Ready to start a new life after being accused and cleared of embezzlement and murder charges, Jenna Quinn takes up her Uncle Paul’s offer to stay with him in small-town Hokes Folly. Uncle Paul owns Baxter’s Book Emporium and deals in antique books. This is just the fresh start Jenna needs as she is low on cash and employment prospects. Soon upon her arrival, Jenna finds her uncle dead at the bottom of a spiral staircase. Was it an accident or murder? When Jenna learns she inherits the store, her uncle’s apartment, and his savings and life insurance policies, she finds herself under the glaring scrutiny of the local police.
As Jenna learns more about her uncle’s life, she realizes a few people might hold a grudge – a local developer who wants to build a mall, a fired employee caught stealing, and an obnoxious man claiming to be her uncle’s long lost son. As Jenna sifts through the clues and focuses on cleaning up the store, another murder occurs and Jenna’s back in the suspect list spotlight. Can she solve her uncle’s murder, protect herself from a ruthless killer, and make a place for herself in Hokes Folly?
This debut mystery starts off quickly with Uncle Paul’s demise placing Jenna in a precarious situation. She is young and resourceful coming from a bad situation into something worse. I liked Jenna’s spunk, but found her somewhat self-absorbed and unappreciative of her large inheritance. There are several believable suspects thrown in which ramps up the mystery, but some motives were a little long on explanation. The overall feel of the mystery is somewhat disjointed and the romance felt very rushed at the end. I would also like more information on Jenna’s backstory in the next installment to more fully understand her character. Don’t get me wrong though, there are many good things about this mystery that the author can build upon. FOR WHOM THE BOOK TOLLS has an enjoyable premise, small-town charm, and memorable secondary characters.
Trouble follows Jenna Quinn wherever she goes. Fleeing some unsavory doings in her hometown of Charlotte, Jenna accepts her uncle's gracious invitation to stay with him in small-town Hokes Folly, NC. In exchange, she'll help him out in his antiquarian bookstore. But soon after she arrives, Jenna finds her uncle's body crumpled at the base of the staircase between his apartment and the bookstore.
Before the tragedy even sinks in, Jenna learns that she's inherited almost everything her uncle owned: the store and apartment, as well as his not-so-meager savings and the payout from a life insurance policy...which adds up to more than a million dollars. This is all news to Jenna--bad news, once the police get wind of her windfall. An ill wind, indeed, as a second murder cements Jenna's status as the prime suspect in both deaths.
Jenna can hit the road again, taking her chances that she can elude trouble along the way. Or she can stick it out in Hokes Folly, take over the bookstore, and try to sleuth out her uncle's killer. On the one hand, she's made some wonderful new friends, and she feels she can thrive in the genial small-town environment. On the other hand, trouble knows her address--and so does the killer, who is determined to write the final page of Jenna's story.
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