Editorial Reviews

Independent Book Review

A Bitter Pill is a captivating and compassionate story, welcoming the despicable depths the murdered man stooped to and the truths of the women who loved him despite this.

While A Bitter Pill is very much steeped in the Bookworm’s cozy, bookish energy, this is very much a murder mystery and its authors and protagonists know the importance of the mystery’s pull. Each surprising reveal is exciting, each twist thrilling. I appreciated that Gemma has a near-reckless desire to chase the mystery, but she and Mavis do not lose their level-headed approach.

I’d highly recommend you’re armed with a sweet baked treat and your favorite hot beverage, because the only thing that will tempt you to put down this book is the descriptions of the Bookworm café’s offerings, which may just drive you to visit your nearest bakery.

A Bitter Pill is difficult to put down, and its cozy spirit will linger with you long after you’re finished reading it. I feel as though I’ve found my new favorite bookshop. Only caveat is that I’ll have to open Bitter Pill to visit it again and again.

Book Review Directory

A Bitter Pill is a cozy mystery, and S. A. Reeves certainly sets the stage appropriately for the genre. A bookshop in a small town is the perfect setting. Gemma and Mavis are the ideal protagonists, with their interest in reading mysteries and their Jessica Fletcher vibes.

A Bitter Pill is a the type of novel someone might take on vacation or enjoy over a break from work. The characters are a delight, and the topic of murder never feels too heavy, which is fitting for the sub-genre.

Gemma and Mavis’s dialogue in particular is reminiscent of listening to a couple of grandmothers chit chat over tea, and the setting in England only adds to the pleasantry. The Bookshop Mysteries series is bound to be another solid addition to the cozy mystery genre.