To the Tome of Murder by Lauren Elliott is the seventh book in the cozy Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series. Each book of this series contains it’s own mystery to solve so they can be read as a standalone or in any order if choosing to do so. Of course there is some character development that carries over from book to book for those that follow the series from the beginning.

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 for Thanksgiving that is quickly approaching she stumbles into yet another murder. Addie is the one that finds her cousin’s boyfriend murdered and with a rare edition book as part of the clues Addie feels she may be again the only one to be able to track down the murderer.

I have been following the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series from the beginning and enjoy each trip back to Greyborne Harbor. I wouldn’t say this series is quite as humorous and over the top quirky as some I enjoy but 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 yet another twisty murder plot to follow and that always keeps the pages turning too.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I have enjoyed the books I’ve read in the Beyond the Page Bookstore series. This one was a good addition and I was drawn into the story quickly. I have enjoyed getting to know the characters in the books and become absorbed in their lives. I personally did not figure out “whodunit” until it was revealed in the story. The author does a great job of keeping you interested in the story and sprinkling clues throughout that have you guessing. I look forward to another adventure with Addie and the gang.

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

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I have loved every book in this series and this one was no different! This is such a comforting series even though it is a murder mystery. I love books about books especially when they are also cozy mysteries!

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed reading it the plot was interesting and the characters made me want to know more about them. I highly recommend.

I absolutely love the world that the author has created and the characters in it. My only issue was that I think this particular mystery was a little more obvious than others. I also enjoyed the little Thanksgiving civil war recipe contest to be very interesting. Overall I really enjoyed this book.

This is a perfect little cozy mystery for book lovers that will keep you entertained and intrigued until the very end. I loved trying to guess the plot in the story in the culprit and overall had a great time reading it I would highly recommend this if you’re into cozy mysteries of any sort and want a quick escape from the real world. This is also part of series of other bookish cozy mysteries if you want to read more!

I have really been enjoying reading cozies recently and this is one of my favorite cozy mystery authors.
This is the seventh book in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series.
It's almost Thanksgiving and there is a Civil War era cooking and baking contest. The contestants are looking to get a leg up on the competition so vintage cookbooks are rapidly selling at Addie's bookshop. I didn't particularly like Addie's character but I did enjoy the aspect of the Civil War cooking contest taking place at Thanksgiving. I also enjoyed the setting. The mystery was fairly obvious but I will continue to read more in this series.

Pub Date: 26 Oct 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I love this series. Absolutely love this series.

This book though? I put it down about 3 times before Chapter 6. I put it down several times after that, so it took me forever to get through it. The challenge? I find it ridiculously hard to read a book where the MC - Addie - is a complete, entitled b****. All cozies have pushy amateur sleuths, but in this book she was especially entitled and just rude to Marc and eventually to Simon. I really hope he breaks up with her and finds someone who actually trusts him and treats him well. As for Marc - I hope he forgets about Addie and finds anyone else.

The mystery was good - Lauren Elliott writes a good mystery. Plus, I loved the Civil War themed cooking competition. What a great idea!

As always the book is chock full of fantastic secondary characters which kept me interested as I read. Sadly, I'm on the fence about continuing the series. I probably will continue them because the mysteries themselves are good. Kalea - never liked her and Addie - I used to like her, but her personally took a huge negative turn in this particular book. I didn't like that.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC so I could write an honest review.

The seventh book in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series by Lauren Elliot is To the Tome of Murder. Thanks to a Civil War era cooking and baking contest vintage books are flying off the shelves of Addie's bookstore. Thanksgiving may be just around the corner but Addie is not thankful to be dealing with another murder when her cousin's boyfriend is found dead. For me the cousin is just as irritating as in previous books, and I am tiring of the love triangle. The mystery is not as strong in this book, but I do love the setting and most of the characters. I would not suggest starting the series with this book however.

To the Tome of Murder by Lauren Elliott
Book #7: Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery
Source: NetGalley and Purchase
Rating: 3/5 stars

The Bottom Line: UGH! I greatly dislike giving a book in this series a three-star rating. Seven books deep and I have truly enjoyed each book, but this one fell a bit short for me. Make no mistake, I greatly enjoyed the mystery aspect of this book, but Addie seems to be going circles in her life and career. Nearly every character in this book is moving onward and upward in their life with the exception of Addie. Oh, she still owns a successful bookstore and still can’t help becoming involved in every murder in town, but that has been the same story for seven books now. In order for me to keep coming back to a series, I need the characters to evolve and so far, Addie has shown no interest in doing so. If I’m honest, there is certainly room for change and if it doesn’t happen in the next book, I’m going to have to scrap this series from my reading list.

