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A Booklover's Mystery #5
Unsigned
The life of the party was just found dead....
It was billed as the biggest literary event of the season. McKinley Montague, the handsome, enigmatic author of sensational serial-killer novels, was to make a rare book-signing appearance at the grand opening of London's newest superbookstore.
But the author never arrives -- and word quickly spreads that Montague is dead, the victim of a mysterious boating accident.
Publisher Alex Plumtree is shocked by McKinley's sudden passing. Yet even more disturbing is the encounter Alex has in a local coffee shop with a reporter that very night. First the scribe reveals he received a tip that McKinley's own publishers had him murdered to boost his sales. Seconds later, a bullet shatters the cafe's window, missing the pair by inches.
The shooting is only the first of many bizarre incidents, unexplained deaths, and troubling phone calls. And with his own life hanging in the balance, Alex wonders if McKinley's demise was just the opening chapter in London's deadliest literary season ever....
It was billed as the biggest literary event of the season. McKinley Montague, the handsome, enigmatic author of sensational serial-killer novels, was to make a rare book-signing appearance at the grand opening of London's newest superbookstore.
But the author never arrives -- and word quickly spreads that Montague is dead, the victim of a mysterious boating accident.
Publisher Alex Plumtree is shocked by McKinley's sudden passing. Yet even more disturbing is the encounter Alex has in a local coffee shop with a reporter that very night. First the scribe reveals he received a tip that McKinley's own publishers had him murdered to boost his sales. Seconds later, a bullet shatters the cafe's window, missing the pair by inches.
The shooting is only the first of many bizarre incidents, unexplained deaths, and troubling phone calls. And with his own life hanging in the balance, Alex wonders if McKinley's demise was just the opening chapter in London's deadliest literary season ever....
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 2, 2001
1 person is currently reading
134 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 7, 2020
"THE LIFE OF THE PARTY WAS JUST FOUND DEAD
"It was billed as the biggest literary event of the season. McKinley Montague, the handsome, enigmatic author of sensational serial-killer novels, was to make a rare book-signing appearance at the grand opening of London's newest superbookstore. But the author never arrives -- and word quickly spreads that Montague is dead, the victim of a mysterious boating accident. Publisher Alex Plumbtree is shocked by McKinley's sudden passing. Yet even more disturbing is the encounter Alex has in a local coffee shop with a reporter that very night. First the scribe reveals he received a tip that McKinley's own publishers had him murdered to boost his sales. Seconds later, a bullet shatters the cafe's window, missing the pair by inches. The shooting is only the first of many bizarre incidents, unexplained deaths, and troubling phone calls. And with his own life hanging in the balance, Alex wonders if McKinley's demise was just the opening chapter in London's deadliest literary season ever."
~~back cover
This was the best of the series, at least so far, due to a real cliffhanger subplot: is Sarah alive and back in London, or isn't she? The main plot involves the usual nefarious plot to grab control of the British book world, and as usual, Alex Plumbtree is in it up to his eyeballs. Literally. Absolutely absorbing, page-turning writing and plotting.
"It was billed as the biggest literary event of the season. McKinley Montague, the handsome, enigmatic author of sensational serial-killer novels, was to make a rare book-signing appearance at the grand opening of London's newest superbookstore. But the author never arrives -- and word quickly spreads that Montague is dead, the victim of a mysterious boating accident. Publisher Alex Plumbtree is shocked by McKinley's sudden passing. Yet even more disturbing is the encounter Alex has in a local coffee shop with a reporter that very night. First the scribe reveals he received a tip that McKinley's own publishers had him murdered to boost his sales. Seconds later, a bullet shatters the cafe's window, missing the pair by inches. The shooting is only the first of many bizarre incidents, unexplained deaths, and troubling phone calls. And with his own life hanging in the balance, Alex wonders if McKinley's demise was just the opening chapter in London's deadliest literary season ever."
~~back cover
This was the best of the series, at least so far, due to a real cliffhanger subplot: is Sarah alive and back in London, or isn't she? The main plot involves the usual nefarious plot to grab control of the British book world, and as usual, Alex Plumbtree is in it up to his eyeballs. Literally. Absolutely absorbing, page-turning writing and plotting.
