Bookbinder Brooklyn Wainwright covets the rare edition of
ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND owned by one of her
fellow shop owners. She visits the book daily, never
expecting the book to become such a contentious item
between the two owners of Brothers Bookshop, Eddie Cox
and his brother-in-law Terrence Payton. Unfortunately,
two other local shopkeepers are found dead and another
priceless copy of the book is found. Accusations are
flying, including one that all the local shops will be
replaced by high-rise apartments. Meanwhile, Brooklyn is
about to meet the parents of her fiancé, Derek Stone, for
the first time and she's all nerves.
ONCE UPON A SPINE is the eleventh book in the
Bibliophile
Mystery series, but new readers can
jump in and easily appreciate the story line and the
characters. Kate Carlisle gives readers enough history
to appreciate the characters and their relationships,
even as we are seeing a pivotal point in Brooklyn and
Derek's relationship. In fact, it helps greatly that
she's meeting his parents for the first time as we get
glimpses into her own insecurities and worries and
worries even as Derek's love for her shines through.
Brooklyn and Derek are an entertaining couple and Kate
Carlisle shows the strength of their relationship in ONCE
UPON A SPINE. Brooklyn is worried over every last detail
involving the upcoming visit of Derek's family, even as
he tries to reassure her. Derek's family is British
(which was one of Brooklyn's worries as she worried over
the differing customs) and it was fun to watch Brooklyn
immediately settle in with them and their own quirks.
Who can resist a cozy mystery involving books,
bookstores, and a heroine who is a bookbinder? ONCE UPON
A SPINE is the ideal book for booklovers. This was my
first time diving into Kate Carlisle's series, but I was
thrilled with the books being a key part of the mystery.
While I'm not a fan of the Lewis Carroll book featured in
ONCE UPON A SPINE, I can definitely appreciate Brooklyn's
love for such a beautiful old book. Booklovers will be
drawn in immediately to ONCE UPON A SPINE as the opening
pages focus on Brooklyn's love for the gorgeous Lewis
Carroll classic while the mystery maintains their
interest.
Brooklyn's future in-laws are traveling from England to meet
her, and if that's not enough to set her on edge, rumors
abound that the charming Courtyard Shops across the street
may be replaced by high-rise apartments. Their trendy
neighborhood will be ruined unless Brooklyn and her fiancé,
Derek Stone, can persuade the shopkeepers not to sell.
But with a rare edition of Alice in Wonderland causing bad
blood at the Brothers Bookshop and a string of petty
vandalism making everyone nervous, Brooklyn and Derek feel
overwhelmed. Then the owner of the Rabbit Hole juice bar is
felled by his own heavy shelves, and the local cobbler lies
dead beside him. Things get curiouser and curiouser when a
second priceless copy of Alice is discovered.
As the Brits descend, Brooklyn learns they're not so stuffy
after all. Derek's dad is won over with chocolate cream pie,
and his psychic mum would kill to help Brooklyn solve this
murder--before another victim takes a tumble.