In The Poison Pen, Delaney is sent by her boss, Edwin, to meet an old friend of his about something found on her estate. The friend is an eccentric older woman who has turned into a bit of a hoarder. The manor is stuffed with things, but clean. The item turns out to be a crusader sword. A lawyer is trying to take control of the lady’s estate because of her hoarding, but the timing is suspicious. When a murder occurs that same day, there are two mysteries to solve: is it a true crusaders sword and who is the killer?
I love the characters in this series and the setting in Edinburgh, a beautiful city. Delaney, a transplant American, loves the city and the circle of friends have become her family in her new home. I enjoyed this book very much and hated for it to end.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

The Poison Pen is Book 9 in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series. Each of Paige Shelton's novel have been able to function as a stand alone novel. While Shelton's novels are clearly part of a series, it is not necessary to read them all, but it will likely be more fun for readers, who would like to delve into their characters lives from the very beginning. Like many British mysteries, the murders occur off stage, as they did for Shakespeare, as well, at least right up until Act 5. Although Shelton doesn't need to worry about a dead body littering the stage for the entirety of the work, the tradition of the murder occurring off stage makes for a pleasant change for many American readers, who see far too much murder and mayhem on television, which perhaps is why I love British mysteries so much.

There is much to like about The Poison Pen. The plot is creative and imaginative. Readers also learn a lot about the laws dealing with Scotland's historical artifacts and how they are handled. The characters are familiar to me and will be to anyone who has read previous Shelton novels, but the author still provides just the right amount of detail to help new readers find their way. The multiple plot lines gets a bit convoluted at times, but everything is all tied together quite nicely at the end. The Poison Pen was good suspense and a good read.

Thank you to the author, to publisher St Martin's Press Minotaur, and to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC to read in exchange for my honest review. My comments above reflect my honest opinion.

The Poison Pen is book 9 in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery by Paige Shelton.
I enjoyed visiting the The Cracked Spine and being in the company of Delaney and her friends.
The cast of characters are very interesting, likable and well-developed.
The author’s writing enables the reader to have vivid images of Edinburgh
Shelton does an excellent job of storytelling.
She does a phenomenal job of describing Scotland with such ease. Her words make it so easy to imagine each and every place her words take us.
The pace of the mystery was spot-on and there were enough suspects to keep me guessing as I turned the pages faster and faster.
I was captivated from the first page to the last. As soon as I turned the final page I was already missing these characters.
It is filled with mystery, suspense, and some of my absolute favorite characters of all time.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

The Poison Pen by Paige Sheldon is another fun read about Delaney and her friends working in a bookstore in Scotland. With some very quirky characters, a murder to solve and lots of Scottish history to be learned, this book continues a pleasing series.

I adore this series, each book is better than the last! I don't know how Paige Shelton does it. The book starts with Delaney going to visit an old friend of Edwin who has a mysterious treasure to share with her. When Delaney and Elias arrive at the house they are met with a scene where Jolie (Edwin's friend) is being condescended to by her lawyer. Our FMC decides to help move things along to see what the mysterious item is. The lawyer and her crew end up leaving and Delaney finds out what the item is which might be more trouble than it is worth as it could be relating to Scottish history and the worst part they discover a body that might be related somehow to the item. The book then becomes an instant classic with clues to pick up and intrigue, it is all absolutely delightful. I highly recommend as it is one of my favorite series and this book is just fantastic.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and Paige Shelton for allowing me to read an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Poison Pen is the ninth book in this Scottish bookshop series. I have read every book in this highly addictive series and they absolutely never disappoint. Delany’s boss Edwin sends her out to his friend Jolie's home to check out the authenticity of a possible crusader sword found on her property. While she is examining the sword in a shed on the property, a man who had just left Jolie's house is found murdered nearby. Delaney once again puts her investigative skills to use to solve a murder. This book has very likeable characters and was full of suspense and intrigue with a just a splash of humor. I can't wait to read the next book in this delightful series. My thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC. I enjoyed it.
5/5 Stars!

I did not do myself any favors jumping into the ninth installation of a mystery series, but this was still an engaging read for those who love historical royal Scotland and suspenseful mystery solving. There's a bit of humor and a lot of intrigue, and I adored the setting and voices of Scotland. For fans of the author and ongoing series, and also for anyone who enjoys movies like Indiana Jones or National Treasure. The modern chase in a historical context is a great anachronistic read, and it's especially fun to imagine the dialogue heavy text in a Scottish brogue.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

4.5 stars for this great read! I love this Author's books and this continuation of her Scottish Bookshop mystery series is top notch. This book hits all the marks for me with characters, locations, and storyline. I love reading books set in Scotland and this Author paints a great picture that makes me want to go visit. I can't wait for the next book in this series. I received an ARC and greatly appreciate the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review - many thanks to the Author, publisher, and NetGalley!

The Poison Pen is the ninth book in The Scottish Bookshop Mystery series by Paige Shelton.
Delaney Nichols plays a stellar character in this cozy mystery that's bound to leave readers wanting more.
Delaney works in a specialty bookshop, The Cracked Spine,
in the town of Edinburgh.
Her boss Edwin always has a problem he needs her help with, so when he asks her to visit an old friend, to determine if she's really in possession of a priceless relic, Delaney knows she's in for an interesting visit.
The story revolves around a Crusader Sword, and the people involved have their own motives for finding it, and owning it.
Delaney soon finds herself in a bizarre situation, and the adventure will leave the reader breathless, wondering what is truth and what is fiction.
I loved this book, each story is a lesson in history and I found this one to be quite good.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.

Queen Elizabeth II, a sword and Delaney solving the mystery, what more could you want?!

Edwin’s colorful past again comes into play as he involves Delaney in a new mystery. An old friend reaches out, wanting him to come see what they’ve found at their home. Edwin sends Delaney, who not yet comfortable driving, gets a ride from her friend Elias. Upon arrival they meet a long, lost friend of his. While there, they of course, encounter a murder.

Throughout this series, Delaney has had what they call her bookish voices that help to guide her as she solves the mysteries and researches the history of the items that they come across. In this story the ninth of the series her bookish voices are replaced with Queen Elizabeth, who has just recently passed at the start of the story. During the car trips and on tv, several tributes are played that stick with Delaney.

Delaney has fully embraced her new life with her new husband, Tom, and the family that she’s created in her new home of Scotland. This leads to her being affected more deeply by the Queen’s passing than she may have been if she had been living in the States.

At several points in the story, the murder seemed to take a backseat to the mystery surrounding the find. There are a lot of familial ties and types of families explored. I wonder if that means there’s a new family on the horizon for Delaney and husband Tom (maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part).

I like that Delaney has learned a few lessons from her earlier mystery solving, and kept her family up-to-date on her movements. Due to the distance to/from the murder scene, Delaney was away from the bookshop more than she was there.

While there was a resolution to the mystery (I was surprised!) I still felt like a couple of things were left open. Though not enough, where you felt like there was a cliffhanger or anything that took you out of the enjoyment of the story. Just for my own personal satisfaction I felt like there were a couple of minor things that were left unresolved.

I love the way that the current-day relevancy to the recent passing of the Queen and the tie-in with the historical nature of what the Crooked Spine does was woven together.

I am looking forward to what comes next for Delaney and her Crooked Spine family.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to do an early read and share my thoughts on the story.

Happy Reading!