May 26, 2015
A bit tedious.
May 30, 2022
Alex Plumtree is one of the most likable fictional characters you’ll find anywhere. He’s dealing with the beginning stages of Retinitis Pigmentosa, and he fears blindness above all else. For now, it only impacts him at night, but he lives a life of quiet terror, concerned that he’ll no longer be able to run his independent publishing house.
Everyone insists his beloved fiancé, Sarah, is dead. Some Middle East operatives snatched her from Alex’s place at the end of book four. Those in government and among his friends urge Alex to move on, but he’s sure she’s alive. In fact, he’s sure he’s seen her in multiple places. But every time he gets close to her, she manages to disappear.
Alex and his employees are preparing for a major book fair in Frankfort, and the publishing industry in Great Britain is shaking and writhing in merger upheavals one after another. Alex gets two offers the same day to buy out his small, independent press. He also gets an eviction notice, and he can’t understand how, after more than a century, his family business must vacate the building. Something is awry for sure.
This is a fascinating look at rare books whose content owners change, often maliciously. As he discovers potential changes in an ancient apocryphal Biblical transcript, someone wants Alex dead because of what he discovers and for other reasons.
This is a lot like doing physical fitness intervals. Lots of the books is cerebral and fascinating. Lots of the book is fast-paced and action packed. This author makes that combination work as well as anyone I’ve read anywhere. I can’t recommend this series highly enough.
Everyone insists his beloved fiancé, Sarah, is dead. Some Middle East operatives snatched her from Alex’s place at the end of book four. Those in government and among his friends urge Alex to move on, but he’s sure she’s alive. In fact, he’s sure he’s seen her in multiple places. But every time he gets close to her, she manages to disappear.
Alex and his employees are preparing for a major book fair in Frankfort, and the publishing industry in Great Britain is shaking and writhing in merger upheavals one after another. Alex gets two offers the same day to buy out his small, independent press. He also gets an eviction notice, and he can’t understand how, after more than a century, his family business must vacate the building. Something is awry for sure.
This is a fascinating look at rare books whose content owners change, often maliciously. As he discovers potential changes in an ancient apocryphal Biblical transcript, someone wants Alex dead because of what he discovers and for other reasons.
This is a lot like doing physical fitness intervals. Lots of the books is cerebral and fascinating. Lots of the book is fast-paced and action packed. This author makes that combination work as well as anyone I’ve read anywhere. I can’t recommend this series highly enough.
November 9, 2017
I love all the books in this series by Julie Kaewert! Bought the first four books many years ago, in a local bookstore, and searched out the rest of the series. Then I bought several of them a second time, after they were lost in a fire. The narrator reminds me of the best Dick Francis heroes ... he is polite, unassuming, honest, and stronger than he knows, with a great sense of humor. Alex has inherited a small publishing business in London, and he finds that the book business is more dangerous than he ever suspected. If you love books, and enjoy a good old-fashioned hero, this book is for you. I just wish there were more books in the series!
(This is a copy of my review posted on Amazon.com on March 9, 2017. I'm going to copy it into all the books of this series -- they are that good!)
(This is a copy of my review posted on Amazon.com on March 9, 2017. I'm going to copy it into all the books of this series -- they are that good!)
Read
September 5, 2021Pretty involved.
March 31, 2025
Poor Alex Plumtree seems to always find himself in some dilemma!!!!!
December 1, 2013
This is a light easy to read book but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought that I would. Perhaps for a light book there was just too many things happening in this. It all begins with a big literary event the opening of a huge bookstore a la Borders in its day and a book signing by sensation serial-killer novelist McKinley Montague.
Just before the event, publisher Alex Plumtree, who recently 'lost' his fiancé in a previous mystery, meets with a literary reporter who reports that Montague will be or has been killed by his publisher to increase sales. Then there is a bullet fired at them and sure enough, at the opening, Montague is a no show -- supposedly lost at sea.
