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Bibliophile Mystery #15
Little Black Book
San Francisco book-restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright is on the case when a rare edition of Rebecca leads to murder in this latest installment of the New York Times bestselling Bibliophile Mystery series.
Brooklyn and her hunky husband, security expert Derek Stone, have just returned from a delightful trip to Dharma, where the construction of their new home away from home is well underway, when a little black book arrives in the mail from Scotland. The book is a rare British first edition of Rebecca, and there’s no return address on the package. The day after the book arrives, Claire Quinn shows up at Brooklyn and Derek’s home. Brooklyn met Claire when the two women worked as expert appraisers on the television show This Old Attic. Brooklyn appraised books on the show and Claire’s expertise was in antique British weaponry, but they bonded over their shared love of gothic novels.
Claire reveals that during a recent trip to Scotland she discovered her beloved aunt was missing and her home had been ransacked. Among her aunt’s belongings, Claire found the receipt for the package that wound up with Brooklyn and Derek. Claire believes both her own life and her aunt’s are in danger and worries that her past may be coming back to haunt her.
But just as Brooklyn and Derek begin to investigate, a man who Claire thinks was following her is found murdered, stabbed with a priceless jeweled dagger. With a death on their doorstep, Brooklyn and Derek page through the little black book, where they discover clues that will take them to the shadows of a medieval Scottish castle on the shores of Loch Ness. Under the watchful gaze of a mysterious laird and the irascible villagers who are suspicious of the strangers in their midst, Brooklyn and Derek must decode the secrets in Rebecca to keep their friend’s past from destroying their future....
Brooklyn and her hunky husband, security expert Derek Stone, have just returned from a delightful trip to Dharma, where the construction of their new home away from home is well underway, when a little black book arrives in the mail from Scotland. The book is a rare British first edition of Rebecca, and there’s no return address on the package. The day after the book arrives, Claire Quinn shows up at Brooklyn and Derek’s home. Brooklyn met Claire when the two women worked as expert appraisers on the television show This Old Attic. Brooklyn appraised books on the show and Claire’s expertise was in antique British weaponry, but they bonded over their shared love of gothic novels.
Claire reveals that during a recent trip to Scotland she discovered her beloved aunt was missing and her home had been ransacked. Among her aunt’s belongings, Claire found the receipt for the package that wound up with Brooklyn and Derek. Claire believes both her own life and her aunt’s are in danger and worries that her past may be coming back to haunt her.
But just as Brooklyn and Derek begin to investigate, a man who Claire thinks was following her is found murdered, stabbed with a priceless jeweled dagger. With a death on their doorstep, Brooklyn and Derek page through the little black book, where they discover clues that will take them to the shadows of a medieval Scottish castle on the shores of Loch Ness. Under the watchful gaze of a mysterious laird and the irascible villagers who are suspicious of the strangers in their midst, Brooklyn and Derek must decode the secrets in Rebecca to keep their friend’s past from destroying their future....
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 13, 2021
205 people are currently reading
1575 people want to read
About the author
Kate Carlisle
97 books2,817 followersGolden Heart and Daphne du Maurier Award winning author Kate Carlisle spent over twenty years working in television production as an Associate Director for game and variety shows, including The Midnight Special, Solid Gold and The Gong Show. She traveled the world as a Dating Game chaperone and performed strange acts of silliness on The Gong Show. She also studied acting and singing, toiled in vineyards, collected books, joined a commune, sold fried chicken, modeled spring fashions and worked for a cruise ship line, but it was the year she spent in law school that finally drove her to begin writing fiction. It seemed the safest way to kill off her professors. Those professors are breathing easier now that Kate spends most of her time writing near the beach in Southern California where she lives with her perfect husband.
A lifelong love of old books and an appreciation of the art of bookbinding led Kate to create the Bibliophile Mysteries, featuring rare book expert Brooklyn Wainwright, whose bookbinding and restoration skills invariably uncover old secrets, treachery and murder. Kate is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers and Romance Writers of America. She loves to drink good wine and watch other people cook.
Despite the appearance of overnight success, Kate's dream of publication took many, many years to fulfill.
A lifelong love of old books and an appreciation of the art of bookbinding led Kate to create the Bibliophile Mysteries, featuring rare book expert Brooklyn Wainwright, whose bookbinding and restoration skills invariably uncover old secrets, treachery and murder. Kate is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers and Romance Writers of America. She loves to drink good wine and watch other people cook.
Despite the appearance of overnight success, Kate's dream of publication took many, many years to fulfill.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 329 reviews
April 13, 2022
Little Black Book is the 15th Bibliophile Mystery written by Kate Carlisle. I've read all of her Fixer-Upper Mysteries and now I am fully current in this series, as her newest releases later this spring. What a great feeling! In this installment, Brooklyn and Dylan are almost done building their new home in Sonoma County, but when they return to SF after a brief trip to check in with the architect, Derek receives a copy of the classic novel, Rebecca, in the mail. A former contact from MI6 sent it to him without any explanation, but then the woman's niece, strangely a friend of Brooklyn's that neither knew about, shows up on their doorstep. Moments later, she tells the story of two ruthless men who've been trying to kill her, only one of them ends up dead in the parking garage.
Authors need to mix up their approach to storytelling lest they be accused of getting too repetitive. That's exactly what transpired here... the first half of the book took place in SF and Dharma (Sonoma County) and had a slow build-up of the woman's background and why the two men were chasing her. It turned out to be connected to a Scottish castle, and so... Brooklyn and Dylan travel to Scotland for the last half of the book. That's where they meet 6 different suspects and the story is rich with history about the laird of the castle. Truthfully, the first half was kinda boring and didn't need to be included. It would have been great if 1 or 2 intro chapters covered the background and then the Scottish trip began, as that was the best part. All came together nicely in the end, and I enjoyed the book very much. Just thought it could've been a 5-star if there was some tighter editing in this one.
Authors need to mix up their approach to storytelling lest they be accused of getting too repetitive. That's exactly what transpired here... the first half of the book took place in SF and Dharma (Sonoma County) and had a slow build-up of the woman's background and why the two men were chasing her. It turned out to be connected to a Scottish castle, and so... Brooklyn and Dylan travel to Scotland for the last half of the book. That's where they meet 6 different suspects and the story is rich with history about the laird of the castle. Truthfully, the first half was kinda boring and didn't need to be included. It would have been great if 1 or 2 intro chapters covered the background and then the Scottish trip began, as that was the best part. All came together nicely in the end, and I enjoyed the book very much. Just thought it could've been a 5-star if there was some tighter editing in this one.
