Addie Greyborne is preparing for the holidays at her bookstore in seaside New England—but a winter storm is coming, in more ways than one . . . Addie’s getting into the spirit for the upcoming Charity Auction—especially since she’s got an 1843 copy of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol to donate. Her former colleagues at the Boston Public Library have confirmed that its worth runs toward the … that its worth runs toward the high five figures, which should help with the new pediatric wing. Her mood darkens, though, when a visitor from the past appears—Jonathan Hemingway, the father of her late fiancé. His presence stirs up sad memories for Addie, but also has her fuming when Jonathan, true to his womanizing ways, runs off for a lunchtime liaison with Teresa Lang, who’s in charge of the auction.
Soon after, Addie heads to Teresa’s office at the hospital—and finds the poor woman’s dead body. What she doesn’t find is her valuable first edition. What sort of Scrooge would steal from sick children and commit murder in the process? As a Nor’easter bears down and a mystery emerges about Jonathan’s past, Addie must find out if she can appraise people’s motives and characters as well as she can appraise rare books . . .
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An easy read that kept me entertained!
This is a wonderfully executed literary themed cozy mystery set during the Christmas season. It is full of warm and inviting characters. I highly recommend this book and series!
Addie has donated an 1843 first edition of “A Christmas Carol” to the local hospital for their Charity Auction. And she received paperwork making it worth upwards of $60,000! When her late fiancé’s father shows up in town, Addie is facing ghosts from her past. When Addie goes to the office of the hospital chairman, Teresa, for the auction, Addie sees that her book is missing and Teresa is dead possibly having been killed. Addie is pulled into the investigation along with her friends. Can she figure it all out in time?
This is a great series and this book is no exception. I was hooked from the beginning and held captive through to the end. The book’s well-written with well-rounded characters. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order.
My third visit to Greyborne Harbor was the best. I felt more connected to the characters and the story moved along nicely.
The Beyond The Page Bookstore Mysteries feel like a meatier read than other cozies. I appreciate the fact they are everything a cozy should be: gorgeous covers, clean of foul language, no sex scenes and set in a cute town.
I’ve read a lot of negative reviews about the main character Addie. Most feel she is playing with Simon and Marc’s emotions and I see where they are coming from but I don’t agree. I believe she is still in mourning for David and isn’t sure how to move forward. She’s trying but finds it even harder with David’s father in town. We get the feeling that Addie is ready to move on more than ever by the end.
I look forward to continuing this series.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
A wonderful and fun read.
When an expensive book meant for the hospital auction goes missing, and the woman in charge dies, amateur sleuth and book owner, Addie, must put the pieces together and solve the puzzle before she gets in way over her head.
A fun and engaging cozy mystery. I loved Addie and her friends. I look forward to the next book in the series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias.
Another enjoyable and complex mystery for Lauren Elliott. It’s now Christmas time and Addie Greyborne, owner of the Beyond the Page Bookstore, has donated a copy of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol printed in 1843. At the auction to raise money for a new wind of the children’s hospital the volume will most probably bring a five figure winning bid. Instead of becoming part of the auction, the book is stolen and the woman in charge of the auction is killed. If that wasn’t enough, the father of Addie’s deceased fiance turns up and lands on her list of suspects. He’s certainly hiding something and tries to warn her off investigating.
Addie still has some maturing to do and she needs to figure out which of the two men showing attention to her – Simon, a doctor and Marc, the sheriff. Marc is also the brother of her friend, Serena. My vote goes to Marc. The rest of the cast of characters is very well developed and the mystery is complex and satisfying. Plenty of twists and turns to keep me engaged are included. The next in the series is Proof of Murder due out on April 28, 2020. It’s already on my list.
Interesting and complex characters in this mystery. Lots of twists and turns, fast paced story and will keep you interested from the very first page. **I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher which I voluntarily and honestly reviewed.**
This was a fun read with lots if twist and turns. I am lucky enough to have gotten the arc book for review. I don’t think you have to read them in order, but it helps. I am still rooting for Simon. I am usually good at figuring out who dun it but I was so wrong, quite a refreshing change. It has a sweet feel good ending to get you in the Christmas spirit. A warning, do not read late at night, I could not put the book down.
Murder In The First Edition is the third book in the A Beyond The Page Bookstore Mystery series.
The local hospital is having a Charity Auction to raise funds for the pediatric wing and Addie Greyborne has donated an 1843 edition of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. She had sent the book to authenticated and has just received the certificate, which she hopes will mean the book will sell for even more than first thought. She heads for the hospital to give Teresa, chairperson for the auction, the certificate. She decides to take the stairs and when she enters the stairwell she comes across the lifeless body of Teresa. She first heads for Teresa’s office only to find the book is missing.
She wants the book found so that the auction will benefit from its sale and of course, she wants the murderer found too. But Chief of Police, Marc Chandler has been rather aloof and cold towards her lately and she’s sure he won’t be sharing much information about the investigation, so she figures that she will have to depend on her own sleuthing.
Addie is surprised when she gets a visit from her late fiance’s biological father, Jonathan. Jonathan has a reputation for appearing out of nowhere, romancing a woman and heading back out of town. He soon goes to the top of the suspect list when Addie learns had me might have been the last person to see Teresa alive. But she soon discovers that there are a few others that need to be checked out.
This was an easy story to read which moves at a nice pace. Most all of the characters from the previous books, also make an appearance in this book. There are plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing till the end.
I will be watching for the next book in the series.
Lauren Elliott does it again with the third installment to her A Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series. Great mystery with a page-turning plot and an ending that both surprises and satisfies!
