We are back in Edinburgh, Scotland with Delaney at the Cracked Spine Bookshop. Delaney and her husband Tom have been invited to meet the artist Ryory Brennigan he does Pict art. He is also covered in the blue ink tattoos. (I had to do some googling.) Delaney meets a man at the shop who is also from Kansas and works at the University of Kansas. They eventually learn the man Dr. pace was found dead at his rental house. He was trying to sell Ry a stone tablet that deciphered the Pict language. He wouldn't show the tablet to Ry but wanted a lot of money. (That seems familiar and very sus.) Delaney uses her skills and helps the police find clues, connections and maybe the killer.

I really enjoyed this book and I'm a big fan of the author. The writing hooks you in right away. I also love learning more about the history of Scotland. A great cozy mystery.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Browsing through NetGalley, the cover of this book instantly drew me in. The carved stone and large bone make for a fun intro to the plot inside. I have not read the previous 9 books in the series and though I think it could be helpful, I was still able to easily follow along with the plot. The information about the Picts and their history in Scotland along with the elusive artist, Ryory made for a fun mystery. Despite it being a relatively short book, I did find that the last 40% of the book dragged a bit for me and I wouldn't have minded a bit more danger and sleuthing happening. Overall, I found this to be a fun cozy mystery with a unique plot focus. I would definitely pick up other books by Paige Shelton, especially the first in this series!

Delaney wins an invitation to visit the studio of artist Ryory Bennigan, but isn’t sure what to expect. When she and Tom make the visit, they learn that Ryory is obsessed with recreating the stones the Picts left behind. They also meet a paleontologist visiting from Delaney’s alma mater, trying to sell an artifact that might decode the Picts’ language. When his body is found and his past comes to light, Delaney reluctantly looks into the matter herself.

I think this and her <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/265529-alaska-wild">Alaska Wild</a> series are my two favorites by this author. Way before this tenth book in the series, Delaney settled in to her new life in Edinburgh – quite a change from Kansas! She has wonderful people around her, at work and in her personal life, and I love the relationships she has with each of them. Of course they each have different strengths, but that’s why they work together so well. I missed a couple of recurring characters from earlier books, but hope they’ll be back in future stories.

As has become a habit while reading books from this series, on more than one occasion I found myself scurrying to Google [and other sources :)] to learn what I could about the central theme of the book, in this case the Picts. I had never heard of them, so what I learned was fascinating.

At first, it was hard to come up with a list of suspects in the murder, but as the investigation turned up more and more of his past history, the list became longer and longer. Many of those names were eliminated for assorted reasons, but one of the remaining characters stayed at or near the top of my personal list almost from the moment they were introduced. That assessment turned out to be correct, but I did not work out the motive before it was revealed.

This author – or her publisher? – doesn’t usually let her series run too long, so as I read each new book, I keep asking “Is this the last book?” I hope it’s not, as I look forward to another visit to the Cracked Spine and the city of Edinburgh.

Delaney and her husband Tom receive an exclusive invitation to meet with reclusive artist Byory Bennigan at the Hidden Door Festival. They follow the secret directions to the artist's studio and meet a man coming from meeting Byory. This man is Dr. Adam Pace who just happens to be from the Univ. of Kansas, which is Delaney's alma mater. Meeting Byory and his assistant, Ani, is an experience not to be forgotten. The next day Delaney receives news that Dr. Pace has been found dead at the house he was renting, and it is not reported if it was accident or murder, but right away Delaney's mind is turning. When Det. Winters asks Delaney to contact her friend back at the Univ. for any information on why Dr. Pace was in Scotland, she's all in. What she learns is disturbing and leads to more questions than answers. And it also leads Delaney, Tom and her friends from the bookshop to dig around until they can find the answers to what happened, especially when it is revealed that Dr. Pace was poisoned.

Paige Shelton delivers another delightful literary mystery with Written in Stone, the tenth installment in the Scottish Bookshop series. Set against the charming and atmospheric backdrop of Edinburgh, the novel once again follows bookshop employee and amateur sleuth Delaney as she gets tangled in a new murder case. This time, a mysterious artifact linked to the ancient Picts and a visiting paleontologist with a questionable past set the stage for intrigue. When Dr. Adam Pace is found dead before he can finalize the sale of a supposed relic, Delaney’s curiosity gets the best of her—especially when the police seem slow to act.

