A Murder at the Movies by Ellie Alexander

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Annie Murray, fresh off her success from the town-wide mystery themed festival she organized to promote her store, The Secret Bookcase, is approached to handle a movie premier. The movie is, of course, a mystery in the vein of Hitchcock, and the director thinks this would be the perfect way to draw attention to the independent film.

Trouble starts almost immediately. Heather Hathaway, the film’s director, chose Redwood Grove ostensibly for its small town charm and lack of Hollywood glitz; now she is looking for big city amenities and pitching a fit. Things only get worse when Martin Parker, a powerful and disliked film critic, shows up with an uninvited guest, and makes it known that he already doesn’t like the film.  Cora Mitchell, the film’s star, is desperate for this film to be her big break into the business. The only calm one is Sam, the film’s producer, an older and experienced gentleman who appears to be watching the others with an amused eye.

With all the tension among the personalities, it’s not surprising that someone ends up dead before the movie’s first showing is over.

What this series has that is just a bit different from some others is that there is a mystery arc going on.  Annie was a criminology student when her best friend Scarlett was murdered, a case that remains unsolved and which caused Annie to leave college.  It also affected Annie’s former professor, who left teaching and joined the police.  Dr. Caldwell is the lead detective, and encourages observations from her former student as they work to solve the current murder, while still investigating Scarlett’s death. This is very much in the background, though I expect it to come more and more to the forefront in subsequent books.

Alexander is an experienced cozy writer, best known for her Bakeshop Mystery series which has over 20 books and more to come.  This is the second in the Secret Bookcase Mystery series; you need not have read the first.  I liked the “behind the scenes” sort of feel about movies and critics, and I liked the small town feel. There’s a good supporting cast to fill in gaps and provide moral support and coffee.  While I’m less fond of one of the side plots, it appears that may resolve satisfactorily soon.  I am intrigued by the mystery surrounding Scarlett’s death, and I like the characters enough that I’m game for another visit to Redwood Grove.

Secret Bookcase Mystery series:

The Body in the Bookstore

A Murder at the Movies

Death at the Dinner Party

A Holiday Homicide