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Secrets of the Castleton Manor Library #1
A Novel Murder
Faith Newberry's dream job may be morphing into a nightmare. Newly hired as the librarian at the upscale and pet-friendly Castleton Manor literary retreat, Faith sees her move from Boston to the quaint Cape Cod village of Lighthouse Bay, Massachusetts, as a boon.
But things turn ugly when she discovers that the first edition book by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle proudly displayed in the library -- also his first in the Sherlock Holmes series -- is a counterfeit, and not a very good one at that. Who could have absconded with the real volume? Could it have been the former librarian when she mysteriously disappeared leaving only a cryptic note of resignation? Or has someone else duped the handsome heir to the Castleton estate, Wolfe Jaxon?
Whichever is the case, it soon becomes clear that someone will stop at nothing to keep her from learning the truth.
Just as Sherlock Holmes had his Watson to help solve mysteries, so does Faith. Only hers is a lovable stub-tailed cat bearing the same name. Faith rescued Watson as a kitten from behind a dumpster on a freezing New England night, and he -- like the fictional doctor -- has become her loyal sidekick. He is Faith’s friend, confidante, and sometimes her rescuer in times of peril. Together they set out to uncover the truth.
The members of the Candle House Book Club, a lively group of women headed by her aunt Eileen Piper, also join Faith in her quest for answers. Will they be able to find the missing librarian and the missing Sherlock Holmes volume before this chapter of Faith's life comes to a fatal close?
But things turn ugly when she discovers that the first edition book by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle proudly displayed in the library -- also his first in the Sherlock Holmes series -- is a counterfeit, and not a very good one at that. Who could have absconded with the real volume? Could it have been the former librarian when she mysteriously disappeared leaving only a cryptic note of resignation? Or has someone else duped the handsome heir to the Castleton estate, Wolfe Jaxon?
Whichever is the case, it soon becomes clear that someone will stop at nothing to keep her from learning the truth.
Just as Sherlock Holmes had his Watson to help solve mysteries, so does Faith. Only hers is a lovable stub-tailed cat bearing the same name. Faith rescued Watson as a kitten from behind a dumpster on a freezing New England night, and he -- like the fictional doctor -- has become her loyal sidekick. He is Faith’s friend, confidante, and sometimes her rescuer in times of peril. Together they set out to uncover the truth.
The members of the Candle House Book Club, a lively group of women headed by her aunt Eileen Piper, also join Faith in her quest for answers. Will they be able to find the missing librarian and the missing Sherlock Holmes volume before this chapter of Faith's life comes to a fatal close?
7 pages, Audiobook
First published January 1, 2017
57 people are currently reading
1004 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Penney
87 books539 followersElizabeth Penney lives in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where she pens novels and tries to grow things. Elements that often appear in her novels include vintage summer cottages, past/present mysteries, and the arts. After spending early years in England and France, she grew up in Maine, settings that are reflected in her books.
Elizabeth is the author of the Apron Shop Series and Cambridge Bookshop Series from St. Martin's as well as over twenty novels, short stories, and hundreds of business articles. A former consultant and nonprofit executive, she holds a BS and an MBA. She's also written screenplays with her musician husband.
She loves walking in the woods, kayaking on quiet ponds, trying new recipes, and feeding family and friends.
Elizabeth is the author of the Apron Shop Series and Cambridge Bookshop Series from St. Martin's as well as over twenty novels, short stories, and hundreds of business articles. A former consultant and nonprofit executive, she holds a BS and an MBA. She's also written screenplays with her musician husband.
She loves walking in the woods, kayaking on quiet ponds, trying new recipes, and feeding family and friends.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
March 24, 2024
About 3 days ago, someone had donated to my Little Free Library Shed the first 15 books in this series, which is called, “Secrets of the Castleton Manor Library.” I had never heard of this series, but I loved the creative book covers, and they all featured a cat, which I have since learned, reading this one, is named ‘Watson’ after the infamous Dr. Watson of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries.
