A Limited Edition Murder
Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery #10
By Lauren Elliott
ISBN 9781496735157
Author’s Website: laurenelliottauthor.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
While in England, a first edition of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights leads bookstore owner Addie Greyborne to a murder on the moors . . .
Although enjoying her extended stay working at Second Chance Books and Bindery in West Yorkshire, Addie still feels adrift—far from home, her friends, and her own beloved bookstore, Beyond the Page Books and Curios. The engagement party of her dear friend, Tony, at Milton Manor promises to be a joyful distraction. But there’s an ill wind blowing at the When Tony presents his fiancé with a special copy of Wuthering Heights as an engagement gift, the lord of the manor insists the book was stolen from his library . . .
Things go from troubling to tragic when Addie takes her Yorkipoo, Pippi, out for a walk on the moors and stumbles across the body of a young woman. When the police suspect Tony of foul play, Addie vows to get to the bottom of what’s going on. But it’s a twisted, treacherous path to the truth and Addie will need to watch her every step . . . (From Goodreads)
Review:
This is my favorite mystery to date in one of my favorite cozy mystery series. Addie’s life changed tremendously in the preceding mystery, “Dedication to Murder”. Since then, she has been in England for over a year, visiting one of her dearest long-time friends, his fiancée, and her new friends. She is a very different young woman than when she boarded the plane for what she thought would be a two-week visit. Her basic personality and her heart for people are the same, but she is stronger, more resilient, and content with her life.
Addie owns Beyond the Page Books and Curios in Greyborne Harbor, Massachusetts. She inherited the family home in Greyborne Harbor, moved there, and opened her bookstore. She enjoyed her life, loved her friends and her business, and Pippi, her sweet pup. She had helped the local police solve several murders, and with the help of her friends was quite good at it.
Each character is designed with care. I learn more about the regular characters in every novel, and those who are only in this mystery, through realistic interactions, behaviors, and actions. Serena, Addie’s best friend, has her tea shop next to Addie’s bookstore. Serena has twin toddlers, one of whom is named after Addie. She is also very close to Paige, her store manager.
I like who Addie has become in the past year even more than I did in the past. Each time she planned to return home, something changed, so she postponed it. She loves England and the life she has in Moorscrag. She rents the cottage on the property where her friend Tony, a best-selling author, lives. He and Addie were very close friends in school, then ran into each other for the first time in many years where Tony’s American estate is. He lives primarily in Moorscrag, at Milton Manor, the ancestral estate of Tony’s publisher, Lord Bentley, who resides in London with his wife. Tony invited Addie to visit him in England and let her heart heal from devastating events. He recommended her for a temporary position at Second Chance Books and Bindery. The owner, Mr. Pressman, is one of the best book restoration craftsmen in the UK.
Addie is like a light, refreshing summer rain. She is kind-hearted and tries to turn discouragement into something positive and beneficial. Her cousin in London, a popular clothing designer, is her only living relative. Addie made several new friends in Moorscrag, including Tony’s fiancée, Hailey, but her friends in America want her home “where she belongs”.
Tony and Hailey’s engagement party was held at Milton Manor. There was an uninvited guest whose significance wouldn’t begin to unfold until the next day. Tony presented Hailey with a special engagement gift. A bibliophile, she was thrilled to receive the limited first edition of Wuthering Heights. Later that evening, Lord Bentley confronted Tony about the rare book. It had gone missing from his private library over twenty years ago – and he wanted it back.
The following day was damp and foggy. Pippi insisted on her walk and, unleashed, ran toward one of her favorite places on the moor. Pippi drew Addie to the remains of a woman she ran into – literally – at the party the night before. She remembered the woman’s elegant, antique pendant with a sapphire and diamonds, as she accidentally spilled champagne on it when running into her. She no longer wore it, and her neck bore wounds of its forceful removal.
Nobody knew the woman, not even Hailey or Tony. Yet within hours, Hailey was accused of, then charged with, the murder. Detective Inspector Noah Parker didn’t seem to like anyone and he especially didn’t believe there was any other possible killer. As Addie began to look into it, she found several indications of it being connected to a twenty-year-old cold case, when Hailey was too young to have been involved.
Solving this case would be difficult if not impossible. Inspector Parker and Addie were determined to get justice for the unknown woman – separately, of course. I had my pet suspect, Addie had hers, Parker wouldn’t share about an open case, and the clock was ticking on Addie’s return to Greyborne Harbor. Pages flew quickly to the tumultuous denouement. This complex, in depth, mystery and its conclusion were very satisfying, and I highly recommend the novel and series!
