A murder and a missing book have Addie Greyborne running around her Massachusetts town trying to read the clues . . . January isn’t the season for the seaside, but the big Fire and Ice festival is keeping bookstore owner Addie busy. Amid the plans for a fireworks display and an ice-carving competition, she’s also dog sitting for a friend in the hospital. When Addie goes to her friend’s house to … Addie goes to her friend’s house to gather supplies, she notices an interesting item on the nightstand which belongs to her shop assistant, Paige: a very valuable copy of the beloved children’s book The Secret Garden.
But Addie’s blood runs cold when she finds something else: a dead body behind the bakery next door to her shop. Martha, the bakery owner, has no alibi—and has been seen in a heated argument with the victim. And the next thing Addie knows, that first edition has gone missing. Is there a connection between the body and the treasured tome? If there is, it’s up to Addie to find a killer with a motive as hidden as Frances Hodgson Burnett’s famous garden . . .
“Seaside charm only gets better in winter! A Page Marked for Murder has all the things I love in a book.”
—Vicki Delany
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Some series start to lose my interest by book 5 but this series just keeps getting better and better. This might be my favorite one yet. I wish I could just step into this book. I want to live in a town where they have festivals like the Fire and Ice festival featuring fireworks and ice carving competition. I also love how each book centers around a classic book. This time it’s the SECRET GARDEN. I always want to read (0r in most cases re-read) the classics after reading so much about them in this series. I can’t wait for the next book (luckily she publishes frequently).
Addie is finally finding peace with her cousin, building a relationship with Simon, and closer than ever to her friend Paige and Paige’s family, or at least she thought she was until all broke loose when Paige ex shows up along with her long last dad. If matters could not be worse Pagie ex is murdered and found in the alley behind her mother’s bakery. With Martha accused of the murder what else can Addison do but help prove that Martha didn’t do it.
As the trail fires up on who is behind the mysterious reappearance of Paige’s Dad and Ex, the disappearance of Paige’s childhood book the Secret Garden and who really had it out for Martha.
I can honestly say this is becoming my favorite cozy mystery series. I find the characters refreshing and storyline complex. You really find yourself hoping that Addison may finally get her happy ever after. Lauren has a way of pulling into the tales in a way few have been able to do and you truly find yourself investing in the characters and their lives. I can not wait until the rest of the books unfold because each one makes me reach for another. I was truly lucky to receive an advance reader copy of this tale and will be investing in getting a kindle version as soon as it releases.
A Page Marked For Murder is the fifth book in the A Beyond The Page Mystery series by Lauren Elliott.
Addie arrives at work one morning to find her assistant, Paige, very upset. Paige will tell her that her ex-husband, Brett Palmer, is in town and demanding he see his daughter, and he is going to seek joint-custody of her. He has never been in his daughter’s life or has helped with support. Paige’s mother, Martha, who owns the bakery next door, is as upset with the ex’s demands as Paige is. A day or two later, when Addie arrives for work, she sees a man huddled up next to a heating vent at the rear of Martha’s bakery. Addie thinks it might be “Old Bill,” a homeless man, seeking a little warmth from the cold weather. But as she gets closer, she finds it to be Brett Palmer, a victim of murder. When the police learn of Martha and Brett’s heated altercation, Martha is arrested and taken into custody. Addie and Martha have never been friends, barely tolerating each other. Addie doesn’t think Martha is capable of murder will set off to clear her name.
Addie has another mystery she is trying to solve. Her friend Gloria is doing some final work on Greyborne Harbor’s Fire and Ice Festival decorations when she falls from the ladder. When Addie visits her at the hospital the next day, Gloria asks her to get the book from her nightstand at home. When Addie looks for the book, it’s not there. Addie will find that the book is a first edition of The Secret Garden and could be worth $25,000. Addie soon learns that the book is one that Paige had loaned to Gloria. Addie begins to wonder if someone from Paige’s family has learned of its value and has stolen it.
Addie and Simon, her doctor/coroner boyfriend, will put their heads together, trying to learn who the killer is.
The story well-plotted and written and very interesting. I enjoy visiting the town of Greyborne Harbor and it’s residents. The characters are all developed and interesting.
I’m looking forward to the next book in the series, Under The Cover Of Murder, due out, March 30, 2021.
