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Scottish Bookshop Mystery #8
Fateful Words: A Scottish Bookshop Mystery, Book 8
In Fateful Words, the eighth Scottish Bookshop Mystery from beloved author Paige Shelton, bookseller Delaney Nichols stakes her reputation—and her life—when a literary tour turns deadly . . .
When Edwin, Delaney's boss at the Cracked Spine bookstore, leaves town on secret business, Delaney is called upon to guide his yearly literary tour around Edinburgh. But on the first night of the tour, at the inn where the tour group is staying, the inn manager falls—or is pushed—off the roof of the inn, and killed. Then, one of the tour members disappears, leaving a trail of puzzles in his wake.
In a race against the clock, Delaney sets out on the expedition of her life, following clues around Edinburgh to get to the bottom of this mystery. Exploring sights from Greyfriars Bobby to the Royal Mile to the Sir Walter Scott Monument, she'll have to put the pieces together quickly, or the bookstore's survival could be on the line . . . as well as her own.
When Edwin, Delaney's boss at the Cracked Spine bookstore, leaves town on secret business, Delaney is called upon to guide his yearly literary tour around Edinburgh. But on the first night of the tour, at the inn where the tour group is staying, the inn manager falls—or is pushed—off the roof of the inn, and killed. Then, one of the tour members disappears, leaving a trail of puzzles in his wake.
In a race against the clock, Delaney sets out on the expedition of her life, following clues around Edinburgh to get to the bottom of this mystery. Exploring sights from Greyfriars Bobby to the Royal Mile to the Sir Walter Scott Monument, she'll have to put the pieces together quickly, or the bookstore's survival could be on the line . . . as well as her own.
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First published April 4, 2023
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March 15, 2023
Fateful Words
by Paige Shelton is the eighth book in the Scottish Bookshop cozy mystery series and the first one that I have read. Set in Edinburgh, Scotland, it features Delaney Nichols who loves her new life working at The Cracked Spine bookshop and married to pub owner Tom Shannon.
When Edwin MacAlister, Delaney’s boss, suddenly leaves town with co-worker Hamlet, she is asked to guide his yearly literary tour around the city while fellow co-worker Rosie stays at the shop. Each year Edwin selects four readers from the many that request the opportunity to participate. This year, it’s Meera, Kevin, Gunter, and Luka. Soon after checking into their inn, someone dies there. Then one of the tour members disappears. These two events are only the beginning of the mysterious events that occur during the tour and Delaney is determined to understand what is happing.
Shelton does a great job of letting readers get to know Delaney. She’s bold, intense, curious, and a little nervous about leading the literary tour group around the city. Readers get clues about the other characters through their opinions, actions, reactions, and mannerisms.
I enjoyed the literary references and historical tie-ins throughout the novel. The plot was multi-layered and complex with some twists and turns. The narrative transported this reader to Scotland. I wonder how police Inspector Winters really feels about all of Delaney’s calls and texts. With an action-packed ending, there are a couple of surprises. Themes include deaths, disappearing people, lack of communication, secrets, and much more.
Overall, this was an entertaining read with fantastic world-building. I enjoyed learning about the literary tie-ins to Edinburgh. It grabbed my attention with likeable characters and multiple mysteries to be solved. While the series is best read in order, it worked as a standalone for me. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and Paige Shelton provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for April 04, 2023.
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My 4.02 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
When Edwin MacAlister, Delaney’s boss, suddenly leaves town with co-worker Hamlet, she is asked to guide his yearly literary tour around the city while fellow co-worker Rosie stays at the shop. Each year Edwin selects four readers from the many that request the opportunity to participate. This year, it’s Meera, Kevin, Gunter, and Luka. Soon after checking into their inn, someone dies there. Then one of the tour members disappears. These two events are only the beginning of the mysterious events that occur during the tour and Delaney is determined to understand what is happing.
Shelton does a great job of letting readers get to know Delaney. She’s bold, intense, curious, and a little nervous about leading the literary tour group around the city. Readers get clues about the other characters through their opinions, actions, reactions, and mannerisms.
I enjoyed the literary references and historical tie-ins throughout the novel. The plot was multi-layered and complex with some twists and turns. The narrative transported this reader to Scotland. I wonder how police Inspector Winters really feels about all of Delaney’s calls and texts. With an action-packed ending, there are a couple of surprises. Themes include deaths, disappearing people, lack of communication, secrets, and much more.
Overall, this was an entertaining read with fantastic world-building. I enjoyed learning about the literary tie-ins to Edinburgh. It grabbed my attention with likeable characters and multiple mysteries to be solved. While the series is best read in order, it worked as a standalone for me. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and Paige Shelton provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for April 04, 2023.
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My 4.02 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
February 23, 2023
Another great Scottish adventure with Delaney Nichols in Edinburgh, Scotland. Delaney moved from Kansas to Scotland to work for wealthy Edwin MacAlister at The Cracked Spine Bookshop. She’s responsible for cataloging his vast warehouse filled with valuable collectibles and antiques. As the story begins, Edwin has abruptly taken Hamlet, another employee, to London. Rosie, who manages the bookshop, tells Delaney Edwin’s in trouble, but okay. Other than that cryptic comment, Rosie’s lips are sealed. Meanwhile, Edwin says Delaney must take over an annual literature tour of Edinburg for him—four guests are arriving that day and expect the royal treatment! Once the guests are there; mystery and murder are afoot.
Author Paige Shelton takes readers on a whirlwind tour of Edinburgh, and introduces several historical places all sightseers should see when visiting, plus some less known fascinating folklore and facts. Delaney embarks on a hunt for a killer as she strives to keep Edwin’s guests from harm during their stay. The plot is well-written, interesting, and moves at a good pace. Tom, Delaney’s husband, helps her a lot in this story, as does Inspector Winters. When Edwin trouble is revealed, it just so happens to coincide with the murder mystery, and readers will see how well this plot is woven together. There are bizarre diversions around every corner!
By the time the exciting conclusion is reached, everything is explained. Great story! I highly recommend to readers.
I honestly reviewed an unedited, digital arc provided by NetGalley and Minotaur/St. Martin’s Press. All options are my own.
Author Paige Shelton takes readers on a whirlwind tour of Edinburgh, and introduces several historical places all sightseers should see when visiting, plus some less known fascinating folklore and facts. Delaney embarks on a hunt for a killer as she strives to keep Edwin’s guests from harm during their stay. The plot is well-written, interesting, and moves at a good pace. Tom, Delaney’s husband, helps her a lot in this story, as does Inspector Winters. When Edwin trouble is revealed, it just so happens to coincide with the murder mystery, and readers will see how well this plot is woven together. There are bizarre diversions around every corner!
By the time the exciting conclusion is reached, everything is explained. Great story! I highly recommend to readers.
I honestly reviewed an unedited, digital arc provided by NetGalley and Minotaur/St. Martin’s Press. All options are my own.
December 21, 2022
Fateful Words is the 8th book in the Scottish Bookshop Mysteries. I have read this series from the beginning. The story takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland. Delaney is the main character. She works at the bookstore The Cracked Spine. The story opens with Delaney going to The Scotland Antiques Center, a large old warehouse with a box of monocle that Edwin (her boss) wanted Michael Norway a local spectacle and monocle expert to see. Michael in exchange gives Delaney another monocle with an engraving on the back. It has the name Tom like her husband. Michael said the monocle was magic. He put it around her neck.
When she gets back to the store, Rosie, she works at the store, tells her that Edwin had been called away and Hector (another person who works at the store) had gone with him. Delaney will be leading the walking tour that Edwin usually does. There will be four people in the group. Meera Murphy from Dublin, Kevin (woman) Moore from London who owns a book store, Gunter from Berlin who dealt in old documents in Germany and Luka King from Australia who owns his own construction companies. After they all met they decided to continue the tour. They would meet for dinner and then go to Tom's pub. When going into the pub Delaney saw a man dressed in black leave the Inn across from the pub. Carmel Robertson who works at the Inn comes out dazed and bloody. Delaney goes to help Carmel but calls the police. While waiting for the police, Delaney hears a scream. Tom went to see what has happen came back to say that someone fell off the roof of the Inn. He thinks it is the manager of the Inn Geoff Larson. Tom takes the tour people to his pub. Meera had left earlier to go to the Royal Mile. When texted she said that she didn't hear anything and would come to the Inn later.
Inspector Winter is a local inspector and good friend of Tom and Delancey.
