Set in Edinburgh, Scotland, Lost Books and Old Bones is a delightful new mystery by Paige Shelton, featuring bookseller and amateur sleuth Delaney Nichols. Delaney Nichols, originally of Kansas but settling happily into her new life as a bookseller in Edinburgh, works at the Cracked Spine in the heart of town. The shop is a place filled with curiosities and surprises tucked into every shelf, and … surprises tucked into every shelf, and it’s Delaney’s job to research the rare tomes and obscure artifacts that people come to buy and sell. When her new friends, also students at the medical school, come to the shop to sell a collection of antique medical books, Delaney knows she’s stumbled across a rare and important find indeed. Her boss, Edwin MacAlister, agrees to buy the multivolume set, perhaps even to keep for his own collection.
But not long after the sale, one of Delaney’s new friends is found murdered in the alley behind the Cracked Spine, and she wonders if there is some nefarious connection between the origin of these books and the people whose hands they fell into. Delaney takes it upon herself to help bring the murderer to justice. During her investigation, Delaney she finds some old scalpels in the bookshop’s warehouse–she and discovers that they belonged to a long-dead doctor whose story and ties to the past crimes of Burke and Hare might be connected to the present-day murder. It’s all Delaney can do to race to solve this crime before time runs out and she ends up in a victim on the slab herself.
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Oh! My! I’ve definitely found a new series to start reading. This is my first book by this author but it definitely will not be my last! The mystery is well plotted, the story is wonderfully written and the characters are both relatable and likable. The setting is perfect (Edinburgh) and the author’s descriptions make you feel as if you are right there with the characters. This author includes lots of actual interesting history that she weaves seamlessly into the story. Though this book is part of a series, I had no trouble with understanding the character relationships, so it could be read as a stand-alone. However, the book intrigued me so much that I am going to read the first two books in the series as soon as I can. I’m really looking forward to them and the next books in the series as well. One of the things that I loved was that it was not so filled with sub-plots that you were constantly dragged away from the main plot. Of course, I also like the romance.
Almost a year ago Delaney Nichols left Kansas for her dream job at The Cracked Spine in Edinburgh, Scotland. The Cracked Spine deals in new books as well as antique books, manuscripts, maps, etc. Since her arrival in Scotland, she’s already helped in investigating two murders and she’s certainly glad that is all behind her.
In the last few months, she’s made friends with two students, Sophie and Rena, from the University of Edinburgh Medical School. While they are at a club, celebrating the completion of a big exam, she notices some strange interactions and people and she also meets another student, Mallory and likes her very much. She also meets the odd Dr. Eban who is an instructor at the school. At the end of the evening, she and the students go their separate ways – Mallory and Sophie take one cab, Delaney takes another and Rena takes yet another.
Delaney (I just love that name) gets a call from the bookstore the following morning and is told she needs to get there as soon as she can. As Delaney approaches the store, she is met by chaos. There are police cars, crime scene investigators, policemen and a detective all over the outside of the lovely old bookstore. What in the world is going on? The shop had been broken into and a body had been found outside in the close (alley). Then, she learns that she knows the victim.
As someone who is always intrigued by a mystery, Delaney can’t just sit by and allow the police to do all of the investigating. She shares all she learns, but she refuses to sit idly by and allow others to investigate. Besides, she’s intrigued by some things she knows and doesn’t want to share.
The supporting characters are lovable and quirky and her boyfriend/lover, Tom is just perfect for her. She cares for him more and more but is unsure how long the relationship will last because he has dated half the women in Edinburgh and none of the relationships last more than a few weeks. Strangely, they have been dating for almost a year, so she wonders what is different and how soon he’ll leave her. One of my favorite characters is Artair, Tom’s father. He’s delightful.
I definitely loved the book and recommend it as a great read with a combination of mystery and romance.
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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”
Lost Books And Old Bones is the third book in the A Scottish Bookshop Mystery series.
Delaney is adjusting well to the move to Edinburgh, Scotland. Like the other two books, Delaney is involved in a mystery that is skillfully written around a historical event that occurred in Edinburgh, the infamous body snatchers, William Burke and William Hare.
Delaney has struck up an acquaintance with Mallory, Rena, and Sophie at a pub listening to a local band and enjoying a few drinks. As the evening goes on Sophie and Rena point out Dr. Eban, a professor at Edinburgh School of Medicine, who is also at the pub. Then Eban stops by the ladies table and is introduced to Delaney. When he finds out that she works at The Cracked Spine and asks if the owner, Edwin MacAlister, really has any scalpels owned by Dr. Knox who was involved with Burke and Hare.
After leaving the pub, Delaney meets her boyfriend, Tom, at The Cracked Spine to look in the “secret room” to see if Dr. Knox’s scalpels are in fact there. A set of scalpels are found that definitely could have belonged to Knox.
