Critically acclaimed author Victoria Gilbert introduces an exciting new cozy mystery series full of bookish and Southern charm—perfect for fans of Kate Carlisle and Juliet Blackwell.
A book lover’s B&B in an idyllic waterfront village becomes the scene of a grisly murder—and a ruthless battle between treachery and the truth.
Nestled in the historic waterfront town of Beaufort, North Carolina, Chapters Bed-and-Breakfast is a reader’s paradise. Built in 1770, the newly renovated inn hosts a roster of special events celebrating books, genres, and authors. It's the perfect literary retreat—until a rare book dealer turns up dead in the carriage house during a celebration of Golden Age mystery author Josephine Tey.
The victim’s daughter points the finger at forty-two-year-old widow and former schoolteacher Charlotte Reed, who inherited the B&B from her great-aunt Isabella. Charlotte is shocked to discover that the book dealer suspected Isabella of being a thief who founded Chapters on her ill-gotten gains. Charlotte has successfully learned the B&B business in a year, but nothing has prepared her to handle a death on the premises.
Armed with intelligence and courage and assisted by her vibrant older neighbor, a visiting author, and members of a local book club, Charlotte is determined to prove her innocence and to clear her great-aunt’s name. But the murderer is still at large, and equally determined to silence anyone who might discover the truth behind the book dealer’s death. Now, Charlotte must outwit an unknown killer—or end up writing her own final chapter.
Praise for Booked for Death: “[A] charming series launch...Cozy fans and book lovers will be satisfied." —Publishers Weekly
“A clever, sympathetic heroine and oodles of local color.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Gilbert introduces an intelligent, mature amateur sleuth, and a shrewd elderly sidekick in the first in a character-driven cozy series. The leisurely paced mystery offers complex characters with well-developed backgrounds and motives. Readers of Ellery Adams’s Book Retreat mysteries will appreciate this new series.” —Library Journal
“All of the hallmarks of a cozy.” —Booklist
“Intellectually challenging...A solid addition to a popular cozy category.” —New York Journal of Books
“A brilliant beginning for a cozy series.” —San Francisco Book Review
“An enjoyable read with many interesting characters and twists and turns.” —MyShelf
—BookPage
“A new favorite cozy mystery series...I cannot wait for the next book.” —Fresh Fiction
“Interesting characters, a great setting and a fun story make this an enjoyable read.” —Red Carpet Crash
“Holds reader interest from the first pages to the last with a mixture of family history, legend, duplicity, stealth, and audacity.” —Midwest Book Review
Victoria Gilbert, raised in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, turned her early obsession with reading into a dual career as an author and librarian. Victoria has worked as a reference librarian, research librarian, and library director. When not writing or reading, she likes to spend her time watching films, gardening, or traveling. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers and lives in North Carolina. This is the first in her new Booklover's B&B mystery.
Critically acclaimed author Victoria Gilbert introduces an exciting new cozy mystery series full of bookish and Southern charm—perfect for fans of Kate Carlisle and Juliet Blackwell.
A book lover’s B&B in an idyllic waterfront village becomes the scene of a grisly murder—and a ruthless battle between treachery and the truth.
Nestled in the historic waterfront town of Beaufort, North Carolina, Chapters Bed-and-Breakfast is a reader’s paradise. Built in 1770, the newly renovated inn hosts a roster of special events celebrating books, genres, and authors. It's the perfect literary retreat—until a rare book dealer turns up dead in the carriage house during a celebration of Golden Age mystery author Josephine Tey.
The victim’s daughter points the finger at forty-two-year-old widow and former schoolteacher Charlotte Reed, who inherited the B&B from her great-aunt Isabella. Charlotte is shocked to discover that the book dealer suspected Isabella of being a thief who founded Chapters on her ill-gotten gains. Charlotte has successfully learned the B&B business in a year, but nothing has prepared her to handle a death on the premises.
Armed with intelligence and courage and assisted by her vibrant older neighbor, a visiting author, and members of a local book club, Charlotte is determined to prove her innocence and to clear her great-aunt’s name. But the murderer is still at large, and equally determined to silence anyone who might discover the truth behind the book dealer’s death. Now, Charlotte must outwit an unknown killer—or end up writing her own final chapter.
Reviews
Praise for Booked for Death: “[A] charming series launch...Cozy fans and book lovers will be satisfied." —Publishers Weekly
“A clever, sympathetic heroine and oodles of local color.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Gilbert introduces an intelligent, mature amateur sleuth, and a shrewd elderly sidekick in the first in a character-driven cozy series. The leisurely paced mystery offers complex characters with well-developed backgrounds and motives. Readers of Ellery Adams’s Book Retreat mysteries will appreciate this new series.” —Library Journal
“All of the hallmarks of a cozy.” —Booklist
“Intellectually challenging...A solid addition to a popular cozy category.” —New York Journal of Books
“A brilliant beginning for a cozy series.” —San Francisco Book Review
“An enjoyable read with many interesting characters and twists and turns.” —MyShelf
—BookPage
“A new favorite cozy mystery series...I cannot wait for the next book.” —Fresh Fiction
“Interesting characters, a great setting and a fun story make this an enjoyable read.” —Red Carpet Crash
“Holds reader interest from the first pages to the last with a mixture of family history, legend, duplicity, stealth, and audacity.” —Midwest Book Review
Author
Victoria Gilbert, raised in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, turned her early obsession with reading into a dual career as an author and librarian. Victoria has worked as a reference librarian, research librarian, and library director. When not writing or reading, she likes to spend her time watching films, gardening, or traveling. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers and lives in North Carolina. This is the first in her new Booklover's B&B mystery.
