Delaney has returned from her honeymoon and is excited to return to work at The Cracked Spine. Upon arrival, she bumps into another person, sending a pile of books spilling to the ground.
Delaney finds out the woman is Mary Stewart, and she has quite a story to tell.
There is a lot going on in this story that will leave the reader anxiously turning the pages until the very end.

This is a great series that touches on a bit of history and intrigue.

This series has really hit its stride and this latest installment is such a great compliment to it. Doppelgängers, murder, and a threat to the beloved bookstore will keep you turning the page in anticipation of what the author as in store next. The scenes the author paints make the reader feel like they are walking the streets right along with the characters. Every book in this series is a journey the reader will not want to come back from.

Well crafted cozy mystery. Great plot and book store setting. I highly recommend this book. I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

Delaney is back from her honeymoon in the Final Letter. But no time to talk about it, as she’s busy getting invited for dinner at a stranger’s house - a stranger that looks like her, with a couple of decades more of living.
The core mystery here is why is the council voting to potential close the Cracked Spine for failing a building inspection that no one knew about? How did they not receive notice of the vote or the threat of shutdown?

At one point in the book, Delaney thinks she should’ve looked up Mary Stuart’s Wikipedia page to brush up and I laughed out loud because that’s what I did, as the pieces were revealing themselves throughout the book. It was really useful so I would recommend brushing up a bit on that history for readers of this book. Present day Mary, the doppelganger, thinks she’s a reincarnation of Mary Stuart. When her husband, Henry, is killed in an explosion, it appears history is repeating itself. The murder is secondary to the bookshop potential shutdown mystery. There are various returning characters, including Tom (Delaney’s new husband)’s ex, Brigid, whom Delaney is determined to be friends with for absolutely no discernible reason. Inspector Winters is on holiday so there is a different detective investigating Henry’s death.

The interesting thing about reading the historical details, and the attention to accuracy there, were the hiccups in accuracy in today’s United Kingdom. There is a cameo of a real life person in the book that absolutely would’ve failed a fact check (is it fiction stretching the boundaries or Americans not catching something that is very well known to someone living in the UK or the Commonwealth?) The other thing that is never mentioned is that if Delaney’s out of a job, her visa becomes an issue. There isn’t an automatic visa with marriage, and there’s no mention of her citizenship, particularly in light of Brexit and its crackdown on immigration. I don’t know if it was left out to avoid dating the book, but it is a bit strange to be reading a contemporary story with no mention of it.

The mystery comes together nicely, with a cast of characters and more clues unraveling as Delaney and the Cracked Spine crew investigate. There’s a steady pace to the story as various characters are introduced and leads to a satisfying conclusion. Readers of the series will be pleased with the latest addition. For readers looking for cozies set in a city and outside of the US, this would be a good series to start with.

The Stolen Letter by Paige Shelton 3.5 stars

This is the 5th book in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery following the Loch Ness Papers. I enjoyed last years the Loch Ness Papers a lot more than this excursion. I thought the mystery started a bit slow, but it got better towards the end of the book. I will say that there were some interesting bits - the local color and characters - and I like the interaction between Delaney and Tom. Series tend to have their ups and downs and I enjoyed this series too much to give up. I look forward to next years entry.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press (Minotaur Books) for this ARC.

I have the pleasure of recommending a cozy mystery that is new to me, but is not new to many other readers and fans. The Stolen Letter is the fifth book in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series and a beguiling book it is. No worries if you are like me, and start the series with this book- it’s a charming story and easy to get in to.

All right then, to Edinburgh we go! Delaney Nichols is a sweet and good-nature young woman, but she can be plucky and persistent when she needs to be. She works at her favorite job in the world at The Crooked Spine bookshop, a fascinating repository of books and all things historical, from quirky to valuable. Delaney has just returned from her honeymoon when puzzling events sweep her in to another mystery she must solve.

