The Bookbinder’s Secret is a historical mystery that took a little time to get started, but once it does, it really pulled me in. The story kicks off when Lily, a young bookbinder in Oxford in 1901, finds a fifty year old letter hidden inside the binding of a burned book. That discovery leads her into a layered mystery involving more books, more letters, and a trail of clues tied to events from the past.

Lily is a strong and determined character. She’s not only learning her craft but also trying to keep her father’s struggling bookshop afloat. Their relationship is complicated full of tension and family obligations. This relationship and that of the master bookbinder she apprentices under added a depth to the story.

The mystery itself unfolds slowly at first, but once things start clicking into place, I found myself really invested. The historical setting and the idea of clues hidden in old books gave the story a unique feel. There were a few loose ends that didn’t get fully tied up, but overall, it was an enjoyable read with a nice mix of atmosphere and intrigue.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

I received a temporary digital copy of The Bookbinder's Secret from NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Apprentice bookbinder, Lily Delaney, comes across a burned book that leads her on a life or death mission to collect five other books across England. Within each book is a piece of a fifty-year-old story; Lily is enthralled with the story, but is it worth her life or those she loves?

Like so many other readers, I found The Bookbinder's Secret to be a page-turner; however, there were some pieces that fell short. I did not feel as if we were in 1901 England at all, except when reading about the bookbinding process. I also didn't find Lily's character to be fleshed out enough for me to understand her choices or thought process in some chapters.

Received an ARC of this one and really, really enjoyed it!!! It started out a little slow, but picked up momentum and I had to know how the story(s) turned out.

The main character, Lillian, is a bookbinder in Oxford and she comes across a strange, half-burnt book and a mystery unfolds before her. It’s a story full of secrets, lies, intrigue, murder, and a fortune…and Lillian’s own story becomes one full of mostly the same.

I really enjoyed this one and the author has set it up for more so I’m hoping a series evolves!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Lilian (Lily) Delaney is a young apprentice bookbinder in the early 1900s trying to find herself in a male-dominated world. Living with her aging and emotionally distant father above his failing and soon to be foreclosed book store, Lilian finds herself in the middle of a mystery that brings danger to herself and everyone she loves. While struggling to keep her father's failing business alive, she also works for a kindly and well respected bookbinder where she has become quite proficient and skilled in her beloved craft of repairing books. When she is given a burned book by a collector, she discovers a hidden letter tucked beneath the binding which turns out to be a confession that hints at a long-buried romance, a lost fortune and a murder. Lily becomes obsessed to find the truth behind the story that others would prefer to keep buried and are not hesitant to kill anyone who gets in their way.

I found this book to be a bit confusing and hard to follow, not completely understanding why Lily was all of a sudden the one who was being held responsible to locate all of the missing books that would complete the long-buried confession of the mysterious woman who had written the hidden letters. The story becomes more clear by the end, but I am still confused by the "Why Lily" connection. Overall, a good and enjoyable read.

The story was interesting with compelling characters that felt muted by the writing style. The narrative voice leaned more literal than emotional. It flowed well but read like a journal. It started slow with almost too much details that didn’t necessarily add to the plot or build the atmosphere. Even the action sequence and its aftermath felt clinical. That made it a bit difficult for me to connect to the characters. For example, the scene after a showdown with the book’s villain felt almost too calm. The character told the readers of her anger rather than showing it.

Thank you St. Martin's Press, A.D. Bell, and NetGalley for this ARC!

A delightful mystery that keeps you riveted! Lilian “Lily” Delaney is an apprentice binder and n Oxford. It’s 1910. Lily is quite talented and she is requested by a customer to do a binding for a business ok that belongs to his wife. While there she obtains a book that has been partially burnt. When the binding comes off, Lily finds pages detailing a story of girl being forced into a marriage. . . . And we are off into a journey to find out more about the people written on these pages. The book twists and turns and Lily meets interesting people along the way. While there are things that can be easily figured out, these do not detract from this well written book. I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.
It's 1901, and Lily, a book binder, is fascinated with all things books.
When she finds a hidden letter in an old book, she becomes obsessed and ends up looking for the other 3. But someone else is looking too and prepared to do anything to find them also.
I found the beginning of the story a bit tedious because of the lengthy descriptions of
the art of book binding. Lily herself felt way ahead of her time ... she was so liberated in her activities and mind set, it didn't feel realistic for that era.
All in all I wasn't that interested in the story and rushed through to the end.

