The Poison Pen

About the book

The Poison Pen, the ninth book in the Scottish Bookshop series by Paige Shelton, takes place in a specialty bookstore in Edinburgh called The Cracked Spine.

Following the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II, Bookseller Delaney Nichols is given a unique assignment by her boss. A friend of his in the village of Roslin believes she has discovered a priceless relic on her estate, and Delaney is tasked with investigating. Could this item have significant historical value to Scotland? But when Delaney arrives at the estate, she is met by a legal team with a keen interest in the property. After removing the unwanted visitors, a scream leads them to a grim discovery: a body.

As Delaney delves deeper into the investigation, she uncovers the intriguing history of Jolie, the owner of the estate. Jolie's mother had always insisted that her daughter was the true heir to the throne, not Elizabeth II, due to an alleged affair with King Edward VIII. The only evidence of this claim lies in a journal purportedly kept by one of Edward’s secretaries. The mystery deepens when a connection is revealed between this scandalous tale and the murder victim. Delaney must decipher the clues to solve the puzzle...or risk becoming a part of history herself.