A Classic Case (Busybodies collection)

3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars | 597 ratings

Price: 1.99

Last update: 12-23-2024


About this item

As a new crush develops and a friend goes missing, a young woman who loves old movies stumbles into the plot of one in this quirky short story from USA Today bestselling author Alicia Thompson.

Time rewinds at the video store—the clerk is always hot and grumpy, and kindly retiree Mr. Hoffman rents the same thing every week. Audrey hangs around for both these reasons. But when her fellow film buff fails to appear, she goes to his house over the protests of her flannelly video store crush, who knows more than he lets on. It’s just like a movie. And she’s worried about the twist.

Alicia Thompson’s A Classic Case is part of Busybodies, a collection of quirky mysteries featuring amateur gumshoes who stumble upon peculiar cases. Calling all snoops! Read or listen to each arresting story in a single sitting.


From the Publisher

When a video lover puts herself in the plot, murder mystery goes from reel to real.

Top reviews from the United States

Sherry R
4.0 out of 5 stars fun mystery short story
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2024
I'm not always a fan of short stories, but I've been picking up the stories in this collection to fill a little time and haven't read them together. Bite size cozy mysteries with amateur sleuths to keep you guessing and entertained. All part of the busybodies collection.

A Classic Case

I loved that this one threw in a little romance along with found family
Jill Nicely
5.0 out of 5 stars mischief makers in mini mysteries
Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2024
What do you get when you take a half dozen dynamic writers and set them free with the task of writing novellas about controlling family members, nosy neighbors, vengeful coworkers, and internet stars? That would be the Busybodies collection of short stories that combine mystery, humor, revenge, karma, and people with too much time on their hands.

In Alicia Thompson’s A Classic Case, a quiet woman spends her Wednesday afternoons in a classic movie rental shop. Audrey has a little bit of a crush on the owner Grant, but she is intrigued by Mr. Hoffman. He is a retired man who comes into the shop every week at the exact same time and rents the same movie every week, She Who Laughs Last, starring Katia Kelly. But when Mr. Hoffman doesn’t show up one Wednesday, Audrey gets concerned. Grant shrugs it off, but he has also has a suspicious bandage on his hand. Audrey finds Mr. Hoffman’s address and heads to his house to see if he’s okay, but what she finds there only brings up more questions.

These six stories are all about similar themes, but they couldn’t be more different. They are smart and intriguing, and they all have twists you can’t see coming. I enjoyed reading them all, and I loved getting a small glimpse into all these authors’ minds. If you’re not interested in all of them, you can buy only the stories that you are drawn to, but for me, I’m glad I read the whole collection. I wanted to read some because I am a big fan of Cosimano, Sutanto, and Prose. And now that I’ve read the stories by Garrett, Thompson, and Rosenblum also, I’m a fan of theirs too. These are tasty appetizers, and now I want to read more.

Egalleys for The Busybodies Collection were provided by Amazon Original Stories through NetGalley, with many thanks.
Maria-Anne
4.0 out of 5 stars Short stories
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2024
These short stories make a nice distraction in daily routines. Short enough that it can be listened to on a daily comute or doing other chores.
Kaye Walker
5.0 out of 5 stars Quaint!
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2024
I always end up loving these short stories and they end too quickly! Love the characters and the story!!!! As I said, quaint!!
AndreaRomance
5.0 out of 5 stars So cute!
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2024
So cute! When a friendly octogenarian disappears, film buff Audrey investigates, despite the warnings of the grumpy business owner she’s crushing on. This clever, fun, and romantic short mystery brightened my day. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Horror Nerd
2.0 out of 5 stars more cozy romance than a mystery story
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2024
A cozy video rental store, a missing customer. Could this be murder, or something else?
This read as your typical 'meet cute' kind of story (a lovelorn girl with a passion for classic movies, a seemingly aloof store owner, etc), with the mystery part being kind of pushed to the background. This was charming and moved along at a good pace, but the mystery solving aspect was pretty weak.

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