A MARGIN FOR MURDER

A Massachusetts bookstore owner takes on yet another case of murder.

Inheriting her aunt’s Victorian home in Greyborne Harbor enabled Addie Greyborne to open Beyond the Page. While she waits in hope that Dr. Simon Emerson will present her with an engagement ring for her birthday, Addie heads off with her assistant, Paige Stringer, to nearby Pen Hollow, where the library is closing. The building, which is slated for demolition, contains not only plenty of books, but also some amazing old furniture that Mayor Luella Higgins tells them is all for sale, along with the bookmobile. Addie buys the furniture and the bookmobile, which turns out to contain several valuable first editions donated by benefactor Maisie Radcliff that had previously gone missing. She soon realizes that plenty of people don’t approve of closing the library, and when Luella dies in what’s clearly not an accident, there are suspects galore. One of them is bestselling author Anthony Radcliff, Maisie’s grandson and Addie’s high school crush. When the local sheriff fastens on outsiders Addie and Paige as his best suspects, since Luella was poisoned at a dinner they attended, Simon and Greyborne Harbor Police Chief Marc Chandler have a tough time keeping them out of jail. Of course Addie ignores all requests to leave the case to the police and digs up plenty of gossip and evidence pointing to the killer.

Nicely fits the cozy formula, with plenty of specialized knowledge, local color, and romance.