A Cozy Little Murder: a review of Shady Hollow

Need a quick and cozy read, with a little bit of murder thrown in? Look no further than Juneau Black's Shady Hollow.

Shout out to Pearl's Books in Fayetteville for posting this book on their Instagram as a recommendation. If you are ever feeling at a loss for what to read next, may I suggest stopping by your local bookstore-- either in person or on social media.

While I have not read the rest of this series, I am sure that I eventually shall. But this promises to be one of those wonderful series' that is easy to put down and pick back up again over time, reading other books in between.

Perhaps that outlook is suggestive of my true thoughts on the story itself: it was good, but not so good I wanted to immediately pick up the next installment. Allow me to elaborate:

1. You will be charmed. First and foremost, this is a charming little story, and it does not try to be any more than what it is. It is a murder mystery set in a quaint and idyllic little woodland town, full of a variety of woodland creatures. The main character is a fox, with the apt surname of Vixen. Her best friend is a Raven, who owns a bookstore called Nevermore (clever). And the detective on the case is a bear named Orville. This story has all the elements of "cottagecore," as the youths call it. But, just as in the real world, even the sweetest and most romantic of places has its dark spots. And in the case of Shady Hollow, that would be murder.

2. Shady Hollow serves up a solid murder mystery. If you are tempted to leave because this sounds altogether TOO cozy for your tastes, you may choose to stay for the murder. The story does not overdo it in laying the groundwork, but cuts right to the chase with the body being discovered within the first chapter. From there, you find yourself caught up in a full-fledged murder mystery. Without spoiling anything, there are plenty of twists, a red herring or two, and just enough clues to keep you engaged and feeling close to solving the mystery before Vera Vixen does.

3. Unfortunately, it is a little bit shallow. Now this may not seem too unexpected, and to a degree I was not expecting a ton of depth. However, there were moments I think the story tried a bit too hard to add in elements of grit and depth. It felt a little bit over the top, especially for the idyllic and fantastical setting. Ironically, this ultimately made the story seem more shallow than it was. That being said, it is on the younger side of YA, so I can hardly fault Juneau Black for struggling to intermix darkness and whimsy in a believable way. It is not an easy thing to do! I will be curious to see how the rest of the series pans out.
   

If you have read the above and come away feeling like Shady Hollow is not for you, I would encourage you to possibly reconsider. This story functions exceptionally well as, what I like to call, a "palate-cleanser." A palate-cleanser book is a book that is wholly different from the one you just finished reading. It is the perfect cure for a "book hangover." It keeps you reading when you feel like ruminating on your last read for days on end (not that there is anything wrong with that!)

Shady Hollow is quick, charming, and does not ask too much of itself or its readers. While I may have only given it three teacups below, don't let that dissuade you from an easy, cozy weekend read, that also happens to include murder.