The first odd occurrence, is why does Delaney look so much like a woman she just happens to bump into? And why do she and the woman both favor Mary, Queen of Scots? Finally, was the woman really Queen Mary in a past life? As Delaney gets to know the woman and her family, modern life begins to parallel the past in eerie ways and soon Delaney is investigating a murder. And The Crooked Spine is in trouble, too.

This is a cozy mystery where the place and characters lead the way. The history, scenes of Edinburgh and the characters all shine. Yes, the mystery gets solved in a mainly satisfying fashion, but the joy is in the journey as dear Delaney and her bookstore buddies politely save the day. And there is a special surprise guest at the end!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for an advance digital review copy. This is my honest review.

Excellent new book in a solid series. The descriptions of Scotland alone make the book worth reading. Add in a murder and reincarnation and you have a delightful cozy mystery.

This is a very solid cozy series. The latest in the series has an interesting historical connection and a top notch whodunit.

I have read the previous books in this series and enjoyed seeing the next adventure of Delaney in Scotland. I find the descriptions of Edinburgh and Scotland to be quite interesting and they add flavor to the book. I like the character developments and their interactions. You can really imagine these people. The book kept moving at a good pace. The only thing that I felt was a bit hard to take in was the actual why and how of the mystery. I felt that it was grasping at straws to make it work really.

Delaney Nichols is back in the most captivating Scottish Book Shop mystery yet. This time, she has to save The Cracked Spine from a bogus closure process involving the reincarnated Mary, Queen of Scots and underhanded government officials. The familiar and beloved book shop characters are back - Rosie, Hector, Hamlet, and Edwin, Although landlords Aggie and Elias play much smaller roles in this one, new husband Tom is front and center.

Delaney charms the reader again with her quick wit and bookish voices as she follows multiple clue strands through to the thrilling conclusion. As cozies go, this series is one of the best out there. The location descriptions are wonderful, the characters endearing, and the mysteries inventive and interesting. Well done!

The Stolen Letter by Paige Shelton was another excellent entry into this series. Ms. Shelton's writing is so descriptive that it always makes me feel as if I am visiting Delaney, Rosie, Edwin, Hamlet and Tom in Edinburgh.

The plot in this one is complex,quickly paced with enough twists and turns to keep me totally engrossed in the story. Ms. Shelton added some indepth historical information regarding Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, which is woven into the plot as well as a character's belief in reincarnation. All of this plays a part in the mystery and with the secondary characters. I really do love this series and I'm ready to go back now to visit The Cracked Spine.

I received a free copy of THE STOLEN LETTER (Book 5 of the Scottish Bookshop Mysteries) by Paige Shelton in exchange for an honest review. Delaney Nichols loves her job, her boss, her coworkers, and her life at the Cracked Spine Bookstore in Edinburgh, Scotland. One day, Delaney bumps into a stranger on the street who looks uncannily similar to Delaney. The woman, Mary Stewart, is in search of the Cracked Spine, so Delaney is happy to direct her to the bookshop. After spending some time at the store, Mary invites Delaney and Rose to dinner and leaves. Once alone with Delaney, Rose informs her that the city counsel intends to demolish the shop as being structurally unsound, and there’s been little notice to the business other than the scheduling of the final vote. Soon after their dinner with the Stewarts, Mary’s husband is murdered by car bomb. Homicide investigators examine those attached to the Cracked Spine extremely closely because, as it turns out, the deceased was the councilman behind the move to close and demolish the bookstore. With the bookshop, its owner, and its employees all having become Delaney’s true home, Delaney will attempt to save it by solving the murder and exposing the plot to destroy the bookstore.

I liked this book. I recommend this book to fans of the series. I recommend the series to fans of Paige Shelton and to fans of cozy mysteries featuring murder, bookstores, and history. The only negative I have is that I kept wondering why they didn’t hire someone to perform an independent inspection of the property.

#TheStolenLetter #NetGalley

Another super fun outing in this cozy mystery series! By this point it is like visiting old friends when each new book comes out. Once I start reading it is like I am right back with them even up to the point where I keep hearing their parts in my very bad Scottish brogue. I hope we keep getting more in this series!

Another very solid entry to the series! Enjoyed the twists and it was definitely different to have the past life and doppelgänger twists!

I had not read the prior books in the series, but with the author's descriptions and the dialogue I still enjoyed it. I especially liked the local flavor and local prose.

Delaney Nichols returns to her beloved bookstore after her honeymoon to find the store is in jeopardy of being condemned and closed for good. No one can remember an inspector visiting nor was any formal communication received, just a call saying it was happening very soon. But Delaney and The Cracked Spine gang won’t give up without a fight.

Another great entry in this series with an American in Scotland that will keep you turning the pages.

The Stolen Letter by Paige Shelton is the 5th installment of the truly wonderful Scottish Bookshop Mystery series. I have read, and own, every single book from this series thus far, and I truly feel that it just keeps getting better and better with each book.

Even though I have read the previous four books, I still feel that someone could jump into the series with this book alone and still enjoy the journey. (However, one should definitely not miss out on the series as a whole. It is too good to miss!)

What I like most about this series that sets it a part from others is the stunning location and the author’s ability to incorporate the scenes, life, and local in prose to the reader makes me feel like I have taken a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland myself. Also, I love The Cracked Spine bookshop. It is my dream to live there and own this shop.
I also love the depth and warmth of the cast of characters. I love their interactIons and their relationships. Delaney and Tom are perfect in every way!

I also loved the plot for the murder/mystery element. Incorporating the historical Mary Queen of Scots into the current day mystery created an excellent puzzle to decipher...it was so ingenious!

I have to give this book 5/5 stars as I love the location, the mystery element, the characters, and the charm that has been created for this series by Ms. Shelton. A true gem.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books/St. Martin’s Press for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

I enjoyed this book very much. The history of Mary, Queen of Scots, woven throughout the story is interesting. I also liked the characters, the way they interact with each other. I enjoyed the mystery of both who killed Henry and why the bookstore was being targeted and most of the missing letter. I didn't guess who the killer is nor about the rest. #TheStolenLetter #NetGalley

THE STOLEN LETTER is the fifth book in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery Series by Paige Shelton. In this newest release, I love how the tragic historical figure of Mary, Queen of Scots, is woven into a current day murder mystery. It is obvious that the author did considerable research on the beheaded queen, yet the way the information is presented is anything but a dry history lesson. I was captivated with how she uses Mary Stewart, a woman claiming reincarnation of the long-ago queen, intertwined with her doppelganger, protagonist Delaney Nichols. Ms. Shelton often includes a slight mystical element to her stories yet keeps them firmly in the “whodunit” cozy mystery category. As the layers of the story unfolds, the author’s deft skill weaves historical events into her clues, while providing intrigue with each turn of the page. A surprising Agatha Christie-style reveal wrapped the plot and subplots together into one rewarding read.

Another thing I love about this series is the setting, which is as charming as they come. Delaney works in the mysterious, yet inviting bookshop, The Cracked Spine, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Ms. Shelton’s strong descriptive voice brings life to the locations and the reader can see the ancient castle and cobbled walkways, feel the cold, damp rain, hear the brogue of the locals, and smell the time-worn books and treasures that clutter the bookshop. She also creates memorable characters that invite the reader to spend time with them. Delaney is a caring individual and, in the short year she’s been in Edinburgh, has made her co-workers and the elderly people she rents from, into a tightknit family. I’ve also enjoyed seeing her relationship with Scottish pub owner, Tom Shannon, progress throughout the series, and now that they are married, I can’t wait to see what’s in store for them both. THE STOLEN LETTER combines everything I enjoy about a cozy mystery making this another fascinating addition to one of my favorite series!