Reading the Clues

Secrets of Mary's Bookshop #3

by Charlotte Carter

When Mary's sister Betty is sued over the ownership of a mill that has been in her late husband's family for centuries, Mary tries to unravel the mill's forgotten history and discovers clues pointing to a murder that started a feud between two families.

Genres: Mystery, Christian, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Christian Fiction

351 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Charlotte has authored more than 50 books for Harlequin, Dorchester, Guideposts Books and Love Inspired. She lives in Southern California with her husband of 50 years. They have two married daughters and 5 grandchildren.

Reviews

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 3 out of 5]

About this book:

“Mary’s sister Betty receives notice that she is being sued and that the Emerson Grist Mill, which has been in her late husband Edward’s family for hundreds of year, actually belongs to the Hopkinses, who the Emersons have feuded with for generations. The mill used to be the center of commerce in Ivy Bay, and it has been a point of pride – as well as financial gain – for the Emersons for as long as anyone can remember. Betty is sure that the news can’t be true, but Mary isn’t so certain and sets out to unravel the mill’s forgotten history.
As Mary digs for clues about the mill’s ownership in the town archives, she hears rumors of a murder that started the family feud. Could it possibly be true? Could of Edward’s ancestors have killed one of the Hopkinses over the old grist mill? As Mary learns more, she finds clues – a mysterious ledger, an antique doll, a Revolutionary War uniform and an old family Bible – that seems to indicate answers no one wants to believe. What really happened at the mill all of those year ago? And will Mary’s and Betty’s lives ever be the same when they find out?”


Series: Book #3 in the “Secrets of Mary’s Bookshop” series. Review of Book #1 Here! and #2 Here!


Spiritual Content- Quite a lot of Scriptures are quoted, read, mentioned, remembered, & talked about; Prayers & Thanking God; Prayer Groups, Church going, & Worshiping; Talks about God & faiths; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mentions of God; Mentions of Bibles; Mentions of those & events in the Bible; Mentions of prayers, praying, prayer lists, thanking God, & blessings over food; Mentions of a prayer group, churches, church going, pastors, sermons/lessons, & hymns; Mentions of Christians & faiths; A few mentions of blessings & being blessed; A mention of a stained glass of Jesus; A mention of a youth group;
*Note: A couple mentions of ghosts haunting a place (it was a prank).


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a form of ‘dumb’; Many mentions of a (rumored) murder, murderer, how, & the body (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of arguments, domestic abuse, & injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a bloody knife (band); Mentions of wars, fighting, battles, & deaths; Mentions of drownings, almost drownings, & deaths; Mentions of injuries & pain; Mentions of prisons & arrests; Mentions of stealing, stolen items, break-ins, & vandals; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, drunks, & taverns/bars; Mentions of smoking, cigars, & tobacco; Mentions of rumors & gossip; Mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of thieves; A few mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of a bully; A couple mentions of robbing a bank; A mention of a (rumored) suicide; A mention of a threat of torture;
*Note: A few mentions of car brands; A mention of alien toys.


Sexual Content- A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of childhood crushes; A mention of a story (rumor) of an out-of-wedlock pregnancy.

-Mary Fisher, age 62
P.O.V. of Mary
268 pages

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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Three Stars
This mystery was different from the previous two books since Mary does a lot of searching to see if a rumored murder really happened. So, in that regard, it wasn’t as clean as the last one, but it still kept my attention. I did enjoy all the history parts, though, that was a fun bonus. Mary’s faith continues to be a large part of the series, which I love!


Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

[Olde American Spirit (Shannon) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun adventure we go on in this book#3 of the series. It was a cozy slow-paced, easy clean read with sleuthing and faith content.

(rumored) murder
Amateur sleuth
Missing person
Law suit
Sisters


✨📚✨In-depth reviews are on my “Clean Reads” channel

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun, cozy mystery. I really enjoyed this one a lot. Very well done and I loved how the situation was resolved in the end.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary’s sister Betty is being sued by a man saying the mill her late husband’s family has owned for 100’s of years is really his. Mary goes on a hunt to find out the truth. At the same time they are having a viewing of old houses to raise money for a friend whose house needs a new foundation. An enjoyable book.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This takes place in the summer, August. The story is about a rundown mill, a missing person, and an old feud. There is also a lawsuit and the drama that comes with it. I enjoyed the mystery until the end. I wanted it to end differently.

[Sheri Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick, easy read. The characters are realistic and are people I would like to meet. I'm close to my sister so I appreciated the fact that Mary lived with her sister once both spouses passed. Mary is very good at finding information that will help her solve the mystery. I will be reading more in this series.

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I believe this is the 3rd Secrets of Mary's Bookshop I've read and I really like them. Unlike the other mystery books I read, there isn't a lot of killing, cheating or lying in these, but there is still the mystery.

Mary lives with her sister and their talents compliment one another and they help one another out. Mary has a single Mom working in her shop and her and her daughter are close. The people in the town are helpful to one another. Sounds like the perfect place to vacation.

In this one Mary's sister Betty is being sued by Daniel Hopkins, claiming the Grist Mill belongs to his family after it was sold to them by an Emerson relative. He also claims an Emerson killed his great, great grandfather. Mary goes on her sleuthing escapade to try to determine who really owns the mill and who was killed and why. In the process she finds a ceramic doll and some sort of ledger wrapped in oilcloth hidden at the mill. The Emerson family has paid property taxes on the mill all along and have no proof it was ever sold. They think Daniel is trying to claim it for the property, so he can sell it to a developer.

So the mysteries in this book are numerous. Why hide a ceramic doll at the mill and where did it come from? What is the ledger recording? Did the Emerson,s sell the mill to the Hopkins family and was there a murder? It kept me guessing.

[Kristina Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is book #3 in the series of books based on mysteries solved by bookstore owner, Mary. This book focuses on her sister, Betty, who finds out that her late husband's reputation and legacy is about to be tarnished by a lawsuit that threatens the family's ownership of a historical landmark that holds all kinds of secrets - and there is a rumor that one of the family's ancestors might be a murderer. It's a good, quick read with enough twists in it so that you don't immediately know where the author is heading as Mary tries to solve the mystery. I enjoyed it, as I have other books in the series.

[Ken Bickley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I periodically read one of Bonnie's Guideposts series "mysteries" when I want a gentle, slow-paced book with a Christian slant. This one is one of the better in the Secrets of Mary's Bookshop series, and I enjoyed it so much I read it in one day. It involves a lawsuit over property, a family feud, and a supposed murder of 175 years ago. Mary's sister is being sued over property left to her by her late husband, and Mary volunteers to help sort out the pieces of the puzzle. It's a fun, quick read.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful book in this series! It didn't finish quite as tidy as I would have liked, but then again, sometimes life just isn't tidy. :) I have truly enjoyed this series and am so glad Guideposts has published these.

[Jeannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

easy read

[Ramona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great Christian mystery read about Mary, her sister, Betty, and the townspeople of Ivy Bay. Mary loves her sister, her cat, books, and her bookshop. She has found a new lease on life, by returning to the Cape Cod town of Ivy Bay. Mary also has the knack for solving mysteries and with the help from various other characters, in each book of the series, a mystery is solved, new friendships are forged, and Christian qualities save the day! Each book in this series, written by different authors, is a delight in that there is no profanity, violence, prejudice. As Mary might say, "We are all God's children." Love your neighbor as you would love yourself. The best advice for us all.

[Tammy Hornbeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

The booklover in me LOVES books about books. I found one of these wonderful novels when I lived in Hawaii two years ago. I couldn't afford them new so I bought all I could afford new. I have been reading them and I have three of the nine I have, read. I'm afraid I might be reading them out of order. LOL! Anyways, I love these books. I am especially intrigued by the different author's perspectives on Mary. The only thing I wish is that there was more of a tie to the bookstore and the books themselves. They actually seem to be more of an afterthought, which is sad. They are all worth reading though and I have no intention of stopping!

[Jacquie Stricklind · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary's sister Betty is getting sued over the Emerson Grist Mill that has been in her late husband's family since the 1700's. Mary of course loves a good mystery and so she starts researching by going over records to see if the mill was ever sold, she also goes to the library to see if there are any articles of the sale of the mill or if her husband's ancestor murdered a member of the Hopkinses family? Mary finds an old ledger, a Revolutionary War uniform, and an old family Bible? So who does the mill really belong too, and did William Emerson murder Caleb Hopkins? Read this very good book to find out. Enjoy!

[Miia Salomäki · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was recommend to me by a friend. Though I somewhat enjoyed the slow paced mystery part, I did not like the overly preaching Christian parts of this book. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve read books by devout Christian authors and with Christian content before, and liked most of those books, too, but here it just got too much with all the prayer groups, visits to church, Bible quotes ets. The book left me with a feeling that you can’t be a good person if you don’t attend sermon regularly, especially with trying to get Daniel go to church.
Sometimes less is more and more is too much.

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when a story leaves me smiling😊 Mary set out with one thought and she was forced to change her thinking. (she was at least open to changing her thinking) Betty was so sure she was right that it was kind of pleasing that she got her attitude changed. I'm glad the story turned out well for almost everyone but I was saddened😢 by Dorothy's attitude about Henry and Mary's friendship. She really had no right to get mad that Henry spent time at Mary's store.

[Linda Klinedinst · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really enjoying this Series...and all of the books that I have read so far as well. I am getting the Books from my Library and through the Evergreen Library System. This Series is put out by Guidepost and you can buy the books directly from them. They have a Website that you can go to.

I give this book 5/5 Stars on Goodreads.

Happy Reading :)

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall this is a fantastic series! The characters are quirky and fun, and relatable. I really enjoy reading book series that are light, funny, and share much needed lessons. Set in an idyllic setting, I can picture it clearly due to the all the details provided. All of the books in the series hold my attention - I don't want to put them down until I know how the mystery ends!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hundred year old family feud come to a head when a law suit is filed over the owner ship of the Emerson Grist Mill, that has been pasted down in Marry Fisher's husbands family. Mary Fisher, the owner of Mary's Mystery Bookshop, searches for the truth of the feud and a hundred year old missing person/or murder.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary's sister is being sued, that the mill that has been in her family for generations is really not hers! Mary sifts through papers going back to the 1800's looking for clues. There is also a rumor that there had been a murder, Mary has her work cut out, trying to find information about a murder that long ago.

[Judine Brey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series continues to please me. The only minor issue I have is that I sometimes forget the names and who is connected to whom. Otherwise I enjoy Mary as a sleuth, especially since she does a lot of her investigating by looking at old records. Looking at microfilm records of old newspapers reminds me of college. I also love how her Gus-kitty helps her know what's important.

[Sarah A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 3 in the series about Mary’s bookshop. Mary has to help her sister Bette find out the truth about the ownership of her dead husband’s mill - now in disrepair but a symbol of the town. Along the way she has challenges to her faith to overcome.

[Massanutten Regional Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ann, Grottoes patron, June 2017, 3 stars:

Found at a yard sale. A folksy cozy mystery set on Cape Cod in a series published by Guideposts.

[Kathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept me guessing until the end and even after the mystery was solved I didn’t know how it would turn out.

[Lorraine Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book.

[Nichole Gricius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ali really enjoy this series. Likeable characters and just a nice light mystery

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book-#3 certainly was an inspiration! I loved the history of the story!

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great and wonderful book! I really enjoyed it and want to read another one written by this author! Loved it!!

[Tami · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unless I missed something, there was a big clue left unexplained.

[Melmo2610 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story although the mystery for this one wasn’t my favorite. Very much enjoying this series overall though!