Is it weird that I sometimes wish I knew book characters in real life? Katrina Peters is a 40-ish college adjunct professor in a small town somewhere up north (Washington State, I believe). She's smart and funny and loves books. She loves them so much that she began volunteering at a local bookstore, helping to rearrange shelves from the useless alphabetical-by-title to separated by genre and alphabetical by the author (a bit OCD in a good way). In the meantime, she sort of becomes friends with the rather curmudgeon owner Frank....who winds up getting killed!

So begins the story, and it culminates in finding out who was behind the murder and why. I wasn't terribly surprised by the perpetrator, but I wasn't disappointed, either. In the book, we meet a detective who becomes friends with Katrina as well as several of her other friends. As a subplot which creates a little bit of conflict within the book, she feels like she has reached a crossroads in her life and doesn't know what God wants her to do next. I really enjoyed the mystery and the setting of the book. I also loved that I learned a new vocabulary word and I learned a little bit about forgeries of manuscripts.

This quote made me laugh:

"I just don't want to start anything if it isn't going to work out."

"Sorry. There aren't any money-back guarantees. Just take the next step."

What a great description of living by faith! Just take the next step!

This next quote (the original author was not stated) sums up how I feel about the whole corona thing:

"Mortal dangers around me fly, 'till He bids, I cannot die.'

Google says it's a hymn by John Ryland. If I have time tonight I would like to do a rabbit trail search for more info.

To sum it up, good, clean, Christian mystery, worth getting. My only criticism is that sometimes it's a little wordy, but given the protagonist is an English literature professor, that fits with the story. I will be reviewing the second book in the series soon.

About the Book

Book: Brought to Book

Author: Barbara Cornthwaite

Genre: Christian cozy mystery

Release Date: June 24, 2020

There’s nothing in Emily Post about dealing with murder.

Katrina just wanted to spend time among the books at Frank’s Bookstore. Yes, that’s an unimaginative name for a store, but Frank’s an unimaginative guy–or he was.

Now he and his murder are the reason Katrina is spending her spare time with Wilkester detective, Todd Mason. Or, that’s what she tells herself.

Why would anyone want to kill Frank Delaney? Who would do it? And is Katrina herself even safe?

Mixing faith, literary humor, sweet romance, and a cozy mystery that will keep you guessing, Barbara Cornthwaite’s first Wilkester Mystery has everything you want for a cozy read.

Begin your investigation of Brought to Book today.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Barbara Cornthwaite lives in the middle of Ireland with her husband and children. She taught college English before “retiring” to do something she loves far more; her days are now filled with homeschooling her six children, trying to keep the house tidy (a losing battle), and trying to stay warm in the damp Irish climate (also a losing battle). She is surrounded by medieval castles, picturesque flocks of sheep, and ancient stone monuments. These things are unappreciated by her children, who are more impressed by traffic jams, skyscrapers, and hot weather.

More from Barbara

Meeting of the Minds

A Wilkester Mysteries Introduction

Detective Todd Mason knew Katrina was the one the first time he met her. The woman had witnessed a murder—if not with her eyes, at least with her ears. She’d seen the man dying and called for help, afraid all the while that the killer would return for her. So much he’d been told before he went into the interrogation room.

“How’s she handling it?” he asked the officer who had arrived first at the scene and escorted her to the police station.

“Not too badly,” said Gary. “She’s in shock, of course, but she’s trying to hold it together. Katrina Peters. She’s in Room 2.”

He’d gone in then and gotten his first look at her. Late thirties or early forties. Brown hair that fell to her shoulders in loose waves. Brown eyes that were red-rimmed from crying. Hands clutching a tissue. She managed a faint smile when he walked in.

“Hello, Ms. Peters. I’m Detective Todd Mason. I need to ask you some questions, if that’s all right.”

“Miss,” she said, almost as a reflex.

“I beg your pardon?” Todd wasn’t sure he’d heard her correctly.

“It’s Miss Peters.” She said it firmly, repudiating the term Ms. even at such a stressful moment. Something made her blush then, and he saw her glance at his left hand. “Never mind,” she murmured.

She’s afraid I’ll think she’s trying to advertize her availability. It amused Todd to see the blush—if only she knew how refreshing it was to see a woman who would even be conscious of such a thing. Old fashioned, he thought. In a good way.

She answered his questions as calmly as she could, and even apologized for the tears that insisted on coming out now and then. When she alluded to Daniel in the lion’s den, he knew she really was out of the ordinary, and it took all his self-control not to offer to drive her home himself.

To join the investigation, read your copy of Brought to Book today.