Delaney who owns a bookshop in Scotland and her coworker attend a literary gathering to celebrate the poet Burns. After the gathering the house burns to the ground and a man dies. Delaney coworker is accused of the murder. Delaney investigates and discovers long ago secrets amongst the town and the fact her coworker might have a very good reason to murder. A fun mystery, loved the setting and characters

Delaney is trying to determine who is burning down bookstores and the Burns memorial building. The police are questioning one of her bookstore's employees and she knows he didn't do it.
Minotaur Books and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It will be published on April 5th.

Hamlet hides for a bit after the police inquiry but he eventually comes back. He tells Delaney he didn't start the fire and he didn't kill the man inside the building. She believes him.

His heritage is strange, and Delaney tries to find his mother. The more she looks, the more it looks like a dead end.

Then more buildings are set on fire. They are saved but they need to find the firebug.

There are unpleasant surprises, and the firebug is finally located. I was surprised by who was doing it. Will you be?

A cozy mystery set in Scotland. This is the 7th book in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery. I've read several of these and enjoyed them. This one involves an arsonist and a murder, and I have to say it kept my attention.

Delaney Nichols and her co-worker Hamlet, booksellers at the Cracked Spine bookshop, were invited to a Burns night dinner (celebrating the famed poet Robert Burns). It is an exclusive group and Delaney can't figure out why she was invited. At the dinner it becomes clear that she was tricked into coming to alleviate a long-term beach of friendship between her boss, Edwin, and one of the invitees who thinks Edwin burned down his bookshop twenty years ago after a disagreement. These two had once been best friends. Delaney and Hamlet leave, and later find that the Burns House, where the dinner was held, burned down after they left and a body was found there. Hamlet is accused of the crime and Delaney is determined to prove his innocence.

There turns out to be several mysteries here and it makes for a fun read trying to solve them (which I didn't). There were some red herrings and surprise revelations, all leading up to the final reveal. The pacing was good and the characters were interesting.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published April 5,2022.

Scottish books seem to be proliferating of late and this is a well-written one.
It is full of interesting twists and turns. This one had a great character named Hamlet and he is an enigmatic person who is not surprisingly a charismatic character. The book begins innocently enough with Delaney and Hamlet being invited to a Burns dinner in a place with connections to the Scottish Bard. Unfortunately, the building burned down, and a dead man is found.
Slowly and methodically the mystery unfolds in a most intriguing manner the mystery unfolds
I quite enjoyed the book and reading it.

Loved the mystery plot that continues in this book and the setting is one of my favorites. Who doesn’t love a good book store mystery??

The Burning Pages is the 7th book in a series. Author Paige Shelton creates a stand alone mystery, although reading at least the first book--if not all of the 6 previous mysteries, would be helpful as a way to better understand the characters. That said, The Burning Paiges, does work as a successful mystery. The characters are interesting, even without knowing their background history. Arson and murder occupy the protagonists and readers, as they try to guess the villain. In truth, the villain does come as a surprise, given the brief history provided. My guess as to who was the villain was wrong, although my choice was not exactly a very good person, someone else was actually responsible.

I did enjoy this mystery, though, and will look for the author's previous books. I liked the characters and would like to know more about them. I appreciate that Shelton and St Martin's Press provided this ARC for me to read. As always, my review is my own opinion. I enjoyed this mystery, but had I not, I would certainly say so. I also appreciate that NetGalley provided access to this mystery and that they have introduced me to so many new writers.

Ms. Shelton has done it again! Mystery, intrigue, history, and a lot of Scottish charm are all wrapped up into one sweet cozy mystery. “The Burning Pages” is book 7 in A Scottish Bookshop Mystery series. Delaney and Hamlet are invited to attend a Burns Night dinner at the House of Burns. Who sent her the invitation and why? Things start to unravel at the dinner leading to a mystery and a murder that could affect everyone at The Cracked Spine. However, that is not the only mystery that Delaney has to try and solve. What is the mystery that Delaney has uncovered in the warehouse, and will solving that affect those she loves? A birth certificate, a surprise visitor, a mysterious fortune teller, and a killer freed, make for twists and turns that will call into question everything Delaney thought she knew. I love the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series! The detailed descriptions of various places in Scotland, the delightful characters, and mystery after mystery, are all wrapped up into one good book after another! It is hard for me to determine which of the books in the series are my favorite because they are all so wonderfully written. From the depictions of the closes, the architecture of the city, down to the Scottish brogue, no detail is left out. I do wonder, how does Delaney get herself into these scrapes? Sometimes it seems a little implausible that a woman relatively new to Scotland, is able to solve mysteries that no one else seems to be able to. However, that in no way detracts from the pure enjoyment of reading these books. I was also a little disappointed that there weren’t as many bookish “voices” that talk to Delaney. I quite enjoy reading the quotes that the “voices” say to Delaney and trying to figure out what kind of clue they are trying to give to her. I look forward to every book and hope that there are more to come. This series makes me long to go to Scotland and see if perhaps I can find my own The Cracked Spine bookshop. I thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

"Delaney Nichols faces off against an elusive arsonist in the seventh Scottish Bookshop Mystery, The Burning Pages, from beloved author Paige Shelton....

