Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for When the Carnival Came: An Olivia Penn Mystery by Kathleen Bailey! Today we are featuring a review of book four in this cozy mystery series. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews, and more! It’s a great way to add books to your TBR! There is also a Rafflecopter Giveaway for one paperback copy of When the Carnival Came, US Only. ENTER HERE!

When the Carnival Came: An Olivia Penn Mystery
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Apple Station, Virginia
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rhino Publishing LLC (November 12, 2024)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 442 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1956270124
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1956270129
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 442 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1956270116
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1956270112
Digital Print length ‏ : ‎ 351 pages
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DHTK92M2

About the Book:

A mysterious murder at an abandoned military base. A carnival has rolled into town. The shocking connection forces her to choose between a dear friend and her new love.

Spring is blooming in Apple Station, Virginia, and Olivia Penn’s new romance is heating up. With love in the air and the carnival in town, life seems picture-perfect—until a stranger arrives at her door with carnations and a cryptic message for her friend.

When Olivia follows the trail and finds her friend standing over a dead body, she discovers there’s more to the carnival than just fun and games. Compelled to keep an impossible secret from both her new love and the police, Olivia is recruited to go undercover and investigate who among the quirky carnival crew had a motive for murder.

In a race to protect her friend and solve the crime, she must trust a man she never expected to see again. Together, they execute a daring plan to bring a killer to justice and save the lives of thirty very precious, valuable feathered friends.

With the killer on the verge of vanishing without a trace, justice—and her life—hinge on quick thinking and a bold move. Will she and her new love survive to see another day?

When the Carnival Came is the fourth book in the award-winning The Olivia Penn Mystery Series. When the Carnival Came is a small-town, cozy mystery brimming with heart and humor, featuring a charming cast of characters and a fast-paced, twisty plot. Action-packed and full of suspense, this clean, cozy thrill ride will keep you on the edge of your seat.

My Review:

This just might be my favorite entry into The Olivia Penn Mystery Series yet! (Moment of truth: I’ve read books one, two and four–I’m saving book three for my December reading since it’s set around Christmas time. I’m living on the wild side, reading out of order, I know!) This series has been recommended for fans of Clue and Nancy Drew, and I totally agree! 

This entry can certainly be read as a standalone, and I’d also encourage you to read the others because you really get to know both the characters and Olivia’s fascinating backstory. 

The small-town setting of Apple Station, Virginia is so vivid and cozy that I felt like I was there with Olivia. This is exactly the kind of cozy mystery I like – a page-turning mystery brimming with cozy details AND suspects, clues and red-herrings. The addition of two adorable pets (dog and cat) are a wonderful bonus. 

The details around the carnival and the folks who work there made for an interesting and creative read. The mystery is well plotted and Olivia is such a wonderful main character–very real. I’d love so much to visit with her and tour her cozy town. I am hoping we get more Olivia Penn Mysteries!  

About the Author:

Kathleen Bailey is the award-winning author of The Olivia Penn Mystery Series. She writes mysteries with heart and humor that keep to the traditional and cozy sides of crime. Kathleen has degrees in English, psychology, and physical therapy. She previously worked as a pediatric physical therapist for over twenty years with children who have special needs. She now spends her days plotting and sleuthing in Virginia where she lives with her husband and adorable feline fur baby. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and the James River Writers. 

Author Links:

Website: https://kathleenbaileyauthor.com/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/kathleenbailey

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kathleen-bailey

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cozycrimewriter

Purchase Links:

Amazon – B&N – Bookshop.org – Alibris

TOUR PARTICIPANTS:

• November 12 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT  
• November 12 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
• November 13 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
• November 13 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
• November 14 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
• November 15 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW
• November 15 – Frugal Freelancer – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
• November 16 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
• November 17 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
• November 17 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
• November 18 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
• November 18 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
• November 19 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
• November 20 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
• November 21 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
• November 22 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT
• November 22 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
• November 23 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
• November 23 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
• November 24 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHTNovember 25 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT

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