Title: Of Books and Bagpipes

Author: Paige Shelton

Series: Scottish Bookshop Mystery book

Pages: 304

Genre: cozy mystery

Rating: 3.5 stars


In the second book in the Scottish Bookshop mysteries series Of Books and Bagpipes by Paige Shelton Delaney Nichols is settling into life in Edinburgh. It feels more like home than her home in the States. She loves her job as a bookseller at the Crack Spine, her boss Edwin McAlister and the other two members of the staff are becoming dear friends.
But it's when she and Edwin go to a meeting about a first edition of a Scottish comic that they stumble on to another murder victim. Delaney finds herself either becoming the suspect again or this time the killer next victim. But is a first edition Scottish comic worth killing over?
It was nice to be back in Edinburgh and at the Cracked spine with the same lovable cast of characters. As the second book in the series the mystery moved faster than the previous book, because the character building had already happened in the first book. With this book Edinburgh felt so much more real than it did in the first book. As with the first book I enjoyed this one as well. I look forward to the next one. I would recommend this one to anyone who loves cozy mysteries. Books set in Scotland and well as bookshops.


I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series but this one fell flat for me. Delaney is still working at the Cracked Spine in Edinburgh, Scotland. Edwin, her boss, has sent her on a mysterious errand at the Castle Doune. She is to meet a William Wallace reenactor and pick up a copy of Oor Willie. Instead she finds the body and sets out to solve the mystery. She uncovers lots of secrets from Edwin's past. I like the Scottish background and some of the other characters. I did not like Edwin. He does way too much lying. While there is a lot of historical background but there is no real literary background. Delaney's bookish voices are not much use here. The mystery was only OK. It was not very interesting and the solution did not make sense. This series should be read in order

The series is set in Edinburgh, Scotland.Delaney Nichols has been asked by her employer, Edwin MacAlister to meet someone at Doune Castle, only informed as to what the man will be wearing, and get from him a rare old comic book.. Was an easy read, writing style was simple. Wasn't a huge mystery to try to solve. I just don't 'like Edwin

Delaney Nichols is still settling in to her new job, new country , and new home so when her boss asks her to pickup a package at a castle, she heads on out.Unfortunately, she finds the man she was to meet dead. Worrying about her employer's possible involvement, she isn't totally truthful when she is questioned by the police. Thinking that if she had been earlier, the young man would be alive, Delaney sets out to find the murderer and solve the secret of the rare manuscript she was to have received.

The characters are charming and still evolving so this was fun to see how an American would adjust t a foreign country. The mystery was entertaining and kept me interested until the end.

It seems that bookshops and mysteries go together since Paige Shelton is offering a second Scottish Bookshop mystery called OF BOOKS AND BAGPIPES. This, too, is a cozy mystery and features Delany Nichols who has been sent by her boss to a castle for a meeting arranged to retrieve a collectible book. Once there, Delaney discovers a body which, of course, is the person she was supposed to meet. The mystery deepens as she actually locates the valuable manuscript and learns it had ties not only to her boss, but to a man who supposedly died years ago.

Most cozy mysteries give enough background information that you can come into the series without having read previous books and still understand the current story, but this book did not. The secrets and intrigue felt awkward and forced. Some explanation of Scottish speech should be given or else those unaccustomed to it wouldn't understand much of the dialogue.

The second in this series starring Delaney Nichols from Kansas who is now working in a bookshop in Scotland is just as charming as the first (The Cracked Spine). This time around, Delaney and her landlord/driver/substitute father happen upon a dead man in a castle. It turns out that the dead man was supposed to be meeting her to give her a book to take to her boss, Edwin, the bookstore owner. Delaney's investigation leads to a decades-old secret society that included Edwin. The twists related to the society's past events are not cleared up until the end, although the reader may guess some of the details before Delaney does.

It's how Shelton deals with the end that keeps this book from earning five stars from me. The characters are well developed, the reader is transported to Scotland through the atmospheric writing, there's a great ongoing love story, and the plot is almost as interesting as the bookshop. However, Shelton brings everything together in the end by having Edwin sit down with Delaney and explain it all to her. Shelton's writing is otherwise engaging, so she just needs to work on including the conclusion in the plot rather than spending the last few pages having a character explain it all to us.

This is a lightweight and quick read, with a genuinely nice heroine. Both books in the series have been enjoyable, and I look forward to the third.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This book wasn't nearly as good as the first one. I'm not sure what the difference was. I devoured the first book and was just waiting on pins & needles for this one. Maybe that was why it was a let down. Couldn't live up to the hype in my mind...

4.5 out of 5 stars.

