Essie Lang’s cozy mystery series debut is perfect for fans of Lorna Barrett, Vicki Delany, and book lovers everywhereRookie bookstore owner Shelby Cox must hit the books to learn the ropes before she loses a killer in the stacks.Shelby Cox never intended to become a bookseller, so when the former editor returns to her hometown of Alexandria Bay, nestled in upstate New York’s breathtaking Thousand … New York’s breathtaking Thousand Islands region, to take over her aunt’s bookstore, she has no idea what to expect. To her amazement, she discovers that she now owns a fifty-percent share in Bayside Books, and will also run the store’s second location in the majestic castle on nearby Blye Island.
But just as Shelby is gearing up for the start of the tourist season, the Castle volunteer coordinator is found murdered in the nearby Grotto. Castle caretaker Matthew Kessler is suspect number one, but Shelby thinks the killing may be connected to an earlier era, when violence among Prohibition-era smugglers was rampant in the region. As Shelby launches her own investigation, handsome and unnerving Special Agent Zack Griffin of the Coast Guard Investigative Services tries to quell her smuggling theory and keep her safe. But Shelby is determined to summon all her savvy as a book editor to plot the murder—and find the killer before he strikes again—in Trouble on the Books, Essie Lang’s clever and captivating series debut.
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TROUBLE ON THE BOOKS by Essie Lang is the first book in the Castle Bookshop Mystery series. It’s the story of Shelby Cox who moves back to her hometown of Alexander Bay after the death of her father and finding out she is 50% owner of the Bayside Books store. Her Aunt Edie recently had a hip replacement and is still recuperating. Shelby, an editor, took a leave of absence to come help her aunt with not only the existing book store but to start up and manage the second store in the castle on Blye Island.
Before opening day, Shelby finds the castle volunteer coordinator, Loreena Swan, murdered in the island’s Grotto while taking a stroll. Although they had a heated exchange the day before, it was still a shock to find her body. The murder takes a turn too close to home when her aunt’s man friend, Matthew, is taken in for questioning and is one of the prime suspects leading Edie to request Shelby to help prove him innocent. Little did she know that Shelby would take that request far enough to find her own life in jeopardy – more than once.
While trying to find clues on the murderer, Shelby finds out that although one of the well-respected families in town and a person with lots of influence, Loreena was not really liked by the locals and had had words with several folks. The question is was any of the arguments or disagreements strong enough to lead to murder?
One of the investigators is Special Agent Zack Griffith of the Coast Guard Investigative Services which just fuels Shelby’s believe that the murder has something to do with smuggling after the past history of such activities on the island come to light. Though she can find Zack infuriating at times, since they are both single and his looks are far from hard on the eyes, she is also drawn to him at the same time.
Along the way, Shelby is trying to put the pieces together on her own past. Her mother died when she was 3 and her father never gave her any information about her. She had always thought it was that it was so painful for him to talk about missing his wife so dearly. She keeps running into road blocks and delays in trying to find out anything about her mother or even where her grave was. She is finds that she loves Alexander Bay and with each passing day she can see herself living there permanently. She bonds emotionally with her aunt and really cares about taking care of her and helping her with the book stores which she loves.
Will Shelby’s questioning lead to clues on who murdered Loreena or will the murderer silence Shelby before she finds out too much? Can Shelby get Matthew cleared so her aunt’s relationship can blossom into more than friendship? Did Lorrena’s murder just happen because she was just at the wrong place and the wrong time or was it part of something bigger? Was the murder an act of thought out violence or just tempers going over the line for an act of regrettable actions? How will Shelby deal with the facts of her family past? Will it affect how she lives out the rest of her life and where?
Essie Lang tells a great story that will have you hooked on this new series. You will be turning pages to explore the island, hunting for clues along with Shelby and falling in love with the folks of Alexander Bay. I know I will be anxiously be waiting the second book in the series to see more of Shelby’s adventures, exciting events on Blye Island, and to see where the relationship between Shelby and Zack goes.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Her aunt has just had knee surgery so Shelby Cox arrives in Alexandria Bay to help manage her aunt’s bookstore and open a satellite store in the castle on Blye Island. She is surprised when her aunt informs her that she, in fact, owns fifty-percent of Bayside Books. She has a lot to learn but she is surrounded by a great staff. The island is a popular tourist attraction so her main focus is getting the castle bookshop open as before the tourists start arriving by the busload.
