A Novel Murder is a wickedly sharp and meta cosy crime novel based in the publishing industry and the conniving chaos it can contain. E. C. Nevin delivers a cosy crime love letter to murder mysteries, while also critiquing some of the hallmarks of the genre.
This is such a gloriously tongue-in-cheek novel with plenty of knowing nods for industry insiders to enjoy. It is such a witty takedown of the publishing industry with a wonderfully twisty plot. Nevin exposes some of the underbelly of the industry—the less glamorous side with burnout and exploitation. The satire is done just right with a balance of truth and twisting. This adds to the dark humour infused throughout the book. It is playful and poking fun with a self-aware way of messing with expectations and the expected beats of a cosy crime novel. It made me cackle in a way that books rarely achieve.
The Killer Lines Crime Festival is well-imagined and vividly brought to life until you can see the lines of keen book enthusiasts and professionals forming. It is a wonderful choice of setting with a cheeky play on some well-known book festivals in the UK, one in particular springing to mind given the genre focus, but some of the stereotypes extend well beyond this. These are spaces of connection with the bookish community coming together, but they are also busy and fraught places where egos may surface.
Nevin twists this perfectly with the introduction of the murder. It instantly changes the tone of the book and sets you off on the wild ride in store. The stakes are high for Jane personally and professionally as she is embroiled in this twisted turn of events. From there, the mystery itself is so meticulously constructed with plenty of twists and turns in store. I loved how it both paid homage to the tropes of the genre and disrupted them. Having crime aficionados investigating a crime is a great hook and changes the game. After all, it feels like the worst place to commit a crime in the middle of a festival dedicated to that genre.
Jane’s knowledge as an author plays into the narrative in really interesting ways too. Having her at the centre of the novel as a struggling author is a wonderful choice. She feels overlooked and like her day in the sun has passed. Her voice is engaging and heartfelt as she sees this dream crumbling around her. It will ring true for many aspiring authors out there, right down to the sardonic swipes at aspects of the industry and the imposter syndrome that runs rife. You are drawn to her and root for her, but there is a steeliness that comes out through her investigation. She is desperate to claw her way back into her agent’s graces and achieve literary stardom but just how far is she willing to go to achieve that. Nevin also makes the clever decision to include viewpoints from other central characters that highlight the reality of the situation and add more pieces to the puzzle. These start to come together as the investigation kicks into gear. This slightly ragtag bunch of amateur sleuths are tremendously fun to follow along.
Also, it is always enjoyable when the victim is so unlikeable and therefore has a whole host of people plotting against them with reason to do them wrong. We peel back the layers of just how much chaos and destruction she has caused during her life. With each new chapter, another secret was revealed and with that came another layer to add to this mystery. It is delectable and such addictive reading. Overall, it is paced perfectly and I could not tear myself away from the pages. Nevin builds to a wonderful conclusion that is satisfying and sensational in equal measure.
A Novel Murder is a biting and brilliant book. It is a fantastically strong debut that is sure to be one of the most talked about cosy crimes of the summer, if not the year.
A Novel Murder is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookhsop.org, Waterstones, and other good book retailers, like your local book retailers, as of June 19th 2025.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Welcome to the Killer Lines Crime Festival!
In the quaint town of Hoslewit, the biggest names in crime writing have congregated to celebrate all things bookish and murderous. With a programme packed with seminars and signings, egos and alcohol, it’s sure to be a thrilling weekend.
Author Jane Hepburn is determined this is going to be her year. She’s not quite reached the heady heights of best-sellerdom yet, but is convinced that if she can just make the right connections at the festival, it could be the start of a whole new chapter for her and her books.
Then her literary agent is killed, and Jane’s plans are derailed. But if she can solve the murder, perhaps it will provide the boost her writing career needs? If she lives to tell the tale, that is.
Set in the world of books, and for fans of Richard Osman and Richard Coles, Janice Hallett and Nita Prose, A Novel Murder is the book you’ll be dying to read.