When at the Inn to check on the reservations for the tour people Delancey finds that Edwin's credit card was denied. She has been told by Carmel that if it is not paid the tour people will not be able to stay there. Delancey pays with her own card. She tells Rosie that Edwin's card was denied and she has taken care of it. Asks Rosie where Edwin is but Rosie tells her that she can't tell her.
Inspector Winter comes to the store and tells Rosie and Delancey that the person who died was Geoff and he suspects that someone else was on the roof with him. There is no evidence that he was pushed but he is looking into it. He tells them that Carmel is still unconscious and is in a medically induced coma. She has a subdural hematoma. Later he tells them that Geoff was definitely murder.
This is where the story takes off and there is so much to tell that I will leave this part of the story to the reader to enjoy. There is a question of why did Edwin go away, What are the mysterious goings on at the Inn. Who really is Meera and why does she always disappear. Who is Barney O'Shea and what does he have to do with the Inn, etc. Why does Kevin always get sick in her room but feels better when she gets outside, The story builds up to a surprise and exciting climax.
I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading the next in this series.
Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC.
When she gets back to the store, Rosie, she works at the store, tells her that Edwin had been called away and Hector (another person who works at the store) had gone with him. Delaney will be leading the walking tour that Edwin usually does. There will be four people in the group. Meera Murphy from Dublin, Kevin (woman) Moore from London who owns a book store, Gunter from Berlin who dealt in old documents in Germany and Luka King from Australia who owns his own construction companies. After they all met they decided to continue the tour. They would meet for dinner and then go to Tom's pub. When going into the pub Delaney saw a man dressed in black leave the Inn across from the pub. Carmel Robertson who works at the Inn comes out dazed and bloody. Delaney goes to help Carmel but calls the police. While waiting for the police, Delaney hears a scream. Tom went to see what has happen came back to say that someone fell off the roof of the Inn. He thinks it is the manager of the Inn Geoff Larson. Tom takes the tour people to his pub. Meera had left earlier to go to the Royal Mile. When texted she said that she didn't hear anything and would come to the Inn later.
Inspector Winter is a local inspector and good friend of Tom and Delancey.
When at the Inn to check on the reservations for the tour people Delancey finds that Edwin's credit card was denied. She has been told by Carmel that if it is not paid the tour people will not be able to stay there. Delancey pays with her own card. She tells Rosie that Edwin's card was denied and she has taken care of it. Asks Rosie where Edwin is but Rosie tells her that she can't tell her.
Inspector Winter comes to the store and tells Rosie and Delancey that the person who died was Geoff and he suspects that someone else was on the roof with him. There is no evidence that he was pushed but he is looking into it. He tells them that Carmel is still unconscious and is in a medically induced coma. She has a subdural hematoma. Later he tells them that Geoff was definitely murder.
This is where the story takes off and there is so much to tell that I will leave this part of the story to the reader to enjoy. There is a question of why did Edwin go away, What are the mysterious goings on at the Inn. Who really is Meera and why does she always disappear. Who is Barney O'Shea and what does he have to do with the Inn, etc. Why does Kevin always get sick in her room but feels better when she gets outside, The story builds up to a surprise and exciting climax.
I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading the next in this series.
Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC.
March 23, 2023
To paraphrase the Scottish poet Robert Burns: 'The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.' In the eighth book in Shelton's Sottish Bookshop Mystery series, Edwin, the owner of The Cracked Spine bookstore, has planned his annual Edinburgh literature tour for four handpicked customers but finds he must be out of the country to deal with a serious problem. He requests that Delaney, one of his trusted young clerks, take over the running of the tour for him. What?? Can she fill his illustrious shoes to the visitors' satisfaction?
Unfortunately just after all the guests have checked into their hotel rooms, the hotel's owner falls to his death from the roof of the building. Could this tour get off to a worse start? And when will Edwin be back?
Although I have read other books by Paige Shelton, this was my first chance to read a book from her Scottish Bookshop Mystery series and I quite enjoyed it. It was a quick read with an intriguing plot dealing with identity theft and murder and with a delightful cast of characters. It was fun to spend a few hours exploring the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, with the literary tour group.
I received an arc of this new cozy mystery from the author and publisher via NetGalley. Many thanks!
My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
Unfortunately just after all the guests have checked into their hotel rooms, the hotel's owner falls to his death from the roof of the building. Could this tour get off to a worse start? And when will Edwin be back?
Although I have read other books by Paige Shelton, this was my first chance to read a book from her Scottish Bookshop Mystery series and I quite enjoyed it. It was a quick read with an intriguing plot dealing with identity theft and murder and with a delightful cast of characters. It was fun to spend a few hours exploring the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, with the literary tour group.
I received an arc of this new cozy mystery from the author and publisher via NetGalley. Many thanks!
My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
February 4, 2023
I've been following this series for awhile and picking up this one felt like coming home. I love the characters. Delaney, the bookseller; Edwin, the bookshop owner; Tom, Delaney's husband and pub owner, and others that work at the Cracked Spine. Set in Edinburgh, Scotland, both the setting and the bookstore are delightful.
In this one, Edwin has mysteriously left town and had scheduled his yearly special week long book tour for four lucky participants. Delaney is the only one who can step in for him and handle the tour. This makes her nervous because she has never even been on one of the tours and feels no one can replace Edwin for the tour - but she does her best.
The tour participants arrive and the tour gets underway. Edwin's credit card had been declined at the hotel for the tour participants and the owner was threatening to askt he participants to leave. Delaney covered the costs and saved the day. Later,a woman comes out of the inn staggering and Delaney stops to help. While this is happening, something else is going on down the street. A man has fallen, jumped or been pushed off a building and is dead in the street. Yikes! What is going on? Delaney wishes Edwin were there - his disappearance is mysterious and Rosie won't tell her why he had to leave.
This was a really good mystery and one of the best in the series I think. There were some good twists and surprises as the book progressed. Good pacing and wonderful descriptions of the city made the book even more enjoyable. I really like this series.
Thanks to Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on April 4, 2023.
In this one, Edwin has mysteriously left town and had scheduled his yearly special week long book tour for four lucky participants. Delaney is the only one who can step in for him and handle the tour. This makes her nervous because she has never even been on one of the tours and feels no one can replace Edwin for the tour - but she does her best.
The tour participants arrive and the tour gets underway. Edwin's credit card had been declined at the hotel for the tour participants and the owner was threatening to askt he participants to leave. Delaney covered the costs and saved the day. Later,a woman comes out of the inn staggering and Delaney stops to help. While this is happening, something else is going on down the street. A man has fallen, jumped or been pushed off a building and is dead in the street. Yikes! What is going on? Delaney wishes Edwin were there - his disappearance is mysterious and Rosie won't tell her why he had to leave.
This was a really good mystery and one of the best in the series I think. There were some good twists and surprises as the book progressed. Good pacing and wonderful descriptions of the city made the book even more enjoyable. I really like this series.
Thanks to Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on April 4, 2023.
February 28, 2023
Kansas born Delaney has married a Scotsman and is settled in Edinburgh, working in a charming bookshop. When her boss, Edwin, is mysteriously called away on the eve of his annual literary tour of the city, the task of leading it is left to her. The first day is not without mishap….a man falls from the top of the hotel where her guests are staying, the receptionist there is knocked unconscious, and one of the tour group seems to have a secret of her own. As the tour progresses, Delaney is caught up in finding clues about what is happening.
This is the eighth in the Scottish Bookshop series; it is the first I have read. It worked well as a stand alone. An intriguing, cozy mystery with an intricate plot and some delightful characters, there were twists and turns as the story unfolded in this fast paced read. I liked this book and look forward to reading the next installment in the series. I particularly enjoyed learning about some of the history and landmarks (although some might be fictional!) of Edinburgh.
December 23, 2022
I received a free copy of,Fateful Words, by Paige Shelton, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is the eighth book in the Scottish Bookshop Mysteries. Delaney works at The Cracked Spine Bookstore, ( a great name for bookstore), in Edinburgh. While her boss is away she has to lead his literary tour, when someone is murdered it is up to Delaney to solve the crime. This is a great mystery, in a great city, I was figuring out the clues til the end of the book.
April 8, 2023
Dollycas's Thoughts
Delaney Nichols loves her job at The Cracked Spine Bookshop. Working on the "dark side" of the shop organizing owner Edwin MacAlister's many collections is like a dream come true.
