A Deadly Dedication is the fourth book in the An Open Book Mysteries series by Margaret Louden.

Upper Chumley-on-Stoke is getting ready to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day, and Penelope(Pen) Parish is looking forward to attending her first one. But there is unrest in the little community of Upper Chumley, wealthy businessman Simeon Foster is proposing to open one of his fancy gourmet shops in Upper Chumley. Many of the local shop owners fear this new shop will put them out of business.

On the evening of Guy Fawkes Day, Pen and her friends from the bookstore where she works set for the site of the celebration. As they set out their blankets and food, they notice that Simeon Foster is also in attendance. As a firework goes off, Pen takes a step back to get a better look when she bumps into something; when she looks down, it is the body of Foster. It will soon be learned that he died from eating some poisoned chocolates.

Pen, unable to pass up a mystery, will begin her investigation. Experience has shown Pen that people will more likely speak with her than the constables. She intends to share information with Detective Maguire, her boyfriend, hoping he will do the same. Pen will find no shortage of suspects to check out.

The book is well-written and plotted. The characters are well-developed and believable; I would love to call them my friends. The book reads at a nice pace. There were plenty of red herrings that I kept guessing until the end as to who the killer was. Ms. Loudon writes very descriptively that I felt I was actually there.

I’m looking forward to reading the next book to see what Pen might be up to next. ( )

A Deadly Dedication by Margaret Loudon returns readers to Upper Chumley-on-Stokes where Penelope Parish finds herself investigating the latest murder in the village. Simeon Foster wants to open a high-end gourmet shop in the village which has the shop owners up in arms. Penelope finds Simeon dead during the Guy Fawkes Night celebration. There is no shortage of suspects. Pen must sift through the clues and dig into the suspects’ lives. The mystery is straightforward. The guilty party could be easily identified early in the story. I wish the whodunit had been more complex. I would have liked some action (the story desperately needed it). The mystery is neatly wrapped up at the end. We get to follow Pen as she goes about her day-to-day life. She works at the Open Book bookstore, chats with friends, works on her latest manuscript, enjoys tea and scones, and spends time with her boyfriend. The story moves along at a leisurely pace (I believe snails move faster). The author captures life in a small, English village. Her vivid descriptions allow readers to visualize Upper Chumley-on-Stokes and its characters. There is some romance as Pen spends time with her boyfriend, Detective Maguire. A Deadly Dedication is the fourth book in The Open Book Mysteries. It can be read as a standalone. I wanted to give this series one more chance before saying adieu. I am not a fan of Penelope, and the series is just ho hum. I feel the series needs a jolt of humor and action. I also do not see where the characters are developing (an example is Pen or her sister, Beryl Kent). It is evident that I am not the right audience for this series. I suggest you download a sample to judge for yourself. A Deadly Dedication is a culinary cozy with scrumptious scones, upset shopkeepers, Guy Fawkes celebration, a deceased Simeon, a surplus of suspects, and vast quantities of tea. ( )