Cozy Mystery Review: Fatal First Edition | Jenn McKinlay | Library Lover’s Mystery #14

A murder onboard a train seems linked to a rare first edition book that mysteriously appeared at an archivist convention. Jenn McKinlay’s Fatal First Edition is the latest in her Library Lover’s Mysteries and features a fun cameo for the literary cozy mystery fans out there!

About the Book | Fatal First Edition

People are dying to get their hands on a rare, valuable book in the newest Library Lover’s Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of The Plot and the Pendulum.

Briar Creek Library director Lindsey Norris and her husband, Sully, are at a popular library conference in Chicago to hear book restoration specialist Brooklyn Wainwright give a keynote address. After the lecture, Lindsey looks under her seat and finds a tote bag containing a first edition of Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, inscribed to Alfred Hitchcock. Brooklyn determines the novel is one of a kind and quite valuable, so Lindsey and Sully return the book to the conference director, not wanting to stir up any trouble.

But just hours after the pair boards the train back to Connecticut, rumors that the Highsmith novel has gone missing buzz amongst the passengers, and they soon find the conference director murdered in his private compartment. And worse—the murderer planted the book in Lindsey and Sully’s room next door, making them prime suspects. Now, they must uncover the murderer and bring them to the end of their line, before they find themselves booked for a crime they didn’t commit. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

Review | Fatal First Edition

I love books about books, so of course the Library Lover’s Mystery series and Fatal First Edition in particular was right up my alley. The book begins with Briar Creek Library director Lindsey Norris attending an archivist convention in Chicago accompanied by her husband, Sully. Lindsey is attending a talk by none other than Brooklyn Wainwright, who I immediately knew from Kate Carlisle’s Bibliophile Mystery series. I loved seeing this cameo, though I admit it threw me for a second as I checked to make sure I hadn’t already read this book!

Lindsey has discovered a rare first edition of Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train underneath her seat. The book is inscribed on the inside to Alfred Hitchcock (who famously directed the film adaptation). After the talk, she brings the book to Brooklyn Wainwright to consult and learns that if this is an authentic copy and with that inscription, the book is worth tens of thousands of dollars. Lindsey hands the book in to the conference director to ensure it gets returned to its rightful owner. Still, she can’t help but think about the book and the person who lost (or placed) it at the festival.

Many of the convention attendees are taking the same train back towards the east coast with overnight rooms (a nod to the book, perhaps). Lindsey is sure she hears strange noises from the sleeping compartment next door, but she goes to the hallway and only sees a brief glimpse of a person. When Lindsey wakes up the following morning, she and Sully head to breakfast only to return and find the conference director dead in his cabin. Lindsey wonders if it is related to the valuable first edition she had turned in the day before. The suspect must be someone who was onboard the train, but who?

I know readers have differing opinions on this, but I actually enjoy when the protagonist of a cozy mystery series takes a break from the small community the series is based in. It can make the series feel fresh, since the author is pushed towards new settings, characters, and relationships. Fatal First Edition has a nice mix of both—the book begins in Chicago, the murder occurs on the train, and eventually, the investigation moves to Briar Creek where many familiar characters make an appearance.

I wasn’t certain if the conference director, Henry, would end up being the murderer, the main suspect, or the victim at first (though if I went back to the synopsis I would have known). I thought he worked as the victim. Henry certainly had a past full of rumors and gossip that made him a prime suspect for many. I thought the fun aspect of the mystery for me was figuring out how the rare book would tie to the murder. The book turns up in Lindsey’s belongings again after the murder, so we know that Henry wasn’t necessarily murdered for the book (or at least, that wasn’t the only reason).

The middle of the book had a fun change of pace once the suspects moved to Briar Creek from the train and a new crime occurred. I thought it kept the pace upbeat and focused on the central mystery, instead of spiraling towards other goings on around town. Lindsey is always a sharp, kind, and enjoyable leading character. We even got a cameo from some of the other library staff!

This was a good mystery to cozy up with! Another great book in Jenn McKinlay’s Library Lover’s Mystery series.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.

About the Author | Jenn McKinlay

Jenn is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. She is also the winner of the RT Reviewer’s Choice Award for romantic comedy and the Fresh Fiction award for best cozy mystery. Her work has been translated into multiple languages in countries all over the world. A TEDx speaker, she is always happy to talk books, writing, reading, and the creative process to anyone who cares to listen. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with books, pets, and her husband’s guitars.