Of Books and Bagpipes is the second book in the Scottish Bookshop mystery series by Paige Shelton and it's as delightful as the first! While it didn't have that extra emotional hook to push it up to 5 stars, it's still a really great book.

This book finds us back with all of our old friends, Delaney, Elias & Aggie, Tom, and The Cracked Spine crew. In this installment we learn more about Edwin and his college days. It's a tangled web of mysteries, deceit, and intrigue. Delaney is still a bit too apt to run head-long into danger without thinking, but at least most of the time now, she doesn't go off by herself, which makes me less upset with her when she does those things!

We find more of those lovely descriptions of the Scottish setting, the castle, the library, the countryside. It really just makes me want to sell everything and go there! Alas, not possible for me at this time, but Ms. Shelton really makes it sound lovely and wonderful!

The plot line moves along at a steady pace in this one. Thankfully, it is not too fast as there are so many intersecting angles in the story and so many details to remember. The pace allows you to remember all those things and yet doesn't feel like it's too slow. That takes serious talent and Ms. Shelton delivers!

The only downside for me right now is that I've even finished the novella that came between The Cracked Spine and this book and now I have to wait for the third to appear!

While the individual stories in the series can stand alone, I highly recommend reading this series in order as the interpersonal relationships are so important within the series! Check out The Cracked Spine first and then enjoy this newest installment and the novella, A Christmas Tartan!

** Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book. I was not compensated for my review. All opinions and conclusions expressed are my own. **

I liked Of Books and Bagpipes much more than the first in the series. Delaney has been in Scotland for a while now and has come to care about the people she works with and her friends. I felt like her reason for investigating felt more natural this time around, a combination of natural curiosity and wanting to help.

As a mystery, it worked well. There were plenty of clues and suspects and secrets that went back decades. It takes a lot of unraveling and I was surpised by the whodunnit, although I felt the motive was bit weak. And of course, Delaney gets herself trapped, but I didn’t feel like it was because of stupidity on her part, which was nice. Sometimes female amateur detectives annoy me by taking risks that no sane woman would. Delaney didn’t do that here. She has someone with her when there’s a potential for danger, and always lets someone know where she is going. I like a woman with some common sense.

The characters are an interesting mix. Each has his/her own quirks but they fit well together. Delaney’s bookish voices weren’t too obtrusive. They add an interesting touch to the story. She hears voices from books she’s read that are kind of like her subconscious guiding her. It’s a bit odd, but it works, at least for me. The dialogue is well done. A couple of folks speak in a Scottish dialect, but it was easy to follow and words that were unfamiliar were explained, since they are unfamiliar to Delaney too.

I do admit that a large part of the appeal of this series for me is the setting. What could be a more perfect setting for a cozy mystery than a bookstore in Scotland? It makes me want to visit the castles, and library, and pub. And of course, hang out at the bookstore.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

How exciting to be in Edinburgh, Scotland again, visiting Delaney in her new home across the pond! One of the armchair travels I enjoyed the most in 2016 began when Delaney read the ad for The Cracked Spine bookstore, left her Kansas home for a new adventure in Scotland. Paige Shelton has done beautifully at introducing her readers to the beauty of the land, the quaint architecture, and the uniquely welcoming folks.

The owner of The Cracked Spine, Edwin MacAlister, and his staff Hamlet and Rosie are like family to Delaney now, as are Elias and his wife Aggie, her landlords. Edwin sounds like the ideal boss in every way, especially as he trusts Delaney more and more to research and assist with the unique books and antiquities. At least until she began to learn the bits and pieces of some of Edwin’s secrets from several decades earlier.

Delaney, with the companionship and taxi of Elias, her landlord, went to a castle to pick up a vintage, collectible comic book from the son of an old friend who would be dressed as William Wallace, the character from Scottish history that he reenacted. The castle was not a popular destination in the way that many others were, and they didn’t see anyone at all, much less who she was to meet. When she did finally meet the man they were to see, she found him, dead, on a stairway. On her way to the parking lot to head off visitors, Delaney found the heavy, 2-year annual edition of ‘Oor Wullie’ and took it for Edwin.

Discovering how the young man died, why, and at whose hand leads Delaney through neighboring towns and countryside. Some people she met were friends or acquaintances of the young man and some who are life-long friends or acquaintances of Edwin. In the case of the young man, he was the son of a friend who died in a fire two years earlier. It is a sweeping ‘investigation’ as Edwin grieves the young man and past events, unable to be of help to Delaney. Past and present meet across social classes and various walks of life. The more she learns, the more pieces there are of a puzzle in which someone has kept the picture on the lid hidden from sight.

