Murder Wears a Little Black Dress (A Resale Boutique Mystery)
by Debra Sennefelder
About the Book
Murder Wears a Little Black Dress (A Resale Boutique Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – New York
Lyrical Underground (January 22, 2019)
Paperback: 200 pages
ISBN-10: 1516108965
ISBN-13: 978-1516108961
Digital ASIN: B07CR2CG63
Manhattan fashionista Kelly Quinn thought she’d left her upstate New York town far behind . . . until the Seventh Avenue expat returns home to revamp her grandmother’s consignment shop into an upscale boutique—and unwittingly sets a trend for murder . . .
After her rising career as a Manhattan buyer is derailed, Kelly has mixed feelings about relocating back to Lucky Cove, in spite of her big plans for the soon-to-be-renamed Curated by Kelly Resale Boutique. What’s left of her luck starts running out when a customer puts on a black lace dress that triggers visions of someone being murdered. As if the haunted “Murder Dress” isn’t enough to kill business, the psychic’s doppelganger cousin has just been found bludgeoned to death.
Was Maxine LeMoyne the real target or was it a case of mistaken murder? With some creepy pre-Halloween bargain hunters walking the night and Kelly suddenly a person of interest, a second murder rocks the close-knit town. Now Kelly could be the one who ends up talking to dead people when she’s stalked by a killer determined to take her out in high style . . .
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Kelly Quinn has returned to Lucky Cove to take over the consignment store left to her by her grandmother. She hopes with her fashion education and experience she can take the shop in another direction. She is holding a 3-day sale to get rid of the old so she can reopen with her new ideas. Everything starts to fall apart when a customer claims to have a vision of a murder when she tries on a little black dress. Faster than you can say “consignment” the public assumes Kelly’s shop and merchandise is haunted.
When the cousin of the vision seeing customer is murdered, Kelly is ready to pack her bags and head back to the city. But she has so many questions. Questions that could end up with her being the next person knocking on the pearly gates. Is her shop doomed before she even starts or will catching the killer give her another chance at making her dreams come true?
What a great debut for this new series!
Debra Sennfelder has created some wonderful characters to kick off this series. Kelly Quinn has big ideas for her grandmother’s shop, but Pepper, her grandmother’s and now her employee, and also her grandmother’s best friend, isn’t on board with all the changes. Her uncle is just waiting for her to fail so he can sell the property and line his own pockets. Her friend, Liv, is behind her all the way. She even brings baked goods to the store from her family’s bakery every day and stays to help Kelly in any way she can. We meet for friend Ariel. Their relationship has been rocky due to a past event. Bernadette Rydel is a local psychic, the woman that tries on the LBD and starts all the commotion. Her life becomes entangled with Kelly’s when her cousin and doppelganger Maxine Lemoyne is killed.
The author has written a complex mystery with a lot of moving parts. The paranormal elements of the story are very light but play a big part. The character’s interactions drive the story with several twists and a surprising reveal. Humor is liberally sprinkled throughout making the story very entertaining.
I enjoyed the Ariel/Kelly subplot a lot. It hit me in a personal way. I love reading about characters I truly can identify with. I was so happy with the way the author presented their story and that is was not kept secret and dragged out over a number of books. Ariel surprised me, she gave me hope and warmed my heart.
The story ends with a happy ending and me with a smile on my face. I am looking forward to many books in this series and getting to know the characters in depth. This was a very enjoyable read.
About the Author
Debra Sennefelder, the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series, is an avid reader who reads across a range of genres, but mystery fiction is her obsession. Her interest in people and relationships is channeled into her novels against a backdrop of crime and mystery. When she’s not reading, she enjoys cooking and baking and as a former food blogger, she is constantly taking photographs of her food. Yeah, she’s that person.
Born and raised in New York City, she now lives and writes in Connecticut with her family. She’s worked in pre-hospital care, retail and publishing. Her writing companions are her adorable and slightly spoiled Shih-Tzus, Susie and Billy.
She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, Women’s Fiction Writers Association and Romance Writers of America.
Author Links:
Website – Facebook – Goodreads
Purchase Links
Amazon B&N Kobo Google Play
Also by this Author
Praise For Murder Wears a Little Black Dress (A Resale Boutique Mystery)
by Debra Sennefelder
Murder Wears a Little Black Dress is a lively cozy mystery with fashionable clothes, personable characters, murder, mystical forces, and mayhem.
~The Avid Reader
I enjoyed everything about the story. It was well-written, and the author threw in twists and turns that kept me guessing.
~Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews
All the characters are fun and bring their own style to this series.
~My Reading Journeys
I liked Sennefelder’s writing style. I loved the sense of humor that she’s brought about in the story.
~The Book Decoder
MURDER WEARS A LITTLE BLACK DRESS is about growing up, finding your place, and fighting for what’s right . . . The mystery here was interesting, with many angles . . .
~Cozy Up With Kathy
This very delightful and intriguing cozy mystery is the first in a brand-new series, with likable characters (even the villains are comprehensible) and a puzzling mystery, plus accusations of the paranormal.
~Mallory Heart’s Cozies
Fantastic storytelling, wonderfully written characters, and a first-class mystery with a reveal that left me totally surprised, there wasn’t a thing I didn’t enjoy about this book.
~ Lisa Ks Book Reviews
I enjoyed this book, the characters, the plot and the various side stories. The setting is different from any of the other cozy series that I read, so that was also very appealing.
~Carla Loves To Read
The first book in a new series and it was very enjoyable! … this one checked off all the boxes of what I expect – a protagonist that inserts themselves into an investigation while not being a detective/police officer, red herrings, twists in the plot and with the characters, multiple suspects…
~Storeybook Reviews
Ah, I love actually getting in on Book 1 of a new series and one that promises a hint of paranormal with the cozy, girly stuff, even better.
~Rosepoint Publishing
Thanks to the author I am giving away an Enthrill Code to download a copy of this book!
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January 21 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
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January 22 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
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January 24 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
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January 26 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
