I have enjoyed the books in the Beyond the Page Bookstore series. This one was a great mystery and I loved that the characters were mostly forced to stay aboard the yacht during the murder investigation. The characters are richly developed and I have enjoyed getting to know them and see how they have developed throughout the series. There were multiple mysteries going on throughout the pages so you are sucked into the story from the beginning and are kept hostage until the very end. I look forward to the next adventure with the gang from Greyborne Harbor.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

the Cover of Murder, the sixth book in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mysteries series by Lauren Elliott, takes place during the wedding of Addie Greyborne’s best friend Serena; the setting for the wedding, and two murders, is on Serena’s fiancée Zach’s family yacht. With a large wedding guests list of suspects, Addie has her challenges in using her capable sleuthing abilities to uncover a very ruthless murderer…the murders revolve around a library of rare first-edition books aboard the ship. Needless to say, tempers run high with the wedding guests all sequestered on the ship while Addie pieces together clues that are spread out among the eight different decks.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. My honest review is being voluntarily submitted.

I can only say what I’ve been saying, I love this series!!!

If you enjoy books about books, amateur sleuths, friends and fun adventure, you need to pick up this series.

Under the Cover of Murder is the sixth book in Lauren Elliott's Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series. Addie's best friend, Serena, is finally getting married to the love of her life, Zach. The wedding is going to be held on his family's luxurious yacht, currently moored in the town's harbor. Shortly before the wedding, the body of an unidentified man washes up on the beach, the only clue a torn piece of a book in his hand. No one recognizes the man and the wedding proceeds as planned, but the next day, another body is found on the beach. It is one of the guests, uninvited though, and everyone is forced to stay on board the yacht under police guard, until the murderer is found. Addie wants off, so her only choice is to do some sleuthing of her own.

I really like how Addie has changed as this series progressed. She is a very logical, practical, concrete person and really rubbed me the wrong way in the first few books. She could be very abrasive. Perhaps it is the wonderful community, the people she has become friends with or romance, but she has softened and is much more likable. This was a locked door mystery, but there was also the first murder and whether or not it tied in to this one. Everyone at the wedding is a suspect, so there are many to check out. There are so many secrets, drinking, infidelity, lies, thievery and forgery, so lots of motives to sort through. Addie was also dealing with some personal relationship issues and as she is not good at social cues, she was a bit flustered. There were several twists that kept me guessing right to the end. I would be remiss if I didn't mention Pippi. Addie has now taken ownership of this sweet little dog, so I look forward to seeing more of her in the future. A great addition to this series.

Release Date: March 30, 2021 & April 26, 2022

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Under the Cover of Murder:
The day is finally here, Serena and Zach are getting married! As the maid of honor, Addie is going to make sure Serena’s wedding goes off without a hitch. Zach’s step mother has taken over the wedding and changed most of the plans including make Zach and Serena get married on the Family Yacht. When a body is found and Addie finds several counterfeit books in Zach’s first edition collection. The wedding is the not that only thing Addie has to keep from going off track.

Margin for Murder: Addie is going on a road trip with Paige to get more books to stock her store. The last thing she expected was to see her first love Tony. The two reconnect but when there is a murder in town, Addie is determined to find the killer…even if it might be Tony.

This is the sixth and eighth books in the #beyondthepagebookstoremysteryseries. These books are good. The mysteries are always very inventive and the characters have solid personalities unfortunately the books get very soap operaesque so it’s hard to follow plot lines unless you’ve ready the whole series recently. The audio narration is really tough stuff. These books are take it or leave it for me.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

#marginformurder #underthecoverofmurder #beyondthepage #bookstagram #cozymysteryseries #netgalleyreads

I apprecitate the publisher allowing me to read this book. This is a great mystery that kept me guessing until the end, I can't wait to read more.

Under the Cover of Murder by Lauren Elliott is the sixth book in the cozy Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series. Each book of this series contains it’s own mystery to solve so they could be read as a standalone or in any order. However, one would get to know the characters better reading the series in order with some character development carrying over book to book.

