Thousand Islands bookseller Shelby Cox is caught between a lethal rock and a hardheaded newcomer in Essie Lang’s third Castle Bookshop mystery, a must-read for fans of Lorna Barrett and Vicki Delany.Wake up on a houseboat, moored in scenic Alexandria Bay, New York. Ride the gentle waves to work at quaint Bayside Books, where you spend your days supplying literature and conversation to the … literature and conversation to the charming locals and seasonal tourists. Sounds pleasant, doesn’t it? Except bookseller Shelby Cox has already sleuthed two murders from Bayside Books’s home base on Blye Island, one of New York State’s famed Thousand Islands. And this time, mayhem knocks right on Shelby’s waterside door when she finds a body lodged between the side of her houseboat and the dock, his skull shattered.
The victim is no local, but Shelby can’t shake the feeling she’s seen him before. Twice, in fact–that’s how many times he’s dropped into Bayside Books asking about an enigmatic woman who lived on Blye Island many years before. The last time? The day before he was found. But the poor man obviously was killed elsewhere, so who brought him down to the bay, and why?
When the victim’s daughter hits town demanding answers, Shelby takes the case, despite Police Chief Tekla Stone’s usual reservations. But she uncovers more suspects than there are pages in War and Peace, and Shelby can expect no peace–except the peace of the grave–unless she can turn the page on this grisly mystery.
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Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It has been published in March 2021.
“A Deadly Chapter” by Essie Lang was a disappointment.
I was drawn to it by the beautiful cover and by the enticing blurb, but the actual book never managed to capture my attention or imagination.
There’s too much conversation, too little action.
The action starts early on, alright: a body is found at the very beginning of the novel… but afterwards, not much else happens for a very long time.
I thought this was a story about an amateur sleuth, but the actual investigation covers about 10% of the novel and the remaining 90% focuses on the protagonist’s everyday life. I wouldn’t have minded if the author had made it interesting – there are plenty of detective books that I’ve loved where the primary focus is the detective’s private life – but in this particular case… it’s just too boring to bear!
The protagonist spends *several consecutive chapters* discussing her work roster in painstaking detail: why she doesn’t work on Mondays, and should she start working on Mondays, and what other options can be found in order to keep her Mondays free… Who cares?!
At one point, she compares her life to the plot of one of the books she has for sale in her bookshop. She says: “It’s about a woman who moves back home trying to find herself and finds romance with a bit of a mystery. Just like me.” So, if you want to read a 320-pages book about a self-centred, self-pitying woman who’s trying to find herself (and romance), go on and read “A Deadly Chapter”. You’d better not be here for the mystery, though, because there’s only *a bit* of that.
The only positive notes that I can think of are: the amazing cover; the deeply feminist soul of this story; and the fact that, despite this being the third book in a series, it’s pretty accessible to a casual reader who hasn’t read the previous two instalments.
Overall, I can’t honestly recommend this book.
A Deadly Chapter by Essie Lang is the 3rd novel in A Castle Bookshop Mystery series. You can read A Deadly Chapter on its own if you are new to the series. I thought A Deadly Chapter was easy to read with developed characters. I enjoy the description of the castle bookshop and of Alexandria Bay. I love Shelby’s houseboat (if I did not own so many books, I would love to live on one). Shelby is happy in Alexandria Bay with house home, job, Aunt Edie, and her boyfriend, Zack Griffin. The whodunit is mixed bag for me. The mystery was thought out with subtle clues and several suspects. The problem for me was that I could identify the guilty party at the beginning of the book. I wish the mystery had been more of a challenge to solve. Shelby was originally going to stay out of the case (you knew that would not last long), but unanswered questions bothered her. Then the victim’s daughter comes town needing answers. Shelby is soon knee deep in the case. She does not even let an injury slow her down. A Deadly Chapter is a busy book. Shelby’s boyfriend, Zack Griffin gets a promotion, and it will mean big changes for him. What does it mean for Shelby? Shelby’s mother disappeared from her life when she was a child and now she is back in town. Can Shelby handle seeing Merrily? Plus, Shelby is busy helping to organize a mystery event with the library. What does the future hold for Shelby? You will need to read A Deadly Chapter to find out. I would have liked more focus on the whodunit and less on Shelby’s personal life. A Deadly Chapter is a lively cozy mystery with a chummy cat, a perturbed police chief, a crafty killer, a disturbed daughter, and a busy bookstore.
A Deadly Chapter is the third book in the Castle Bookshop Mystery by Essie Lang in which Shelby Cox is enjoying living on on her houseboat until one morning she woke up to find a body floating in the water outside of her houseboat. The victim, Nathan Miller had been looking for woman that had moved to Alexandria Bay, New York about seven-years ago. Zack Griffin, Shelby’s boyfriend is hoping that Shelby won’t involve herself in this mystery.