Right now Edwin is off on some secret business and took Hamlet with him. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, Rosie and Delaney can handle the bookstore, but this is the week of Edwin's yearly literary tour around Edinburgh and his invited guests have already arrived. Delaney has no choice but to take over the tour knowing the participants are going to be upset. Edwin's tours are legendary and while Delaney can't measure up to his fame but she will give it her all to give them the best time in Edinburgh she can.
The first day of the tour went pretty well but after dinner trouble breaks out at the inn where the group is staying. The manager has fallen or was pushed off the roof, an employee has been attacked and one of the members of the group has disappeared.
Delaney has another real-life mystery on her hands and she and her husband Tom team up to do their best to solve it. They soon realize both Delaney's life and the bookstore are in danger so time is most definitely of the essence.
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Fateful Words is the 8th book in Scottish Bookshop Mystery Series and this is my new favorite.
Delaney Nichols has grown so much since she arrived in Edinburgh, a farm girl from Kansas. She is confident in her job, married a wonderful man, and has made many friends. This time she was put to the test and had to fill in for Edwin and for a newcomer she did an excellent job. I love the way she follows the clues and always shares her findings and theories with Inspector Winters although I am sure it gets to be a bit much for him at times.
I really enjoyed that even though he was away in London Edwin played a major role in this story. He is a fantastic boss and truly Delaney, Hamlet, Rosie, and even Hector are his family. They have a strong bond and that is what makes this series so strong. The characters are realistic and genuine and it is very easy to get invested in their lives.
Ms. Shelton takes her readers right along as Delaney escorts Edwin's guests on a tour of the city. Her descriptions paint pictures whether it be above ground or below. I felt like I was on a fabulous virtual vacation to a city I would love to travel to someday. The fact that she intertwines a couple of fantastic mysteries along the way makes it even better yet.
Those mysteries have a bunch of moving parts made harder to solve by a variety of twists and turns. I was fascinated by the notion that instead of narrowing down the number of suspects the list increased as the story played out. Another change from previous stories Delaney's "book voices" were silent throughout most of the story. The twists mounted as we got closer to the end and the suspense takes a big jump. The pages were flying and I was holding my breath. Wow, what an ending.
Surely one of the best books I will read this year. Fateful Words is a supreme addition to this series. A complicated mystery, with delightful characters, set in a dream locale. I was entertained from the moment I opened the book until the final page. I really have a hard time letting these characters go. Until next year Edinburgh, my virtual bags are already packed.
Delaney Nichols loves her job at The Cracked Spine Bookshop. Working on the "dark side" of the shop organizing owner Edwin MacAlister's many collections is like a dream come true.
Right now Edwin is off on some secret business and took Hamlet with him. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, Rosie and Delaney can handle the bookstore, but this is the week of Edwin's yearly literary tour around Edinburgh and his invited guests have already arrived. Delaney has no choice but to take over the tour knowing the participants are going to be upset. Edwin's tours are legendary and while Delaney can't measure up to his fame but she will give it her all to give them the best time in Edinburgh she can.
The first day of the tour went pretty well but after dinner trouble breaks out at the inn where the group is staying. The manager has fallen or was pushed off the roof, an employee has been attacked and one of the members of the group has disappeared.
Delaney has another real-life mystery on her hands and she and her husband Tom team up to do their best to solve it. They soon realize both Delaney's life and the bookstore are in danger so time is most definitely of the essence.
____
Fateful Words is the 8th book in Scottish Bookshop Mystery Series and this is my new favorite.
Delaney Nichols has grown so much since she arrived in Edinburgh, a farm girl from Kansas. She is confident in her job, married a wonderful man, and has made many friends. This time she was put to the test and had to fill in for Edwin and for a newcomer she did an excellent job. I love the way she follows the clues and always shares her findings and theories with Inspector Winters although I am sure it gets to be a bit much for him at times.
I really enjoyed that even though he was away in London Edwin played a major role in this story. He is a fantastic boss and truly Delaney, Hamlet, Rosie, and even Hector are his family. They have a strong bond and that is what makes this series so strong. The characters are realistic and genuine and it is very easy to get invested in their lives.
Ms. Shelton takes her readers right along as Delaney escorts Edwin's guests on a tour of the city. Her descriptions paint pictures whether it be above ground or below. I felt like I was on a fabulous virtual vacation to a city I would love to travel to someday. The fact that she intertwines a couple of fantastic mysteries along the way makes it even better yet.
Those mysteries have a bunch of moving parts made harder to solve by a variety of twists and turns. I was fascinated by the notion that instead of narrowing down the number of suspects the list increased as the story played out. Another change from previous stories Delaney's "book voices" were silent throughout most of the story. The twists mounted as we got closer to the end and the suspense takes a big jump. The pages were flying and I was holding my breath. Wow, what an ending.
Surely one of the best books I will read this year. Fateful Words is a supreme addition to this series. A complicated mystery, with delightful characters, set in a dream locale. I was entertained from the moment I opened the book until the final page. I really have a hard time letting these characters go. Until next year Edinburgh, my virtual bags are already packed.
December 12, 2022
I loved this book. Reading it, I felt like I was spending a few blissful days in Scotland and the best bookstore in the world. The mystery was masterfully plotted with more threads than a Scottish fisherman's sweater.
May 2, 2023
In FATEFUL WORDS, the 8th book in Paige Shelton's Scottish Bookshop series, Delaney Nichols is a bit blindsided when she finds out that she has to conduct a tour of literary sites in Edinburgh.
The yearly trip is something sponsored by her boss Edwin, the owner of The Cracked Spine bookstore. He's the one who does the tour with specially invited people but Edwin is nowhere to be found. He's left town on a mysterious errand that couldn't be avoided and left it to Delaney to handle the tour.
While she is certainly settling in to her life in Scotland, she doesn't feel like she's up to conducting the tour, at least not up to the standards Edwin has set with all the past tours. Those doubts have to be set aside though because the people are showing up expecting the tour.
While Delaney serves as their guide to the various literary sites, she gets to know the people on the tour a bit. But one of them is a bit distracted, always seemingly headed off to do her own thing.
That matters little when Delaney discovers a woman in the street at night. She's been attacked and is badly hurt. But even that pales when nearby the manager of the hotel the tour guests are staying at is found dead. Did he jump from the roof or was he thrown?
While determined to leave the investigating to the cops, Delaney has to worry about her charges and their safety. Is the hotel safe? And what was the dead man up to that has people saying he was acting oddly recently.
As you might guess, Delaney and her curious nature begins to ask questions. The answer she gets prompts her to start digging deeper. Soon, one of the tour guests disappears. While looking for her, they learn that she isn't quite who she claimed to be. Now things are really starting to get more intense and possibly dangerous for Delaney and the guests.
And what, if anything does this have to do with Edwin's disappearance?
As Shelton slowly peels back each layer in a sometimes confounding mystery, Delaney has to deal with an escalating level of violence, secrets, fraud and a killer who seems to have a way of staying just ahead of both her and the cops. But can she unmask the killer and avoid being the next victim?
FATEFUL WORDS certainly had a long and winding road in terms of the central plot. In fact, between the tour group and murder, plus Edwin's subplot, there wasn't a whole lot of time to deal with much in the way of the normal side stories in the series. That's okay though because as I read along, I kept trying to figure out which way each dizzying twist in the narrative was going. This kept my interest up from start to finish, which is always a good thing.
I continue to be delight by Delaney's continued resourcefulness even as it comes with her rushing headlong into danger. Perhaps her friends and family need to get her to be less impulsive so she doesn't wind up in quite so much danger but that would make it less interesting for the readers.
FATEFUL WORDS is deeply involving mystery that only further enhances my continued love of Paige Shelton's Scottish Bookshop mystery series!
The yearly trip is something sponsored by her boss Edwin, the owner of The Cracked Spine bookstore. He's the one who does the tour with specially invited people but Edwin is nowhere to be found. He's left town on a mysterious errand that couldn't be avoided and left it to Delaney to handle the tour.
While she is certainly settling in to her life in Scotland, she doesn't feel like she's up to conducting the tour, at least not up to the standards Edwin has set with all the past tours. Those doubts have to be set aside though because the people are showing up expecting the tour.
While Delaney serves as their guide to the various literary sites, she gets to know the people on the tour a bit. But one of them is a bit distracted, always seemingly headed off to do her own thing.
That matters little when Delaney discovers a woman in the street at night. She's been attacked and is badly hurt. But even that pales when nearby the manager of the hotel the tour guests are staying at is found dead. Did he jump from the roof or was he thrown?
