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allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Vinyl Resting Place is a cozy mystery set in a small town right outside Austin, Texas. Juniper Jessup just moved back home to open a vinyl record shop with her sisters. The business is practically in their blood. They're leasing the storefront that once housed their grandparents' record store, and the resurgence of the medium is a chance for them to recapture the family magic. It's also a coffee shop, and you better believe hearing about all their specialty drinks made me desperate for a cup on principle.
The grand opening of the shop goes sideways when Juni finds a dead woman in the supply closet during cleanup. She has a business card for Juni's uncle in her hand. Wanted for questioning, the police pull him in on over a thousand dollars of unpaid traffic tickets. While the Jessup sisters are less than surprised to hear he was playing fast and loose with the law where the fines are concerned, they know he couldn't have anything to do with murder. The only way to get him out on bail is to put the store up as collateral. When he goes on the run, the sisters are desperate to clear his name and save their fledgling store.
This is a cozy with smooth writing that doesn't get beleaguered by cute genre staples that slow the flow of the investigation. Yes, there are punny names and yummy foods and small-town charm, but they meld well into Juni's efforts to track down a murderer. The mystery is also supported by a fun combination of clues. Even red herrings and false leads are interesting in their own right, so it doesn't feel like a waste of time to wade through the various side roads Juni has to take on her way to a solution.
The only major downside for me was Juni's love triangle, a dynamic I generally dislike. In this case, it was made yet worse by the fact that one leg of the triangle is her annoyingly confident cop ex-boyfriend who I can't rule out. He leans into gender norms and their past relationship to lead Juni even when she doesn't need or want it, and I desperately hope he's not endgame.
The mystery isn't impossibly difficult to sort out as the reader, but it's a fun ride with a satisfying resolution. There's also a not-exactly rousing but still worthwhile condemnation of workplace harassment included in the mix. I recommend this to fans of the genre who like the mystery part to have a bit more emphasis and thought behind it. Thanks to St Martin's Press for my copy to read and review!
The grand opening of the shop goes sideways when Juni finds a dead woman in the supply closet during cleanup. She has a business card for Juni's uncle in her hand. Wanted for questioning, the police pull him in on over a thousand dollars of unpaid traffic tickets. While the Jessup sisters are less than surprised to hear he was playing fast and loose with the law where the fines are concerned, they know he couldn't have anything to do with murder. The only way to get him out on bail is to put the store up as collateral. When he goes on the run, the sisters are desperate to clear his name and save their fledgling store.
This is a cozy with smooth writing that doesn't get beleaguered by cute genre staples that slow the flow of the investigation. Yes, there are punny names and yummy foods and small-town charm, but they meld well into Juni's efforts to track down a murderer. The mystery is also supported by a fun combination of clues. Even red herrings and false leads are interesting in their own right, so it doesn't feel like a waste of time to wade through the various side roads Juni has to take on her way to a solution.
The only major downside for me was Juni's love triangle, a dynamic I generally dislike. In this case, it was made yet worse by the fact that one leg of the triangle is her annoyingly confident cop ex-boyfriend who I can't rule out. He leans into gender norms and their past relationship to lead Juni even when she doesn't need or want it, and I desperately hope he's not endgame.
The mystery isn't impossibly difficult to sort out as the reader, but it's a fun ride with a satisfying resolution. There's also a not-exactly rousing but still worthwhile condemnation of workplace harassment included in the mix. I recommend this to fans of the genre who like the mystery part to have a bit more emphasis and thought behind it. Thanks to St Martin's Press for my copy to read and review!
blaze_o_glory's review
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Vinyl Resting Place is a pretty middle of the road mystery novel. The vibes in the record shop were good, but not great. And I want NOT feeling the will-they-won’t-they with a bastard pig police officer.
daddysprincess's review
5.0
Great read!! Had a Stephanie Plum (Janet Evanovich) feel to it. I thought I had the murderer figured out…but I didn’t. I like books like that. The family element was kinda tedious…we get it…family, family, family. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
renpuspita's review
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Vinyl Resting Place is the first book of Record Shop Mystery series and the first Olivia Blacke's book that I'd read. I pick it up because..well, I like the cover and the premise of coffee shop that also sold vinyl is unique. Story told entirely from Juniper Jessup aka Juni's first PoV but she also share some spotlight with her sister, Tansy and Magnolia aka Maggie. Yep, all the women from Jessup family were named after flowers including their mother, Begonia aka Bea. The murder happen almost immediately in early chapter with Juni discovering a dead body in a supply close when the Jessup sister hold grand reopening of the Sip and Spin. To make matters worse, the victim hold Juni's uncle business card. Said uncle, Calvin Voight are famed for being a troublemaker in the town. When cop arrest Calvin because of some unpaid ticket bills, Calvin decide to disappear and the fate of the Sip and Spin is in peril.
