A DEADLY CHAPTER: A Pages to Die For Mystery

by Hailey Hartley

When Hazel Bennett finds a rare first edition of *Great Expectations* tucked into her bookshop's discount bin, she thinks her biggest challenge will be negotiating a fair price with the eccentric collector who discovered it. But within hours of Victor Hayes walking out of Pages & Provisions clutching his literary prize, he's found dead in his study and the valuable book has vanished from Hazel's safe. With the local police chief eyeing her as the prime suspect and a threatening text message warning her to stop asking questions, Hazel realizes the only way to clear her name is to find out who really killed Victor Hayes—and why a Victorian novel was worth committing murder.

Armed with her knowledge of books and aided by her unusually perceptive cat Agatha, Hazel uncovers a web of broken promises, bitter rivalries, and literary fraud that runs deeper than she ever imagined. Every suspect in her cozy small town of Maplewood Springs has secrets worth protecting, from the desperate bookstore owner drowning in debt to the elegant book club president with a hidden past. As Hazel follows a trail of forged signatures and missing journals, she discovers that in the cutthroat world of rare book collecting, some people will do anything to protect their reputations—including kill. But when the murderer realizes Hazel has pieced together the truth, she finds herself facing the same deadly fate as Victor Hayes.

Cozy up with the first installment of the Pages to Die For series, where bookish charm meets clever sleuthing in a page-turning mystery that proves the most dangerous stories aren't always found between the covers. Perfect for fans of clever cats, literary references, and amateur detectives who solve murders one clue at a time, *A Deadly Chapter* delivers all the warmth and wit of classic cozy mysteries with a fresh voice that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

94 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 4, 2026

Reviews

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story

This story of a rare first edition Great Expectations really kept me turning pages. Definitely a great mystery and I loved the vintage bookstore and small town feel.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hazel sure had an amazing cat in Miss Agatha who was determined to prove Hazel wasn’t guilty of killing a book collector she’d done some business with. The police chief wasn’t so sure and she was convinced Hazel was involved. It’s a good thing there’s no stopping little Agatha when she’s on the trail of a clue, lol. The showdown was tense and explained anything that was in question, then Agatha got to help again. I’d definitely read a series with Hazel, Agatha, Faye and Ben in it.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

a good cat detective mystery

Agatha the cat and Hazel finally solve a murder mystery! Lots of faults trails but all good in the end!