So, what are the secrets? And what and where is this Castleton Manor Library?
This first cover certainly was intriguing to me, as was the title, “A Novel Murder.” Well, the best way to find out, was to read it. And, of course, this little cozy was an easy-read. After all, I picked it up and finished it in one sitting.
And I was definitely relieved that this was the first book in the series. Yes, Darla, I did it right this time!
Readers are introduced to Faith, and her new job as a librarian/archivist, at the Castleton Manor Library in Lighthouse Bay, a “quaint village on Cape Cod.” As part of her position, she is also provided with a FREE one-bedroom gardener’s cottage on the estate. (How many jobs get this sweet benefit with an ocean view?)
Now Faith wasn’t the first one hired for this prestigious job. Doris Lincoln was, but apparently, after six months, she “supposedly” decided she didn’t like it and left to travel the world. So, that opened the door for Faith to happily accept the position.
The Castleton Manor Library is a seaside estate (it isn’t a castle) owned by handsome, Wolfe Jaxon, but it can be considered a mansion. It hosts retreats, and/or vacationing book lovers with its 29-bedrooms overlooking the ocean. And yes, the view is spectacular. Let alone the inside libraries – oh my! A bibliophile’s dream!
And on Faith’s first day, she encounters quite the challenge when she is giving a lecture on Sherlock Holmes books, and pulls out one of the first SH edition books to show the audience, and realizes it is a fake. She doesn’t let on to this knowledge, and continues with her lecture, but knows she must say something to Wolfe Jaxon, who hired her.
Now another strange thing happened on Faith’s first day on the job. Her cat Watson, who plays a prominent role in this story (look for the paw prints 🐾 throughout), decided to take his own stroll around the grounds, went exploring and discovered something hidden in the garden and brought it to Faith’s attention. He is that kind of a cat. What is Doris Lincoln’s purse with all her identification doing still here, if she is in Europe?
So, as Sherlock Holmes would say, a mystery is afoot! Pawprints and all.
As I said earlier it is an easy-to-read cozy mystery, that is fairly predictable. But cute. Especially Watson. 🐾And Faith and Wolfe are so likable. Will a romance be in their future?
The question is, am I willing to read all 15 of them? I am so conflicted. Tell me what, do you think I should do?!!!! 😉
So, what are the secrets? And what and where is this Castleton Manor Library?
This first cover certainly was intriguing to me, as was the title, “A Novel Murder.” Well, the best way to find out, was to read it. And, of course, this little cozy was an easy-read. After all, I picked it up and finished it in one sitting.
And I was definitely relieved that this was the first book in the series. Yes, Darla, I did it right this time!
Readers are introduced to Faith, and her new job as a librarian/archivist, at the Castleton Manor Library in Lighthouse Bay, a “quaint village on Cape Cod.” As part of her position, she is also provided with a FREE one-bedroom gardener’s cottage on the estate. (How many jobs get this sweet benefit with an ocean view?)
Now Faith wasn’t the first one hired for this prestigious job. Doris Lincoln was, but apparently, after six months, she “supposedly” decided she didn’t like it and left to travel the world. So, that opened the door for Faith to happily accept the position.
The Castleton Manor Library is a seaside estate (it isn’t a castle) owned by handsome, Wolfe Jaxon, but it can be considered a mansion. It hosts retreats, and/or vacationing book lovers with its 29-bedrooms overlooking the ocean. And yes, the view is spectacular. Let alone the inside libraries – oh my! A bibliophile’s dream!
And on Faith’s first day, she encounters quite the challenge when she is giving a lecture on Sherlock Holmes books, and pulls out one of the first SH edition books to show the audience, and realizes it is a fake. She doesn’t let on to this knowledge, and continues with her lecture, but knows she must say something to Wolfe Jaxon, who hired her.
Now another strange thing happened on Faith’s first day on the job. Her cat Watson, who plays a prominent role in this story (look for the paw prints 🐾 throughout), decided to take his own stroll around the grounds, went exploring and discovered something hidden in the garden and brought it to Faith’s attention. He is that kind of a cat. What is Doris Lincoln’s purse with all her identification doing still here, if she is in Europe?
