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The Open Book Mysteries #4
A Deadly Dedication
When murder taints writer-in-residence Penelope Parish’s charming British bookshop, she must follow the clues to catch a killer before tempers boil over.
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Penelope Parish thought she’d turned the page on her amateur sleuthing days but when the owner of Upper Chumley-on-Stokes� proposed first high-end gourmet shop is poisoned, the American novelist starts to wonder if she and her quaint British town are in for another rewrite. It turns out that not everyone was a fan of Simeon Foster’s farm-sourced charcuterie and imported pastries—many of the locals were outraged by the potential new competition.
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With a full menu of suspects on her hands, this just might be Penelope’s toughest case yet. Luckily, her friends at the Open Book are there to help with every twist of the poisoned pen.
Ìý
Penelope Parish thought she’d turned the page on her amateur sleuthing days but when the owner of Upper Chumley-on-Stokes� proposed first high-end gourmet shop is poisoned, the American novelist starts to wonder if she and her quaint British town are in for another rewrite. It turns out that not everyone was a fan of Simeon Foster’s farm-sourced charcuterie and imported pastries—many of the locals were outraged by the potential new competition.
Ìý
With a full menu of suspects on her hands, this just might be Penelope’s toughest case yet. Luckily, her friends at the Open Book are there to help with every twist of the poisoned pen.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published August 1, 2023
12 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
December 5, 2023
The author makes a point of telling us how upset her fictional author gets at reading any critical comments about her work, so I shall refrain. Had I written a review, I might have upped the rating a bit because some of the things that annoyed me could have been handled with a good edit but I shall leave it as is.
July 31, 2023
"A Deadly Dedication � is the 3rd instalment in the "An Open Book Mystery" series by Margaret Loudon. I love this series, I really enjoy the setting and I really like the main characters. When murder taints writer-in-residence Penelope Parish’s charming British bookshop, she must follow the clues to catch a killer before tempers boil over.
I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it over a couple of days. Overall the mystery was entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises.
I can’t wait to read the book 4 and see how things are at the Open Book Bookstore and Upper Chumley-on Stoke.
I highly recommend this book to all my cozy loving friends.
I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Berkeley Publishing and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it over a couple of days. Overall the mystery was entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises.
I can’t wait to read the book 4 and see how things are at the Open Book Bookstore and Upper Chumley-on Stoke.
I highly recommend this book to all my cozy loving friends.
I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Berkeley Publishing and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
July 31, 2023
Many of the residents of Upper Chumley-on-Stokes are up in arms about the proposed opening of a new high-end gourmet shop, fearing it will put them out of business. When the owner of the contested shop is found dead, there is no shortage of suspects. Since Pen found the body, she can’t help but get begin her own investigation into the man’s death.
This is the fourth book in the series, and I liked it as much as the first three. I love the book store setting and would very much enjoy poking around for a few hours � or more. I like the recurring primary characters and the way they all look out for one another. It has been fun watching relationships between them grow as the series progresses.
Although it takes a while in this story to get to the murder, the mystery is good, with enough red herrings along the way to keep the reader guessing. There were quite a few suspects, and most of their motives were the same, so narrowing the field was a challenge. One character seemed more suspicious than the rest, so that person moved to the top of my list. That turned out to be correct, although the motive wasn’t at all what I expected.
If there are more books to come in this series, I can’t wait to read them.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This is the fourth book in the series, and I liked it as much as the first three. I love the book store setting and would very much enjoy poking around for a few hours � or more. I like the recurring primary characters and the way they all look out for one another. It has been fun watching relationships between them grow as the series progresses.
Although it takes a while in this story to get to the murder, the mystery is good, with enough red herrings along the way to keep the reader guessing. There were quite a few suspects, and most of their motives were the same, so narrowing the field was a challenge. One character seemed more suspicious than the rest, so that person moved to the top of my list. That turned out to be correct, although the motive wasn’t at all what I expected.