The next morning when Delaney arrives at work she senses that something is not right and soon finds out that Rosie and Hamlet have found the body of Mallory in the alleyway next to The Cracked Spine. It appears that she might have been trying to break into The Cracked Spine. This poses the question: who killed Mallory and why was she in the alley?
As Delaney begins to investigate who might have killed Mallory, she needs to learn more about Mallory’s friends, Rena and Sophie, as she feels they aren’t sharing everything they know of Mallory. She needs to check up on Dr. Eban who is reportedly a womanizer and is suspected of having had an affair with the victim. Also coming up on Delaney’s radar is Mr. Glenn, who held himself out to be a doctor, but in fact had no medical training. Glenn had been accused of killing a number of patients and his wife before he disappeared. She needs to find out if he is still in the area might be trying to put the blame on those he used to work with. She also needs to take a look at others, too.
Another well-plotted and told story in this interesting series. Most all of the main characters are back once again to help Delaney sort through the tangled webs.
I will definitely be watching for the next book in this great series
Since feisty Delaney Nichols moved from Kansas to Scotland, her life has been filled with old books and bookish treasures; intrigue and danger. She’s found true love with pub owner Tom, and made great friends with her landlords, Elias and Aggie, and her co-workers, Rosie and Hamlet. Delaney is still carefully feeling her way around her mysterious and wealthy employer, Edwin MacAlister.
The morning after Delaney has drinks with some new friends who are medical students at the University of Edinburgh—Sophie, Rena, and their friend, Mallory—The Cracked Spine employees are horrified to find a dead body in the alley behind the shop. Worrisomely, it’s Mallory.
As history mingles into current events; the author leads readers through a grisly past filled with tales of witches, murderers, and thieves. The med students are seemingly afraid of one particular professor, a Dr. Eban, who has a fascination with a missing ex-professor’s (Dr. Robert Knox) methods of illegally acquiring corpses for teaching purposes in anatomy classes. Could Dr. Eban be a killer? Joshua, Delaney’s geeky contact at the museum, and Artair, the librarian who’s also Tom’s father, lend their expertise in researching answers.
Just as the first two stories in the Scottish Bookshop series were for me; this third story is mesmerizing. Clues are abundant, yet I couldn’t quite put my finger on the right answer, however, when the plot pieces together at the end, I marveled at Ms. Shelton’s ability to pen such a complex manuscript. I enjoyed every page of “Lost Books and Old Bones,” and highly recommend this series beginning with book one.
Scotland, Books, wonderful characters, and a mystery to keep you guessing makes it impossible to put this book down once you get started. The writing is just superb at really drawing the reader in while providing a fascinating visual. The area is full of charm and twists that you will never see coming. The little history tidbits are just the icing on top of the cake. Perfect for fans of cozies. I loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.
I liked the flow, romance w/o sex, unique setting and subject
This was my first foray into this series, although I have read other books by this author and let me tell you it was a delightful read. Delaney is out with some friends from the local medical school and is having a blast but one of the girls is acting weird and she doesn’t know what to make of it. When the evening comes to an end Delaney and Rena head out, Rena says something cryptic that worries Delaney but there isn’t much she can do if the girl won’t tell her more. The next morning she receives a call, while enjoying breakfast with her boyfriend Tom, from the bookstore. They rush to The Cracked Spine to find police all over the place, a body has been found and it ends up being one of her new friends but not the one she thought it would be. Why was she at the bookstore and who would want to kill such a vibrant young woman? Follow along as Delaney hunts down clues to help her figure out who the killer could be. Will the secret room remain a secret now that the police know about it? Did one of the other medical students have something to with the girls death and why are they acting funny? Could it have something to do with the weird professor and his interest in an old serial killer? There are so many avenues to look down which made for a fantastic read and a fabulous whodunit. The author manages to weave together a mystery that will have you guessing the whole way through which leaves me excited about going back to the beginning and taking in all that has happened before not to mention what happens next.
Lost Books and Old Bones by Paige Shelton was a pure delight to read. Ms. Shelton never fails to intrigue me with her research of Scotland’s rich heritage. This time it involves the University of Edinburgh’s medical college and it was fascinating.
Delaney has settled into her new life and may have found the love of her life in Tom. Delaney and Tom’s relationship is so open and supportive as Delaney tries to help solve the mysteries that seem to find her wherever she goes. I love The Cracked Spine bookshop! Rosie, Hamlet, Edwin, Elias, Aggie and Tom are so well developed that I feel like I would recognize them on a street in Edinburgh if I were to visit. Ms. Shelton’s descriptive writing always makes me feel like I am present as Delaney travels throughout the city; and her research of Scottish history enlightens me with every book. The mystery is complex, the suspects are multi-layered and the twists kept me guessing until the reveal.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Minotaur Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own. I would like to sincerely thank Minotaur Books for allowing me to read and review the book.