So, as Sherlock Holmes would say, a mystery is afoot! Pawprints and all.
As I said earlier it is an easy-to-read cozy mystery, that is fairly predictable. But cute. Especially Watson. 🐾And Faith and Wolfe are so likable. Will a romance be in their future?
The question is, am I willing to read all 15 of them? I am so conflicted. Tell me what, do you think I should do?!!!! 😉
October 22, 2018
Faith Newberry takes a job in Lighthouse Bay, MA. The librarian position at Castleton Manor is a dream job for her. The Manor is a literary retreat, offering bibliophiles the chance to talk about their favorite genres, meet authors and relax in an upscale, resort atmosphere. The resort is also pet-friendly so Faith's kitty, Watson, can make himself right at home. She almost didn't get the job. Another candidate, Doris Lincoln, was hired for the position but didn't even stay six months before quitting to take an exotic vacation. Just as Faith arrives to take over, things start to go wrong. She finds a purse buried under some bushes outside her cottage, and then discovers something even more alarming inside a hidden passageway. Maybe her dream job is more of a nightmare? Faith, her Aunt Eileen, and the members of the Candle House Book Club start their sleuthing adventures in this first book in the Secrets of the Castleton Manor Library series!
A very generous reader donated most of the books in this series to my local library. The series is published as part of a subscription service by Annie's Fiction (part of Annie's Attic). I'm glad the books were donated so I can read them. Each book costs $14.99 plus shipping, tax, etc and I'm just not going to spend that much on short, light, hardback cozies....mostly because once I've read the story and know whodunnit, I really don't want to re-read the book. These mysteries average about 170-190 pages, so they are short, quick reads. The publisher pads the page count a bit with blank pages after each chapter...so while this first book is listed at 205 pages, it's really about 180 pages of actual text. These are attractive books. The cover art is colorful and engaging. The set would look nice on display.
The story was fun to read and engaging. I like Faith as a main character. She loves her new job and jumps right into exploring the mysteries of Castleton Manor. Things get off to a pretty rough start for her, but she hangs in there. I love her cat, Watson. He is handsome and has a great deal of cattitude. The plot is definitely cozy -- no cussing, no spurting blood, no sex. This would be an appropriate read for all ages. At only 180 pages, it's pretty light reading, but enjoyable and well-written. I wish Castleton Manor was a real place....I would definitely consider booking a retreat week there!
I had a hard time finding the reading order for this series because it's part of a subscription, but did finally find a link (thank God for google search! ha ha) that gave me the book order. It's a bit difficult to find a complete listing for the series as well....but there are at least 18 books available with more in the publishing process. The novels are written by an assortment of authors who also write books in other Annie's Fiction cozy series such as the Amish Inn Mysteries and the Antique Shop Mysteries. I'm going to stick with the ones available at the library....otherwise I would bankrupt myself buying all these books! :)
Great start to a fun, engaging cozy series! I'm definitely going to read more of this series!
A very generous reader donated most of the books in this series to my local library. The series is published as part of a subscription service by Annie's Fiction (part of Annie's Attic). I'm glad the books were donated so I can read them. Each book costs $14.99 plus shipping, tax, etc and I'm just not going to spend that much on short, light, hardback cozies....mostly because once I've read the story and know whodunnit, I really don't want to re-read the book. These mysteries average about 170-190 pages, so they are short, quick reads. The publisher pads the page count a bit with blank pages after each chapter...so while this first book is listed at 205 pages, it's really about 180 pages of actual text. These are attractive books. The cover art is colorful and engaging. The set would look nice on display.
The story was fun to read and engaging. I like Faith as a main character. She loves her new job and jumps right into exploring the mysteries of Castleton Manor. Things get off to a pretty rough start for her, but she hangs in there. I love her cat, Watson. He is handsome and has a great deal of cattitude. The plot is definitely cozy -- no cussing, no spurting blood, no sex. This would be an appropriate read for all ages. At only 180 pages, it's pretty light reading, but enjoyable and well-written. I wish Castleton Manor was a real place....I would definitely consider booking a retreat week there!
