What happened in Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree - Recaptains

The basics

Title: Bookshops and Bonedust

Author: Travis Baldree

Series: Legends and Lattes #2

- Legends and Lattes (2022)
- Bookshops and Bonedust (2023)
- Brigands and Breadknives (2025)

Add it: Goodreads

Goodreads Summary:

Viv's career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam's Ravens isn't going as planned.

Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she's packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk—so far from the action that she worries she'll never be able to return to it.

What's a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?

Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn't possibly imagine. Still, adventure isn't all that far away. A suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.

Read a full summary of Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree below. If you can’t remember what happened in Bookshops and Bonedust and you need a refresher, then you’re in the right place.

What happened in Bookshops and Bonedust?

• Viv is fighting wights in Varine the Pale’s army when she is stabbed in the leg and almost killed. Rackam saves her and takes her to a nearby town called Murk, where she is expected to rest and recover.
• Viv stays at an inn called The Perch. She recovers from her fever after a couple of days and goes in search of food.
• Viv meets the owner of the inn, Brand, at breakfast.
• Viv goes out to explore the small town. It’s coastal, and really quite nice, apart from all of the closed shops along the boardwalk. A fellow orc walks by her but doesn’t stop to chat. 
• Viv is already hungry again and wants to head to the Sea-Song Bakery, but the queue is too long. She starts working out, and sees the orc again. His name is Pitts.
• Viv bumps into a Gatewarden, who knows that Viv is a mercenary and doesn’t trust her. The Gatewarden threatens to jail Viv if she acts up.
• Viv goes to the local bookshop, which is one of the few shops that is still open. It’s very run down and cramped. Viv knocks over a bunch of books when she turns to leave, and is attacked by a fuzzy pet called Potroast.
• The owner of the shop appears. Her name is Fern. Fern suggests that Viv should buy a book, although Viv doesn’t think she’s much of a reader. Fern lends her Ten Links in the Chain and asks her to try it.
• Viv starts reading that evening.
• Viv mentions the Gatewarden encounter to Brand. Brand tells her that was Iridia, and Viv should behave around her.
• Viv finishes the book the next morning. She can’t make it to the bookshop though, because it has been raining and the floor is slippery.
• An elf surgeon called Highlark examines Viv’s leg. It’s recovering, but clearly very injured.
• Viv makes it to the bakery the following morning. The owner, a dwarf called Maylee, flirts with her.
• Viv pays Fern for the book. Fern recommends another one called Heart’s Blade. Fern tells Viv that if she doesn’t like the book, she won’t have to pay for it.
• Viv asks Pitts to use his tools so she can fix the planks in front of the bookshop.
• A large passenger ship brings a bunch of tourists to Murk. They invade the inn, which Viv is not pleased about because she wanted to spend the afternoon reading.
• A gnome asks Viv how she was injured, so Viv tells her about the battle. The gnome, Gallina, asks Viv to introduce her to Rackam.
• Viv heads back to the bookshop and retrieves the materials from Pitts. Viv fixes the steps. Fern makes lunch for Viv and Pitts, who will not accept payment. Fern offers them a book instead. Pitts takes one.
• Once Pitts has left, Fern cries because the bookshop isn’t doing well. She inherited the shop from her father and she has been losing money ever since.
• Viv goes to Highlark’s surgery and notices that he likes books. She recommends Fern’s shop to him. She asks him for some oil for her leg, but using the oil is a one time thing.
• Viv spots a man in a grey cloak at the marketplace. He seems dodge. He disappears.
• Maylee gives Viv some scones.
• Viv and Fern clean the rug in the bookshop. They discuss the book that Viv is currently reading. Viv isn’t sure about reading a romance. They continue to clean up the shop. They get a customer that afternoon.
• Fern offers to let Viv borrow her books if she helps with the shop. What a great deal.
• Viv gives Pitts some scones while he tells her about his current read. She would like his help to get some furniture for the shop.
• Viv tells Fern about her mercenary career.
• Viv borrows Sea of Passion by Zelia Greatstrider.
• Another customer buys some books. Fern says this is great foot traffic. Viv thinks it’s slow.