Delaney Nichols has moved to Scotland from Kansas to take a job at the bookshop, The Cracked Spine, and is settling into her new job and life in Edinburgh. When a rare set of medical books is sold to the shop, things start becoming a bit mysterious. Soon afterwards, a friend of Delaney’s friends is found murdered by the bookshop and Delaney is pulled into the investigation. It seems that there may be a connection between this murder and some that occurred years ago.
I’ve really enjoyed this series and this book is no exception. The book was well-written and it pulled me in from the beginning. This quick, fun read has action and romance and wonderful characters. I’m looking forward to the next book and highly recommend this one. I do suggest that you read the series in order for the most enjoyment and benefit.
Fun read and great plot.
Weaving a taste of Scottish history into the story background makes the book feel grounded in reality. Love the characters. The twisted ending was wonderful.
Lost Books and Old Bones by Paige Shelton is the third tale in A Scottish Bookshop Mystery series. Delaney Nichols has relocated to Edinburgh, Scotland where she works at The Cracked Spine, a rare book and manuscript shop. Delaney has two new friends in medical students Rena and Sophie. They met when the ladies brought in some antique medical books to sell (which her boss, Edwin MacAlister loves). She went out to a club with them where they encounter Mallory and Dr. Byron Eban (an odd man). Dr. Eban has a particular fascination in Burke and Hare (two men who killed to obtain corpses for Dr. Knox to use for medical research). Dr. Eban believes Edwin owns the scalpels by the famous Dr. Knox (hidden in his not so secret room). Delaney cannot resist checking for the blades before heading home. The next morning, Delaney gets a call that someone broke into The Cracked Spine and Mallory was found dead in the alley beside the shop with a skull from the medical school next to her. Delaney, with the aid of the books, delves into the case to catch the culprit.
Lost Books and Old Bones can be read alone. The details a reader’s needs are included in this tale. Delaney does talk about past cases in the story as well. I love the setting of this series. The author provides us with beautiful descriptions of Edinburgh as well as historical tidbits. Another delightful part of the book is the books referenced (who doesn’t love visiting a bookstore and browsing for hours). The paranormal element (the books in The Cracked Spine give her cryptic clues) is barely present. I wish the author would incorporate it more into the story. Burke and Hare are an integral part of the story (mystery). Ms. Shelton wove their history into the story. Their tale is creepy and fascinating. Delaney devoted her time to solving the mystery. She goes around asking questions and people just answer them (I know it is fiction but is this realistic). You would think someone would tell her to bugger off. Delaney spends little time at the job that pays her bills, but she does have time for her boyfriend, Tom (and to be jealous of old girlfriend who appeared at the crime scene and happens to be a reporter). The author does not fully flesh out the secondary characters (Rena & Sophie for example). I found the pace to be slow especially in the beginning which was also disjointed. It lacked an ease and flow. There was too much repetition of certain details (how Delaney is not good friends with Sophie and Rena). The mystery had some interesting components (Dr. Eban is particularly unnerving) and there is misdirection to throw readers off the real killer. However, it really did not work as I had no trouble identifying the culprit (the who and why). The story could have used more action (needed something to liven it up). I am rating Lost Books and Old Bones 3 out of 5 stars. Lost Books and Old Bones just failed to capture and hold my attention.
Dollycas Thoughts
Delaney Nichols is feeling more at home in Edinburgh. She has fallen in love, made new friends and is feeling confident about her job at The Cracked Spine. Her friends are all in medical school and recently brought a box of medical books into the shop hoping to sell them quickly. The owner of The Cracked Spine, Edwin MacAlister, buys them thinking they very rare.
Delaney and her friends have an unusual night out in a pub where Delaney meets one of their professors. Her friends tell her the man is “odd” and Delaney has to agree, he is definitely hiding something and maybe her friends are hiding something too. Then the next day she learns one of her friends was murdered behind her store. She is questioned by the police and feels there is much more to the story behind the young woman’s death. She starts doing some investigating on her own. Items in her very own research area could play a major part in helping her solve the case.
This is a complex mystery with many facets that all twist together to solve and help make sense of what led to a young woman’s death. It also has its share of eerie moments. So fitting for a story set in a shop full of curiosities, I loved how history and historical items are what really drove this story.
Delaney is a fabulous protagonist. She has a curious nature and loves to do research, exactly what she needs to sleuth out the truth. I loved her trips to the university, library, and museum to try to find the answers she needed. It was so much fun to tag along as she made each new connection or discovery. I also enjoy the way her relationship with pub owner Tom is evolving. She also has an extraordinary group of people around to support her. Her boss, coworkers, and landlords have really become her Scotland family.
Ms. Shelton does an excellent job of storytelling. She whisks us away to Scotland with such ease. I have never been there but her words make it very easy to imagine each and every place her words take us.
I have completely escaped into all three books in this series. They can all stand alone but I recommend you read them all in order so you can see Delaney’s growth from her arrival from Kansas to her life now in Scotland, plus the stories are fantastic reads.