After a busy grand opening Shelby is excited about her new life as a bookseller. That is until she finds a dead body floating in the Grotto. She knows immediately that it is the prickly volunteer coordinator for the Castle. The police quickly peg Matthew Kessler, the Castle caretaker as their prime suspect. When the Coast Guard gets involved Shelby starts to think the murder may be linked to smuggling, something the island was used for during Prohibition. She can’t stop herself from sticking her nose into the investigation much to the dismay of Coast Guard Special Agent Zack Griffin. She is determined to solve the case and Zack is determined to keep her safe.
The setting of this story grabbed my attention right away. A bookshop in a castle on one island that is part of the Thousand Islands area off New York. A truly perfect setting for a cozy mystery series.
Shelby Cox is an interesting protagonist. She has her work cut out for her. She admits she isn’t a people person and knows that has to change if she is going to be a success in her new profession. She is curious, a trait every amateur must have. She is also intelligent and detail oriented so I know she is going to succeed in both of these endeavors. In addition to trying to solve a murder, Shelby hopes to learn more about her mother. She was quite young when she lost her and has so many questions.
Ms. Lang has surrounded Shelby with a great supporting cast. Aunt Edie was my fave. She is a strong woman too who hates being still and away from her shop. Her recovery is moving quickly and I am excited to get to know her better when she isn’t hindered at all. Romance is two-fold in this story. Caretaker Matthew Kessler is very important to Edie and Agent Zack appears to be very interested in Shelby.
The murder happens early in the story. Shelby’s first investigation is a bit clunky as to be expected, it is her first, but it messed with the story flow in places. When she found her rhythm so did the story. Clues fell into her path and the twists and turns kept her and the reader guessing.
The subplot of Shelby’s mother blended in nicely, but I must confess I was almost more interested in it than murder. I feel this is a credit to the author because I was invested in her main character and cared about her and her feelings very early in this first book. She has left so much room for all the characters to grow.
This is a fine start for this series. Endearing characters drew me in and their lives and the mysteries thrown into their paths kept those pages turning. I am excited to learn more about these characters and to see what the author has in store for them next.
Trouble on the Books has an intriguing premise with a bookshop in an old castle on an island (love it). Shelby Cox is twenty-nine years old and has been working as an editor for Masspike House in Massachusetts. When Aunt Edie needs Shelby’s assistance, she takes a leave of absence and returns to Alexandria Bay. Shelby is living on a houseboat until winter and managing the new satellite location of Bayside Books on Blye Island inside the historic Blye Castle (it would have made more sense to live with Aunt Edie who needs her help getting around). I knew Loreena Swan would end up dead after the altercation with Shelby and the way she treats the volunteers at the castle. The murder occurs early in the book. There is little investigating by Shelby until later in the story when Shelby asks various people questions (people she does not know). I wish the mystery had been more of a focus with more complexity. I found it a snap to solve this crime. Shelby’s attention is split because she is determined to learn more about her mother. Her father would not discuss her mother who died when she was three, and Shelby is hoping to learn more about her from the people that knew her in town plus Edie. Shelby is searching the local cemeteries for her mother’s grave. I was curious why Shelby did not research her mother online (death certificate would pop up). The pacing of the book was lethargic which made it hard for me to stay interested. The author is a detail oriented which slowed down the pace (an example is making tea—getting the kettle, filling it with water, putting in on the stove, turning on the stove, etc.). Add in a daydreaming main character with a significant amount of internal dialogue and repetition of information. Shelby also has trouble remembering people’s names and figuring out a person’s age (makes it hard for a reader). She states she is not a people person, but Shelby is working in a bookshop frequented by tourists (an oxymoron). I felt that Trouble on the Books needed more pizzazz (oomph). The characters failed to come alive for me. We are not given many details on them which I found disappointing. I hope the characters will be fleshed out more in the next installment. I did enjoy the descriptions of the castle, island and bookshop. Trouble on the Books could have benefited from further editing (there are inconsistencies). A Castle Bookshop Mystery series has potential which I hope the author will achieve.
Shelby Cox is taking a hiatus from work and heads to Alexandria Bay to help her Aunt Edie, who is recovering from knee surgery. Shelby has been asked to temporarily take over Bayside Books’ seasonal location on Blye Island for the coming tourist season. What’s better than a bookstore on an island? One that’s also in a castle.
During the set-up, Shelby meets Loreena, one of the castle’s head volunteers. Loreena tends to rub people the wrong way and when she is later found dead, the word murder is whispered throughout the town. Shelby sets out to investigate and ends up drawing the wrong sort of attention. Can she solve the mystery before she ends up dead herself?
