Bookshop owner Addie Greyborne must solve a locked-room murder in a supposedly haunted mansion to recover a priceless Sherlock Holmes original . . . The seaside New England town of Greyborne Harbor is home to many grand estates, including the Queen Anne Victorian Addie inherited from her great aunt. Now one of those mansions is holding an estate sale, which is just what the bookshop owner needs … bookshop owner needs to replenish her supply of rare editions—even if the house is rumored to be haunted. Assisting an overwhelmed insurance appraiser with the inventory, Addie discovers an 1887 magazine containing Arthur Conan Doyle’s first Sherlock Holmes novel, A Study in Scarlet, which she estimates to be worth over one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
But when Addie later finds the appraiser dead in the estate’s private library, with the door bolted from the inside, and the priceless edition missing, it’s a mystery worthy of the Great Detective himself. She’s certain the death and the robbery are connected—but who, other than a ghost who can walk through walls, could have gotten in to do the deed? It’s up to Addie to find the key to the crime—before she’s the next one cornered by a killer . . .
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When I read the first book in the series I wasn’t sure if it would be one I would be excited about. Let me tell you my first impression was wrong. I get super excited when a new book is released. I have enjoyed seeing Addie come into herself as a bookstore owner and learn to love again after the death of her husband.
I have found myself learning new things as I read this series. As crazy as it sounds for a mystery buff like me I have not read any Sherlock Holmes novels or stories. I found it very interesting to learn about the first story in the series was released.
I have found I enjoy reading the books much more than listening to the audiobooks. I listened to a little of the audiobook for this book and the previous. The narrator is good but she doesn’t fit what I think of as Addie.
All the covers in this series are absolutely gorgeous. I could look at them for hours and still find something I missed. They are true works of art.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher, Kensington, through Netgalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
The locked room mystery and mysteries centered around a big, old house are always intriguing to me, no matter how many mysteries I read with this concept in it. I love the idea of an old house that holds secrets waiting to be told. The author’s love for the written word shines through in the book and in Addie as a protagonist. The mystery was fun and kept me hooked. A great series!
https://cozyexperience.com/proof-of-murder-book-review/
Proof of Murder” by Lauren Elliot the 4th instalment in the series and it’s even better than the last, now the long wait till book five …
I didn’t think I could enjoy a book more than the last instalment but Lauren hit it out of the park this time!
I have said it before that I love the main set of characters, Addie, Selena, Paige, Simon and Marc (the men who were vying for Addie’s affections) and I still do but now I want to include Catherine in that list. We also had some new characters in this instalment like Blake, Riley and Addie’s cousin Kaila some of whom I wanted to slap or scream at but they helped round out the story.
As for the mystery I loved the inclusion of the ghost story, the Sherlock Holmes novel and a locked-room murder. It was full of twists, turns and plenty of red herrings which made this a story I did not want to put down nor end … I did start to suspect the villain after a clue prior to Addie but I wasn’t completely sure till the end. Ms Elliott has made me so invested in the lives of these characters and Greyborne Harbor.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Cozy mysteries.
I would like to thank the author and Kensington Books for the Advance Readers Copy I requested and received. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’ve been enjoying this series from the very first book and this one is as entertaining as the rest. I like Addie Grayson. She has been through a lot and has, for the most part, has come out on the other side. One of my criticisms of the last couple of books has been the love triangle. I am not a fan so I am happy to report that Ms. Elliott has resolved that issue with this installment. Once again, Addie is in the wrong place at the wrong time and discovers another dead body. That, however, is not her only surprise. Marc is back in town, with a new friend who is on leave from the FBI, and they put Addie at the top of the suspect list as the killer. Addie is even arrested. Now, she has to prove that she is not a killer and that someone is setting her up to take the fall. With the help of Simon, Addie sets out to investigate. I think Addie makes a good amateur sleuth. She is not too reckless or headstrong and she has a good eye for details. The author crafts an engaging mystery that mixes a bit of history with the present making for a terrific puzzle to solve. I will confess, I did not guess the killer’s identity and thought it was a nice twist that ties everything together.
