Kate Carlisle’s publisher, Berkley, has some of the best cover artists in the business, and, whoever they selected to illustrate the cover of The Paper Caper excelled at the job. Because I read an egalley, I can’t give credit to the artist, but I wish I could.
Part of the joy of the Bibliophile mysteries comes from the discovery of the book that Brooklyn Wainwright chooses to restore. Brooklyn is a bookbinder specializing in rare book restoration. This time, she’s restoring a copy of Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper. Mark Twain and his novel are essential parts of the current story. Joseph Cabot, a “multibillionaire”, is a voracious reader who loves Twain’s work. He’s a newspaperman who owns the San Francisco Clarion Press, and he’s a best friend of Brooklyn’s husband, Derek, owner of Stone Security. He’s also a contributor to the Covington Library. This year, Cabot is underwriting the first annual Mark Twain Festival at the library. There will be five days of events, including a lookalike contest. The person who most closely resembles Cabot will switch places with him for several days, and win one hundred thousand dollars. It’s a high-profile week, and Derek and his team are providing security throughout the event.
While Brooklyn and Derek love Joseph, they’re not as fond of his second wife, Ella. And, Ella’s mother, Ingrid, is a cold fish. But, when asked, Brooklyn is quite happy to show Ella around the Covington Library. She doesn’t show her one of her favorite exhibits, though, The Poisoned Papers one. When someone in the Cabot household dies unexpectedly, though, Brooklyn’s thoughts immediately go to the poisoned papers.
Kate Carlisle does an excellent job with the Mark Twain Festival, and the connection to Twain’s works in The Paper Caper. The chapter headings are quotes from Twain or his books. The festival itself, including the fence painting for children and the jumping frog contest, is delightful. Brooklyn has the chance to demonstrate book repair. Then, of course, there is the lookalike contest that leads to trouble. All those elements are fun.
It’s Brooklyn herself that I have problems with, as I did with her last book, Little Black Book. Ever since her marriage a year earlier, she’s become scared and whiny. When she freaks out at a party because Derek leaves her side, she even admits she doesn’t tend to freak out. But, her behavior has become odd. At one point, she wants to search bedrooms at Cabot’s house, and Derek has to remind her that’s why the police are involved. Brooklyn just doesn’t seem to be the strong, confident woman of the earlier books, and it’s tiring to read about Brooklyn in her recent incarnation.
I enjoyed all of the connections to Mark Twain in The Paper Caper. And, Derek, along with Brooklyn’s friends, are still entertaining. But, something has to be done soon about Brooklyn’s petulance.
Kate Carlisle’s website is https://katecarlisle.com/
The Paper Caper by Kate Carlisle. Berkley, 2022. ISBN 9780593201466 (hardcover), 336p.
FTC Full Disclosure – The publisher sent a galley, with no promise of a review.
This is sad to hear. I loved the first 7-8 books in the series, particularly learning about Brooklyn’s occupation and her whole family’s backstory. Loved Derek as well, but I agree with you about Brooklyn. I have had a problem with her in the last several Bibliophile books. I know it is a tea cozy book, but there have been too many cliches in the dialogue and I think the author has taken a wrong turn with Brooklyn.
Maybe you’ll feel different than I did about the book, Tracey. Probably not, though, because you caught that as well. I think you’re right that she made a wrong turn with Brooklyn. She’s at a party scared to death just because her husband told her to get out if something went wrong? She’s not the confident person she used to be.