In the first book of this series, Murder by the Book, readers were introduced to Addison Greyborne who had returned to her hometown, a small New England town that had been named for her ancestors back in Colonial times, Greyborne Harbor. Addie had been still recovering from the murder of her fiance, her father dying in a tragic accident and then had found out a long lost aunt had also died but left her whole estate to Addie.

Addie’s inheritance had given her the opportunity to start over and continue to work with books after leaving her job at the Boston Public Library. With her aunt having so many rare books in her collection and the funds to open a shop Addie decided to open Beyond the Page bookstore. Now as Addie is preparing to attend a wedding aboard a luxury yacht a body is found nearby holding a book page then as the wedding is wrapping up yet another death occurs leaving guests trapped aboard the yacht waiting for details.

I have been following the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series from the beginning and enjoy each trip back to Greyborne Harbor. Being an avid reader I love the main character’s knowledge of books and that books are involved yet again in another mystery. Of course there’s some twists and plenty of red herrings along the way to find the murderer which as always kept the pages turning.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Addie Greyborne's best friend Serena is getting married to Zach aboard his family's luxurious yacht, currently moored in Greyborne Harbor. But the happiness of the day is marred when a man's body washes up on the beach with no ID, only a torn page from a book in his pocket. Bookstore owner Addie is asked by detective Marc Chandler to identify the book from this fragment, but she cannot.

The next morning, the body of journalist and former friend Lacey washes ashore and Addie has a sinking feeling that the two deaths are connected. While the wedding guests are held on the yacht as the police investigate, Addie is eager to peruse the rare books library on board owned by Zach's father Oliver. Addie then finds a copy of Agatha Christie's first Poirot book, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, on the shelf with bloodstains and a familiar missing fragment from its pages.

A more thorough scan of the library by Addie leads to the discovery of several counterfeit books among the valuable collection. Addie works with Marc, her coroner boyfriend Simon, and her friends Paige and Catherine to come up with motives and suspects in the two murders.

This was another enjoyable entry in the Beyond the Page Bookstore mystery series.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Kensington Books. I voluntarily provided a review of this book.

Addie's best friend Serena is getting married! Unfortunately it isn't going to be the small wedding she planned. Her domineering soon-to-be mother-in-law is taking over just about everything. So Addie's job, as best friend and maid of honor, is to keep Serena calm. The compromise on the wedding venue is Serena's future in-laws massive yacht. Everyone in the wedding party is invited to stay on the yacht throughout the event.
As Addie's preparing to leave for the yacht, the chief of police (aka Serena's brother and Addie's ex) asks her to come in to his office. What now? Can Addie identify the dead body found on the shore near the yacht? No.
After the beautiful wedding and complicated reception, the newlyweds leave on their honeymoon. The next morning the chief of police announces that everyone must stay on the yacht. Apparently there's been a second murder and he needs to solve it before anyone can leave.

I loved this book and look forward to reading more by this author.

Addie is trying to be a supportive maid of honor at the wedding of her friends Serena and Zach. The wedding is taking place on a luxury yacht belonging to Zach's father. One body washing up on shore in town is troubling, but when a second body connected to the yacht is found the morning after the wedding, the guests are sequestered on board. This was a clever setting that was away from the usual scene, but close enough to not be out of sorts. Unfortunately the mystery was a bit lacking with Addie missing some very obvious clues. I do enjoy this series and will consider it a slight blip along the way to the next book.

What should have been Serena's beautiful dream wedding is anything but! Murder, a bossy future mother-in law and just plain mayhem ensue. Addie gets involved in the investigation and the reader will definitely be entertained.

Elliott is truly gives this reader what I desire. Characters who are human, have good days and bad days. The protagonist, Addie overall has a wholesome optimistic mood despite life changing tragedies. The characters over the series -- this is book 6 -- grow. Even contrary Martha and Addie have become cautious friends.

Book 6 moves the setting from Addie's book store to a glamorous yacht, where Serena's wedding will be held today. Tensions are already in place as Zach's step mother has pulled the 'nasty' card and has changed almost everything. When a body washes ashore, Addie is called in to help. The next day, another body and perhaps a major link between the crimes and the rare books found aboard the yacht.

A good mystery that provides a puzzle that is not easy to solve.

Recommended

Full disclosure: I received this ARC from netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you for this opportunity.

