Jumping into a long-running series can feel a bit like arriving late to a gathering—there’s history you’ve missed, but the story can still draw you in. This was my first visit to this world, and while I could tell there was more behind it, I still found plenty to enjoy.
The Burning Pages by Paige Shelton
Series: Scottish Bookshop Mystery #7
Genres: Cozy Mystery, Scottish

Delaney Nichols faces off against an elusive arsonist in the seventh Scottish Bookshop Mystery, The Burning Pages, from beloved author Paige Shelton....

One winter's night, bookseller Delaney Nichols and her coworker Hamlet are invited to a Burns Night dinner, a traditional Scottish celebration of the poet Robert Burns. She's perplexed by the invitation, but intrigued. The dinner takes place at Burns House itself, a tiny cottage not far from the Cracked Spine bookshop but well hidden. There, it becomes clear that Delaney and Hamlet were summoned in an attempt to make amends between Edwin, Delaney's boss, and one of the other invitees, who suspected Edwin for burning down his own bookshop twenty years ago after a professional disagreement.

But after the dinner, there’s another fire. The Burns House itself is burned to the ground, and this time there’s a body among the ruins. When Hamlet is accused of the crime, Delaney rushes to prove his innocence, only to discover that he might actually have a plausible motive...

---

Get the Book

---

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.

---

---

This is the seventh book in the series and my first time reading it, so I do feel like starting from book one would have given me a deeper connection to the characters and their backstories. That said, I was still able to follow along and enjoy the mystery at the heart of the story.

Delaney Nichols, originally from Kansas, is now settled in Scotland, married to Tom, a pub owner, and working in a bookshop. While I wasn’t fully familiar with how she came to be there, her life felt well-established enough that I could step into her world without too much confusion.

The story begins when Delaney is invited to join a Robert Burns book group, despite not knowing anyone in it. What starts as a simple social gathering quickly turns dark when the meeting location is burned and one of the members is killed. From there, the story follows a classic cozy mystery path, with Delaney taking it upon herself to investigate and uncover the truth.

The plot moves at a steady pace and kept me engaged throughout. I enjoyed the familiar amateur sleuth angle, especially since Delaney keeps the police informed of her findings rather than working entirely in secret. The characters felt believable, and the setting added a nice layer of charm to the story.

While I think I would have appreciated the relationships and ongoing dynamics more if I had read the earlier books, this still worked as an enjoyable standalone mystery. It’s a solid addition to the series and has definitely made me curious to go back and start from the beginning.

---

---