Review + GIVEAWAY: Murder at the Courthouse by Meghan Carver

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Murder at the Courthouse by Meghan Carver, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Murder at the Courthouse
Series: Grace Pointe Cozy Mystery #1
Author: Meghan Carver
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release Date: October 28, 2019

The first book in the Grace Pointe Cozy Mystery Series!

“Fiction is a waste of time.”

The heated comment made by a church library ministry team member shocks MacKenzie Baker, but it quickly becomes the least of her worries. 

MacKenzie Baker is an impetuous, eavesdropping small-town librarian who lives in the apartment above the parsonage garage and refuses to be defined as the pastor’s single sister. She thought she was happy for years re-shelving books and helping patrons find their next great read, but as she turns forty, she suddenly struggles to figure out what more to do with her life. Solving murders in her small town of Grace Pointe wasn’t a part of her plan...until she and her brother find a local judge who had come to Pastor Baker for counseling murdered in his chambers, hit over the head with a massive volume of the Indiana Code.

Now, to clear the name of a family friend, she begins to work with the handsome criminal justice professor Ian Canter. Even though the detective with the chocolate brown eyes tells her to stick with making casseroles for the church pitch-in, she soon discovers the Judge’s scheming wife, his rebellious teen daughter, a network of lawyers in Grace Point who were disgruntled with the Judge, and even secrets that lurk among the library ministry team. But with the help of her new kitten Mr. Darcy, her best friend Callie, and her always-pastoring brother, MacKenzie debates the pros and cons of attending law school mid-life while she searches out a killer.

Welcome to Grace Pointe… where most of the people are friendly, the church is to die for, and the sleuthing is as strong as the coffee.

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon

MY THOUGHTS

I love a good cozy mystery, and after complaining about so many in the general market that contain some profanity, it’s refreshing to find an entertaining cozy in Christian fiction. Murder at the Courthouse by Meghan Carver introduces us to the lovely small-town community of Grace Point, Indiana, where murder is not the norm. I enjoyed this first book of a new series and look forward to future releases.

MacKenzie Baker is an appealing lead character, easy to connect with. Her brother is a pastor and, while she has a passion for books, she is a little restless about settling for a library career. The 40-year-old MacKenzie also has a natural inquisitiveness that leads her to ask questions when the body of a local judge is discovered – by MacKenzie and her brother. Hoping to clear a fellow judge of the deceased, layers are gradually peeled back as MacKenzie discovers revealing aspects of the victim’s personal life.

Secondary characters and friends add richness to the story, such as Callie, Ian, and even MacKenzie’s kitten, Mr. Darcy. I loved the Christian element with its focus on prayer and seeking God’s direction for our lives. Murder at the Courthouse is a well-written classic mystery with just the right number of viable suspects and some nice twists.

Recommended.

I received a copy of this book through JustRead Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

By sixth grade, Meghan Carver knew she wanted to write. After earning a degree in English from Millikin University, she detoured to law school, earning a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University. She then worked in immigration law and taught Comp 101 at the local college. Now, she homeschools her six children with her college professor husband, writing her stories of cozy mystery and romantic suspense in the nooks and crannies of her time. Her debut novel hit the Publisher's Weekly Bestseller list. When she isn't writing, homeschooling, or planning the family's next travel adventure, she is active in her church, sews for her kidlets, and reads.

CONNECT WITH MEGHAN: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a Cozy Mystery Prize Pack including a “I’d rather be reading a cozy mystery” tee-shirt – size and color to be determined by winner, a signed paperback of Murder at the Courthouse, and $10 Amazon gift card!

(Tee Sizes: small – xxx-large, colors: white, red, gray, pink, or green)

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight January 14, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on January 21, 2020. US only. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

 

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.