While determined to leave the investigating to the cops, Delaney has to worry about her charges and their safety. Is the hotel safe? And what was the dead man up to that has people saying he was acting oddly recently.
As you might guess, Delaney and her curious nature begins to ask questions. The answer she gets prompts her to start digging deeper. Soon, one of the tour guests disappears. While looking for her, they learn that she isn't quite who she claimed to be. Now things are really starting to get more intense and possibly dangerous for Delaney and the guests.
And what, if anything does this have to do with Edwin's disappearance?
As Shelton slowly peels back each layer in a sometimes confounding mystery, Delaney has to deal with an escalating level of violence, secrets, fraud and a killer who seems to have a way of staying just ahead of both her and the cops. But can she unmask the killer and avoid being the next victim?
FATEFUL WORDS certainly had a long and winding road in terms of the central plot. In fact, between the tour group and murder, plus Edwin's subplot, there wasn't a whole lot of time to deal with much in the way of the normal side stories in the series. That's okay though because as I read along, I kept trying to figure out which way each dizzying twist in the narrative was going. This kept my interest up from start to finish, which is always a good thing.
I continue to be delight by Delaney's continued resourcefulness even as it comes with her rushing headlong into danger. Perhaps her friends and family need to get her to be less impulsive so she doesn't wind up in quite so much danger but that would make it less interesting for the readers.
FATEFUL WORDS is deeply involving mystery that only further enhances my continued love of Paige Shelton's Scottish Bookshop mystery series!
May 6, 2023
The eighth Scottish Bookshop Mystery is just as wonderful as previous books in the series. Delaney has to take over for her boss Edwin when he suddenly takes off, to lead his annual Edinburgh literary tour. Visitors from all over the world have come to learn about Scotland and literature from Edwin and are just as confused as Delaney about his disappearance. On the first night of the tour, the manager of the inn where the guests are staying falls off the roof of the inn. Then a member of the tour group goes missing and Delaney has a hunch that it's all related. This is one of my favorite series and I'm always eager to read the newest book. I love the combination of literary references and Scottish history. I also read this author's Alaska series, which is very different but quite enjoyable. Both are definitely recommended.
April 3, 2023
Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: Scottish Bookshop Mystery #8
Publication Date: 4/4/23
Period: Contemporary Edinburgh, Scotland
Number of Pages: 304
Delaney, originally from Kansas, has loved Scotland from the first day her feet touched the soil. Since she came to live in Edinburgh, she has made many wonderful friends and married the love of her life. She loves the town, she loves the people, she loves the books, she loves her job and she cannot imagine living anywhere else on earth.
As she arrives at the bookstore, Delaney immediately knows something is amiss from the look on Rosie’s face. Every year their boss, Edwin, conducts a multi-day book-related tour for four winners who have sent him the best reasons why they should be chosen. The tour includes various locations in Edinburg that are mentioned in books and Edwin always looks forward to the tours and conducts them personally. Delaney quickly learns that this year’s tour will be different because she will be leading it. What! She’s an American, she can’t be leading the tour and telling all of the stories and legends. It needs Edwin’s charm, wit, and beautiful Scottish accent to do justice to those stories. Delaney is alarmed – more for Edwin than herself. She’ll do the tour, but Edwin has left no word of why he is missing the tour or even where he has gone.
Delaney has hardly met the tour participants – Meera Murphy from Ireland, Kevin Moore from London, Luka King from Australia, and Gunter from Germany – when the manager of the hotel in which they are staying jumps or is thrown from the roof of the hotel. Oh! What an auspicious welcome to the tour group.
Something strange is going on at the hotel. One of the employees was struck down and hospitalized with a concussion, there was never any staff visible when you entered or left the hotel, and the one clerk who made an occasional appearance was free with information about odd things around the hotel.
Of course, Delaney decides to help her friend Inspector Winters solve the case. However, her investigations put her in danger. Will she be rescued? Can she save herself? Can she help bring the villain to justice?
I always enjoy the books in this series, but this is my least favorite so far. The entire scenario feels contorted and unreal, but the characters are so likable that you can live with the rest of it. So, while I mostly enjoyed the book, I wouldn’t read this one a second time.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Series: Scottish Bookshop Mystery #8
Publication Date: 4/4/23
Period: Contemporary Edinburgh, Scotland
Number of Pages: 304
Delaney, originally from Kansas, has loved Scotland from the first day her feet touched the soil. Since she came to live in Edinburgh, she has made many wonderful friends and married the love of her life. She loves the town, she loves the people, she loves the books, she loves her job and she cannot imagine living anywhere else on earth.
As she arrives at the bookstore, Delaney immediately knows something is amiss from the look on Rosie’s face. Every year their boss, Edwin, conducts a multi-day book-related tour for four winners who have sent him the best reasons why they should be chosen. The tour includes various locations in Edinburg that are mentioned in books and Edwin always looks forward to the tours and conducts them personally. Delaney quickly learns that this year’s tour will be different because she will be leading it. What! She’s an American, she can’t be leading the tour and telling all of the stories and legends. It needs Edwin’s charm, wit, and beautiful Scottish accent to do justice to those stories. Delaney is alarmed – more for Edwin than herself. She’ll do the tour, but Edwin has left no word of why he is missing the tour or even where he has gone.
Delaney has hardly met the tour participants – Meera Murphy from Ireland, Kevin Moore from London, Luka King from Australia, and Gunter from Germany – when the manager of the hotel in which they are staying jumps or is thrown from the roof of the hotel. Oh! What an auspicious welcome to the tour group.
Something strange is going on at the hotel. One of the employees was struck down and hospitalized with a concussion, there was never any staff visible when you entered or left the hotel, and the one clerk who made an occasional appearance was free with information about odd things around the hotel.
Of course, Delaney decides to help her friend Inspector Winters solve the case. However, her investigations put her in danger. Will she be rescued? Can she save herself? Can she help bring the villain to justice?
I always enjoy the books in this series, but this is my least favorite so far. The entire scenario feels contorted and unreal, but the characters are so likable that you can live with the rest of it. So, while I mostly enjoyed the book, I wouldn’t read this one a second time.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 29, 2023
"Fateful Words” the 8th instalment in the "Scottish Bookshop Mystery” series by Paige Shelton. I really enjoy this series and am collecting in hardcover. Bookseller Delaney Nichols stakes her reputation—and her life—when a literary tour turns deadly...
I loved visiting Edinburgh, Scotland and the Cracked Spine book shop again. I liked how this time we were exploring as a tourist on a literary tour.
There were several possible suspects, and kept me guessing for quite a while. I was drawn into this story right away and did not want to put it down. Overall, I found it to be a very entertaining read that made me long to visit Scotland and the Royal Mile.
I highly recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from St.Martins Press/Minotaur Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I loved visiting Edinburgh, Scotland and the Cracked Spine book shop again. I liked how this time we were exploring as a tourist on a literary tour.
There were several possible suspects, and kept me guessing for quite a while. I was drawn into this story right away and did not want to put it down. Overall, I found it to be a very entertaining read that made me long to visit Scotland and the Royal Mile.
I highly recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from St.Martins Press/Minotaur Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 15, 2023
Delaney is worried when her boss Edwin is called away suddenly. Edwin is healthy and fine but has to be in London for some business and he took Hamlet with him, leaving only Delaney to lead his exclusive literary tour! Delaney is certain she can not do the tour justice the way Edwin can and the participants will be disappointed, even though they all opt to stay. Delaney likes meeting the people and getting to know them and even introducing reluctant reader Luka to new books but something isn't quite right. A series of misadventures befalls the tour, beginning with Edwin's credit card not going through at the inn. Then the inn manager falls (or is thrown) from the roof and another employee injured. Delaney is scared but certain the police can handle it. Still, she's curious enough to ask questions of her own. What happened at the inn? Did Geoff fall? Did he jump? Or was he pushed? Then one member wanders off and doesn't return. What happened to her? Will Edwin come home in time to meet his guests? Is there a connection between Edwin's trip to London and what is happening in Edinburgh? When someone else is hurt, Delaney can't help but think there is a connection. Can she leave it to Inspector Winters to figure out or will her curiosity get the better of her again?