Another great visit with Addie and the folks in Greyborne Harbor. I loved the setting of the yacht for the mystery. The mystery was good and well written.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

When asked for a series to recommend, I recommend Beyond the Page Bookstore. Under the Cover of Murder further supports that this is one of the best cozy series out there!

In this book, Serena and Zach are getting married and much to Serena's chagrin, her soon-to-be mother-in-law and Zach's stepmother has completely upended their plans. The wedding is to be held on Zach's parent's yacht and not be the intimate ceremony of Serena's dreams. Of course with Addie involved the reader can expect a murder, however this one happens the morning of the wedding in the form of a man's body found on the shore. Marc asks Addie to help identify a piece of a book found in the man's pocket. Unfortunately, there is another murder, this time on the yacht after the wedding and before the guests depart. Marc requests that all guests stay on the yacht while the murder is investigated, and this becomes a "locked yacht' murder. Abbie and her friends use their time confined on the yacht to investigate and are able to solve the crime in typical Addie fashion.

The mystery has many twists and turns, many suspects and motives, that has Addie heading sometimes in the wrong direction. Addie seems to find herself in the right place when needed and she is able to piece together clues that Marc and his team are not able to see. In the long run, the murders are tied to the rare book collection on the yacht, which firmly places Addie in her element.

This book is 6th in the series and I would recommend the series be read in order - the characters are complex and so intimately involved in the lives of each other that knowing the backstory enhances the reading of the story. Throughout the book I was firmly convinced I knew the identity of the culprit and then the story took an interesting turn which once again had me puzzled. The author has a wonderful way of dropping hints and making you wonder what will happen with the characters....and then the book ends, leaving you in anticipation of the next installment.

I highly recommend this book and hope there are many more in this wonderful series!

Title: Under the Cover of Murder

Author: Lauren Elliott

Publisher: Kensington

Format: Paperback, read the e-book which was given to me by NetGalley

Published on: March 30, 2021

Set in: Greyborne Harbor

Series: Beyond the Bookstore Mystery #6

The small, simplistic wedding Addie's girlfriend Serena hoped for was highjacked by the groom's stepmother, Veronica Ludlow, aka The Dragon Lady. Veronica changed all the arrangements without even consulting the bride, that included the venue and the cake. She wanted it to be a social affair everyone would remember. That's what she got.

Before the society-pleasing wedding was set into elegant motion, a body was found on the beach. Addie Greyborne, a bookstore owner and dear friend of the bride is asked to identify the body. Talk about precursors to trouble before the biggest event in your life. Then more trouble walks onto the yacht during the wedding in the form of an uninvited guest. Lacey, who we learn is a reporter, appears intoxicated. Lacey overhears Addie talking to her boyfriend, Simon, about someone dying and a torn page of a collector's book. All are concerned that Lacey might cause trouble during the reception. And she did. An argument is witnessed regarding Lacey and the stepmother's lawyer. It happened hours after Lacey tried hitting on numerous men at the wedding. After searching for her, they assumed she went to bed in the stateroom she was suppose to share with another guest.

During breakfast the next morning, the police announce that an incident occurred on board last night that resulted in the death of a guest. They are going to question all the guests and the yacht's staff. The next thing they know, the yacht is in lock down. Police Chief Marc Chandler is Addie's ex-boyfriend. Off the record, he confides in her, even though he really shouldn't. He informs her that Lacey's body was discovered by a fisherman in the dock pilings and tells Addie about her wounds. A little interesting fact here is that Lacey was Marc's high school sweetheart so you know it's got to be killing him knowing that she is now dead.

Both the police investigation and Addie and her friends' search for answers kick into gear. There are two dead, a million questions and a lot of possible suspects and no one is going anywhere until it's figured out.

