The Ghost and the Dead Man's Library (Haunted Bookshop Mystery)
by Alice Kimberly
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Book Summary Information
Author: Alice KimberlyEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-09-05
ISBN: 0425212653
Number of pages: 272
Publisher: Berkley
Book Reviews of The Ghost and the Dead Man's Library (Haunted Bookshop Mystery)
Book Review: Penelope Peruses Poe
Summary: 5 Stars
What could be more enjoyable for mystery book lovers than a mystery series set in a mystery bookshop? I have thoroughly enjoyed each entry in this series and this third book was no exception. The atmosphere of these books is light but still serious enough to make the story believable and a great continuity of characters helps to keep this series glued together in a very admirable manner.
The main character in this series is Penelope Thornton McClure who is a widowed mother and co-owner with her aunt Sadie of a New England bookstore. A lot of their profit comes from their dealings in rare and collectable books and that particular sideline is what brings them into the mystery of the dead man's library. The whole mystery revolves around an eccentric wealthy family with a Newport mansion and a large collection of books. In particular it is a series of Poe works that is behind all of the murder and mayhem because as it turns out there has long been a rumor that like another famous fictional code there is supposedly a Poe code to be found in these particular books. This code is said to lead to a great treasure and needless to say that possibility has the power to bring out the worst in some people.
Along with Penelope is her ghost friend Jack Shepard who gives her advice and encouragement along the way but alas sometimes she doesn't listen too well. Jack is a page right out of noir fiction and was a PI in his former life before being murdered in the very building that houses Pen's bookstore. Not only does he help Pen solve the mystery, which she has to solve because she is a suspect and also because her life seems to be in danger but he also adds color by relating tales of his own cases that in some ways parallel the mystery Pen is working on.
As usual with these authors the writing is crisp and intelligent and the characters have depth and are believable. The plot flows well and the reader isn't left without any clues that might help them solve the case before Pen does. As one reads this series one gets attached to Pen and her family and the authors give Pen all of the trials and tribulations that one would expect a woman in her position to have. This series isn't just about mystery, it is also about life and even the normally mundane chore of cooking breakfast isn't ignored. Sure the plot tends to wander a bit at times but more often than not that is the way of the cozy and it doesn't bother me one bit. Once again the team that is Alice Kimberly has produced a real gem that kept me on the edge of my seat as I was totally drawn into Pen's world. Any cozy fan that doesn't read this book and this series will be missing out on a real treat.
Summary of The Ghost and the Dead Man's Library (Haunted Bookshop Mystery)
Bookshop owner Penelope Thornton-McClure has just received an extremely rare collection of Edgar Allan Poe?s complete works. Rumor has it a secret code, trapped within the books? leather-bound pages, leads to buried treasure. Well, it looks like they got the buried part right, because as Pen sells off the valuable volumes, everyone who buys?dies.
Once these books go missing from their owners? cold hands, Pen will need resident ghost and hard-boiled PI Jack Shepard to help crack the case. The police are skeptical that the deaths involved foul play?so it?s up to Pen and Jack to unravel these shocking endings?
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