Shelton masterfully blends history, folklore, and suspense, making Written in Stone an engaging read for both cozy mystery lovers and history buffs. The mystery itself is well-paced, with enough twists and red herrings to keep readers guessing. The addition of the Hidden Door Festival and the enigmatic artist Ryory Bennigan adds depth to the setting, immersing readers in the rich cultural and historical tapestry of Edinburgh. While some moments feel a bit predictable, Delaney’s sharp wit and determination make for an entertaining journey. Fans of the series will find this installment a satisfying blend of bookish charm and sleuthing adventure.

You know there's going to be trouble when a Crusader sword turns up. Or an alleged Crusader sword. This should have been an easy assignment for Delaney but then there's a murder and she's in the thick of it. This is a little more chaotic usual (too many characters) and I wasn't a fan of the plot line about whether Jolie is the rightful heir to the throne. For one thing, you don't need an old diary when there's DNA. Regardless, it's always nice to spend time with Delany, Edwin and the rest. And to spend time in Scotland. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Could be read as a standalone.

I love reading books set in Scotland and I’m beyond excited to be visiting there later this spring! This cozy mystery series is set in Edinburgh where the main character, Delaney works at a bookstore called The Cracked Spine. She’s an American ex-pat, originally from Kansas and is now married to a local pub owner, Tom. This is the tenth book in the series, so it’s no surprise that Delaney knows at least one of the city detectives quite well.

The mystery surrounds another American, a professor also from Kansas, who has been trying to peddle artifacts to various Scottish museums and also to a locally well known but reclusive artist, Ryory Bennigan, who has been studying the Picts and is covered in Pictish blue tattoos and sculpts symbols from Pictish heritage. (The Picts lived in the area in the early Middle Ages and are a bit mysterious in that not a lot is known about them.)

I’ve only read one other book in this series and enjoyed it. This one, however, seemed to move very slowly and I had a hard time keeping my interest going, which is a shame because I have loved Shelton’s Alaska series so much. The mystery wasn’t very engaging and there were a lot of descriptions and detail that didn’t help move the plot along. Nevertheless, the descriptions of Edinburgh are wonderful and I truly can’t wait to see some of these spots in person!

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Very different but complex mystery from Paige Shelton. See my complete review on www.crimefictionreview.com.

Delaney and Tom receive an invitation to sculptor Ryory Bennigan's studio. The artist is very private so they're intrigued.by the invite. The man they meet has red hair and is covered with blue tattoos reflecting his interest in the Picts. Picts didn't leave much behind except stones with symbols and those are rare. As they arrive for their visit they meet Dr. Pace, an American paleontologist who claims to have discovered a Pict stone that he hopes Ryory will buy, When Pace is found dead Delaney decides to look into the fellow American who taught at her alma mater in Kansas. What she finds exposes a dark side to the professor. He has approached other Edinburgh museums with shady offers of dinosaur bones . The mystery is interesting but doesn't really live up to the initial interest. The guilty party is fairly easy to identify early on and the motivation is weak. Still, it's always fun to catch up with the Cracked Spine characters but I did miss Elias.
Thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC.

I came into this series out of order, and sometimes it means you miss things. The author did a great job creating a stand-alone mystery while still keeping the nuance of a series. I could tell there is a back story behind the main character and her husband, and I'm eager to learn more about her inner thought dialogue and how it came about. The mystery is written so well you could create your own murder board and follow along with the main character but not want to scream "get on with it already!". I will be adding the other books to my TBR list. Thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Paige Shelton for letting me read this early.

One of the best things about Paige Shelton's Scottish Bookshop mysteries is the sense of setting. The descriptions of Edinburgh make me feel as if I'm there, and for days after finishing a book I find myself saying, "Aye, lass" when wondering if I should have another cup of tea. (I know Delaney isn't a tea fan, but I am.) Shelton also does a great job of including historical perspective into the stories in a relevant and entertaining way, so I learn a good deal about the history of Scotland and Edinburgh. In this book, I learned about the Picts, a group I knew nothing about previously.

