Kym Roberts

**I voluntarily read an Advance Readers Copy of this book from Kensington Books via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. **


Fatal Fiction is the first book in the new Book Barn Mystery series. I loved the idea of a book store in an old historic barn!

The basics: Charli Rae Warren left her small Texas hometown years ago, with no plans to ever return. But, you know what they say about best laid plans. After receiving a call from a local realtor alerting Charli to her father's present financial crisis, she has returned to Hazel Rock, angry and annoyed. She expects her father to make lame excuses about the horrendous, tacky renovations he recently made to the barn. But what she doesn't expect is to find Realtor Marlene Duncan hanging in the back storeroom, dead as a doornail. Her father isn't making any excuses - he has disappeared.

I grew up in a small town in the Midwest, so I was instantly charmed by this book. The supporting characters are funny and quirky. I kept comparing the characters to actual people I knew in my own hometown. The mystery was well-written and paced, with plenty of suspects and twists. I don't often enjoy cozies written in first person because the point of view can quickly get old, but not this time. Roberts did a great job telling the story from the main character's point of view. Her annoyance at being called back to her hometown that morphed into a fierce determination to protect her childhood home really added to the likability of Charli as the main character. I couldn't help but like her.

I will definitely be reading more books in this series as they come out. Fatal Fiction will release December 6th. The second book, A Reference to Murder, will be published in May 2017.

Kym Roberts has written several other mystery novels. To discover more about the author and her books, check out her website at http://kymroberts.com/… (more)

A Reference to Murder
Author; Kym Roberts
Publisher: Lyrical Underground

Charli (Princess) Rae Warren is back home in Hazel Rock, Texas after many years. Working in her father’s bookshop, The Book Barn leaves her a lot of free time to buy and sell, as well as read book. She takes over the running the bookstore with gusto and is happy for most of the time, except when there is a murderer on the loose.

Charli keeps busy with a fundraising auction and the big rodeo event that’s come to town. All of this means dealing with big egos, including that of the favorite cowboy Dalton Hibbs, a blond, blue-eyed bull rider who gets drunk and disappears.

Dalton’s brother vanished seven years ago, and it looks like Dalton is following in his footsteps. She comes across two graves in the middle of nowhere while looking for him, she along with everyone else believes the bodies to be those of Dalton and his missing brother. But when fingers start pointing at her best friend, Scarlet she teams up with the local sheriff to find the killer.

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Kym Roberts has crafted a fast-paced, easy to follow the story. Her characters are rounded and developed and very believable and a good representation of the town and the main focus of the plot. Charli gets into more trouble than anyone could even imagine and this makes her very likable. She also puts her nose where it doesn’t belong and almost gets it cut off for the effort. The interaction between her, Scarlet and the principle characters is full of action

It is difficult to figure out which of the men in her life, Cade or Mateo is the real love interest. Although both characters are interesting, they are both equally hard to understand where Charli is concerned. This situation is a real problem for Charli as she tries to figure out which man she wants to be with if either or any. Although the killer was somewhat obvious the villain's motive was not until the very end.

This is an enjoyable read and should appeal to readers who like a bit of country and a cozy that lets your imagination roam. This book is recommended.
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Charli takes great pride in running one of the few independent, family-owned bookstores in
small-town Texas. She vets everything carefully, with an eye to the eclectic tastes of the locals. That includes the Book Barn’s weekly book club selection. This time out it’s a mystery whose characters bear a striking resemblance to local citizens, including Charli’s friend Sugar. Who happens to be the prime suspect when her real-life nemesis is found dead in a hotel’s water tank.

With help from her pet armadillo Princess, Charli campaigns to clear Sugar’s sweet name, literally, when the up-for-election mayor becomes a killer’s next target. Murder and politics make scandalous bedfellows as Charli discovers that fiction may be fatal, but reality could be just as deadly.

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Series: A Book Barn Mystery - Book 5
Author: Kym Roberts
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Lyrical Underground

Charli and Princess are at it again. Another murder, another adventure. This time Charli must save the reputation of her friend, Sugar, and keep her from going to prison for murder. Killer Classics, as with the other four books in this series is absorbing and notable. Kym Roberts has created a highly entertaining story filled with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. Her writing is smooth, fast-paced, character-driven, and humorous. The love interest in this book is well defined, and readers will finally be able to see where Charli’s heart leads her.