If there are more books to come in this series, I can’t wait to read them.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
December 23, 2023
I'm sorry, but the protagonist is truly too stupid to live. Not only TSTL with respect to her "investigating" -- I was rooting for the villain -- but also in her personal life. How many times did she barely avoid accidents while driving on the wrong side of the road? In real life, this ditz would have had her license taken away, assuming she lived long enough to receive her punishment. This the last Loudon book I will read. It was just too painfully awful. On top of the poor characterization, the author desperately needs a decent editor. She repeated the same statements over and over again in the book. I didn't count how many times we read that she (1) is very tall; (2) dresses carelessly; (3) tripped over her own feet; (4) forgot to eat -- but still doesn't gain weight; and (5) had her mouth water because she was hungry. I'm sure there were more redundancies but I was just too bored to note them. Ugh!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2023
Penelope Parish has obtained a writer-in-residence position at the Open Book shop in Chumley-on-Stoke, England. It's the perfect setting for a cozy mystery. I enjoyed getting to know the usual characters as well as the new ones. There are many suspects for the murder. In the end I learned that I had guessed incorrectly as to the identity of the guilty party. I have not yet read the first three books in the Open Book series, and I am inclined to read them to see what I have missed so far. As a bonus, Penelope has a tuxedo cat named Mrs. Danvers, whom I enjoyed very much.
August 1, 2023
A Deadly Dedication is the fourth book in the An Open Book Mysteries series by Margaret Louden.
Upper Chumley-on-Stoke is getting ready to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day, and Penelope(Pen) Parish is looking forward to attending her first one. But there is unrest in the little community of Upper Chumley, wealthy businessman Simeon Foster is proposing to open one of his fancy gourmet shops in Upper Chumley. Many of the local shop owners fear this new shop will put them out of business.
On the evening of Guy Fawkes Day, Pen and her friends from the bookstore where she works set for the site of the celebration. As they set out their blankets and food, they notice that Simeon Foster is also in attendance. As a firework goes off, Pen takes a step back to get a better look when she bumps into something; when she looks down, it is the body of Foster. It will soon be learned that he died from eating some poisoned chocolates.
Pen, unable to pass up a mystery, will begin her investigation. Experience has shown Pen that people will more likely speak with her than the constables. She intends to share information with Detective Maguire, her boyfriend, hoping he will do the same. Pen will find no shortage of suspects to check out.
The book is well-written and plotted. The characters are well-developed and believable; I would love to call them my friends. The book reads at a nice pace. There were plenty of red herrings that I kept guessing until the end as to who the killer was. Ms. Loudon writes very descriptively that I felt I was actually there.
I’m looking forward to reading the next book to see what Pen might be up to next.
Upper Chumley-on-Stoke is getting ready to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day, and Penelope(Pen) Parish is looking forward to attending her first one. But there is unrest in the little community of Upper Chumley, wealthy businessman Simeon Foster is proposing to open one of his fancy gourmet shops in Upper Chumley. Many of the local shop owners fear this new shop will put them out of business.
On the evening of Guy Fawkes Day, Pen and her friends from the bookstore where she works set for the site of the celebration. As they set out their blankets and food, they notice that Simeon Foster is also in attendance. As a firework goes off, Pen takes a step back to get a better look when she bumps into something; when she looks down, it is the body of Foster. It will soon be learned that he died from eating some poisoned chocolates.
Pen, unable to pass up a mystery, will begin her investigation. Experience has shown Pen that people will more likely speak with her than the constables. She intends to share information with Detective Maguire, her boyfriend, hoping he will do the same. Pen will find no shortage of suspects to check out.
The book is well-written and plotted. The characters are well-developed and believable; I would love to call them my friends. The book reads at a nice pace. There were plenty of red herrings that I kept guessing until the end as to who the killer was. Ms. Loudon writes very descriptively that I felt I was actually there.
I’m looking forward to reading the next book to see what Pen might be up to next.
November 4, 2023
i REALLY dont like this book. too longwinded, too many unnecessary details. slow. i understand its supposedly a "cosy murder" book but really, no. i kinda wanted to stop at page 2 but i pressed on hard af until page 55. i just cant. how do i tell penelope i dont care
March 22, 2024
A DEADLY DEDICATION by Margaret Loudon is the 4th book in The Open Book Mysteries series. It’s a fabulous cozy mystery centered around part time author, part time book store employee and part time amateur sleuth Penelope “Pen� Parish.