Then other people start to disappear or die. Plumtree's little bookstore, bought from the owner just before his mysterious death, is broken into, then his home where shots are fired at him. Then there are people who seem to be following him. And the mysterious sightings of his 'dead/lost' fiancé. Before he knows it Plumtree is following several mysteries: the deaths of booksellers, the sudden consultation of British publishing houses and the possibility the "Beowulf" was not written in the 7th-century, but the 10th, and a portion of another part of a folio, Judith, was modified after its removal from the Bible in King James time.
Its all a bit much to believe as Julie Kaewert tries to tie it all together. Its as if she wanted to write a James Bond novel but with an everyday man and with things that a financial analyst might drool over but not spies and foreign countries.
Just before the event, publisher Alex Plumtree, who recently 'lost' his fiancé in a previous mystery, meets with a literary reporter who reports that Montague will be or has been killed by his publisher to increase sales. Then there is a bullet fired at them and sure enough, at the opening, Montague is a no show -- supposedly lost at sea.
Then other people start to disappear or die. Plumtree's little bookstore, bought from the owner just before his mysterious death, is broken into, then his home where shots are fired at him. Then there are people who seem to be following him. And the mysterious sightings of his 'dead/lost' fiancé. Before he knows it Plumtree is following several mysteries: the deaths of booksellers, the sudden consultation of British publishing houses and the possibility the "Beowulf" was not written in the 7th-century, but the 10th, and a portion of another part of a folio, Judith, was modified after its removal from the Bible in King James time.
Its all a bit much to believe as Julie Kaewert tries to tie it all together. Its as if she wanted to write a James Bond novel but with an everyday man and with things that a financial analyst might drool over but not spies and foreign countries.
July 23, 2014
I seem to have a penchant for picking books that are part of a series but not the first one. This is one of those books, apparently Unsigned is the fifth in a series. While this usually isn't a problem when reading a cozy in this case there were a lot of characters who had been around for a while and backstory that impacted this story and as a result I spent too much time trying to figure out who everyone was and their connections.
Alex Plumtree is a man of steel who should have been in the hospital several times, like some characters in thrillers, stretching and in my case breaking with believability. Spoiler Alert: There is, I think, one inaccuracy in relation to what happens to him, in an important scene one drop is placed in one of his eyes yet later both eyes are flushed and bandaged. This was very annoying in light of what was happening while both eyes were bandaged.
I did find the inside look at British publishing and the history behind Cotton Vitellius A.fifteen interesting, the mystery not so much.
Alex Plumtree is a man of steel who should have been in the hospital several times, like some characters in thrillers, stretching and in my case breaking with believability. Spoiler Alert: There is, I think, one inaccuracy in relation to what happens to him, in an important scene one drop is placed in one of his eyes yet later both eyes are flushed and bandaged. This was very annoying in light of what was happening while both eyes were bandaged.
I did find the inside look at British publishing and the history behind Cotton Vitellius A.fifteen interesting, the mystery not so much.
January 20, 2016
A blast from the past - one of a series of "Booklover's Mysteries" by Julie Kaewert that I bought eons ago. This is not the first, but first of four that I own. Good from the beginning, fast-paced, intriguing tale of a murder in London involving booksellers and publishers, somehow related to _Beowulf_.
* * * * *
I enjoyed the characters, but the story was very convoluted, about issues that I don't much care about. Maybe I'll read the others in the series, since I already have them. . . .
* * * * *
I enjoyed the characters, but the story was very convoluted, about issues that I don't much care about. Maybe I'll read the others in the series, since I already have them. . . .
August 13, 2009
Ripping good mystery, with a inside look at the British, and international, publishing industry. Also fascinating look at the care and feeding of ancient manuscripts, and how they are studied, preserved, and even tampered with.
November 16, 2010
I thought this was the best of the series so far. Great story line mixing fiction with historical intrigue.
October 25, 2011
It has a lot going on as do all of her books, but they always keep you reading until the end!
November 8, 2012
Wonderful as usual.
August 28, 2020
A little too complicated but liked the main characters
July 26, 2016
It took me forever to read this.
I found it very slow paced and boring.
I found it very slow paced and boring.
Read
February 10, 2019Because it dealt with books I was sure I would enjoy it. Too boring to even skim and I gave it 100 pages.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews