Deadly Chapter: A Castle Bookshop Mystery
By Essie Lang
Crooked Lane
March 2021

Review by Cynthia Chow

To help her Aunt Edie while she recovered from knee replacement surgery, Shelby Cox left Boston to temporarily run one of their Bayside Books bookstores in Upstate New York’s Blye Castle. The castle on one of New York’s Thousand Islands has since become a second home to Shelby, her first one now being a rented houseboat in Alexandra Bay. It’s also where Shelby has the misfortune of stumbling across her third body since moving there, this time one floating between her houseboat and the dock. For once cranky Police Chief Tekla Stone is surprisingly sympathetic, especially since neither of them are able to give a name to the corpse. Even without any identification though, Shelby remembers that the deceased man had been in town once in the fall and then the day before, searching for a woman he believed had moved to town 7 years before. And as Shelby will learn, an unexpected number of her friends seem to have arrived on the island during that timeframe.

While Chief Stone once again warns Shelby away from the investigation, that elusive clue and her sense of responsibility for finding the corpse in the first place has her questioning those who may have been linked to the either the missing woman or the deceased. Her sideline investigation will have to be juggled with her duties at Blye Castle’s Bayside Books, as there is not only her usual bookclub meetings but an impending murder mystery event attended by numerous authors and includes a murder mystery dinner. Being surrounded by murder has Shelby missing her boyfriend Zack Griffin, a Coast Guard Investigative Service agent currently working in Buffalo. She could definitely use his support when yet another unexpected visitor arrives in town, this time the mother she only recently learned was still alive. Is it any wonder that helping another mourning daughter would be a welcome distraction and comfort for the emotionally torn Shelby?

This charming third in the Castle Bookshop Mystery series takes readers on an enchanting tour through Blye Island and its equally engaging residents. The past two books in the series revealed the well-intentioned secrets kept about Shelby’s upbringing, and while it’s not necessary to have read those installments it makes the resolutions in this one all the more rewarding. The mystery is gradually and very naturally explored by Shelby, who is never intrusive in her queries and instead learns information through sympathetic conversations and neighborly curiosity. Mystery aficionados may gather wisps of the solution throughout, but a twist should still ultimately surprise at the end. Readers will be as invested in seeing how Shelby resolves the new complications in her life as in learning how she solves the murder, fulfilling the promise of a series that continues to build upon its very likable characters and its unique bookstore-in-a-castle setting.

4.5 stars

This is the third book in the Castle Bookshop mystery series by Essie Lang.

This mystery was quite convoluted but it really works. I wish there was more bookish things in this bookstore mystery but beggars can’t be choosers. And the cast seemed a bit tilted to the female side. Not just female but older females. I understand theme books but this seemed a bit much to me. Minor characters threatened to take this over at times.

Overall it is a good read. I love the castle setting and the mystery itself was my favorite part, I think. Definitely will check out other books in this series.

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

A Deadly Chapter

Shelby Cox, wakes up on her houseboat to find a body floating face down in the water. Later identified as Nathan Miller. Shelby remembered talking to him twice at her bookstore the day before looking for a woman. Shelby gets involved with solving the murder with Hilary, Nathan’s daughter against the order’s of police chief Tekla Stone. There are a number of suspects for different reasons to look into and a few wrong turns taking by Shelby that endanger some other people. Shelby has her own personal problems to take care of, that are clouding her judgment. But in the end the killer is caught with her quick thinking.

I love this series and can’t wait to visit Shelby and the bookstore again!!

A Deadly Chapter by Essie Lang is the 4th book in the Castle Bookshop Mystery and another great addition. Shelby Cox lives in Alexandria Bay, New York and runs the Castle bookstore on Blye Island. Shelby owns two bookstores with her aunt Edie. Shelby lives on a houseboat and finds a body in the water next to her boat. Shelby is determined to solve the murder, despite warnings from the police chief. Shelby also has a surprised visitor in town. I really enjoyed this book and looking forward to next book in the series. The description of island is so good, I can image being there with them. If you like cozy mysteries, bookstores and mysterious island, you will enjoy this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