I had a hard time finding the reading order for this series because it's part of a subscription, but did finally find a link (thank God for google search! ha ha) that gave me the book order. It's a bit difficult to find a complete listing for the series as well....but there are at least 18 books available with more in the publishing process. The novels are written by an assortment of authors who also write books in other Annie's Fiction cozy series such as the Amish Inn Mysteries and the Antique Shop Mysteries. I'm going to stick with the ones available at the library....otherwise I would bankrupt myself buying all these books! :)
Great start to a fun, engaging cozy series! I'm definitely going to read more of this series!
November 18, 2021
This is a cozy mystery, and this is the first book in the Secrets of the Castleton Manor Library series. The main character is Faith Newberry and she has a cat Watson. She just moved to Cape Cop because she landed dream job of librarian at Castleton Manor. Shortly after she starts there is a died body found in a secret hiding place in the manor. Which Faith has to help solve because she is suspected of doing the crime. I found this a cute and fast pace cozy mystery. It was a fun read. If you like cozy mysteries then you should give this one a try.
Read
December 3, 2022I really didn't get far into this book at all before I decided that I was extremely bored of it and had no desire in trying to finish it. So this is a dnf for me and honestly I see it staying that way.
November 14, 2021
I thought this was a fun mystery though the cats perspective threw me off a bit at first but once I got use to it it was fine.
February 13, 2020
This was a light cozy mystery that introduces this series by Ms. Penney. Faith is a likable protagonist and her cat, Watson, is a perfect sidekick. The narrator did a credible job of individualizing each character throughout the story.
September 26, 2022
Faith is the head librarian in the library when a rare book disappears. A group of friends in the Candle House Book Club and her cat, Watson, help solve the mystery of what happened!
A fun and popular series that many of our patrons enjoy. We have 24 in the series.
~Judy
A fun and popular series that many of our patrons enjoy. We have 24 in the series.
~Judy
March 28, 2021
Faith gets a new job as a librarian at a resort, only to discover that several of the first editions appear to be fakes. Is that why the old librarian suddenly disappeared? Had she discovered the same thing, planned to tell someone and then had something happen to her? As Faith investigates, it is apparent that someone is trying to stop her. Luckily she at least has her cat Watson, and he helps ferret out some clues.
October 13, 2024
Oh I'm sad to say this wasn't a successful read for me!!! :( I was SO excited to read a cozy mystery and get into the autumnal spirit!!! This book was full of promise with a great start! But after about 100 pages of being bored in the middle, and a rushed ending with a bad guy that we barely even knew, I was quite disappointed.
April 2, 2025
3 stars (Audible). Entertaining cozy mystery.
January 20, 2020
A Novel Murder" by Elizabeth Penney is an awesome murder mystery and the 1st book in the Secrets of Castleton Manor Library series.
The manor is located in the fictional town of Lighthouse Bay on Cape Cod. The manor holds literary retreats and the theme for this retreat is Sherlock Holmes. Some of the enthusiastic attendees even dress up like Mr. Holmes.
The new librarian, Faith, and her tuxedo cat, Watson, are fun characters for this clever and nifty mystery (That is Watson on the cover.). Can you imagine living in a home that has enough books to have a need for a librarian? They even have rare first edition books that are so valuable that you need to wear white gloves when handling them.
I best get busy!
A friend recommended this series to me and there are 24 books already for this series. This series has different authors, so we will see how that quirky uniqueness goes.
