Deadly Editions
A Scottish Bookshop Mystery
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4.4 • 49 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A treasure hunt through Edinburgh gives way to a search for a villain terrorizing the city in the sixth Scottish Bookshop Mystery.
It’s a quiet, snowy morning at The Cracked Spine bookshop, when bookseller Delaney Nichols receives a mysterious visitor, a messenger. He presents her with a perplexing note: an invitation to a meeting with eccentric socialite Shelagh O'Conner, who requests Delaney’s participation in an exclusive treasure hunt. Delaney is intrigued, but also cautious: Shelagh, while charming in person, has a reputation for her hijinks as a wealthy young woman in the '70s. She was even once suspected for the murder of a former boyfriend, though ultimately cleared of all charges.
But Delaney is enticed by the grand prize at the end of the treasure hunt: a highly valuable first edition copy of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson. The winner is also to receive the contents of Shelagh's vast library, and all participants will earn a large sum of cash.
The night after the first meeting of the treasure hunters, however, several homes in Edinburgh are robbed in a manner reminiscent of Shelagh's old tricks. And when a man connected to Shelagh is killed, suspicion builds. Except Shelagh herself has disappeared from her home, seemingly kidnapped by the villain.
Terror mounts throughout the city as Delaney attempts to solve the mystery, while trying to evade the killer's clutches. But it’s hard to know who to trust when around every corner, a new monster could be lurking.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In bestseller Shelton's captivating sixth Scottish Bookshop mystery (after 2020's The Stolen Letter), eccentric book collector Shelagh O'Connor invites American Delaney Nichols, who works at the Cracked Spine, an Edinburgh bookstore, and three others to take part in a treasure hunt for her first edition of Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The person who finds this valuable book will also get the entire contents of Shelagh's library. Before Delaney and company accept, one of them asks Shelagh about rumors of her once having been in trouble, and she admits she was suspected of murdering a friend decades earlier. Soon after the hunt gets under way, Shelagh goes missing. Delaney and the others wonder whether she's faking her disappearance and possibly responsible for a recent rash of burglaries as well as a local bartender's murder. Ghostly pubs and blustery winter scenes help create a suitably sinister atmosphere, while distinctive characters and judicious use of Scottish dialect add to the story's appeal. Fans of literary cozies will be rewarded.
Customer Reviews
Two Sides to Every Coin
A Treasure hunt, dream library, and rare books; oh my! Deadly Editions is a great addition to the Scottish Bookshop Series. I love that Paige Shelton always takes Scottish history and intertwines it with a solid mystery; a real whodunit. It’s been a long time since I’ve read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but the fascinating facts learned during the treasure hunt sure bring back memories of reading it. What a rich and famous history Scotland has!
I always enjoy reading the Scottish Bookshop series and to be honest, anything that Paige Shelton writes. She has such a way with words and descriptions I can see every happening. Her characters have developed so well that it’s like meeting up with old friends every book. I loved this sixth installment and am looking forward to the next one! Grab a cup of hot cocoa and cookies, you’re in for a great read.
Great new edition to the series
From the first chapter to the last, this entry in the series had me riveted. It was more than just a whodunit, it was also a treasure hunt, and a look into the novel Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde. So many nuances to this story, that I almost lost sleep trying to finish it!
The other thing about this series that is absolutely wonderful, The Setting; it is a character as much as the protagonist. It does not just take place In Edinburgh, Scotland; the setting is essential to the plots. The author crafts it so well, you feel like you have been drinking a pint in the pub yourself. And, in this book, you will be taken on a journey to explore its depths. I have to admit to using Google Earth to see the ground myself, and was amazed at how much detail I already had in my head just from the words on the page. And, I found, my head the locations matched Google Earth. How fantastically this author described the scenes!
If you have not read any of the previous books in the series, you will not feel lost. The author does a wonderful job of giving enough history behind each of the main characters to let you enjoy the book without spoiling the plots of the others. However, I highly recommend that you do read the others, and if you have read the previous ones, you will be absolutely delighted with this entry. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would, as I feel this book really was a fun ride for me. In a time where I cannot go many places, this took me away on an adventure, and more.