Scrapbook of the Dead (A Cumberland Creek Mystery #5) by Mollie Cox Bryan

Scrapbook of the Dead

(A Cumberland Creek Mystery #5)

by Mollie Cox Bryan 

Paperback, 304 pages

Published September 29th 2015 by Kensington

Goodreads synopsis: 

Halloween means spooky scrapbooks for the Cumberland Creek Scrapbook Crop, but what's been happening around town is truly frightening. First a dead woman is found in the freezer at Pamela's Pie Palace, and the next day a second woman is found murdered by the river. Reporter Annie Chamovitz learns the victims were sisters and is certain their deaths are linked. Most bizarre of all, both women were found clutching scrapbook pages.

As their Saturday night crop quickly becomes an opportunity to puzzle out the murders, the ladies begin to wonder if Pamela is hiding more than her secret recipes for delicious pies--or if the crimes are related to the startling discovery that there are gangs in Cumberland Creek. As All Hallows Eve approaches, the crafty croppers must cut and paste the clues to unmask a deadly killer.

Includes tips and a glossary of terms for the modern scrapbooker!

***

4.5 Stars

This is the fifth book in the Cumberland Creek Mystery series by Mollie Cox Bryan.

I totally read this series out of order. Who starts with the last book of the series, right?  I think I got the titles Scrapbook of Secrets and Scrapbook of the Dead mixed up in my head and thus, I totally spoiled myself for all the previous books. 

I could feel the wrap up aspect of this book as I was reading long. I soon figured out I was reading the last book of a series and it made me sad. This was feeling like a wonderful series to follow and I hope Bryan decides to come back to Cumberland Creek and write another book or three.

This has an omnipotent POV so you need to be ready to jump back and forth from about three different main characters. Mostly the story is told from  Annie’s POV. Annie is a reporter and she is ready for retirement from the newspaper biz. But that doesn’t keep her from wanting to solve the mystery about the two dead women both found with scrapbook pages in their grasp. I liked how the author was able to pair the murder with the scrapbooking craft and make it feel like it wasn’t forced or unbelievable. 

This one felt like it took a while to weed out the murder and thus we get a really good look at all the suspects and it helps the reader  by giving us enough into to try and solve this thing ourselves. Of course, I had no idea whodunit! I always marvel at how cozy authors can keep us so in the dark while revealing all the clues at the same time. It’s like a magic trick, of sorts. And I always seem to be looking in one place while the important action is happening right under my nose.

Great series wrap up. Loving this cast of characters. They felt more real than many other series I have read. Great character development and the mystery really had me fooled the entire way through.

If you love a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.