A Novel Murder, E. C. Nevin
A Novel Murder, E. C. Nevin
List: $22.00 | Sale: $15.40
Club: $11.00

A Novel Murder
A Mystery

Author: E. C. Nevin

Series: Jane Hepburn Mystery Series #1

Narrator: Clare Corbett

Unabridged: 10 hr 25 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/17/2025

Synopsis

Welcome to the Killer Lines Crime Fiction Festival, the place for star writers of the genre to meet their adoring fans. But be careful—this year the murders aren’t just on the page.

"Funny, sharply observed and fiendishly clever" —Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things

In the quaint English town of Hoslewit, the biggest names in crime writing have congregated to celebrate all things bookish and murderous. Author Jane Hepburn is determined to make her time at the Killer Lines festival worthwhile. This is her chance to change her fortunes and make her fictional Private Detective Baker a household name. And if she has to resort to sneaking into the book tent after hours to rearrange some books so hers are front and center, so be it. 

But when Jane encounters the dead body of renowned (and reviled) literary agent Carrie Marks, the festival takes on a decidedly different tone. Joined by Carrie's newest client, debut novelist Natasha Martez, and the agency's hapless intern, Daniel Thurston, Jane decides to put her fictional sleuthing skills to use in the real world—she's going to solve the murder. But the list of suspects is long: seemingly everyone at the festival has a motive to kill Carrie, and the more Jane and her new friends investigate, the closer they come to a dangerous truth—one that’s stranger than fiction.

About The Author

E. C. NEVIN is a pseudonym for an ex–publishing professional. E.C. worked for large trade publishers focusing on crime/thriller publishing and established brands.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Mary Cameron | What MC Reads on June 13, 2025

Overall, I thought this was fun book – I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it. It’s a cozy murder mystery set in a quiet small town at a crime fiction festival. I felt the setting added a fun element to the story. I rated A Novel Murder 3 stars for a few different reasons. One being that the story w......more

Goodreads review by Miranda on November 01, 2024

Exactly the book I wanted to read right now. Fun setting, fun characters, slightly over-the-top plot - yum! 👌......more

Goodreads review by The Bookish Elf on June 17, 2025

E.C. Nevin's debut mystery "A Novel Murder" serves up a deliciously meta concoction that feels both refreshingly original and comfortingly familiar. Set against the backdrop of the fictional Killer Lines Crime Fiction Festival, this contemporary mystery thriller manages to be simultaneously a celebr......more

Goodreads review by Martin on June 17, 2025

Knopf Publishing provided an early galley for review. I was intrigued by the plot concept (a murder at a murder author festival). Stories about authors and publishing are also in my wheelhouse. So, this was difficult to resist. Nevin presents the reader with an interesting cast, both in our mystery-so......more

Goodreads review by Kasa on June 23, 2025

Although the setting and setup were appealing, the actual mystery at the core did not really gel for me. I felt the characters were forced and the premise labored. Dragged in the middle, but I'm willing to give the author another chance at a later date.......more

Quotes

"The pseudonymous Nevin, a former publishing professional, has written a fun, tongue-in-cheek debut that spoofs the publishing industry and social media’s impact (BookTok, anyone?). . . . Jane is a delight. Readers will root for the lonely sleuth as she makes new friends and develops joyful self-confidence. . . . An appealing cozy star is born." —Kirkus Review

"With its cozy bookish setting and mystery-writer protagonist, this will be a hit with fans of Janice Hallett and Robert Thorogood." —Library Journal

"E.C. Nevin transports readers to a lethal literary festival in, A Novel Murder. . . . E.C. Nevin is a pseudonym for a former publishing professional who worked with crime novels and thrillers. That knowledge shapes A Novel Murder, where every character is connected to the literary industry in some way. Nevin threads humor throughout the novel, too, creating a winning combination in this debut cozy mystery." —BookPage

"An entertaining whodunit centered on 40- something mystery author Jane Hepburn. . . . With a well-rounded list of suspects and [a] lovably flawed heroine. Cozy fans will hope this is the start of a new series." —Publishers Weekly

"Terrific fun, a tongue-in-cheek look at the world of writing and book festivals with a delightful mystery." —The Sun

"A fun and well plotted murder mystery with a hugely engaging author amateur sleuth, Jane Hepburn. A great debut by E. C Nevin." —C. L. Miller, USA Today bestselling author of The Antique Hunter’s Guide To Murder.

"Wickedly funny modern cosy with so many twists you'll get whiplash." —Ian Moore, author of Death and Croissants

“With a sympathetic protagonist and a cast of suitably obnoxious suspects, E.C. Nevin's eviscerating portrait of modern publishing is couched within an immensely readable mystery. Rarely will the industry feel so seen. A wicked, wicked book.” —Vaseem Khan, author of The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra

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