Prologue to Murder by Lauren Elliott

Hello!  A Twist in the Tail by Leighann Dobbs is out today.  It is the first book in The Oyster Cove Guesthouse series.  Death is in the Details by Heather Sunseri releases on May 20.  The Codebook Murder by Leslie Nagel publish on May 21 and it is the fourth installment in The Oakwood Mystery series.  There are so many delightful new books coming out.

Prologue to Murder by Lauren Elliott is the latest A Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery.  Addie Greyborne owns Beyond the Page-Books & Curios in Greyborne Harbor where she has recently settled after an inheritance from her aunt.  Addie is hoping trade will pick up in the shop now that the last murder has been solved and it was proven that Addie was not involved.  Unfortunately, Greyborne Harbor Daily News has a new writer for the Miss Newsy column who seems to be targeting Addie.  Miss Newsy states that Addie might know something about the disappearance of local librarian, June Winslow who failed to return home after a book club meeting. Crickets can be heard inside Addie’s deserted bookstore.   June is soon found at the bottom of the stairs inside a utility shed at the park near the library.  Addie may not have known June Winslow, but she has a vested interest in finding her killer.  She is hoping to get helpful intel from Marc Chandler, the chief of police whom Addie is dating.  But then Addie sees Marc with an attractive blonde clinging to his arm.  When a gift wrapped dead rat is left on Addie’s doorstep, it is obvious someone is not happy with Addie’s sleuthing.  She soon discovers that June’s death may relate to her book on the history of the town.  Addie learns that pirates were prevalent in the area along with old caves and a network of tunnels.  What had June stumbled upon that led to her death?   Can Addie clear her name, or will she be the next person to disappear?

 

Prologue to Murder is the second book in A Beyond the Page Mystery series.  I would suggest reading Murder by the Book before embarking on this new tale.  Addie is hoping her new life will get back on track after the last murder.  Unfortunately, it does not seem to be in the cards for Addie.  She has her newcomer status working against her plus her last name.  It does not help to be the subject of gossip in the Miss Newsy column.  Martha, the bakery owner, still dislikes Addie.  It was nice to finally learn why Martha does not like Addie.  Serena and Addie have some friendship issues thanks to the returning Lacey Davenport.  Lacey is a catty woman who is out for herself (I really could not stand this character).  I appreciate that Addie and Serena communicated with each other to work out the issues.  It was nice to see Serena grow as an individual.  We also get to know more about Paige, Addie’s part-time shop assistant.  We are introduced to Dr. Simon Emerson who becomes Marc’s rival for Addie’s affections (I hope the author rectifies this matter quickly).  I could have done with less romance in this book.  I prefer the focus to remain on the mystery and for romance to play out in the background over the course of the series.  The mystery was the best part of the book.  Pirates, hidden tunnels, a missing manuscript and buried treasure are all part of the mystery in Prologue to Murder.   It was nice that the mystery was multifaceted.  Addie’s murder board is back to help her keep track of the various suspects and sort through the clues to identify the guilty party.  Marc needs to learn that Addie is going to investigate and quit asking her to promise not to look into the crimes (she will just find a creative workaround or end up lying to him).   One of the phrases from Prologue to Murder that stuck with me is “sometimes we have to face the demons from our past to make them vanish completely”.  Prologue to Murder will have you singing sea shanties and hankering for rum with its buried treasure, secret tunnels, pirates, a missing manuscript and a dead body.

The next book in A Beyond the Page Mystery series is Murder in the First Edition which releases on September 24.  Thank you for stopping by today.  I will be back tomorrow with my review of Read on Arrival by Nora Page.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader