Buried in Books
Bibliophile Mystery, Book #12
By Kate Carlisle
ISBN: 9780451477743
Author’s Website: katecarlisle(.)com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Summary:
In the latest in this New York Times bestselling series, matrimony and murder collide as San Francisco book-restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright walks down the aisle. . .
Brooklyn has done everything she can to prepare for her nuptials with Derek and simply can’t wait to start her new life with him. But things don’t go as planned when Brooklyn’s college frenemies, Heather and Sara, surprise her with a last-minute bridal shower. However, Brooklyn is touched when the women gift her rare copies of The Three Musketeers and The Red Fairy Book.
When one frenemy is found murdered and one of the rare books is deemed a forgery, Brooklyn can’t help but wonder if the victim played a part in this fraud or if a murderer is still out there scamming and killing. Wedding jitters, counterfeit books, and a killer on the loose could ruin Brooklyn and Derek’s big day. Can they make it down the aisle before more bodies start stacking up? (Goodreads)
Review:
Buried in Books is the twelfth book in the Bibliophile Mystery series by Kate Carlisle. After having read this book, my biggest regret is having entered this series at book 12! Where have I been? Rest assured that I will most definitely go back to book 1 and read the entire series!
The story begins during the final week before Brooklyn Wainwright’s wedding to mega hunk Derek Stone. Concurrently, Brooklyn is also presenting a workshop on bookbinding at the annual National Librarians Association conference being held in her hometown of San Francisco.
The book provides sufficient background on all the key players in the novel so, while not ideal, starting the series at this book was not difficult at all.
The death (murder) did not take place immediately, which was refreshing. The reader got a well rounded story and the necessary background to appreciate Brooklyn’s role as amateur sleuth. In this case, probably more so since the victim is one of her university bestie’s whom she had not seen in close to a dozen years. Additionally, one of the suspects was her other bestie from university. We learn that all three had a falling out due to a man! Rest assured, the man (Leon) is also a suspect as well as being the husband of the murdered woman.
The following provides such a deep insight into Brooklyn’s devotion to her calling as a bookbinder:
“Talk to me,” I murmured. It wasn’t my imagination; books really did talk to me. Not the words on the paper, but the paper itself. The cracked leather, the fractured spine, the torn pages, I head them calling my name. The severed hinge, the shredded headband, the faded gilding. They whispered, Help us, Brooklyn Wainwright, you’re our only hope.”
I empathized with Brooklyn over the loss of her friend Sara and felt her reasoning for keeping The Three Musketeers was valid (a wedding present from Sara – a rare and valuable book). The following excerpt just spoke to me… made me really bond with Brooklyn and her perspective on friendship:
“ As I scrutinized every inch of the rich leather and thick, soft vellum, I had to admit that I was starting to feel guilty for keeping the book when I knew that Rod wanted it back so badly, Clearly, Sara had had no business giving it to me, but she had, and now that she was gone, I was determined to keep the book as her last treasured gift to me.
Was that wrong? Was I just getting back at Rod for screwing up our lives all those years ago? Probably. But I wasn’t about to tell him that, no matter how guilt-ridden I might get about keeping it. Because frankly, the book didn’t mean anything to him-except a hefty amount of cash. But to me The Three Musketeers was a symbol of a happy time in my life when Sara and Heather and I were the best of friends and inseparable.”
Let’s not forget, there is certainly humour in the book as well! One interaction near the end of the book when one of Brooklyn’s sister was talking with the murderer:
“You must be the brains of the outfit,” Savannah said, her voice dripping with scorn. “Yeah, I’m bald, but I can grow my hair back and you’ll still be stuck in Stupidville.”
Needless to say, there was lots going on in this story: romance, murder (of course), some philosophical machinations and let’s not forget…a wedding – jitters and all! The cast of characters are many, but given the wedding scenario, it was easy to keep everyone straight. I found the main story engaging and well told.
There is also romance with this cozy mystery. I love the interactions between Brooklyn and her fiancée Derek. They seem so grounded and like a normal couple, except they are not. Brooklyn is a bookbinder and Derek is in security. From descriptions, Brooklyn is one luck girl because Derek (and ALL his brothers as a matter of fact) are hunks! Now this definitely amped up my enjoyment of the book.
The mothers were a hoot! They got along famously, were sneaky yet loving to their kids. The close knit families were a nice addition to the story line.
I am left without words, I was taken away into a lovely, solitary reading bubble when I read this book. I cannot wait to begin this series from the beginning so that I may understand where the characters came from to get to this point in Buried in Books, book 12 of the Bibliophile Mystery series by Kate Carlisle.
