Crime and Parchment (Rare Books Mystery 1), by Daphne Silver

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Ever since I learned about Daphne Silver and her debut novel, Crime and Parchment, earlier this year, I've been wanting to read it. She first caught my attention because she is from Maryland, which is where the book is set. I was very excited to hear about a new cozy series set in my home state.

Fast forward to April of this year when I attended the Malice Domestic Convention, met Daphne Silver, and watched her pick up the Agatha Award for Best First Mystery. It became even clearer to me that I had to read this book.

Juniper's brother-in-law claims that the stolen covers of the Book of Kells are in Rose Mallow, Maryland. Having learned about the Book of Kells last year, Juniper, a rare books librarian, is very interested in this claim. So she heads back to Rose Mallow, where she hadn't been since the passing of her grandmother, to find out if this is true. This leads to another startling discovery - a dead body. Juniper sets out to untangle this mystery, while also attempting to mend her relationship with her sister.

Crime and Parchment put Maryland on the map in the best way! The references to places that really exist in and around Maryland were familiar to me and a delight to read about. For those who are not familiar with Maryland, it's a great introduction. You will likely want to visit Maryland after reading this book!

The characters are complex and well-developed as the story progresses. There are enough characters to create a community, but not too many to overwhelm the reader. It is clear who the primary characters and suspects are, and this is where the main focus is.

The mystery is well-crafted. I did not figure out the whodunnit until it was revealed. There are lots of twists and turns along the way to keep the reader engaged and guessing. Juniper makes a fantastic amateur sleuth as she sets out to get to the bottom of everything, no matter how dangerous it may be.

The author does a fine job incorporating facts with fiction. I had heard of the Book of Kells before reading Crime and Parchment, but now I'm even more interested in further researching the ancient Celtic manuscript.

This book also left me feeling very excited for more in the series. I'm looking forward to finding out what Juniper's next crime-solving adventure will be and how she will acclimate to new aspects of her personal life. I highly recommend picking up Crime and Parchment before the next one is released. It's no surprise to me that this book won the Agatha Award for Best First Mystery.

Thank you to author, Daphne Silver, for providing me with a free copy of this e-book. All thoughts expressed in my review are my own.