• The Cracked Spine

  • Scottish Bookshop Mystery, Book 1
  • By: Paige Shelton
  • Narrated by: Carrington MacDuffie
  • Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (331 ratings)

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The Cracked Spine  By  cover art

The Cracked Spine

By: Paige Shelton
Narrated by: Carrington MacDuffie
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Publisher's summary

In need of a good adventure, Delaney Nichols takes the leap and moves to Edinburgh, Scotland, to start a job at The Cracked Spine. She doesn't know much about what she's gotten herself into other than that the work sounds exciting and that her new boss, Edwin MacAlister, has given her the opportunity of a lifetime.

When she arrives, she meets her new Scottish family; also working at The Cracked Spine are Rosie, perpetually wrapped in scarves, who always has tiny dog Hector in tow; Hamlet, a 19-year-old thespian with a colored past and a bright future; and Edwin, who is just as enigmatic and mysterious as Delaney expected.

But before she can settle in to her new life, a precious artifact - a previously undiscovered first folio of Shakespeare's plays - goes missing, and Edwin's sister is murdered, seemingly in connection to the missing folio. Delaney decides to do some sleuthing of her own to find out just what the real story is behind the priceless folio and how it's connected to the tragic death - all without getting harmed herself.

©2016 Paige Shelton-Ferrell (P)2016 Tantor

Critic reviews

"As warm and inviting as a cup of tea and a serving of fresh-from-the-oven shortbread." (Ellery Adams, author of Writing All Wrongs)

What listeners say about The Cracked Spine

Average customer ratings
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  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A bit unbelievable

This was an okay story. There were obvious problems in the plot such as everyone talking so freely to Delaney and the fact that she was given a job with such responsibility over the phone. I will probably read the next book. But, I think this might be one of those stories in which everything works out perfectly for the main character regardless of of the complications involved. Carrington MacDuffie did a great job job with the accents. She made the book worth finishing.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

A twit from Kansas ....

Omg
This is really horrible
The “heroine” goes from smart to stupid to dumb and dumber
I hate it when women write these daft books that are such an insult to women’s’ intelligence
Aaaaarrrrgggg
I hope no Americans show up in Scotland and behave so stupidly

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
  • RB
  • 12-31-17

Horrible main character

The book would be enjoyable except for 2 things. First you need to get past the ridiculous and unbelievable parts which aren't even central to the plot. For example, the main character Delaney is offered a job in a foreign country with only a phone interview and effortlessly falls into an ideal housing situation.
This wouldn't be a big deal except for the Delaney character. Which is my second reason. Delaney is so unlikable. She's rude, pushy and nosy. No thank you!

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Hmmmmm

I might have liked it better if there had been a little lead up to Delaney's nosiness. It just defied logic that she could be this stranger in a foreign country at a new job (at which she never really seemed to work), who was such a busybody. But more unlikely was that everyone in Scotland was willing to answer her questions, and not tell her to mind her own business.
The story itself was ok, but the author really should have set up a scenario where there would be a reason for her nosiness. And then, create situations where she sort of stumbles onto things. Delaney seemed like a pain. Maybe I could read more of the future series if Delaney was more Miss Marple than Gladys Kravitz.
I guess it is ok if you want a little diversion.
The narrator was good. I liked the accents. Very nice.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Accents horrible

Some of the worst Scottish accents I have heard in a long time. It totally took away from the enjoyment of listening to the book. Sorry now I purchased the next one in the series. Hopefully the accents have improved. I ended up buying the IBook for this so I could find out who did it.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very enjoyable!

I was listening to this book on my drive home and found myself smiling. I thoroughly enjoyed this book as the plot kept me interested and the characters pulled me into the story. I hope that this book is not a standalone!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Ok to pass the time

The story doesn't have a natural flow and feels forced as Delaney investigates. Actually a lot of the story has a forced feeling to it. While the narrator is good at the Scottish accent and men's voices, she makes the 29 year old Delaney sound like a middle-aged woman.

There are much better cozy mysteries than this series. I never had the "what's next" feeling of anticipation. I liked Paige Shelton's other series, but surprisingly this book was flat.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fun novel!!

A great read with a gripping story, and a wonderful performance by the narrator. I can recommend this book for anyone and any age.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Well done!

The whole series is delightful, and Paige Shelton's narration is perfect. Her clarity of voice and skillful voice depictions are just right. I'll be watching for more like this!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

easy listen

not bad...short simple little mystery. first in the series. glad it was free through audible.

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