July 14, 2021
Little Black Book by Kate Carlisle is a delightly fun, light cozy mystery! That being said, it’s not overly silly, but is smart cozy, and has a great many things things to offer besides being a clean mystery.
The three main characters, Brooklyn, Derek, and Claire are all well defined, and have a great chemistry interacting with one another. Some readers might feel put off by the marriage relationship of Brooklyn and Derek, who are very happily married and very much in love. However, I found this aspect of the story unique and refreshing to read with their handful of very brief dialogues reaffirming their love for each other, as these two respectfully worked together to solve the mystery and crimes happening around them.
Brooklyn is a rare book expert, Derek a former MI-5 Agent, and Claire is a former colleague of Brooklyn when they worked as TV Hosts for a show called “This Old Attic”. Claire is an expert in antique British weaponry. Mix those elements with a very rare 1st edition that has hidden code in it, a missing Aunt, murders, San Francisco and Dharma, a castle, unanswered questions, oh and talk of a much beloved cat - then this cozy may be for you. No foul language, no sex, no gore.
Getting use to the female narrator voice for the part of Derek took some time, and I think would have even served the story better if a real male voice was used for Derek. However, the narration done by Susie Berneis, was overall enjoyable and easy to understand. The narrator used proper modulation, feeling, and enthusiasm.
4.5 stars rounded up.
My thanks to NetGalley, and the Publisher, for an advanced digital audio copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
The three main characters, Brooklyn, Derek, and Claire are all well defined, and have a great chemistry interacting with one another. Some readers might feel put off by the marriage relationship of Brooklyn and Derek, who are very happily married and very much in love. However, I found this aspect of the story unique and refreshing to read with their handful of very brief dialogues reaffirming their love for each other, as these two respectfully worked together to solve the mystery and crimes happening around them.
Brooklyn is a rare book expert, Derek a former MI-5 Agent, and Claire is a former colleague of Brooklyn when they worked as TV Hosts for a show called “This Old Attic”. Claire is an expert in antique British weaponry. Mix those elements with a very rare 1st edition that has hidden code in it, a missing Aunt, murders, San Francisco and Dharma, a castle, unanswered questions, oh and talk of a much beloved cat - then this cozy may be for you. No foul language, no sex, no gore.
Getting use to the female narrator voice for the part of Derek took some time, and I think would have even served the story better if a real male voice was used for Derek. However, the narration done by Susie Berneis, was overall enjoyable and easy to understand. The narrator used proper modulation, feeling, and enthusiasm.
4.5 stars rounded up.
My thanks to NetGalley, and the Publisher, for an advanced digital audio copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
October 10, 2021
This being my first introduction to author Kate Carlisle's delightful, "A Bibliophile Mystery" series, I was surprised to discover that this was the sixteenth book in this series. As cozy mysteries go, this had a bit more gravitas and less silliness than many, which I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated. Plus, the protagonist and her posse head off to Scotland to dig deeper into the mystery - a destination I hope someday to explore.
The premise of the story is Derek Stone, husband of bibliophile Brooklyn Wainwright, receives in the post a first edition of du Maurier's, "Rebecca" from a shop in Scotland. The sender is not identified in the return address nor within the book itself. Then Claire, a former colleague of Brooklyn, shows up on their San Francisco doorstep fretting that her Aunt Gwyneth has disappeared without a trace back in Scotland. Attempts are made on Claire's life and the group heads off to Scotland to get to the bottom of the goings on.
This was a fun, richly descriptive mystery with a number of red herrings and quirky characters. The writing is very good and the tension remains taut throughout the story. Thankfully, I was not at a loss in spite of how far into the series I had started. But at some point, I'll head back to the beginning to get myself caught up. It's just that much of an enjoyable and fun series.
The premise of the story is Derek Stone, husband of bibliophile Brooklyn Wainwright, receives in the post a first edition of du Maurier's, "Rebecca" from a shop in Scotland. The sender is not identified in the return address nor within the book itself. Then Claire, a former colleague of Brooklyn, shows up on their San Francisco doorstep fretting that her Aunt Gwyneth has disappeared without a trace back in Scotland. Attempts are made on Claire's life and the group heads off to Scotland to get to the bottom of the goings on.
This was a fun, richly descriptive mystery with a number of red herrings and quirky characters. The writing is very good and the tension remains taut throughout the story. Thankfully, I was not at a loss in spite of how far into the series I had started. But at some point, I'll head back to the beginning to get myself caught up. It's just that much of an enjoyable and fun series.
May 9, 2021
Little Black Book's plot was not as exciting as previous books in the Bibliophile Mysteries series. The trip of the Amateur sleuth, Brooklyn, and her husband to Scottland was enjoyable. Recapturing characters from previous books in the series was a great touch. An intrigue existed. The plot of the story was difficult to follow. And the story just didn't interest me.
Thank you, Berkley and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This is an honest review.
Thank you, Berkley and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This is an honest review.
October 5, 2021
The author really knows how to craft a mystery and it took me a long time to narrow down the solution to two of the characters. The settings were also good, San Francisco, Dharma, and Scotland. The only unbelievable part of the story is just how bad ass almost every character in the story is, and why is the lovely commune under such tight surveillance?
May 13, 2021
I love the bookish world of Brooklyn Wainwright, though I'll admit the series is beginning to feel more like a soap opera to me. EVERYONE is an amazing expert at something (book repair, ancient weapons, security, cooking, etc.), and everyone is gorgeous, and everyone who isn't a bad guy is just sort of perfect in every way. Which is getting a bit old. I want the characters to be slightly more real. I know this isn't realistic fiction, but it's so UNrealistic that it's pulling me out of the story. I'm all in on the intrigue, the various beautiful settings, etc. I'd just like one element, preferably the characters, to be slightly more realistic. The plot on this one is convoluted but fun.
