Booktok Books Mystery Novels & Stories

Ace was a little confused as to why this woman was sitting in the empty chair in front of him. Ace glanced up, his curiosity piqued by the unexpected intrusion. His gaze narrowed as he observed the woman, his expression guarded as he reached for the folder. Who is this woman? How did she receive this? Flipping it open, his eyes widened in recognition as he scanned the contents within—George's name emblazoned across the top in bold letters. As he dove deeper into the dossier, his lips curled into a sinister smile, a predatory gleam flickering in his eyes. The woman watched him closely, her own expression inscrutable as she awaited his reaction.

He offered. “Well thank you.” Eliza said but before she brought the mug to her lips, she caught the eye of one of the staff who discreetly shook his head. Alarmed and suddenly suspicious because she heard of ways women were taken advantage of when drinks were spiked with some drugs, she pretended to take a sip with her elbows outstretched. The staff who signalled her went to their table and jostled her elbow pretending it as an accident thereby sloshing the contents of the mug on the floor. He apologized profusely to Eliza then winked at her before turning his attention to Eni who looked furious.

It was like searching for a needle in a haystack, and with every passing minute, the urgency only grew. But then, as I was about to give up for the night, something caught my eye—a small, weathered book tucked away on the bottom shelf. Its cover was faded, the title barely legible, but there was something about it that drew me in. I carefully pulled it from the shelf, the pages brittle and yellowed with age. The title read, *The Lost Chronicles: A History of the Ancient Magics*. My heart raced as I opened the book, scanning the pages for anything that might be relevant. It wasn’t long before I found a section that made my breath catch in my throat.

Flipping open the book randomly, my eyes skimmed over words that made no meaning to me. I turned around as heavy footsteps approached, only to find Yeti balancing a ridiculous amount of books in her arms. “Found some good stuff—” she paused as her eyes strayed to the book I was holding. “What is that?” “A book?” She walked past me, dropping the heaps of books on the table before turning back to me. “Let me see that.” She said, prying the book from my fingers. “Forgotten Beasts: A Study on the Supernatural.

When my shift ended, I found myself walking toward the corner table where Kael sat, his laptop closed now, a book in his hands. I stopped short when I saw the cover. ‘Knot We Cannot Untie.’ That was the book he was holding. I can't believe that Kael would be reading one of Linda Lively’s books. “You read… this?” I said, the surprise evidently in my voice. Kael looked up, one brow raised. “Why? You think I only read racing magazines and bank statements?” I gave a small laugh. “Chill bro. It’s just… not what I was expecting ”

"Word of advice? The good stuff isn't kept with the dusty old books." Before I could ask what she meant, she was gone. Disappeared into the shadows like she'd never been there at all. Who the hell was that? I shook my head and went back to searching. I didn't have time for mysterious women with probably glowing tattoos. Hours passed. My eyes burned from reading by candlelight, but I kept going. Most of the books were about pack laws and territory disputes. Nothing helpful. But then my fingers found something different. A thin book wedged between two larger ones.

"I know a place not far from here. It's an old bookstore. The owner, Mrs. Jenkins, is a friend. She might be able to help us. "I'll check in with some of my contacts," Julian said. "See if they've heard anything about Alex or the organization." Emma nodded. "I'll go to the bookstore and see if Mrs. Jenkins can help us. Meet you back here in a few hours?" Julian nodded, and they exchanged a brief, worried glance before parting ways. As Emma walked to the bookstore, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. She quickened her pace, her senses on high alert.

A moment later, a piece of paper slid through the narrow gap beneath my door. The footsteps retreated in haste. I peered through the peephole. The hallway was empty. I didn't touch the note, afraid of smudging fingerprints. Instead, I crouched and read the words on it: I know the truth about Edmund's death. Come to the big banyan tree in Greenfield Residences at 11 p.m. Don't call the police. The note was crafted with meticulous care—letters cut out from newspapers and books, pieced together like a ransom demand, leaving no trace of handwriting.

I knew because I had been here for two days, reading. Learning. Amongst the trunk full of books Tessa had gotten for me I had been reading about witches and wolves. nothing new. Today I rummaged through the trunk and pulled out the thickest, black leather cover and the title unlike the rest. ‘Chronicles of the Abyssal eater’ Though it was in faded silver letters, I could see it perfectly. I took the book over towards the desk I had been sitting on and opened it. I could smell the old pages and the smell of mold made me scrunch up my nose.

Dropping a book from the shelves in another book, in a different world, but intertwine destiny, as the heroine and another shard soul of ‘hers’ took that defining sound of her every step and whispers. “DEATH REINCARNATE.” Misha’s voice echoes, as she took the book that had fallen from its shelves and into that dimly lit corner of the city’s grand library. With her puzzled mind, yet it wasn’t showed upon herself. She is ringing with thoughts and questions as to why a certain book in that particular genre is put into the section of religious one and the bible? Just how uncanny might a coincidence such as this occur? “Uncanny.”