I've often mentioned that one of the things I really like in a cozy mystery series is when there is enough focus on moving the characters forward as well as a solid mystery. This one felt a bit like it took on too many things for Shelby to focus on, in addition to the mystery, in one story. While I appreciate that there was a lot of character growth and development for her in this one, it definitely felt like the mystery got pushed a little too far off sometimes, and then wrapped up extremely quickly at the end.

This is the third in a series, and though I have not read the previous two books, I was still very much able to enjoy this mystery tale. I was kept guessing and on my toes the entire book! Such a good little mystery read! Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Third in the "Castle" series, A Deadly Chapter was my favorite yet. Even though there is a murder, the author keeps it cozy. The main character is great. She makes smart decisions, thinking things through or tabling decisions for another time. I really like that about her. The supporting cast is great, especially the aunt. The author handled the return of the mother perfectly. The mystery aspect kept me guessing. The decision regarding the boyfriend was handled perfectly as well. I was wondering when someone (her or him) would offer up the suggestion that was decided upon. I like how Shelby 'discusses' what she is thinking and feeling (with the reader that is) - like her branching out to make an effort to make new friends. All in all, this is becoming one of my favorite series. I love the description of the location (castle, town, etc.) - makes me want to visit. I hope this series is around for a long time.

A DEADLY CHAPTER - by Essie Lang

Another murder mystery with a young heroine - Shelby Cox this time, who runs a bookstore in a sleepy little town, has a handsome boyfriend who usually has some connection to law enforcement (Zack, a Coast Guard officer here), a pet cat, and a bevy of adorable girlfriends, some of whom run food establishments that cater toher alternate passions: good coffee and desserts. Sound familiar so far? The heroine also fancies herself a female Sherlock and often discovers dead bodies - as does Shelby, when she comes out of her rented houseboat one morning to find a male corpse wedged between the boat and the dock. These heroines also find themselves in love/hate relationships with the local constabulary, who resent their interference in cases, although they usually discover amazon clues well ahead of anyone else. In this case, we meet the stern Police Chief Tekla Stone. This of course puts he heroine in danger and usually leads to a predictable climax which rarely surprises the sophisticated (and occasionally) the not-so-sophisticated readers. There is usually an older woman, sometimes like Shelby’s perfect and quirky maiden Aunt Edie, who is on hand to supply comfort in the shape of meals, hugs, and consolation.
Are we there yet?
So what separates A Deadly Chapter from the rest of the many books out there with similar plots? It wasn’t the story line or the characters in my case, it was the setting: Alexandria Bay and the Thousand Islands. Having lived for many years on the Canadian side and ventured into Clayton, NY, Alex Bay, and taken many Thousand Island boat excursions to Boldt Castle and its surroundings, I was homesick for just about anyone’s view of the area. It made a believable backdrop for a familiar story with not-too exciting characters and a predictable conclusion. Somehow the author allowed Shelby and all her personal problems to blanket the mystery of the murder, which became secondary.
The book was supplied to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a perfectly good cozy mystery, but not a favorite for me. I love bookshops and libraries as settings, but I didn't find anything new here. It follows the pattern of a local meeting somebody, that somebody getting murdered, the local thinking there's something weird about the victim, and then having to deal with a skeptical cop. I would read another from this series just because it's pleasant, but I'm afraid I can't recommend it over other, better options.

I like this series and liked this novel. It's enjoyable and engrossing. Quirky characters and a solid mystery
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Princess Fuzzypants here: The last thing Shelby wants to see when she looks out from her houseboat is another dead body. It is quickly determined that the victim was murdered and that he had been asking about a woman for whom he was searching. In fact, he had asked Shelby twice on two different occasions. Once he is identified, it turns out he is the father of one of her friends who then asks Shelby to help her find out what happened to him. Shelby cannot help but wonder if this mysterious person is also the killer.

Naturally the Chief of Police is not thrilled with her interference in the murder investigation especially after Shelby’s questions may have put an innocent woman at risk. She would have had sufficient reason to back off after her gaffe but the mystery has Shelby hooked. There is enough going on in her own life that should have consumed her attention. Or perhaps, the diversion from her own issues is what drives her. There are two extremely important personal decisions she must make and she does not seem in any hurry to make them.

Shelby is one of those characters who manages to skate close to the line between being savvy and being foolish. In fact, there were a couple of times when she stepped over the line slightly but recovered long before she was a candidate for the Darwin Award. It has to be tough for an author to keep up the suspense and excitement but maintain a semblance of intelligence in her heroine. I think the way the big personal challenges are handled helped balance that occasional slippage.

Four purrs and two paws up.

This was my first A Castle Bookshop Mystery and it will not be my last!

I lived in Kingston, Ontario for a handful of years a a few of the places in this book were quite familiar to me so it made the book even more fun to read. I thought the mystery was well written, I did not guess who the killer was until quite close to the reveal. I love the idea of a bookshop in a castle and would gladly work there myself. I also enjoyed the fact that Essie Lang wrote her main character (Shelby) as a normal person, dealing with a ton of different issues all at once. I feel like we can all relate to Shelby and the decisions she is being asked to make.

Cannot wait to read the next book in the series.

This is the third book in the Castle Bookshop Mystery series.
What more could you look for in a cozy mystery? Nothing this one has it all, a dead body of course,a romantic island.a bookstore in a castle,a cat,living on a house boat and the characters are dynamic, very likable. You're going to want to read the whole series.

Pub Date 09 Mar 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own

This was a fun installment in the Castle Bookshop series. I adore the main character and her animal companion. The mystery has a great setting and is well written and well paced. I look forward to the next installment!

