The Burning Pages (Scottish Bookshop Mystery #7)

by Paige Shelton

Overview

Delaney Nichols faces off against an elusive arsonist in the seventh Scottish Bookshop Mystery, The Burning Pages, from beloved author Paige Shelton....

One winter's night, bookseller Delaney Nichols and her coworker Hamlet are invited to a Burns Night dinner, a traditional Scottish celebration of the poet Robert Burns. She's perplexed by the invitation, but intrigued. The dinner takes place at Burns House itself, a tiny cottage not far from the Cracked Spine bookshop but well hidden. There, it becomes clear that Delaney and Hamlet were summoned in an attempt to make amends between Edwin, Delaney's boss, and one of the other invitees, who suspected Edwin for burning down his own bookshop twenty years ago after a professional disagreement.

But after the dinner, there’s another fire. The Burns House itself is burned to the ground, and this time there’s a body among the ruins. When Hamlet is accused of the crime, Delaney rushes to prove his innocence, only to discover that he might actually have a plausible motive...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250789488
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	04/05/2022
Series:	Scottish Bookshop Mystery Series , #7
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	439,480
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

PAIGE SHELTON is the author of the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series and the Alaska Wild Series, which begins with Thin Ice. Her other series include the Farmers’ Market, Cooking School, and Dangerous Type mystery series. She lives in Arizona.

Editorial Reviews

02/14/2022

At the start of bestseller Shelton’s engrossing seventh Scottish Bookshop mystery (after 2021’s Deadly Editions), solicitor Clarinda Creston invites American Delaney Nichols, who works at the Cracked Spine bookshop, to the annual dinner in honor of Scottish poet Robert Burns held at Edinburgh’s House of Burns. When Delaney asks whether she can bring a friend, Clarinda somewhat grudgingly says she can. Wary that Clarinda has a hidden agenda, Delaney asks her coworker Hamlet, who resembles “a young Shakespeare,” to accompany her to the event, where their presence seems to unsettle some attendees, one of whom leaves in anger. After dinner, a fire erupts at the House of Burns that leads to the discovery of a dead body. When Hamlet falls under suspicion of arson, Delaney determines to find the truth and clear his name. Readers may have trouble following Delaney’s reasoning as she jumps from one extreme conclusion to another, but the alluring Edinburgh setting and the camaraderie Delaney and friends display as they try to solve the crime more than compensate. Cozy fans will be enchanted. Agent: Jessica Faust, BookEnds Literary. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Suspenseful....Shelton easily keeps us turning pages." —New York Journal of Books

"Danger, intrigue, and adventure combine in this quirky-fun whodunit!" —Woman's World (best new books)

"Historical Burns references add spice to a complex series of intertwined mysteries." —Kirkus Reviews

"Engrossing....Cozy fans will be enchanted." —Publishers Weekly

"Boasts numerous plot twists, appealing characters, and a lovingly described setting." —Booklist

"Captivating...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." —Publishers Weekly on Deadly Editions

"Filled with literary references that will tickle bibliophiles." —Kirkus Reviews on Deadly Editions

"Vivid descriptions of Edinburgh enhance the well-crafted plot. Cozy fans will look forward to the further adventures of smart and intuitive Delaney." —Publishers Weekly on The Stolen Letter

"Shelton stocks her tale with appealing characters and intriguing Nessie lore. Cozy fans will be rewarded."
—Publishers Weekly on The Loch Ness Papers

"Shelton’s lovely depictions of Edinburgh, its denizens, and its bookshops will enchant lovers of cozies with a Scottish setting." —Publishers Weekly on Lost Books and Old Bones

"The history Delaney uncovers...is fascinating and nicely woven into the tale." —Booklist on The Stolen Letter

From the Publisher

11/01/2021

When bookseller Delaney Nichols and her coworker Hamlet are invited to a traditional celebration of poet Robert Burns—at Burns House, no less—she soon realizes that they are there to help ease tensions between Edwin, Delaney's boss, and another guest who believes Edwin burned down his bookshop two decades ago. Then the Burns House goes up in flames, and there's a body in the ashes. From the author of numerous popular series; with a 30,000-copy first printing.

Library Journal

2022-01-12
An American expatriate learns to love Robert Burns.

Delaney Nichols took a job organizing a warehouse full of treasures for the owner of the Cracked Spine bookstore in Edinburgh, Scotland, married a Scot, and became involved in solving a series of crimes. But none has cut closer to home than the mystery associated with a birth certificate she’s found. The certificate might be that of her friend and fellow worker Hamlet, who was found wandering the streets as a young child and, years later, unofficially adopted by her boss, Edwin, and bookstore doyenne Rosie. When Delaney’s invited to a special Burns dinner, she asks Hamlet to join her, knowing he’s a passionate fan, though Edwin warns her there may be an ulterior motive to the invitation. Partway through the traditional dinner, after attorney Clarinda Creston has introduced Delaney and Hamlet to Charles Lexon, Malcolm Campbell, and Neil Watterton, Edwin is mentioned as the group’s founder, and Malcolm calls him a scoundrel. Telling the others that she and Hamlet work for Edwin, Delaney asks why she was invited and then leaves. Later that night, the club building burns to the ground, and Watterton’s body is found in the rubble. Delaney’s old friend Inspector Winters questions Hamlet, who was seen that night in the company of Watterton. When Hamlet vanishes, she resolves to explore his antecedents and his possible connections to the club members in order to clear his name.

Historical Burns references add spice to a complex series of intertwined mysteries.

Kirkus Reviews