Death in the Margins

A celebrated author built Bramblewick's literary fame. The woman who wrote his masterpiece was nearly erased from it.Preparing an exhibition of readers who left their mark on famous books, Charlie Vale finds an annotated first edition hidden among Aunt Wren's private collection. She expects a few sharp opinions in the margins. Instead, the notes read like a decades-long conversation between two anonymous readers-one who knew Bramblewick's most beloved novel intimately, and one documenting a quiet theft of authorship.Visiting scholar Dr. Elliot Mercer is certain the book proves local legend Sebastian Harcourt lifted his masterpiece from his secretary, Margaret Cresswell. Before he can present his findings during Literary Heritage Week, Mercer is found dead beneath the terrace of the Harcourt House museum. The fall looks accidental-until Charlie sees the broken lens beneath the author's writing desk.As heirs, scholars, and the forgotten woman's descendants fight over who owns the discovery, Charlie uncovers an uncomfortable truth: Wren knew one of the anonymous annotators, understood exactly what the book contained, and chose to keep it hidden. Now someone will kill to keep the wrong name on the cover-and Charlie must decide whether a protected secret can ever be justice.The Lantern & Quill Mysteries, Book Three. A literary whodunit about credit, erasure, and the price of the truth. A complete standalone mystery.Perfect for fans of Kate Carlisle's Bibliophile Mysteries, Jenn McKinlay's Library Lover's Mysteries, and Ellery Adams's Book Retreat Mysteries.