeLiked by 3 people
That’s so kind–thank you, Art!
LikeLike
Cynthia, Huge congrats on this big day! Just picked up the Kindle edition for my trip but I will be requesting a signed copy of my hardcover when I see you. Also…looking forward to the Chicks on the Case Celebration event on FB tonight.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much, Lisa! Hope you have a wonderful vacation!!
LikeLike
Congrats! This is a fun debut.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you very much, Mark!
LikeLike
Yippie-yi-yo-kai-YAY!!! Congrats, Cyn–so excited to read this new series!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much, Leslie! Hope you enjoy!
LikeLike
Congrats, Cyn! Can’t wait to read it!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you very much, El!!
LikeLike
Hooray, Cyn! So exciting!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw, thank you very much, Jen!
LikeLike
Yay! Congratulations on your new series! Can’t wait to read it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, M!!
LikeLike
So excited about this book and this series!!! All the confetti and congrats to you, dear Cynthia!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much, K!! (Whee: confetti!) 😀
LikeLike
Congrats on your new release! This sounds great.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much!!
LikeLike