THE BOOKBINDER’S SECRET

A.D. BELL lives in Oxford, haunting the city’s bookshops on the weekend, writing in its cafés, and walking the winding paths of her characters.

“What a gem! The Bookbinder’s Secret is a novel for any reader who has experienced the life-changing power of stories. A.D. Bell has crafted a spellbinding tale within a tale—a mystery within a mystery, in fact—in which romance, crime, and obsession each play a crucial role as apprentice bookbinder Lily Delaney races to unravel the historical secret at the book’s core.” —Marie Benedict, bestselling author of The Queens of Crime

“You’ll want to read The Bookbinder’s Secretone sitting; every chapter stirs up new intrigue, sending Lillian – a book lover with a past—looking for trouble in delightfully unlikely places: bookstores, the libraries of collectors, and the workshops of bookbinders where secrets are tucked away under end papers and false covers. This is a novel so vivid, so spirited, and full of twists and a little romance, that you fall under its spell in its first pages.” —Timothy Schaffert, bestselling author of The Titanic Survivors Bookclub

“A deliciously twisty and vibrantly plotted historical mystery set in the world of rare books in turn-of-the-century England, The Bookbinder’s Secret is a must for booklovers everywhere.” —Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Lost Names and The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau

“For all who cherish the magic of books, reading The Bookbinder’s Secret is like falling into another world, one made of vintage books and secret libraries, of cobblestone streets and richly told tales in secret rooms. The novel is as immersive as the scent of old paper and bound leather in an antique bookstore. Sewn together with the threads of mystery, romance, and a fiercely determined woman, The Bookbinder’s Secret is impossible to put down.” —Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times Bestselling author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea

“Atmospheric and propulsive, The Book Binder’s Secret chronicles a passion for books and the cost of obsession. Lilian Delany learns that love and loss are bound as tightly as the pages of a novel while she tries to solve a mystery (and possibly murder) with clues hidden inside a rare book. Perfect for fans of Diane Setterfield’s The Thirteenth Tale.“ —Janet Skeslien Charles, New York Times and International Bestselling Author of The Paris Library and Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade

1. In 1901 Oxford, Lilian is a woman in a man’s profession. How does her struggle for independence mirror the mystery she uncovers? Do you think her pursuit of the truth is an act of rebellion or self-discovery?
2. How does the hidden confession inside the Bell books handle themes of secrecy and censorship, both in personal relationships and in society?
3. Isabel and William’s story is at the heart of the mystery but ends in tragedy, mirroring some of Lilian’s own history. How do you think the book explores the line between love and destruction?
4. As Lilian’s search for the six Bell books becomes all-consuming, do you think her obsession is justified? What does the story suggest about the cost of pursuing knowledge or truth at all costs?
5. If you were Lilian, would you have kept digging into the mystery, even when it became dangerous, or walked away? Why?
6. How does the novel depict the limitations placed on women in Edwardian England? In what ways does Lilian navigate and challenge these restrictions?
7. The novel revolves around uncovering truth hidden within fiction, both in the literal bookbinding and in people’s lives. What do you think the story says about the reliability of the stories we inherit?
8. What role do you think Mr. Caxton play in shaping Lilian, as both a bookbinder and a person? Do you see their relationship as supportive, limiting, or both?
9. The story is full of rare books, secret libraries, and dusty archives. Which setting would you most love to explore in real life?

The Bookbinder’s Secret Author Q&A