Title: Poetry Slammed by Joy Ann Ribar

Publisher / Publication date: Wine Glass Press; Feb 2, 2026

Language: English

Format: E-book, 303 pages

Genre: Psychic Cozy Mystery

ISBN-13: ‎978-1959078364

Reviewed by: Cayce Osborne

This lovable cast shines in a literary cozy mystery

Poetry Slammed had me at Emily Dickinson. It’s clear the author did her research,

writing lovingly about the poet and her poetry, expressing her love for the written word

through character. The mystery here centers around an undiscovered Dickinson poem

and letter, and the subsequent disappearance of Vivian, the scholar who finds it.

The cast of characters includes college professors, detectives both professional and

amateur, students from overseas, and a whole host of housekeepers (no one knows the

secrets of a house better than its keeper). At the heart of the story are sisters Bay and

Cass. Bay is a literature professor and colleague of Vivian’s, and Cass is an ex-con with

paranormal powers. While on the hunt for Vivian, Bay uses her university connections

and Cass uses her psychic-like visions to narrow down suspects and uncover secrets.

How is the disappearance tied to the poem, and why is Vivian tied up with a group of

foreign students who have also gone missing? Alongside this central mystery, threads

from previous books in the series are fleshed out and resolved (details withheld for

spoiler reasons) culminating in a satisfying ending.

Note: This is book three in the Bay Browning mystery series. This reviewer strongly

suggests starting with book one to get the most out of each story.