I had this one down as four stars initially, but the feeling that the characters have turned into Barbie dolls (This one is Knife-Thrower Barbie, and this one is Book Restorer Barbie, and here's Secret Agent Ken...) left me a little flat afterward. The author is great at building suspense and taking the reader to beautiful settings, like Scotland and California's wine country. I just want to go there with characters who feel a bit more three-dimensional.
Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I had this one down as four stars initially, but the feeling that the characters have turned into Barbie dolls (This one is Knife-Thrower Barbie, and this one is Book Restorer Barbie, and here's Secret Agent Ken...) left me a little flat afterward. The author is great at building suspense and taking the reader to beautiful settings, like Scotland and California's wine country. I just want to go there with characters who feel a bit more three-dimensional.
Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 20, 2021
Number 15 in the Bibliophile Mystery series has Brooklyn and Derek helping out a friend of Brooklyn's from her brief television stint, who also happens to be the niece of an old associate of Derek. It all starts when Derek receives an autographed first edition if Rebecca from his old associate out of the blue. But when Claire arrives with a story about her aunt missing, they're on to solving a new case. Fans of this series is no doubt enjoy traveling with Brooklyn and Derek from California to Scotland to solve their mystery.
This reader, however, was super annoyed at this book. I've LOVED this series. But this one needs someone to read it for consistentcy. Several times, Claire points out that she's read that particular edition of Rebecca before and the marks WERE NOT THERE. But that makes the ending impossible. There was another big inconsistency, but it's escaping me right now. The ending was ridiculous and with all that technology, the "mystery" could have been solved much earlier and at least one death prevented. I liked that we have a couple who are just happy with each other, but they also kinda just made me want to vom from the sugar overload. Ug!
This reader, however, was super annoyed at this book. I've LOVED this series. But this one needs someone to read it for consistentcy. Several times, Claire points out that she's read that particular edition of Rebecca before and the marks WERE NOT THERE. But that makes the ending impossible. There was another big inconsistency, but it's escaping me right now. The ending was ridiculous and with all that technology, the "mystery" could have been solved much earlier and at least one death prevented. I liked that we have a couple who are just happy with each other, but they also kinda just made me want to vom from the sugar overload. Ug!
July 14, 2021
Outstanding narrator brings fascinating characters to life! I love that this series has a husband and wife duo who have experience and intellect to solve the crimes. As a rare book restoration authority Brooklyn meets the most talented and unique people which brings a depth to this cozy mystery series that you don't typically see in the traditional bumbling sleuth style cozies! I love that a bit of history of books or other antiquities, in this book it is weaponry, is brought to our attention in a conversational manner that enhances the personalities of the characters. If you are looking for a cozy with murder, intrigue, international travel and more then this is the book or rather series for you! I can't recommend this series enough as it is the one that first turned me onto cozy mysteries in the first place!
July 4, 2021
I always enjoy spending time in Ms. Carlisle's Bibliophile world and this book is no exception. Derek, Brooklyn and a new friend, Claire, must figure out why Derek was sent a copy of the book Rebecca and who sent it to him. Action, adventure, old friends and new, and a trip to Scotland made this a book one that I was happily captivated in their world until I reached the end.
May 23, 2021
Even if you're not a fan of so-called cozy mysteries - and generally speaking, that includes me - I implore you to try this series (as well as, for the record, this author's other Fixer-Upper series that's equally enjoyable). That's because, unlike virtually all the other cozies I've had the relative displeasure to read, her main characters are strong-willed but sensible, thoughtful and brilliant women who don't go off half cocked and instead actually contribute something substantial to their stories.
This is the fifteenth in this wonderful series about book-restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright, who's now married to Derek Stone, a gorgeous, almost super-human security expert (well, okay, that's pretty much standard in cozies, but this guy really is a peach). At her San Francisco workroom, a package arrives addressed to Derek marked only from "Gwyneth Antiquities" that contains a slightly damaged rare, author-signed copy of Rebecca but no instructions on what to do with it. Not long thereafter, they get a visit from Brooklyn's one-time acquaintance and antique weapons expert Claire Quinn, who Derek knows is related to the probable sender of the package and his former M-16 colleague Gwyneth Quinn. But while Claire knows her aunt sent some kind of package, she claims to have no idea what was in it. More to the point, she says her aunt has gone missing - and she's convinced somebody out there is out to get her as well.
That they might succeed is bolstered by the very recent trashing of Claire's apartment and her recount of at least two narrow misses on being killed. When pressed, the only reason she can think of is that as a child, she saw some men, including her now-missing-and-presumed-dead father, planning some kind of crime. When Claire temporarily moves in with Brooklyn and Derek, one of the bad guys shows up again but somehow eludes Derek, his security team and the local police. Strangely, that man soon turns up dead - murdered with an antique dagger. And when the three decide to visit Dharma, where Brooklyn's quirky communal mother lives, yet another of Claire's nefarious stalkers bites the dust in similar fashion.
Finally, enough is enough, and the three decide they're likely to find the answers they need in Scotland, where Claire used to live and from where her missing Aunt Gwyneth disappeared. They're invited to live in a real-life (though somewhat run-down) castle, where clues start piling up like turrets. Getting to the truth - and hopefully, finding Claire's aunt alive - takes a lot of speculation, wrong turns, near misses and puts Derek's security expertise to the test, but it all comes together in the end.
Except not quite. There are a couple of loose ends that I'm sure will follow Brooklyn and Derek to the next book and that's okay - some characters in this one made follow-up appearances here, after all. But the "real" ending, to me, elicited more of a "you've got to be kidding me" feeling than satisfaction. That's because lacking more explanation, what happened was for the most part implausible (I can't get more specific, but the lack of food and water plus perhaps the need for an invisible cargo-lugging 18-wheeler came to mind immediately). A few extra descriptive lines could have cleared all that up, but alas, they weren't there. Otherwise, though, it's another great series entry, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.
Oh yes - the book includes recipes for a few of the treats Brooklyn and Derek enjoyed among the earlier pages. Too many ingredients for this cooking-phobic reader to want to try making, but they sure do sound yummy!