If you are like me, you have to read them in order, so here they are in order for you:
SECRETS OF THE CASTLETON MANOR LIBRARY
1) A Novel Murder #1 (Jan 1, 2017) by Elizabeth Penney
2) Bitter Words #2 (Jan 1, 2017) by Jan Fields
3) The Grim Reaper (Jan 1, 2017) by Margaret Welch
4) A Deadly Chapter #4 (Jan 1, 2017) by Jan Fields
5) An Autograph Mystery #5 (Jan 1, 2017) by DeAnna Julie Dodson
6) Second Edition Murder #6 (Jan 1, 2017) by Elizabeth Penney
7) A Crime Well Versed #7 (Jan1, 2017) by Marlene Chase
8) A Murder Unscripted #8 by Elizabeth Penney
9) Pride and Publishing #9 (Jan 1, 2018) by DeAnna Julie Dodson
10) A Literary Offense (Jan 1, 2018) by Elizabeth Penney
11) Up to Noir Good #11 (Jan 1, 2018) by Jan Fields
12) For Letter of Worse #12 (Jan 1, 2018) by Margaret Welch
13) On Pens and Needles (Jan 1, 2018) by Sandra Orchard
14) Ink or Swim #14 (Jan 1, 2018) by Catherine Dilts
15) Tell No Tales #15 (Jan 1, 2018) by Marlene Chase
16) Page Fright #16 (Jan 1, 2018) by Elizabeth Penney
17) A Fatal Yarn #17 (Jan 1, 2018) by Allie Pleiter
18) Read Between the Crimes #18 (Jan 1, 2018) by Lucy Averill
19) From Fable to Grave (Jan 1, 2019) by Marlene Chase
20) A Fateful Sentence #20 (Jan 1, 2019) by Lucy Averill
21) Cloak and Grammar #21 (Jan 1, 2019) by Allie Pleiter
22) A Lost Clause #22 (Jan 1, 2019) by K.D. McCrite
23) A Thorny Plot (Jan 1, 2019) by Catherine Dilts
24) A Scary Tale Wedding (Jan 1, 2019) by K.D. McCrite
The manor is located in the fictional town of Lighthouse Bay on Cape Cod. The manor holds literary retreats and the theme for this retreat is Sherlock Holmes. Some of the enthusiastic attendees even dress up like Mr. Holmes.
The new librarian, Faith, and her tuxedo cat, Watson, are fun characters for this clever and nifty mystery (That is Watson on the cover.). Can you imagine living in a home that has enough books to have a need for a librarian? They even have rare first edition books that are so valuable that you need to wear white gloves when handling them.
I best get busy!
A friend recommended this series to me and there are 24 books already for this series. This series has different authors, so we will see how that quirky uniqueness goes.
If you are like me, you have to read them in order, so here they are in order for you:
SECRETS OF THE CASTLETON MANOR LIBRARY
1) A Novel Murder #1 (Jan 1, 2017) by Elizabeth Penney
2) Bitter Words #2 (Jan 1, 2017) by Jan Fields
3) The Grim Reaper (Jan 1, 2017) by Margaret Welch
4) A Deadly Chapter #4 (Jan 1, 2017) by Jan Fields
5) An Autograph Mystery #5 (Jan 1, 2017) by DeAnna Julie Dodson
6) Second Edition Murder #6 (Jan 1, 2017) by Elizabeth Penney
7) A Crime Well Versed #7 (Jan1, 2017) by Marlene Chase
8) A Murder Unscripted #8 by Elizabeth Penney
9) Pride and Publishing #9 (Jan 1, 2018) by DeAnna Julie Dodson
10) A Literary Offense (Jan 1, 2018) by Elizabeth Penney
11) Up to Noir Good #11 (Jan 1, 2018) by Jan Fields
12) For Letter of Worse #12 (Jan 1, 2018) by Margaret Welch
13) On Pens and Needles (Jan 1, 2018) by Sandra Orchard
14) Ink or Swim #14 (Jan 1, 2018) by Catherine Dilts
15) Tell No Tales #15 (Jan 1, 2018) by Marlene Chase
16) Page Fright #16 (Jan 1, 2018) by Elizabeth Penney
17) A Fatal Yarn #17 (Jan 1, 2018) by Allie Pleiter
18) Read Between the Crimes #18 (Jan 1, 2018) by Lucy Averill
19) From Fable to Grave (Jan 1, 2019) by Marlene Chase
20) A Fateful Sentence #20 (Jan 1, 2019) by Lucy Averill
21) Cloak and Grammar #21 (Jan 1, 2019) by Allie Pleiter
22) A Lost Clause #22 (Jan 1, 2019) by K.D. McCrite
23) A Thorny Plot (Jan 1, 2019) by Catherine Dilts
24) A Scary Tale Wedding (Jan 1, 2019) by K.D. McCrite
July 30, 2017
