The Loch Ness Papers (A Scottish Bookshop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Scotland
Minotaur Books (April 2, 2019)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-10: 1250127815
ISBN-13: 978-1250127815
Kindle ASIN: B07H7CS993
Bookseller Delaney Nichols befriends a Loch Ness monster enthusiast; when he stands accused of murder she’ll do whatever it takes to learn who the killer is—and whether Nessie herself is really lurking in the Scottish waters.
Delaney Nichols is delighted with her life in Edinburgh, working at The Cracked Spine—a shop that specializes in hard-to-find books and artifacts. With a job she loves, and her fast approaching marriage to devastatingly handsome Scottish pub-owner Tom Shannon, Delaney’s life could be straight out of a fairy tale—at least it would be, if the pastor meant to perform the wedding ceremony hadn’t recently passed away. Outside the church where Delaney is searching for another reverend, she stumbles across Norval Fraser: an elderly man obsessed with the Loch Ness monster. Always attracted to the interesting and unusual, Delaney befriends Norval. But when his nephew is found dead, the police decide Norval’s obsession has moved from monsters to murder.
With a wedding to plan, her family arriving soon from Kansas, and the arrival of an over-the-top Texan with a wildly valuable book, Delaney’s plate is full to bursting, but she can’t abandon her new friend. Determined to help Norval, she sets out to learn the truth. The Loch Ness buries its secrets deeply, but Delaney is determined to dig them up—whether Nessie likes it or not.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Delaney and Tom’s wedding is just a couple of weeks away and they are in need of a new pastor to perform the ceremony after their original one passes away. On her way into the church to meet a potential replacement, she meets Norval Fraser, a man who has researched the Loch Ness Monster his entire life. Delaney finds herself drawn into the man’s obsession and they become fast friends. He is very protective of all of his papers and wants to be sure someone will continue his work after he is gone. He had hoped his nephew would take the mantle but when the nephew is killed and police believe he is responsible he reaches out to Delaney for help to find the murderer and to protect his papers. Delaney already has her hands full with her upcoming wedding and her family arriving from Kansas but she can’t say no to this man. Believing the truth will set Nordal free she jumps in with both feet to find it. But she may be up against the beast itself before she can get there.
I loved absolutely everything about this story! A wedding, a priceless book, Americans visiting Scotland for the first time, and Nessie featured throughout it all.
Who has not heard the tale of the Loch Ness Monster? It was about time Delaney paid the creature a visit to see for herself if their really something residing in the Loch. Nordal’s vast amount of papers and his stories really pushed her desire to see if the monster really exists. The man is clearly haunted by his memories and Delaney realizes he needs someone to pay attention. It was heartwarming the way she took this man under her wing, especially because she herself is so new to Scotland. Her need to prove his innocence overtakes almost everything else, including her wedding but her hunky pub owner fiance completely understands.
That leads me to the romantic side of this story. Delaney has found the perfect mate in Tom and we see it abundantly in this story. He takes care of her but trusts her and gives her the freedom to pursue her endeavors. He is ready to step in when she needs him but knows when to back off. She supports him thoroughly too. I am excited about their future.
This installment brings her adopted Scotland family, the staff at the bookstore, her landlords, Tom and his father together with her biological Kansas family to celebrate their upcoming nuptials. Delaney gets sidetracked with the murder and her new friend, so I was so pleased the way the two families got along. Meeting her folks and her brother gave us a clearer picture of the protagonist I have grown to love over the course of this series.
Again, Paige Shelton’s words deliver her readers to Scotland. The town, the countryside, the rain, and the infamous loch. We follow Delaney each and every step of the way. Ms. Shelton paints such vivid imagery.
You will find myth, a rich history, mystery and love within these pages. The ending left me breathless. Such fantastic storytelling took me away. The reality around me seemed to disappear as I became immersed in a tale I couldn’t put down. In fact, I sad when the story ended. My virtual escape ended much too soon. I just was not ready to leave Scotland behind.
This book will be on my list of best reads of 2019 for so many reasons. It can be enjoyed on its own but to experience the character development and the passage of time I strongly encourage reading the series from the start. This story receives my Paradise Rating! 10 stars!
About The Author
Paige Shelton is the New York Times Bestselling author of the Farmers’ Market Mysteries
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Wow! Well done with the top rating possible.