Murder in the First Edition is the 3rd book in the Beyond the Page Bookstore series and is another awesome addition! This series has everything I love about cozy mysteries: interesting likable characters, an intriguing cozy mystery, (not graphic or intense), friendship, and romance. Addie Greybourne owns a bookstore. Her almost father-in-law (Addie’s fiancé died) comes for a visit and everything in town goes crazy. There is an auction for charity and Addie donates a rare book which disappears when the auction coordinator dies. Addie wants the book to be found so she and her friends begin to investigate. There is a love triangle which continues in this book. Both of the men help her investigate so I am curious how this will be resolved. This book was hard to put down! It moves along at a good pace and kept me intrigued right to the end. I have read all the books in the series and they are all equally enjoyable! I received an advance copy from NetGalley for an honest review.
This series quickly became an inst-buy for me. The latest book in the series does not disappoint and I’m anxiously awaiting the next release.
Murder in the First Edition by Lauren Elliott is the third book in her Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series. I have had the privilege of reading the first book in this series, however not yet the second. Therefore, I can comment that one does not have to read the previous installments to easily catch up and know what is going on in regards to the characters, their histories, and their relationships. I can also say that by reading the previous, it does help enhance the current novel.
I feel that this series is improving as it matures. Addie seems to be evolving, growing, and starting to recover from the losses of her fiancée and her father. I am glad that she is looking forward and onward, as the potential love interest with Marc is definitely more interesting.
I enjoyed this murder/mystery plot and felt that it was multi-layered and complex enough that it kept me guessing until the end.
I look forward to seeing how these characters grow and change in future readings.
4/5 stars
A Bookseller’s Who Dunnit
This is a wonderful, cozy murder mystery. This book is filled with crimes and victims and suspects. The story has some good twists and a climactic ending. It’s a very good story. I have read the prior books in this series. This book stands alone well. While it will enhance the story for you, it is not necessary to read these books in order. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
MURDER IN THE FIRST EDITION is a gratifying addition to the Beyond the Page Mystery series by Lauren Elliott. Full of murder, greed, and the mob, all set against a wintry Christmas backdrop, it is suspenseful and entertaining.
I have been a fan of this series since its beginning. This time around, bookstore owner Addie once again finds herself drawn into a puzzle when she discovers fundraiser Teresa at the bottom of a flight of stairs. Was her death a terrible accident or did someone have it out for her? Addie is doubly concerned since her almost father-in-law unexpectedly appears and is one of the last people to see Teresa, and Addie’s very valuable donation to the fundraiser is missing. Even before Teresa’s death is ruled a homicide, Addie has her suspects and motives all lined up. Everything she learns leads to more questions, and she faces plenty of danger to get to the bottom of things.
I like the recurring characters in this series. Addie is determined, clever, and nosy. Marc is admirable, and Simon is endearing. Serena is a good friend and sister. I really want to know more about Jonathon. The writing is intelligent and the mystery complex enough to keep me guessing for most of the book. The love triangle that began in the previous book is front and center here, and I very much do not like love triangles. I understand that Addie’s behavior is related to trauma from her past, and she works through some of her baggage within these pages, but the way she toys with Simon and Marc is juvenile and unfair. I am going to chock it up to character growing pains. The author assures that it will soon be resolved.
MURDER IN THE FIRST EDITION is a wonderful continuation of Addie’s story, and I impatiently look forward to Book 4 to be released Spring 2020. I recommend MURDER IN THE FIRST EDITION to any cozy mystery reader.
I gratefully received an ARC of this title from the author/Kensington Publishers and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
Excellent characters including an a strong female lead with intelligence and curiosity that helps her solve puzzles! Add in an unique and varied cast of supporting characters that draw you in and make you feel invested in their lives and you have a very solid foundation upon which an intriguing and entertaining plot is laid. The plot is very interesting as you are guided through the twists and turns with a multitude of potential suspects to keep the reader guessing. The personal stories interwoven throughout the plot are also quite entertaining as well and I absolutely can not wait for the next book to be written and printed so we can find out what happens next to our friends! If you haven’t read the entire series yet, you absolutely should as the books build the characters in a solid manner and will offer you much more entertainment. It is also an absolute plus that the first two books are available via audiobook!
I loved the first 2 books in this series so I knew I would love this one and i was right. I love all of the characters and the relationship building that is taking place at the same time as a great mystery. Small town mystery mixed with a good amount of humor and romance at the same time.
Murder in the First Edition finds Addie Greyborne, owner of Beyond the Page bookstore, getting ready for the upcoming Charity Auction. She is donating a rare copy of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, which should fetch in the five figure range at auction with the proceeds going towards the new pediatric wing. When the father of her late fiance arrives in town Addie is less than thrilled as he doesn’t have the best reputation and to top it off he makes a play for Teresa who is in charge of the auction. When Teresa is found dead and the book turns up missing Addie does some investigating on her own. Descriptive characters and a well written mystery will have you turning the pages. I highly recommend this series and this book!
As soon as you open the pages to the third book in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series, you feel as if you are welcomed back to a favorite place, filled with friends you haven’t seen in awhile, just waiting to catch up on the latest happenings in Grey Harbor. Each installment of this mystery series keeps getting better, building upon the last. The characters keep you enthralled and interested in the storyline – truthfully, I was kept guessing as to who the guilty person was until the very end.
Our central character is a first edition of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol which Addie has selected as a donation to the local fundraising auction. Unexpectedly, the first edition goes missing, a dead body is discovered, and suspicions fall on a family member who just happens to drop into town and displays too many close connections to the players in town. Addie and friends follow up on their suspicions while trying not to draw the attention of local law enforcement any more than required – on a side note, Simon and Mark are still vying for Addie’s attention and hopefully she’ll soon choose the right man for her!
Add this series to your must read list – you won’t be disappointed. I tried to savor the book until the last page, and already can’t wait for the next in the series!