I absolutely enjoyed this book! After reading the first twenty pages, I found it a challenge to put down. The author does a brilliant job of detailing the workings of a bookbinder. Every event in this book was well paced, well thought out, and completely added to the story. There were close to a dozen characters in the story and each added weight and value. Ambrose being my favorite. The complicated father daughter relationship was easy to feel sorry for. The love triangle was well played out. I don't think the main character thinking back too much on her transgressions took away from the plot or the character. I couldn't help but notice how the two main romances mirrored one another. The ending wasn't what I wanted, but I think the author gave the characters and the readers justice. This for sure has is one of my top fiction reads for 2025.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Bookbinder’s Secret is the enchanting story of a woman bookbinder who loves all things books. When Lily find a partially burned book has a hidden secret message inside she becomes obsessed with revealing the story. What Lily doesn’t realize is that someone dangerous wants that story to remain hidden and will do anything to stop Lily from unraveling the tragic love story within.

The first 38% (yes I know exactly the percentage because I kept checking 🫣) was SLOW. I almost gave up, but I’m so glad I didn’t!! The story unravels fast from there and I could not change the pages fast enough. Books, mystery, murder, inheritance, past love, and a modern love triangle…what more could you ask for??

READ IT!!

I can't say this book wasn't engaging. I devoured it in a few sittings and had a difficult time parting from it for things like sleep and work. I was invested from the very beginning and did not feel the pace ever slackened too much, even through lengthy descriptions of bookbinding minutiae. While the premise bears a lot in common with other literature-centered mysteries like Shadow of the Wind and Possession, The Bookbinder's Secret seems to handle it better--or at least in a more gripping way. Unfortunately, though, there were early signs the book was heading in a disappointing direction, but I was too absorbed in the plot to heed them.

It's easy to forget the story takes place in 1901. This is one of my personal favorite historical eras, yet here I couldn't recognize it or feel immersed in the time period. There was no real reason to choose the year 1901; it might as easily have been 1881 or 1921. The heroine, though admittedly lower class and therefore perhaps a little less burdened by societal expectations, still comes off as too modern in her behavior and thinking.

Meanwhile, our heroine wavers in the middle of an underwhelming love triangle between a one-night stand and a childhood sweetheart, neither particularly compelling. For all that we hear of love and passion in this book, the romantic interests themselves appear to have gone undeveloped. We are told their women are madly in love with them (or in some cases, kinda-maybe in love or kinda-maybe in lust), but it's anyone's guess as to why, because it's never really shown. This is typical of titles marked "women's fiction;" the male characters are mostly tokens and placeholders. Still, from the promising start, I expected better.

The historical mystery/love story from the past is certainly the exciting part of the book, but as it unravels it tends toward melodrama more than I would have liked and ends up depressing. Also, the pregnancy trope is overdone in stories of this kind.

I found myself liking the "present-day" heroine less and less as the story went on. Her attitude toward the abortion plot point didn't sit well with me, and I also didn't understand why she'd choose to pursue a relationship with a man who wants children when she apparently doesn't.

One last complaint, the villains, especially Devlin, were rather caricatured.

I wish the actual content of the mysterious books had been more significant to the story, but I appreciated that it was explored at least a little. I also liked the author's cameo appearance in her own book as the fictional novelist Abel Bell.

All in all, though ultimately a little disappointing, this was undeniably a page-turner and the pacing was excellent.

This is an interesting and captivating historical fiction novel set to be released next year and I will say that I was very impressed with this read. The characters and the plot were really well thought out. I also got the opportunity to learn things about bookbinding that I never knew before. I'll admit this is the type of job I would love doing.
In 1901 we are introduced to Lilian who spends her days working in her in her fathers bookshop as a bookbinder she adored the work but there are those who think of it as an unsuitable career for a woman. Outside of work she doesn't have many friends and spends most of her time book collecting.
One day when visiting the collector she comes across a burned book. Inside of the book is a half century old letter that is filled with scandalous intrigue. She soon becomes captivated with the mystery and continues to search for more clues. But unbeknownst to her there are others with the same intentions whose motives aren't exactly friendly.

