Lily Charles

When Molly O’Donnell, longtime antiquarian bookseller, and Emma Clarke, new to bookselling, meet at an estate sale, they are both there for the books. But Emma hears a cry, ignores a “Do Not Enter” sign, and discovers the dead body of notorious book thief Buck Hubbell in the basement. She calls Molly, who joins her and finds a slip of paper with a warning written in Elizabethan script that hints at black magic. 

Adventurous Molly and  cautious Emma seek to discover who murdered Buck and to unlock the meaning of the mysterious note. Their search leads them to a hidden library full of occult books. Suspects abound among booksellers and practitioners of the black arts. Attracted to each other yet wary of involvement, Molly and Emma create an alliance to get to the bottom of the warning note, find a missing book of spells—and solve a murder.

When Booksellers Molly O’Donnell and Emma Clarke set up at the Antiquarian Book Fair in St. Petersburg, Florida, the last thing they hope to find is a dead body. But respected book dealer Jasper Ross is found stabbed to death—and some expensive books of Emma’s that Jasper took to show his wife and bookselling partner Eileen have disappeared. Then several high-end illustrated books are stolen and returned—with their color plates cut out, making the books worthless. Molly and Emma, joined by their friend, transgender print dealer Stewart, decide to investigate Jasper’s murder and the destruction of the books, two crimes that Molly and Emma suspect are connected. Their investigation takes them through Old Florida coastal towns to antique and print shops to the home of Carmen, a flamboyant, small-time drug dealer and former flame of Molly’s. How much does Carmen know about the mutilated books? What is Stewart’s connection with the murdered man? 

Molly and Emma find their relationship developing into more than friendship. But will they live to enjoy it?

MURDER AT THE BOOK FAIR is the second in the Molly and Emma Booksellers Series of bibliomysteries.