It is interesting to me to learn more about Scotland and her history. For one, I was unaware of the deep reverence that many Scots feel for their land and its history; it is hard to fathom living in a country whose history goes back many, many centuries. I was also surprised to learn that there was typically little snowfall in Edinburgh. The author brings history to life through Delaney, for example when she ponders what it was like to live in the stark differences the castles of 13th century Scotland.

What Delaney calls her ‘bookish voices’ are also fascinating, especially when she allows them to help her determine the correct course of action. I wonder if those voices are more helpful or less helpful to her as she works in such an intriguing bookstore and historic land. I enjoy seeing Delaney’s research of various items and situations. It is amazing to me, who had a much more liberal reading structure in high school, that this young woman is not only so well-read, but also has an excellent memory of the books, plays, and poetry. Delaney’s loyalty to Edwin, her co-workers, and friends is exemplary, and it is delightful to see her and Tom get to know each other better.

There are many plot twists, at least one or two resulting in red herrings and some with solid, helpful leads. I love the complexity of the mystery and depth of the primary characters. The pace is steady overall, interspersed with action-packed scenes until a certain point in which the action escalates to non-stop. I was very surprised to find out who the real bad guy/ gal was, which is the way I like mysteries. The ending is very satisfactory and I am already looking forward to the next visit to Scotland. I highly recommend this to cozy mystery lovers with an appreciation for Scotland, bookstores, and incredibly well-written stories.

Of Books and Bagpipes by Paige Shelton is the second book in A Scottish Bookshop Mystery series. Delaney Nichols works at The Cracked Spine in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her boss, Edwin MacAlister has sent her on a special errand to Castle Doune to pick up a rare copy of Oor Wullie (an old Scottish comic). Delaney only knows that her contact will be in costume. She is driven by friend and landlord, Elias (also a cabdriver) who wishes to keep Delaney safe while on this errand. Delaney is looking around and notices a body backward on a staircase. It turns out to be the man Delaney was to meet. While awaiting the police, Delaney does find the book which she quickly hides out of sight. Upon returning to The Cracked Spine, she shares what happened with Edwin (and then the rest of the staff). The deceased is Billy Armstrong, son of an old friend of Edwin’s, Gordon Armstrong. Gordon had died two years previously in a boat fire. The group is shocked when Gordon shows up later that day in the bookshop. Gordon wants to know what happened to his son. They find out that Gordon had sent the book to Edwin via Billy, and it contained the details on what had happened two years prior. Delaney starts seeking the truth and to uncover who killed Billy Armstrong. She is aided by her friends at The Cracked Spine and her “bookish voices”. Delaney will need support if she is to uncover the lies and expose a killer.

I had not had the opportunity to read The Cracked Spine since its publication. I discovered that it is better to read the first book (The Cracked Spine) before starting Of Books and Bagpipes. Some background details are provided on the main character, but not all the needed information is included. Of Books and Bagpipes is an arduous novel to read. I found the Scottish dialogue difficult to decipher. If it was just in small sections, it would be manageable (but it was not). The pace of the book is slow and untangling the interchanges significantly slows down the reading. There are several obscure and famous Scottish authors mentioned throughout the novel. I believe most readers will like the inclusion of this information. I give Of Books and Bagpipes 2.5 out of 5 stars. The saving grace of this story is the mystery. It is complicated and challenging to solve. A reader needs to pay close attention to the details to unscramble the clues and crack the case. Also, included in the novel is information on various historical sights. While the information is interesting, it does bog down the story. I was not a fan of Delaney’s boss, Edwin. I find that he keeps too many secrets. I believe the author was trying to make him mysterious, but it does not quite work. I wish the author had stuck with a warehouse full of unusual and unique items (instead of all the secrets and lies). I did not see how Delaney’s “bookish voices” enhanced the book. I would have preferred ghosts. Ghosts associated with old historical sites (like Castle Doune) or maybe spirits that live in The Cracked Spine (I prefer this scenario). While Of Books and Bagpipes was not to my liking, I am a fan of Paige Shelton’s other series (especially A Dangerous Type Mystery series).

Of Books and Bagpipes is book 2 in the Scottish Bookshop mystery series. Since I did not read the first book, I can honestly tell you that this worked as a stand alone book. It did not seem as if any details were left out that left me feeling as if I came late to the party and missed all the action. However, I liked the book so much that I would have enjoyed reading the first volume.