One winter's night, bookseller Delaney Nichols and her coworker Hamlet are invited to a Burns Night dinner, a traditional Scottish celebration of the poet Robert Burns. She's perplexed by the invitation, but intrigued. The dinner takes place at Burns House itself, a tiny cottage not far from the Cracked Spine bookshop but well hidden. There, it becomes clear that Delaney and Hamlet were summoned in an attempt to make amends between Edwin, Delaney's boss, and one of the other invitees, who suspected Edwin for burning down his own bookshop twenty years ago after a professional disagreement.

But after the dinner, there’s another fire. The Burns House itself is burned to the ground, and this time there’s a body among the ruins. When Hamlet is accused of the crime, Delaney rushes to prove his innocence, only to discover that he might actually have a plausible motive..."

Here for ALL the Robert Burns within these pages!

This is the 7th in this series . I didn’t read the others and still enjoyed this book.I enjoyed the characters and the mystery. This story will take you on twist and turns you don’t expect. You may want to start at the beginning of the series but I believe you can read this as a standalone. A enjoyable read

It all begins with a hidden document. A document that will change lives forever. When Delaney is invited to a dinner celebrating Robert Burns, she questions why... Then one of the guests is killed. Does it have anything to do with the paper she found? Quick read for the weekend.

This was an enjoyable mystery with interesting characters. The story keeps you guessing who the murderer might be right up until the end. Then you get what for me was a surprise finish. I liked this book but had to find the first one in this series and read that first to get a better understanding of who the characters were. I will look for the other books in this series and look forward to any future ones.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

She's my favorite cozy writer. I'd read any of her books but this one was particularly good.

Delaney Nichols continues her successful amateur sleuthing in Paige Shelton's latest Scottish Bookshop Mystery, The Burning Pages. In this story an invitation to a Burns Night dinner leads to arson and murder. I found this storyline to be quite intriguing as well as very entertaining. I really like the characters featured in this story. I am really looking forward to the next Scottish Bookshop whodunit.

The Burning Pages by Paige Shelton may be the seventh book in this series but it's not flagging in originality or gotten stale from repeating the same old story lines.
Ms. Shelton has weaved an intricate plot woven with clues and red herrings that work to trick the reader into guessing "who done it". I do enjoy Delaney and her "bookish voices". She has made herself at home Edinburgh, Scotland and created a family of friends while away from her USA home. The creative twists and turns along with some startling revelations made this a book that I didn't want to put down until I reached the end.

Just like it’s predecessors, The Burning Pages is a cozy mystery worthy of the name.

It’s the type of book you want to be curled up and comfy with. Perhaps with a hot beverage, a toasty fire and a big blanket to cuddle.

It makes you feel cozy.

The story, mystery and characters are enjoyable as always. It’s the type of book you want to make sure you have a good chunk of time to read because once you start, you don’t want to put it down!

Fun and exciting, The Burning Pages is a wonderful addition to an already excellent series.

Delaney is a good character and while I enjoyed the book, I did find a few parts that tended to lag.
Delaney is invited to a dinner to celebrate the life of Robert Burns, and after the event, a series of unfortunate events take place.
Overall not a bad read, just a little stale at times.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

I think the story would be much more fulfilling with at least 1-2 other stories behind you.

Be that as it may, I did keep going and quickly realized that I kept getting images of Angela Lansbury popping into my head. This book is geared to amateur sleuth lovers and lovers of books. It’s a fun and interesting twist of plots that I seemingly dived into.

Shelton tells a whimsical story set in Scotland in the perfect setting for a Roberts Burns celebration. With the highly detailed settings and colorful imagery that carries you away, the plot is complex and winding.

I did get lost a few times as we tried to find the murderer and arsonist of several different fires over the years. There are multiple characters to keep you on your toes and I got lost in there a time or two as well.

