Wanted: A bold adventurer who wants to travel the world from a comfortable and safe spot behind a desk that has seen the likes of kings and queens, paupers and princes. A humble book and rare manuscript shop seeks a keenly intelligent investigator to assist us in our search for things thought lost, and in our quest to return lost items to their rightful owners. Never an adventurer, no one was …
Never an adventurer, no one was more surprised than Delaney Nichols when she packed her bags and moved halfway across the world to Edinburgh, Scotland to start a job at The Cracked Spine, a bookshop located in the heart of the city. Her new boss, Edwin MacAlister, has given her the opportunity of a lifetime, albeit a cryptic one, and Delaney can t wait to take her spot behind the desk.
The Cracked Spine is filled with everything a book lover could want, each item as eclectic as the people who work there; the spirited and lovable Rosie, who always has tiny dog Hector in tow; Hamlet, a nineteen-year-old thespian with a colored past and bright future; and Edwin, who is just as enigmatic and mysterious as Delaney expected. An extra bonus is Tom the bartender from across the street, with his cobalt eyes, and a gentle brogue and it doesn t hurt that he looks awfully good in a kilt.
But before she can settle into her new life, a precious artifact goes missing, and Edwin s sister is brutally murdered. Never did Delaney think that searching for things lost could mean a killer, but if she s to keep her job, and protect her new friends, she ll need to learn the truth behind this Scottish tragedy.
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A delightful beginning to the cozy mystery series The Scottish Bookshop. Follow Delaney as she relocates to Scotland to work for a wealthy, eccentric shop owner, as she discovers men in kilts (Oh, my!), driving on the left side of the road, and becomes embroiled in a murder mystery!
Wonderful first book in the series. I started with the third book and loved it so much that I decided to go back to the first book in the series and read it in order. I looked at the release dates so far and they seem to be coming out about one per year. The characters are engaging, relatable and just downright likable. I especially like the budding romance between Delaney and Tom. I love mysteries, but they must have a romance as well.
Delaney Nichols is feeling a bit unsettled after being laid off from her job at the museum where she’d worked since graduation. She is thinking a bit of adventure might be just the thing. Then she sees just what she needs. There is an advertisement for a job at a book and antiquities store, The Cracked Spine, in Edinburgh, Scotland. She calls the number given and speaks with the proprietor, Edwin MacAlister. After a few phone calls, he offers her the job and she’s off to Scotland.
Upon arrival, the first person she meets is Elias, the cab driver. He’s warm, friendly, and becomes very protective almost as soon as they meet. Elias takes her by the Cracked Spine where she meets her co-workers, Rosie and her tiny dog Hector and Hamlet a young college student and thespian.
She’s so excited because she loves everybody and the bookstore and the city and the people – oh – and her desk. That desk is a genuine heirloom that has been used by kings and queens. Oh! My! Then, she finds the perfect place to live and all is right in her world.
As she reports to work a few days later, she is met with long faces. Rosie and Hamlet are stricken. What could have happened? They explain that Edwin’s sister has been murdered. Edwin is devastated. His sister had led a troubled life and she and Edwin had been estranged, but they were working on their relationship when she died. Has her past come back to haunt her?
Ever curious, Delaney starts asking questions of those who surrounded Edwin’s sister. As she digs deeper and deeper more and more likely suspects appear – or not. Is it one of Edwin’s friends, is it someone from her drug life? Is it just a random murder? Delaney investigates, gets in trouble, and unmasks a murderer – what fun!
Of course – she’s met Tom in the middle of all of that and she is quite smitten with the tall, handsome, kilt-wearing Scot. Of course, he’s not the settling-down kind. He’s dated half the women in Edinburgh and none for more than a few weeks, but Delaney (I just love that name) thinks she can have fun for a while.
I hope you’ll consider reading this lovely book and the series as well.
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Paige Shelton knows how to tell Astros and keep you guessing.
Delaney Nichols surprises herself when she answers a strange ad and accepts a new job halfway across the world. Moving from Kansas to Edinburgh, Scotland to work at a bookstore called The Cracked Spine was Delaney’s big adventure. But when the store owner’s sister is found murdered, Delaney starts a new adventure as she’s pulled into the investigation.
This book was a great start to a “new” series. It did have a bit of a slow start, but overall I really enjoyed it. I loved being in Scotland and getting to know the characters. Once the story started moving, I was fully engaged and am looking forward to more from this series. I highly recommend this book.
I was not sure if I liked this book or not. It was difficult to get into but then I did want to finish it to see how it ends. Wasn’t sure if it was going to have metaphysical aspects which I do not like. It kept hinting at the prospect. Haven’t decided yet if I will try the next book in the series.
A woman, Delaney, from Kansas accepts a job to work in a strange bookshop in Edinburg, Scotland. A bit of a stretch, but gets her to a new place and new people. She is befriended by a taxi driver and his wife before she even starts her job. Her boss is eccentric and so are her co-workers. Immediately her boss’s sister is killed and Delaney and the people she has meet and met have to solve the mystery and figure out who killed her and why.
Good characters and good start to a new series.
If you are looking for an easy entertaining book, this one is for you
I felt that I had to suspend my disbelief that so much could happen in so short a time.
good read
I really liked this book. It ended much too quickly!
It was just OK
What A fun read.
Such a fun cozy mystery to read.
Delaney Nichols is an intelligent and engaging main character thrust into a humorous and charming new job in the kind of bookstore one loves to visit. That it’s in Edinburgh, Scotland only adds to the charm. Add a mystery and it’s a great diversion!
Book one of the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series. Meet Delaney Nichols as she decides to uproot her life in the United States after being laid off by her job at a museum to take a position in a bookshop in Scotland. The story developed is quite nice, and the little details in the story are incredible. I especially like all of the language translation that are going on. Shortly after arrival Delaney’s boos finds out his sister had been murdered and as she joins their little shop family she finds herself motivated to solve the murder to ease every one’s minds. This is a cute little mystery cozy, but it was not able to keep me totally enthralled so it only gets 3/5 stars.
Delightful. Just enough words in a Scottish accent to add to flavor without distraction.