A strong protagonist, interesting townfolk, a murder, pirates, a love triangle – this has all the makings of a great cozy mystery! Prologue to Murder is the second book in the series featuring Addison ‘Addie’ Greyborne, a former researcher for Boston Public Library and relatively new resident in Greyborne Harbor (named after her ancestors).
Title: Prologue to Murder
Author: Lauren Elliott
Series: Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery #2
First Published: April 30, 2019
Publisher: Kensington Books
Categories: Mystery
Acquired: from the publisher via NetGalley
*** Thank you to Kensington Books for providing me with a digital Advanced Reader Copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. ***
GOSSIP, PIRATES AND A DEAD LIBRARIAN
Addie is finally settling into life in Greyborne Harbor – she’s making new friends and her bookshop is starting to do well… that is until the local newspaper’s new gossip columnist, ‘Miss Newsy’, takes a personal interest in ruining Addie’s reputation.
When the local librarian, June Winslow, goes missing, Miss Newsy implies that Addie has something to do with June’s disappearance and subsequent murder. Before she died, June had written a book on Greybourne Harbor’s origins, which included the possibility that there was pirate treasure hidden in some underground tunnels. Could this be why she was killed?
It also doesn’t help that Addie’s blossoming romance with Police Chief Marc Chandler hits a rough patch when his ex-fiancee, Lacey Davenport, returns and is obviously interested in rekindling their romance. Even Serena, Marc’s sister and Addie’s closest friend in town, seems to have abandoned Addie for Lacey.
Addie starts feeling lonely and anxious – her bookshop is all but empty as her customers are staying away in droves, thanks to Miss Newsy. But all is not lost! Enter Dr. Simon Emerson, the town’s new ER trauma surgeon and part-time forensic pathologist, who takes an immediate interest in Addie and joins her in her effort to solve the murder mystery and clear her name.
NOT TO MENTION A LOVE TRIANGLE
I generally dislike love triangles, especially in cozy mystery series, as they tend to drag on and ON. I also have a tendency to prefer one choice to the other and have been known to abandon a series if the protagonist chooses the ‘wrong’ one (I know, but what can I say?).
There are a few ‘drama-queen’ moments that bother me about Marc – he seems to be overreacting to Simon’s appearance in Addie’s life and says some harsh things that Addie totally should have called him on, but didn’t. Simon, on the other hand, seems too perfect and dropped into Addie’s life so quickly that I suspected him to be up to something for most of the book.
I can’t pass judgement on this love triangle yet because it’s still fairly new, having only been introduced in this book. Also, I can honestly say I don’t have a preference yet either – Marc and Simon both have their strong points and I could see Addie with either of them.
LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE
I like that Addie continues to flex her research skills and delves more of the history of the town and her own ancestors. Addie also doesn’t seem as helpless as some other cozy mystery protagonists but has enough quirks about her to make her seem normal.
The mystery story itself is full of twists and turns, which kept me guessing until the end. There were just enough clues to make me think I had it solved… when really, I didn’t have it at all. I’m looking forward to Book 3 to see if the love triangle gets resolved and hopefully see Addie settle into her new life in Greybourne Harbor more.
READ IT FOR YOURSELF
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