Unsigned: A Booklover's Mystery

One would think that being the owner of a small publishing house and an antiquarian bookstore in England would lead to a sedate existence. However, Alex Plumtree has a sideline, investigating homicides that make life a bit spicy for the book lover. On the night of a gala bookstore opening and accompanied book signing, Alex expects an exciting but relatively quiet evening. Included in the festivities is reclusive author McKinley Montauge, known for his serial killer thrillers. He is signing his latest book, Beowulf's Blood.Before the party, a reporter from the bookseller newspaper jokingly tells Alex that his publisher plans to have Montauge killed to boost sales. While laughing about this in a coffee shop, a bullet is shot through the window giving credence to the journalist's story. In the following days, other horrible things occur to Alex. His landlord wants Plumtree Publishing to vacate their premises within thirty days. Someone breaks into Alex's bookstore. Someone kills a Beowulf scholar along with the murder of the publisher of the dead author. Worse, yet, Alex keeps seeing glimpses of his deceased fiance. The compulsive Alex decides to make sense of everything by doing a bit of sleuthing.Any bibliophile, fan of a good cerebral mystery, or a romantic will want to read Julie Kaewert's latest "Booklover's Mystery," UNSIGNED. Familiar characters reappear, picking up threads from earlier stories, and provide a warm and cozy sense of homecoming. The well-done mystery is finely detailed so that if a reader blinks they may miss a critical clue. Ms. Kaewert has written another winner in this entertaining series.Harriet Klausner