The Beyond the Page Bookstore Mysteries are always enjoyable. This latest installment brings a little adventure and a challenging mystery to the series main character, Addie Greyborne, and she’s up for it. The story kept me turning the pages all the way until the end. Another delightful read. (Note: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
It’s winter in Greyborne Harbor and Addie Greyborne is focusing on the upcoming Fire and Ice Festival with fire works and ice carving. Sounds innocent enough until a killer strikes and it involves her employee, Paige. Addie has not had a smooth history with Greyborne Harbor and things were starting to improve but one person who has only sort of made peace with her is Paige’s mother who owns the bakery. When a body is found behind her bakery and she becomes the prime suspect, Addie goes into sleuth mode. Feelings aside, Paige needs help to clear her mother’s name and a killer needs to be unmasked.
The other puzzle to solve is the whereabouts of a valuable copy of The Secret Garden, a childhood favorite of mine. That alone was enough to pull me into the mystery. Addie really should let the police do all of the investigating but she has a talent for observation and detection and she cares about Paige. No question that Addie will do her very best to help out. Keeping herself off of the killer’s hit list is a must, as well.
This is the fifth in the series and I think it should be read in order. Addie’s history with the town that shares her family name is complicated and she has come along way finding her niche in town.
I’m eager to read book #6, Under the Cover of Murder, when it’s published March 30, 2021.
My thanks to the publisher, Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
The Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series by Lauren Elliott has become one of my favorite cozy series, and A PAGE MARKED FOR MURDER is the best book to date. With its relatable characters, cozy small town setting, and two mysteries to be solved, it is a delightful read, perfect for the chilly winter months.
In this fifth book in the series, protagonist and bookstore owner Addie finds herself in the middle of yet another murder mystery. When someone close to Addie’s assistant Paige is found murdered behind her shop’s neighboring bakery, Addie cannot help but get involved. Bakery owner Martha, who also happens to be Paige’s mother, quickly becomes the prime suspect. In addition to the murder, a prominent member of the community is injured leading Addie to dog sit, Addie’s cousin is trying her last nerve, and a valuable copy of THE SECRET GARDEN that belongs to Paige goes missing. Addie definitely has her sleuthing work cut out for her.
I really like Addie. She is mature and makes a quite capable amateur sleuth. She is smart. Methodical, and does not jump to conclusions. Even though her relationship with the police is not as close as it once was, she is still respectful of them. All of the characters are well developed and entertaining, but the new characters essential to this book are not all likable. I enjoy Pippi the dog and hope Addie gets one of her own. I did not care much for Addie’s cousin Kalea in the previous book, and I hope we have seen the last of her within these pages. The mystery is well plotted and paced just right. Convoluted enough to keep readers guessing through most of the book, there are plenty of suspects and motives to consider.
A PAGE MARKED FOR MURDER is excellent! I look forward to many more adventures featuring Addie and friends. Highly recommended.
I received an ARC of this title from the author and Kensington Publishers and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
I have been reading and enjoying this series since the first book and this one did not disappoint. The entire town is celebrating a winter festival with an ice sculpture and Christmas Tree bonfire. Addie however discovers a body behind the bakery and Martha is the prime suspect. There is also a valuable book missing. I really enjoy the small town setting and the characters. The mystery was good and there were enough suspects to make it interesting. I look for word Addie’s next mystery.
A Page Marked for Murder by Lauren Elliot is another great story in the Addie Greybourne series. Addie sees some men arguing outside Martha’s bakery and then she sees Martha who is less than happy. Looking down she sees Gloria’s little dog, shivering at her feet. Now, that is odd, so she picks the pup up and wanders over to the park where she knows Gloria is setting up for the Ice Festival. There she is disconcerted to see Gloria sprawled on the ground: she has fallen off a ladder and she is lying at a very odd angle. An ambulance is called and Gloria is off to the hospital with her best friend, Martha, at her side and Addie following with the pup. Addie and the pup can’t go in but Martha kindly arranges that Addie puppy sit, so off they go to Gloria’s house to pick up the necessary items. While they are there Addie spies a copy of The Secret Garden, which she immediately assesses as extremely valuable. It turns out it belongs to Paige, Martha’s daughter and Addie’s assistant. Of course, within a couple of days there’s a murder…one of the men who Addie had seen arguing, now several times, who turns out to be Paige’s ex and little Emma’s father. At his body is found at the back door of Martha’s bakery. Things are not looking good.