This is the fifteenth in this wonderful series about book-restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright, who's now married to Derek Stone, a gorgeous, almost super-human security expert (well, okay, that's pretty much standard in cozies, but this guy really is a peach). At her San Francisco workroom, a package arrives addressed to Derek marked only from "Gwyneth Antiquities" that contains a slightly damaged rare, author-signed copy of Rebecca but no instructions on what to do with it. Not long thereafter, they get a visit from Brooklyn's one-time acquaintance and antique weapons expert Claire Quinn, who Derek knows is related to the probable sender of the package and his former M-16 colleague Gwyneth Quinn. But while Claire knows her aunt sent some kind of package, she claims to have no idea what was in it. More to the point, she says her aunt has gone missing - and she's convinced somebody out there is out to get her as well.
That they might succeed is bolstered by the very recent trashing of Claire's apartment and her recount of at least two narrow misses on being killed. When pressed, the only reason she can think of is that as a child, she saw some men, including her now-missing-and-presumed-dead father, planning some kind of crime. When Claire temporarily moves in with Brooklyn and Derek, one of the bad guys shows up again but somehow eludes Derek, his security team and the local police. Strangely, that man soon turns up dead - murdered with an antique dagger. And when the three decide to visit Dharma, where Brooklyn's quirky communal mother lives, yet another of Claire's nefarious stalkers bites the dust in similar fashion.
Finally, enough is enough, and the three decide they're likely to find the answers they need in Scotland, where Claire used to live and from where her missing Aunt Gwyneth disappeared. They're invited to live in a real-life (though somewhat run-down) castle, where clues start piling up like turrets. Getting to the truth - and hopefully, finding Claire's aunt alive - takes a lot of speculation, wrong turns, near misses and puts Derek's security expertise to the test, but it all comes together in the end.
Except not quite. There are a couple of loose ends that I'm sure will follow Brooklyn and Derek to the next book and that's okay - some characters in this one made follow-up appearances here, after all. But the "real" ending, to me, elicited more of a "you've got to be kidding me" feeling than satisfaction. That's because lacking more explanation, what happened was for the most part implausible (I can't get more specific, but the lack of food and water plus perhaps the need for an invisible cargo-lugging 18-wheeler came to mind immediately). A few extra descriptive lines could have cleared all that up, but alas, they weren't there. Otherwise, though, it's another great series entry, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.
Oh yes - the book includes recipes for a few of the treats Brooklyn and Derek enjoyed among the earlier pages. Too many ingredients for this cooking-phobic reader to want to try making, but they sure do sound yummy!
August 1, 2021
This Bibliophile Mystery series has quickly become one of my favorite Cozy Mystery series. LITTLE BLACK BOOK marks the fifteenth book in the series and Kate Carlisle is showing no signs of stopping. This book swept me off my feet easily and kept me entertained until the very end.
Of course a special book is the main focus of this book. However, the twist is that the book doesn’t come to Brooklyn. It is actually address to Derek and it came all the way from Scotland. Then, when a mysterious old friend appears, they have to figure out how the two connect and find out what is really going on about this book and their friend’s grandmother’s disappearance.
Like I said, this book hooked me in from the beginning. I loved that Carlisle is keeping the romance between Derek and Brooklyn at the forefront of the series and making them both a focus rather than just one of them. It makes the romantic in me very happy to see them working together because it adds to the mystery and the whodunit nature by adding another dimension to the series. I already can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Of course a special book is the main focus of this book. However, the twist is that the book doesn’t come to Brooklyn. It is actually address to Derek and it came all the way from Scotland. Then, when a mysterious old friend appears, they have to figure out how the two connect and find out what is really going on about this book and their friend’s grandmother’s disappearance.
Like I said, this book hooked me in from the beginning. I loved that Carlisle is keeping the romance between Derek and Brooklyn at the forefront of the series and making them both a focus rather than just one of them. It makes the romantic in me very happy to see them working together because it adds to the mystery and the whodunit nature by adding another dimension to the series. I already can’t wait for the next book in the series!
May 13, 2021
LITTLE BLACK BOOK, is the fifteenth book in the Bibliophile Mystery series by Kate Carlisle. With a mystery surrounding a rare first edition of Rebecca, which shows up unexpectedly at their home in San Francisco, protagonist Brooklyn Wainright and her husband, ex-M6 Derek Stone, take the reader off on another adventure. Non-stop action, along with globe-trotting, made it difficult for this reader to put the book down and attend to responsibilities. The fast pace of the plot, alongside long-enjoyed characters, contributed to the page-turning read. I’ve so adored the development of Brooklyn and Derek’s relationship and now marriage. They exhibit chemistry on the pages, while maintaining respect and admiration for each other’s skills. In turn, they treat their family, neighbors, friends, and acquaintances with courtesy and respect, and as a result have a wide circle of people to rally behind whatever endeavors they take on. In this newest release, weapons expert Claire, a former character from a previous book, makes an appearance. The author does an admirable job of weaving in her past appearance with the current book.
There are several intertwining mysteries in this book from the disappearance of Claire’s Scottish aunt, to the mysterious Rebecca edition, to the two Scottish men murdered by antique weapons. The author takes the opportunity to insert intriguing facts about the weaponry along with Brooklyn’s bookbinding expertise without slowing down the plot. I’ve always enjoyed the ability to learn something in this series while still being entertained. It’s the mark of a great storyteller and Ms. Carlisle hits the mark in this newest release. At the conclusion, the strands of the plot come together in an edge-of-your-seat reveal and has me looking forward to reading the next adventure featuring Brooklyn and Derek!
Brooklyn, her friends, and her family all have an enjoyable appreciation for all types of food. With many mouthwatering mentions on the pages, it was a treat to see that there are several delicious recipes at the back of the book.
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
There are several intertwining mysteries in this book from the disappearance of Claire’s Scottish aunt, to the mysterious Rebecca edition, to the two Scottish men murdered by antique weapons. The author takes the opportunity to insert intriguing facts about the weaponry along with Brooklyn’s bookbinding expertise without slowing down the plot. I’ve always enjoyed the ability to learn something in this series while still being entertained. It’s the mark of a great storyteller and Ms. Carlisle hits the mark in this newest release. At the conclusion, the strands of the plot come together in an edge-of-your-seat reveal and has me looking forward to reading the next adventure featuring Brooklyn and Derek!
Brooklyn, her friends, and her family all have an enjoyable appreciation for all types of food. With many mouthwatering mentions on the pages, it was a treat to see that there are several delicious recipes at the back of the book.
