Murder by the Bookend by Laura Gail Black

Murder by the Bookend

Book Summary

Antiquarian bookseller Jenna Quinn sleuths again when a pair of glass bookends puts an end to a librarian's life, in this second installment of Laura Gail Black's cozy series.

The quaint warehouse district of Hokes Folly, NC, is hopping despite the drizzly November chill. The occasion? The mountain town's beloved antiquarian bookstore, Twice Upon a Time, is throwing a bash for its grand reopening. But bookseller Jenna Quinn's peace of mind is shattered when the local library's Director of Antique Books turns up dead in the parking lot--his head bashed in by a glittering pair of vintage glass bookends.

As they examine the murder scene, Jenna and her police detective boyfriend happen upon the only witness--the victim's dog, who flees the scene leaving a trail of bloody footprints behind. If only dogs could speak, Jenna might be able to make quick work of the murder case and get back to stocking her bookcases.

Alas, finding the killer won't be so easy, even though this is not Jenna's first murder investigation--indeed, she inherited Twice Upon a Time from her slain uncle. The suspect list is voluminous--the late librarian had not-so-friendly run-ins with numerous guests--but suspicion eventually centers on three unsavory individuals who left the party shortly before the victim did.

Now, Jenna must edit her inventory of suspects from three names to one, before the bloodthirsty bookend-wielder becomes the author of Jenna's demise.

My Thoughts

Murder by the Bookend by Laura Gail Black has Jenna Quinn having a grand reopening of the bookshop she inherited from her uncle.  She is renaming the store to Twice Upon a Time.  The party has a few bumps along the way, but it seemed to go well.  That is until Linus Talbot is found dead in the parking lot.  Jenna must deal with disagreeable Detective Frank Sutter once again since her beau, Keith Logan is a witness.  Jenna is told to stay out of the investigation, but she has no intention of obeying.  Linus was a kind man with a sweet dog, and he was killed in her parking lot.  Plus, Jenna does not trust Detective Sutter.  Jenna begins gathering information that will lead her to Linus’ killer.  Murder by the Bookend is the 2^nd book in An Antique Bookshop Mystery series.  I believe it can be read as a standalone.  A summary of the main details from For Whom the Book Tolls is included.  It contains good writing with steady pacing.  I like the small town of Hokes Folly, North Carolina.  The author provided vivid descriptions of the town along with the residents.  We are introduced to quite a few people in the beginning of the book as they attend the grand reopening.  There are a couple of individuals who I would have preferred as the victim instead of the Linus Talbot (maybe in the next book).  There are several suspects in Linus’ death.  There is a good misdirect to lead readers away from the true culprit.  The clues are there to help readers solve the crime. I was left with an unanswered question regarding the mystery at the end. I just loved Linus’ dog, Eddy (full name Edition).  He is a sweet dog.  There is a little violence in the story as well as a small amount of profanity.  I did have some trouble relating to Jenna which meant I was never able to become fully immersed into the story.  I also felt the romance between Jenna and Keith Logan progressed too quickly for a cozy mystery.  Murder by the Bookend is a quaint Southern cozy mystery with a cute canine, blown glass bookends, a departed antiquarian, a banged-up book, a disgruntled detective, and a sleuthing bookseller.  

Murder by the Bookend is available from Amazon*.  The first novel in An Antique Bookshop Mystery series is For Whom the Book Tolls.  You can follow Laura Gail Block on Amazon and get updates on her latest releases.  Thank you so much for stopping by today.  Tomorrow I am showcasing The Heart of Splendid Lake by Amy Clipston.  This is Amy Clipston's first non-Amish novel.  I hope you will join me to learn more about this new tale.  May you have a serene day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

For Whom the Book Tolls by Laura Gail Black

 For Whom the Book Tolls by Laura Gail Black

Book Summary

For Whom the Books Tolls by Laura Gail Black has Jenna Quinn retreating to Hokes Folly, North Carolina at the invitation of her uncle.  After what happened in Charlotte, Jenna needed an escape.  Jenna arrives in the middle of the night and heads straight to bed in the guest room.  She wakes up the next morning and goes looking for her uncle.  She finds Uncle Paul dead at the bottom of the spiral staircase that leads from the apartment to the bookshop.  Unfortunately, Detective Frank Sutter has pegged Jenna as the prime suspect because of what occurred in Charlotte.  When Detective Sutter learns that Jenna is the sole beneficiary of over a million dollars, he is even more determined to nail her for the crime.  Jenna decides to take matters into her own hands.  She makes friends with her new neighbor, Rita who wants to help Jenna prove her innocence.  Rita knows the players and who had a beef with Paul.  Jenna will need to work quickly if she does not want a repeat of what happened in Charlotte.

My Thoughts

For Whom the Books Tolls by Laura Gail Black is the debut of An Antique Bookshop Mystery series.  I enjoyed this new cozy mystery.  I thought it was well-written with steady pacing.  I loved the descriptions of the historic district of Hokes Folly, North Carolina.  There are charming shops with apartments above them.  I was envious of the bookshop filled with regular and antique books.  Jenna gets the glorious task of sorting through all the volumes and putting them into order.  I liked Jenna’s neighbor, Rita.  She is a lively character.  The whodunit was intriguing.  Jenna finding her uncle dead and becoming the prime suspect is a cliché, but I loved the bookshop so much that I overlooked it.  I was not a fan of Detective Frank Sutter.  I am tired of the truism of a nasty detective who becomes determined to pin the crime on the relative.  Detective Sutter’s partner, Detective Keith Logan was much nicer, and he is easy on the eyes.  There are a couple of suspects along with good clues and a red herring.  Jenna turns out to be a decent amateur sleuth. I liked that there was a complete wrap-up of the crime with an unexpected revelation or two.  We are not left with any lingering questions regarding the mystery.  I am looking forward to reading the next An Antique Bookshop Mystery.  For Whom the Books Tolls is an engaging cozy mystery with bibliophile lovers’ bookshop, a determined detective, a kindly neighbor, a dubious developer, and a resolute relative.

For Whom the Book Tolls is available from Amazon*.  Thank you for reading my review.  I am off to finish cleaning out one of the sheds on our property (we have too much stuff).  I found items in there leftover from a yard sale we had almost fifteen years ago.  Unfortunately, it looks like squirrels  used the box for a nest (yuck).  It is all heading for the trash.  Tomorrow I am sharing my thoughts on The Flame Within by Liz Harris.  It is the 2nd book in The Linford Series.  I hope that you have a rewarding day.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.