A Deadly Chapter by Essie Lang
Series: Castle Bookshop Mystery #3
Genres: Cozy Mystery
Thousand Islands bookseller Shelby Cox is caught between a lethal rock and a hardheaded newcomer in Essie Lang's third Castle Bookshop mystery, a must-read for fans of Lorna Barrett and Vicki Delany.
Wake up on a houseboat, moored in scenic Alexandria Bay, New York. Ride the gentle waves to work at quaint Bayside Books, where you spend your days supplying literature and conversation to the charming locals and seasonal tourists. Sounds pleasant, doesn't it? Except bookseller Shelby Cox has already sleuthed two murders from Bayside Books's home base on Blye Island, one of New York State's famed Thousand Islands. And this time, mayhem knocks right on Shelby's waterside door when she finds a body lodged between the side of her houseboat and the dock, his skull shattered.
The victim is no local, but Shelby can't shake the feeling she's seen him before. Twice, in fact--that's how many times he's dropped into Bayside Books asking about an enigmatic woman who lived on Blye Island many years before. The last time? The day before he was found. But the poor man obviously was killed elsewhere, so who brought him down to the bay, and why?
When the victim's daughter hits town demanding answers, Shelby takes the case, despite Police Chief Tekla Stone's usual reservations. But she uncovers more suspects than there are pages in War and Peace, and Shelby can expect no peace--except the peace of the grave--unless she can turn the page on this grisly mystery.
I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Shelby Cox is back and boy is she on an emotional rollercoaster this time! Shelby has now been living in Alexandra Bay for a year and she is still helping her aunt run the two two “Bayside Books” bookstores they own together. She is also still live on her houseboat where a body is found bumping against it. Okay, I have to say this, if I was living in a houseboat and body ( a murder victim at that) is bumping against it I would move that minute! I’m just saying, that would freak me out a bit.
Shelby begins to investigate with the victim’s daughter much to the dismay of the police chief. She does make a few mistakes that could have ended up deadly but Shelby persists. I swear I kept waiting for the police chief to start getting that eye tick that the chief had with Inspector Clouseau had (if you’ve seen those movies you know what I’m talking about.) Shelby as always is such a joy to read and take a journey to figure out what happened with.
This is the third book of the series and can easily be read on its own. I recommend going back and reading the first two because this is such a wonderful series adn the characters are so much fun.
This sounds like a really interesting story that I would enjoy reading.
Thanks for sharing your review, sounds like a book I’ll enjoy!
My aunt loves cozy romances and this sounds like a series she’d like! Good to know that it’s helpful to start at the first book.
Thanks for the recommendation. I’m always on the lookout for a good mystery series to jump into.
Thank you for your review sounds like a good read.
Love the cover on this one, sounds interesting.
This sounds like a great book and one I would like to read I will also have to check out the previous two books in this series.
This sounds good to me
Sounds like a good book to snuggle up with! Thanks for sharing your review!~
Ooh, I love the setting! I love the contrast of a supposedly nice and calm location with a mysterious and possibly dangerous situation.
I’ve become a cozy mystery fan – light and often witty. I’ll put this on my list
This sounds like a really good mystery!
sounds mysterious
I haven’t read this author but the cover is cute.
What an intriguing book! I love bookshop mysteries. Thanks for sharing.
I would probably enjoy this book. I lke mysteries a lot. It sounds very good.
This interests me a lot since I’m into true crime!
Sounds like a book I would enjoy! Glad it’s stand alone although part of a series.
Sounds like a delightful read! Love the cover.
Love a good cozy!
I like the cover & title of this cozy. Sounds like a great read!
I love trying to solve mysterys before the end of the book. This book sounds great!
This sounds really good. I’m glad that it can read as a stand-alone. Sometimes I like to start in the middle of a series, and then go forwards and backwards. Crazy, I know, but it works for me!
Thank you for sharing your review of A Deadly Chapter, this sounds like an awesome cozy mystery book and series and I am looking forward to reading all of the stories
Being on a houseboat is a nice twist