Booked for Death: A Booklover's B&B Mystery

I loved this great start to a new series! The characters are engaging and well-defined through conversations and actions. The Atlantic coast setting sounds gorgeous, and the B & B is one I would want to visit. The mystery was a challenge, although I did finally “get” whodunit a couple steps ahead of our protagonists. Chapters is a B & B that was established over 30 years ago, when Charlotte’s great-aunt Isabella was bored. Isabella was at an age that many people would think about retiring. She wanted a new challenge, converted her home into a B & B, and ran it until her death at age 92. Included is Isabella’s vast, renowned library that includes many rare and collectible tomes. Charlotte, a middle-aged widow, inherited the B & B about a year ago, and is still learning how to run it as Isabella did. This weekend is the Josephine Tey celebration. Only a few have planned to attend the party or book discussions. There are six guests at Chapters, with only 5 attending. Several local literature lovers will join them. I appreciated the great mix of ages, from a teen to several ladies in their 70’s. On Saturday, Charlotte found rare book dealer Lincoln standing on the library ladder, which she had asked the prior evening that nobody use. Charlotte placed all rare and fragile books on the uppermost shelves and would get them down on request only. Lincoln had scattered several valuable volumes on the desk. He suggested that Isabella had some secrets in her past that could cost Charlotte the B & B should the secrets get out. He asked how a young woman, a maid in someone’s home, could get enough money together to buy such a home and library. It sounded as if he wanted to purchase some of the books cheap in exchange for his silence! That evening, Charlotte left the party to get more ice after their machine was damaged. When she returned from the ice run, Scott, the author renting the carriage house apartment while doing local research, was outside. When he returned from a prior engagement, he found Lincoln dead, stabbed, in the carriage house. There are several suspects, including even Charlotte’s best friend, the housekeeper/ cook who had worked for Isabella for decades, the man’s wife, and his teenage daughter. The local police want all guests staying at the B & B to remain for the next week as they investigate. It can be tiring to wonder if the killer is in one’s home, but even more so to think one’s best friend could be the culprit! Charlotte is determined to find whodunit and get things back to normal. She had the help of Ellen, the septuagenarian next door who is the trustee for Isabella’s trust. Charlotte also seeks information about her great-aunt to find out if there is something unsavory in her past. I would have definitely enjoyed Isabella! I like Charlotte and Ellen best; their personalities suit their growing friendship. The mystery was quite a puzzle. Plot twists increased the suspects, then slowly took at least a couple away. I finally suspected the real whodunit even though I hadn’t learned the motive yet – and when I did, it all clicked. I highly recommend this delightful, thoughtful tale to all who enjoy bookish, well-written cozies that with unique B & B’s, both middle-aged and mature sleuths, and a mystery that keeps one guessing! From a thankful heart: I received an advance reader copy of this from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

cozy-mystery, murder-investigation, bed-and-breakfast, widow, amateur-sleuth, friendship, family-dynamics, small-business, small-town, North Carolina The murder mystery was excellently done with all its twists and red herrings, and there was no problem identifying the probable victim who was too obnoxious to avoid his just desserts. But I was more drawn to the parallel investigation into the history and more of the great aunt who left her home and business to Charlotte. A thoroughly enjoyable read! I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!