Fateful Words

February 20, 2023
In bestseller Shelton’s entertaining eighth Scottish Bookshop mystery (after 2022’s The Burning Pages), wealthy businessman Edwin MacAlister, who owns the Cracked Spine bookstore, selects four “winners” every year from people he’s corresponded with on literary matters. The prize is a coveted all-expenses-paid weekend-long literary tour of Edinburgh led by Edwin. When Edwin and his assistant, Hamlet, are unexpectedly—and mysteriously—unavailable to lead the tour, Edwin’s American expat employee, Delaney Nichols, is tapped to lead the group. The four winners, disappointed by the change, and their newly appointed guide, Delaney, begin the tour. Within 24 hours, the owner of the inn where they’re staying is dead from a fall, and one of the four has vanished. Delaney gamely carries on as she leads the group to places with literary ties, including the Writers Museum and Deacon Brodie’s Tavern, and the danger mounts. With the help of her husband, Tom, Delaney discovers a trail of false identities, fraud, and a killer intent on destroying Edwin. This is armchair tourism at its best, with a dash of murder for spice. Bibliophiles and cozy fans alike will be enchanted. Agent: Jessica Faust, BookEnds Literary.