Sugar is a great suspect and a delightful character. Everything that happens endears her to the reader. Ms. Roberts could do a series with just Sugar and readers would love it. Other characters are engaging as well, and everyone loves Cade as they cheer him on with his new political career. There simply is no way anyone can forget Princess. Booklovers will believe that she is a person instead of an armadillo, and it's easy to see why. Princess has a distinctive personality and is the comic relief that fills you with hope when everything seems hopeless. Her escapades put a smile on the readers face and fills them with wonder.

In the end, the murderer is revealed, and the motive made clear, a bit on the odd side but not totally irrational. Readers may have the feeling that there should have been more to the murder than what it turns out to be. Regrettably, it isn’t hard to imagine or accept the motive in a world where killing someone over trivial matters is a real possibility.

Unfortunately, this book cannot stand on its own. It is suggested that readers take the time to read the other books in this series before tackling Killer Classics. There is little to no background info provided for the reader. So if you are new to the series you may become confused and exasperated without the character background knowledge that comes from reading a series from the beginning.

Over-all I recommend this book and series to lovers of odd stories, definitive characters, and settings that are intriguing, as well as to those who want a quick read with a happy ending and an unforgettable plot.


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Killer Classics by Kym Roberts
Book #3: A Book Barn Mystery
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: 4½/5 stars

“They all knew I was responsible; who else could cause that much uproar in town?”

Truer words have never been spoken by Charli Rae Warren and in this installment of the Book Bark Mystery series, Charli Rae is up to her butt in trouble only she can cause.

1. There’s a new book and it bears a striking resemblance to Hazel Rock
2. Said new book describes a grisly murder of one of the locals
3. Said grisly murder occurs
4. There’s a skunk incident
5. There’s a book burning
6. There are multiple arrests
7. Charli Rae Warren is involved in all parts of the above list

One would think, based on her track record that Charli Rae is a professional trouble seeker. While that is not the case, trouble always seems to find Charli Rae and once again, the trouble involves murder. What’s more, the suspected killers are two of the kindest people in all of Hazel Rock, and with few exceptions, no one can believe they really committed the crime. With only the right thing left to do, Charli Rae dives into the fray determined to clear her friends’ names.

Meanwhile . . . .

When not solving crimes and generally causing trouble, Charli Rae is determined to see her relationship with the super sexy sheriff move forward. Mateo is the only man Charli Rae has eyes for, but the stubborn man doesn’t quite understand her feelings. Adding to the confusion is the near-constant presence of Charli Rae’s ex, Mayor Cade Calloway. While Cade may be interested in Charli Rae, he has bigger fish to fry, larger life concerns, and he isn’t the type to make a move on another man’s woman. Trouble is, Cade needs Charli Rae’s help and he isn’t quite ready to reveal the why of it to the general public. As you might expect, this sort of subterfuge causes issue for Charlie Rae and Mateo. Because, she needs one more problem in her life 😊

Meanwhile . . . .

Simply because a grisly murder and man problems aren’t enough to deal with, Charli Rae also has a frisky armadillo on her hands. Princess has always been a good girl, behaving herself, keeping herself clean, and providing loads of love and laughs for Charli Rae and her customers. It seems, Princess has found herself a new boyfriend and most certainly isn’t an armadillo. Though Charli Rae tries to convince Princess of the error of her ways, her feisty girl isn’t having any of it! As far as Princess is concerned, everyone can either get good with her new man or get gone. Ironically, because of her boyfriend’s identity most really do want to get gone 😊

The Bottom Line: Killer Classics is chock a block full of all the things I have to come love in this series! Charli Rae is once again up to her butt in trouble, Mateo is frequently found dismayed by Charli Rae and her antics, Princess is up to her brand of mischief making, there’s a murder to be solved, and the citizens of Hazel Rock whom I have come to know, and love make plenty of appearances. I sincerely feel as if this series is getting stronger with each new book, as each character evolves, and the community becomes stronger after every trial and tribulation. This series is such a great mix of mystery, light romance, humor, and friendship and it has kept me entertained from the very beginning.… (more)