Speaking of Zack, he drops a bomb shell on Shelby about taking a job and Boston and wants Shelby to move with him. On top of that Shelby mother is back in town!
I love this book and highly recommend the whole series to you! The characters are well developed, story line was great and I would read another book by Essie Lang. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
This is the third book in the series but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the previous two. Shelby had so much gong on with a murder, issues with her boyfriend and the reappearance of her mother that she was pretty unlikable for me this time around. Luckily there were positives to fall back on. Who doesn’t want to live on a houseboat and run a bookstore in a castle?! And the setting is wonderful enough that I’ll be looking forward to book 4. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I’m voluntarily providing an honest review.
A Deadly Chapter is the third book in the series and the first I read. While the mystery can easily be read on its own, I think reading the earlier books would help with a connection to the protagonist as there is a developing romance as well as family secrets. On first reading, I really didn’t care for her.
There are two mysteries to be solved. Shelby, our protagonist discovers a body lodged between the pier and the houseboat where she lives. She recognizes the man as someone who has stopped by her bookstore inquiring about a woman who lived there.
The mysteries are who murdered the victim and who is the woman he is searching for and why. The woman was foreshadowed enough so it wasn’t a surprise when Shelby discovered her identity but I was surprised at who the murderer was.
All in all, an enjoyable read.
I received an ARC from Netgalley but the opinion expressed is my own.
A Deadly Chapter is the third installment in the “A Castle Bookshop Mystery” series. Shelby, a bookshop owner, and houseboat lover, has a knack for getting involved in murder investigations. Even when her family, friends, and the police tell her to stay out of it. She can’t help herself, she just happens to stumble across bodies, and there doesn’t appear to be any hope of her not getting into the thick of things.
Shelby is many things, a bookshop owner, a loyal friend, a compassionate niece, and a neighbor, but no matter how likable she may be, there are times when she is challenging to understand. I love her determination, the bookshop, her houseboat, all of which make her a unique character. But she is also a bit immature with a rebellious teenage nature. This character’s greatest downfall is her inability to think before she acts, which significantly impacts the story.
A killer is not someone you want to mess with, invite to your place of work, or your houseboat. If they have killed once, there’s a good chance they will do it again if it means getting away with it. Shelby seems to invite trouble into her life, her business, and her romance. The victim is not someone she knows but has only spoken with twice, she doesn’t even know his name, yet she gets involved in investigating before the body is even cold. There are a few suspects, but none seem to have a valid motive for murdering a man. Evidence, although present, isn’t what it should be.
This series and A Deadly Chapter, in particular, has always had a few minor issues that are easily fixed. A few questions raised in this book were left unanswered, but none made a difference to the outcome. However, this can be a sticking point for some readers. Overall this book is enjoyable to read, has enough mystery to keep readers guessing, and a couple of twists that add value along the way. Shelby’s bookshop and houseboat are always a pleasure to visit, and her Aunt Edie is a wonderful character that many would like to spend more time with. The love interest is a bit rocky for a while, but in the end, it works out well. Readers will enjoy this book, but I highly suggest reading the other two in the series first.
Read 3.9.2021
First, it must be established that this is most decidedly NOT a cozy mystery. This is a less-than-averagely written fiction that just happens to have a dead body in it. I knew by chapter 5 who the killer was and then had to sit through the rest of the book and all of Shelby’s life and shenanigans that had precious little to do with the mystery itself [HOW many life disasters can one person have in one book?? It was a bit ridiculous]. Shelby should have taken time off from work for all the mooning and disconnectedness [HOW does her job even keep going is beyond me and she does pass a lot of stuff off on Laura in this book, though some of it is understandable with her arm issue] and stuff she had to deal with. It made for a very busy, very disjointed, very L O N G book. And the end with the reveal [FINALLY] of the murderer [which doesn’t come until 93%] is extremely anticlimactic and do not EVEN get me started on the whole ending with Shelby and Zach.
Sigh.
I was really hoping that book 2 was a fluke and that this one would be better, but if anything, it was more problematic. Along with all of the above, there are major inconsistencies throughout the book [the MC unpacked the food from the cartons and then two pages later, her Aunt passes her the carton to serve herself from; wine with a screw top being touted as “expensive” and high end wine {no. just. no}, the MC walking to the library and the police station and then driving away etc etc etc] that just kept the book off balance [when the story-line was not] and was rather distracting.