The Bookbinders Secret
3.5 ⭐️

A bookbinder, a hidden secret inside of a book, a murder (or several) and a story that will change one woman’s life.

I really enjoyed this book. As a hobbyist bookbinder I loved the quiet moments of binding in the story and felt very pleased with how accurate the descriptions of binding were, the author is either a binder or did a great job researching, kudos!

I loved the story as well, the multiple narratives within the narrative was done very well.

Lilian is a lonely, despondent girl whose only joy in life is in her bookbinding, when one day she finds a hidden letter inside the bindings of a book saved from a fire. I like her character arc, her decision to let others in and trust those around her as the pages turned. Her love interest was a bit lack luster imo but I’m glad he loved her (I just liked the idea of the romance with Charlie I guess)

I wish we had gotten some moments of tenderness between Lilian and her father because I think it would have made the emotional moments later in the novel hit a lot harder and would have really made us empathize with Lilian a bit more.

My favorite characters were without a doubt Mr. Caxton and Ambrose Fane. I kept picturing Sam Reid as Ambrose and he was just such a complex, somewhat silly and intriguing character i could read a novel about him alone.

I think the structure of the narrative was very well done as it kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what the next hidden pages contained much like Lily. The pacing was good, and the interconnected storylines felt like a good payoff after meeting so many characters. Also I loved Dotty, she was awesome.

Overall I enjoyed this but felt the romance could have been done in a way to be more intriguing since it was basically an open and shut case from the beginning, I would have loved a little more conflict or yearning and feel like it was set up for that with Charlie but was then abandoned.

Thanks NetGalley and St Martins Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest feedback!

"Anyone who loves books knows that smell. Breathes it. That particular perfume that invades and stays. The aroma of imagination, of knowledge waiting."

Oh, what a glorious book! The Bookbinder's Secret quickly immerses the reader into Victorian England and the lost art of creating a new binding for a treasured book. Some of us are fortunate to have a few old books, beautifully bound in leather with exquisite paper, that have been passed down to us as a legacy, but imagine a world where that is the norm. In this story, Lilian Delaney is a gifted apprentice, learning the art of bookbinding in Oxford, a profession dominated by men. Unmarried at the age of 25, an anomaly for a woman, she's not interested in marriage or children, but has her sights set on a career in bookbinding. I was completely consumed by both the mystery of the missing books and the slowly revealed love story hidden in their bindings.

Throughout the story, as Lilian searches for the missing books all over England, she's helped in random ways by other women. These women were strangers of different ages and backgrounds, but didn't hesitate to help her because they knew how difficult the business world was for any woman. Lilians's employer, Mr. Caxton, a generous soul with a dry wit, was my favorite character by far. He was a patient teacher, as proud of her accomplishments as a father, a guardian angel when she desperately needed one, and by the end, a friend. I'm happy to say that I didn't figure out the mystery before it was revealed and was delighted by the intriguing ending. If you are passionate about books, The Bookbinder's Secret is a rare treasure.

"Books were so much more than paper and words; they held magic within them and every hand they passed through was touched by that magic, forever changed, even if they did not know it."

00ps
I put my brief review in the notes
Readers young and old will find this an exciting read. I look forward to the second book--and yes, I did not miss that AD Bell is the author o f this book and the story within the story.
Characters well drawn.
Plot intricate but explained well
suspense--yes!
Could not put it down!
Just enough info about the history, just enough ab out bookbinding to give it intrest but not become boring

📚 Book Review: The Bookbinder's Secret by A.D. Bell

Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC! This one absolutely stole my bookish heart. 💛📖

Fair warning, this review may contain some spoilers.

I LOVED this story! It checked every box: an immersive mystery, tangled romances (yes—plural! 😍), danger around every corner, and of course… books. Lots of books! 🕯️📚 The idea of a hidden love story buried beneath the bindings? Absolutely irresistible.

Lilly, our lead, felt so real. Sure, she made a few head-scratching choices (I mean, leaving the door unlocked with a killer on the loose? 🙃), but she owns her quirks—especially her admission that she’s more of a book-handler than a book-devourer. That little detail made her missteps feel genuine, if a bit nerve-wracking at times.

