Book Review: Tomes Scones and Crones by Colleen Gleason

Author: Colleen Gleason

Title: Tomes Scones and Crones

Series: Three Tomes Bookshop #1

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Fantasy, Paranormal

Format: paperback

Pages: 298

Published: October 12, 2021

Where I got It: Borrowed friend's copy

Summary: 

At forty-eight, Jacqueline Finch has a nice, easy life with few responsibilities: she’s been a librarian in Chicago for twenty-five years, she doesn’t have a husband, children, or pets, and she’s just coasting along, enjoying her books and a small flower garden now that she’s over the hill.

That is, until the Universe (helped by three old crones) has other ideas.

All at once, Jacqueline’s staid (and boring) life is upended, and the next thing she knows, she’s heading off to Button Cove to start a new life as the owner of Three Tomes Bookshop.

The bookstore is a darling place, and Jacqueline is almost ready to be excited about this new opportunity…until Mrs. Hudson and Mrs. Danvers show up. Somehow, the literary characters of Sherlock Holmes’s landlady and Rebecca deWinter’s creepy and sardonic housekeeper are living persons who work at the bookshop (when they aren’t bickering with each other). Not only does Jacqueline have to contend with them—and the idea that people regularly eat pastries while reading books in her store!—but the morning after she arrives, the body of a dead man is found on her property.

Things start to get even more strange after that: Jacqueline is befriended by three old women who bear a startling resemblance to the Witches Three from Macbeth, an actual witch shows up at her bookshop and accuses Jacqueline of killing her brother, and the two women who own businesses across the street seem determined to befriend Jacqueline.

And then there’s the police detective with the very definite hot-Viking vibe who shows up to investigate the dead body…

The next thing Jacqueline knows, her staid and simple life is no longer quiet and unassuming, and she’s got crones, curses, and crocodiles to deal with.

And when a new literary character appears on the scene…things start to get even more hairy and Jacqueline is suddenly faced with a horrible life and death situation that will totally push her out of her comfort zone…if she’s brave enough to let it.

After all, isn’t forty-eight too late for an old dog to learn new tricks?

Review:

My friend picked this book up at my local bookstore. She enjoyed it and it is set in Michigan....so I knew I had to borrow it from her!

Here we follow Jacqueline. She has settled all her life, but when forces beyond her control pretty much pushes her to accept a bookstore she inherited from a family member she never knew. Things are not what they seem and there is a lot more behind this little bookstore. She will find herself surronded by things and people that are not explainable. The morning after her arrival there is a body found and she will have to turn to her new friends and the local detective to find out what happened and to save her new bookstore from a rival family member. 

This was EVERYWHERE at once. There is so much going on, but I think the author did an excellent job of keeping the reader in the know and not being overwhelmed. Between a rival witch, three old women, characters from books appearing if a book falls from the shelf, magic, a hot detective, scones, and so on there was a lot going on but I was never overwhelmed or confused. 

Oooo Jacqueline has her hands full. She handled everything well....a little better than I thought. It was a little unrealistic how well she coped in such a short time span, but who knows? Maybe a part of her always believed in magic and etc? Possible. 

I'm curious to see what happens to our crew in the next book. There seems like there will be more upon the horizon. I want to understand more about this world and this library. 

Do I want a romance? Maybe. I need to learn more about this detective fella. He seems nice. Poor guy doesn't know what he's getting into LOL.

This was a fun and refreshing read even though it feels like it will be the same ol', same ol'. Lady gets bookstore, cats, and a dead body. There was so much more going on and it felt nice and I enjoyed myself. 

All-in-all, this was a nice read. Some funny moments. Fun characters, crazy mystery, and a wild cast of characters. I'll give this 4 stars. 

- Favorite Character(s): Jacqueline, Suzette, Nadine

- Least Favorite Character(s): Elga 

 

Challenge(s):

- Cloak & Dagger #3