This is another fun adventure from The Cracked Spine. I got really caught up in the literary tour and wanted to hop on a plane and go to Edinburgh for Edwin's special tour. Delaney said the magic words "Greyfriars Bobby" and I was in. Then she said the literal magic word "Hogwarts" (Heriot School) and I was wanted to hop on a plane and join the tour. There's also a heaping dose of Sir Walter Scott! I was charmed by the setting before and now I'm dying to go there and see the sights of my favorite stories, not to mention that castle (also Hogwarts). I was having so much fun with Delaney and Tom I almost didn't care about the mystery.
The mystery had a lot going on. Some of it was pretty obvious to me. Fortunately one thing became obvious to Delaney and it was explained why that wasn't obvious to others. I was glad for that because it was painfully obvious. I couldn't quite put all the pieces together and put together the whole story. I was kind of surprised by the identity of the villain and everything that happened.
Delaney is perceptive. She picked up on certain social cues and things that made her suspicious. I like how kind and caring she is. Delaney keeps asking her guests if they're OK, if they want to stay and offering to put someone up in her own home. She's compassionate and considerate towards the two women who are hurt. Even though she's nosy, she does tell the police everything she's heard and observed and lets them sift through the clues to figure things out. She gets into trouble when she's being nosy for the sake of curiosity without letting anyone know what she saw. Plot device. Having Tom with Delaney was nice. They're a good couple. He doesn't want to protect her or try to stop her. He's just there for the tour because he's a native and she feels more comfortable having him on hand to help out. They do some sleuthing together too, as partners. She never goes behind his back and he never asks her not to. They're in it together. I really like that. It's a nice change from the usual "Don't" and "I just want to keep you safe" or even "Be safe." There's no question Tom wants to know what's going on too.
Poor Rosie wants to help but there's only so much she can do. She's elderly and isn't able to lead the tour or help Edwin with his problem, but she can help him from the shop. She not only minds the shop but keeps the records as well so she is able to uncover clues that way. Sweet little Hector is on hand with his fiercely loyal terrier heart and his sweet lap dog soul. He's there to offer comfort and to protect his pack! He keeps the spirit of Bobby alive! I missed Hamlet and Edwin though. Edwin reappears late in the book but Hamlet doesn't have any speaking parts. I also missed Delaney's bookish voices and so did she!
Geoff, the manager at the inn, sounds sketchy to me. Edwin liked him and Tom knew him slightly. Geoff was a little too eager to learn about rare manuscripts from Edwin and his actions at the inn point to some kind of wrongdoing. I'm not sure he was the most trustworthy individual. Was he pushed off the room because of something he was doing or something he was NOT doing? Was he trying to hurt Edwin or protect Edwin? That is for Inspector Winters to figure out. Inspector Winters is fair. He knows how to do his job and shares information with Delaney when he can. He appreciates her insights and observations but doesn't invite her to participate in the investigation. He's a good ally to have when other police are suspicious. Delaney has a bad habit of being in the right place at the wrong time. Geoff had a wife, Tillie, who must be devastated by his demise. Or was she mixed up in this somehow? Geoff also had a son, Max, from a previous marriage. I get the impression Geoff may have been older than Tillie because Max sounds like an older teen/young adult. Max has been in and out of trouble a lot and Tillie is not happy. Is Max behind all that is going on? Did he kill his father? Does he know who did?
Carmel, the other inn employee, is injured by a tall man in black wearing a ski mask. Carmen seemed nice and honest. She was overheard arguing with someone about not wanting to do something she considered wrong. I appreciate someone who can stand up for their morals especially if something illegal is going on. Carmel may hold the clues to what happened to Geoff but she was hit on the head! If she survives, she may not remember anything! Carmel may have been mentally unwell though. Rodger, Tom's barman, knew her slightly and found her a bit too much to want to date long term. Perhaps she is mixed up in what happened because she's unable to make good judgments.
The members of the private book tour are an interesting lot. Luka, a construction business owner from Australia, is a non-reader. He has challenged Edwin to make him a reader and Luka will donate to a charity of Edwin's choosing. Luka has a chip on his shoulder. He's had a hard life and doesn't see the value in "wasting time" reading. GASP! Watching movies where things get blown up is a waste of time, not reading! As Delaney explains, reading is a way to travel to other places, learn about the world and other people. It's magical! I love how Delaney manages to connect with Luka anyway and get him to see the value in books. She may doubt herself compared to Edwin but I think her passion shows through. Still, I find Luka suspicious. First he says he has to rush back to Australia. He never takes vacations and business can't wait but then he decides to extend his stay in the UK. Why? What is he up to?
Meera from Ireland is certainly suspicious. She's skeptical about Delaney leading the tour, doesn't participate much in the conversation and then takes off on her own the first night. The second night she disappears and fails to return to the tour. What is going on with her? Is she who she says she is? If not, who is she and is she mixed up in the murder and other happenings? I would venture a guess that the answer to my questions is yes. It seems strange her errand couldn't wait.
Kevin from London is a colorful character. She - yes she- runs a bookstore. She's a true bibliophile and I think the one character who most appreciates the literary tour. She could probably do it herself or do something similar in London. An older lady, she's a bit outspoken and a bit cheeky. She can be mischievous. I'm not sure I trust her 100%. She asks Delaney to do something that could be dangerous and is probably not legal. WHY Delaney would trust a stranger and do what this stranger asks is probably due to her Kansas farm upbringing. She needs to learn to be even more suspicious! The final member of the group is Gunter, a rare books and manuscripts dealer from Germany. He's a dedicated bibliophile too and hits it off with Kevin. I am impressed that he learned English specifically to come on this tour and meet Edwin. Gunter seems honest and trustworthy. That probably means he is not but he doesn't appear and disappear, he doesn't go astray or do anything suspicious.
O'Shea is a mysterious man found at the Heriot School. He's a caretaker there and is also invested in the inn. He's an odd person for sure and suspicious of Delaney. He's not enthusiastic about showing them around because she's not Edwin. He seems to want to only deal with Edwin. Then he barely knows a thing about what is happening at the inn. He seems to be a silent partner. He's very strange. He lives across from Carmel and got her the job at the inn. Is that a coincidence or not? Who is the mysterious man in a trench coat Delaney and Tom believe harmed another character? Is he a bad person or just suspicious of strangers? D and T ARE poking around being nosy.
Not all the questions are answered which is a little annoying but I enjoyed the book very much and look forward to future adventures with The Cracked Spine crew.
This is another fun adventure from The Cracked Spine. I got really caught up in the literary tour and wanted to hop on a plane and go to Edinburgh for Edwin's special tour. Delaney said the magic words "Greyfriars Bobby" and I was in. Then she said the literal magic word "Hogwarts" (Heriot School) and I was wanted to hop on a plane and join the tour. There's also a heaping dose of Sir Walter Scott! I was charmed by the setting before and now I'm dying to go there and see the sights of my favorite stories, not to mention that castle (also Hogwarts). I was having so much fun with Delaney and Tom I almost didn't care about the mystery.
The mystery had a lot going on. Some of it was pretty obvious to me. Fortunately one thing became obvious to Delaney and it was explained why that wasn't obvious to others. I was glad for that because it was painfully obvious. I couldn't quite put all the pieces together and put together the whole story. I was kind of surprised by the identity of the villain and everything that happened.
Delaney is perceptive. She picked up on certain social cues and things that made her suspicious. I like how kind and caring she is. Delaney keeps asking her guests if they're OK, if they want to stay and offering to put someone up in her own home. She's compassionate and considerate towards the two women who are hurt. Even though she's nosy, she does tell the police everything she's heard and observed and lets them sift through the clues to figure things out. She gets into trouble when she's being nosy for the sake of curiosity without letting anyone know what she saw. Plot device. Having Tom with Delaney was nice. They're a good couple. He doesn't want to protect her or try to stop her. He's just there for the tour because he's a native and she feels more comfortable having him on hand to help out. They do some sleuthing together too, as partners. She never goes behind his back and he never asks her not to. They're in it together. I really like that. It's a nice change from the usual "Don't" and "I just want to keep you safe" or even "Be safe." There's no question Tom wants to know what's going on too.
Poor Rosie wants to help but there's only so much she can do. She's elderly and isn't able to lead the tour or help Edwin with his problem, but she can help him from the shop. She not only minds the shop but keeps the records as well so she is able to uncover clues that way. Sweet little Hector is on hand with his fiercely loyal terrier heart and his sweet lap dog soul. He's there to offer comfort and to protect his pack! He keeps the spirit of Bobby alive! I missed Hamlet and Edwin though. Edwin reappears late in the book but Hamlet doesn't have any speaking parts. I also missed Delaney's bookish voices and so did she!