The layers of mystery kept unfolding, and the cast of characters was rich and memorable. I wasn’t a fan of Julia Chatton or the sinister man in the Bowler Hat 😒, but I rooted so hard for Isabel to reunite with her son, Isaac. That storyline tugged at the heartstrings.

And the hint of a sequel? I’m already impatiently waiting. I’d read it in a heartbeat! 💞

Highly recommend to anyone who craves historical mystery with emotional depth, gothic edges, and literary love woven into the seams.

#TheBookbindersSecret #ADBell #ARCReview #NetGalleyReads #StMartinsPress #HistoricalMystery #BookishLove #DangerAndRomance #BooksWithinBooks #FiveStarRead #Bookstagram #MustRead2025

The Bookbinder’s Secret by A.D. Bell is one of those stories that quietly wraps around your heart and doesn’t let go. Set in the rich, moody world of Victorian bookbinding, it follows Lily, who feels so real, you find yourself rooting for her like a close friend. When she stumbles across a hidden note in a damaged book, it sets off a chain of secrets and choices that challenge everything she thought she knew about herself and the people around her. But what really stayed with me wasn’t just the mystery!! It was Lily’s quiet strength, her longing to be seen in a world that often tries to silence her, and the way love, grief, and hope are woven into every page. It’s the kind of book that leaves you thinking, feeling, and wanting to hold someone’s hand when you’re done.

✨ Book Review: The Bookbinder’s Secret ✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
📚 Publish Date: January 13, 2026
Some books entertain. Some books enchant. This one bound me, heart, mind, and soul.
From the very first page, The Bookbinder’s Secret wrapped around me like a cherished story passed down through generations. This is not just a book, it’s an experience, a journey, and for me, an instant favorite. I will be thinking about this story forever. Set in 1901 Oxford, this novel brings to life the exquisite art of bookbinding through the eyes of a remarkable young woman, Lilian Delaney, an apprentice bookbinder with fire in her spirit and clarity in her convictions. Lilian is a main character I will never forget, strong, independent, intelligent, and deeply human.
What begins with the mystery of a burned book evolves into a rich, layered tale filled with romance, suspense, history, and literary passion. This is a story within a story and somehow, my own story attached itself to the pages.
I was hooked from the start. Fast paced yet lyrical, this novel read like poetry and danced like music. I savored every sentence. It thrilled me, moved me, and reminded me why I love reading so deeply.
As a craft lover, I adored the spotlight on the history and techniques of bookbinding, an art form I now want to explore myself. This book reminded me that the tools of a craft can also be tools of empowerment.
If you love books about books, strong heroines, historical mysteries, or stories that pull you into another time and place, you need The Bookbinder’s Secret on your shelf. I can’t wait to own a finished copy. Automatic buy from this author going forward.
Thank you to @stmartinspress for the opportunity to read this stunning novel early for an honest review.
#TheBookbindersSecret #BookReview #SMPEarlyReaders #HistoricalFiction #Bibliophile #BookLovers #BooksOfInstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #HistoricalMystery #BookTok #FictionAddict #StoryWithinAStory #MustRead2026

I was drawn in by bookbinding, it’s been a hobby of mine so it caught my attention that bookbinding is part of the plot for this book, AND it’s a period.

✨ARC Review✨
📖 The Bookbinder's Secret
✍️ A.D Bell
📅 Publication: January 13, 2026

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
Every book holds a story this one hides a secret.
In 1901 Oxford, apprentice bookbinder Lily Delaney feels trapped by her limited life. But when she discovers a hidden letter inside a burned book, she’s drawn into a decades-old mystery of forbidden love, lost fortune, and murder.
As Lily hunts for more books that may contain clues, her curiosity turns into obsession and danger. From London’s bookshops to private collections, she follows a trail others will kill to keep buried. Now, she must decide how far she’s willing to go for the truth

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
I’ll start by saying this isn’t usually the type of book I go for, but something about the synopsis drew me in, and I’m so glad it did. This story blends historical fiction with a touch of mystery, weaving a tale of forbidden love and the price that often accompanies it. It explores how deeply relationships can affect our lives, especially when they're tangled in secrets. While the beginning was a bit slow for me, I ended up really enjoying the read overall.
Thank You @stmartinpress for allowing me to review this book,