The secondary cast of characters make a return appearance, with some new members added this time around. It looks like Addie’s cousin may be staying for a bit and she should shake up the mix a bit.
I enjoy this series and hope to see it continue for many more books. The author tells wonderful stories filled with interesting characters and mysteries that keep you guessing.
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy provided to me by the author. The opinions expressed ae my own.
Another really great book in the series. Addie is excited to hopefully find some more old books for her bookstore at a local estate sale brokered by Blake, a long-time friend of her father. The sale is taking place at Hill Road House, a beautiful old home rumored to be haunted by the ghost, or ghosts, of those who were murdered there years before. Serena and Paige are both none too happy that Addie plans to even step foot in the house, but she brushes off their fears about ghosts and she shows up the day of the broker’s preview and is quite surprised to find her cousin, Kalea, whom she hasn’t seen in years. While trying to get a look into the library to see what might be offered at the sale, she finds her friend, Blake, in an argument with the woman completing the appraisals for the sale. It seems the appraisal for the library is not yet completed and they are frantic to get it done. Addie offers her services to help appraise the books and her cousin offers to help as well. They spend the next several hours poring over the collection and cataloging everything in the appraiser’s computer. Addie thinks her exhaustion after so much intense work must be making her think she saw an apparition at the top of the stairs as she leaves for the day because surely she didn’t just see a ghost! The next day Addie returns for the sale, only to find the door to the library locked from the inside. She is with Blake when he has the handyman get the door unlocked and they enter the library together only to find the appraiser dead at the desk. Things just don’t add up about her death and things get stranger and stranger as books have disappeared from the collection and been replaced by lesser valued copies. Addie finds she isn’t the only one who has seen things that she can’t explain, but is a ghost to blame for the sightings and possibly for the death? Of course she decides to investigate even though Marc tells her to stay out of things and his new partner/girlfriend, Riley, is none too happy to have her around. Riley not only doesn’t like having Addie around, she outright accuses her of stealing the missing books and is trying to pin the appraiser’s death on her as well. Simon is trying to find the cause of death to clear Addie and Addie is working hard to not only clear her name, but to find out what really happened in that locked room. It’s an homage to the locked room murders of Agatha Christie and it is well done. The story moves along at a good pace, there are plenty of interesting characters, missing books, and even potential ghosts! What’s not to love about this story!
This is the fourth book in the series but my first. I had no problems enjoying this book as a stand-alone mystery. The characters are well-developed and likable. The mystery is well-plotted with quite a few twists and turns along the way to keep the reader guessing. I will plan on reading the previous books in the series to learn more about the interesting characters.
All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.
Finally, a resolution to the love triangle.
While helping with the appraisal of books at an estate sale, Addie finds another appraiser dead inside a locked room. All of the evidence seems to point to Addie and since the new in town detective seems to have it out for her, Addie decides she has to solve the mystery herself.
I enjoyed this edition a lot more than I have enjoyed previous books. And I think it definitely has to do with some sort of resolution to the love interests (I hope). I also enjoyed reading this fun locked room mystery. I loved the secrets and the hidden rooms of this old house. This was a fun read and I’m now excited to read the next in this series!
One of my favorite series. I can not get enough of A Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery by Lauren Elliot.
I don’t have a favorite character as I love them all but during this book, Mark was my least likable character. I literally wanted to grab him and give him a good shake. But his attitude has finally pushed Addie and I was hoping he would!
I really don’t know how the author has built this story with every detail and plot. The way Addie was playing out how it all happened and how she found all the clues. I’m always blown away with the plot, the why’s and the how’s!
Interesting read
Another fun easy read on a stormy night
Cozy mystery
This is a fun mystery and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. My only critique is that ….puhleeeeeese people! Proofread and spellcheck!!! A few sentences ended mid thought-one had a period which truncated the story. Tis annoying to reread just to be sure there wasn’t a brain cramp going on.
