Shelved for Murder
(2025)(The second book in the Books & Death Mystery series)
A Story by Maisy Marple
When former literature professor Willa Morgan takes the position of head librarian at the historic Pine Harbor Library, she envisions quiet days surrounded by books and her loyal Maine Coon cat, Hemingway. But her first major event—a prestigious rare book exhibition featuring a valuable annotated manuscript—ends in tragedy when she discovers the library's wealthy benefactor, retired judge Howard Blackwell, dead in the locked manuscript room. With evidence pointing to a rare herb extract found in Willa's special tea blend, she quickly becomes the prime suspect in what the police determine was murder.
Determined to clear her name and save her fledgling career, Willa forms an unlikely investigative team with retired detective Sam Cooper and teenage coding prodigy Zoe Chen. Together they begin exploring the tangled relationships and long-standing rivalries centered around Pine Harbor's elite families. The suspect list grows rapidly: Howard's much younger wife Patricia who stands to inherit his fortune; his estranged nephew Simon, an antique dealer with questionable business practices; ambitious museum director Olivia Wright who was feuding with Howard over donated artifacts; and Francis Talbot, a rival collector with a decades-old grudge. When a distinctive bookmark is found clutched in Howard's hand and incriminating evidence appears mysteriously in Willa's office, she realizes someone is going to extraordinary lengths to frame her.
As Willa digs deeper into Howard's past, she uncovers connections between several suspects that no one knew existed and a series of historical documents that could destroy prominent families' reputations. With Hemingway displaying an uncanny ability to knock revealing books off shelves and point to crucial clues, Willa races to solve the murder before the killer decides that the nosy new librarian should be permanently removed from circulation. "Shelved for Murder" is a charming, dialogue-heavy cozy mystery filled with literary references, small-town secrets, and the perfect blend of humor and suspense that will delight fans of books, libraries, and clever amateur sleuths.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Determined to clear her name and save her fledgling career, Willa forms an unlikely investigative team with retired detective Sam Cooper and teenage coding prodigy Zoe Chen. Together they begin exploring the tangled relationships and long-standing rivalries centered around Pine Harbor's elite families. The suspect list grows rapidly: Howard's much younger wife Patricia who stands to inherit his fortune; his estranged nephew Simon, an antique dealer with questionable business practices; ambitious museum director Olivia Wright who was feuding with Howard over donated artifacts; and Francis Talbot, a rival collector with a decades-old grudge. When a distinctive bookmark is found clutched in Howard's hand and incriminating evidence appears mysteriously in Willa's office, she realizes someone is going to extraordinary lengths to frame her.
As Willa digs deeper into Howard's past, she uncovers connections between several suspects that no one knew existed and a series of historical documents that could destroy prominent families' reputations. With Hemingway displaying an uncanny ability to knock revealing books off shelves and point to crucial clues, Willa races to solve the murder before the killer decides that the nosy new librarian should be permanently removed from circulation. "Shelved for Murder" is a charming, dialogue-heavy cozy mystery filled with literary references, small-town secrets, and the perfect blend of humor and suspense that will delight fans of books, libraries, and clever amateur sleuths.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
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