With all this, I have to say I am done with this series. It is a huge disappointment because for the most part I like Shelby and I adore her Aunt Edie and Matthew and the supporting characters in the town. I just cannot deal with how poorly the last two were written and how little of a mystery was in this one. Very, very, disappointing.
Thank you to NetGalley, Essie Lang, and Crooked Lane Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Another great book in the Castle Bookshop series from Essie Lang. This time around the story begins with Shelby finding a dead body floating in the water just outside her houseboat and the story rolls along at a good pace from the get go. Shelby realizes she recognizes the man as someone who stopped in the castle bookstore twice over the last several months, both times asking questions about a woman he was searching for in the area. Shelby wracks her brain trying to recall the name of the woman. Zack is out of town working on a Coast Guard case and can only come back to see Shelby every couple of weekends. On one weekend visit, he springs big news on her and a big question for her too. Shelby is working hard trying to figure out who killed the man she found dead and continues to interfere in Chief Stone’s investigation. Will Shelby solve the mystery? What will her answer be to Zack’s big question? Check in with Shelby, Erica, Zack, Aunt Edie, Matthew, Chief Stone and all the others in Alexandria Bay to find out.
Shelby Cox is co-owner of Bayside Books in Alexandria Bay, New York where she works the store location that is in a castle on Blye Island. One morning after waking up in her houseboat, she finds a body in the water. While the victim isn’t local, Shelby has seen and talked with him before. When the victim’s daughter contacts Shelby, the two of them begin looking into things.
I’ve really enjoyed this series and, for the most part, this book is a great read which I did like very much. However, there were some errors and continuity issues throughout that somewhat detracted from the story for me. The characters are wonderful and the mystery will keep you guessing for quite a while. I was drawn into the story from the beginning and, despite the errors, I didn’t want to put the book down. I’m really looking forward to more from this series. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order.
A DEADLY CHAPTER by Essie Lang is the third book in the Castle Bookshop Mystery series. It’s the well-crafted cozy mystery centered round Shelby Cox, co-owner of Bayside Books alongside her Aunt Edie.
Shelby and her cat, JT, live in a houseboat on the coast of Alexandria Bay, New York. She is the manager of the recently opened second Bayside Books located inside the castle on Blye Island, one of the Thousand Islands off the coast. It’s just a short ferry ride to work. One morning in preparation to go to work, she hears a noise. Upon exploring its origin, she finds a body floating face down wedged between her houseboat and the dock. Even though she’s dealt with bodies before – twice in the last year in fact, it still leaves her visibly unnerved. More so knowing she’s going to have to answer Chief Tekla Stone’s questions AGAIN.
After Chief Stone shows her photos of what Nathan Miller, the victim, looked like, she remembers that he had been in the store a couple times asking about a woman he thought might now live in the area. Who was she? Did he ever find her? Was this mystery woman connected to his death? Although she had promised the Chief that she wasn’t going to get involved this time, when Hilary, the victim’s daughter, approached her about helping her find out what happened to her father and with her mind wanting answers too, she agrees to help her.
On top of the murder, Shelby comes face to face with the mother that abandoned her years ago. Initially upset and choosing not to face her, she eventually decides that she needs answers in this section of her life as well. Can she make peace with the past in order to make her future as bright as it can possibly be?
Like a fly on the wall, we get little glimpses into the brewing romance between Shelby and Zack, who are able to keep things percolating long distance most of the time due to Zack’s job. With Zack’s looming promotion and move to Boston, their met ups may be fewer and farther between – unless Shelby can give up all she’s come to love (being close to her Aunt, her new friend family, the book store she loves, and even her houseboat and independence) and go with him. But is she sure that her feelings are that strong and is she willing to give everything she knows to go?
While sorting out her personal life, Shelby has very few clues to work on in this latest murder investigation. What is the significance of the eagle feather found in the victim’s pocket? Can the references of the mystery woman and the denominator of seven years help them find this woman of interest? Was Nathan’s work with the Alexandria Bay town council have anything to do with his death? Not even an arm injury caused by a fleeing thief on the island is going to keep Shelby down, but can she piece all the puzzle together before she finds herself in grave danger? Can Shelby find balance in her life and those she loves without having to give up anything?
Essie Lang grabs your attention in the first chapter, takes you on a wide array of twists, turns and wrong assumptions before wrapping it all up in a fabulous unexpected reveal. If like me, I’m sure you will guess incorrectly, but it totally makes perfect sense. A DEADLY CHAPTER is a fabulous book that all cozy mystery readers or just anyone that loves a great book will love.