Under the Cover of Murder would make a good movie. You've got a great setting for a high-society event filled with more crimes then you can count. You love, hate or don't trust a number of characters and you know that Addie is on the right deck when it comes to hunting down clues. She's not flowery and adorable. She's a bit clumsy, knows her stuff when it comes to the printed book, and is not afraid to pursue the next clue even if her life can be in danger. One thing I didn't think was a smart move was how her and her team jotted down notes about the clues they uncovered which would be easily seen by anyone who entered Addie's cabin. At times, she put herself in real danger, but that's what amateur sleuths do. Also, informing the yacht owner about the authenticity of his collection could have also gotten her killed. But that's what make mysteries exciting.

three and three quarters rare books

Denise Fleischer

gottawritenetwork.wordpress.com

July 18, 2021

Under the Cover of Murder is the sixth book in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery by Lauren Elliott. Beyond the Page Books and Curios is owned by Addie Greyborne, a bibliophile who occasionally helps solve crimes. In this book, Addie is a bridesmaid in her best friend’s wedding set on a yacht. When an unknown man is found washed ashore, and then a wedding guest is killed, Addie is on the case to catch the killer.

I’ve read the previous books in this series, and have enjoyed watching the characters grow. While Under the Cover of Murder can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading this series in order.

I liked the yacht setting for this mystery. It makes it more of a locked room mystery, which is one of my favorite types of mysteries to read. One of the things that makes this series fun is the connection the mysteries have to books. Addie is drawn to help because of her knowledge of books.

Under the Cover of Murder is a delightful cozy mystery. This is a cozy mystery series that I enjoy keeping up with. Good for fans of cozies who enjoy bookish themes set in a small town.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Jeanie

Each mystery in this series gets better than the one before! Under the Cover of Murder drew me in on the first page and held my attention throughout. I love Greyborne Harbor and most of the people there, people who could step out of the pages and into the nearest bookstore or estate sale. The mystery is well-crafted, especially with it beginning on … a wedding day? Wow! Trying to figure out the full scope of the crimes definitely kept me guessing throughout.

Addie is the owner of Beyond the Page, a bookstore and curio shop in Greyborne Harbor. Her best friend, Serena, is marrying Zach, the love of her life. The wedding planning has been fraught with tension. Serena knew exactly what she wanted but Zach’s stepmother Veronica, wealthy and very concerned with impressing her society friends, made many changes to the wedding. She invited society friends from Boston as a surprise and changed the reception venue to Zach’s father’s super yacht with its own staff and crew. There is a library of very collectible books that Addie can’t wait to see. The wedding party has been invited to spend the night on the yacht.

The morning of the wedding, Marc, the police chief and bride’s brother, came to take Addie to the police station. She and Marc had dated for quite a while, but one of the big differences they had is that he wouldn’t let her help him when murders and other serious crimes have occurred. He seems to have broken his own rules as he requests her help. Help to identify the man whose body was found on the beach early that morning. Help to identify the corner of a book page. The man had no cell phone, wallet, or ID on him, just the corner of a page. As a credentialed book expert, Addie knows books, paper, ages, inks, fonts and much more. Because they awaited fingerprint results, she couldn’t feel the paper to even tell what century the book was printed in, and there was no printing on it.

The wedding went beautifully, and the happy couple left as planned for their honeymoon. There was one little glitch. Marc’s childhood sweetheart and former fiancé came to the wedding uninvited and had too much to drink. Lacey had disagreements with many people, including the woman Marc is dating now, Ryley, a former FBI agent and detective in the local PD. It was a great relief to Addie and her friends when the night was over and they could go to their staterooms.

The next morning, Marc and Ryley returned to the yacht. A body was found early that morning, one of the guests, also murdered. Everyone on board the yacht would have to stay there until they could narrow down the suspects.

Addie is certain that the two murders are connected. She went into the library to look at some of the volumes there and saw what at first seemed to be valuable first editions. Instead, they were very good reproductions. She was sure, after talking with Zach’s father and his head of security, that someone has replaced the valuable tomes with well-crafted copies, probably selling the originals. That could also be the motive behind the murder of the man they found the day before.

The characters are memorable; it has been fun to watch them grow and change so far in the series. Addie has changed in many good ways, as has Martha. Getting to know Simon better, and seeing a new side to Marc has been enlightening. Watching the wedding party while restricted to the yacht, most likely with the murderer on board, could have brought out the worst in everyone, but many displayed their strengths. Finding the killer(s) and thief was high on the priority list, so Addie and her friends work towards that end.