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 6, 2021
Present Day. San Francisco, CA. Kate Carlisle’s Little Black Book (Bibliophile Mysteries #15) finds Brooklyn, book binder extraordinaire, and her handsome husband, Derek Stone, worldwide security expert formerly of MI6, arriving back in San Francisco from Dharma where they are building a home in the commune where Brooklyn and her siblings were raised. In the mail collected by their neighbor, Alex, Derek receives a package from Scotland. It is a ‘little black book’ entitled Rebecca, a 1938 first edition signed by author, Daphne du Maurier, and it was mailed from Scotland. Enter the next morning a new character Claire whom Brooklyn had met on tv show ‘This Old Attic’. Claire is an antique weapons expert and an excellent knife thrower which comes in handy when all three fly to Scotland to solve the mystery that involves Claire and the little black book. Well researched. Fun read even with Brooklyn being a ‘magnet’ for a body or three. Extremely enjoyable! 5 stars.
July 10, 2021
I can't. I tried to hang in there, I really did. I've read the previous 14 books in this series and liked each one less and less. They are just sooo formulaic and repetitive. Just like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, if you've read one Bibliophile mystery, you've literally read them all.
I am giving up about 40% of the way into this one because I just can't make myself care anymore. Carlisle once again clutters up her plot by waxing poetic about cupcakes and charcuterie, going into superfluous book binding detail, adding meal descriptions for EVERY meal, etc. I skim half of these books to get to something worth reading and there's never a good love scene, I give up hoping there ever will be.
Once again someone gets murdered who you don't care about. Once again they go hang out in weird Dharma with Brooklyn's extensive family and friends. The characters are deteriorating into cliches real fast and I can't hang.
I am giving up about 40% of the way into this one because I just can't make myself care anymore. Carlisle once again clutters up her plot by waxing poetic about cupcakes and charcuterie, going into superfluous book binding detail, adding meal descriptions for EVERY meal, etc. I skim half of these books to get to something worth reading and there's never a good love scene, I give up hoping there ever will be.
Once again someone gets murdered who you don't care about. Once again they go hang out in weird Dharma with Brooklyn's extensive family and friends. The characters are deteriorating into cliches real fast and I can't hang.
May 24, 2021
Brooklyn and Derek are back in this 15th installment in this great series.
Brooklyn has a love for all books, so when a mysterious book arrives for her husband, Derek , it’s no surprise that Brooklyn has to figure out what it means.
With the addition of Claire Quinn in this book, I couldn’t read it fast enough.
There were so many twists and turns, and the mystery itself was ingenious. Even though I couldn’t put it down, I was sad for it to end.
I am eager to read the next book in this incredible series.
Brooklyn has a love for all books, so when a mysterious book arrives for her husband, Derek , it’s no surprise that Brooklyn has to figure out what it means.
With the addition of Claire Quinn in this book, I couldn’t read it fast enough.
There were so many twists and turns, and the mystery itself was ingenious. Even though I couldn’t put it down, I was sad for it to end.
I am eager to read the next book in this incredible series.
July 23, 2021
This is the fifteenth book in the Bibliophile series. Bookbinder Brooklyn Wainwright is having a quiet night in with her husband, Derek, when a package containing a rare first edition copy of 'Rebecca' with a note from Brooklyn's old friend, Claire. It turns out Claire is in danger and needs Brooklyn and Derek's help to uncover what is going on.
I always love listening to the audio versions of this series. The narrator does an excellent job of giving each character their own voice so it feels more natural to the listener. You can tell just by the voice the narrator uses which character is speaking. The pacing of the narration was excellent. It felt like finished it in no time at all. The narrator did a great job bringing a wonderful story to life. I received an advanced copy from netgalley and dreamscape media in exchange for an honest review.
I always love listening to the audio versions of this series. The narrator does an excellent job of giving each character their own voice so it feels more natural to the listener. You can tell just by the voice the narrator uses which character is speaking. The pacing of the narration was excellent. It felt like finished it in no time at all. The narrator did a great job bringing a wonderful story to life. I received an advanced copy from netgalley and dreamscape media in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2024
This is 15th book in Bibliophile Mystery serie and it is interesting. First half of the book takes place in San Francisco and Dharma commune where we meet all usual characters - family and friends from previous books. The second half takes place in Scotland. The book is quite engaging and well written. I will read also other books from this serie because I quite like it and am curious which adventures and mysteries await Brooklyn and Derek.
June 25, 2021
Little Black Book by Kate Carlisle is the 15th A Bibliophile Mystery. It can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading each book in this delightful series. I look forward to a new installment each year where I can go on an adventure with Derek and the feisty, intelligent Brooklyn. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier is the featured book and I like how it ties into the story. I thought Little Black Book was well-written with developed, engaging characters. The characters are what keep me coming back. I love Brooklyn Wainwright and her dashing husband, Derek. They have good friends and a large, interesting family (especially the Stone brothers). There is great chemistry between Derek and Brooklyn. It is obvious how much they love each other. Even better, though, they respect each other. The mystery was multi-faceted and intriguing. I enjoyed following the clues and getting to journey to Scotland. There is plenty of action as well. I enjoyed learning about steganography. I like how Brooklyn’s skills play into the mystery. If it involves a book, Brooklyn is your gal. It is great that the author includes information on bookbinding, book restoration, and book art. Thanks to the vivid word imagery, I could envision the mobile Brooklyn is creating. There is some mild foul language (I would rather Brooklyn use creative phrases related to books) as well as repetition of details related to the mystery. Little Black Book became more engaging the further I got into it, and I was sad when my visit to this creative world ended. I look forward to Brooklyn’s next adventure. Little Black Book is a compelling whodunit with a bewildering black book, cryptic clues, a dangerous dagger, a bulky bad guy, an AWOL aunt, and a hunky hubby.
January 27, 2022
The 15th book in the Bibliophile mystery series. A delightful cozy mystery about a rare book expert, Brooklyn Wainwright. Brooklyn receives a first edition of Rebecca to restore, plus she gets involved in a new mystery. Light, fun, and entertaining.
May 21, 2021
"Little Black Book" the 15th instalment in the "A Bibliophile Mystery” series by Kate Carlisle. I really enjoy these mysteries and how can you resist this cover. San Francisco book-restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright is on the case when a rare edition of Rebecca leads to murder in this latest installment of the New York Times bestselling Bibliophile Mystery series.