A DEADLY CHAPTER can most definitely be read as a standalone book. However, after reading this one and falling in love with the wonderful characters in the book, Bayside Books and Blye Island, you will be searching out the other books in the series as well as other books by this author. I give this book 5+ stars and anxiously await for the next book in the series!
Shelby Cox isn’t sure what woke her, but she’s glad something did because she’s going to be late opening Bayside Books. Stepping out onto the upper deck of her houseboat to check the weather, Shelby hears a thunk. Investigating the noise, she finds a body of floating in the water. Her houseboat now a crime scene, Shelby is forced to her aunt’s house for breakfast and a change of clothes since pajamas aren’t appropriate retail wear.
At the store, the police chief shows Shelby a picture of a man’s body. Shelby recognizes him. He has visited the bookstore twice, once in the fall and the day before his body is found. Shelby doesn’t know his name. What she does know is the unknown man was looking for a woman who had moved to the area seven years ago. Shelby feels she owes the man something since she had talked to him twice and found his body. Shelby inserts herself into the investigation. As Shelby draws closer to the truth, she puts herself in the killer’s path. Will she solve the mystery or become another body in the bay?
Recommended.
This series captivated me from the beginning and gets better with each novel! A booklover’s dream, we visit the beautiful Thousand Islands area of upstate NY, working in a bookstore in a castle on one of the islands. In this compelling third in series, there is a baffling mystery and a huge change of relationships for Shelby. The author’s descriptions of spring in Alexandria Bay brought it to life for this reader, and we learn more about the characters who have cobbled together a wonderful family.
Shelby returned to Alexandria Bay a year ago, where she had once lived when a very young child. For years, she had been told her mother had died, and only recently learned that her mother was still alive and had left Shelby and her father. She and Aunt Edie are is part owners of the two bookshops that Aunt Edie manages. She only planned help while Edie had surgery, then quickly grew to love her aunt and the area, and for the first time had real friends. She met Zach, an investigator with the Coast Guard, and they have grown close. She also helped solve two murders. She is not one of Sheriff Tekla Stone’s favorite residents, but they have forged a mutual respect.
Early one morning, Shelby saw a dead body between her houseboat and the dock. The man had a head injury, so either he fell and hit his head, or someone hit him and sent him into the water. Shelby knew the man slightly; Nathan had been in the bookstore at Blye Castle last fall, and again the day before. He was from Fulsome Falls and looking for a woman who may have moved there seven years earlier. He had been to the main bookstore, library, and various shops. Nobody recognized the woman’s name or photo. Shelby had no plans to look into his death. At least, not until learning that he was the father of a one of her acquaintances, Hilary, an artist who had a showing at the local gallery.
Zach has been in Buffalo on a special project. He has just been promoted and when finished in Buffalo, will have to move to Boston and would like Shelby to consider joining him. Shelby is happy to finally be with family and loves Edie and being mothered by her. She loves working at the bookstore at the castle and has close friends as she had never had when living in Boston before. Her choice is either a long-distance relationship, giving up Zach, or moving with him and being far from her beloved aunt and friends. Then her mother came to town wanting to make amends. Shelby is not ready to listen to her after being rejected by her for so many years, much less give her a second chance.
Helping Hilary talk with people about her father annoys the sheriff, but they do share a little information they find with her. The decision regarding Zach is huge, as is the one about her mother, both consuming her thoughts. Plot twists add suspects, especially as they learn about the consulting work Nathan did locally. The mystery unfolds at a perfect pace, and I enjoyed the castle bookstore, wondering what decisions Shelby would make, and who really killed Nathan. The twist at the end is a huge surprise! The ending is satisfactory, with no loose ends. I highly recommend this to those who enjoy unique settings, bookstores, and well-written cozy mysteries with a good balance of family and relationship challenges.
From a thankful heart: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
Life is good for Shelby, part owner of Bayside Books as she helps run the main bookshop and the other one nestled in Blye castle on Blye Island. Sure she has been involved in solving a few murders, much to the dismay of the local police. Despite all of that, nothing prepared her for a corpse to find its way to her very doorstep. Yes, houseboats don’t really have doorsteps but this corpse was making a good attempt. She had seen him a couple of times at the store when he asked about a woman who had moved there almost a decade before. The police want her to stay away from the case but the man’s daughter asks Shelby to help catch the killer. With enough experience from her previous investigating, Shelby agrees. It isn’t long be fore the list of possible suspects is rather long and Shelby finds herself in harms way. She has a knack for taking undue risks but she also manages to catch the killer. Added to Shelby’s life are several personal events that will have a serious impact on her future.
