A PAGE MARKED FOR MURDER by Lauren Elliott

Addison Greyborne has her hands full. Not only is she the owner of Beyond the Page, a book and curio shop, but her flakey cousin isn’t coming to work regularly leaving only Addison and her shop assistant, Paige Stringer, during the Fire and Ice Festival. Unfortunately, Addie finds yet another dead body, right behind the bakery belonging to Paige’s mother, Martha Stringer. Worse yet, Martha is the primary suspect and Addie is determined to prove her innocent, no matter how much effort it takes her!

A PAGE MARKED FOR MURDER has a lot going on and yet none of it is irrelevant or overwhelming. Yes, we have multiple red herrings, but we also dig a bit deeper into the pasts of some of the Greyborne Harbor residents. I love that we are getting to see the earlier years of some of the older residents and how those relationships all tie together. It brings the small-town feel of the storyline to the forefront while also providing us with some marvelous character development.

And oh, do I love Pippi! Gloria McBride’s dog, Pippi, practically steals the show with her absolute adorableness and I’m not surprised that Addie falls in love with the little dog. I hope we get to see Addie with her own furbaby in future books! Pippi provides just the right amount of warmth and smiles in a book that takes us into some emotional places. Have your Kleenex handy on this one, as Lauren Elliott is prepared to take you through a gamut of emotions!

A PAGE MARKED FOR MURDER is the fifth book in A Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series, and wow, what a story Lauren Elliott has for readers! I love how each book in the series centers around a particular book, and A PAGE MARKED FOR MURDER hearkens back to a favorite of many, THE SECRET GARDEN. Oh, how I wish I could see the beautiful bookstore window decorated to highlight this beautiful book from my own childhood memories! Lauren Elliott has a magical way of making the books come alive through the mysteries, not only showing their value monetarily but reminding us all of the joy of reading. If you love good books and cozy mysteries, A PAGE MARKED FOR MURDER may just be your cup of tea!

Learn more about A PAGE MARKED FOR MURDER

SUMMARY

A murder and a missing book have Addie Greyborne running around her Massachusetts town trying to read the clues . . .

January isn’t the season for the seaside, but the big Fire and Ice festival is keeping bookstore owner Addie busy. Amid the plans for a fireworks display and an ice-carving competition, she’s also dog sitting for a friend in the hospital. When Addie goes to her friend’s house to gather supplies, she notices an interesting item on the nightstand which belongs to her shop assistant, Paige: a very valuable copy of the beloved children’s book The Secret Garden.

But Addie’s blood runs cold when she finds something else: a dead body behind the bakery next door to her shop. Martha, the bakery owner, has no alibi—and has been seen in a heated argument with the victim. And the next thing Addie knows, that first edition has gone missing. Is there a connection between the body and the treasured tome? If there is, it’s up to Addie to find a killer with a motive as hidden as Frances Hodgson Burnett’s famous garden . . .

EXCERPT

“No, I made the assumption that Martha had second thoughts and either took it when we were packing the bag or went back for it.”

Addie’s gaze dropped. She knew full well that any kind of emotional appeal to this woman would be a waste of breath. Detective Ryley Brookes was all evidence-based in her investigations, and Addie couldn’t argue with the evidence. Martha was seen having two public squabbles with the victim, who had a rocky history with Martha’s youngest daughter, and the body was discovered behind Martha’s bakery. However, Ryley’s flippant attitude regarding the missing book was another thing. This was something Addie could press.

“Look, I know that you’d like nothing better than to think of this as just a misplaced children’s book, and it will turn up at some point. But I’m convinced, because of the worth of this book, that something else is going on here. If you struggle with taking my word for it, ask Marc. He’ll tell you about my gut feelings. They’re rarely wrong.”

Ryley’s jaw tightened. Addie had clearly struck the wrong chord with the detective. Addie stifled a laugh. It must be something taught in police academies because that was the same tell Marc had when she struck a nerve with him.

Detective Brookes pinned her dark, unwavering eyes on Addie’s. “Tell you what I’m going to do. I’ll send two of my officers over to have a look around at Gloria’s house, and if they feel anything looks out of place or suspicious, then we’ll launch an investigation.”

“It’s the best I can do right now,” Ryley said, and clicked the intercom button. “Desk Sergeant Coleman, can you come in here for a moment.”