Unsolicited: A Booklover's Mystery

by Julie Kaewert

Book Overview

From bestseller to death-dealer London's Plumtree Press has a world-class bestseller of a novel. And the sequel is earmarked to get this old family firm out of the red. But its anonymous author, known... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553582097
• Release Date: August 2000
• Publisher: Crimeline
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.7" x 0.7" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

A surprising find!

I picked this book up, not knowing it was part of a series. The story got off to a slow start, but -- wow! It turned out to be not just a mystery, but a thriller, too. It's a modern setting, but the plot involves children who were moved out of London before the bombings in World War II. I found the book really hard to put down! The author also adds in elements of the romance novel -- sometimes a little silly, but I didn't mind. I can't wait to try the rest of these books. Obviously, since I started with this one in the middle of the series, you can, too. I understand the first two in the series are titled "Unbound" and "Unprintable."

Unexpected

I love finding new authors and books I've not read. Unsolicited was a book I was not familiar with and Julie Kaewert was not an author I had ever heard of before. The book looked interesting so I gave it a try.This is a mystery so I do not expect as much from it as I would a serious work of fiction. All I desire from a mystery is a quick read, interesting people, and a plausible plot. Unsolicited achieves all of those goals. I read to escape and this book was on target all the way.The English element of the book was enjoyable without being too steeped in the dreariness of the weather or indulging in a stereotype of what the author feels is English culture. I do feel that Ms. Kaewert was too feminine in her male lead's attitude towards the love interest but I could overlook it. Other than that, the characters were believeable, interesting, and likeable.I won't go into the plot because a mystery is a mystery. Suffice it to say, the plot was believeable and did not stretch the imagination too far. The events were exciting, well executed and lent a charm to the book that made me stay up late trying to finish the book. Unsolicited is not War and Peace but it's a lot more fun to read!! I recommend this as a light read to pass the time. And, if your life is like mine, you like those moments of light entertainment!

The first is back in print!

Readers of Julie Kaewert's bibliomysteries (mysteries that revolve around other books, book sellers, authors or otherwise) will be pleased to read the first in the Alex Plumtree series. Unsolicited, first published in 1994, is back in print and really helps to set the scene for the next three in the series that are currently available - Unbound, Untitled and Unprintable.Unsolicited introduces the reader to Alex Plumtree, the dashing and somewhat bumbling owner of Plumtree Press, one of the oldest publishing houses in London, his brother Max who seems to be underfoot at every step, fellow publishers and the love of his life Sarah Townsend (he is smitten from a far which makes the tale of unrequited love a delicious diversion from the mystery at hand). Alex has gone out on a limb and broken with tradition - he has published a fictional novel that has proven to be a smash hit for Plumtree Press.With all of the additional media coverage surrounding the sequel, can Plumtree Press survive? Alex discovers that his smash hit might not be so fictional and the culprits behind the novel want him and anyone to do with the book dead. Who can he trust? Is Sarah, his one true love, in on the plot? What about his brother Max? Alex must unravel the mystery behind the novel and help to save the anonymous author's life - if he can just figure out who the author really is!While this isn't an edge of your seat thriller, Ms. Kaewert certainly can and does do a fabulous job of keeping the reader interested. Her characters are well formed, the plot is all in good fun but still captivating. Unsolicited certainly leaves the reader wanting more and lucky for us - she has given it to us in the next three books in the series!

A pleasant cerebral sleuth mystery

Alex Plumtree is very proud of his heritage, but as a second son he never expected to take charge of the family's small London-based publishing company. However, his older brother Max proves incapable of running it. Alex's first year at the helm goes smoothly and the company even has a bestseller written by an anonymous author going by the name Arthur.Arthur writes a sequel "Those Who Trespass Against Us" in which Alex has everything but the final five chapters. The book centers on the kidnapping and selling of British children during World War II. When Arthur disappears, Alex panics because the financial state of Plumtree Publishing heavily depends on Arthur's book. Alex learns that Arthur's book is based on actual facts and events with a real person willing to kill even a publisher to insure that the book never reaches the shelves.UNSOLICITED was first released in 1994 as a hard cover. It is being re-released as a paperback and is the first novel in the "Booklover's series." Readers will meet in this debut tale characters who have since become popular. The audience also receives interesting glimpses at the British publishing industry. However, the novel belongs to the fascinating lead protagonist, whose complexity makes this story and other tales in this series entertaining.Harriet Klausner

London Publishing Milieu Mystery

An unput-downable,"thumping good read" mystery which places the reader in the heart of London's close-knit publishing world. Has a thoroughly likeable hero, a chilling killer, and a charming love-interest. Can't wait to read the next in the series.