Death on the Page is the second Castle Bookshop Mystery by Essie Lang. I would recommend reading this series in order, to fully understand the set up and relationships. However, I do think a determined read could catch up even without the prior knowledge. This book is currently scheduled for release on March 10 2020.
There are a thousand stories in New York's scenic Thousand Islands, and Bayside Books co-owner Shelby Cox stocks them all. But lately, the Blye Island bookseller's life is more about investigation than inventory. True-crime writer Savannah Page caps off two successful signings at Bayside Books with a night in Blye Castle. She's there to research Joe Cabana, a colorful Prohibition-era mobster who owned the castle--until he was found dead in the island Grotto. But crime becomes all too true for Savannah. Her body turns up the next morning, in a secret passage at the bottom of the stairs. The last thing Shelby Cox wants is to sleuth another murder, but she's intrigued about how a killer could have reached the island after hours. She's not at a lack for suspects either. It could have been anyone from Savannah's fiancé, Liam Kennelly, who argued with her the evening before, to island caretaker Matthew Kessler, recently cleared of his wife's murder. Can Shelby keep regular store hours, elude the police chief, and assemble the clues into a hard-bound case without getting permanently shelved?
Death on the Page is a book that I should have loved, it checked off all the boxes for mysteries I usually enjoy. The characters are well defined and interesting, the mystery is solid with a few good twists, and as a whole it never takes itself to seriously. I liked Shelby's inherent kindness and interest in those around her and her determination to do the right thing. I liked that while there is a touch of romance- it never takes over the plot. I liked that there were secondary characters and suspects introduced and expanded on. I like that I got to know returning characters better and that I could understand the reasoning and motives of the major players. I did have an inkling of who was the big bad, but the reveal was very well done nd rather unexpected. However, I just never found myself compelled to get back to reading or wondering what was going to happen next. Perhaps I just was not in the mood to read a mystery or this author's writing style and I just do not match up. There was nothing in the story that bothered me or did not work, I just could not get fully engaged in the story.
Death on the Page is a well written mystery, and I think fans of the first book will really enjoy the read.
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