As with most cozies, the setting is great, the characters are people I would like to spend some time with and the puzzle satisfying. While I prefer to read series in order, this can easily be read as a stand alone.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Shelby certainly has a lot thrown at her in a short time. How would you deal with all the decisions that she has to make? But on the up side, how much fun would it be to own a bookstore inside a castle? I have a picture in my mind what it looks like with all the shops. How fun would that be to visit? There are some interesting characters in this story, which always makes for good reading. The story line was good and I can’t wait to see what happens the next time I get to visit. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.
A Deadly Chapter is the third book in the Castle Bookshop Mystery series by Essie Lang.
This is the first book I’ve read in this series and it was easy to read as a standalone book.
Shelby wakes up and finds a body in the water next to her houseboat. She was warned not to get involved in the investigation by the police chief, but there wouldn’t be a story if that happened. On top of that, there are unexpected relationship issues she has to deal with.
While investigating, Shelby makes some potentially dangerous mistakes which she will hopefully learn from for the sake of her family and friends.
The characters and setting are wonderful and it sounds like a place I’d like to visit. There were definitely twists in this that I didn’t see coming and I look forward to continuing with this series.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the free copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
A Deadly Chapter is the third book in the A Castle Bookshop Mystery series by Essie Lang.
One morning Shelby Cox goes out to stand on the deck of her houseboat. Out of peripheral vision, she notices something floating in the water between her houseboat and the dock. She soon learns that it is the body of a man. Police Chief Tekla Stone later returns with a picture of the man. Shelby realizes that he had come into her Blye Castle bookstore. She doesn’t know who he is but remembers that he asked about a woman who moved to Alexandra Bay some seven years ago. Of course, Stone warns Shelby about investigating, but Shelby is smart enough not to promise not to get involved. Shelby was interested in learning who the victim was but wasn’t really doing any sleuthing until the victim’s daughter came to town asked Shelby to help her find out who killed her father and why.
Also, Shelby and her boyfriend, Zack Griffin, have reached a difficult decision in their relationship. Zack is an investigative officer with the Coast Guard and is being considered for an assignment in Boston and would like Shelby to move there with him. Shelby doesn’t want to move and is unsure about having a relationship that far away. It hasn’t been that long ago that she learned that her mother is still alive, having been told as a young child that she had died. Out of the blue, her mother has come to town and would like to see her.
I always enjoy my visits to Alexandra Bay/Byle Island and Shelby’s time and the wonderful and believable residents. The story is well-written and plotted. There were enough red herrings in the book that kept me guessing who the killer was until the end.
I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in this delightful series.
It isn’t in my nature, but I just couldn’t finish this. It seemed to go on and on. It may be that my tastes were the problem and wedding dress fittings, and an overbearing mother-in-law are not my thing. When we finally got to the group of ladies sitting around in their yacht estate suite beginning to draw facts together and work out the murder, I thought it would pick up. By that time though I think it had been too long for me.
Shelby loves living in a houseboat except when she finds a dead body floating next to her home. She knows, and is constantly reminded by the chief of police, that she shouldn’t get involved. However the victim’s daughter wants help to find out what happened and Shelby really wants to know too. Shelby soon finds her life is full of stress with the murder and two personal decisions that could change her life.
This is a solid mystery with a great setting. With three things going on of importance the reader really becomes connected wondering what will happen in the end. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.
Author Essie Lang knows how to grab the reader’s attention from the start. The mystery is full of twists and turns. The characters s are relatable and intriguing. I look forward to the next book in the series to see how the characters continue to develop.
All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.
A Deadly Chapter by Essie Lang is a cozy mystery with Shelby, the bookstore proprietor who lives on a houseboat. if that isn’t fun, enough I’m not sure what is. Of course , there is a murder, a stranger really, until it turns out a lot of people knew him, even though he didn’t love there. The sad thing is that Shelby discovered the boys floating between her houseboat and the dock. Off-putting, to say the least. The police were there in no time, including their 70-year-old female chief. An interesting cast of characters wandered through this book, including Zack, Shelby’s Coast Guard police boyfriend who wanders in and out; Edie, her coffee shop owning friend; and her aunt Edie, who is her partner in the bookstores and works in the other one. Oh, yes, I forgot to mention that Shelby’s bookstore is on an island with a castle.
This book started off a little slow, possibly my fault as this is the first of the series I have read. Shelby turns out to be a pretty good character and a decent sleuth, not shy, although she says she is; and clever at putting together clues. She juggles well, keeping a lot of plates in the air, including some that will be revealed as the book progresses. Her houseboat seems like a good place to live, and he job keeps her pretty busy for a bookstore at a tourist destination. It is a good book, worth the read..
I was invited to read a free ARC of A Deadly Chapter by Netgalley. All opinions contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #adeadlychapter