When writer’s block hit after her first successful book, Pen, an American Gothic novel author, moved to Upper Chumley-on-Stoke, England, known locally as Chum, where she took a writer-in-residence position at the Open Book bookstore. She enjoys working there and became great friends with the owner, Mable Morris, former M16 analyst. The move worked and she published her second book. She’s now working on her third.
The excitement of the upcoming Guy Fawkes Day is dampened when Simeon Foster, a wealthy businessman proposes to the council for approval his renovating plans for one of the downtown buildings for one of his fancy gourmet shops. There’s lots of opposition by many business owners in fear it will drive their local shops out of business with its similar products. It was with great shock that they found out that the council approved his requests. With it being an anonyms vote, who was it that sold them out?
On the evening of the Guy Fawkes Day festivities, during the bonfire, Pen notices that Foster was in attendance in passing. At the beginning of the firework display, while trying to get to a spot for the best viewing, she actually stumbled over his body where he appears to have a picnic spread out. With so many against his opening his gourmet shop, the list of possible suspects is long. When tests proved he had died from digesting poisoned chocolates, there’s definitely some finger pointing.
Pen’s inquisitive nature naturally leads her to the need to find out answers to her questions. The main one was who killed Foster and why? Of course, she will hand over any clues or hints she finds to DCI Brody Maguire, who just happens to be her boyfriend. Knowing it’s useless to tell her to not investigate, he does tell her to be careful. After all, it’s been proven in the past that folks tend to talk to her more so than to the officials. Finding out that Beryl, her sister, had a connection to Foster gives Penn even more reason to check things out, before she’s on the police suspect list.
Why is Terry Jones, the candy maker, acting strange? Does it have anything to do with the fact that the type candy laced with poison were like the ones he sells? When her prime suspect also turns up murdered, Pen is forced to look at things from a different angle. Is it true that a cuppa hot tea with a shot of whiskey can settle one’s nerves or make things less scary? Can Pen find the right clues to figure out whodunit before she’s becomes the third victims? Will Jen be able to fulfill her bridesmaid duties at her friend Ziggy’s wedding?
A DEADLY DEDICATION is set in a small town - one you will love visiting through the pages, has lots of quirky and fun characters - many that we would love to call friend, plot twists � that keeps you on your toes and keeps you guessing, sweet growing romance - between Pen and Brody, and will have you playing amateur sleuth alongside Pen. It all adds up to this being a book that you won’t be able to put down once you start reading it. Whether this is the first book in the series or the fourth, Margaret Loudon does not disappoint her readers by delivering a FIVE STARS story! I highly recommend A DEADLY DEDICATION to anyone that loves a great cozy mystery!
Although part of a series, A DEADLY DEDICATION can definitely be read as a standalone book. I receive a copy of this book with no requirement or expectations of a review. All opinions are completely my own.
#ADeadlyDedication #AnOpenBookMystery #MargaretLoudo #cozymystery
When writer’s block hit after her first successful book, Pen, an American Gothic novel author, moved to Upper Chumley-on-Stoke, England, known locally as Chum, where she took a writer-in-residence position at the Open Book bookstore. She enjoys working there and became great friends with the owner, Mable Morris, former M16 analyst. The move worked and she published her second book. She’s now working on her third.
The excitement of the upcoming Guy Fawkes Day is dampened when Simeon Foster, a wealthy businessman proposes to the council for approval his renovating plans for one of the downtown buildings for one of his fancy gourmet shops. There’s lots of opposition by many business owners in fear it will drive their local shops out of business with its similar products. It was with great shock that they found out that the council approved his requests. With it being an anonyms vote, who was it that sold them out?
On the evening of the Guy Fawkes Day festivities, during the bonfire, Pen notices that Foster was in attendance in passing. At the beginning of the firework display, while trying to get to a spot for the best viewing, she actually stumbled over his body where he appears to have a picnic spread out. With so many against his opening his gourmet shop, the list of possible suspects is long. When tests proved he had died from digesting poisoned chocolates, there’s definitely some finger pointing.
