Excerpt of Dying to Read by Lynn Cahoon

When she went into the women’s restroom, she found a book on the wash counter. She grumbled at the long-gone reader. “You couldn’t see the ‘Please Don’t Bring Books into the Lavatory’ sign?”

She walked out to set the book on a table while she finished cleaning. The book looked like it was in bad shape, definitely not new. Maybe someone had forgotten their copy.

Rarity ignored the book. After she’d taken the trash outside to the dumpster and drained, cleaned, and put away the mop and other cleaners, she went back to the front.

Katie stood at the counter, looking at the book from the bathroom.

“So what is that?” Rarity logged into her system.

“The book? It was on the table. There’s an inscription on the front page. ‘To my best friend Alice, I hope you enjoy Alice’s adventures as much as I have over the years.’” Katie held the book open and showed it to Rarity. “This might be a first edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.”

“I found it in the bathroom. No one would leave a book that valuable in the bathroom at a bookstore.” Rarity reached for the book and checked the copyright page. 1865. “If this is right, the book is worth a lot of money.”

“Like thousands?” Katie asked.

Rarity checked the binding and the outside of the book. “Maybe even more. Let’s set this aside and see if anyone comes to claim it. They should know the inscription if they own the book.” She tucked it under the counter so it wouldn’t get damaged.

“This is so exciting. I’ve never even touched a rare book before.” Katie grabbed a pile of books to be shelved.

Rarity went about her day at hand, but the book kept nagging at her. Maybe she had another mystery for the sleuthing group to solve. And for the first time, this one wouldn’t involve a dead body.

That night at the book club they were talking about The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen. Holly Harper had suggested the book, and the conversation around it was getting interesting.

“I don’t think it portrays old people in a bad light.” Holly countered a statement that Shirley had made. “The main character is almost in a relationship with her farmer neighbor. Or she would be if she’d get over losing her husband decades ago.”

“Sometimes, people don’t get over those things,” Shirley responded. “But I guess I wondered why a bunch of spies would settle in a small Maine community. It didn’t seem realistic.”

“Did you read the author’s notes in the back? She lived in a town where that exact thing happened. I guess if Thanos can have a retirement plan, so can James Bond.” Malia Overstreet jumped into the discussion. “I liked it, but it was hard to follow why the one woman was running in the first place.”

“I think the author added that character to give you more than one person to focus on.” Rarity hadn’t liked the opening scene to not be focused on the main character either. “What did you think of the local police chief?”

“I would have solved the murder before I let that jerk from the state police take over,” Sam Aarons said.

“Sometimes that’s not an option.” Jonathon Anderson was in town and had called to see what the group was reading. He was an ex-cop who had started in Sedona, then moved to NYC to work when his kids got out of high school. Now, he and his wife, Edith, were back in Arizona, living in Tucson near their daughter and only grandchild. His other child, Drew Anderson, was a detective there in Sedona and was dating Sam. Again. “When a different agency with jurisdiction over crime steps in, you have to step back and let them work. And that character was a jerk.”

Sam smiled sweetly at Jonathon. “I’m so glad you agree.”

Rarity heard the challenge in Sam’s voice and held up her hand. Things hadn’t been going well with her friend and her boyfriend’s parents. “Okay, let’s take a short break and then we’ll finish this up and choose next week’s book.”

Sam bolted for the ladies’ room, and Jonathon moved toward Rarity. “Maybe I shouldn’t have come. It seems like Sam’s still mad at me.”

“She’ll get over it. She was the one who wasn’t sure if she wanted to continue her relationship with Drew. The fact that Edith set him up on a blind date when he visited you guys in Tucson wasn’t your fault. I know she wants the best for him.” Rarity had heard the story from Sam one night when she’d come over with a bottle of wine.

Jonathon chuckled. “I have to disagree. My wife wants more grandchildren. If she’d known Sam and Drew had started seeing each other again, she wouldn’t have invited Heather to dinner. Drew keeps his relationship status close to his chest. I need to go say hi to Shirley and see how George is doing.”

Rarity watched as he made his way over to the treat table where Shirley was getting more cookies out of a plastic carrier. The woman could bake. She thought about going to talk to Sam, but she decided to stay out of it. Drew and Sam were dating again. She didn’t want to jinx it.

After they’d finished the meeting, everyone but Shirley had left the bookstore by the time Archer arrived. He helped Shirley carry her things out to her car, and when he came back inside, Rarity was ready to lock up. She had put the rare book into her safe since no one had come by to claim it today. Maybe she’d put a sign up on the community bulletin boards.

She came out of the back room after checking the lock and kissed Archer. “I thought they’d never leave.”

He pushed her hair out of her eyes and took her keys. “Are you ready to go?”

“Killer’s at Terrance’s so we need to stop on the way home and get him. Are you staying for supper? I have some clam chowder in the fridge.” Rarity hoisted her tote over her shoulder and followed him outside.

“I’m not sure. Look, we need to talk.” Archer locked the door and handed her back the keys. “I’m not sure that I should move in with you.”