This is the first in a series from a book club. It is a light cozy mystery. Faith Newberry is in her late 30's, gets a job as librarian and archivist at Castleton Manor. Faith has a cat, Watson, that plays an important part in these mysteries. His thoughts are included in the story at important points, which I found interesting and amusing. The characters are likable. There are times when the main character in cozies irritates me with their behaviour. Mostly Faith is a pleasure to be with. Of course, she keeps insisting she and her handsome boss are just friends which I do find irritating and they are going so slowly in the relationship that anyone who cares about the relationship will find this series disappointing I think. The series does a good job in providing a reason why Faith would be involved in solving these mysteries. Castleton Manor is a resort for literary events. There is charm in these literary events and the discussion of the authors and related book topics which I love. I think those who like light cozy mysteries will enjoy this book and the series. This is the first book in the series and introduces us to Faith, the people she works for and with, and gives us some background on Faith's reasons for moving to Lighthouse Bay.
October 18, 2020
3.5–Faith Newberry is excited to begin her dream job as librarian at historic Castleton Manor but discovers someone had killed her predecessor. When she is suspected of the crime, Faith decides to do a little sleuthing with the help of her cat, Watson. I enjoyed this cozy mystery as an audiobook.
April 15, 2020
Fun romp of a mystery set in a bibliophile's paradise. Filled with lots of nerd-winks to book lovers (though a few too many side-smiles at cat lovers). I was pleasantly surprised by A Novel Murder. Looking forward to venturing back into Castleton Manor Library for book 2!
**BONUS for Hoopla users: This book will not count against your 10 books if checked out during the COVID Pandemic. Can't beat a free trial!
**BONUS for Hoopla users: This book will not count against your 10 books if checked out during the COVID Pandemic. Can't beat a free trial!
April 14, 2017
I enjoyed reading this light cozy mystery. The characters are charming, and the setting is the kind of place you wish was real, so you could book a stay at one of their literary retreats. Watson the cat helps his owner Faith Newberry solve a mystery at the plush Castleton Manor, a Cape Cod mansion.
February 17, 2018
A very nice cozy read. The story has the cat involved in it and you see his point of view, not much but I wonder if there are more chances for this cat to be heard. I picked this copy from the little book loan case at my local coffee shop and I'm going to bring it back there. Nice story, so I hope someone else will pick it up.
August 21, 2017
This was cute. I am looking forward to reading more from Faith and her faithful kitty companion Hamlet.
August 30, 2019
Such a cute, quick read. Who doesn't love a cozy mystery with a cat named Watson. Plus it's a librarian snooping around trying to solve a mystery in an old school Manor. 💙💙💙💙
January 28, 2021
A fun little mystery.
June 15, 2025
It's rare that I enjoy the first book in a cozy mystery series but this was a fun read. I really liked the characters and the town it is set it. I look forward to reading more in this series.
October 14, 2025
This charming cozy mystery captured me from the get-go! A smart, determined sleuth, a cat named Watson, and a castle library harboring hidden rooms and deadly secrets made this an intriguing and satisfying read. Highly recommended!
June 10, 2022
Easy read, but it was way too fluffy and quirky for me. Its like one of those movies you put on for some background noise.
First of all, I never knew there could be so many librarians in one little town.
Second, I feel like this ending made me want to deduct a star. It's sad to say that the ending was too cliché and randomly predictable that it wasn't even good.
First of all, I never knew there could be so many librarians in one little town.
