Fateful Words: A Scottish Bookshop Mystery

Delaney is called upon to guide a literary tour around Edinburgh when Edwin, her boss, leaves town on secret business. On the first night of the tour, the inn manager falls off the roof and kills himself, and one of the tour members disappears. Delaney must follow clues around Edinburgh to solve the mystery and save the bookstore.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 12 February 2024
Publisher: Minotaur Books,US

When Edwin, Delaney's boss at the Cracked Spine bookstore, leaves town on secret business, Delaney is called upon to guide his yearly literary tour around Edinburgh. But on the first night of the tour, at the inn where the tour group is staying, the inn manager falls – or is pushed – off the roof of the inn and killed. Then, one of the tour members disappears, leaving a trail of puzzles in her wake. In a race against the clock, Delaney sets out on the expedition of her life, following clues around Edinburgh to get to the bottom of this mystery. Exploring sights from Greyfriars Bobby to the Royal Mile to the Sir Walter Scott Monument, she'll have to put the pieces together quickly, or the bookstore's survival could be on the line – as well as her own.

Delaney is thrilled to be given the opportunity to lead the literary tour around Edinburgh, especially since it means she'll get to spend more time with her boss, Edwin. However, things take a dark turn on the first night of the tour when the inn manager falls – or is pushed – off the roof of the inn and killed. Delaney is left to pick up the pieces and continue the tour, but she soon realizes that something is amiss. One of the tour members, a young woman named Sarah, disappears without a trace, leaving behind only a series of clues that seem to point towards something sinister.

Determined to solve the mystery, Delaney sets out on a quest to explore the sights of Edinburgh, from Greyfriars Bobby to the Royal Mile to the Sir Walter Scott Monument. Along the way, she encounters a cast of characters, each with their own secrets and motivations. She also uncovers a network of corruption and deception that stretches deep into the heart of the city's literary community.

As Delaney closes in on the truth, she finds herself in danger, and her life is threatened. She must use all of her skills and resources to stay one step ahead of her enemies and uncover the truth before it's too late. In the end, Delaney emerges victorious, and the bookstore is saved from closure. She also discovers a new sense of purpose and fulfillment in her work, knowing that she has made a difference in the lives of others.

The literary tour around Edinburgh is a thrilling adventure that tests Delaney's skills and courage to their limits. She must navigate a complex web of lies and deceit, and face down her own demons in the process. But in the end, she emerges victorious, and the bookstore is saved from closure. The experience also gives her a new sense of purpose and fulfillment in her work, knowing that she has made a difference in the lives of others.

Weight: 164g
Dimension: 105 x 172 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781250789556