Vinyl Resting Place

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.

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What’s Vinyl Resting Place About?

Tired of all the corporate buyouts and reshuffling in the software business, Juni Jessup returns to her home—a small town just outside Austin, TX. There, she and her two older sisters invest in a record/coffee shop. Years before, the digital music revolution had forced her parents to close the shop that had been in their family for decades. But now, the resurgence of vinyl has given them the chance to reopen—adding a coffee counter is a clever move and something that the neighborhood could really use, too.

The sisters are energized the night of the Grand Opening party—there’s a huge crowd (free tacos from a local food truck and beer from a microbrewery helped). Not only are they optimistic about the business, but the family is back together again, after Juni’s time in the Northwest. They know the future will have challenges, but for the moment, life is good.

Sadly, that first challenge is less in the future than they realized, and it’s a big one. While they’re cleaning up after the party and getting ready to open for their first day of business, Juni finds a murdered girl in the closet with their cleaning supplies. Very quickly, the police focus their investigation on the sisters’ uncle and arrest him. The family puts up the Sip & Spin as collateral for his bail, convinced that the investigation will clear him.

Then Uncle Calvin disappears and the business is in jeopardy—not to mention the three life savings they invested. The sisters, led by Juni, take the investigation into their own hands—determined not to go down without a fight.

Juni and Everyone Else

I’ve only mentioned Juni so far because of space, but the book isn’t just about her. Juni is clearly the protagonist—but the book isn’t just about her. The sisters are the core—with their mother and the husband of the eldest sister rounding out the immediate circle. The emotional core of the novel is about Juni’s return to the family and the way they’re welcoming her back (it’s not that things were ever tense, but hundreds of miles and only brief visits aren’t the same as living near each other). It’s the sense of family, the way they come together for each other, that makes sure this book (and the series, I’m sure) is filled with the warmth and comfort you need in a cozy.

Of course, you can’t have a character come back to a small town without a love interest or two popping up, too. There’s the lifelong best friend, who apparently carried a torch the whole time—he’s grown into a pretty attractive man. And then the high school/college boyfriend who suddenly and unexpectedly broke up with her one day. He’s clearly got his eyes set on reestablishing the status quo.

Also, he’s the police detective in charge of the murder. Because why should things be easy?

It’s a great recurring cast, and one that’d be easy for a series to use in new and fun ways as the series progresses—mostly because the reader can’t help but find them all endearing.

A Tiny Bonus

The music-inspired punny drink names for their coffee counter are just perfect. Too many more would’ve been too much, but I could’ve used an additional handful. They’re the kind of little touch that adds so much to a scene—you get an idea of the characters behind them, if nothing else. Like the names of the stores and restaurants in The Good Place, they add a layer of enjoyment on top of everything else.

I’m not saying I’ll pick up book two just to read what names Blacke comes up with. But I’ve had worse reasons to pick up a book.

So, what did I think about Vinyl Resting Place?

I’m a little concerned about how this can be a series—how many murders can happen in one small town record store or involving the family that owns it? I’m sure Blacke can get another one or two out of the premise before it starts to get creepy, but suspending that kind of disbelief is part and parcel of cozies like this, right? So what do I know?

The premise and genre promise certain things about this novel—and Blacke delivers exactly that. The best word to sum this experience up is pleasant—the mystery was clever, the characters are charming, and I like the overall setup for the series. And the book was exactly what a cozy should be—an entertaining and pleasant time.

I don’t see how this book won’t find fans all of whom will be more than ready for the next murder this family stumbles across.

The sisters' relationship in this book makes all the difference! I like the record store and the town of Cedar River. I like the way that Juni uncovers the secrets people are holding.
The mystery is good. I figured out who did it a little over halfway through, but I had no clue why. So there were secrets to be found out at the end.
There is a love triangle that does not seem to be resolving anytime soon. I don't like love triangles, so the romance is not my favorite part. The coffee names seemed a little over the top, but that is a minor complaint. Even the love triangle didn't detract too much from my enjoyment.
This is a great first novel in the series. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.