Lauren Elliott involves Beyond the Page Bookstore in murder again in To the Tome of Murder. Addie is getting ready for a Civil War themed cooking contest with books displayed in her store. Her cousin Kalea is found beside her murdered lover within a wring of tossed belongings. What connection does a vintage briefcase have with the murder? At the same time vintage collectable books have been stolen. What is the connection? Cozy murder with bookish angle.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

Every time I open a new mystery in this series, I eagerly anticipate hours of intrigue with characters I have come to care about in a charming New England setting. The author has again exceeded my expectations in every way. Oh, and did I say it is unpredictable? The events surrounding the mystery and the bad guy or gal are not predictable. The books can each be read as standalones as enough information is provided about past events to suffice. Each character is defined very well, as befitting their role. I still stand by Addie as my favorite, and second favorite is probably her very personable and capable assistant manager, Paige.

Addie inherited her great-aunt’s elegant Victorian in Greyborne Harbor a few years ago. She has since opened Beyond the Page, a bookstore that includes new, used, and collectible books and curios. Having once been a curator at the Boston Library, she is very knowledgeable in handling the kind of rare and collectible books that may be found at estate sales and auctions.

Greyborne Harbor is preparing for Thanksgiving. They are also preparing for a Civil War era Thanksgiving cook off that will showcase a competition from local bakers and cooks in which only authentic Civil War dishes are accepted. Addie is having a run on every Civil War related book in her shop, and Paige even requested emergency orders from their distributor.

Addie has only one living relative, her cousin Kalea, who she knew well through childhood and college. Kalea is an interesting person, not someone easy to genuinely like. Since moving to town, Kalea has found her niche as a clothing designer and seamstress who could rival any big-city design shop. Her boyfriend, Jared, who invests in people’s businesses to help them start or expand their dream, had helped her open Hudson’s Creations on Main. He has since helped several other business owners in the area. Having a reputation as ruthless, he has few fans in this close-knit town. Kalea once said that he is the first man she has ever truly loved. That was huge for her, having been known as a flirt, especially with men dating Addie or her friends.

Monday morning, she called Addie to come to her store for an emergency. When she arrives, Kalea is visibly shaken. When she came downstairs to open for business, handbags, shoes, and jewelry were strewn about the sales floor. Lying dead amidst the mess was Jared, who was to have left early that morning for an out-of-town business meeting. The means of death was a hanger used for clothing that had been broken and jabbed into his chest. The doors were locked with no evidence of any break-in.

Addie is not a stranger to murder and had helped solve several murders since moving to town. When she lived in Boston, she arrived home one night to find her fiancé murdered. Addie had to draw on her own experiences and remember how she reacted for a long time after David’s death. Kalea began to act out in ways that led others to doubt which of her behaviors was real – the flirt that she had been before meeting Jared, or the weepy woman going through a terrible ordeal.

More troubling than Kalea’s behavior, there were parts of her story that didn’t add up. Addie and her friends tried to help find someone other than her for the police chief to investigate, as evidence continued to point to Kalea. When Addie had reason to believe Kalea was innocent, she was a force to be reckoned with, and was willing to go to any length to keep handcuffs off her cousin’s dainty wrists.

This is not the first locked-room mystery in the series. Each has a fresh approach and resolution, so this mystery is not cookie-cutter or cliché. I appreciate Addie’s approach to Kalea, especially when Kalea shamelessly flirted with her beau, Simon. Addie stood up to the police chief, Marc, on Kalea’s behalf, and cared enough to confront her when necessary rather than kick her out of her home. This murder kept me guessing almost through to the resolution. The end is very satisfactory, with the murder and surrounding circumstances fully resolved. I highly recommend this, and the other mysteries in the series.

It's Thanksgiving in Greyborne Harbor and there is a lot going on. The town is having an upcoming Civil War-era themed cooking and baking competition, with a hefty cash prize and free publicity going to the winning dish, so Addie had stocked her store with a rare selection of traditional holiday recipes from the influential 19th-century publication Godey’s Ladies Magazine. She also has copies of several vintage cookbooks. When Kalea, Addie's Cousin, finds her boyfriend dead she becomes the prime suspect because they had recently argued. Now Addie has another murder to solve. Trying to figure out what connection the murder and a vintage briefcase might have with another might just blow open this case.

To the Tome of Murder is a well-written and plotted mystery that was well-paced and kept me interested from start to finish. I really like Addie's character and have enjoyed seeing her growth as the series has progressed. She has softened somewhat, but is still a bit prickly. She is extremely intuitive and I love how she puts clues together. I am enjoying her relationship with Simon and I like that he supports her sleuthing. We meet some other interesting characters in this book that added some colour to the town and book. As we learn more about the victim, there are more and more suspects come to light. I was able to figure this one out before the reveal, but I still enjoyed the story very much. Overall, there is a lot to like about this series. It is set in a bookstore, it has a smart, strong sleuth, some quirky characters and well written mysteries. I definitely recommend it

Some family you are born with and some you choose, Addie didn't choose to have a cousin who can bring both a smile and a frown to her face in quick succession, but she isn't going to leave her stranded at the top of the suspect list. Family trees, a vintage briefcase, stolen rare books, a snooty collector, a murderous hanger, coquettish behavior, and maybe the end of a fear to commit are all part of this latest Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery. Engaging characters and plenty of backstory sprinkled in to keep you on track, plus a few suspects that keep you guessing as much as Addie does.