Lauren Elliott does not disappoint in the fourth book of the Beyond The Page Bookstore Mystery series. Greyborne Harbor continues to be a place you’d want to live – despite the high murder rate. 🙂 Addie’s exploits continue to be entertaining, and the characters continue to be endearing. This series just keeps getting better and better!
Good plot, story line, and cast of characters.
Murder in a haunted house! Addie is hoping to attend an estate auction at a house that is notorious for being haunted. She ends up being roped into helping appraise books by her friend, Blake, who is in charge of the auction. Addie and her cousin, Kalea, who has suddenly appeared in town help to appraise the books for the book appraiser, Charlotte. The next morning, Blake and Addie try to get into the library and end up having to pry the door open. Charlotte is inside and is dead. Addie later discovers that the rare Sherlock Holmes collection she found is missing and has been replaced with fakes. Marc and his FBI friend, Ryley, who is in town and helping with the investigation set their sights on Addie as the thief and killer. It seems that Charlotte died from natural causes, but Addie still feels it was murder and connected to the theft of the books. She sets out to prove her innocence and find out what’s really going on. She and Simon discover a hidden room in the library and think that is where the killer hid. This was a very intriguing story. I didn’t like Marc’s sudden nastiness towards Addie in this book and hope that they can eventually get past that and be friends again. I enjoyed the storytelling and seeing Addie try to figure out what was going on, especially regarding the weird thefts and ghostly happenings. I look forward to the next book and seeing what’s in store for Addie!
I own several of the books in the series. And plan to continue with this story
Local bookshop owner Addie Greyborne is excited to see a preview of a local mansion’s estate sale, due to knowing the right people. The book is intriguing in several ways–there is a missing cousin, haunted mansion, rare Sherlock Holmes editions by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and a locked room murder! If it sounds busy, it is, but the story moves quickly as Addie is in turn questioned and then utilized for information about the books and state of the room. Her personal life takes up a bit of the story too, I hope that all settles down and everyone can be friends.
And enjoyable fourth book in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series. I liked the characters and their interaction with each other, and the storyline.
Thank you to the publisher, Kensington, and to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.
A bookshop, a Sherlock Holmes original, a murder in a seaside New England town – what more is there to love in the premise of this story. Home to many grand estates, Greborne Harbor where Addie inherited her great aunt’s estate and Beyond the Page bookstore. Addie, looking for rare editions as a bookstore owner, discovers a rare book, A Study In Scarlet Arthur Conan Doyle’s first Sherlock Holmes novel in one of the estate sales. However, a mysterious death in the library with the room bolted from the inside of the rumoured haunted home, piqued my interest and kept my fingers turning those pages. I really enjoyed this cozy mystery and a first book I have read from this author. I highly recommend this and worked for me as a standalone book.
Addie Greybourne inherited Beyond the Page bookstore in this New England town of Greybourne Harbor. She also inherited a large Victorian mansion. Hill Road House is another mansion in town that has been empty for years. It is now being sold due to back taxes. It is rumored the mansion is haunted. There have been several mysterious famly deaths. Addie goes to check out the estate sale and with her cousin, Kalea Hudson, tthey are helping the appraiser Charlotte McAdams appraise books that were recently found in a bookcase. Addie finds several rare, valuable books in these. When Addie comes back the next day she finds Charlotte in the locked library dead. The rare books are missing and have been replaced by fakes. Addie is sure she has seen an apparition appear at the top of the stairs.
There are many characters in this book so it is hard to figure out who or what could have killed Charlotte. Marc Chandler, the Chief of Police, has been gone for three months studying at Quantico with the FBI. He now has a new girlfriend, FBI Agent Ryley Brookes, who is determined to find Addie guilty of Charlotte’s murder and the theft of the rare books.
Will Addie find out the truth before Ryley finds enough evidence to charge Addie?
This is the first book I have read by Lauren Elliott. I enjoyed this book and will definitely read more of this series.