This is book 1 in a new cozy mystery series and I’m already in love. First off bookstore. Second…castle. Third a bookshop INSIDE a castle. Also small town setting by the water and a kitty named J.T.!! Can I just go live there This is everything I LOVE about Cozies and I’m a happy camper.
An enjoyable cozy set in a small tourist town on the water.
A good first book in a new series. This book follows the life of Shelby Cox as she returns to her childhood home in Alexandria Bay, NY. She and her father left the area after the death of her mother when she was only three years old. Now she’s back to help her Aunt Edie with the bookstores they co-own, one in town and one at the castle on the island in the bay. Shelby is getting to know those she works with and the people in the area and is settling in nicely … until she finds a dead body in the grotto at the castle! Before long she finds herself snooping to try to find out who would kill the none too liked victim and what the reason might be. The story is filled with likeable characters and has an interesting storyline. I’ll definitely be following this series.
This was a phenomenal book. The characters are well developed, and the story flowed. I was glued to the pages, seeing how it would all play out. I am so glad I read this book, and I am looking forward to reading the next ones in this series.
This caught my attention with a bookshop, in a castle, on an island along with caves and a history of smuggling. Add the murder and it’s a well wrapped package for this reader. Shelby is part owner of a bookshop with her Aunt Edie and is on Blye Island to do the preparations to open a bookshop in the castle. It’s all going swimmingly until Shelby crosses the path of the very bad tempered volunteer coordinator. There goes the very good mood Shelby was enjoying. She may not like the woman with her various demands for the bookshop, a bookshop that she has no hand in whatsoever but finding her dead in a grotto – no, murder wasn’t on her mind.
As is the case in any good mystery, the police focus on the wrong suspect, Matthew, the caretaker. But if it wasn’t Matthew, who did want Loreena (aka The Witch) dead? Did it have anything to do with Blye Castle with its history of gangsters and smuggling? Whatever the reason, there is a killer on the island and Shelby better be careful or she may land on the hit list.
I’m looking forward the next entry, Death on the Page, due out March 10, 2020.
What a nice start to a new series. The characters are likeable and the setting is beautiful. I can’t wait for the next book.
A castle, a ghost, and murder! It doesn’t get much better than that.
Trouble on the Books by Essie Lang is a marvelous start to this new cozy mystery series, Castle Bookshop Mysteries. This book is the first that I have read of Essie Lang or her alter ego, Linda Wiken. I first saw this book a couple of months ago, and I knew then that I had to read it. The cover art is so magnificent and drew me in, but the plot summary is what hooked me.
Shelby Cox
Our sleuth is Shelby, she has returned to Alexandria Bay where she was born, after her father’s death. She was in the book publishing business, but now she is partners with her aunt in a bookshop named Bayside Books. Shelby is running things while her Aunt Edie recovers from surgery. She is mainly the day to day person at the Blye Castle seasonal store. Shelby has rented a houseboat for the summer and seems to be settling in well.
I liked that Shelby was motivated to do an excellent job for her aunt, able to forgive and that she loves chocolate as much as I do. If I ran a store that stocked chocolate truffles, let’s just say that I would have lost quite a bit of my wages.
The only thing that I disliked about Shelby was that she didn’t ask her father the questions that she wanted to ask even if he seemed full of sorrow. He didn’t have to answer, but she should have tried harder to talk to him before he died.
Zack Griffin
Zack is with the Coast Guard Investigative Service. He is investigating the death of Loreena along with the local police chief and the state police. Yep, lots of law enforcement in on this investigation.
Zack is a nice guy, and he can cook. He doesn’t talk about the case with Shelby even when she tries to trick him into revealing something. Zack is smart, witty, athletic and kind. I liked him after a few meetings. At first, he came across as a stiff investigator looking to pin the murder on Shelby.
Mystery
The mystery is the best part; in fact, there are a couple of puzzles going. We have Loreena’s murder which is first and foremost. Which is wonderfully plotted out with clues here and there if you are paying attention and not getting too wrapped up in Shelby’s drama. Which leads us to the next mystery of what happened to Shelby’s mom and why won’t anyone talk to her about it? I will let you read the book to figure that part out.
5 Stars for Trouble on the Books by Essie Lang
My rating for Trouble on the Books by Essie Lang is five stars. I love the personal drama that Shelby adds to the mysteries and the possible love that Shelby may have found with Zack. I can’t wait for the next installment, so start writing Ms. Lang.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Trouble on the Books by Essie Lang.
Anyways, until next time,
Karen the Baroness
Happy Reading
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
Shelby has recently moved back to her hometown of Alexandria Bay to manage the 2nd location of her Aunts bookstore while her Aunt recovers from surgery. While Shelby is gearing up for the opening of tourist season she comes across the body of one of the volunteers. When the caretaker Matthew becomes the prime suspect, Shelby believes the police are following the wrong clues. Shelby believes the murder has to do with what the island was known for in the past. Is Shelby right or are the police?
This is an interesting start to a new series. I was intrigued with the series premise of a Castle Bookshop. This is a well written cozy mystery with several twists and turns along the way to the big reveal. The characters are interesting and realistic. I really like the main character Shelby although Shelby is a little awkward socially she is trying to settle into her new life and make friends. In addition to trying to settle in Shelby is trying to find answers to why her dad moved them away from their life in Alexandria Bay when her mother passed away. She wants to know why her mother’s life was kept a secret from her. The setting of the bookshop location being in a castle is unique and fit in very well into the storyline. I recommend this book to cozy mystery fans.
I voluntarily agreed to read a copy of this book supplied by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced.
Trouble on the Books, Essie Lang’s first Castle Bookshop Mystery, was a charming read, and I enjoyed spending time with Shelby and her friends/family in Alexandria Bay. When a volunteer is murdered on Blye Island, the location of one of the bookstores Shelby and her aunt, Edie, own together, Shelby puts on her deerstalker (figuratively, lol!) to investigate. Lots of suspects and a surprising conclusion kept me guessing the identity of the culprit until the very end. Well done! 5 stars!
cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, women-sleuths, murder-investigation, family-dynamics, greed *****
CGIS stands for Coast Guard Investigative Services, I didn’t know that.
The publisher’s blurb is pretty good, so there’s no need for recap or spoilers here. The characters are all interesting, the locale fascinating (she’s renting a houseboat to live in!), and the mystery is well done and with the expected plot twists and red herrings. There’s lots more I’d like to say, but it would either be redundant or get into spoiler territory, so I’ll just let you know that it’s a great book that grabs by the imagination and doesn’t let go!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
Trouble On The Books is the first book in the A Castle Bookshop Mystery series.
Shelby Cox has returned to her hometown of Alexandria Bay taking a break from her job as an editor at a small book publisher. She has returned to help her Aunt Rudy, who is recovering from knee surgery, run her bookstores. Shelby will be running the new bookstore in Blye Castle on Blye Island. As Shelby is putting the final touches on the book displays, she has a disagreement with Loreena Swan, curator of exhibits and heritage at Blye Castle. Shelby was upset that Loreena was trying to tell her how the bookstore should be run. Later in the day, Shelby decided to take a walk on the island before catching the shuttle to the mainland. As she was nearing a cove she thought she saw Matthew Kessler, caretaker at the castle, leaving the vicinity of the cove. Deciding to take a closer look at the cove, just as she enters she finds the dead body of Miss Swan. Her first thought is could Kessler have killed her. For the most part, he was a quiet man, but had been extremely helpful to her and was a good friend of her aunt. Shelby later learns that he was at one time an author of true-crime books and had been thought to have killed his wife, but charges were never brought. Shelby, having heard the owner of the castle was reportedly involved with smuggling during the prohibition era, feels that smuggling might once again be going on and Miss Swan might have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. This feeling is somewhat reinforced when Zack Griffin, a Special Agent with the Coast Guard Investigative Services. The chief of Alexandria Bay and her family have had issues in the past and isn’t sure that she will be too forthcoming in her investigation, so Shelby decides to do her own sleuthing, hoping that she might get some help from Griffin.
Shelby has a second mystery to search out and that is why her mother had abandoned her when she was a child, leaving her father and aunt to raise. Her father and aunt are reluctant to explain why her mother left. The only thing he aunt was willing to share is that before her mother left she signed over to Shelby her half of the bookstore to her.
The book is well-written, plotted and very interesting. The author created a book that read at an easy pace. I found the characters very interesting and believable.
I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to more books in this nice series
This is a small town cozy. Shelby has just moved back to Alexandria Bay, where she was born. She is helping her Aunt Edie recover from knee surgery and discovers she is part owner with her Aunt in Bayside Books. They have opened up a new location in the castle on Bly Island. The opening day is over and Shelby walks to the grotto before heading home. While there she discovers the body of a prominent member of the community.
This is a fun escapist read. I like the characters and there appears to be little mystery on the side regarding Shelby’s deceased mother. Also there is a possible love interest. The writing is easy-to-read and the story is great entertainment.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.