The Witching Place: A Perilous Page (A Curious Bookstore Cozy Mystery—Book 3)

By Sophie Love

“The perfect romance or beach read, with a difference: its enthusiasm and beautiful descriptions offer an unexpected attention to the complexity of not just evolving love, but evolving psyches. It's a delightful recommendation for romance readers looking for a touch more complexity from their romance reads.”
--Midwest Book Review (For Now and Forever)

THE WITCHING PLACE: A PERILOUS PAGE is book #3 in a charming new cozy mystery series by bestselling author Sophie Love, author of The Inn at Sunset Harbor series, a #1 Bestseller with over 200 five-star reviews.

When Alexis Blair, 29, is fired from her book publishing job and breaks up with her boyfriend on the same day, she wonders if life is urging her to make a fresh start. She decides it’s time to pursue her lifelong dream of opening a bookstore of her own—even if that means leaving Boston and accepting a job in a curious bookstore in a small seaside town an hour away.

A cryptic visitor comes into town, looking for a rare book, and willing to pay anything.

But when he ends up dead, Alexis wonders: was the price too high?

And did Alexis’s mysterious store owner have anything to do with it?

A page-turning cozy, rife with the supernatural, mystery, secrets and love—and centered around a small town as odd and endearing as its shop—A PERILOUS PAGE will make you fall in love and keep you laughing out loud as you turn pages late into the night.

“The romance is there, but not overdosed. Kudos to the author for this amazing start of a series that promises to be very entertaining.”
--Books and Movies Reviews (For Now and Forever)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sophie Love
• Release date: Feb 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9781094371788

Book preview

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T H E   W I T C H I N G   P L A C E:

A   P E R I L O U S   P A G E

(A CURIOUS BOOKSTORE COZY MYSTERY—BOOK 3)

S O P H I E   L O V E

Sophie Love

#1 bestselling author Sophie Love is author of THE INN AT SUNSET HARBOR romantic comedy series, which includes eight books; of the ROMANCE CHRONICLES series, which includes five books; of the new CANINE CASPER cozy mystery series, which includes six books; and of the new CURIOUS BOOKSTORE cozy mystery series, which includes five books (and counting).

Sophie would love to hear from you, so please visit www.sophieloveauthor.com to email her, to join the mailing list, to receive free ebooks, to hear the latest news, and to stay in touch!

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Copyright © 2021  by Sophie Love. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior permission of the author. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Jacket image Copyright  ByeByeSSTK, used under license from Shutterstock.com.

BOOKS BY SOPHIE LOVE

A CURIOUS BOOKSTORE COZY MYSTERY

THE WITCHING PLACE: A FATAL FOLIO (Book #1)

THE WITCHING PLACE: MURDER BY MANUSCRIPT (Book #2)

THE WITCHING PLACE: A PERILOUS PAGE (Book #3)

THE WITCHING PLACE: A VANISHED VOLUME (Book #4)

THE WITCHING PLACE: A TAINTED TOME (Book #5)

THE CANINE CASPER COZY MYSTERY SERIES

THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS: MURDER AND BREAKFAST (Book #1)

THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS: DEATH AND BRUNCH (Book #2)

THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS: MALICE AND LUNCH (Book #3)

THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS: VENGEANCE AND DINNER (Book #4)

THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS: SCANDAL AND SUPPER (Book #5)

THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS: DISASTER AND DESSERT (Book #6)

THE INN AT SUNSET HARBOR

FOR NOW AND FOREVER (Book #1)

FOREVER AND FOR ALWAYS (Book #2)

FOREVER, WITH YOU (Book #3)

IF ONLY FOREVER (Book #4)

FOREVER AND A DAY (Book #5)

FOREVER, PLUS ONE (Book #6)

FOR YOU, FOREVER (Book #7)

CHRISTMAS FOREVER (Book #8)

THE ROMANCE CHRONICLES

LOVE LIKE THIS (Book #1)

LOVE LIKE THAT (Book #2)

LOVE LIKE OURS (Book #3)

LOVE LIKE THEIRS (Book #4)

LOVE LIKE YOURS (Book #5)

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

CHAPTER THIRTY

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

CHAPTER ONE

Alexis Blair stopped the car, letting the engine idle as she looked out the window, admiring the building. The old church in Marshfield, the one she had found while driving home from Incanton about a week ago, was still up for sale. The store that had been housed inside was now gone, and the building stood empty, the For Sale sign out front slowly fading in the sun.

Lex sighed, biting her lip as she gazed at it. In her mind’s eye, she wasn’t seeing the church as it stood; she was seeing a big board above the door with the name of her own bookstore, the door hanging open to reveal stacks of books inside, just waiting to be browsed. The architecture of the church would be the perfect counterpart to the used books, and Marshfield was the perfect spot for it. Just far enough away from her current workplace, A Curious Bookstore, but still an easy drive from home.

Not only that, but the space that had been occupied by Marshfield’s used bookstore—Black, White, and Read All Over—had, so the local rumor went, been purchased by a coffee chain, a national brand that would fill the space with tables and shelves of pastries. That meant there was no local competition either, and the timing was fantastic. The void left by the old store would need to be filled soon, before the local customers all picked up new shopping habits elsewhere.

Of course, there was one sense in which the timing wasn’t perfect at all: the fact that Lex hadn’t yet had time to save up enough money for a deposit.

Lex’s phone buzzed in her pocket, and she quickly grabbed it, seeing her mother’s name flash up on the screen. She sighed and answered the call, putting it to her ear with a sense of foreboding.

Hello, Mother, she said. You’re not calling to cancel on tomorrow, are you?

What? Why would I do that? Miranda tutted on the other end of the line. I expect you thought you were going to get out of having to spend time with your poor old mother.

No, not at all, Lex said, hurriedly.

Well, if I’m not wanted, then I’m not wanted, her mom continued, without pause. It’s a dreadful thing, being ignored by your own daughter!

Mom, no, I just thought that might be why you were calling, Lex said. You’re not due until tomorrow, so I didn’t think I’d hear from you. I thought it must be bad news.

I’m calling to remind you that I am coming tomorrow, and that you’d best be at the station to meet me, Miranda said. That’s now that we’ve established I am still coming. Honestly, Alexis, darling, sometimes I really wonder about you. I don’t know how you manage to get along in your daily life.

I manage fine, Mom, Lex said, closing her eyes momentarily and sinking into her seat. I’ll be there on time, I promise.

Well, good, Miranda huffed. I can’t wait to talk some sense into you and get you out of that dreadful little town and back to Boston. Goodbye, darling, and don’t be late!

Bye, Mo— Lex stopped herself, realizing that the line had gone dead. She threw the phone onto the passenger seat and rubbed her forehead, trying to fight down the urge to scream.

Lex checked her mirrors and pulled out into the street again, heading to work before she was late. She met her own reflection as she did so: her black hair cut into a straight bob to her chin, framing a face that right now seemed full of longing. Even though she lived within walking distance of A Curious Bookstore, she had taken to driving there every morning just so she could get the chance to admire the church, and to check that it hadn’t yet been sold.

She drove the short distance back into her new hometown of Incanton, thinking all the while. Somewhere distantly, Incanton’s clock tower struck a quarter to nine, reminding her that she only had fifteen minutes to get parked behind A Curious Bookstore and head inside for work. There was one way in which she might be able to afford the church, as well as being able to set it up with new furniture and décor, and purchase her first stock.

That was by convincing her mother that it was worth the investment.

It was far from an easy task to consider. But ever since Lex’s mom had declared she was going to come for a visit, with the aim of bringing her unruly child to heel, Lex had been unable to stop thinking about the idea.

Miranda Black had not been thrilled with her daughter’s original decision to quit her job at a big publisher, move out of Boston for a tiny seaside town, and start working at a small used bookstore. She had been even less thrilled to learn that Lex only took the job to get both investment capital and experience, so that she could fulfill her dream of following in her father’s footsteps: opening her own used bookstore.

As for her father, if he had been around, it might have been possible to count on his support. But given that he had been missing since Lex was fifteen, there wasn’t a lot of hope for that.

