Sarah Winston is surprised when wealthy Belle Winthrop Granville wants her to sort and sell her collection of mystery books for a sale to benefit the local library. But Sarah is determined to dig right in and do her best. But then Sarah discovers a briefcase of what appears to be the early writings of Ernest Hemingway, still bound with the original carbon copies. She takes it to Belle, explaining where she found it and what it might be. Not long after, she hears Belle scream and runs to her, finding her injured and telling her that the maid stole the case. Chasing after the woman isn't easy when you're going through a wooded area. Then she finds the maid dead, the briefcase missing, and herself being shot at.

Explaining what happened to her police officer friends is easy. What's not easy is that soon after Sarah finds herself the center of attention as treasure hunters come to town to stalk her, keeping Belle safe, and a rare book dealer who seems sketchy. Soon Sarah is on the hunt for a killer and a thief, but doesn't know who to trust, since it could be any number of people. When help comes from an unlikely source, it keeps Sarah safe temporarily, but it will take everything she has to stay out of the eye of a killer...

This is the sixth book in the series and is probably my favorite so far. These is plenty of action, so much so that Sarah can't even find time to breathe normally. The cast of characters is extensive, but not so much that you can't keep track of who's who. I especially like the gritty Belle, and I do love the fact that Sarah's brother Luke turns up again. I read about him in a previous book and grew to like his character, so seeing him here was pleasant.

While Sarah's trying to keep away from a killer, (whom she doesn't know who it might be), she's also trying to avoid a group of tweedy treasure hunters and reporters who have camped out at her favorite spots, leaving her nowhere to go. But her police officer friend finds her refuge at at unlikely place which also forces her to face certain fears she has. It also brings her an unlikely surprise visitor, one she's happy to see.

As things become more complicated, Sarah's life coincides with it. She can't find the killer nor the Hemingway, and she starts to become both frustrated and upset with herself. But what makes it worse is the fact that she has no clue as to where it is, and she starts to think she's following the wrong person.

When Sarah starts to put it all together, she tells her officer friends, and even explains what is going on. When the ending comes and the murderer is found, it's done nicely and is believable. Sarah uses her wits to figure it all out, and everything comes out just as it's supposed to. This book was easy to read in one sitting, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Recommended. ( )

Boy, I really loved the setting Sarah Winston finds herself in--an attic filled with mystery books that Belle Winthrop Granville has collected over the years. This is one of my favorites so far in the series, they just keep getting better and better. The fact that the proceeds of the sale will go to the library is fantastic, but Sarah stumbles across a small valise with what looks like papers from Ernest Hemingway. The story of the lost train case back in the 20's helped frame the caper and murder Sarah finds herself involved in this time. Sarah, now divorced, is still active with the nearby base and is also helping with a fundraiser to bring a serviceman's dog home to him. Just when you think there is too much going on, there isn't at all. It read quickly and smoothly to an intriguing end, lots of red herrings worthy of the attic mystery books. ( )

I really enjoy the Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries and I think I liked this one the most. There was a lot of action, information about families of Service Men/Women, family relationships, kleptomania, and of course a wonderful mystery.

You would never think that arranging garage sales and other charity sales events could lead to trouble, but if you have read any books in this series, you know that Sarah Winston finds herself in the middle of murder, mayhem and crime quite often. This book finds Sarah being hired by a rich widow, Belle Winthrop Granville III, to catalogue and price her hundreds of mystery novels to sell as a fundraiser for the local library. While in the attic, going through boxes, suitcases and valises, she glimpses several envelopes. When she peeks into them, she realizes she has come across the find of the century in the literary world, "The Missing Hemingway Manuscripts". Now this alone, piqued my interest. After reading "The Paris Wife" about Hadley Richardson, Hemingway's wife, I was aware that this was an actual event (the loss of the manuscripts). I was looking forward to seeing how Sherry Harris was going to handle this. Well, she did it well. Not only do the manuscripts go missing again, but there is also a search for a first edition "The Sun Also Rises". When Belle's maid, ends up dead and the manuscripts missing, Sarah becomes an overnight media sensation.

Sarah is one of my favourite main characters. Besides constantly stumbling over dead bodies in a small town, she is a very real character. Over the six books in this series, she has grown so much. She has had to make a new life for herself and has done a great job of that in Ellington, Massachusetts, with a career and wonderful friends. The secondary characters help round out the story as they play an important role in every story. I especially love the DiNapolis and their restaurant. From James, Carol, Pellner, Stella, Awesome, Tony and of course Seth, we are all privy to the lives of those in this community. The mystery in this book was well done with twists and turns throughout the plot. The identity of the killer and/or thief kept me guessing until the reveal. I was surprised by the culprits and thought the mystery was tied up nicely. There was a humorous element in the story with the League of Literary Treasure Hunters on the prowl, which had me smiling as I read. I am looking forward to what is next for Sarah Winston and her friends, and definitely recommend this book and series to all cozy mystery lovers. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own. ( )

The Gun Also Rises is a busy novel. Sarah has a full plate as she deals with missing manuscripts, her brother, a murder, preparing for a very special sale to help a veteran bring his dog to America, pricing Miss Belle’s mystery collection, evading the literary treasure hunters, hunting down the rare Hemingway book and trying not to be the killer’s next victim. The Gun Also Rises can be read as a standalone if you have not read any of the previous A Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries. I find Sarah’s garage sale business interesting. She never knows what treasures she will find. I wanted to buy all the books in Miss Belle’s fictional attic. I found The Gun Also Rises to be easy to read with steady pacing throughout most of the book (a little slow in the middle). I loved all the mystery novels mentioned throughout the book (Trixie Belden and Agatha Christie are just two examples) as well as the details on Louisa May Alcott and historical sites that people can visit. There are also some clever Gone with the Wind references. The murder of Kay and the missing manuscripts leads readers on a merry chase as we follow the clues to figure out who is behind these appalling deeds. I do wish it had been harder to identify the guilty parties, and I was unsatisfied with the ending (spoilers). I was glad to see a move forward in Seth and Sarah’s romantic life. Sarah’s ex-husband has left town (finally) and Sarah can finally move forward romantically with her life. I appreciated the author highlighting the role of military spouses and the support they need when their significant other is serving overseas. There is also a storyline about a veteran suffering from PTSD who is missing the dog he had in Iraq. Sara is organizing a sale to help unite the man with his beloved canine. Readers will find themselves laughing at Sarah’s various escapades. Buckle your seatbelt for a humorous and fast paced romp with Sarah in The Gun Also Rises. ( )

I found myself stumbling across this series midway through, and I've really been enjoying it. With a plot that includes hundreds (if not thousands) of mysteries tucked away in an attic and a treasure trove containing a Hemingway rare edition and those lost letters, The Gun Also Rises was guaranteed to keep me turning the pages.

Not only was I wanting to be turned loose in that house of books (it's also got rooms of first editions), I had a very good mystery to solve. There's plenty of misdirection to keep readers guessing, and Sarah always includes the local police whenever she finds anything. I like that. Nothing can make me grind my teeth faster than an amateur sleuth who insists on sneaking around a perfectly capable police force.

However, in many ways, the part of the book that had my sympathies working overtime was when Harris describes the hell Sarah Winston must go through in order to avoid all the reporters, paparazzi, and treasure hunters who think nothing of making her life a misery. I felt Sarah's pain and really wanted to help in some way.

I really like Sarah Winston, and I really like the mysteries Sherry Harris concocts for her heroine to solve. Long may her Garage Sale mysteries continue! ( )