I loved this story from San Francisco to The shores of Loch Ness, Scotland. There were two mysteries to this story, I felt one being where was aunt Gwynn and the mystery in the black book and then the murder.
Overall the mystery was interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters which are well developed.
Had the perfect amount of twists and turns to me guessing till the end.
I feel like some of the side characters are taking on some life changing events and I cant wait for the next book to see how things have progressed.
I was happy that recipes were included for 4 soups as well as cheese scones. Yummy
I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I loved this story from San Francisco to The shores of Loch Ness, Scotland. There were two mysteries to this story, I felt one being where was aunt Gwynn and the mystery in the black book and then the murder.
Overall the mystery was interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters which are well developed.
Had the perfect amount of twists and turns to me guessing till the end.
I feel like some of the side characters are taking on some life changing events and I cant wait for the next book to see how things have progressed.
I was happy that recipes were included for 4 soups as well as cheese scones. Yummy
I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 13, 2021
https://openbooksociety.com/article/l...
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele
Little Black Book, the fifteenth book in the long-running Bibliophile Mystery Series finds book restorer Brooklyn and her dashing husband Derek embroiled in a convoluted mystery that includes a missing person, murder, antique weapons, international travel, and, of course, rare books.
I have enjoyed this series so much over the years, and, after fifteen installments, these characters feel like good friends…slightly annoyingly perfect friends, but fabulous to hang out with. In a series twist, Derek receives a package containing a copy of Rebecca, and Brooklyn’s former acquaintance, antique weapons expert Claire (from book #8 The Book Stops Here), arrives to claim the package she believes was sent by her missing Aunt Gwyneth. Gwyneth happens to be Derek’s former coworker at MI6. Claire has recently had some scary encounters with some unsavory men, and one has followed her and is murdered at Brooklyn’s building. Fearing for Claire’s safety, the trio travels to Dharma then follow the clues to Scotland. As the body count rises, they must solve a puzzle from the past that ties to the present.
As always, author Kate Carlisle spins a compelling yarn full of suspense and danger. Most of this book takes place in Scotland, and the wonderful castle setting is a welcome change of venue (I love the regular San Francisco and wine country settings just as much) and reinforces the gothic feel of Rebecca. Though the book plays a pivotal role in solving the mystery, I wish it had been featured even more.
Because of the trans-Atlantic action, readers see very little of the regular supporting characters, and I missed them. Brooklyn’s quirky family is always a joy. It is, however, nice to get to know Claire better. Let’s face it, she is a weapons’ wizard. Brooklyn and Derek have settled nicely into married life, and their chemistry is still palpable and endearing, even when they get a little too syrupy.
Little Black Book is a highly entertaining biblio-centric mystery. Highly recommended to fans of Carlisle and anyone looking for a well written, quality cozy mystery.
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele
Little Black Book, the fifteenth book in the long-running Bibliophile Mystery Series finds book restorer Brooklyn and her dashing husband Derek embroiled in a convoluted mystery that includes a missing person, murder, antique weapons, international travel, and, of course, rare books.
I have enjoyed this series so much over the years, and, after fifteen installments, these characters feel like good friends…slightly annoyingly perfect friends, but fabulous to hang out with. In a series twist, Derek receives a package containing a copy of Rebecca, and Brooklyn’s former acquaintance, antique weapons expert Claire (from book #8 The Book Stops Here), arrives to claim the package she believes was sent by her missing Aunt Gwyneth. Gwyneth happens to be Derek’s former coworker at MI6. Claire has recently had some scary encounters with some unsavory men, and one has followed her and is murdered at Brooklyn’s building. Fearing for Claire’s safety, the trio travels to Dharma then follow the clues to Scotland. As the body count rises, they must solve a puzzle from the past that ties to the present.
As always, author Kate Carlisle spins a compelling yarn full of suspense and danger. Most of this book takes place in Scotland, and the wonderful castle setting is a welcome change of venue (I love the regular San Francisco and wine country settings just as much) and reinforces the gothic feel of Rebecca. Though the book plays a pivotal role in solving the mystery, I wish it had been featured even more.
Because of the trans-Atlantic action, readers see very little of the regular supporting characters, and I missed them. Brooklyn’s quirky family is always a joy. It is, however, nice to get to know Claire better. Let’s face it, she is a weapons’ wizard. Brooklyn and Derek have settled nicely into married life, and their chemistry is still palpable and endearing, even when they get a little too syrupy.
Little Black Book is a highly entertaining biblio-centric mystery. Highly recommended to fans of Carlisle and anyone looking for a well written, quality cozy mystery.
June 15, 2021
Series: Bibliophile Mystery #15
Publication Date: 6/29/21
Period: Contemporary
Number of Pages: 384
** 5-Stars **
The action, intrigue, and adventure begins with the first word on the first page and doesn’t let up until the last word on the last page in this wonderfully well-written book. Expert bookbinder Brooklyn Wainwright and her handsome, hunky, international security expert husband take us through San Francisco, to Dharma in the wine country, and all the way to the shores of Loch Ness in Scotland with murder and mayhem following all the way. Be sure to choose your most comfortable reading chair and have all of your snacks, drinks, etc. nearby because you won’t want to put the book down once you start reading.
Brooklyn and Derek have just returned home from a short vacation in Dharma where they are building a nice vacation home near both sets of parents. They are relaxed and ready to get back to work the next day – until Derek brings all of their mail back from their neighbor’s apartment. There is a package – and both are sure the package contains a book – but it is addressed to Derek and not Brooklyn. Uh-Oh. Just after they open the package and discover that it does indeed contain a book – a rare and valuable copy of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca – the entry buzzer sounds. Oh! No! All of their adventures seem to revolve around a rare book – and now they have one – and there is a stranger at their door.
Their caller was Claire Quinn who had worked with Brooklyn on several episodes of the antique show, This Old Attic, and she was inquiring about a package they may have received from her aunt in Scotland. Claire is in danger! Her home has been broken into, her aunt is missing, and Claire is sure someone is stalking her. The adventure really begins in earnest with the discovery of a body in Brooklyn and Derek’s garage and it continues with more bodies as they retreat to Dharma to elude the villains – and then on to the lovely Scottish village of Oddlochen on the shores of Loch Ness.
