What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. The word building was phenomenal in this book. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

Shelby returns to Alexandria Bay to help her Aunt run her bookstores while she is recovering from surgery. After she has a run in with one of the towns women, she finds her dead in the grotto. Afraid of being a suspect she starts investigating who had a reason the want her dead.
Goodreads

A delightful cozy mystery that I could not resist due to the wonderful setting: a bookshop in a castle on an island. How sweet! I'm a sucker for an island read and a bookstore setting so I was excited to dive in. A fun little quick read, would recommend to cozy mystery lovers.

I was looking forward to reading this book -- bookstores always bring out the interest for me! However, I almost gave up on it at 50%. While the book was good, it moved so slowly! At that point, the plot picked up, but then bogged down. I managed to finish it, but it did not impress me.

I did, however, love the location of the bookstore and the characters. So I continued to skim through the parts I thought to be unnecessary and felt good about the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book. Great idea that got bogged down in needless detail.

Shelby Cox's aunt has had a knee replacement and needs help during her recovery so Shelby takes a ,leave of absence from her job and returns to Alexandria Bay to take over the new Book shop opening in Blye Castle. She isn't thrilled with the head of the volunteers, Loreena Swan, but when Shelby finds Loreena dead, she feels a need to find out who is the murderer.

This was the start of a new series, and I love books that are set in libraries or bookstores. I can just see myself there. Having the bookstore in the castle just adds another dimension to the story. I think that the characters were okay but can see where there is room for development. Will look for the next one, hopefully soon.

First I would like to thank Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this story.

Shelby comes back to Alexandria Bay for 2 reasons, to help her aunt with her book stores and to find out about the death of her mother. Shelby is responsible for setting up and opening the new bookstore that is situated in a castle on an island. The story starts with Shelby finding a body floating in the grotto on the island, of course stories of long ago smuggling lead her to believe that the smuggling must still be going on.

This was the first in a series and a nice story. I look forward to going back to Alexandria Bay to get to know the characters better.

Shelby Cox thought she was doing her aunt a favor by taking a leave of absence from the publishing business. She did not expect to be butting heads with the Castle volunteer coordinator nor did she expect to find her dead in the grotto. A "haunted grotto" that legend says was a meeting place for rum runners. Shelby is sure that there is a smuggling connection and her aunt is sure that groundskeeper Matthew Kressler couldn't possibly be the culprit. The last thing Shelby wants is for her aunt to be worrying while she is recovering from surgery. So what is a girl to do but start investigating much to the chagrin of Coast Guard Special Agent Zach Griffin, handsome Special Agent Griffin that is. Shelby is an engaging character who, much like myself, has an excellent sweet tooth and knows that that books go better with chocolate. The local sweet store is a great place to get the gossip and a truffle or two. Shelby is fitting right in and I could see how this small stint as a bookshop owner could be a full time gig if she was to decide to make her old home her new home, or boat that is.

Shelby Cox is helping her aunt, who has health problems, at the bookstore in her hometown of Alexandria Bay in the Thousand Islands region. She soon discovers she will also run the store's second location in the castle on nearby Blye Island.

But a murder before the store opens for tourist season makes things hard to handle. Aunt Edie is not happy to hear the castle caretaker, Matthew Kessler, is the main suspect, and she enlists Shelby to clear his name. Zack Griffin, of the Coast Guard Investigative Service, tries to hold Shelby back in an effort to keep her safe. Can she figure out what happened before it's too late for her?

I really wanted to like this book but it just didn't work for me. The murder took place before we knew the characters very well, and after that I have to admit I felt a little lost. It took me far too long to finish it because it didn't hold my interest and I kept putting it down. And I did figure it out before the reveal. I will read the second book from the library, as I did ask them to order it. All in all, the pacing kept this book from being a page turner for me.

I read a digital copy of this book provided from the publisher through NetGalley.

This caught my attention with a bookshop, in a castle, on an island along with caves and a history of smuggling. Add the murder and it's a well wrapped package for this reader. Shelby is part owner of a bookshop with her Aunt Edie and is on Blye Island to do the preparations to open a bookshop in the castle. It's all going swimmingly until Shelby crosses the path of the very bad tempered volunteer coordinator. There goes the very good mood Shelby was enjoying. She may not like the woman with her various demands for the bookshop, a bookshop that she has no hand in whatsoever but finding her dead in a grotto - no, murder wasn't on her mind.
As is the case in any good mystery, the police focus on the wrong suspect, Matthew, the caretaker. But if it wasn't Matthew, who did want Loreena (aka The Witch) dead? Did it have anything to do with Blye Castle with its history of gangsters and smuggling? Whatever the reason, there is a killer on the island and Shelby better be careful or she may land on the hit list.
I'm looking forward the next entry, Death on the Page, due out March 10, 2020.

Title: Trouble on the Books



Author: Essie Lang



Series: Castle Bookshop mystery book 1



Chapters: 38



Pages: 336



Genre: Cozy mystery



Rating: 4 stars



In Trouble on the Books Shelby Cox returns to her hometown to run her aunt’s bookstore while her aunt's recovering, she didn't expect to find herself partial owner. She'll the second location in the local tourist attraction a castle that may or may not have ties to prohibition. A Volunteer is found murdered and the local police don't want to look farther than the castle caretaker. Shelby is convinced he innocent and wants to prove it. Along the way she butts heads with Coast Guard Investigative Services CGIS special Agent Zach Griffin.

I enjoyed everything about this book. Shelby while a bookworm was also tough and determined. Her aunt was feisty and sassy the way all aunts in a cozy mystery should be, and I loved Zach. Unlike the local law enforcement who wanted to wrap the case up quickly he wanted to investigate and actually find the real killer. I've read many a cozy mystery with many different types but I don't think I've read a CGSI before this one so that was a different experience, but I loved it. I think it seems from the fact I love all three series in the NCIS world. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series as well as any other books of the author.

This book is great for readers of cozies and mystery readers a like.





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.

At the risk of being repetitive, I have to admit I was distracted with the mini story arcs that revolved around our cozy mystery heroine, Shelby Cox. While most was about her ineractions with the townsfolk of Alex Bay, who are suspects in the murder, a substantial part was about her family. (I won't be elaborating further because there are possible spoilers.) The story itself was longer, in my opinion, especially that it had a more serious tone compared to other cozy series, and the "investigating" portions happen while Shelby is running the castle's bookshop. There was nothing unpleasant happening in between (threats, etc.), and all the action was reserved for the ultimate reveal.

I'm also concerned about how the character of Shelby Cox was presented. She had been suffering from certain family issues, and it affected her so much. However, I as a reader was having a hard time empathizing with her because she took herself quite too seriously. I also found the romance side coming off as somewhat forced, so I cringed at some scenes that were supposed to be cute and fluffy.

I also found the character and the motivations of the real murderer to be not as compelling and/or convincing as in most series. I was distracted by the ongoing subplots which tied in to the murder, but the real murderer seemed impersonal and thus it was kind of hard to understand why the murder happened. It's kind of disjointed.

With those being said, however, maybe the book can grow on me. I find the setting (which is the bookshop within the castle) interesting. I would still want to read the second book of this series.

**I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Shelby Cox moves back to Alexandria Bay, New York, in the Thousand Islands region, to help her aunt operate a second bookstore in Blye Castle. When Shelby discovers the body of the castle's volunteer coordinator, and knows the police's prime suspect, she feels the need to help solve the crime. Plus, she has a lot of questions about her mother, who died when Shelby was three and cannot quite seem to find anyone interested in helping her learn more about her...

I really enjoyed the setting of this cozy mystery - I could envision myself walking the island, feeling the warmth of the sun and the breeze from the water. Admittedly, I did not fully connect with Shelby - while I understand her background and upbringing were less than ideal, she seemed too cautious and too uncertain about circumstances. It's my hope she comes out of her shell a bit more as the series progresses.

Just one other note - the cat's name, though initials, was displayed incorrectly throughout the book. I'm sure it was a miss during editing, but it was a tad distracting (I read parts of this from a published version, so not just errors found in the ARC).

I would give book two a try!

Fabulous cozy mystery! fans of the genre wont be disappointed. I didn't want to put it down. I will be adding this author to my list of authors to keep an eye on.

Shelby Cox, an editor, takes a break from her own job to help out her aunt in her new bookshop in the Bayside Books chain of two. This new shop is in Blye Castle on Blye Island. The castle curator, Loreena Swan, keeps swanning into the shop to stick her nose in and give Shelby advice she doesn’t need or want. Loreena’s a ghastly but fascinating character! We don’t have to put up with her for long as she’s the murder victim at the centre of this book.
The action is a little bit slow at times, and there’s quite a lot of time spent explaining things about Shelby, perhaps more than we need to know. But this is the first of a series so groundwork needs to be done.
The writing is easy-to-read, lively and enjoyable, the mystery clever, the setting quirky and different, and the characters are likeable. Some could do with more development but I dare say that will come in ensuing mysteries. They’re just waiting in the wings for the time being! So all in all, a promising start to a cosy mystery series.