Geoff, the manager at the inn, sounds sketchy to me. Edwin liked him and Tom knew him slightly. Geoff was a little too eager to learn about rare manuscripts from Edwin and his actions at the inn point to some kind of wrongdoing. I'm not sure he was the most trustworthy individual. Was he pushed off the room because of something he was doing or something he was NOT doing? Was he trying to hurt Edwin or protect Edwin? That is for Inspector Winters to figure out. Inspector Winters is fair. He knows how to do his job and shares information with Delaney when he can. He appreciates her insights and observations but doesn't invite her to participate in the investigation. He's a good ally to have when other police are suspicious. Delaney has a bad habit of being in the right place at the wrong time. Geoff had a wife, Tillie, who must be devastated by his demise. Or was she mixed up in this somehow? Geoff also had a son, Max, from a previous marriage. I get the impression Geoff may have been older than Tillie because Max sounds like an older teen/young adult. Max has been in and out of trouble a lot and Tillie is not happy. Is Max behind all that is going on? Did he kill his father? Does he know who did?
Carmel, the other inn employee, is injured by a tall man in black wearing a ski mask. Carmen seemed nice and honest. She was overheard arguing with someone about not wanting to do something she considered wrong. I appreciate someone who can stand up for their morals especially if something illegal is going on. Carmel may hold the clues to what happened to Geoff but she was hit on the head! If she survives, she may not remember anything! Carmel may have been mentally unwell though. Rodger, Tom's barman, knew her slightly and found her a bit too much to want to date long term. Perhaps she is mixed up in what happened because she's unable to make good judgments.
The members of the private book tour are an interesting lot. Luka, a construction business owner from Australia, is a non-reader. He has challenged Edwin to make him a reader and Luka will donate to a charity of Edwin's choosing. Luka has a chip on his shoulder. He's had a hard life and doesn't see the value in "wasting time" reading. GASP! Watching movies where things get blown up is a waste of time, not reading! As Delaney explains, reading is a way to travel to other places, learn about the world and other people. It's magical! I love how Delaney manages to connect with Luka anyway and get him to see the value in books. She may doubt herself compared to Edwin but I think her passion shows through. Still, I find Luka suspicious. First he says he has to rush back to Australia. He never takes vacations and business can't wait but then he decides to extend his stay in the UK. Why? What is he up to?
Meera from Ireland is certainly suspicious. She's skeptical about Delaney leading the tour, doesn't participate much in the conversation and then takes off on her own the first night. The second night she disappears and fails to return to the tour. What is going on with her? Is she who she says she is? If not, who is she and is she mixed up in the murder and other happenings? I would venture a guess that the answer to my questions is yes. It seems strange her errand couldn't wait.
Kevin from London is a colorful character. She - yes she- runs a bookstore. She's a true bibliophile and I think the one character who most appreciates the literary tour. She could probably do it herself or do something similar in London. An older lady, she's a bit outspoken and a bit cheeky. She can be mischievous. I'm not sure I trust her 100%. She asks Delaney to do something that could be dangerous and is probably not legal. WHY Delaney would trust a stranger and do what this stranger asks is probably due to her Kansas farm upbringing. She needs to learn to be even more suspicious! The final member of the group is Gunter, a rare books and manuscripts dealer from Germany. He's a dedicated bibliophile too and hits it off with Kevin. I am impressed that he learned English specifically to come on this tour and meet Edwin. Gunter seems honest and trustworthy. That probably means he is not but he doesn't appear and disappear, he doesn't go astray or do anything suspicious.
O'Shea is a mysterious man found at the Heriot School. He's a caretaker there and is also invested in the inn. He's an odd person for sure and suspicious of Delaney. He's not enthusiastic about showing them around because she's not Edwin. He seems to want to only deal with Edwin. Then he barely knows a thing about what is happening at the inn. He seems to be a silent partner. He's very strange. He lives across from Carmel and got her the job at the inn. Is that a coincidence or not? Who is the mysterious man in a trench coat Delaney and Tom believe harmed another character? Is he a bad person or just suspicious of strangers? D and T ARE poking around being nosy.
Not all the questions are answered which is a little annoying but I enjoyed the book very much and look forward to future adventures with The Cracked Spine crew.
December 7, 2022
I enjoyed reading this latest book inthe series by Paige Shelton.
Delaney has to take over a tour that her boss Edwin usually does and her nervousness was evident to others.
The mystery surrounding the story was well written and I found myself glued to the pages until the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
Delaney has to take over a tour that her boss Edwin usually does and her nervousness was evident to others.
The mystery surrounding the story was well written and I found myself glued to the pages until the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
April 4, 2023
Fateful Words is the eighth book in the A Scottish Bookshop Mystery series by Paige Shelton.
When Delaney arrives at The Cracked Spine bookstore, she learns Edwin has been called away to London and taken Hamlet with him. Being called away couldn’t have come at a worse time. Edwin picks four customers from his customer base for an all-expenses paid tour of Edinburgh, which will begin today. Delaney knows she can’t do as well as Edwin but will strive to do a respectable job. Delaney stops by the inn where the group will be staying and learns that Edwin’s credit card has been rejected. She knows there was an error and pays the bill with her card. Later that day, as Delaney and her husband, Tom, leave his pub, they notice someone dressed in black running from the inn. As they get to the pub, they find the desk clerk lying on the ground; she has been beaten and probably received a concussion. While waiting for her to be transported to the hospital, they hear a scream from the side of the inn. They find that the inn manager has either jumped or was pushed from the inn's roof.
Delaney asks the group if they want to continue with the tour or come back at another time, and they all agree to continue the tour. One group member disappears a day or two into the tour. Delaney, Tom, and tour group members will begin investigating the disappearance of the group member and investigate if the manager's death was an accident or murder.
I love this series. The books are well-written and plotted. The author skillfully includes the history of Scotland and Edinburgh. The characters are enjoyable and well-developed, and I would love to be friends. There were enough twists and turns that I was kept guessing until the end. The book reads at a steady pace.
I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
When Delaney arrives at The Cracked Spine bookstore, she learns Edwin has been called away to London and taken Hamlet with him. Being called away couldn’t have come at a worse time. Edwin picks four customers from his customer base for an all-expenses paid tour of Edinburgh, which will begin today. Delaney knows she can’t do as well as Edwin but will strive to do a respectable job. Delaney stops by the inn where the group will be staying and learns that Edwin’s credit card has been rejected. She knows there was an error and pays the bill with her card. Later that day, as Delaney and her husband, Tom, leave his pub, they notice someone dressed in black running from the inn. As they get to the pub, they find the desk clerk lying on the ground; she has been beaten and probably received a concussion. While waiting for her to be transported to the hospital, they hear a scream from the side of the inn. They find that the inn manager has either jumped or was pushed from the inn's roof.
Delaney asks the group if they want to continue with the tour or come back at another time, and they all agree to continue the tour. One group member disappears a day or two into the tour. Delaney, Tom, and tour group members will begin investigating the disappearance of the group member and investigate if the manager's death was an accident or murder.
I love this series. The books are well-written and plotted. The author skillfully includes the history of Scotland and Edinburgh. The characters are enjoyable and well-developed, and I would love to be friends. There were enough twists and turns that I was kept guessing until the end. The book reads at a steady pace.
I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
June 23, 2023
Pro:
* Unique way of getting together a group of suspects
* Engaging literary tours
* The connection between Delaney and Tom
Con:
* Some familiar friends missing
* A bit difficult to believe the police don’t come to some conclusions that Delaney does
* The reveal is terribly contrived
Thank you to Paige Shelton, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2022
I love reading about this bookshop in Scotland but this last book is surprisingly dull, it reads like someone's assistant wrote this: taking phrases and scenarios from earlier books. The enjoyable characters from the other books in the series are basically silenced and are only allowed short responses. Very disappointing.
April 8, 2023
Delaney, originally from Kansas, is now living her dream life in Edinburg with pub owner husband Tom, and working at The Cracked Spine bookstore. But, when she is told that her boss, Edwin, is away on a mysterious trip to London and she will have to conduct his yearly tour of the city which is scheduled to start the the following day, she isn’t happy. Every year, Edwin picks four people from all over the world for this tour and Delaney knows these people will be looking forward to meeting Edwin. Worse, she has never taken the tour herself and, even with the help of Rosie, the store clerk, she is worried she’ll disappoint the tour group.