This is the 7th book in a series that I've grown very fond of. I find the Beyond the Page Bookstore in Greyborne Harbor to be quite the charming setting. The mystery moves at a fast pace and is well written. I enjoyed the idea of a Civil War baking contest. The only thing ever that I don't enjoy in this series is Addie. I can't get over my dislike of her. I find her selfish, self-centered and a know it all at times. Luckily the well written story and the other likable characters keep me coming back.

Addie Greyborne is preparing the bookshop for Thanksgiving and the upcoming annual Make It and Bake It Food Market cooking and baking competition. The theme for the competition is authentic Civil War Thanksgiving dinner dishes and desserts. Addie gets a distressed call from her cousin, Kalea which has her rushing to the dress shop. Addie finds a crying Kalea and Kalea’s boyfriend, Jared Munroe dead in the dress shop. Unfortunately, evidence points to Kalea as the guilty party. Addie has more questions than answers regarding Jared’s death. Addie needs to work quickly if she is going to prove her cousin’s innocence and unmask the true killer. To the Tome of Murder by Lauren Elliott is the seventh A Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery. I suggest starting with Murder by the Book which will give you Addie Greyborne’s background. I thought To the Tome of Murder contained good writing and the story moved along at a steady tempo. My main problem with the series is Addie Greyborne. She is not the most likeable character nor her cousin, Kalea (I am not a fan of her at all). Addie acts like she is entitled to information on the case from the police and she treats Marc terribly (Police Chief Marc Chandler is lucky to have escaped Addie’s clutches). Addie does not take it well when no one from the force will share details with her. Kalea is a snake in the grass who I would not trust with my boyfriend or husband. I like Addie’s assistant manager, Paige Stringer. She is a friendly woman who does a wonderful job at the bookstore. I enjoyed the Civil War themed cooking competition (very original) and learning more about Sarah Josepha Hale. Sarah was a remarkable woman who has several key accomplishments. The whodunit is straightforward. I found there to be a lack of suspects which made the guilty party stand out. I kept hoping for a twist so I would be surprised. The reveal answers any lingering questions regarding the crime. I would have liked more action in the book to give it a little more pep. I enjoyed the descriptions of Greyborne Harbor. They really bring the scenery alive. To the Tome of Murder will have you craving Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings with the Civil War culinary competition, the slain suitor, a crying cousin, beautiful bookmarks and bookends, an unendurable expert, and a curious crime.

⭐⭐⭐

Having read book 1 and book 3 of this series, I kind of knew what to expect with this one. I enjoyed it. Did it blow me away? No. I still struggle with how unlikable Addie is. I honestly don't get what Marc or Simon see in her. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I also thought the mystery in this one was fairly obvious. However, I enjoy the setting. I loved the historical aspect of the civil war cooking competition and Sarah Josepha Hale. And there are quite a few likable side characters. So a bit of a mixed bag, but I am still onboard with this series, especially since the next book features a missing first edition of Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses. #intriguedpartyofone

**ARC Via NetGalley**

To the Tome of Murder is the seventh book in the Beyond the Page Bookstore mystery series. Addie Greyborne owns the successful bookshop Beyond the Page. Addie is a bibliophile who occasionally helps solve crimes. As everyone in town prepares for Thanksgiving, Addie finds herself involved in another mystery. Her cousin’s boyfriend is killed, and Addie jumps in to help clear her cousin’s name from the suspect list.

As a fan of this series, I have enjoyed watching the characters grow. While To the Tome of Murder can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading this series in order. The characters and setting make this a delightful cozy mystery series.

One of the things that I like about this series if that the mysteries have a connection to books. Addie is drawn to help because of her knowledge of books. Plus, she often knows the victim and/or the suspect.

To the Tome of Murder is a charming cozy mystery. This cozy series is one I enjoy keeping up with, and look forward to each new addition. A great read 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.