This book tick some of the cozy mysteries trademark (amateur sleuth, small town, an effort to clean a family relative's name who become a suspect) with a solid mystery until the end. Just like Juni, I wrongly guess the culprit, lol. Imagine the shock that Maggie and her husband, J.T, when Juni accused J.T of murder but in the other side I'm relieved to find that the culprit is not one of Juni's family so yeah, Calvin is of course not the murderer although his business kinda shady and not forget that he disappear for almost weeks. The sisterly bond between Juni, Tansy and Maggie is a delight to read, also how they are also very close with their mother. I like the way they navigate their business in selling vinyl and their drinks have some unique names that have music or lyrical puns. Although, from romance department, there's a hint of love triangle. The detective that investigate the case, Beauregard Russell aka Beau is Juni's ex, while Juni also getting close again with her high school best friend, Teddy Garza. Personally speaking, I prefer Juni to be with Teddy because I think Beau kinda annoying since he and Juni break up via text and it was Beau first that text Juni. Coward.
Looking forward to read book 2, Fatal Groove!
This book tick some of the cozy mysteries trademark (amateur sleuth, small town, an effort to clean a family relative's name who become a suspect) with a solid mystery until the end. Just like Juni, I wrongly guess the culprit, lol. Imagine the shock that Maggie and her husband, J.T, when Juni accused J.T of murder but in the other side I'm relieved to find that the culprit is not one of Juni's family so yeah, Calvin is of course not the murderer although his business kinda shady and not forget that he disappear for almost weeks. The sisterly bond between Juni, Tansy and Maggie is a delight to read, also how they are also very close with their mother. I like the way they navigate their business in selling vinyl and their drinks have some unique names that have music or lyrical puns. Although, from romance department, there's a hint of love triangle. The detective that investigate the case, Beauregard Russell aka Beau is Juni's ex, while Juni also getting close again with her high school best friend, Teddy Garza. Personally speaking, I prefer Juni to be with Teddy because I think Beau kinda annoying since he and Juni break up via text and it was Beau first that text Juni. Coward.
Looking forward to read book 2, Fatal Groove!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Car accident and Infidelity
Minor: Sexual harassment
dana_yamaguchi's review
2.0
“What are the chances that if we close the door and wish real hard, the, um, problem will go away?”
-Juniper Jessup, from Vinyl Resting Place by Olivia Blacke
-Juniper Jessup, from Vinyl Resting Place by Olivia Blacke
theavidreaderandbibliophile's review
3.0
Vinyl Resting Place by Olivia Blacke is the debut of The Record Shop Mysteries. Juni Jessup along with her sisters, Tansy and Maggie open Sip & Spin Records in Cedar River, Texas. It is a shop that sells vinyl records and coffee with clever names. The sisters are cleaning up after their grand opening party. Juni opens the supply to find a dead woman. Unfortunately, the detective investigating the woman’s death is Juni’s ex-boyfriend, Beau Russell. Beau is quick to arrest the sister’s uncle, Calvin Voight. To get their uncle out of jail, the sister’s put Sip & Spin Records up as collateral. When Calvin disappears without a word, the sisters know there is only one thing they can do. They need to investigate the murder to clear their uncle’s name and save their shop. Vinyl Resting Place is a cute story. It has all the elements needed for a cozy mystery. There is a small Texas town, a charming shop, inquisitive sisters, a murder, a relative accused of the crime, and a frustrating detective. We get to know Juni, her sisters, and her immediate family. It is a small town where everyone knows you and nothing stays secret for long. There are two romantic interests for Juni. Beau Russell, the detective who wants Juni to leave the investigating to him, and her high school BFF, Teddy. The mystery is straightforward. There are multiple suspects. It seems that everyone in town attended the grand opening party. Beau tells Juni to leave the investigating to him more than once. The crime can be solved long before the reveal. The whodunit could have used work. I was not a fan of Uncle Calvin’s business, Prankenstein (I dislike pranks). People can order gag gifts sent to someone who wronged them (would you like to open a gift and have glitter explode all over you). There are cute puns throughout the story as well as musical references. I found the pacing to be sluggish and the writing a touch stilted. There is a lot of repetition. I lost track of how many times we are told that the grandparents had a record shop in the same location. The book could have used another round of editing. The author made sure we knew the book was set in Texas. There were interesting details about vinyl records. Vinyl Resting Place is a hoot with a Sip & Spin shindig, a right ruckus, a kin who lit out, rockin’ coffee drinks, a sorry suspect, a cold coke, and sleuthing sisters.
complexlyleslie's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
hawksquill's review
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
star_charter152's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Murder
Minor: Sexual harassment and Grief