A Novel Murder - Jane Hepburn #1

 

A Novel Murder is the first book in a cozy village bookish mystery by E.C. Nevin. Released 17th June 2025 by Knopf Doubleday on their Knopf imprint, it's 352 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher on 2nd June 2026.  It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

This is an ascerbic, sharply sarcastic, occasionally funny cozy mystery from the PoV of a publishing industry insider. Amateur sleuth Jane is hapless, disgruntled, cynical, frustrated, author at the end of her tether. At an industry publicity event, she's dodged by her agent, shoved aside, ignored, and feels invisible. 

The pacing is.... sedate. It's certainly not action driven. The characters (including the secondary characters) run the gamut from generally unappealing and a bit whiny, to outright insufferable. It's a very light quick read, and undemanding. It's unnecessary and ableist that almost every plus sized female protagonist is openly self-loathing, socially awkward, and inept (which moved it down a fair bit on the scale). 

There's such a mean-girl clique-ish vibe to the whole thing. Like "The Devil Weard Prada", it very much reads like a jaded industry insider getting their own back from an admittedly often uncaring industry.  

Three and a half stars. Worth a read for folks who enjoy bookish mysteries, amateur sleuths, and sarcastic digs at an unfeeling world. Book 2 is due out in August 2026 from the same publisher.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes. 

Beginner's Guide to Backyard Building: Simple Step-by-Step Instructions for Constructing Your Own Shed, Studio, or Tiny House

 

Beginner's Guide to Backyard Building is a beginner-accessible technique and pictorial guide to planning and building small structures by Lee Mothes. Due out 5th May 2026 from Hachette on their Storey imprint, it's 176 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

There are so many good reasons to increase our self-sufficiency and gain techniques for improving our abilities to build and maintain the structures that protect and enhance our daily lives. Actually planning and building small structures seems like an unattainable goal for many (most?) but the author here does a good job of breaking down the process into step-by-step digestible chunks which are actually do-able. 

The book has a no-nonsense, no-frills layout. It's illustrated throughout in the "architect plan" style (see cover art) in color. The drawings are simple but detailed enough to give a good overview. The author's writing style throughout is friendly, positive, and supportive (definite "you can do it" vibes). There are a handful of photos, but they're more background/inspiration (including a sweetly nostalgic one of the author proudly sitting on a chair he made).

Worth noting: this book does NOT include actual plans. It covers planning and scope very well, but readers will need to grab some plans *before* grabbing a hammer and heading to the local big box store for materials.  

The author has included a couple of useful appendices including a glossary and measurement conversion lists, as well as an index.

This is a very useful and practical handbook. It would be a good choice for handy builders, self sufficiency readers, DIY folks, dreamers, and similar. It would also be a great choice for collectives, public library, activity/volunteer/housing groups.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.