The plot of the book was such a great page turner. The plot of the book was very well written. I truly cannot wait to read another wonderful book from this new to me author. This was a truly great book.

Lauren Elliott has another hit on her hands! I think that this series has become one of my top favorites. I am always kept guessing until the end.

This is the 7th installment in the Beyond The Page Bookstore mystery series. Addie Greyborne is pulled into yet another murder just weeks before Thanksgiving when her cousin Kalea's boyfriend is murdered and she becomes the prime suspect. Addie has had her issues with her cousin in the past but she is family and she cannot believe she is capable of murder. Marc (Addie's ex) and Addie are getting along better and Simon is helpful to Addie in so many ways as are her friend Serena and Paige. The friendship of these ladies and their love of their community is one of the things I love about this series. I love that Addie acknowledges when she makes mistakes and although she can sometimes get thrown into the wrong direction, her instincts are good and always point her in the right direction of the murderer. Lots of announcements at the Thanksgiving dinner including Kalea moving to Boston after Addie proves her innocence and almost getting killed in the process. Great addition to this series and I am looking forward to the next in the series.

To the Tome of Murder: A Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery
By Lauren Elliott
Kensington
December 2021

Review by Cynthia Chow

As Thanksgiving closes in on the New England town of Greyborne Manor, Addie Greyborne is swapping out her Beyond the Page bookstore displays not for Christmas, but for the upcoming Make it-Bake It Food Market cooking and baking competition. Since the hosting Essex County Association Chapter of the Massachusetts Historical Society has selected the theme and are requiring that all of the entries must be recipes from the Civil War, contestants will be racing to Addie’s bookstore to find authentic resources. While one wouldn’t think of that time period as having the tastiest of treats, it does mean that there will soon be a high demand for Civil War recipe books. Flying off the shelves are the works by Sarah Josepha Hale, who from 1830 to 1878 also edited Godey’s Lady’s Magazine and was the reliable source for popular cuisine for nearly 30 years. Before any of that can occur though, Addie receives a call from her cousin Kalea not with her usual spoiled-girl, frivolous demands, but with a desperate plea for help.

What Addie discovers is a distraught and cowering Kalea in her dress shop, standing near the body of her boyfriend Jared Munroe. As much as Addie might hope that it was an accident, his being stabbed in the chest with a plastic hanger would seem to pretty much eliminate that. The investigating Police Chief Marc Chandler should know better than to hope that his ex-girlfriend would remain on the sidelines while the officials take over, but he attempts to warn Addie away anyway. It’s a futile gesture, as Addie immediately inserts herself into the investigation with the assertion that Kalea could never have committed murder. Addie might come to regret – and question – her decision the more she learns about Kalea’s and Jared’s relationship, but for now she will prod, eavesdrop, and finagle as much information as she can from the officers and her current boyfriend, Simon. Her very own Dr. Dreamy might be reluctant to share details, but it’s the instinctively flirtatious moves by Kalea that really have Addie on edge.

In this 7th the series, Addie has grown quite confident in her position as an unofficial official amateur detective. That often leads to her to become quite exasperated and frustrated when the Police Chief locks her out of his case, especially when Addie believes that she has past crime experience and inside knowledge on the case. Indeed, it is her connections with the sought after “Godey’s Lady’s Book” that help Addie to narrow down motives, learning that the declared creator of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” rhyme was a fascinating woman whose legacy extends to the present. Having experienced much loss in her life before moving back to the coastal town that bears her family’s name, Addie is able to help the flighty Kalea mourn even as she struggles with confused feelings of guilt. What Addie won’t be able to do is teach Kalea how to cook without burning down the kitchen, but readers will enjoy their exploits while more experienced contestants compete with their historical recipes. There’s booklore galore for bibliophiles and mystery lovers, and a Happily Ever After awaits Addie as long as she becomes as brave in love as she is when investigating murder.

I found this book to be an interesting read. I found the Civil War cooking kept me interested and reading just to learn more about that subject.

I not read many in this series, but I was able to follow many of characters with ease and I liked the way the interacted with each other. The mystery was well-done and had a nice number of twists and turns to keep it interesting. I will be looking for more in this series.

This is such a fun series, and I had a great time with this cozy mystery. I loved the plot, the twists and turns, and the characters!