The Tell-Tale Homicide (Rare Books Mystery 2), by Daphne Silver

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The Tell-tale Homicide is the follow-up to Agatha Award-winning Crime and Parchment in Daphne Silver's Rare Books Mystery series. In this installment, rare books librarian, Juniper Blume, is thrilled to be starting a new job creating a museum in the town of Rose Mallow, Maryland. However, Juniper does not receive such a warm welcome. Among other unfortunate events, on her first day, Juniper discovers a dead man holding a book by Edgar Allen Poe that was stolen from her collection. Secrets are uncovered as Juniper sets out to untangle this mystery.

I loved Crime and Parchment, so I knew the follow-up would be a tough act to follow. I'm happy to say this is another strong installment in the Rare Books Mystery series. What first captured my attention with this series was the fact that it is set in my home state of Maryland. Once again, in this installment, Daphne Silver made me proud to be a Marylander. While the town of Rose Mallow is fictional, there are several references to areas in Maryland that are familiar to me. For readers who are not from Maryland, you will get to know the area a little better from reading this book.

But more than that, this is yet another well-crafted mystery. There are lots of unexpected twists and turns and a handful of suspects to consider. While I suspected some characters to be the culprit, I was never really sure who it was. The big reveal, which was suspenseful and action-packed, was surprising to me. Yet, it all made sense.

On the cozy side of this mystery, Rose Mallow is a charming Chesapeake Bay town that has a strong sense of community. Juniper and her sister, Azalea, are becoming closer, and Juniper's romantic relationship is growing. I really enjoyed the rest of the main characters as well. They all have depth and I was interested in getting to know them. If you enjoy furry companions, you will enjoy Clover, the dog, as well.

This isn't a culinary cozy, but there is plenty of food talk. There are no recipes at the end, but we are directed to Daphne Silver's website where we will find them there. I will definitely be looking into them. Not only does the food sound delicious, but I love how it focuses on Juniper's heritage.

Festivals are always fun to read about in cozy mysteries. They bring the community together, they're a great place to talk to people, even if it means trying to get information about the murder, or they could even be the perfect setting for the crime itself. It's also the ideal setting to talk about food. In The Tell-Tale Homicide, there is a Labor Day Festival that was inspired by a real-life Labor Day Festival in Maryland.

I also enjoyed reading the Author's Note at the end of the book. Because of it, I have added some museums to my must-visit list. The connection in this book to Edgar Allen Poe was intriguing. It made me curious to learn more about him and read more of his work.

As with most cozy mysteries in a series, this one can be read as a standalone. It's a complete mystery and you won't feel lost not having met the characters before. However, I do recommend reading Crime and Parchment first so you can see the relationships grow. The Tell-Tale Homicide, by Daphne Silver, releases today.

Thank you to Daphne Silver for providing me with a free eARC of The Tell-Tale Homicide in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.