We first met Shelby back in Trouble on the Books, and in my review of that I said it wasn’t my favourite, bookshop/library-based cosy mystery. Still, the series is charming and well written, so I do keep seeming to come back to it…

The main plot of this one is either Shelby’s love life, now getting a little more complicated, or the dead body that’s just washed up next to her houseboat. And that split is my only real complaint – I’m not a huge fan of the romance factor taking over a cosy mystery. Still, as far as these things go, I was happy that it was a fairly mature, independent woman decision-making dilemma, and not some of the sad girlie histrionics that put me so much off the genre. And it’s a toughie: I do sympathise with Shelby’s choice! Will she be able to come up with a solution by the end of the book?

Perhaps, then, a dead body is just what she needs to take her mind off her love life – hah 😉 We have reached the point in any amateur sleuth series where, well: one dead body, fair enough, two murders seems a lot, but now we’re on to three?! So kudos that Shelby’s involvement is reasonably logical, and even though she knows that she should stay out of things, her curiosity is goaded by other characters repeatedly, so of course she’s going to investigate!

As with many such books, I did find some of the supporting cast a little flat and there to serve the plot rather than feeling fully fleshed out. I did wonder a little at why so much information was so readily handed off to a bookseller, whatever her track record with crimes. And there were still a few of those really poor judgement decisions made – again, to further the plot.

Overall, though, it was well enough done. For my tastes, a little heavy on the romance over both the mystery and, oddly, a bit of the cosy. I still want to visit the island bookstore, though, and maybe have Sunday lunch with Shelby’s aunt!

Thank you, Netgalley for letting me read and review this book. Honestly though I could not finish it. I normally love cozy mystery novels but this one did not grab me. It went to much into Shelby’s personal life and not enough in the mystery part. I do really like the cover.

Another solid entry in the The Castle Bookshop mystery series. Thank you to @netgalley for the arc of Essie Lang’s A Deadly Chapter (pub date March 9). I love reading about Shelby and her adventures on her houseboat, in her small town and in her local bookstore. And the ending made me very happy!

In this third Castle Bookshop Mystery, Shelby Cox wakes up to find a dead body floating in the water between her houseboat home and the dock. She remembers his visit to the bookshop and his questions about a woman who moved to Alexandra Bay seven years ago.

Shelby investigates, trying to find who fits the dead man’s description. Police Chief Tekla Stone warns Shelby to leave the police work to her. The victim turns out to be Nathan Miller, and his daughter Hilary shows up and asks Shelby for help.

Essie Lang throws lots of twists and red herrings into the mix as she builds this mystery. Shelby’s Aunt Edie and her aunt’s boyfriend Matthew are significant characters, along with Shelby’s boyfriend Zach, who is in and out of town on assignments.

Shelby is juggling her search for the unknown woman, the fact that Zach is out of town and considering a move to Boston, and the appearance of the mother who deserted her 17 years ago and wants to mend fences. The story shifts between these three subplots, pulling at Shelby throughout the book. A Deadly Chapter is an entertaining read for a lazy afternoon.

I have not read previous books in this series so I can''t say how this novel stacks up against others by this author. Unfortunately, this novel left much to be desired. While the novel has all of the trappings of a cozy mystery (quaint seaside location, interesting characters, a main character who works in a bookstore in a castle, and a cat), the book was light on mystery. Over half of the book was spent focusing on the main character and her emotional issues involving her boyfriend and family of origin. While the mystery picks up in the last third of the book, the sleuthing was slight, and the mystery was solved not so much through detection, but by suspects essentially admitting what they had done. I wish the mystery itself had more substance, and that the author had engaged more with this aspect of the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review of this book.

Shelby Cox runs Bay side Boos in Blue Castle. She also has a knack for finding dead bodies and that's exactly what she did on a Sunday morning.. Even though she didn't know the victim personally he had been in her store the day before.. She soon learns he was the father of Hilary Miller. Hilary ask Shelby's help in trying to locate the killer. And also a mystery woman Mr. Miller was trying to find.. Could this woman be the key to his death? Will Shelby get to the bottom of the crime or will she end up at the bottom?? This is a great series and while this could be a read alone its best read as a series.

As I sat at home recovering from a broken elbow I found myself reading about a character who -broke her elbow! At least I was able to commiserate with Shelby's problems fully.

I enjoyed A Deadly Chapter: A Castle Bookshop Mystery very much. Shelby is an interesting main character. She lives on a houseboat with her cat, runs the local book shop, and has a Miss Marple like belief that the police cannot solve a crime without a bit of help. This of course gets her into a lot of trouble.

The story begins with the discovery of a body in the water near Shelby's boat and develops into an intriguing mystery. The author gives us a number of excellent characters, a gently developing romance, and some family issues for Shelby. There is a lot going on, all of it interesting.

This was my first book by this author and I will keep a lookout for her others.

I received a free e-copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion. This is the first Essie Lang novel I have ever read.

When bookseller Shelby Cox woke up that morning, she was not expecting a dead body to be floating against her house boat. Unfortunately, that's what she was given. To make matters more complicated, she had met the man previously as he came to her store hoping Shelby could help him locate someone. When his daughter comes to town demanding answers, and Shelby's assistance, Shelby feels she has no other choice but to help. But where does one start one when doesn't even know the man?

This is the third in this series, but it can be read as a stand alone. I did not feel lost with the characters or their histories as I progressed, because the author was very good about interspersing the information. However, I felt that Shelby's history with her parents, and her boyfriend, were a bit too much for one novel. It, honestly, took away from the main plot of the novel which was the murder itself. There were many moments where I felt that Shelby's drama was a diversion, or a hinderance, to the story as it just seemed unnecessary.

As for the murder, it felt lacking. Shelby finds the body, and the person showed up at her store previously but that's about it. It didn't seem like Shelby herself even cared about the murder. I found it hard to believe that in such a small town that not a single resident was able to remember a stranger asking about another potential resident. There is also a town gossip, but it seemed like this was a laisse-faire town. If the main character couldn't be bothered to care, then I found it difficult to pay attention and also be bothered to care.

Overall, this feels like a filler novel to a series. I think I'd like to read the first two novels and see how Shelby's character developed over time, but I'm not in any hurry to check them out. 2 out of 5 stars from me.

I can't really get into this series. It doesn't seem relaxed and natural, but forced and belaboring in each paragraph...which is a shame because I love the alter ego authors other series.
Usually a good cozy sucks you in and feels soothing. There's a different energy to this. I will come back and try the series over again though.
Cover art and title are delightful and capture the reader's eye.

Shelby Cox is part owner of Bay Side Books with her Aunt Edie. In the small town of Alexandria Bay. Shelby recently moved there from Boston and is currently renting a houseboat with her cat, JT.
It seems Shelby has a knack for finding dead bodies. This time it's a man named Nathan Miller and he is found one morning bumping against the hull of her houseboat.
Shelby recognizes the man as one that has been asking around town about a mystery woman.
Shelby just can't resist jumping in to the investigation despite the sheriff's warning to stay out of her business.

I have never read a cozy by Essie Lang before. I give this one 5 stars and a promise to read more!

This is the first book by Essie Lang I have read. I was intrigued by the cover and by the fact that it was set in a bookstore. I absolutely adore cozy mysteries. And I especially love books set in New England. However, I had a bit of trouble with this book.

First off, the good things: I loved the town setting and the community. Shelby's friends and her Aunt Edie are such wonderful, tenderhearted people. You can really imagine yourself living there. And I really liked the idea of this being a bookstore cozy. Books are my happy place and so because of that I got a lot of joy just by thinking about the setting and was extremely excited to jump into this. Essie Lang's writing style is very nice and the story flowed. And I really enjoyed JT the bit we actually get to read about him.

And yes, I realize that this is the third book in a series so I take that into consideration as well. It was a little bit confusing just because there are so many characters that you have to remember. I did find myself getting a bit lost from time to time trying to remember who everyone was and what they did in the story.