To the Tome of Murder by Lauren Elliott is book seven of the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series. In my opinion, this is truly a great Cozy series. It has everything, a setting that will have you wanting to visit Greyborne Harbor. The perfect mixture of personalities in the relatable characters. You have plot twists that has you guessing to the end. There is friendship. family, romance, and a hint of humor. You will not want to put it down.
I was given an ARC by Kensington via NetGalley for an honest review.

Addie Greyborne is ready for Thanksgiving! Her bookstore, Beyond the Page, has it’s Thanksgiving display ready and her assistant, Paige Stringer, has ensured they have plenty of Civil War themed recipe books and memorabilia ready for the upcoming cooking and baking competition in town. Unfortunately, Addie’s cheerful mood comes to a screeching halt with one cryptic phone call from her cousin, Kalea. Kalea’s boyfriend, Jared Munroe, is dead and it looks like murder. Worse yet, the prime suspect is Kalea and even Addie has her doubts about her cousin’s truthfulness. Addie is determined to uncover the truth, however, as Kalea is her only living blood relative… but the clues she uncovers seem odd and won’t convince the police unless she digs more.

TO THE TOME OF MURDER is the 7th book in the delightful Beyond the Page Bookshop series. Readers can easily jump right in and enjoy the series but note that the relationships between the characters continue to grow with each new installment and you’ll likely find yourself hooked. Lauren Elliott provides sufficient back history on all the characters although readers already familiar with Addie’s troublesome cousin, Kalea, will better appreciate Addie’s own emotional turmoil as she attempts to clear her cousin of murder.

I learn something new with every installment in the Beyond the Page Bookshop series as Lauren Elliott intertwines literary history with her mysteries. Who knew that the same woman who wrote “Mary Had a Little Lamb” also edited the Godey’s Ladies Magazine AND repeatedly petitioned Abraham Lincoln to sign and executive order proclaiming Thanksgiving a permanent national holiday? Even better, this fascinating history is relevant to the story line as the town is featuring a Civil War themed cooking/baking competition and everyone is clamoring for one of Sarah Josepha Hale’s magazines featuring recipes of that time period. I love how Lauren Elliott takes the bookstore theme to a higher level by also including books as part of the mystery and it’s part of what makes TO THE TOME OF MURDER so enthralling!

TO THE TOME OF MURDER is yet another smashing success from Lauren Elliott and should appeal to booklovers of all genres. The character development is phenomenal, the mystery has plenty of red herrings, and the literary aspects are fascinating! Lauren Elliott works her magic and makes history both alive and relevant in her modern-day cozy mystery series, Beyond the Page Bookshop. I can’t wait to see what is in store for us with the next installment!

*review is in the editing queue at Fresh Fiction*

Although not a book I will be ordering in my professional life, it is a title that I will be recommending in my personal life!

I really enjoy this series! Great group of characters, and I love that Addie's cousin and Martha are friends. This was an interesting story, and very enjoyable to read. I love Addie's group of friends. Looking forward to the next book in the series!

Addie Greyborne's bookstore, Beyond the Page, has been hopping ever since the Greyborne Harbor’s Historical Society announced the cooking contest where the best Civil War baked recipe will win $5,000. Addie has ordered in numerous different cookbooks related to the period and they are going like hotcakes. Juggling the inventory and sales of the shop, Addie is interrupted by a call from her cousin, Kalea, to come to her dress shop quickly. When she arrives, Kalea points to her dead boyfriend, stabbed with a hanger. Kalea had been sleeping upstairs and came down to find this! She is near hysteria but the Chief of Police, Addie's old boyfriend, seems to have it in his head that Kalea is the murderer.

Addie knows that Kalea couldn't do this, so she has to garner all her energies and find who really did this.

This is a good series with realistic characters and a nice setting.

The setting of this series is so idyllic that I am upset that I can’t visit it. I love the vintage bookstore with the tea shop next door; the idea of curling up with a good book and a cup of tea is my idea of perfection. The mysteries are always well crafted and keep me guessing to the very end. And I loved the Civil War recipes contest; what a neat idea! Where this series loses points is in the characters. It's Addie that is unlikeable. Her presumption that she is entitled to privileged information relating to the investigation is probably her most annoying trait; she demands information from the police chief as if she is better than him and he would be lost without her. Her cousin, Kalea, is just as insufferable and if it weren’t for these two, this series would probably be one of my favorites. Still, they’re written so well that I keep coming back for more.