Still, she is determined to do her best with a little help from Tom. But things don’t get off to to a great start. When she checks the hotel the group will be staying at, she is told Edwin’s credit card was rejected and the group will be asked to leave. Delaney is shocked - she knows Edwin is wealthy. She pays the bill herself figuring he will reimburse her. But this is only the beginning of the troubles the tour group encounters. The hotel desk clerk is assaulted, the manager falls off the roof (or maybe he was he pushed off) and a member of the tour group goes missing. Delaney asks the remaining members of the group if they want to continue the tour or wait for another time. They all want to continue so Delaney, Tom and the group add their own investigation to the tour.
Fateful Words is the eighth book in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series by Paige Shelton. I love cozy mysteries set in bookstores and when I saw this one, I couldn’t pass it by.. I am so glad I didn’t because it did not disappoint. It’s well written with an interesting mystery and likeable characters and it kept me guessing throughout. I also enjoyed all the bookish information about Edinburgh, a city I visited and loved a very long time ago but now want to revisit to see the sites Delaney mentions on the tour.This is the first book I've read in the series but it definitely won’t be my last.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
Still, she is determined to do her best with a little help from Tom. But things don’t get off to to a great start. When she checks the hotel the group will be staying at, she is told Edwin’s credit card was rejected and the group will be asked to leave. Delaney is shocked - she knows Edwin is wealthy. She pays the bill herself figuring he will reimburse her. But this is only the beginning of the troubles the tour group encounters. The hotel desk clerk is assaulted, the manager falls off the roof (or maybe he was he pushed off) and a member of the tour group goes missing. Delaney asks the remaining members of the group if they want to continue the tour or wait for another time. They all want to continue so Delaney, Tom and the group add their own investigation to the tour.
Fateful Words is the eighth book in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series by Paige Shelton. I love cozy mysteries set in bookstores and when I saw this one, I couldn’t pass it by.. I am so glad I didn’t because it did not disappoint. It’s well written with an interesting mystery and likeable characters and it kept me guessing throughout. I also enjoyed all the bookish information about Edinburgh, a city I visited and loved a very long time ago but now want to revisit to see the sites Delaney mentions on the tour.This is the first book I've read in the series but it definitely won’t be my last.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
March 22, 2023
This is the 8th book in A Scottish Bookshop cosy mystery series. I read easily as a stand alone not familiar with the previous books. Delaney Nichols is an American from Kansas who has moved to Edinburgh. She is married to pub owner Tom and works in a bookshop owned by Edwin, who is wealthy and an eccentric collector.
When Edwin is unexpectedly called away it falls to Delaney to be hostess to four people he has invited to stay in the city and give a personal tour. The tour focuses on literature and historical sites. It was fun to hear about sites I’ve visited in the city as part of the story. The mystery begins when the manager of Inn where the guests are staying is dies after falling or being pushed from the roof.
I like that Delaney continues with her touring all the while talking to people about their connections to the incident. I also like that she updates inspector Winters every step of the way. (I’m assuming he has worked with her before.) She doesn’t intentional go out on the limb putting herself in danger.
This is a typical cosy mystery and I enjoyed reading it. The main characters are entertaining. I also like how the author weaves Edinburgh sites and history along with books written in Scotland into the story. (I’m not sure if that is unique to this book or is regular in the series.) I would read more in the series but didn’t love it enough to add the previous books to my TBR pile. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for offering me an ARC via NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary review. (3.5 Stars)
When Edwin is unexpectedly called away it falls to Delaney to be hostess to four people he has invited to stay in the city and give a personal tour. The tour focuses on literature and historical sites. It was fun to hear about sites I’ve visited in the city as part of the story. The mystery begins when the manager of Inn where the guests are staying is dies after falling or being pushed from the roof.
I like that Delaney continues with her touring all the while talking to people about their connections to the incident. I also like that she updates inspector Winters every step of the way. (I’m assuming he has worked with her before.) She doesn’t intentional go out on the limb putting herself in danger.
This is a typical cosy mystery and I enjoyed reading it. The main characters are entertaining. I also like how the author weaves Edinburgh sites and history along with books written in Scotland into the story. (I’m not sure if that is unique to this book or is regular in the series.) I would read more in the series but didn’t love it enough to add the previous books to my TBR pile. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for offering me an ARC via NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary review. (3.5 Stars)
April 3, 2023
Great characters and a well-plotted mystery. I loved getting to know the participants in Edwin’s literary tour and was a little sad when they all headed home, wishing Luka was a full-time character. As always, the setting was fantastic and though I figured out who the guilty party was early on, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. Highly recommended and while the mystery itself is a standalone, there’s a lot of backstory that is better explained as the series grows so try to start at the first one.
I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.
April 15, 2023
**I need to preface this review with this - the narrator for this series is just awful and I so wish they could find someone who could, you know, actually speak with a Scottish accent [that isn't stilted and awkward and at times, very unconvincing]. Listening to two books in this series back-to-back has been just awful [not the stories, those have been wonderful and more on that later] and it DOES affect the whole book overall, no matter how you try to turn that off. But when you have crappy eyes and have no choice but to listen to an audiobook, you often have to take what you get, but I will tell you now, I certainly DO NOT have to be happy about it. Thankfully, the story was good enough to almost cancel out the horrible narration. Almost.**
This was a really good addition to the series and I am so glad I got to read it so close to reading the previous book. There is a lot going on in this one, but it never felt confusing to me [I really enjoyed the tour group characters - each bring something to the story and they were a fun, if brief, addition] and it certainly covers a topic that is in the news so much these days. I knew who the killer was early on, but it didn't take away from the whole story for me and there were aspects of the overall story that I just didn't get until the reveal [though some of that is still confusing to me]. I absolutely loved Delaney's ability to think on her feet and it comes in handy during the reveal. The tour was very cool and I loved the stuff that we learned along the way and I REALLY loved how Tom was a big part of this story - it was nice to see him and Delaney together, working and sleuthing. I do think that anything I disliked about the book came simply from the horrible narrator and not really worth mentioning [well, the clunkyness of the reveal and how it is a touch confusing is worth mentioning, even briefly] and I am already looking forward to the next one.
WELL DONE!!!! ♥
Thank you to NetGalley, Paige Shelton, and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really good addition to the series and I am so glad I got to read it so close to reading the previous book. There is a lot going on in this one, but it never felt confusing to me [I really enjoyed the tour group characters - each bring something to the story and they were a fun, if brief, addition] and it certainly covers a topic that is in the news so much these days. I knew who the killer was early on, but it didn't take away from the whole story for me and there were aspects of the overall story that I just didn't get until the reveal [though some of that is still confusing to me]. I absolutely loved Delaney's ability to think on her feet and it comes in handy during the reveal. The tour was very cool and I loved the stuff that we learned along the way and I REALLY loved how Tom was a big part of this story - it was nice to see him and Delaney together, working and sleuthing. I do think that anything I disliked about the book came simply from the horrible narrator and not really worth mentioning [well, the clunkyness of the reveal and how it is a touch confusing is worth mentioning, even briefly] and I am already looking forward to the next one.
WELL DONE!!!! ♥
Thank you to NetGalley, Paige Shelton, and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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March 15, 2024Just love the setting and characters
April 14, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for accepting my request to read and review Fateful Words (A Scottish Bookshop Mystery.).
Published: 04/04/23
At first glance, the cover caught my eye. This represents clean, quaint, possibly a lot of characters and personalities story. This is a cozy mystery. When I have emotionally tough reads going, I like a cozy or two in my arsenal. Shelton unwittingly stepped up to the plate.
This was a little too unrealistic for me. However, I enjoyed the scenery. I wasn't fond of the characters. But,I enjoyed the couple's dynamic. Is it reasonable for an American woman to marry a Scottish man, and take over a bookshop? Possibly -- however the storyline never felt comfortable. I loved the storyline of trying to get a movie/TV watcher to read a book. Without spoiling, I am an eclectic reader who doesn't read what she sees. As I sit here and laugh, I laughed while reading and thought, oh how clever, Author Shelton. This beating around the tidbit is what makes a cozy memorable, the personal touches and the dynamics of repetitive characters.
The mystery was too over-the-top, Respectfully, this is a dainty church lady cozy mystery, not a young Alec Baldwin Hunting Clancy's Red October mystery (see the pretty cover). And it felt like the story was trying too hard and missed.
Overall, it wasn't my favorite, I had a laugh and am left with a memory. If the cover entices you, you are familiar with cozy's, go for it.
