Overview
Every book tells a story. This one tells a secret.
A young bookbinder begins a hunt for the truth when a confession hidden beneath the binding of a burned book reveals a story of forbidden love, lost fortune, and murder.
Lilian (“Lily”) Delaney, apprentice to a master bookbinder in Oxford in 1901, chafes at the confines of her life. She is trapped between the oppressiveness of her father’s failing bookshop and still being an apprentice in a man’s profession. But when she’s given a burned book during a visit to a collector, she finds, hidden beneath the binding, a fifty-year-old letter speaking of love, fortune, and murder.
Lily is pulled into the mystery of the young lovers, a story of forbidden love, and discovers there are more books and more hidden pages telling their story. Lilian becomes obsessed with the story but she is not the only one looking for the remaining books and what began as a diverting intrigue quickly becomes a very dangerous pursuit.
Lily’s search leads her from the eccentric booksellers of London to the private libraries of unscrupulous collectors and the dusty archives of society papers, deep into the heart of the mystery. But with sinister forces closing in, willing to do anything for the books, Lilian’s world begins to fall apart and she must decide if uncovering the truth is worth the risk to her own life.
Review
I love this cover and this title! Always a big draw to me!
A young bookbinder begins a hunt for the truth when a confession hidden beneath the binding of a burned book reveals a story of forbidden love, lost fortune, and murder.
I am in the minority on this one. I loved the premise and the setting. However, I found the pacing a bit off and this is a bit too descriptive. And as much as I enjoyed Lily, some of her actions do not seem to fit the time period.
Now that that is out of the way! I did enjoy the premise. A 50 year old letter hidden in a book! This definitely draws you in. The murder and love story create an intriguing tale. Plus, the bookbinding information helps endear the reader to this story.
Olivia Vinall is the narrator. She did a good job. I am not sure I have ever listened to her before.
Need a unique mystery…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
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