Today I am reviewing Secrets Between the Shelves.
Book Description
Mysteries Leap Off the Page
Murder and mayhem haunt four newly-opened bookstores.
The mysteries enjoyed in books come to life, threatening four businesses. Amber’s new bookshop and tearoom draws rare book collectors, but when one ends up dead in the mystery section, the shop’s future is questionable. Lilly’s pirate themed bookshop fits right into Harbor Inn, Maine, but she never expected to find a young pirate dead on her shop’s floor. Abby opens Secret Passages Bookshop in a Wyoming mountain town, not realizing her historic building held a real secret passage and a missing teenager. When Kelly Stephens opens her shop Artistic Adventures next to Bayside Books and Reading Room, she witnesses a suspicious death. Can the store owners and their patrons solve the mysteries before their businesses go under?
My Review
Thanks to Netgalley for my review copy.
The premise of this book of 4 novellas is interesting as what is more fun than cozy mysteries around a bookshop. The book is an easy read with 4 different novellas with a similar theme. They all have different levels of faith elements in the stories.
Murder in the Mystery sections
Amber has just opened a new bookstore, Through the Looking Glass when there is a murder. The victim’s nephew Brandt joins with Amber in trying to find out why and who. Add an interesting Grandmother and there are some fun scenes. The story follows the common formula with those investigating warned to stop. It was a fun story.
The Secret Passage Bookshop
The Secret Passage Bookshop starts with Abby in hospital after being attacked in her new bookshop. She is still setting it up when all this happens. Zach is helping with renovations and helps with working out what is happening. Then a murder happens. This story was well written and does deal with some serious subjects. While a cozy mystery it goes further than most will in dealing with a serious situation. But dealt with well.
By Hook or by Book
This is the 3rd novella and the one I loved the most. I started and couldn’t stop reading it in one sitting. I now want to read more books by Teresa Ives Lilly. In this story Lily has opened a pirate themed bookshop and has an idea to use college students dressed as pirates to read stories. She also has other ideas to increase community involvement and sales. There has been someone trying to break in and Police officer Dwayne is there to help find the culprit. Dwayne has a knack for very corny jokes. This mystery was slightly different which made it even better. I loved how it played out and if it was just this book it would be 5 stars.
The Missing Chapter
This novella is different to the others as Kelly is opening a shop to sell local artists work on commission. She goes into the bookstore where a murder happens although it is being ruled as accidental. Kelly isn’t buying it. The Story has a lot of interesting people and piecing together what may have happened is interesting to watch. I really enjoyed this story but like a few have mentioned thought it ended too abruptly. To me there are a couple of pages or scenes missing that would have ended it much better.
Overall if you like Cozy mysteries this is a good read.