The more they learn about what the second murdered person did before and after the wedding, the more suspects there are, including a great red herring. There is enough dirt on some of the people on board the yacht to clog a gossip column, but could those indiscretions point to a thief, much less a killer? While I had not made my short list of bad guys, I wasn’t surprised to learn who was responsible. All loose ends are tied up in the very satisfactory ending to this well-written cozy mystery that I highly recommend!

Under the Cover of Murder by Lauren Elliott
Book #6: Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery Series
Source: NetGalley, Kensington, and Purchase
Rating: 4½/5 stars

The Bottom Line: There’s not much more stressful than planning a wedding. For Addie Greyborne’s best friend, the experience has been a full-on nightmare. With a mother-in-law consumed with appearances and social standing, the wedding is nothing like the bride envisioned and everything she hoped to avoid.

With everyone aboard a luxury super yacht for the blessed event, Addie can’t believe the extravagance, the luxury, the expense, and the two dead bodies! Knowing the killer has to be among the guests, the police literally trap everyone in attendance on the yacht and begin their investigation. As always, dives right in with the blessing of the police. Not only are Addie’s sleuthing skills put to the test in this caper, but also her knowledge of rare and expensive books. With everyone in such close quarters, it’s easy to discover everyone’s dirty little secrets, but not so easy to see how those secrets have led to the deaths of two people.

What I found most intriguing about this read is the setting. I didn’t think I would like the quarantine nature of this read, but Elliott cleverly placed everyone on a SUPER yacht so there is still plenty of room for Addie to run around. Next up is the changing nature of relationships in this book. One in particular is very intriguing and certainly leaves room for speculation (and drama!) in future books. While nothing relationship-wise dramatically changed in this book, there is certainly enough here to warrant thinking about everyone’s future and how the characters will evolve as the series continues. What’s more, Addie is getting better at sleuthing with every case and that certainly leaves room for more complex plotlines which I am not at all opposed to. I feel a sort of real devotion to this series and hope I am not reading too much into the nuggets of information dropped/hinted at in this book. I look forward to finding out if my intuition is correct.

It’s the wedding of the year in Under The Cover Of Murder, or is it the murder of the year? Book enthusiast and shop owner Addie isn’t sure when she ends up being held onboard a yacht after a body is found what to do with her time. She has friends to spend the days with, but it’s the rare book collection the owner has amassed that holds her primary focus, and of course, solving a murder and then a second murder.

Addie is a fun and interesting character; she keeps things exciting and never fails to amuse the reader and entertain. The two main men in her life, Simon and Marc, are questionable. Even when she says that she has made her decision, in the end, has she really? I can see where this romance is going, and I am not sure I will like the way it turns out. Other characters are enjoyable, add depth to the story and help Addie resolve issues, even if it is by accident. I love any setting that involves books, and I can’t think of a more enjoyable way to spend time than reading and handling rare books, so I envy Addie being cooped up on a luxury yacht with all those old books, real or fake! Even the wedding has an element of intrigue.

There are plenty of suspects, a boatload of them in fact. Each has a different reason for wanting the victim(s) dead; secrets, lies, fraud, relationships, all forms of motive can be found. There are some excellent twists and turns, as well as a few surprises. It tickled me that an Agatha Christie book holds clues to help solve the murders. The description of the wedding, the guests, and the yacht all sound delightful. I did have an issue with Serena allowing her future mother-in-law to ride roughshod over her wedding and her family. No bride worth her salt would allow her future in-laws to dictate their big day, no matter how wealthy they might be.

In the finale, Addie finds the culprit, pretty much by accident, which isn’t uncommon for her way of “investigating.” The detective on the case comes to accept that she can and is helpful at times, even if it is just eavesdropping on conversations at a wedding. Books play a massive part in Under The Cover Of Murder and this makes me happy as a reader and an author. There isn’t a great deal of action; it’s hard to have chase scenes or other activities when your setting is a boat, no matter how big it is, but there is enough to give the book some tense moments. This book has all the elements needed to give readers an enjoyable few hours of escape, and I am happy to see the series continue.

A most excellent and enjoyable read been a while since I've read a murder mystery this well written.Would recommend this book and author to anyone who enjoys reading.A first class novel.Well done.