Overall, the story is entertaining, with plenty of bends and curls to keep you guessing to the end. Shelton has a great following with this series and The Burning Pages looks to be a winner addition! Just not a favorite for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this mystery, the 7th in a series by Paige Shelton. Although I haven't read any of the other books, I was able to follow the story as a stand-alone.
The first-person narrator, American ex-patriate Delaney Nichols, has embraced her new life in Edinburgh, married to a pub owner and working in a quaint bookshop. In this volume, her brother Wyatt has come to visit, and he ends up helping her with her sleuthing.
When the story opens, Delaney is invited to a Burns Night dinner, a traditional Scottish celebration of the poet Robert Burns. She invites her young colleague Hamlet to attend with her.
Tension erupts with one of the other guests, who holds a grudge against Delaney's boss. Uncomfortable with the situation, Delaney and Hamlet leave early. Not long afterward, the venue burns down, and the murdered body of one of the guests is found inside. Hamlet becomes the principal suspect and then disappears.
Besides working with the police to prove Hamlet's innocence, Delaney has another mystery to solve. Just before the Burns event, she found a mysterious birth certificate that might belong to Hamlet, an orphan who knows nothing of his origins.
In this convoluted tale, Delaney is able to connect the dots, figure out how the two mysteries are intertwined, and identify the killer. Although parts of the story seemed rushed and far-fetched, I enjoyed the read, especially the Scottish setting, and I did not guess the murderer until it was revealed.

There's a bit of mystic, for lack of a better word, in Delaney's world. On the surface she works in a bookstore but there is, oh, so much more to this bookstore. There are secrets. Secrets meshed with Scottish lore. Somehow it all seems normal. The plot is relatively simple. Delaney is unexpectedly invited to a Robert Burns Night dinner and takes bookshop worker and Robert Burns fan Hamlet along. It's an uncomfortable gathering for Delaney and she and Hamlet leave early. That same night the building she visited for the dinner is burnt down and one of the other attendees is murdered. Hamlet is a suspect. That's where it gets complicated.

Hamlet is at the center of the story. His true background is shrouded by unknowns, including his parentage. When Delaney finds a birth certificate that might belong to him, she becomes as focused, if not more so, on discovering the truth behind his heritage as she does the murder. In fact, I had gotten so caught up in the mystery surrounding Hamlet that I almost forgot about the murder. You're never quite sure if the two parallel story lines are related or not. I mean, what could Hamlet's birth have to do with building being burned, murder, and old grievances? Are the Robert Burns' excerpts that keep popping into Delaney's mind important?

While I think it certainly helps if you've read some of the previous books in the series as I have, "The Burning Page" works nicely as a stand-alone. We get to know more about those who love and surround Delaney, including her brother Wyatt who is visiting. I honestly wouldn't call this an easy read, there is a great deal of background history and intertwining of stories, so it does take some thought to follow Delaney's thought processes, both right and wrong, as her mind veers from one mystery to the other. Yes, she does take the wrong turn occasionally. I actually rather like that as it makes her all the more human.

Bottom line. There is a great deal going on in this story. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Maybe the fact I have some Scottish heritage only added to that? In any case, this has been an interesting series from the very start and I am looking forward to what happens next in Delaney's world. Given that this book focused on one of the supporting characters, perhaps more about them? I'm sure there will be more Scottish literature and lore, so I'm ready. Give it a read.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for letting me visit Delaney in Scottland for a time. It was much enjoyed.

This seventh book in author Paige Shelton's, "Scottish Book Shop" mystery series, is a wonderful and charming addition. As a cozy mystery, it holds a touch more seriousness than many and a heaping dollop of concern from and for friends and family.

Delaney Nichols, rotagonist and Edinburgh's "The Cracked Spine" bookstore manager, has received a curious invitation to a local Burns supper in celebration of illustrious Scottish poet, Robert Burns' birthday. Even though her brother is visiting from Kansas, Delaney takes heed of her bookish voices and asks Hamlet, the young bookstore employee and Burns afficionado, if he'd like to accompany her. It turns out that her boss and bookstore owner, Edwin MacAllister, originally started the Burns club and had a falling out with one of the members some years back, after which Edwin left the club. This makes the dinner invitation somewhat curious and possibly nefarious. Tensions are heightened, yet Delaney and Hamlet agree to attend. At the dinner, there was a bit of a kerfuffle and our beloved duo quickly leave the dinner. Later that night, the club burned down...with a body found within.

At one point, dear sweet Hamlet, becomes a person of interest and he's not being forthcoming with what he knows. Meanwhile, Edwin too has his secrets. Delaney, though respectful of her colleagues, is still eager to disperse any and all accusations made against Hamlet. If only Hamlet would come clean with what he knows, and trust her and their colleagues.

Through all the twists and turns there were many a red herring. We readers tagged along through the streets, parks and buildings of Cowgate and Holyrood, which Ms. Shelton so adeptly described. The writing is good with excellent character development and scene painting. The references to the works of Robert Burns were informative and illustrative. This was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I eagerly await the next installment in this wonderful series.

I am grateful to Minotaur books for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.