Living on a houseboat is a calm and serene way of life. Starting your day on the beautiful Alexandria Bay can’t help but to give the beginning of your day the best start it can have. Shelby is living the life. Until a dead body is found floating next to where you live. That definitely changes the outcome of the day.
One can never say that Shelby is not passionate about the small town in which she lives, as she is constantly reminded not to get involved in police business. This one hits too close to home and Shelby can’t help but to get down to the bottom of what’s going on.

A Deadly Chapter is book three of the Castle Bookshop Mysteries. I have come to enjoy Shelby’s way of finding out things that not just anyone could seem to find out. Shelby’s got some personal things happening as this mystery is underfoot. More than just a dead body is going on and Shelby does what she does best and somehow juggles at all and ends up finding the answers in the end. This is such a charming setting with wonderfully written characters. So much personality shines through each and everyone of them. Miss Lang definitely has a way of transporting you to a cozy little town within the pages of the series. I love how every day issues are added in with the mystery to make it seem a bit more real. I very much enjoy the series and A Deadly Chapter definitely stands up to the rest of the series.

I really enjoyed this one. It was a quick and easy read and kept me guessing. If definitely pick up another book by this author

I'm finding this series really fun and interesting. This was a good, fun read, with lots of twists and turns. Ending was a surprise!

This is a fairly fun and engaging mystery that picks up where the previous 2 books left off. I enjoyed the setting and the new twists and turns in the protagonist’s character development. There were a few interesting dynamics but some felt forced- why does the victim’s daughter immediately trust Shelby and assume she’s the right person to investigate as opposed to the police? Etc. Ultimately though, I found the dialogue a bit stilted and the plot was not quite propulsive enough to do the heavy lifting here. It’s a cute cozy mystery but ultimately felt more forgettable than captivating for me. While you can read this as a standalone, the multiple references to previous murders and life events for Shelby do not fit as nicely into the narrative if this is the first book you pick up in the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Essie Lane for the ARC in exchange for an unbiased review. I will continue to read this author!

This series has by far one of the best settings of all cozies. You can't beat a bookstore in a castle on a island. I probably would have read this book just for the setting, but the mystery is always wonderful. Shelby has a lot going on in this book with her love life which has as many twists and turns as the mystery. This book was great and I highly recommend it

This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it! I love a good cozy mystery, and this one was great. We open up to a body being found in the water near Shelby’s boat. From there it turns into a fun mystery as to what happened. If you love cozy mysteries, I recommend checking this one out!

The story is about an amateur sleuth who finds a dead body in the water at the side of her house boat. Even though she is advised by the local police woman not to meddle in the investigation. Shelby can't help herself but to start asking questions about the person and who he was looking for in the small village where she lives. The story also gives a further story of sleuth, her family and friends. Very enjoyable book.

A Deadly Chapter is the third instalment in the 'Castle Bookshop Mystery' series. I have read all three books and I absolutely adore this series! It has an amazing setting - a bookshop in a castle, no less, and an eye-catching, colourful front cover.
There aren’t many settings as perfect as a bookshop located within a castle, and Essie Lang made great use of this. Blye Castle is in a fine lakeside town, with a real sense of community and a general feeling of nostalgia. This, as well as a town full of secrets, made it a brilliant backdrop for a murder investigation.
A Deadly Chapter sees the return of protagonist Shelby Cox, who has the necessary attributes of any great sleuth - intelligence, curiosity and attention to detail. Also making a reappearance, much to my delight, is Shelby’s endearing, plucky and strong-willed Aunt Edie, of whom I am especially fond.
In this instalment, Shelby sleeps late after a couple of wines the night before. She's in rush to get to the bookshop at Alexandria Bay but whilst deciding what jumper to wear before she sets off from her rented houseboat, she hears an unusual noise. When she goes onto the upper back deck of the boat, she discovers a body, facedown in the water, jammed between the dock and the boat, the head caved in. She calls the police and waits for Chief Tekla Stone who eventually identifies the victim. The man, Nathan Miller, who kept an eagle feather in his pocket, had visited the bookshops at both the Blye Castle store and the store at Alexandria Bay, New York state enquiring about a woman who used to live nearby. Shelby begins to investigate with the victim's daughter much to the dismay of the police chief.
This book has many of the components that make a really good story: from the mood and undercurrents to the very clever writing. The details of the plot were brilliantly executed and every chapter left me with a compelling need to read on. The end is perfectly satisfactory, with all loose ends neatly tied up. I highly recommend A Deadly Chapter to those who appreciate well-written cozy mysteries. This is a series I really enjoy, and I very much look forward to my next outing with Shelby and Aunt Edie!
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Title: A Deadly Chapter
Author: Essie Lang

Ch: 34

Pg: 320

Series: A Castle Bookshop mystery book 3

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Crooked



A Deadly Chapter by Essie Lang is the third book in the A Castle Bookshop mystery series. Shelby has settled in as a bookseller in the small coastal New York town. That is if she can stop finding bodies. I have to say that this one is my favorite in the series so far because since we’ve established the setting and characters the book focuses more on the mystery and I enjoyed this one.

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.

Why do I keep doing this? Why do I keep coming into series mid-way at best. But..
A Deadly Chapter reads pretty easy even though it is third adventures in the lives of Shelby Cox and her friends and relatives.
Shelby Cox finds a body stuck next to her houseboat... and is trying her best (almost) not to interfere with the police investigation into this body and how it ended up in the water. But Shelby can't help herself.
However, A Deadly Chapter is as much about Shelby, the bookstore she runs, her relationships with other people on the tiny island, her pain and loss at losing her parents and then finding her mum alive and well... as it is about the murder.
I enjoyed Shelby and Co. I enjoyed the setting immensely. I even googled Thousand Islands to see what it is all about. I loved the peaceful, slow flow of the narration, character relationships and developments. I believe Shelby has a devoted following she deserves.