Prologue to Murder

Lauren Elliott

Apr 2019 · A Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery Book 2 · Kensington Cozies

About this ebook

After a career working with rare books at the Boston Public Library, Addie Greyborne is back in her seaside New England hometown—where unfortunately, murder is not so rare . . .
 
Gossip columnists love a bold-faced name—but “Miss Newsy” at Greyborne Harbor’s local paper seems to specialize in bald-faced lies. She’s pointed a finger of suspicion at Addie after librarian June Winslow never makes it home from a book club meeting. And when June’s found at the bottom of a steep flight of stairs, Addie’s not only dealing with a busybody, but a dead body.
 
It’s a good thing the guy she’s dating is the police chief. But both the case and her love life get more complicated when a lanky blonde reporter from Los Angeles shows up. She’s trying her hardest to drive a wedge between the couple . . . as if Addie doesn’t have enough problems dealing with angry townspeople. Despite all the rumors, Addie doesn’t know a thing about the murder—but she plans to find out. And the key may lie in a book about pirate legends that June published. Now she just has to hunt down the clues before she becomes a buried treasure herself . . .

Ratings and reviews

A fine bit of fun with pirate treasure maps, ancestral curses, treasure & Addie finds all the romantic trimmings with two handsome suitors & an arch rival who'll stop at nothing to drive her out of town! Light entertaining reading.

Prologue to Murder, the second book in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series, is an entertaining visit to a community that revels in its pirate history as well as an interesting mystery. The store owner’s connections in the community are new but we see the strength that even new friendships can bring. I especially enjoyed watching the evolution of the relationship between Addie and her young goth clerk. Atmosphere and action enhance this intriguing novel while Addie works to bring back business and find the murder. Just as things are setting down for Addie Greyborn in her new town and with her inherited book store the much-loved librarian is missing and a gossip columnist announces that the new bookstore owner is responsible. Business disappears as complete as June, the librarian. Before long the body turns up and the evil anonymous columnist decides that Addie is the killer and customers are absent. Friends assure her that the buzz will die down, but she remembers what happened not much earlier and has doubts that they are right. She has doesn’t know where to start but is determined reveal the real killer. The town’s people are getting ready to celebrate the pirate history of the community, and Addie learns that the library has written a book about pirates in the area. When she learns that there may be some information missing from the manuscript, with no other clues, she is determined to discover if that book and that treasure be behind the murder. It doesn’t help that her new love interest is being chased by his gorgeous ex-fiancé. I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley. #NetGalley #ProloguetoMurder

Prologue to Murder is the second book in A Beyond the Page Mystery series.  I would suggest reading Murder by the Book before embarking on this new tale.  Addie is hoping her new life will get back on track after the last murder.  Unfortunately, it does not seem to be in the cards for Addie.  She has her newcomer status working against her plus her last name.  It does not help to be the subject of gossip in the Miss Newsy column.  Martha, the bakery owner, still dislikes Addie.  It was nice to finally learn why Martha does not like Addie.  Serena and Addie have some friendship issues thanks to the returning Lacey Davenport.  Lacey is a catty woman who is out for herself (I really could not stand this character).  I appreciate that Addie and Serena communicated with each other to work out the issues.  It was nice to see Serena grow as an individual.  We also get to know more about Paige, Addie’s part-time shop assistant.  We are introduced to Dr. Simon Emerson who becomes Marc’s rival for Addie’s affections (I hope the author rectifies this matter quickly).  I could have done with less romance in this book.  I prefer the focus to remain on the mystery and for romance to play out in the background over the course of the series.  The mystery was the best part of the book.  Pirates, hidden tunnels, a missing manuscript and buried treasure are all part of the mystery in Prologue to Murder.   It was nice that the mystery was multifaceted.  Addie’s murder board is back to help her keep track of the various suspects and sort through the clues to identify the guilty party.  Marc needs to learn that Addie is going to investigate and quit asking her to promise not to look into the crimes (she will just find a creative workaround or end up lying to him).   One of the phrases from Prologue to Murder that stuck with me is “sometimes we have to face the demons from our past to make them vanish completely”.  Prologue to Murder will have you singing sea shanties and hankering for rum with its buried treasure, secret tunnels, pirates, a missing manuscript and a dead body.

About the author

Lauren Elliott is the USA Today bestselling author of the Crystals & CuriosiTEAS Mystery series and the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery Series. She grew up devouring Nancy Drew, graduated to Agatha Christie, and then began writing herself as well as bringing her passion for storytelling to careers in professional theater and journalism. She can be found online at LaurenElliottAuthor.com.