Pen’s inquisitive nature naturally leads her to the need to find out answers to her questions. The main one was who killed Foster and why? Of course, she will hand over any clues or hints she finds to DCI Brody Maguire, who just happens to be her boyfriend. Knowing it’s useless to tell her to not investigate, he does tell her to be careful. After all, it’s been proven in the past that folks tend to talk to her more so than to the officials. Finding out that Beryl, her sister, had a connection to Foster gives Penn even more reason to check things out, before she’s on the police suspect list.
Why is Terry Jones, the candy maker, acting strange? Does it have anything to do with the fact that the type candy laced with poison were like the ones he sells? When her prime suspect also turns up murdered, Pen is forced to look at things from a different angle. Is it true that a cuppa hot tea with a shot of whiskey can settle one’s nerves or make things less scary? Can Pen find the right clues to figure out whodunit before she’s becomes the third victims? Will Jen be able to fulfill her bridesmaid duties at her friend Ziggy’s wedding?
A DEADLY DEDICATION is set in a small town - one you will love visiting through the pages, has lots of quirky and fun characters - many that we would love to call friend, plot twists � that keeps you on your toes and keeps you guessing, sweet growing romance - between Pen and Brody, and will have you playing amateur sleuth alongside Pen. It all adds up to this being a book that you won’t be able to put down once you start reading it. Whether this is the first book in the series or the fourth, Margaret Loudon does not disappoint her readers by delivering a FIVE STARS story! I highly recommend A DEADLY DEDICATION to anyone that loves a great cozy mystery!
Although part of a series, A DEADLY DEDICATION can definitely be read as a standalone book. I receive a copy of this book with no requirement or expectations of a review. All opinions are completely my own.
#ADeadlyDedication #AnOpenBookMystery #MargaretLoudo #cozymystery
August 8, 2023
Upper Chumley-on-Stoke is usually a small, quiet hamlet about an hour outside of London. The locals run their own bakery, butcher shop, small grocery, and chemist shop with hardly a big, impersonal store around, aside from the grocery chain Tesco, which they admit has made life easier. American writer Penelope Parish is the writer-in-residence at The Open Book, the small bookshop run by former MI6 analyst Mabel, and she has taken to Chum like a local.
Generally, Pen divides her time between helping at the bookshop and writing her new book, but there is drama brewing in the town. Simeon Foster is planning to open one of his gourmet shops in Upper Chumley, which could put several of the local merchants our of business. Epicurean Gourmet would offer pastries from Paris and specialty cheeses and meats. Those who owned businesses in Chum were concerned and hoping the town council would vote against him.
Things got worse when Foster got the needed votes at the council meeting, and he had the green light to build his shop. But then, on Guy Fawkes Night, Pen stumbled on to Foster, literally, as he was laying on a blanket during the fireworks. But immediately Penelope knew the man was dead. Pen was happy to turn the situation over to the police, even walking towards the first officer she saw to direct him back to the blanket.
But in the days that followed, Pen and her friends found out that the man had been murdered, poisoned. The police look at the local merchants as possible suspects, as they were clearly worried about the man’s shop, and now they didn’t have to worry about him being in competition with them. But is that enough of a motive to kill the man? And most of the merchants who would have been threatened by Foster were friends of Pen. She didn’t think they wouldn’t kill anyone.
But someone out there did. And Pen, with her curious writer mind, can’t seem to stop herself from asking the questions that open up new avenues. She had seen a woman arguing with Foster. Could that have something to do with it? Sweet Shop owner Terry Jones has been acting cagey since Pen started poking around. What does he have to hide? Even Pen’s own sister Beryl admits to having been lied to by Foster. Pen doesn’t think that Beryl would have anything to do with a murder, but Foster’s reach was wide, and he left a lot of angry people behind. But as Pen makes up her list of suspects, what’s to stop the killer from adding Penelope to their list of victims?
A Deadly Dedications is the fourth book in Margaret Loudon’s Open Book series, and it’s the first one in the series I have read. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this series, but I have completely fallen in love with Upper Chumley-on-Stoke. I would love to visit and sample all the lovely baked treats, hang out at the bookshop, and maybe get dinner at the chipper. It seems like a great little town, aside from a murder or two.
I did have some issues with this book, however. It was a good story, and as I said I like the characters and the settings, but I thought it needed a good pre-publication read before it got printed. There were some scenes that seemed unnecessary to the story, and I think a charcuterie board was explained several times. I still think that A Deadly Dedication had a lot of likable moments. I just wish that there was a little more attention to detail.
Egalleys for A Deadly Dedication were provided by Berkley through NetGalley, with many thanks.
Generally, Pen divides her time between helping at the bookshop and writing her new book, but there is drama brewing in the town. Simeon Foster is planning to open one of his gourmet shops in Upper Chumley, which could put several of the local merchants our of business. Epicurean Gourmet would offer pastries from Paris and specialty cheeses and meats. Those who owned businesses in Chum were concerned and hoping the town council would vote against him.
Things got worse when Foster got the needed votes at the council meeting, and he had the green light to build his shop. But then, on Guy Fawkes Night, Pen stumbled on to Foster, literally, as he was laying on a blanket during the fireworks. But immediately Penelope knew the man was dead. Pen was happy to turn the situation over to the police, even walking towards the first officer she saw to direct him back to the blanket.
But in the days that followed, Pen and her friends found out that the man had been murdered, poisoned. The police look at the local merchants as possible suspects, as they were clearly worried about the man’s shop, and now they didn’t have to worry about him being in competition with them. But is that enough of a motive to kill the man? And most of the merchants who would have been threatened by Foster were friends of Pen. She didn’t think they wouldn’t kill anyone.
But someone out there did. And Pen, with her curious writer mind, can’t seem to stop herself from asking the questions that open up new avenues. She had seen a woman arguing with Foster. Could that have something to do with it? Sweet Shop owner Terry Jones has been acting cagey since Pen started poking around. What does he have to hide? Even Pen’s own sister Beryl admits to having been lied to by Foster. Pen doesn’t think that Beryl would have anything to do with a murder, but Foster’s reach was wide, and he left a lot of angry people behind. But as Pen makes up her list of suspects, what’s to stop the killer from adding Penelope to their list of victims?
A Deadly Dedications is the fourth book in Margaret Loudon’s Open Book series, and it’s the first one in the series I have read. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this series, but I have completely fallen in love with Upper Chumley-on-Stoke. I would love to visit and sample all the lovely baked treats, hang out at the bookshop, and maybe get dinner at the chipper. It seems like a great little town, aside from a murder or two.
I did have some issues with this book, however. It was a good story, and as I said I like the characters and the settings, but I thought it needed a good pre-publication read before it got printed. There were some scenes that seemed unnecessary to the story, and I think a charcuterie board was explained several times. I still think that A Deadly Dedication had a lot of likable moments. I just wish that there was a little more attention to detail.
Egalleys for A Deadly Dedication were provided by Berkley through NetGalley, with many thanks.
August 1, 2023
Originally posted on my blog .
A Deadly Dedication is the 4th Open Book cozy mystery by . Released 1st Aug 2023 by Penguin Random House on their imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in mass market paperback, audio, and ebook formats. t's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.
This is a nice bookstore cozy series with well written dialogue and a fun/quirky cast of characters including expat American writer-in-residence Penelope. All the things readers love in shopfront cozies are present and accounted for, including the requisite feline, Mrs. Danvers. The violence is off-page and the language is clean and unobjectionable; nothing worse than "bloody" in the text. Spelling and vernacular are British standard English (torch, flat, crisps), but shouldn't pose any trouble for American readers in context.
The plot is self contained in this volume so it works well as a standalone. With four books extant in the series at this point, it would make a good candidate for a binge or buddy read. All the books are entertaining and engaging. The denouement and resolution were satisfying (if expected).
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
A Deadly Dedication is the 4th Open Book cozy mystery by . Released 1st Aug 2023 by Penguin Random House on their imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in mass market paperback, audio, and ebook formats. t's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.
This is a nice bookstore cozy series with well written dialogue and a fun/quirky cast of characters including expat American writer-in-residence Penelope. All the things readers love in shopfront cozies are present and accounted for, including the requisite feline, Mrs. Danvers. The violence is off-page and the language is clean and unobjectionable; nothing worse than "bloody" in the text. Spelling and vernacular are British standard English (torch, flat, crisps), but shouldn't pose any trouble for American readers in context.
The plot is self contained in this volume so it works well as a standalone. With four books extant in the series at this point, it would make a good candidate for a binge or buddy read. All the books are entertaining and engaging. The denouement and resolution were satisfying (if expected).
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
July 27, 2023
A Deadly Dedication by Margaret Loudon returns readers to Upper Chumley-on-Stokes where Penelope Parish finds herself investigating the latest murder in the village. Simeon Foster wants to open a high-end gourmet shop in the village which has the shop owners up in arms. Penelope finds Simeon dead during the Guy Fawkes Night celebration. There is no shortage of suspects. Pen must sift through the clues and dig into the suspects� lives. The mystery is straightforward. The guilty party could be easily identified early in the story. I wish the whodunit had been more complex. I would have liked some action (the story desperately needed it). The mystery is neatly wrapped up at the end. We get to follow Pen as she goes about her day-to-day life. She works at the Open Book bookstore, chats with friends, works on her latest manuscript, enjoys tea and scones, and spends time with her boyfriend. The story moves along at a leisurely pace (I believe snails move faster). The author captures life in a small, English village. Her vivid descriptions allow readers to visualize Upper Chumley-on-Stokes and its characters. There is some romance as Pen spends time with her boyfriend, Detective Maguire. A Deadly Dedication is the fourth book in The Open Book Mysteries. It can be read as a standalone. I wanted to give this series one more chance before saying adieu. I am not a fan of Penelope, and the series is just ho hum. I feel the series needs a jolt of humor and action. I also do not see where the characters are developing (an example is Pen or her sister, Beryl Kent). It is evident that I am not the right audience for this series. I suggest you download a sample to judge for yourself. A Deadly Dedication is a culinary cozy with scrumptious scones, upset shopkeepers, Guy Fawkes celebration, a deceased Simeon, a surplus of suspects, and vast quantities of tea.
April 28, 2023
This fun cozy series features American Penelope Parish, who is author in residence at the Open Book bookstore in the English village of Upper Chumley-on-Stoke. With this fourth book in the Open Book Mysteries, author Margaret Loudon brings together her established group of characters as Penelope sets out to solve the mysterious death of Simeon Foster, an outsider who presides over a chain store empire. Simeon treatens the livelihood of several of the villagers with his proposed new store. During a Guy Fawkes celebration, Simeon is poisoned, and there is no dearth of suspects, all with strong motives.
Like nearly all cozies, the main character occasionally ventures into Too Stupid to Live territory (going alone to the suspect's place of business, questioning people she barely knows or doesn't know at all and who have no reason to answer her questions, etc.), but most cozy readers will be willing to overlook these tropes. Penelope and her friends are a likeable bunch and the insights into English village life and customs through the eyes of an American are entertaining as are frequent allusions to famous works of gothic literature (Penelope is a best selling author of the gothic genre).
I was taken enough with book #4 that I went back and read #1 and am on my way through #2--a strong endorsement for this charming series.
Full Disclosure--NetGalley and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.
Like nearly all cozies, the main character occasionally ventures into Too Stupid to Live territory (going alone to the suspect's place of business, questioning people she barely knows or doesn't know at all and who have no reason to answer her questions, etc.), but most cozy readers will be willing to overlook these tropes. Penelope and her friends are a likeable bunch and the insights into English village life and customs through the eyes of an American are entertaining as are frequent allusions to famous works of gothic literature (Penelope is a best selling author of the gothic genre).
I was taken enough with book #4 that I went back and read #1 and am on my way through #2--a strong endorsement for this charming series.
Full Disclosure--NetGalley and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.
September 2, 2023
Books, Friends, & a Cozy Mystery
A Deadly Dedication is the 4th book in the Open Book Mysteries and is as enjoyable as the other. Penelope (Pen) writes Gothic novels and helps out at the Open Book bookstore. Mabel owns the bookstore and Figgy runs the cafe. Figgy and Derek are getting married which adds to the story. It is Guy Fox Day (a British holiday with a bonfire and fireworks). Pen goes with her friends to the festivities. An unpopular man who is opening a fancy food store in town ends up dead. There are quite a few suspects because the new shop was threatening the livelihood of the local shops. Pen saw several arguments between some of the suspects and of course there are secrets to reveal. Pen’s boyfriend is Constable Brody Maguire. They are trying to keep their relationship secret but they go out to dinner in their local restaurants, he goes to her house and he kisses her in public but they make a cute couple. I guessed the culprit but wasn’t sure until the end. I liked how Maguire and the police solve the crime at the same time as Pen does. This was a very enjoyable cozy mystery! #ADesdlyDedication. #MargaretLoudon.
A Deadly Dedication is the 4th book in the Open Book Mysteries and is as enjoyable as the other. Penelope (Pen) writes Gothic novels and helps out at the Open Book bookstore. Mabel owns the bookstore and Figgy runs the cafe. Figgy and Derek are getting married which adds to the story. It is Guy Fox Day (a British holiday with a bonfire and fireworks). Pen goes with her friends to the festivities. An unpopular man who is opening a fancy food store in town ends up dead. There are quite a few suspects because the new shop was threatening the livelihood of the local shops. Pen saw several arguments between some of the suspects and of course there are secrets to reveal. Pen’s boyfriend is Constable Brody Maguire. They are trying to keep their relationship secret but they go out to dinner in their local restaurants, he goes to her house and he kisses her in public but they make a cute couple. I guessed the culprit but wasn’t sure until the end. I liked how Maguire and the police solve the crime at the same time as Pen does. This was a very enjoyable cozy mystery! #ADesdlyDedication. #MargaretLoudon.
October 12, 2023
This is my first visit to Upper Chumley-on-Stokes and in all fairness, this rating should be 3.5 stars. I did enjoy the story and liked the characters. It felt a bit repetitious to me at times, for example, there were about three times when a charcuterie board was explained. Additionally, the multiple references to Penelope's driving issues kept coming up, including referring back to an incident in a previous book. While I don't mind the referral back to a prior book, I did find it a bit annoying that her issue came up every time she got into her car.
I did like the way the clues were built into the flow of the story and enjoyed the relationship between Pen and Maguire as so often there is so much adversity between the main character and the official detective. Overall, I will look for another book in this series to give it a fair shot.
I did like the way the clues were built into the flow of the story and enjoyed the relationship between Pen and Maguire as so often there is so much adversity between the main character and the official detective. Overall, I will look for another book in this series to give it a fair shot.
April 23, 2023
Expat and Writer-in-Residence at the Open Book bookshop, Penelope is fast becoming known as detective in the village of Upper Chumley-on-Stoke. In her latest crime-solving activity she must follow the clues to find out who killed Simeon Foster. Foster had plans to open a high end gourmet shop in the village. Local business owners feared his store would negatively impact their business and were angry when the council approved Foster's application. When Foster is found dead at a Guy Fawkes Night celebration Pen is pulled into action. Which local shop owner had the most to lose? Pen's research skills lead her out of Chumley where she uncovers old secrets. This is the fourth in the series and is well-plotted with strong characters and a bit of romance.
February 11, 2024
This series, An Open Book Mystery , is a nice easy read and I really like the main character, Penelope Parish. She is an American author who has gone to live in small town England, hopefully to get over her difficulty with writing. I enjoy her descriptions of the rural countryside and life in England. The characters in the town are all endearing and her romantic interest, Detective Maguire is a supportive but not overbearing beau!
I especially like that Penn never jumps into very dangerous situations and uses some semblance of common sense before she looks into the murder case.
Fun, cozy mystery!
I especially like that Penn never jumps into very dangerous situations and uses some semblance of common sense before she looks into the murder case.
Fun, cozy mystery!
August 17, 2023
I love the setting of this series; the town seems quaint and would be a wonderful place to visit. This was a well-plotted mystery with plenty of suspects and a variety of motives for the deaths in town. The issue for me is the actual presentation: every detail is offered for the day-to-day life in the village; unfortunately, that didn’t interest me and made this seem to drag in places. And the amount of investigating Penelope does is staggering; there’s little to no breakup in her investigation to get any writing done. This was OK but maybe not for me.
August 25, 2023
A Deadly Dedication is the 4th entry in the Open Book Mysteries. It means another visit in The Open Book Bookstore in the village of Upper Chumley-on-Stokes. There is also another adventure with writer in residence and amateur sleuth, Penelope "Pen" Parrish. It takes place during Guy Fawkes Day and has the owner of the new chocolate shop in town murdered and Pen of course finds the body. Love this series very much as well as the mystery presented in this book. It was entertaining and intriguing.
October 24, 2023
American writer of gothic novels Penelope is also the writer in residence at a village bookstore in England, where she's made many friends and started a relationship with the local police detective. An unpopular businessman who wants to open one of his chain of gourmet stores in the village--thereby threatening the businesses of many of the locals--is found killed on Guy Fawkes Night. Pen doesn't seem a natural detective--the reader will probably figure out the criminal before she does--but she has a happy ending and decides to stay in England.
September 3, 2024
ATY 2024 #48 Another book that fits your favorite prompt
Pen and I are learning so much about English customs, food, and language. There is a meeting at Worthington House to discuss Simeon Foster's plan to bring a new store to Chum. Many in the village are worried about the medieval history and architecture of Chum, while others are concerned that he will put local shops out of business. It is Guy Fawkes Day and during the celebration, Pen literally trips over the body of Simeon Foster. Who is Courtney Brown and what is her story?
Pen and I are learning so much about English customs, food, and language. There is a meeting at Worthington House to discuss Simeon Foster's plan to bring a new store to Chum. Many in the village are worried about the medieval history and architecture of Chum, while others are concerned that he will put local shops out of business. It is Guy Fawkes Day and during the celebration, Pen literally trips over the body of Simeon Foster. Who is Courtney Brown and what is her story?
June 15, 2023
A Deadly Dedication is book #4 in the the Open Book Mysteries series. This was a fun who-dun-it to read. Penelope Parish gets involved in solving a murder mystery. As she starts finding clues to solve the case she faces danger. The suspense here is satisfying. I like the characters in this book. They are very supportibe of Penelope. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
January 14, 2025
I can’t believe this is the last book. In the Open Book Mystery series. I really liked this one. I had no idea who the murderer was. Pretty much everyone was a suspect. Beryl’s antics were really entertaining. I love all these sassy characters.I feel a connection to Penelope because I am also terrible at eating. I adore her romance with Maguire. If you need a cozy mystery with sweet romance, check this series out.
October 2, 2024
Up to the 4th
I’ve read them in order so far. I do thoroughly enjoy them. The few things that bother me are that she always has an empty fridge and only buys frozen meals. Really? Also a best seller 2x’s over and she still takes not time with her appearance. She may just need a bit of Beryl’s pride.
I’ve read them in order so far. I do thoroughly enjoy them. The few things that bother me are that she always has an empty fridge and only buys frozen meals. Really? Also a best seller 2x’s over and she still takes not time with her appearance. She may just need a bit of Beryl’s pride.
July 29, 2023
Enjoyed this addition to the series. Things move forward in the characters lives, which is great . The mystery kept me guessing.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review
April 4, 2024
Penelope discovers a body at the fireworks display and fears it might have been one of the local business owners. Simeon Foster was going to bring his high end chocolate store to their small town and the locals were afraid it would put some of them out of business.
August 22, 2023
An enjoyable cozy mystery. Love how you have an American writer living in England and solving crimes. The ending was a happy surprise.
September 7, 2023
I've really enjoyed what I've read of this series, but the constant mention of the main character forgetting how to drive every time she gets into her car is getting old, not to mention alarming.
October 4, 2023
A good book. I just wish I could have gotten the earlier ones first. It was an easy read. Lots of interesting characters.
November 17, 2023
This was a very good story. I enjoyed the characters and the setting. I'm looking forward to the next one.
December 29, 2023
This is a good series. I like books about authors and bookshops, and this has both. I didn’t guess the murderer.
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