Moreover, I loved the touches the author added that made this book an original. The main character, Delaney, has what she thinks of as ‘'”bookish voices”. They appear to be thoughts that usually come from her subconscious into her mind as quotes from books to help her understand the things that happen around her and guide her in the direction she should go. Delaney’s boss, Edwin, is an interesting addition who has secrets from his past that he doesn’t want to tell anyone about. The other employees at the bookstore, have varying degrees of knowledge about some of things he has been involved in; however, he is a very likeable man, and the employees all care about him, and are somewhat protective as this case has a lot to do with the secrets he has kept. The author added some historical information about castles and dirks that I found interesting too.

The mystery was enjoyable to read. The author is very skilled in telling a good story and knowing how to slowly reveal more details. If you like cozy mysteries, this is one that you should pick up.

Of Books and Bagpipes by Paige Shelton is the second in her Scottish Bookshop series. This was an engaging read from the beginning; and I am always looking forward to another trip to Scotland with Ms. Shelton.

Ms. Shelton provides so much detail in her descriptions of Scotland that I almost feel like I am right there with Delaney. The dialogue with the Scottish brogue adds to the feeling of being there, too.

I love Delaney. She is smart and tells the truth even when it's difficult. Her bookish voices always add a few twists to the plot which, like Delaney, I don't always understand but I do note them down to see how they fit into the overall plot. So many twists and turns in the story kept me completely baffled as to who the culprit was until the reveal. Rosie, Hamlet, Elias, Aggie and Edwin are well developed secondary characters that add richness to these stories.

I will not be reviewing this title, reasons are discussed in the opinions section.

It’s been months since Delaney relocated to beautiful Edinburgh, Scotland and started her job at The Cracked Spine. She’s settled in nicely, finding family in her coworkers and surrogate parents her landlords, and has been happily dating Tom for 5 months. All is going smoothly until her boss Edwin sends her on an errand to pick up a rare book and upon arrival, she finds her contact dead. Delaney being Delaney, she must know what has happened, and as it turns out, the answer to that puzzle runs a little too close to home.

Truthfully, I’ve gotten a little burnt out on cozies…except this series. The characters are unique and charming. Delaney is a mostly normal person who loves books and museums, has a sense of adventure and insatiable curiosity, cares deeply about people, has a solid moral compass, and the self-confidence to stand up for herself and speak her mind when it’s necessary. The one thing that makes her unique is her sixth sense, her book sense, as it were. At certain times, books “speak” to her, giving her clues when she needs help. The slightest bit of otherworldliness to spice things up. Not a major part of the story, but an interesting one.

The mystery itself was rather complex and so difficult to unravel, which I greatly appreciated. It isn’t often that a cozy has you screaming in your head - What in the heck is going on?!? Sometimes they can be overly simplistic, and I think that’s why I’ve been a little put off lately. But Paige Shelton writes mysteries that elevate the cozy genre.

As I said in my review of the first in this series, I will definitely keep my eye out for the next release.

With a charming bookshop setting and endearing characters, the second book in this cozy series is entertaining and quickly paced. The little community the characters have formed seems endearingly close knit and affectionate, and the murder to be solved in this book has a lot history that Delaney unravels. Delaney's "bookish voices" feel unnecessary and a little weird, and it takes a bit to get used to the written Scottish accents, but overall it's really solid second novel in the series.

This book continues a great series. As I've come to expect, Paige Shelton's writing style is easy to read and hard to put down.

I love the twists, the turns and the way the characters are continuing to develop. I would love to able to take a trip to the Cracked Spine and visit with everyone. I also like learning more about the history of Edinburgh and Scotland.

I'm already looking forward to the next one in the series!

Book two of the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series. I liked this book better than the first one, but I am still not in love with it. The story picks up a few months after the last one, and Delaney is well established in Scotland by this point. Edwin sends her to a meeting to pick up an old book, and instead she finds a dead body. Of course she finds herself wrapped up in the mystery. I admit that I was curious who the culprit was throughout the book and the little details she works into the story give it some great character. I still felt that something was missing though so I can only give it 3/5 stars. Great for cozy fans though.

3.75 stars

This second entry in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series doesn't disappoint. The Scottish setting is intriguing, there is a stellar cast of characters, and the books have a certain quirky charm.

Delaney Nichols moved to Edinburgh from Kansas in search of adventure. She works at the Cracked Spine bookshop, whose mysterious proprietor Edwin has many secrets and many hidden treasures. Edwin's past reaches out to haunt him in the present day when the son of a one-time close friend is found murdered -- and Delaney is the one who finds him.

Soon she is awash in decades old college drama and secret pledges. Something happened to Edwin's group of college friends one night long ago -- and a man died. Edwin isn't talking, but Delaney is certain that the solution to the modern murder lies in the past.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.