A Rare Books Cozy Mystery: Book 1
Publication Date: November 21, 2023
Rare books librarian Juniper Blume knows this much… an ancient Celtic manuscript shouldn’t be in a Maryland cemetery. But that’s exactly what her brother-in-law claims.
Last year, Juniper saw the 1,200-year-old Book of Kells in Ireland. She learned how their bejeweled covers were stolen centuries ago, never to be seen again. So how could they have ended up in Rose Mallow, a small Chesapeake Bay town? Being Jewish, the Book of Kells might not be her sacred text, but as a rare books librarian, the ancient book is still sacred to her, making it important to Juniper to find out the truth.
Rose Mallow is the same place where Juniper used to summer with her sister Azalea and their grandmother Zinnia, known as Nana Z. Ever since Nana Z passed away, Juniper’s avoided returning, but her curiosity is greater than her grief, so she heads down in her vintage convertible with her rescue dog Clover.
Juniper discovers that her sister Azalea has transformed their grandmother’s Queen Anne style mansion into the Wildflower Inn, backing up to the Chesapeake Bay. Although Juniper isn’t much of a cook, Azalea has kept their grandmother’s legacy alive, filling the house with the smells of East European Jewish treats, like sweet kugels and tzimmes cake. Will coming back here feel like returning home or fill Juniper with a deeper sorrow? Can she apologize to her sister for not being there when she was needed most?
Crime and Parchment is the first book in the A Rare Books Cozy Mystery series by Daphne Silver, and I’m looking forward to reading more.
Set near the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, the small town has an eclectic mix of people residing there as well as passing through. It has a small town vibe with gossips, small businesses, and a lot of history and grudges to those presently living there.
Juniper is front and center, a rare books librarian at the Library of Congress, along with her sister, Azalea, who turned their grandmother’s home into a B & B. It doesn’t hurt that they grew up there as well.
There are clues galore and red herrings to figure out whodunnit when a body is found in the cemetery, and it isn’t in a grave. When fingers are pointed at Rory, Azalea’s soon-to-be ex-husband, things take some unexpected turns. Juniper, along with several other amateur sleuths, keeps digging into the murder, much to the chagrin of the small police force. Multiple stories are being told that are woven together nicely but still left some loose ends at the end of the story.
Throw in a murder or two, a lost diary, and the missing valuable covers to a sacred book housed in Ireland, and there’s a lot that kept me interested and turning the pages. There is a good flow to the story, even if Juniper sometimes seems to go off on tangents. Her mind seems to race through various scenarios, and of course, she’s the one who solved the crime and saved the day to give us some closure. There are vivid descriptions throughout, along with tons of baked goods that had me feeling like I was there.
Crime and Parchment has a small town, amateur sleuths, and several mysteries to solve, which had me cozying up under my blanket to see whodunnit. I can’t wait to see what Juniper will be up to next and who her partners in crime will be!
Daphne Silver is the author of the Rare Books Cozy Mystery series. She’s worked more than twenty years in museums and has the great fortune of being married to a librarian. When she’s not writing, she’s drawing and painting. She lives in Maryland with her family. Although she’s not much of a baker, she won’t ever turn down a sweet lokshen kugel.
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Thank you so much JoAnne for reading Crime and Parchment and sharing this great review ☺️ I’m incredibly appreciative ❤️