Of course, the mysteries are as fun to read as the descriptions and Written in Stone has a great mystery at its core. A visiting professor from Delaney's alma mater in Kansas is visiting Edinburgh, but is murdered shortly after he and Delaney meet. They were both visiting a local artist, and the professor's death opens the door to questions about the legitimacy of historical artifacts, art, and, of all things, dinosaur bones.

Delaney, as always, doggedly searches for clues while interviewing everyone she can find, aided by her friends at the bookshop, her husband, and even the police inspector she's sort of befriended. The solution to the murder rings true at the end, and the various other crimes uncovered throughout the story are all tied neatly to the murder.

This is yet another excellent cozy mystery set in beautiful and historic Edinburgh. If you're wondering if you should pick this up, the answer is "Aye, lass/lad."

Great read and a solid 4 stars for this book. I love the setting and all the characters - they are well defined and so much fun to follow. As a fellow Kansan, I appreciated the nod to KU and Delaney's references to her home and alma mater. The history woven in was intriguing and so neat to learn about that I would like to learn more! A bit scary to learn about the applications of 3-D printing and how it can be used for nefarious reasons - but cool technology for sure. I cannot wait for another Delaney book and others by this Author! I appreciated an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review - many thanks to the publisher, Author, and NetGalley for this opportunity.

Next in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series, another adventure with Delaney at The Cracked Spine Bookshop in Edinburgh. This is a good cozy mystery series with likable characters set in a bookshop in Scotland.

Book Review: Written In Stone
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Paige Shelton @paigebooks
Publisher: Minotaure Books @minotaur_books @stmartinspress
Thank you @netgalley for my ARC.

Review: Written in Stone

The 10th installment in Paige Shelton’s Scottish Bookshop Mystery series delivers everything cozy mystery fans love—bookish intrigue, fascinating history, and a clever amateur sleuth.

Delaney Nichols, now happily settled in Edinburgh with her husband, is invited to a rare studio viewing of reclusive artist Ryory Bennigan, whose work is inspired by the ancient Picts. But when a visiting paleontologist, Dr. Adam Pace, is found dead after trying to sell a mysterious artifact, Delaney’s natural curiosity leads her into a tangled web of deception, fake artifacts, and a dangerous killer who may strike again.

The mix of historical lore, contemporary tech (3D printing and fraud schemes!), and a richly atmospheric Edinburgh setting make this mystery both engaging and immersive. The pacing is brisk, and the quirky bookshop crew adds humor and warmth. I also appreciated how Delaney’s investigative skills are recognized by the police, making for a refreshing change from the usual “stay out of it” trope.

With its blend of mystery, history, and bookish charm, Written in Stone is a delightful page-turner. Fans of the series will love this latest installment, and new readers can jump in without feeling lost. Highly recommended for cozy mystery lovers!

#CozyMystery #ScottishBookshopMystery #BookishReads #MurderInEdinburgh #HistoricalMystery #PaigeShelton #WrittenInStone #Whodunit #MysteryLovers #readers #read #books #ReadingCommunity #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #readreadread #readersgonnaread #bookstagrammer #booksbooksbooks #readmorebooks #bookshelf

The tenth Scottish Bookshop Mystery has Delaney attending a Hidden Door Festival with her husband Tom. She has received an invitation to meet reclusive artist Ryory Bennigan and tour his studio. She is very curious about her fellow redhead and his interest in the Picts.

When she and Tom arrive, their appointment is delayed by the presence of Dr. Adam Pace who is a visiting paleontologist from her alma mater in Kansas. After he leaves, the tour precedes until Ryory's assistant Ani is taken suddenly ill.

The next day she learns that Dr. Pace has been found murdered. She begins to look into the case and soon finds herself involved in dinosaur bones and bogus Pictish artifacts. It seems Dr. Pace was not always working on the right side of the law.

This was an engaging episode in this long-running series. I enjoy Delaney and the other staff at the bookstore including her enigmatic boss. Delaney's wide acquaintanceship in Edinburgh combined with Edwin's means that she has a chance to interview a wide variety of people, tour various museums, and learn about Dr. Pace's recent activities.