Elliot writes an excellent multi-layer novel. There is so much going on here with so many characters. It is all inter-related as is life but that makes it fun to read. There is Kalea, Addie’s cousin, who is a deadbeat and living off Addie. She can’t even bother to show up to work at Addie’s bookstore on a regular basis. Plus, she eats and drinks all of Addie’s food without blinking an eye. Addie hits the roof when Kalea tells her latest boyfriend that Addie’s house is hers, and Addie is the houseguest. Funny scenes. So many broken relationships contribute to this story. It makes one wonder if there is something in the water. This book has it all: infidelity, deception, murder, young love, artful detective work, near death, and more. It is a delightful read with good characters and a compelling plot. I recommend it.
I was invited to read a free ARC of A Page Marked for Murder by Netgalley. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #apagemarkedformurder
A Page Marked for Murder is the fifth book in Lauren Elliott’s Beyond the Page Bookshop Mystery series. I really love this series and have read all the previous books. So of course I had to request book 5 and a chance to read the next book early. These books are fun, engaging with great characters and always include a murder and book-related mystery to be solved. Once again, Addie Greyborne, the owner of the Beyond the Page Bookshop is right in the middle of things using her amateur sleuthing skills to help the police and her boyfriend, Simon, an ER doctor and local coroner, to solve the murder. I highly recommend this one.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in change for my honest review.
A Page Marked for Murder was a action packed cozy, that will keep you turning the pages until the very end. The fifth book in the series, the author has created a series that is fun of fun and friendship that have stood the test of time. Addie just can’t turn away when a mystery is around, whether the police want her help or not. This book has plenty of suspects, and I never suspected the actual culprit. I would certainly recommend this cozy to others.
I received a ARC from NetGalley and Kensington Books and am under no obligation to leave a favorable review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
When I read a book there are a couple of factors that let me know if I enjoyed the book or not. I look to see how I manage to find the time to read in the midst of a busy life. Do I read it during breaks in the day, do I stay up at night, do I read the book instead of reading the news? This book ticked all the boxes. As well I notice how I feel when a book is finished. In this case life seemed a little empty as if my partner has just left home on a long trip. I guess I have to say that I really enjoyed Lauren Elliott’s latest book A Page Marked for Murder.
I have read this entire series and have enjoyed how we are getting to know all of the characters, bit by bit. In the latest book, one is invited right into Addie’s life. So close it was a bit uncomfortable at times to think of who the murderer might be. Lauren has a great ability to keep us guessing and turning the pages for not only a great mystery novel but also a sense that we too are living in this small coastal town in New England and walk through the streets with Addie. It leaves one waiting for yet another in the series.
I received an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
The holidays are over, but Addison Greyborne, owner of Beyond the Page, a bookstore/curio shop in Greyborne Harbor, is as busy as ever. She’s and her shop assistant, Paige Stringer, are standing in the blustery weather bouncing ideas off one another for windows displays for the upcoming Fire and Ice Festival.
Settling on an idea, Addie starts to follow Paige back into the store. Addie’s attention is caught by two arguing men exiting Martha’s Bakery. They are Ken Stringer and Brett Palmer. Ken is Paige’s absentee father, and Brett is Paige’s ex and the father of their daughter, Emma. Brett abandoned Emma and Paige when Paige was a baby. Now he is back, on the eve of Emma’s fourth birthday, to demand custody of his daughter. Martha is furious.
Addie finds Brett Palmer’s body propped up against the back wall of Martha’s Bakery. Martha’s altercations with Brett were public marking her as the prime suspect in Brett’s death. Addie knows Martha didn’t murder Brett. Addie also knows she needs to find the evidence to clear Martha’s name. But a murderer doesn’t want his or her identity exposed. As Addies closes in on the murderer, will she become the next victim?
I enjoyed returning to Greyborne Harbor and Beyond the Page Bookstore. I enjoyed learning more about Paige, Martha, and their backstories. The murder weapon angle was a surprise. The ending was a surprise as well, and I was glad it took on a slightly different tone.
While I enjoyed reading this book, it seemed a little thin in places. A lot of the texting that takes place seems more to take up space than add to the story. A minor quibble.
Overall, if you’re looking for a quick, fun read, then Lauren Elliott’s books fit the bill.
Author Information
Read more about Lauren Elliott’s series here.
Disclaimers: a free copy was provided by #NetGalley for an honest review.
#NetGalley #APageMarkedforMurder
A Page Marked for Murder by Lauren Elliott is the fifth book in this author’s Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series. Ms. Elliott sure does write an excellent whodunit. Her characters are well-developed and very likable. She builds up the suspense as the main character, bookstore owner and sleuth Addie Greybourne puzzles out the clues to the mystery of who the murderer is. In this book the author kept me guessing for quite a while. I haven’t read all the books in this series yet but the ones I have read have been very entertaining. I look forward to reading more Beyond the Page Bookstore mysteries.
I received this arc through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
“A Page Marked for Murder” the 5th instalment in the “Beyond the Page Bookstore” Mystery series by Lauren Elliott. This is one of my favorite Bookshop cozy series.
I really enjoyed this latest instalment in the series! I liked that we had two mysteries to solve and I loved the inclusion of Pippi to Addies inner circle. I’m hoping the little fur ball will pop up again in another story.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters which are well developed.
I kept second-guessing myself on whodunnit almost to the very end but I did suspect correctly just before it was revealed. I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.
I can’t wait to read “Under the Cover of Murder” book 6 in March 2021!
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I just want to be part of Lauren Elliott’s imagination for a day!
The things she thinks up to make a story a story are like nothing I’ve read before. The choices of murder weapons is always something new and nothing I’ve read before. The storyline is original and engaging.
The book mentioned in this book is one I’ve never read, so I have to find it to read it.
I really liked the way Martha was prominent in this book. It shows different sides to the “cactus lady”. There’s more to her then is shown in other books.
It also shows how families can either fall apart or grow closer when a tragedy strikes.
Simon and Addie’s relationship is growing stronger and hopefully one day evolve into more.
And, I wish all the best to Kalea.
This book will have you reading late into the night. You will be torn between reading straight through or trying to save some for later. Good luck with that choice!
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review!
I love when I let go of a big sigh at the end of a book. It tells me not only did I enjoy the book but that the ending left me satisfied. I let out two with this book. That could be fitting as there are two mysteries to be solved.
In this book, the fifth in the series, someone close to Paige is found dead and Martha is a suspect. But was their death murder or an accident? Whatever the cause of death was may be the clue that determines which. With Martha looking like the best suspect, Addie needs to find out. The second mystery is a missing book. With a suspected value into the thousands, is the missing book connected to the death?
I really enjoyed this book. I love the characters. It was wonderful to see Addie become so close to Pippi. I was hoping to see her find her own fur baby by the end of the book. This story had plenty of suspects for the death as well as the book and there was the question of cause of death to keep you guessing. I’m not going to say how that all came out. You can find out when you read the book.
This is a wonderful book set in winter just after Christmas. I took two days to read it but I believe it could easily be read in one day. I think you can read it out of order but it is best enjoyed in order.
I would recommend some cocoa and warm scones to pair it with. A roaring fire, comfy clothes, blanket and reading buddy would complete the delight of an afternoon of reading. Enjoy!
*I was provided with an electronic copy of this book, for review consideration, by Kensington through NetGalley. I voluntarily reviewed this book. My opinions are based on my enjoyment during the reading of the book.*
A Page Marked for Murder #5 in the series Beyond the Page BookStore Mystery by Lauren Elliott
All I can say is wow. This book is a page turner. I loved it. There is a murder and who else is there to figure it out Addie. This story is full of twisted and turns. First you think oh is this person then that one. You just don’t know. It is about a small town and how everyone knows everyone. Its about family. It is such a great book. I know you will love it also.
This is the fifth book in this series about Beyond the Page bookstore and owner Addie. It is a good cozy mystery very well written with a strong story line. Loved the characters some from previous ones and some new ones. This time a dead body and a missing 1st edition Secret Garden book who done while at the same time trying to handle Christmas season shoppers, dog sitting and everyday rush! Kept my attention and got a few laughs good book to read and loose yourself in poor Addie’s woes.
Ok, this was my favorite book of the series so far. I love that Addie can’t resist helping her friends no matter how much she, and Marc, and Det Brookes, may want it. This time it’s her assistant Paige and her mom Martha that need her to help prove Martha didn’t kill Paige’s daughter’s father.
Addie also is dealing with the fact that she is dog sitting for a neighbor who took a fall, and trying to figure out what her cousin is up too.
As usual Addie’s persistence will take her to some crazy places, help her make some important discoveries, and open her heart to more people and puppies alike in her new community. This is a book well worth your time!!!
Bookstore owner Addie Greyborne is busy getting ready for the Fire and Ice festival held every January. When a friend is injured after falling off a ladder Addie volunteers to take care of her dog. She notices a copy of the book The Secret Garden in her friends house and after doing some research realizes that it is very valuable. When the book disappears and a dead body is found Addie begins to wonder and to do her own investigating. Are the two incidents related? I love the well developed characters in this series and the mystery is so well written that it will keep you turning the pages! I highly recommend this series and this book!