Lex pulled the car into the little alleyway behind A Curious Bookstore and rubbed her hands over her face, trying to get herself back into the right frame of mind for work. She couldn’t be thinking about missing fathers and investment opportunities when she was supposed to be selling books—although it was hard not to, given how nervous she was. Her whole future could hinge on this visit. Still, she owed it to Montgomery, the store’s owner, to put her best foot forward; he had given her more than enough chances out of the goodness of his heart, and she wasn’t going to let him down.

At least, not until the day she had to quit and break the news that she was opening her own store. The very thought of that conversation made her feel sick to her stomach. But she forced herself to get out of the car and move toward the back door of the store.

A shadow moved in front of her as she stepped toward it, making Lex jump; a moment later, the shadow materialized into the form of Hecate, Montgomery’s cat. With a sigh of relief, and putting a hand over her rapidly beating heart, Lex shook her head at the innocent-looking feline. You nearly killed me, she said, leaning down to stroke the top of Hecate’s head.

Before she managed it, however, the cat moved her head away, dodging Lex’s hand and then giving her an accusing look. How can you pet me, she seemed to be saying, when you’re already thinking of leaving us?

Lex swallowed that guilt—which was surely imagined; Hecate was temperamental at the best of times, and probably just didn’t want to be touched today—and opened the back door, letting both herself and the cat inside.

Morning, morning, Montgomery called out, as he passed through the corridor ahead with a stack of books in his arms. He was clearly restocking the shelves, and his glasses had slipped partway down his nose. With his hands full and no way to push them back up, he looked the picture of a disorganized and busy man, down to the white hair bristling out in all directions from his head.

Lex shut and locked the back door behind her and walked along the undulating warped floorboards of the hall to the main sales room, where Montgomery was resting the whole stack on the counter. He turned to look around, scratching his head with one of the books in his other hand, as if trying to figure out where it went. He was wearing a bright salmon waistcoat today in a watered silk, paired with a bowtie of the same fabric and a white shirt dotted with tiny pink hearts. He looked more suited to a Valentine’s Day store promotion than late July, but that was Montgomery—always just a little odd.

Do you need some help? Lex asked, nodding to the pile of books.

What? Oh, yes, yes, Montgomery said, glancing down at them. Hecate jumped up onto the counter and he absentmindedly stroked one of her ears as she happily nestled her head against his hand, giving Lex a superior look. They’re all new, all new. Well, new to us, of course—quite old, otherwise!

Lex laughed. I understood what you meant, she said, taking the top book from the pile and examining the cover. It was a battered copy of a treatise on the healing properties of herbs found on the East Coast, which meant it needed to go in the nonfiction room. You look a little frazzled.

Montgomery shot a glance in her direction and automatically began to smooth down his normally neat hair. I was up half the night waiting for a delivery, he said, with a tone of regret. It came at six this morning. Imagine! I could have just woken up at my normal hour and all would have been fine.

Lex chuckled sympathetically, stepping out of the room to put the book in its right place. She’d never heard of a courier service that set delivery windows in the middle of the night, but then, this was Montgomery. He could always be counted on to challenge expectations.

Lex heard the delicate chimes of the bell above the front door and quickly stashed the book away in the right place on the shelf—which ran in chronological, not alphabetical, order—so that she could hurry back to help with the customer. She heard him, whoever he was, step through to the main room and greet Montgomery by name.

As she headed back through the corridor, she heard him clearly say in a deep and serious voice: I’m here for the book.

Well—that book—it’s not, um, well, it’s not really available, Montgomery said, after a moment, and there was something in his flustered tone that made Lex rush forward—because it sounded like he was in need of backup.

CHAPTER TWO

Lex rounded the corner into the main room and quickly crossed it to stand at Montgomery’s side, slipping behind the counter. Just as she had predicted from the sound of his voice, her boss looked harassed and frazzled, staring at the new customer and blinking through his glasses.