Published: 04/04/23
At first glance, the cover caught my eye. This represents clean, quaint, possibly a lot of characters and personalities story. This is a cozy mystery. When I have emotionally tough reads going, I like a cozy or two in my arsenal. Shelton unwittingly stepped up to the plate.
This was a little too unrealistic for me. However, I enjoyed the scenery. I wasn't fond of the characters. But,I enjoyed the couple's dynamic. Is it reasonable for an American woman to marry a Scottish man, and take over a bookshop? Possibly -- however the storyline never felt comfortable. I loved the storyline of trying to get a movie/TV watcher to read a book. Without spoiling, I am an eclectic reader who doesn't read what she sees. As I sit here and laugh, I laughed while reading and thought, oh how clever, Author Shelton. This beating around the tidbit is what makes a cozy memorable, the personal touches and the dynamics of repetitive characters.
The mystery was too over-the-top, Respectfully, this is a dainty church lady cozy mystery, not a young Alec Baldwin Hunting Clancy's Red October mystery (see the pretty cover). And it felt like the story was trying too hard and missed.
Overall, it wasn't my favorite, I had a laugh and am left with a memory. If the cover entices you, you are familiar with cozy's, go for it.
April 16, 2023
Edinburgh, Scotland. Present day. Paige Shelton’s Fateful Words ( Scottish Bookshop Mysteries, #8) finds Delaney leading her boss’s, Edwin, yearly literary tour of Edinburgh to which Edwin invites a small number of people from anywhere in the world to come and visit Edinburgh and see its literary side. Delaney is nervous not only about leading the tour but Edwin’s absence. Where has he gone? Why has he gone and taken Hamlet with him? Rosie knows where Edwin has gone and why. She tries to calm Delaney relating that Edwin is fine, but he had to leave immediately. Delaney understands that pressing Rosie for details ‘is not done’ so she readies herself to lead the literary tour. Delaney meets the four members of this year’s tour: Meera Murphy from Dublin; Kevin Moore, an older woman from London; Gunter from Berlin,Germany; Luka King from Australia at The Cracked Spine, the bookstore owned by Edwin and where Delaney works. Things begin to ‘go wrong’ beginning on the first night. The inn manager of the inn which will be home to the four tour members falls from the inn’s roof and dies as well as one member goes missing. Delaney has her hands full. The literary aspect of the tour includes Greyfriars Bobby, Harry Potter, the Royal Mile, and Sir Walter Scott including great details of Edinburgh itself - so many great memories for me. 4 stars.
October 20, 2025
8th in the series, and 2 more to read. This Bookshop Mystery has murder and stolen money from banks. Delaney takes over a literature based tour of Edinburgh while Edwin and Hector are in London for an undisclosed reason. Pace was fast, characters were interesting, and most of the story takes part in the Grassmarket area of Edinburgh with the exception of a few parts of the tour. I got through this one rather quicky like the others. It is a fun series.
May 29, 2023
The 8th book in the Scottish Bookshop mystery series. A delightful cozy mystery. The characters are likable and the story is entertaining. Light, fun, and quirky. A good read for fans of cozies.
January 26, 2023
Delaney must step up and conduct Edwin’s yearly literary tour of Edinburgh when Edwin and Hamlet disappear to London. On the first night of the tour, at the inn that the four tourists are staying in, the manager goes off the roof, and a staffer is assaulted. Then one of the tourists disappears, and Delaney must keep track of her remaining group while also figure out what exactly is going on.
I have read previous novels by Paige Shelton in her Scottish Bookshop Mystery, but not all of them.
One of the things I love about this series is how much history Paige Shelton incorporates into the story. For example, many people don’t know that Harry Potter and Hogwarts were inspired by places in Scotland. There is also even older historical facts about Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, and other writers.
Another is the use of ‘literary voices’ that Delaney hears as her intuition. There was only a mention or two in this novel and would have enjoyed a couple more references. Especially since the voices are usually very good at guiding Delaney as to what she should do next in an investigation.
If you read enough mystery novels, it’s pretty easy to figure out who everyone is and what was going on. It doesn’t make it any less interesting, though. I felt the investigative process was better than the actual reasoning behind the crime.
Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.
I have read previous novels by Paige Shelton in her Scottish Bookshop Mystery, but not all of them.
One of the things I love about this series is how much history Paige Shelton incorporates into the story. For example, many people don’t know that Harry Potter and Hogwarts were inspired by places in Scotland. There is also even older historical facts about Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, and other writers.
Another is the use of ‘literary voices’ that Delaney hears as her intuition. There was only a mention or two in this novel and would have enjoyed a couple more references. Especially since the voices are usually very good at guiding Delaney as to what she should do next in an investigation.
If you read enough mystery novels, it’s pretty easy to figure out who everyone is and what was going on. It doesn’t make it any less interesting, though. I felt the investigative process was better than the actual reasoning behind the crime.
Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.
May 5, 2023
Fateful Words Earns 5/5 Book Lovers … Clever & Engaging Gem!
A boss is MIA, and his annual gathering is now in Delaney’s hands. The four invitees, diverse in age, gender, and background, start out disappointed, but Delaney provides them an entertaining adventure with books, Edinburgh, and … murder!
I am a late bloomer to Paige Shelton’s Scottish Bookshop Mystery series starting with the eighth book, but no need to worry, it isn’t a prerequisite to read the other books, although they’re at the top of my “must read” list. Enough background was provided to grab my immediate attention, and with the Scottish setting, Delaney’s “bookish voices” illustrating her intuition, and enough dubious behaviors, clever twists, eavesdropping curiosities, and someone going missing, I couldn’t read fast enough. Delaney is clever, tests her boundaries, assimilated well with the highlands, and a must for me, responds and interacts realistically to the various obstacles and characters. Shelton did well to put readers, like me, in the middle of the beauty, culture, and history of Edinburgh, provide a diverse, multigenerational cast, and challenge my skill as an arm-chair detective. Lots of fun!
Disclosure: I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press thru NetGalley. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.
A boss is MIA, and his annual gathering is now in Delaney’s hands. The four invitees, diverse in age, gender, and background, start out disappointed, but Delaney provides them an entertaining adventure with books, Edinburgh, and … murder!
I am a late bloomer to Paige Shelton’s Scottish Bookshop Mystery series starting with the eighth book, but no need to worry, it isn’t a prerequisite to read the other books, although they’re at the top of my “must read” list. Enough background was provided to grab my immediate attention, and with the Scottish setting, Delaney’s “bookish voices” illustrating her intuition, and enough dubious behaviors, clever twists, eavesdropping curiosities, and someone going missing, I couldn’t read fast enough. Delaney is clever, tests her boundaries, assimilated well with the highlands, and a must for me, responds and interacts realistically to the various obstacles and characters. Shelton did well to put readers, like me, in the middle of the beauty, culture, and history of Edinburgh, provide a diverse, multigenerational cast, and challenge my skill as an arm-chair detective. Lots of fun!
Disclosure: I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press thru NetGalley. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.
April 11, 2023
This was the book I read this past weekend and it was a fabulous choice - I am ready to plan a trip to Edinburgh and this book is great for planning, I am highly intrigued to see whether the rest of the series (it’s book #8 which I read as a standalone) and it is a delightful well-plotted cozy mystery but it also follows along with a literary tour of Edinburgh.
I loved how the setting was fully tied in with historical and literary references from Scottish poets and novelists from different times and I could look all the places up and look at the monuments, schools and pubs mentioned. The characters were well described - would the sleuth working in a bookstore probably annoy the detective ? Most definitely but this cozy sticks to the rules of this reliable game and I was all here for it.
The plot was multilayered and complex - with an intriguing crime, red herrings and a slew of potential suspects.
This was the 8th in this series and the first one I've read but I found it to be just fine as a standalone. I will definitely read more of this series if the other books are anything like this one I’ll love them and the literary escape to Scotland they are offering !
I loved how the setting was fully tied in with historical and literary references from Scottish poets and novelists from different times and I could look all the places up and look at the monuments, schools and pubs mentioned. The characters were well described - would the sleuth working in a bookstore probably annoy the detective ? Most definitely but this cozy sticks to the rules of this reliable game and I was all here for it.
The plot was multilayered and complex - with an intriguing crime, red herrings and a slew of potential suspects.
This was the 8th in this series and the first one I've read but I found it to be just fine as a standalone. I will definitely read more of this series if the other books are anything like this one I’ll love them and the literary escape to Scotland they are offering !
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