Second, I feel like this ending made me want to deduct a star. It's sad to say that the ending was too cliché and randomly predictable that it wasn't even good.
October 11, 2024
This was such a cute cozy mystery. The characters were likable, I can see a romance brewing. I love the coastal town setting and the big castle manor used for book retreats! And there’s a little side kick cat named Watson - staaaahhpp it.
April 4, 2020
This could not have been more cliched and predictable if you had cut and pasted snippets from other cozy mysteries however that's not as harsh a criticism as it seems. After all, I don't generally read cozy mysteries for their originality but more for their charm. This one had a nice setting and set up and mystery was okay. The element that truly knocked it down to two stars was that the characters were cardboard without a spark of life - even the narrator/protagonist. I'm not sure I'll pick up another in this series but I might because I think it has potential that just wasn't realized in this first book.
ETA - I've just looked at the series list of books and was surprised to see that the books are written by a number of different authors! And that there are 24 books in the series (*gulp*). I'm curious now about what the deal is and probably will read book 2 just to see if what a different author does with the setting and characters.
ETA - I've just looked at the series list of books and was surprised to see that the books are written by a number of different authors! And that there are 24 books in the series (*gulp*). I'm curious now about what the deal is and probably will read book 2 just to see if what a different author does with the setting and characters.
May 31, 2018
A fun cozy mystery with all the right touches!
Faith finds the perfect job when she gets hired as the librarian at Castleton Manor, an exquisite estate and library that holds tons of retreats. Oh, and let's not forget the best part, her job allows pets...in fact, all the guests are allowed to bring their furry friends. Of course, the job comes with a dashing owner, Mr. Wolfe...and a not so dashing boss, Marlene.
Faith gets herself into a bit of trouble when she has to decide how to report a fake in the library's lovely book collection. Ignored by her boss, who seems to hate her more by the minute...Faith finds she is getting trapped in the middle of a mystery that only keeps getting deeper.
For me, this book kept me guessing until the end and was filled with charm. I fell in love with the characters and will certainly be reading the entire series...they've made me a lifelong fan on this one.
Faith finds the perfect job when she gets hired as the librarian at Castleton Manor, an exquisite estate and library that holds tons of retreats. Oh, and let's not forget the best part, her job allows pets...in fact, all the guests are allowed to bring their furry friends. Of course, the job comes with a dashing owner, Mr. Wolfe...and a not so dashing boss, Marlene.
Faith gets herself into a bit of trouble when she has to decide how to report a fake in the library's lovely book collection. Ignored by her boss, who seems to hate her more by the minute...Faith finds she is getting trapped in the middle of a mystery that only keeps getting deeper.
For me, this book kept me guessing until the end and was filled with charm. I fell in love with the characters and will certainly be reading the entire series...they've made me a lifelong fan on this one.
February 2, 2025
"A Novel Murder (Secrets of the Castleton Manor Library #1)" by Elizabeth Penney has Faith Newberry starting a new job at a semi-private library in the Castleton Manor after the last librarian suddenly went on a indefinite leave to travel the world. Faith has a cat named Mr. Watson aka Rumpy for his lack of a tail. There is the occasional parts of the book from his point of view, but not in a paranormal kind of way.
Things get a little odd when Mr. Watson accidentally discovers a dead person at the manor. Faith starts digging to what happened to the person and to some very valuable books. She doesn't want to get the blame put on her since she really likes her new job and she didn't do either crime.
Things get a little odd when Mr. Watson accidentally discovers a dead person at the manor. Faith starts digging to what happened to the person and to some very valuable books. She doesn't want to get the blame put on her since she really likes her new job and she didn't do either crime.
September 26, 2017
It's not anything remarkable, but it's the fun, breezy read I needed right now.
March 17, 2018
A light cozy with good characters, and likeable protagonist. A lovely setting that makes you want to book a stay. Looking forward to the next in the series.
March 30, 2021
A brand new cozy mystery with great characters and books. Add a sidkick cat named Watson and it is perfect entertainment.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews