Molly is eager to experience her first English Christmas with family and friends now that she’s adjusted to her move to Cambridge and her restoration of her family’s ancestral bookshop, Thomas Marlowe—Manuscripts and Folios. When local toyshop Pemberly’s Emporium reopens, Molly is excited to meet the new owner, Charlotte Pemberly, who is determined to make the toy store a success after unexpectedly becoming her grandfather Arthur’s sole heir.
Arthur’s new wife Althea Winters and her unpleasant family loathe Charlotte for inheriting what they believe was theirs and have set their sights on a valuable Madame Alexander doll that’s gone missing. When Althea’s grandson is poisoned by cakes from Tea & Crumpets, Charlotte becomes the top suspect. Molly believes Charlotte was the intended victim and investigates the Pemberly’s home, only to discover that Arthur had been murdered.
To get closer to this treacherous family, Molly and her boyfriend Kieran go undercover by volunteering to act and sing for a madrigal dinner directed by Althea and her daughter at St. Hildegard’s College. Molly must help her new friend clear her name while searching for the missing doll and wrangling her own family during the chaotic holiday festivities at the bookshop.
Release Date: Nov 26, 2024
Series:Â Cambridge Bookshop
Book:Â 4
Publisher:Â Penguin Group
Imprint:Â BerkleyÂ
Price: $9.99
This year will be Molly Kimball’s first English Christmas since she and her mother moved from Vermont to Cambridge. They both love their new life in England, where they help Molly’s great-aunt run the family bookstore. Molly gets involved in an attempted murder case when a new friend is being framed for trying to kill a disgruntled relative. Molly is determined to help Charlotte clear her name and solve another mystery at the same time.
This is the fourth book in the Cambridge Bookshop series, but the first one I’ve read. I had no problems getting to know and like the main characters. It’s wonderful how well Molly, her mother, and her aunt all get along, in the bookstore and at home. I also liked Molly’s relationship with her boyfriend, Kieran Scott. It was romantic, and I could feel the chemistry between them.
When it comes to the “mystery” part of the book, Molly goes all in to prove Charlotte, who just took over her grandfather’s toy shop, isn’t a killer. The investigation is intriguing and sometimes sad. I enjoyed the treasure hunt for a valuable doll using clues that Charlotte’s grandfather left for her. There is also a charming children’s story about a magic dollhouse included in the book that fits in well with the main plot.
The solution to the various crimes occurring in the story wasn’t a shock to me, but I still found the book to be engaging, with a nice, cozy holiday feel. The themes of family, friendship, and new beginnings come together for a heartwarming ending. New and returning readers will equally enjoy this book and I will be on the lookout for more books in this series.
~ Christine Â
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