Author: Victoria Gilbert
Publication: 11 August 2020
Format: Kindle eBook
A book lover's B&B in an idyllic waterfront village becomes the scene of a grisly murder--and a ruthless battle between treachery and the truth.
Nestled in the historic waterfront town of Beaufort, North Carolina, Chapters Bed-and-Breakfast is a reader's paradise. Built in 1770, the newly renovated inn hosts a roster of special events celebrating books, genres, and authors. It's the perfect literary retreat--until a rare book dealer turns up dead in the carriage house during a celebration of Golden Age mystery author Josephine Tey.
The victim's daughter points the finger at forty-two-year-old widow and former schoolteacher Charlotte Reed, who inherited the B&B from her great-aunt Isabella. Charlotte is shocked to discover that the book dealer suspected Isabella of being a thief who founded Chapters on her ill-gotten gains. Charlotte has successfully learned the B&B business in a year, but nothing has prepared her to handle a death on the premises.
Armed with intelligence and courage and assisted by her vibrant older neighbor, a visiting author, and members of a local book club, Charlotte is determined to prove her innocence and to clear her great-aunt's name. But the murderer is still at large, and equally determined to silence anyone who might discover the truth behind the book dealer's death. Now, Charlotte must outwit an unknown killer--or end up writing her own final chapter.
Ramble-y Teaserish Stuff
I started to read this last week and then thought maybe I would wait and read a Tey or two first since that's who they're celebrating at Chapters bed & breakfast in the book ... and then I got distracted by ugh-ness at work ... and another totally unrelated book ... and finally just decided that Tey can keep waiting. It's been a rather murderous handful of days so perfect for a cozy. Right? Sure. We'll go with that.
Right off the bat I loved the concept of the bookish bed & breakfast. I'm a book nerd who has worked in hotels for over half her life. This sounds like an absolute dream ... so of course a guest has to get killed and the proprietor has to be one of the main suspects. Keeping the dream alive and all that. Luckily, I suppose, I don't have any aunts -- great or otherwise -- who have an inn bouncing around to bequeath to yours truly so I'm probably safe. Especially lucky since this is the first in the series of at least three, so I guess people are going to keep dropping like flies.
In this first installment the victim was a horrible human being so there was no shortage of suspects. Luckily, Charlotte and her friends and neighbors are all mystery fans (because of course they are) and step up to solve the murder (because of course they do) and save the bed & breakfast in the process.
Woo-freakin-hoo!
I've told you it's been a bad few days. I'm a little punchy.
Probably didn't help that there are sooooo many characters and suspects and horribly annoying people. It reminded me a little too much of work this week.
And then there's Charlotte.
She's a widow.
She will mention this repeatedly.
I stopped counting at the 30th mention. I'm very happy that she was very happy and feel sad for anyone -- fictional or not -- who has lost the love of their life .... but it got to be a bit much.
I would still recommend this to cozy fans in spite of my gripes. For that we can thank feisty 70-something next door neighbor, Ellen. She may very well be what saved this for me and why I'll pick up the next one. Maybe things won't be quite so ugh when I read that and I won't be quite so irritably nitpicky.
Maybe.
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"Teaser Tuesday" at The Purple Booker asks for a random line or two from anywhere in the book currently being read.
2 comments:
I enjoy B&B settings and this sounds like a rather good cozy.
I read this one and really enjoyed it.
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