The Book Magic Mystery series is such a splendid way to spend a couple of hours. It starts with a curse; the women in the family are doomed to die in childbirth and their men doomed to be taken by the sea. Add in the special power the women sometimes have as bibliomancers, that in itself makes this series intriguing. What avid reader wouldn’t want to be able to do that?

In Murder at Sea Captain’s Inn, Pippin and her brother Grey are the latest descendents of the Lane family. Pippin is desperate to find a way to break the family curse if only to save her brother from his seemingly preordained fate. She has turned the house they inherited from their parents into a bed and breakfast and she has her hands full with the grand opening. It is bad enough that one of her guests has turned up dead, but as Pippin gets pulled into investigating, it turns out that the woman may have known something about the curse that has been following the Lanes for the past two millennia.

Melissa Bourbon knows how to tell a story. Honestly, that is all that needs to be said.

There is so much going on in the 250 pages of this book. Pippin has picked up her father’s investigation into her lineage and is learning to have confidence in her role as a biblimancer. That narrative alone is fascinating. I could read a 500 page book on that aspect of the story alone. The Lane women are so genuinely interesting, I keep coming back for more.

I truly enjoyed the tidbits of archeology and history laced into the plot. With a budding archaeologist in the house, I admit to being just a little too excited to read about optically stimulated luminescence in the course of a mystery novel. I mean that doesn’t just pop up in a typical conversation. I also love that I didn’t see whodunnit until it was explained. When Pippin figured it out, I was hoping she was wrong because I just didn’t want to believe it, but of course it was there in the clues the whole time. How did I miss it? Simply put, the clues are so subtly woven into the story that it is easy to forget that we, as readers, are here to help Pippen solve a mystery.

I do think this reads well as a stand alone if this is your first experience with the series. Still, book 1 and its prequel are so worth the effort. The story isn’t all told yet, so I will be back for more.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily ( )

A solid second outing for Pippin as she attempts to dig deeper into the family curse before it can claim her twin brother Grey, who is insisting on tempting fate. Throw in a dead guest at Sea Captain’s Inn and the twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end and you’ll be as ready as I am to dive into the newest books in the series. ( )

Author Melissa Bourbon will capture your reader's imagination and keep your attention with "Murder at Sea Captain's Inn: A cozy mystery with a twist"--Book Two in the "Book Magic Mystery Series". Rich with history and mysticism, and the compelling lore of Irish mythology, this contemporary story is a delight for lovers of both history and mystery. After surviving much change and personal loss, twin siblings Pippin and Grey Hawthorne are moving forward with their lives. Having inherited a house on the famed Outer Banks of North Carolina from their late parents, brother and sister each have separate plans for the future. With Grey's help, Pippin will make over the house into a B&B called "Sea Captain's Inn", and Grey will open his own woodworking shop. The family curse still weighs heavily upon them both: The women in the family die in childbirth, and the men's lives are lost at sea. When one of Pippin's guests, who is connected to a search for ancient treasure and an archeological dig is murdered, Pippin works to solve the case and break the curse following her own family. Will her generational legacy of bibliomancy--the ability to foresee the future and unravel the past with the help of beloved books--give her the extra help she needs? Readers will be sure to enjoy the prequel book and the first book, as well as the upcoming third book in the series.

Book Copy Gratis Author ( )

While recuperating from her father’s death, Pippin Lane Hawthrone often wraps her head around her family’s ancestral curse which has proved true generation after generation.
While Pippin and her friends are busy celebrating her Sea Captain’s Inn official grand opening, one of her first guests is found dead – murdered actually!
MURDER AT SEA CAPTAIN’S INN is an intriguing mystery that is entwined within a web of secret and spellwork!
Melissa Bourbon has deftly waved her magic wand and spun this original entertaining Book Magic Mystery series which will take you on a fascinating and magical ride!
I enjoyed this story with its loveable characters, especially Sailor; and its enchanting Devil’s Cove with its precious The Book Shop!

I would like to thank Melissa Bourbon for giving me the opportunity to read and review the ARC of MURDER AT SEA CAPTAIN’S INN. ( )