Fans of the series will enjoy this latest episode.

Written in Stone by Paige Shelton is the tenth in the Scottish Bookshop Series. Although it is clear that these characters have history together the story is fine as a standalone. It was the first that I have read, and I plan to go back and read the others.

After moving to Scotland to work at the Cracked Spine bookstore and marrying a handsome Scot, in this adventure, Delaney becomes embroiled in a mystery surrounding an artist who specialized in Pictish designs, and a professor from her home state of Kansas.

I enjoyed getting to know Delaney’s coworkers and loved the setting in Edinburgh.
Although I was reasonably certain about the killer early on, I didn’t know why, and there were a good number of suspects to consider. I felt like a couple of threads with the artist’s assistant were not wrapped up well, but overall, the story was fun and kept my attention.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC.

Delaney and Tom receive an invitation to speak to a reclusive artist in Edinburgh who specializes in Pict culture, even tattooing his body in blue Pict designs. Delaney runs into an American professor there and discovers he is from the university she attended. The professor is soon found dead and a murder investigation is underway. Delaney learns through friends at her old university that the professor, though well-liked, was involved in a scandal involving 3-D printed dinosaur bones being passed off as real. The professor was now touting that he had found a Pict stone to translate their long-forgotten language. What was he up to here in Scotland? Delaney and the crew are pulled into the mystery.
It’s love The Cracked Spine and the friends who work there. The mystery kept me guessing until the end and was a fun read.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Edinburgh, Scotland - Present Day

Delaney and her husband Tom have won an invitation at the Hidden Door Festival to a private visit at artist Ryory Bennigan's studio. Ryory is rarely seen in the city, and lives a quiet life away from the public. So it's a treat especially for Delaney to get the opportunity to not only meet the man, but to see his studio. Ry is fascinated by the ancient Picts of Scotland, and even has the blue toned tattoos they were known to have on their bodies. When Delaney and Tom arrive at the studio, they meet another person who is leaving, a paleontologist, Dr. Adam Pace, who is, ironically, from the same Kansas university that Delaney attended. He, too, admits to an interest in the Picts.

Ryory is proud to show his studio and discuss his artwork with Delaney and Tom, and it is revealed that Dr. Pace has offered an artifact supposedly from the Picts to Ry. But within days, Dr. Pace is found dead, apparently murdered, and there seem to be a few people who might be suspects. After Delaney contacts a friend at the university in Kansas, she is surprised to find out that Dr. Pace had made some poor decisions there, and that his move to Edinburgh was to avoid further problems. As Delaney digs further into Pace's local involvement, she begins to discover that he was making some odd arrangements with different people.

WRITTEN IN STONE is book ten in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery books, and it's going to be difficult for not only Delaney, but the Edinburgh police to find out why Dr. Pace was killed. There are a few people that he may have angered, but were there more? And what was his ultimate goal? And how real were the artifacts he was peddling?

Don't miss WRITTEN IN STONE with its intriguing story set in beautiful and mysterious Edinburgh.

3.5

I enjoyed this cozy mystery. I hadn't realized it was book 10 in the series but I was able to follow along and had no issues keeping up. I had a good time reading this one. The lingo took me a minute to get used to since this is based out if Scotland and I did struggle to get into it but once I did I was here for the ride. It was interesting, kept me engaged once I got the first few chapters done, and kept me guessing on who did it. All in all I it was a good read and a fun cozy mystery.

Another interesting mystery with Delaney and the crew from the Cracked Spine. A chance encounter outside of an artist event drags Delaney, Tom, and company into another mysterious murder. When an American professor is found dead, shortly after a chance meeting with Delaney, he was from the Kansas University where she got her degrees, and an artist with history questions, the crew is going to be dragged in. What I always enjoy about this series is the weaving of art, history, and books, the chance to learn a little something while spending a little more time in Scotland. The other plus is the lovely circle of characters and that everyone has something to contribute. Fans of the series will definitely enjoy spending more time with the crew in various bookstores and museums all over the city. Thanks to #Netgally, #Minotaur, and the author for an opportunity to catch up! #WritteninStone #AScottishBookstoreMystery #PaigeShelton #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader