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Misprints & Mistakes (2016) by Amanda M. Lee is the eighth novel in the Avery Shaw Mystery series. The book centers on reporter protagonist Avery Shaw as she juggles a missing‑teen case while her workplace and personal life unravel. The novel matters because Lee deepens Avery’s character arc and balances the cozy‑mystery tropes with darker stakes in a way that engages both returning readers and newcomers. According to reader consensus, the book averages about 4.5 stars.
Setting & Author Context
The story unfolds in suburban Michigan where Avery Shaw works at a small newspaper, and that newsroom environment plays a key role. The setting → brings → familiar local‑reporter challenges and quirky colleagues. Amanda M. Lee’s background as a former newspaper reporter gives her the insight to depict newsroom dynamics vividly.
Lee’s style tends to blend snarky first‑person narration, realistic workplace drama and an underlying affection for the journalism setting. Amanda M. Lee thus uses Avery Shaw’s world to explore how reporters navigate risk, relationships and story chases.
Plot Summary (No Spoilers)
In Misprints & Mistakes, Avery Shaw finds herself in a “funny spot”: her best friend is pregnant, her cousin’s girlfriend is behaving suspiciously, and her boyfriend faces serious issues. When teenager Sierra Jackson disappears, Avery is uniquely positioned to get the scoop—but the missing‑teen case collides with messy family politics and Avery’s own professional and personal problems. The event of the missing girl → triggers → a deeper investigation and forces Avery to confront false accusations, workplace tension and relational fallout.
Avery Shaw’s investigation moves through twists in her newsroom and personal life, generating tension between her drive for the story and her need to manage the chaos in her relationships.
Characters & Themes
Main characters:
- Avery Shaw — Reporter and protagonist. Avery Shaw → represents → persistence, loyalty and the messy reality of balancing personal life with professional ambition.
- Eliot Kane — Avery’s boyfriend. Eliot Kane → represents → support, vulnerability and the complexity of being in a relationship with a reporter who often chases danger.
- Sierra Jackson (the missing teen) and her family — The missing‑girl plotline highlights how families under pressure respond when one of their own disappears.
- Avery’s best friend & cousin’s girlfriend — These characters add relational dynamics and personal stakes beyond the newsroom.
Themes:
- Balancing work and personal life — The novel explores how Avery Shaw must manage her career ambitions while dealing with personal relationships and family drama.
- Journalistic ethics and risk — The story addresses how a reporter like Avery Shaw navigates allegations, scoops and trust in a small‑town newsroom.
- Loyalty and truth — The investigation into the missing girl intersects with loyalty to friends, family and professional duties.
- Chaos beneath the ordinary — Sets in a familiar local‑news context, showing how even everyday places hide danger and secrets.
Tropes & Reader Experience
Misprints & Mistakes uses common cozy‑mystery tropes (the amateur sleuth‑protagonist, small‑town setting, quirky side characters) while injecting higher stakes and deeper personal conflict. For readers who enjoy witty narration, newsroom settings, and mysteries with relational depth, the book hits the mark. The tropes → define → reader expectations of humor, investigation and character interplay. Amanda M. Lee delivers what fans expect — snarky voice, colorful colleagues, genuine tension in the investigation. According to Goodreads, the book has a rating of approximately 4.53 stars.
Series Placement / Reading Order
Misprints & Mistakes is #8 in the Avery Shaw Mystery series.
Here’s a short reading‑order snippet:
- #7: Headlines & Deadlines (2015)
- #8: Misprints & Mistakes (2016)
- #9: Bylines & Skylines (2016)
While each book can be enjoyed on its own, reading in order enhances the arc of Avery Shaw’s career and personal development.
Reader Suitability / Why Read It
If you enjoy cozy mysteries featuring a smart, snarky female reporter in a small‑town newspaper setting, then Misprints & Mistakes is a strong choice. The novel appeals to readers who like their sleuths witty, resourceful and relatable. The tone here is accessible, light enough for comfort reading yet serious enough to deliver suspense. The novel → appeals to → fans of workplace‑drama‑meets‑mystery, women sleuths, newsroom settings and relational depth.
Continue the Avery Shaw Mystery Series
Read other books in the Avery Shaw Mystery Series.