Murder by the Book - by Amie Schaumberg (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Near a small college campus, a student is found strangled in an abandoned barn on the outskirts of town. She's been posed to look like a painting of Ophelia from Shakespeare's Hamlet, the scene taunting the police with a message they don't understand. Detective Ian Carter is known as a straitlaced cop, but seeing the girl's body leaves him shaken and uncertain of where to turn until a chance meeting with a charmingly awkward literature professor ends with her accidentally seeing, and solving, a clue left by the killer"--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Two dead students. A coded reference to Shakespeare. And the promise of darker things to come.

Near a small college campus, a student is found strangled in an abandoned barn on the outskirts of town. She's been posed to look like a painting of Ophelia from Shakespeare's Hamlet, the scene taunting the police with a message they don't understand. Detective Ian Carter is known as a straitlaced cop, but seeing the girl's body leaves him shaken and uncertain of where to turn--until a chance meeting with a charmingly awkward literature professor ends with her accidentally seeing, and solving, a clue left by the killer.

Professor Emma Reilly knows that the books she loves might hold the key to unraveling the killer's crimes now that a second murder has been discovered, with the victim posed as the Lady of Shalott this time. However, when the murderer strikes too close to home and kills a third student, one from Emma's classes, she realizes that the safety of her insular life might be nothing more than an illusion. She must find the strength to confront a killer who is turning the stories she loves into lurid scenes of death.

Amie Schaumberg has crafted a smart, thrilling and utterly compelling mystery that will have you trying to figure out whodunit right up until the end.

Review Quotes

"[An] elegant and cleverly constructed debut."
--The Seattle Times

"Amie Schaumberg's Murder by the Book is a smart and completely captivating page-turner that's sure to delight mystery fans and book lovers alike. If you're looking for a dark academia thriller or a bibliomystery puzzler, you can find the perfect cross right here. A winning debut!"
--David Bell, New York Times bestselling author of She's Gone

"Bookish nerds, rejoice, for Amie Schaumberg has done the impossible, crafting a fast-paced, contemporary murder mystery with thriller and whodunit vibes. I couldn't get enough of this feast of literary delights."
--Kemper Donovan, USA Today bestselling author of Loose Lips

"In Murder by the Book, Amie Schaumberg weaves elements of art and literature into a chilling mystery . . . an engrossing read."
--Crime Fiction Review

"Amie Schaumberg's debut reminded me why I love the dark academia setting. Smart, atmospheric, and tense, Murder by the Book will keep you guessing until the last page.
--Lauren Nossett, author of The Professor

"...a solid debut driven by literature and art. Dark-academia fans will enjoy following the twists and turns."
--Library Journal

"[Readers will] enjoy the academic atmosphere and the literary allusions in Schaumberg's debut."
--Booklist