Where is Claire’s aunt Gwyneth? Is she still alive? What do these villains want with Claire? What does the book have to do with anything? Who is the villain behind it all? Is it the handsome laird of the castle? Is it the equally handsome estate manager? Is it some of Claire’s father’s old associates? Is it the mob to whom the laird’s father owed money? Is it aunt Gwyneth’s nasty antiques competitor? So many suspects! What is the treasure they are seeking and can their copy of Rebecca tell them the answer?
This author never fails to write an interesting and exciting book. The characters are unique, interesting, likable, and you’d love to meet them all. It was lovely to see that we had a full contingent of recurrent characters with Gabriel, Dalton, Robin, Robson, and Brooklyn’s parents. We also met a couple of characters I’d love to see in future books as well. Claire was really interesting and I liked her a lot, so I’d love to see her featured in future books. Since there was a hint of a budding romance for her, I’d love to see that come to fruition in a future book – maybe while working on yet another adventure with Brooklyn and Derek.
I can definitely recommend this book, this series, and this author. I hope you’ll give it a read and love it as much as I did.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Publication Date: 6/29/21
Period: Contemporary
Number of Pages: 384
** 5-Stars **
The action, intrigue, and adventure begins with the first word on the first page and doesn’t let up until the last word on the last page in this wonderfully well-written book. Expert bookbinder Brooklyn Wainwright and her handsome, hunky, international security expert husband take us through San Francisco, to Dharma in the wine country, and all the way to the shores of Loch Ness in Scotland with murder and mayhem following all the way. Be sure to choose your most comfortable reading chair and have all of your snacks, drinks, etc. nearby because you won’t want to put the book down once you start reading.
Brooklyn and Derek have just returned home from a short vacation in Dharma where they are building a nice vacation home near both sets of parents. They are relaxed and ready to get back to work the next day – until Derek brings all of their mail back from their neighbor’s apartment. There is a package – and both are sure the package contains a book – but it is addressed to Derek and not Brooklyn. Uh-Oh. Just after they open the package and discover that it does indeed contain a book – a rare and valuable copy of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca – the entry buzzer sounds. Oh! No! All of their adventures seem to revolve around a rare book – and now they have one – and there is a stranger at their door.
Their caller was Claire Quinn who had worked with Brooklyn on several episodes of the antique show, This Old Attic, and she was inquiring about a package they may have received from her aunt in Scotland. Claire is in danger! Her home has been broken into, her aunt is missing, and Claire is sure someone is stalking her. The adventure really begins in earnest with the discovery of a body in Brooklyn and Derek’s garage and it continues with more bodies as they retreat to Dharma to elude the villains – and then on to the lovely Scottish village of Oddlochen on the shores of Loch Ness.
Where is Claire’s aunt Gwyneth? Is she still alive? What do these villains want with Claire? What does the book have to do with anything? Who is the villain behind it all? Is it the handsome laird of the castle? Is it the equally handsome estate manager? Is it some of Claire’s father’s old associates? Is it the mob to whom the laird’s father owed money? Is it aunt Gwyneth’s nasty antiques competitor? So many suspects! What is the treasure they are seeking and can their copy of Rebecca tell them the answer?
This author never fails to write an interesting and exciting book. The characters are unique, interesting, likable, and you’d love to meet them all. It was lovely to see that we had a full contingent of recurrent characters with Gabriel, Dalton, Robin, Robson, and Brooklyn’s parents. We also met a couple of characters I’d love to see in future books as well. Claire was really interesting and I liked her a lot, so I’d love to see her featured in future books. Since there was a hint of a budding romance for her, I’d love to see that come to fruition in a future book – maybe while working on yet another adventure with Brooklyn and Derek.
I can definitely recommend this book, this series, and this author. I hope you’ll give it a read and love it as much as I did.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 22, 2021
I've read all of the previous books in the Bibliophile series. The characters are well developed and the plots are interesting. Weave in the back stories of the books and the intricacies of bookbinding, and the result is an easy and enjoyable read.
This instalment, however, left me less than enthusiastic. Mostly because I could not understand the plot nor the motivation for the murders. I read the various explanations more than once and I'm still confused.
I would recommend simply for the continued interest in the lives of the various characters in the series, as well as for a brief glimpse of Inverness and the Loch. Otherwise, it's a pass.
This instalment, however, left me less than enthusiastic. Mostly because I could not understand the plot nor the motivation for the murders. I read the various explanations more than once and I'm still confused.
I would recommend simply for the continued interest in the lives of the various characters in the series, as well as for a brief glimpse of Inverness and the Loch. Otherwise, it's a pass.
November 27, 2021
A very entertaining story. A friend of Brooklyn's comes to see Derek because her aunt in Scotland has gone missing. It turns out that the aunt worked with Derek at MI6. Before the end a few murders happen both in California and in Scotland. This time the book, Rebecca, held clues to find a treasure and the aunt. The book was a quick easy read.
July 13, 2021
This Bibliophile Mystery series has quickly become one of my favorite Cozy Mystery series. LITTLE BLACK BOOK marks the fifteenth book in the series and Kate Carlisle is showing no signs of stopping. This book swept me off my feet easily and kept me entertained until the very end.
Of course a special book is the main focus of this book. However, the twist is that the book doesn’t come to Brooklyn. It is actually address to Derek and it came all the way from Scotland. Then, when a mysterious old friend appears, they have to figure out how the two connect and find out what is really going on about this book and their friend’s grandmother’s disappearance.
Like I said, this book hooked me in from the beginning. I loved that Carlisle is keeping the romance between Derek and Brooklyn at the forefront of the series and making them both a focus rather than just one of them. It makes the romantic in me very happy to see them working together because it adds to the mystery and the whodunit nature by adding another dimension to the series. I already can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Reviewed by Annie ❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤
July 12, 2021
This was not my favorite in the series. While the mystery was intriguing enough and had elements of the bookbinding/repair that is the basis of the series, the characters are getting a little too perfect. I get that they have money but the whole traipsing around everywhere, spending time in Dharma in every book and everyone with their expertise being Johnny-on-the-spot is getting a little hard to believe. Also, the pairing off of all the singles annoys me (it is possible to not be in a relationship). I will continue with the series but hope it gets more realistic in the next one.
