The Book Detective

by Craig McLay

World famous mystery writer Simon Thorn has disappeared along with the only copy of the yet-to-be-published final book in his smash hit Robert Fulcrum detective series.

Few people know that the books are inspired by a real-life serial killer who has evaded police for years. Did Thorn leave enough clues in the final volume to identify the madman?

Watson Grant is not a detective - the closest he gets is running a bookstore with that word in the title - but it’s his job to track down the missing book.

Problem is, the book is worth a fortune, so a lot of other people are looking for it, too. They include a harpoon-toting ex-pirate with a wig fetish; a superfan traffic cop with serious mommy issues; a geriatric former KGB assassin with an arsenal of Cold War dirty tricks; and a rival bookseller with a diabolical hidden agenda. Not to mention a killer who will do unspeakable things to avoid seeing their name hit the bestseller list.

Watson is going to have to use all his knowledge of detective fiction to find the missing volume first, or else he may suffer a fate much worse than going out of print.

The Book Detective is the latest hilariously twisted thriller from the author of award-winning international bestsellers like Village Books, Demonic Indemnity and Deadline.

Genres: Mystery

416 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2024

Reviews

[Doug Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the death of his father, Watson Grant inherits the Book Detective, a Toronto bookstore founded by his parents. He is aided---and also often hindered---by his uncle, actor Fergus McTaggart, who has come to Toronto to give Watson moral support.

One day during the Christmas season, the store is visited by Libby Tadaskos, the niece of Simon Thorn, a famous writer of a series of thrillers. She has a slip indicating that Thorn, who has recently disappeared, has left something for her at the Book Detective. The something turns out to be a cryptic message that starts Watson, Libby, and Fergus on a search for what has happened to Thorn. Others are also looking for Thorn, who is rumored to have recently finished the final book in his series and had a personal copy printed for himself before sending the manuscript to his publisher.

This is a fun mystery featuring plenty of humor, colorful characters, and a fast-moving plot.

[Michael R. Zuelke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Book Detective is a most interesting book - two cups of mystery, a smidgeon of romance, a pinch of humor and a large amount of craziness. I felt like stopping a few times but continued. The result was a plot that had more nutty characters than I am used to as well as bizarre twists and turns. Yet at the conclusion of the tale, a sense of satisfaction and a mental note that I was glad I had read this book because the characters were so interesting and likeable.

[Hugh Dillon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even with a killer on the loose, there's still a lot of humour in scenes; like Fergus dramatically improvising in the bookstore to attract customers—or Watson drolly summarizing a blood‑curdling police report as “not exactly the holiday brochure.” This balance of wit and gore is well-paced.

Cozy bookstore ambiance is contrasted with genuinely threatening suspense.

[Chili Diane Evance · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Book Detective

Wow! What a crazy story. Couldn’t stop reading. Just hopeful it won’t give a whacked out crazy person any ideas. The characters all had their own stories and that made it a very memorable read. Bravo Craig McLay!

[Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman]

Very slow and tedious. It just didn’t grab me.

[Jerry Chick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit that this is a rather unique story with a very surprise ending. Great characters and story line as well. Looking forward to see where they go from here.