A great first in series! The setting is intriguing and you'll definitely love the main character Shelby as well as her aunt. This book kept me turning the pages from the very beginning. A fun, cozy whodunnit! I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

Entertaining cosy mystery with bookish bent. New bookseller and, soon to be, sometime amateur sleuth, Shelby Cox, is a likeable protagonist with some serious problems when she returns to her hometown of Alexandria Bay. A gentle and enjoyable read in a lovely setting - a promising debut.

Shelby Cox used to be an editor at a big publisher’s house and has recently moved to Alexandria Bay, NY to take over one of the Bayside Books bookstores she owns together with her aunt Edie. The bookstore Shelby manages at Blye Castle is visited by tourists and locals alike. Early on, Shelby has a disagreement with Loreena Swan, member of the heritage society and house dragon at the castle. But when Shelby finds Loreena dead in the lagoon, Shelby decides to get to the bottom of who murdered Loreena. During her sleuthing, Shelby questions the locals and suspects anyone and everyone from the local caretaker and developers to feuding heritage society members, and even possible smugglers. Even the motive of the charming restauranteur’s generous dinner gets questioned. Special Agent Zack Griffin of the Coast Guard Investigative Services, like many locals, wants Shelby to stop investigating the murder. Still, she pushes on and ultimately endangers her own life.
The characters are lovable and relatable and I liked Shelby’s fierce commitment to solving the murder. I also liked that Shelby is starting to discover more about her mother’s life and her parent’s love story, while undoubtedly starting her own. I loved that Shelby lives on a houseboat for the summer and befriends a stray cat. I didn’t much care for the cat’s name though, which is JT. She is also constantly surrounded by chocolate truffles, which made me crave truffles, as they sounded delicious.
Humorous and light, I enjoyed the slow, but steady pace of the novel and I would read another book of the series.

Cozy mystery at its best. I wasn't sure what to expect but loved this from beginning to end.

I loved this book so much. Shelby's aunt has surgery and Shelby discovers that owns half of the bookshop. Shelby is managing the Blye Island location and going back and forth across the river from the castle to her houseboat. Everything is pretty normal until the Castle Volunteer Coordinator is murdered. Everything points to the caretaker but Shelby isn't so sure. This leads her to her own investigation.

Let me say that the locations this book are stellar. They were so well though out and not just your standard book store. Who wouldn't want a book store inside a castle. It is one of those things that is on every book lover's bucket list. If not it should be. This was a wonderful book and as I said I enjoyed. I can't wait to see what else is in store.

RATING: 1 STAR
DNF @40%
2019; Crooked Lane Books
(Review Not on Blog)

When I saw that this was for fans of [author:Vicki Delany|550956] I instantly requested it excited for another fun cozy mystery. Unfortunately, I could not get into the book. While the murder happened quickly, and it couldn't happen to a more fun character, the other character development was not there. The story spent too much time explaining rather than letting it play out. I decided to abandon it at 40% when I didn't feel any investment in the characters and what was coming next. Others have given this 4 star reviews so it may just be me. I am picky about genres.

***I received an eARC from NETGALLEY***

I liked the setting and premise of this cozy mystery.

Shelby Cox who normally works as a publishing editor in the Massachusetts, comes home to Alexandria Bay, upstate New York, to help her Aunt who is recovering from surgery. Shelby is surprised to learn that she is a 50% owner in two local bookstores, one in town and a second location in the tourist destination of Blye Castle on Blye Island. Shelby begins work and quickly runs up against the autocratic Castle volunteer coordinator, Loreena. A few hours after they have a confrontation, Shelby stumbles upon Loreena’s body in the nearby Grotto.

Several police offices are involved in the investigation: the cantankerous Island Chief of Police, the quiet county sheriff and, to Shelby’s surprise, the interesting and handsome Coast Guard Special Agent Zack Griffin. The local chief is quick to challenge the Castle caretaker, Matthew, which upsets Aunt Edie. Edie asks Shelby to try to find out what is going on. Shelby begins to develop a theory of current day smuggling which brings Zack to her door on several occasions trying to get her to stop snooping.

Shelby is also trying to learn more about her mother who she believes died when she was a toddler. Shelby’s technique of investigating both issues consists mostly in questioning local residents. This puts someone on edge, but despite an attack on her houseboat, Shelby continues to try to plot out the means, motive and opportunity.

Stories involving books and bookstores tend to capture my attention. I liked the setting elements of the bookstore, the Castle grounds, the Grotto, and the houseboat where Shelby lives. The descriptions are good and the character interaction is reasonably developed. I found the mystery development and suspense a little weak. There is some repetition of Shelby’s thought processes which could have been cut allowing for a shorter, more concise work. As a debut I think the work shows promise and I would try another to see if the mystery plot improves. Fans of book related cozy mysteries might give this a try.

Source: NetGalley 2018. My rating 3.75.