Written in Stone: A Scottish Bookshop Mystery
Cozy Mystery
10th in Series
Setting – Scotland
Publisher : Minotaur Books (April 1, 2025)
Hardcover Print length : 304 pages
ISBN-10 : 1250336619
ISBN-13 : 978-1250336613
Kindle ASIN : B0D1P392DF
Audiobook ASIN B0F1Z6NL51
Written in Stone, the tenth installment in the Scottish Bookshop series by Paige Shelton, set in a specialty bookstore in Edinburgh called The Cracked Spine.
When Delaney wins a special Hidden Door Festival invitation to artist Ryory Bennigan’s studio, she isn’t sure quite what to expect. What she finds is an elusive fellow obsessed with the Picts—complete with his own versions of their blue tattoos and vibrant red hair—recreating the stones they left behind. She also meets a visiting paleontologist, Dr. Adam Pace, from the University of Kansas attempting to sell an artifact that might just explain what the Picts’ language really sounded like.
Or at least that’s what he claimed the artifact was for. Before the deal can close and Ryory can get a closer look at it, Dr. Pace is found dead.
With the police dragging their feet in the investigation, Delaney takes it upon herself to dig into Dr. Pace’s past. Her research goes murky as she quickly discovers Pace’s shady background—selling fake dinosaur bones and running into some 3D-printing trouble back in Kansas. Could his past have come back to bite him in Edinburgh? And what does his questionable background mean for the mysterious Pictish artifact he was trying to sell to Ryory? Delaney will have to dust off her magnifying glass to uncover the truth behind this case… or risk becoming a pile of bones herself.
Dollycas Thoughts
Reclusive artist Ryory Bennigan is inviting people to visit his studio with a special Hidden Door Festival invitation, and Delaney Nichols has won a chance to visit and meet the man. She learns the man is fixated on the Picts, creating his own versions of their ” blue tattoos and vibrant red hair”. There is also a paleontologist, Dr. Adam Pace, from the University of Kansas, visiting Edinburgh. He claims he has an artifact that shows what the language of the Picts sounds like. He is trying to sell it to the highest bidder, Ryory Bennigan.
Before Dr. Pace can seal the deal, he is killed shortly after meeting with Delany. She doesn’t think the police’s investigation is progressing fast enough, so she decides to do some investigating too. She finds Dr. Pace has a dodgy past. It appears a 3D printer was his best friend back in Kansas. He was making fake artifacts and selling them as genuine.
Could he have sold a fake to the wrong person? Was the Picts artifact he was trying to sell to Ryory real or fake? Can Delaney get to the truth and find Dr. Pace’s killer? Or will she be their next victim?
I always enjoy my virtual trips to Edinburgh and The Cracked Spine to visit Delaney, Tom, Rosie, Hamlet, Edwin, and Hector. They are well-developed characters that continue to grow within each story. Delaney has such a curious nature about everything and everyone she encounters. She and Tom are the perfect couple, and I love it when they can spend true time together like they did in this story. I also liked that Edwin was more present in this story. He does give Delaney a perfect gift.
Ms. Shelton penned an intriguing mystery. With the University of Kansas connection between Delaney and the victim, Dr. Pace, even Detective Winters realized she could help his case. She does discover some troubling things that raise even more questions. I was entertained following along with her for every twist and turn. Suspects moved up and down my personal list. Secrets and scandals were uncovered, leading up to a surprising and suspenseful reveal.
When I started reading this book, I had never heard of the Picts. The author weaves information about the ancient group that inhabited Scotland from 79 to 843 CE and their traditions and culture with the current-day activities. It is a very interesting theme for this book.
Written in Stone is a marvelous addition to this series. A brave protagonist who can think on her feet and a well-thought-out and plotted mystery kept the pages turning rapidly. Delaney has really found herself and her place in Edinburgh.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
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About The Author
PAIGE SHELTON had a nomadic childhood, as her father’s job as a football coach took her family to seven different towns before she was even twelve years old. After college at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, she moved to Salt Lake City. She thought she’d only stay a couple years, but instead she fell in love with the mountains and a great guy who became her husband. After many decades in Utah, she and her family moved to Arizona. She is the New York Times Bestselling author of the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series, the Alaska Wild series, the Dangerous Type mystery series, Farmers’ Market Mysteries
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The Rest of the Series
Also written by Paige Shelton
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.”
