I love the Beyond the Page Bookstore series and had been anticipating this book for so long. The cover is absolutely stunning, and the story kept me riveted as I read it in one sitting. Lauren Elliott, brilliant author, drew me in from page one and took me on a ride full of shocking twists and turns.

Bookshop owner Addie Greyborne is about to tie the knot, but along the way finds a surprising revelation about the past and a rare collection of classic children’s books, including a rare classic children’s book. A handwritten inscription inside the book gives her a clue to her family’s past.

I don’t want to give away any secrets from the book, so I’ll just say READ THIS BOOK. This author is one of my favorites. Her characters are wonderfully unique and well-written, and makes you want to be part of their inner circle. Her descriptions of setting immerse the reader to you feel as if you’re a member of the community and location. And the plot! The story! Again, I encourage you to read this book!

I’m very much looking forward to the next in the series. Thank you to Kensington Books for letting me read the book in advance. I’m happy to give my honest feedback.

I had very mixed emotions about this book. I have enjoyed this series and was really looking forward to the wedding. However, a surprise announcement at the wedding and a surprise find in the attic that leads Addie into her own family mystery made this an interesting story. Then to complicate matters, her ex, Mark, asks for help solving a murder.

I love the characters and their relationships but this book just felt a bit different. However, it kept me turning the pages late into the night.

I'm already waiting for the next book in the series.

This is the first book I have read in the Beyond the Page Bookstore series. I don’t think it affected my enjoyment … of lack of enjoyment … in the story. The characters were well developed, but to be honest, I just don’t want to read a book where I dislike the characters so much. Addie was annoying and immature. She just needed to pull her big girl panties and get on with life. I did not feel connected to the characters or the story. It was just a “meh” read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

I just love meeting up with Addie and her friends in Greyborne Harbor! If readers thought we'd know where the next steps of Addie's life would take her, we need to guess again! In this story, Addie's life is turned upside down and not only does she get the chance to solve a local murder, but another 70 year old murder with a deep connection to her family history! A first edition of The Velveteen Rabbit has an inscription that leaves Addie baffled and digging for more clues. A great opportunity to continue to dive into her aunt's leftover journals presents itself, and Addie if fast down the road of making connections and learning things she never thought possible. I love the depth of feeling and connectedness the characters in this series have. The well thought out mystery and ability to weave in so many little details is appreciated. It's never just a simple cozy mystery but a lesson on life. We begin to think about life's great mysteries and what makes us who we are today and our connectedness to others!

Addie Greybourne is preparing for her wedding to Simon when an issue arises to put everything on hold. Needing something to take her mind off her disappointment, Addie decides it's time to tackle clearing the attic in the old Victorian that she inherited. Going through boxes, she discovers journals filled with questions about a cold case. At the same time, Addie's ex-boyfriend asks her help solving a murder filled with suspects.

It was great to see the characters continued development so much that they are like real friends. The plot was woven to really hold the reader until all the twists and turns are resolved.

⭐⭐⭐

Dedication to Murder by Lauren Elliott is a mystery novel that follows Addie Greyborne, a bookshop owner, as she uncovers a cold case in her family’s past. As Addie prepares for her wedding to Dr. Simon Emerson, she discovers a hidden room in her attic containing a rare collection of children’s books, including a first edition of The Velveteen Rabbit. An inscription in the book leads her to unravel a complex mystery within her own family. However, this discovery is just the beginning of a series of shocking twists, including a suspicious death that suggests foul play in the present.

So, I just finished reading Dedication to Murder by Lauren Elliott and I wanted to share my thoughts on it. First of all, can we talk about that cover? I absolutely loved it! But let me add, this book was a bit strange for a cozy mystery. It didn’t really have that cozy feel to it, more like a romance novel with all those overused cliches. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I was also kinda bummed that Addie didn’t spend much time at the bookstore and The Velveteen Rabbit didn’t play a big role in the mystery.

By the way, can I just say that I’ve been #TeamMark from the beginning? Simon did her dirty, no doubt about it! 😂 But hey, despite all that, I still found myself getting into the plot. The writing was strong and the pace was fast. The mystery kept me interested, and surprisingly, Addie wasn’t as annoying as she usually is. Maybe it’s because Simon was such a jerk. And let’s not forget about Pippi, she’s just so adorable!

Overall, I’m looking forward to the next book in the series, and I hope they tone down the romance cliches and bring back the cozy vibes.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

Addie and Simon are prepared for their wedding day. An unfortunate discovery postpones their special day and leaves Addie wondering what else she doesn’t know about her fiance. Finding a secret room in her attic while cleaning to work out her emotions leads Addie on a trail of discovery about the past that had been long forgotten.

This is the ninth book in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series. I have enjoyed this series since the beginning and find that it just gets better with each book. The characters are well developed and interesting. The plot of this story was interesting and kept me engaged. I was a little disappointed in some events, but that actually made the story more realistic. I recommend this book and the entire series.

Dedication to Murder is the latest in Lauren Elliott’s, A Beyond the Page Bookstore, series. This title is the ninth entry; the first was Murder by the Book.

Long time readers of the series may be delighted to find that Addie is planning to get married. However, issues from the past and death that is likely not natural cause some obstacles.

Readers will be hooked from the very first chapter. Something happens here that will definitely throw the prospective bride and groom.

I loved that part of the story referenced The Velveteen Rabbit. What is its significance to Addie? What is she going to learn abut herself? Will things get sorted out so that life’s good events can go on? Readers will enjoy finding out in this enjoyable cozy/traditional mystery. The pages definitely turn.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

From a library setting I moved on to the bookstore setting. I've read one book in this series before, and I don't remember anything about it, so I suspect I didn't enjoy it that much. But I like to give series a second chance because they and their authors can grow, and my tastes change. But I'm still not really liking this series, which is unfortunate since a bookstore setting would be a natural love of mine. The book opens at the wedding of bookstore owner Addie Greyborne and Dr. Simon Emerson when every bride's worse nightmare happens. I won't say more, but unlike the happy wedding of the previous book, this wedding is beset by drama. The wedding drama, the mystery Addie investigates--both are interesting plot devices on their own, but their execution by the author just didn't sweep me away, as I'd hoped. This is more of a romance with a little murder thrown in than a murder mystery, so if that's what you like, you'll probably enjoy this book much more than I did. And I should add that I dislike melodrama intensely, although it's clear I'm in the minority these days, when melodrama, real and fictional, permeates daily life, mass entertainment, and politics and religion. I do, however, give props to Ms. Elliott for a most unusual murderer; nice twist.

I have been reading this series since the beginning and this was not my favorite. The book was well written and the mystery was good. However Addie was not likeable and I was disappointed in the way her romance was handled. There was no joy or fun in this book. The book ended on a cliff hanger which I did not like. I did not enjoy this book as much as the previous ones.

Lauren Elliott gives us another Beyond the Page Bookstore mystery in which proprietor Addie has her marriage stopped at the last moment when the previous bride of her groom turns up and confesses that the annulment of 16 years prior never happened. After other events, Addie returns her ring and gets involved in a current and past murder. Addie also discovers that her heritage is different than what shed has been told from birth. How to untangle all the cluttered threads of past and present tragedies? Read and find out.

*Spoiler alert*
Oh man, Connor and Addie, it will be interesting to see what happens next between the two of them, part of me is hoping they don't get back together with Simon being as dim witted as he is at the end of this book. I like that there were multiple mysteries being solved in this novel and all of the intersecting parts of the story.

The day has arrived! Addie Greyborne and Dr. Simon Emerson are about to be married. Everything is perfect, until it's not.

As everyone watches on, two women rush down the aisle and insist that the wedding be stopped. Simon is told that the divorce from his first marriage was never finalized in court. Addie didn't know that there was a first marriage! Of course this brings the wedding to a halt and Addie must decide what will happen next in her life.

It seems that this is a good time to clear out her attic. Addie's Great Aunt had left her the home and she hadn't yet sorted all the rooms.

Addie was delighted to find a rare collection of classic children’s books including a first edition of The Velveteen Rabbit with a curious handwritten inscription. She also found a wedding gown, never worn with the tags still attached. These two discoveries lead her to a decades old family murder mystery.

In the meantime there is a present day murder that Addie is trying to avoid. This all makes for a very interesting story with an unexpected end.

#DedicationtoMurder

The book opens with a wedding between Addie and Simon that is quickly side tracked when it turns out that Simon is still married. When a son is added to the mix, Simon soon leans toward his old (new?) family and further away from Addie. There is a mystery in here, but for me the focus was the drama with Simon. I get that it would be a major thing for anyone. I wish Addie had been a bit stronger. At some point you have to accept what is and go from there. I hope the old Addie is back in the next book.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Addie’s dream of a storybook wedding is obliterated at the altar when she learns her groom is still married to someone she never suspected. The marriage that supposedly had been annulled many years ago is still in force thanks to unfilied paperwork. Simon, the groom, insists it is a minor blip, easily repaired, but as more and more information is revealed, it is anything but simple and it is but the beginning of a spiral that Addie feels unable to stop.

She becomes involved in a murder at the behest of her friend Marc who normally tells her to butt out. But it too has complicated tentacles to her own heartbreak. And when she starts to investigate an old unused wedding gown in her attic, everything she thought she knew about her family is thrown asunder. But Addie knows she must shake off her malaise and take back control. In doing so, she not only solves a 70 old murder but she also makes some important decisions about her future.

This is a fascinating story of two aborted weddings and two murders. It also leaves Addie in an interesting place as far as her path going forward. I enjoyed the book, beginning to end. Five purrs and two paws up.

This is the 9th installment in the Beyond The Page Bookstore mystery series. Addie Greyborne is getting married to Dr. Simon Emerson and just as they about to say their “I do’s” Valerie Price and her niece Laurel Hill the new vet in town come in to stop the wedding. Addie is devastated by the news (don’t want to give too much away) and decides to stay home for the three weeks that would have been her honeymoon. Addie decides she is going to finish working on the attic to take her mind off everything that has happened. While working in the attic she finds a secret room, a wedding dress never used, a rare first edition of the Velveteen Rabbit addressed by her Aunt Anita to her granddaughter. What? Addie is thrown for a loop and decides to solve the mystery of the book and unworn wedding dress. While Addie is focused on this mystery a murder, the town is rattled by the murder of Valerie Price during her tea party to welcome Laurel and her son Marcus to town. Since Addie is not a suspect as she was not in attendance and has not left her home, ex boyfriend and Chief of Police Marc asks for her input on the case as no one can figure out how Valerie was poisoned. This book had a lot of emotional drama for Addie and of course she ends up solving both mysteries she is left questioning the next steps in her life. Looking forward to the next installment to find out what happens next for Addie and how she will get on in her life. Great series.

This is the 9th book in the 'Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery' series. The author, Lauren Elliott has created some extremely likeable characters in this cozy mystery. I met Addie Greyborne, the protagonist and bookshop owner, in book 2 who I found to be very smart and has an amazing ability to sniff out clues.

The plot was well thought out and I was somewhat surprised at the killer's identity as I fell for some of the red herrings. The pacing in this novel was good and there was always something happening, so I was certainly never bored! With a neat ending, Dedication to Murder was a fantastic cozy mystery that I highly recommend. I am already looking forward to returning to Addie's bookshop, 'Beyond the Page Books and Curios' in Massachusetts in book #10 as well as catching up on the instalments I've missed. Rating: 5 Stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my own request from Kensington Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

LAUREN ELLIOTT DID A REAL BANG-UP JOB WITH THIS BOOK. I HAVE READ QUITE A FEW OF HER BOOKS. THIS ONE TAKES THE CAKE. I SAT THERE CRYING FOR Addie Greyborne WHO IS AT HER WEDDING AND EVERYHING SHE THOUT WAS PERFECT WENT SOUTH. I HOPE THINGS WILL IMPROVE FOR HER IN THE NEXT BOOK. WAITING TO HEAR GOOD NEWS. . .

Dedication to Murder, just became my favorite book in the Beyond the Page Bookstore mystery series.

I love a trip to Greyborne Harbor and this one had my jaw dropping. Addie’s wedding day is quickly approaching.l excitement is in the air, but Addie find some thing in her attic. That is the start of a series of events that completely change Addie’s life at that very moment. Secrets are coming out of the woodwork in all kinds of places. Addys family history is not exactly as it seems. The man she supposed to marry, has not been completely honest with her and there’s a 70-year-old cold case that keeps tickling at her mind for answers. As the pieces fall together, Addie sees her life flash before her eyes. Making her make choices that she had to leave she had already made.

Lauren Elliott does an amazing job with Dedication to murder. What an amazing story. It’s one of those you think it’s going to go one way then a couple of chapters and it’s gone the complete opposite. Addie goes on an emotional roller coaster through this one. It also shows how much her character has grown. She was faced with a lot of confusing things at one time, but yet not only does she manage to make good decisions for herself, find a way to continue on with her days and solved not just one but two murders in the process. I can’t wait to see, what happens next for Addie.

Really enjoyed this book. Always felt that Addie was too dependent on men. Happy to see she is becoming more assertive and independent. This was a fun book to read. I felt bad for Addie in places but was happy to see her gain some confidence and come into her own.