The narration was well done. No issues.
I received a copy from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The narration was well done. No issues.
I received a copy from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 27, 2021
3.5 out of five. Can't beat Scotland as a setting, but the actual book binding was lacking and the mystery flew by. RTC.
UPDATE: See the full review at Sam's Beach Reads.
What I Loved:
Clair Quinn. Clair is a friend of Brooklyn’s that is an ancient weapons expert. She is a fiery redhead who faces her demons head on and who has a devotion to finding her missing aunt. I loved Clair’s adaptability and how she just accepted the dangers she faced to save her aunt. I also loved Clair’s ferocity with ancient axes and throwing knives. I hope this isn’t the last time we see Clair Quinn!
The Gothic Elements. I love love love gothics. New gothics, old gothics, give me a dark and stormy night and a creaking castle with hidden towers and the damsel heroine who finds love. Little Black Book starts with a murder over a book like every other Bibliophile mystery, but this one happens to be Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. When the murder brings Brooklyn, Clair, and Derek to Scotland, we get the drafty Scottish castle with views of the loch, a grimacing lord who may or may not be up to no good, and the trademark damsel… but don’t be surprised if this one saves herself in the end.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
The Mystery. I am all for a fun, implausible cozy mystery, but this one stretched the bounds a little bit for me. The murder mystery itself was fairly straightforward, but the plot with Clair’s missing Aunt Gwyn who Derek *happens* to know, and the decades long family feud was all a bit much. I was able to follow the threads of the plot until the end when pandemonium broke loose. However, the murder mystery on its face was still enjoyable to work through.
Brooklyn and Derek. This is a standard gripe for me at this point, but it remains – Brooklyn is obsessed with Derek. I get it, he is her husband, he is sexy, and he is all powerful / all knowing. But the two of them have this lovey dovey dynamic where the other can’t do anything wrong, and it is too much. Unfortunately, the “too good to be true” trope spills over into most of the characters, who are all incredibly good looking, the best in their fields, and don’t have a single personality flaw except being too good. Even for a cozy, this is a bit much.
UPDATE: See the full review at Sam's Beach Reads.
What I Loved:
Clair Quinn. Clair is a friend of Brooklyn’s that is an ancient weapons expert. She is a fiery redhead who faces her demons head on and who has a devotion to finding her missing aunt. I loved Clair’s adaptability and how she just accepted the dangers she faced to save her aunt. I also loved Clair’s ferocity with ancient axes and throwing knives. I hope this isn’t the last time we see Clair Quinn!
The Gothic Elements. I love love love gothics. New gothics, old gothics, give me a dark and stormy night and a creaking castle with hidden towers and the damsel heroine who finds love. Little Black Book starts with a murder over a book like every other Bibliophile mystery, but this one happens to be Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. When the murder brings Brooklyn, Clair, and Derek to Scotland, we get the drafty Scottish castle with views of the loch, a grimacing lord who may or may not be up to no good, and the trademark damsel… but don’t be surprised if this one saves herself in the end.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
The Mystery. I am all for a fun, implausible cozy mystery, but this one stretched the bounds a little bit for me. The murder mystery itself was fairly straightforward, but the plot with Clair’s missing Aunt Gwyn who Derek *happens* to know, and the decades long family feud was all a bit much. I was able to follow the threads of the plot until the end when pandemonium broke loose. However, the murder mystery on its face was still enjoyable to work through.
Brooklyn and Derek. This is a standard gripe for me at this point, but it remains – Brooklyn is obsessed with Derek. I get it, he is her husband, he is sexy, and he is all powerful / all knowing. But the two of them have this lovey dovey dynamic where the other can’t do anything wrong, and it is too much. Unfortunately, the “too good to be true” trope spills over into most of the characters, who are all incredibly good looking, the best in their fields, and don’t have a single personality flaw except being too good. Even for a cozy, this is a bit much.
April 29, 2021
Another fun entry in Kate Carlisle's Bibliophile series. As Brooklyn and her husband arrive back home from thier home away from home, Dharma, a book arrives addressed to Derek. Soon upon its heels, comes Claire looking for her Aunt Gwenyth, whom Derek may have worked with at M16. After two dead bodies and a ransacked apartment, the three of them follow the clues to Scotland to find Aunt Gwenyth to make sure she is alright.
A fun, fast read. Each time I read the latest entry in this series I just think it gets better and better. I feel like these characters really come to life on the pages. Highly recommended for cozy readers.
Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for this digital ARC. All opinions are my own.
A fun, fast read. Each time I read the latest entry in this series I just think it gets better and better. I feel like these characters really come to life on the pages. Highly recommended for cozy readers.
Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for this digital ARC. All opinions are my own.
June 9, 2021
Little Black Book by Kate Carlisle is the fifteenth book in the Bibliophile Mystery Series. This is the first one I've read in the series and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I'm a long-time fan of Carlisle's Fixer-Upper Mysteries and would recommend this series to fellow mystery lovers. There were quite a few call backs in this book so I would recommend reading the series in order. Protagonist Brooklyn and her husband Derek have just returned home to San Francisco when a mysterious book arrives. This delivery brings trouble and a mystery when a friend of Brooklyn's shows up needing help finding her aunt. This duo is on the case and readers to Dharma and Scotland in a mystery you can really sink your teeth into!
July 21, 2021
Many series will end once the protagonist has married her romantic interest & gotten the HEA. I'm glad this one is continuing as Derek & Brooklyn are now a team investigating crimes.
Claire shows up on their doorstep looking for help from Derek for her missing aunt. Of course, the case involves an old book. To be honest, I didn't like the Claire character.
I didn't like this one as much as some of the others but it was still another good one in the series.
Another series that injected a new location for some freshness. the mystery takes Derek & Brooklyn to Scotland.
My negative is that the narrator usually does a good job but this time I thought her Scottish accents weren't that great.
Claire shows up on their doorstep looking for help from Derek for her missing aunt. Of course, the case involves an old book. To be honest, I didn't like the Claire character.
I didn't like this one as much as some of the others but it was still another good one in the series.
Another series that injected a new location for some freshness. the mystery takes Derek & Brooklyn to Scotland.
My negative is that the narrator usually does a good job but this time I thought her Scottish accents weren't that great.
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