This series is a great one in the cozy world and the latest mystery doesn't disappoint. I love how Elliott has built an amazing community of characters that continue to delight this reader.

When her cousins boyfriend is murdered and becomes the primary suspect, Addie must once again don her sleuthing hat to find the real killer before it's too late. A great installment of the Beyond the Page Bookstore series!

Addie Greyborne's at it again, solving the murder of her cousin's boyfriend. Jared Monroe was found dead in Kalea Hudson's dress shop. The police are looking at Kalea as the murderer. What follows is mistaken identity, the mystery of what was contain in the vintage briefcase that Jared carried. We see several of our favorite characters return, as Addie, and Simon continue to navigate their romance to an eventual HEA.

Greybourne Harbor is having a Civil War-themed Thanksgiving and that has made Addie and her bookshop really busy with all the special orders. Unfortunately, during this busy time, Addie also finds her cousin's boyfriend murdered. Addie must find out what actually happened before her cousin is arrested?

I'm enjoying the story in this whole series. I like Addie and her friends. I just wish she would be less wishy-washy about her love life. I feel like she's being so callous about everyone's feelings. I just want her to admit her feelings and settle down. I was kept on the edge of my seat throughout the whole investigation in this book. I had a lot of fun reading this one!

A delightful addition to a charming series. All the usual characters plus several new ones. Small town living at its finest. Some interesting surprises. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley.

This is book seven in the series and it is also the first book from this series that I have read. Normally, if I read a book in the middle of a cozy mystery series I am able to connect with the characters quite quickly, that was not the case with this book. I will blame this on myself, I should go back and read the first six books so I have a better understanding of the characters and their connections.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. I was able to figure out the killer but I didn't mind because the author kept throwing out red herrings that had me double guessing my deduction. Now that I have been introduced to the characters I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

To The Tome of Murder
A Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery #7
by Lauren Elliott
Publisher’s Summary
Three weeks before Thanksgiving, bookshop owner Addie Greyborne already has a full plate—and a killer on her case...
Addie’s determined to turn a seemingly ordinary November in coastal Greyborne Harbor into one for the books. The windows of her shop display carefully curated works by American writers, including a rare selection of traditional holiday recipes from the influential 19th-century publication Godey’s Ladies Magazine. And then there’s the town’s Civil War-era themed cooking and baking competition, with a hefty cash prize and free publicity going to the winning dish...

But when she finds her cousin’s boyfriend murdered, a stunned Addie reluctantly realizes she may be the only person who can blow the cover off a grisly crime. With so many unanswered questions surrounding the victim’s death, Addie must figure out the strange connection between a mysterious vintage briefcase, the disappearance of a first edition copy of Sarah Josepha Hale’s famous nursery rhyme, “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” and a dangerously well-read culprit...

My thoughts
I can’t believe this is the seventh book in this series. I’ve look forward to returning to Greyborne Harbor and the residents with each book. For this visit, Greyborne Harbor is getting ready for a Civil War cooking competition. Addie Greyborne and Paige Stringer, her assistant manager, are getting the bookstore ready by stocking up with Civil War material. Addie is busy working on the window display when she receives a phone call from her cousin, Kalea. It’s garbled, but Addie makes out enough to send her running from her shop to her cousin’s dress shop, Hudson’s Creations on Main.
Addie arrives at a locked shop. Kalea sees Addie through the shop’s window and unlocks the door. Still unable to talk, Kalea points and Addie steps around the scattered merchandise on the floor and finds a body, speared with a broken hanger.
Kalea is the number one suspect for the murder, and it falls on Addie to clear Kalea’s name. But trying to clear Kalea’s name is harder than Kalea expects and time is running out.
Author information/links
Lauren Elliott
Other books by this author.
Publishing information
Published by: Kensington
Imprint: Kensington
320 Pages
ISBN: 9781496735126
FICTION / MYSTERY & DETECTIVE / WOMEN SLEUTHS

To the Tome of Murder is the seventh book in the Beyond The Page Bookstore Mystery series by Lauren Elliott, but trust me you can jump in here and love every minute of it! To the Tome of Murder is a great cozy with lots of engaging twists, wonderful friendships and relationships, and unfortunately will not quell your dreams of owning a bookshop. I absolutely loved this book and devoured it! Now I get to go back and read the first six, a perfect way to spend my fall.

5/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I am amazed at how this series is progressing. Each book is better and better. I will admit when I finished the first book I did not like Addie. She got on my nerves but now I love her. She is working through her grief and her past and learning to love and trust again. She is making friends and looks for the good in everyone she meets.

I still do not like Simon though. There is just something about him that turns me off as being perfect for Addie. I am still not sure Mark is perfect either. I think I like her single.

Book 7 takes place around Thanksgiving and is filled with love, thankfulness, and murder. Murder is always on the menu. Interesting ending. I am ready for more.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed above are entirely my own.

Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught!