I've been following this series for awhile and picking up this one felt like coming home. I love the characters. Delaney, the bookseller; Edwin, the bookshop owner; Tom, Delaney's husband and pub owner, and others that work at the Cracked Spine. Set in Edinburgh, Scotland, both the setting and the bookstore are delightful.

In this one, Edwin has mysteriously left town and had scheduled his yearly special week long book tour for four lucky participants. Delaney is the only one who can step in for him and handle the tour. This makes her nervous because she has never even been on one of the tours and feels no one can replace Edwin for the tour - but she does her best.

The tour participants arrive and the tour gets underway. Edwin's credit card had been declined at the hotel for the tour participants and the owner was threatening to askt he participants to leave. Delaney covered the costs and saved the day. Later,a woman comes out of the inn staggering and Delaney stops to help. While this is happening, something else is going on down the street. A man has fallen, jumped or been pushed off a building and is dead in the street. Yikes! What is going on? Delaney wishes Edwin were there - his disappearance is mysterious and Rosie won't tell her why he had to leave.

This was a really good mystery and one of the best in the series I think. There were some good twists and surprises as the book progressed. Good pacing and wonderful descriptions of the city made the book even more enjoyable. I really like this series.

Thanks to Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on April 4, 2023.

The Cracked Spine bookshop owner is known for his grand literary tours. With a tour group coming, Edwin and his assistant suddenly leave town, leaving Delaney to lead the tour. He has left her a notebook filled with places to go, and things to see. There are many literary quotes and passages from books. The tour starts and one of the group quickly goes off on her own. Then the danger becomes very real as the manager of the Green Inn, where the group is staying, falls from a rooftop, the result of murder. Delaney decides to keep on with the tour, and the missing member of the group reappears occasionally and then disappears just as quickly.

The cozy mystery is a wonderful tour of Edinburgh, and the literary spots to be found. Delaney's husband owns a small pub, and he helps with the tour since he is a native of Edinburgh. The

I was looking forward to a fun mystery featuring a bookshop, with a strong sense of Scotland’s atmosphere.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case, and I was bored.

The simple mystery became convoluted as a way to sustain it over a number of pages.

The thin plot was padded by the main character conducting a walking tour through Edinburgh. This would have been fun, had it actually been atmospheric and immersive, but instead it read like a factual brochure provided to tourists. I couldn’t visualize anything. Scenery and buildings were barely described, if at all. Instead, these passages read like dry history snippets from Wikipedia.

Even the bookshop was a vague entity, with little time spent there.

This is book 8 in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery Series, which I’ve been wanting to try, and now I have. It reads fine as a stand alone.

I am puzzling over the title and it's relationship to the rest of the story. I also felt the end was wrapped up too quickly. Not a fan.

Edinburgh, Scotland - Present Day

Delaney Nichols, an American living and working in Edinburgh, is employed by well known book seller Edwin MacAlister at his Cracked Spine bookshop. Her main work is to catalog Edwin's vast collection of artifacts that are stored in a warehouse attached to the bookshop. But with Edwin's sudden departure to London with Hamlet, another store employee, Delaney is tasked with leading the annual literary tour that is popular with readers around the world. With the help of fellow shop worker, Rosie, Delaney prepares to meet the four people gathered in Edinburgh, hoping, of course, that they aren't too disappointed that Edwin isn't guiding them. Delaney's husband, Tom, who owns a nearby pub has offered to help, as he is a native of Edinburgh.

While saddened that they can't meet Edwin, the four tour members, winners specifically chosen by Edwin, are ready for Delaney to start the event. They are from various parts of the world. Meera Murphy is from Ireland, Kevin Moore (Kevin is a woman!) is a bookstore owner from London, Gunter, who has corresponded with Edwin for many years, is German, and from Australia is Luka, who was hoping that Edwin would convince him to become a reader of the books Edwin sells and loves. The only thing that makes Delaney feel more empowered is the fact that Edinburgh is such a fascinating city, and she hopes that all will be forgiven by discovering that.

All of the guests are staying at the Green Inn, located just steps from the Cracked Spine, and Tom's pub. As Delaney enters the inn to collect her clients, she hears some angry discussion in the room behind the front desk. The manager appears with a woman, both obviously upset, and Geoff, the manager informs Delaney that Edwin's credit card was refused, and that the guests would have to find another place to stay. Delaney quickly pays with her own card, surprised as Edwin is a very wealthy man. She later has dinner with the guests at a local fish and chip spot, and afterwards, Meera informs her that she's going to head up to the Royal Mile instead of walking with the group. As they head out, Delaney sees a figure in black, wearing a black mask, run out of the inn, and the woman clerk staggers out and collapses. Shortly afterwards, there are screams from up the street. Someone has apparently jumped off the roof of the inn!

So begins the latest in the fascinating Scottish Bookshop Mysteries. There are plenty of red herrings along the way as Delaney discovers clues, and reports them to the local police, whom she's worked with in the past. When one of the tour group members disappears, Delaney is even more puzzled, but also concerned as these people were invited to Edinburgh by her boss! And just why the sudden departure of Edwin?

Situated in a beautiful city, FATEFUL WORDS is both a mystery and a delightful tour of Edinburgh. The characters are realistic, some more complicated than others, and readers will never guess who the culprit is.

We are back with Delaney in Edinburgh! Edwin has been mysteriously called away leaving Delaney to run a tour on short notice.

But on the first night, there is a body. And people acting suspiciously. Delaney has a lot on her plate and is getting no clear answers. Why would the inn owner jump off of the roof?

Then one of the group goes missing. Puzzling clues abound.

Much like a scavenger hunt, she is searching for clues all over Edinburgh, trying to save the shop and herself.

This is such a good series. I love Delaney and Tom and the entire bunch. And it’s set in a bookshop with quirky characters and mysterious warehouses. Always a pleasure.

NetGalley/April 04, 2023, St. Martin’s Press

I received this advance reader copy via Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press, in return for an honest review. I always enjoy this author’s stories and this eighth book in this series is another enjoyable visit to the city of Edinburgh, Scotland. Transplanted American, Delany Nichols, is completely gob-smacked when her Scottish boss and friend, Edwin, decamps for London and his annual, personally curated, Edinburgh literary tour is left in her hands. When the manager of the tour hotel falls from the hotel roof to his death, is it suicide or murder? Where is the hotel staff? Where is the mysterious participant who disappears? I enjoy these stories very much and look forward to the next cozy in this series.

Delaney must step up and conduct Edwin’s yearly literary tour of Edinburgh when Edwin and Hamlet disappear to London. On the first night of the tour, at the inn that the four tourists are staying in, the manager goes off the roof, and a staffer is assaulted. Then one of the tourists disappears, and Delaney must keep track of her remaining group while also figure out what exactly is going on.

I have read previous novels by Paige Shelton in her Scottish Bookshop Mystery, but not all of them.

One of the things I love about this series is how much history Paige Shelton incorporates into the story. For example, many people don’t know that Harry Potter and Hogwarts were inspired by places in Scotland. There is also even older historical facts about Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, and other writers.

Another is the use of ‘literary voices’ that Delaney hears as her intuition. There was only a mention or two in this novel and would have enjoyed a couple more references. Especially since the voices are usually very good at guiding Delaney as to what she should do next in an investigation.

If you read enough mystery novels, it’s pretty easy to figure out who everyone is and what was going on. It doesn’t make it any less interesting, though. I felt the investigative process was better than the actual reasoning behind the crime.

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's/Minotaur for the ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
3.5 stars
I really enjoy this series, however it just wasn't the same this time around without Elias, and for most of the book, Edwin and Hamlet. I loved that Tom had a more prominent role, and hope that continues in future. I was so disappointed that the reason Edwin was gone from the bookshop was kept from Delaney. The four members of the bookshop are a team, so I never understood - nor was it explained - why no one would tell her what was going on. My favorite part - as always in this series - was the description of Edinburgh itself. I've been there a few times and can picture it when I'm reading, and the author does such a good job with the locations in the books, you feel like you're there. The mysteries (more than one this time), although they all came together in the end, were kind of convoluted and head-scratching.

Where Can I Sign Up For a Tour?

This is the eighth installment of the Scottish Bookshop Mystery Series, and it’s fantastic. I’ve been hooked since the Cracked Spine (1) due to the lovely characters and wonderful mysteries. I love all of the different Scottish historical themes that are presented in each book. I will always long to visit and see everything for myself, but for now…I live through Paige Shelton & Delaney.

There are so many great characters in this book. Loved the aspect of having to conduct a tour while a murder had just taken place. Super interesting puzzles to be solved that make it hard to put the book down. Whodunit? The ultimate question is anything but easy to solve. You’ll just have to read it to find out!

Anxiously waiting for the next,
x Sarah - Anneoftucson Reviews

This series continues to impress me with how it continues to use the same characters but make each installment fresh. I particularly loved the references to Edinburgh sites and wish their tour was real! The story itself was captivating and had enough twists and red herrings that the answer wasn’t revealed until the end. Another winner from this fantastic author!

When her boss Edwin takes off on an unexpected trip to London, Delaney is left to
lead a literary tour for four participants chosen by Edwin. The manager of the inn
the participants are staying at takes a nose dive off the roof and another inn worker
is attacked. One of the participants disappears and it is discovered she is an imposter.
What is going on at the inn? Does it relate to Edwin's sudden trip to London? Why was
the inn manager killed? What is causing one of the tour participants to feel ill in her room?
Will Delaney discover the culprit before someone else is hurt?
Build up to an exciting climax.
Enjoyed learning more about the city of Edinburgh.
#Fateful Words #NetGalley

This is the first book I have read in this series and I found it very easy to read. Laced with tidbits of history, I found it enjoyable and entertaining, while the mystery kept me intrigued. I received this as an advance reader copy from the author via Net Galley and am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is the eighth book in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series. I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the setting and the characters and will look for the other books in the series as I’d like to visit them again. I felt like I was on holiday in Edinburgh myself!

Fateful Words is book 9 of the Scottish Bookstore cozy mystery series. This is the second Paige Shelton book that I have read. Although part of a series, it is not necessary to have read the other novels. Fateful Words works well as a stand alone novel. The mystery is not especially deep and complex, but it is interesting. Although I did have the mystery solved long before the end of the novel, I still enjoyed the journey to get to the end and was sad when the novel ended. Shelton's characters are interesting and enjoyable, and most importantly, believable. Readers will feel that if they visit Edinburgh, that Edwin, Rosie, Hamlet, and Delaney will all be there hanging out at a bookstore in Grassmarket.

Although Shelton admits to having only visited Edinburgh once, Fateful Words reads as if Shelton lives there. Her knowledge of the city and of its wonderful history is expansive and thorough. The Scottish Bookstore Mystery series is a perfect and delightful companion for any tourist visiting the series.

Thank you to the author and to St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books for providing me with this ARC to read and review. My review is my honest appreciation of this book and series. Thank you also to NetGalley for having suggested this novel.

I was happy to discover this series and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is the ninth book in the series but the first I read. It was easy to jump in here but I quickly glommed through the backlist as I enjoyed the location, the setting and the people who inhabit this world And the mystery is well plotted and certainly kept me guessing.

Highly recommend

I received an ARC from the publisher via netgalley but the opinion expressed is my own.

bookseller, amateur-sleuth, cozy-mystery, family, family-business, family-dynamics, murder, murder-investigation, hospitality-industry, tour, ex-pat, friendship, false-identities, identity-theft, pet-dog, international-crime-and-mystery, Edinburgh Scotland*****

Did he jump? Was he pushed? Was he dead before he went off the roof onto the pavers?
Why did the hotel keep a room unavailable for guests?
The publisher's blurb is a pretty good hook, but the book is really a winner!
Love this series and this book!
I requested and received an EARC from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Fateful Words is part of the Scottish Bookstore cozy mystery series. I must tell you that I am quite the fan of the series and this book did not disappoint.

Delaney works at the Cracked Spine Bookstore in Edinburgh Scotland. Her first task in the book is to go to a Scottish antiquities warehouse to show a box of monocles to a dealer. The gentleman sends her back with a new, engraved monocle that is reported to be magical.

Her boss leaves town and it is up to Delaney to give his yearly literary tour to four folks. A tangled web quickly emerges. While going to an Inn a bloody employee appears and a man falls (?) from the roof. The boss' credit card is denied for the stay of the tour, so Delaney uses her own. No one seems to know where her boss is.

The story demands attention to follow the mountain of twists. It is enjoyable. As always, the location is a character unto itself.

Enjoy

This was such a fun and quirky book. I enjoyed the mysteries. I got so wrapped up trying to figure out who the murderer was and how Edwin’s troubles all fitted together. I enjoyed the small history lessons. I look forward to reading more of this series. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Edwin, bookshop owner, philanthropist, and collector extraordinaire, usually hosts the invitation-only yearly Edinburgh tour. But the day it was to begin, Edwin was gone to London on an Emergency with a capital 'e.'

Nothing else would have convinced Delaney to follow Edwin's instructions and lead the tour herself. She, an American recently married to a Scot, loved the city and knew it--and literature--well but not with the depth and breadth that Edwin did. How could she give four people the experience of a lifetime with the little she knew?

Almost immediately, something felt off about the group. Then there was an accidental(?) death and an assault nearby. And the young woman kept disappearing. Just when Delaney started feeling confident, there was another problem, and another.

This was a fun, fast-moving story. I might have done better following the action with a map or drawings, but without them, and given a name like Grassmarket, in my mind the buildings and shops probably looked substantially older and shabbier to me than in real life.

4/5

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and Netgalley for the temporary digital preview; any review is voluntary and my own opinion.

#Fateful Words #NetGalley
#AScottishBookshopMysteryBook8
#PaigeShelton #PaigeSheltonAuth
#TourandLiteratureofScotlandReferances
#AmericanSleuthLivesinScotland
#FemaleSleuth
#BookshopBookstoreCozyMysteryClean
#InternationalMysteryandCrimeEdinburghScotland
#AmateurSleuths
#CozyAnimalMysteryYorkie