For Whom the Book Tolls: An Antique Bookshop Mystery

Black’s promising debut and series launch introduces Jenna Quinn, who gladly accepts her uncle Paul Baxter’s invitation to come to Hokes Folly, N.C., to help him run his bookshop, having recently been acquitted of embezzlement and murder, crimes she didn’t commit, in her hometown of Charlotte, Va. But the morning after Jenna arrives in Hokes Folly, she finds her uncle lying dead in his shop. Det. Frank Sutter, one of the investigators on the case, learns of Jenna’s alleged crimes and seems determined to prove that Jenna killed her uncle; that Paul has left her everything in his will doesn’t help her. Fortunately for Jenna, Det. Keith Logan, Frank’s partner, is convinced of Jenna’s innocence. If Jenna can find a lost antique diary, she may discover who’s willing to kill to get their hands on a hidden treasure. An appealing heroine, an old bookstore, and a picturesque small-town location make up for some clichéd characters and a couple of improbable plot twists. Cozy fans will be satisfied. Agent: Dawn Dowdle, Blue Ridge Agency. (Aug.)