Well, Montgomery was saying, making little nervous gestures with his hands, it’s not quite ready for sale, not ready. I have things to prepare, authenticity checks, yes, and then the matter of, er…

Look, the stranger said, drawing himself up. He was tall, with a shock of dark hair that hung into his eyes. Those eyes were mysterious, too: he looked quite youthful in his straight bearing, clear skin, clean-shaven chin, and clean-cut clothes, but his eyes were creased as if they belonged to a much older man. I know you’re just trying to make excuses, Monty. Everyone around here knows you’ve got the book, all right? And don’t give me any authenticity nonsense. You’re far too savvy a trader to have made a purchase of that size without verifying it first.

Montgomery mumbled something under his breath, which may, for all Lex was able to make out, simply have been an unintelligible noise.

Here it is, the stranger said, taking a wallet out of his back pocket and holding it up. It was bristling with bills, barely able to remain closed around the bulk of them. I’m going to make you an offer. All right, Monty? Are you listening? The offer is fifty thousand dollars.

Montgomery’s mouth opened and closed once, and then he seemed to regain his composure, which was admirable, because Lex could only stand there frozen in shock. Had she heard that correctly? Fifty thousand?

Mr. Sloane, Montgomery began, and Lex realized, as she might have earlier, that the two of them knew each other. I do appreciate your offer. It’s very generous. I don’t think you have fifty thousand dollars in your wallet, however, however.

No, you’re quite right, Sloane said, tapping the offending article on the counter. But I do have enough for a sizeable down payment, which ought to be enough to reserve the book while I go fetch the rest. I can do it all in cash, you know. Very useful for your books.

Montgomery looked at the wallet and then back up again. Lex, beside him, saw that under the counter he was gripping onto the edge of one of the shelves so tightly that his knuckles were white. It was no wonder; the amount he was being offered was absurd. And, it occurred to Lex, she didn’t even know which book Sloane was trying to buy. He just kept calling it the book, as if it was the only one that mattered.

At that price, maybe it was.

And, putting two and two together, Lex realized that such a valuable book might well be couriered in the dead of night for safety reasons, and to throw off anyone who might want to intercept its delivery.

Mr. Sloane, Montgomery said carefully, and Lex could see the effort he was taking to maintain his composure. Again, I appreciate your offer. But I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline, decline.

Lex stared at Montgomery in renewed shock. She was only just getting over the offer itself, and now to know that he had turned it down…? The only possible reason she could imagine for his dissent would be that the offer was too low, but then why not suggest another price? And why had he been so reluctant to talk about the book with Sloane in the first place? Questions swirled around her head, but she couldn’t ask them out loud—not until they were alone.

Sloane stared at Montgomery with a similar kind of expression on his face, as if he also couldn’t quite believe that Montgomery would turn him down. He had clearly been expecting a positive response, and for a moment it seemed that he had nothing to say.

Well, he said, a little stiffly. I suppose you have your reasons.

I do, I do, Montgomery acknowledged, without actually stating what they were.

Then I don’t suppose there’s anything further to say. Good day, Montgomery, Sloane said, turning and heading for the door. On the threshold he paused and turned his head over his shoulder. For now, at least.

With those ominous words, he was gone, disappearing into the hall. A moment later, the sound of the bell chiming merrily announced his departure, and Lex immediately turned to Montgomery with full curiosity.

What book was he trying to buy? Lex asked, eager to know. I wasn’t aware we had something so valuable in stock!

Montgomery shot her a sideways glance. Well, we have a number of valuable items in the storage room upstairs, he said, referring to the heavy, locked iron door which sealed off his vault. Lex had never been allowed behind it, and not for want of asking. It’s simply an old and rare book which falls into Mr. Sloane’s chosen subject area. I’m not surprised that he wanted it, but I simply couldn’t sell.

Was it the price? Lex asked. Is it worth more than that? Really?

Montgomery began to busy himself with a book from the pile that was yet to be put away, fiddling with something on the cover. I didn’t like to sell it to him, he said. Some things are difficult to valuate, but I do know Mr. Sloane, and I made the decision not lightly, not lightly.

Why didn’t you want to sell to him? Lex picked up another book from the pile and followed Montgomery as he went into the Shipping Room, where the preloved classics were to be filed away. Who is he?

He’s a book collector, Montgomery said, his voice turning gruffer as he waved a dismissive hand. "He’s