That being said here are the things I didn't enjoy about this book: Shelby is a giant bubble head. I'm sorry but it's true. She 'falls' into clues and I honestly hate that. She has to have everyone else tell her what to do. She can't make up her mind one minute from the next whether or not she is going to stick with her investigation. She's stubborn to almost the point of stupidity. When she is letting loose with her friends though she is quite pleasant. It's just when she gets into any kind of 'sticky' situation that she seems to fall apart. Not to mention, that everyone in the book, with the exception of her aunt Edie and Matthew, treat Shelby like she's a ding dong and basically pats her on the head like a child. Bleh.

I also found a lot of it was also monotonous. Do we really need to know that several different groups of people are coming into her shop looking just for local books or local authors? It is mentioned repeatedly. We get it, you support everything local. Just please don't beat us over the head with that fact.

I was also excited about the fact that this book had an older lady sheriff but the fact is that she was written is as such a hardnosed type person it was hard to feel anything for her except disdain. She is not very warm or friendly. For someone in a position to protect, she was not very protective at all.

To me, Shelby's boyfriend Zack is only mildly entertaining. Yes, you can tell he cares for Shelby but you can't actually feel the emotion coming across. However, I am willing to give him another shot considering he isn't around for most of the book.

Shelby is up and down and all over the place. Keeping up with her emotional state was exhausting.

This book, in my opinion, started out really slow. I almost didn't finish it but I know that sometimes books that have a slow beginning usually have a slam bang finish. This didn't have the ending I was expecting.

Now, in all fairness to the book, I have started out in book three. Even though everything seemed rushed in the very end with the stuff going on between Shelby and Zach I am interested enough to give the next book a chance.

You can tell very much how much Essie Lang loves her characters and the town setting. That part came through very well. And it is enough to keep me interested to want to see how the story continues in the next book. I think that if Shelby can be a little more even keel on her emotions in the next book I think everything could very well turn out to be fantastic.

From what I have read and seen these books have a lot of potential to be something really great. I think they just maybe a bit more polishing? I would be interested in seeing how things work themselves out.

I received this ARC from NetGalley to read and review. All opinions are my own and are mine alone.

Shelby Cox enjoys her life. She wakes up on a houseboat every morning, runs a book store in a castle and has roast beef at her Aunt Edie's every week. Her boyfriend is working away from Alexandria Bay but that just makes their time together even more special.

Disturbed by a loud noise one morning however, she is shocked to find a dead body wedged between her home and the harbour wall and before she knows it finds herself back in the centre of a murder investigation. Shelby is no stranger to dead bodies having discovered and investigated them before, much to the police chief's disgust, but this victim doesn't even live in the Bay!

Although experience has done nothing to dampen her enthusiasm, Shelby has no intention of becoming entangled in things this time until realising she has spoken to the victim twice before and her involvement becomes a given. It isn't a simple task however and when her personal life suddenly changes from safe and reliable to a mess of emotions Shelby finds hard to decipher, her life runs out of control towards a danger she never considered.

Once again I thoroughly enjoyed this author's work, and the setting, main protagonists and cosy nature of the crimes all merged into a welcome relief from reality. The problems in Shelby's personal life were unexpected, although her existence is always complex, and I had no idea what her decisions would be until they were explained. I hope there will be more books in this series as they are well written and easily read.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. This is an enjoyable escape which I happily recommend.

This story gripped me from the beginning. The mystery was very good and it was nice to visit these characters again. I love the setting which I think is perfect for this series.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

It’s time to return to a cozy mystery. I like Lang’s series about intrepid Shelby who always seems to stumble across a stray body while innocently embarking in her new life as a bookshop owner and living on a houseboat. Her friction with the police chief continues. I thought the mystery part was good. There are new developments with her mother and also in her relationship with Zach. I love how she keeps getting chastised to stop her sleuthing. Now what fun would that be? The cover art is very inviting and comforting.

Oh I liked this story! Okay, she is way nosy but her heart is in the right place. Shelby has several things going on in her life. Zack want to move in with her in Boston. But she likes living on her houseboat. Merrily, her mom, has dropped back into her life. Aunt Edie is her support person so how can she leave that? Then there is that dead body she found. So much to like.

Love this series and author. If you haven't read it yet I highly recommend it. Can't wait for more in this series