A literary-themed North Carolina B & B hosts a famous author and a possible murderer. Charlotte Reed inherited Chapters, the lovely Beaufort home-turned--B & B, from her great-aunt, a spy for U.S. intelligence whose handler was her neighbor Ellen Montgomery. Ellen is less than thrilled to be hosting a visit from her cousin Gavin Howard, who Charlotte suspects is not actually her cousin. Amanda Nobel, whose romantic book and television series have made her rich and famous but apparently not happy, has come to town as part of her latest book tour. Charlotte's other guests are Tony Lott, the marketing manager for Amanda's tour; Lisette Bradford, head of a large Amanda Nobel fan club; and Harper Gregg and Molly Zeleski, two fans who won a contest to stay at Chapters. It's soon clear that all is not well. Charlotte picks up hints that Amanda's newest novel was ghostwritten by someone who got the gig by stealing another writer's work. Lisette has an ex-husband stalking her. When she's murdered, he's a prime suspect but far from the only one. Gavin, who works for the same agency that Ellen once did, has come to keep an eye on someone who was innocently involved in an operation years ago. As they investigate the murder, Charlotte finds herself liking him more than she wants to. Plenty of mysterious circumstances and quirky characters are spiced with a romance that hints at future complications. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Gilbert's captivating sequel to 2020's Booked for Death finds former teacher Charlotte Reed hosting famous romantic fantasy author Amanda Noble at her inn, Chapters Bed-and-Breakfast, in Beaufort, N.C., where Amanda is doing a signing at the local bookstore. The event has drawn a large crowd, including Lisette Bradford, the head of Amanda's biggest fan club. When Lisette's body is pulled from the water near the Beaufort docks, trauma to her head indicates she was murdered. The prime suspect is Lisette's ex-husband, who's been stalking her, but inquisitive Charlotte asks around and soon realizes several attendees might have had a motive for murder. Charlotte and her neighbor, retired spy Ellen Montgomery, join forces to uncover the truth. A tantalizing subplot involves Ellen's mysterious visiting "cousin," Gavin Howard, who's actually a spy on a mission, and the growing attraction between Charlotte and Gavin provides some romantic heat. Well-rounded characters match the finely crafted plot. Cozy fans will want to see a lot more of Charlotte and friends. Agent: Frances Black, Arts Counsel. (June)

At her literary-themed B & B in Beaufort, North Carolina, Charlotte Reed is hosting best-selling author Amanda Nobel, Amanda's tour manager, and three of her superfans, winners of a contest. There are tensions among the group at the outset, and then one of the fans, Lisette Bradford, is found murdered. The main suspect is her stalker ex-husband, but soon additional motives implicate others, from Amanda's fans and tour manager to a local author to Amanda herself. Meanwhile, Charlotte's sleuthing partner and neighbor, Ellen Montgomery, a former spy, is hosting the mysterious Gavin Howard, who says he is Ellen's cousin. Charlotte is suspicious of the connection, so she investigates this mystery as well, finding an actual connection to her deceased great-aunt, who was also a spy back in the day. Charlotte unravels both puzzles, identifies the killer, and learns the real reason behind Gavin's presence, all while beginning to believe she may be ready for a relationship after several years of widowhood. Plenty of background on books and publishing combine with the agreeable small-town ambience and the sultry southern setting to frame this satisfying cozy.