• Viv returns to the shop that afternoon and sees the grey man in there. Potroast attacks the man, and he slaps him. He rushes out and Viv follows.
• Viv stops the man from running away. He kicks Viv’s bad leg, and it starts to bleed. Gallina shows up and stops the man. Iridia arrests Viv, Gallina, and the man.
• Highlark takes a look at Viv’s leg.
• Gallina tells Viv that it’s difficult for gnomes to be hired as mercenaries so joining up with Rackam is her best chance.
• Fern brings Viv some food and a book. Gallina asks Viv to read to her, then they both fall asleep.
• The gray man vanishes from the jail. Viv tells Iridia that he smells like he’s from Varine the Pale’s army.
• Iridia lets Viv and Gallina go.
• Fern paints the bookshop door. Gallina shows up and introduces herself to Fern.
• Viv gives a book to Maylee.
• Fern tells Viv that the author Zelia Greatstrider lives near Murk.
• Maylee tells Viv that she is a retired mercenary who got tired of the lifestyle. Maylee also tells Viv she likes her and wants to date her.
• They go on a date on a boat and get to know one another.
• Viv and Gallina go on a hike and come across a graveyard. Viv also spots an estate and assume’s it’s Zelia’s.
• Viv takes Maylee to the bookshop. Fern gives Viv a new book called The Lens and the Dapplegrim. Gallina shows up and declares she has found the grey man and he’s dead. Pitts found him and went to get Iridia. Viv sees a tattoo on his body and confirms he was in Varine’s army.
• Viv and Gallina steal the man’s satchel. Inside, they find bones.
• There’s also a bottle filled with bonedust in there. Fern realises that if they sprinkle bonedust on the bones, the bones will come to life. They group try it and a skeleton climbs out of the bag.
• The skeleton tells them he serves Varine. His name is Satchel, and the grey man’s name was Balthus and he stole Satchel from Varine.
• Gallina wants to turn Satchel over to Iridia but the others disagree.
• Satchel helps clean up the shop.
• Fern has ordered more books but has no space for them. Viv suggests they hold a book sale and sell three books as a set at a discount.
• Maylee teaches Viv how to knead bread.
• Iridia asks Viv about Varine so she can figure out how to protect Murk.
• Fern comes across a book that she doesn’t recognise. Satchel tells her not to open it as it’s Varine’s. Balthus must have hid it in the bookshop.
• Fern opens the book and when she writes in it, the ink disappears. Viv sticks her arm into the book, which is a portal. This must be where Varine is storing her treasure. Viv pulls out a sword. Satchel says Varine will have sensed that something was taken out of the book.
• Viv takes the book to Iridia.
• Lots of customers show up for the sale and it goes well.
• Sales slow down after that, so Viv suggests they renovate the shop while things are quiet. They purchase some new furniture and paint the shop.
• Viv dreams of Varine, who tells her that she’s coming back for the sword, Blackblood.
• The group goes for a picnic and they chat about their plans. Satchel goes for a walk and when he comes back he tells them he found a sign of Varine in the cemetery.
• Fern receives her book shipment and Viv helps her unpack.
• Gallina accepts a bounty for removing a spineback nest from a farm. She asks Viv for help, and Viv reluctantly accepts.
• Maylee suggests that they ask Zelia to do a book signing at the shop. Fern and Viv visit Zelia at her estate. A man called Berk answers the door and lets them in. Zelia agrees to do the signing.
• The book signing goes swimmingly.
• The group goes to remove the spinebacks. Viv brings her sword, just in case. They talk to the farmer and wonder if the problem could be something other than spinebacks. The group kills all the spinebacks regardless, but Viv notices that they look starved. Viv spots Varine’s symbol nearby.
• The group runs back to town to find the alarms going off. Viv checks that Maylee is safe and then goes off to fight the wights.
• Iridia gives Viv Varine’s book. The fighting stops. Varine speaks through the wights and asks to meet Viv at the bookshop.
• The shop has been destroyed, and Fern and Gallina have been captured. Viv hangs over Satchel’s bag and the book to Varine. Varine opens the book to inspect it, and Satchel reaches out to pull Varine in. Viv takes Satchel out and shuts Varine inside. The book blows up.
• After the shop is restored, the group holds their first book club meeting. Fern introduces Satchel to everyone.
• Rackam returns to town for Viv. She gives Rackam the destroyed book, and introduces Rackam to Gallina.
• Viv and Maylee have an amicable breakup.
• Viv leaves town to go and start her coffee shop.
• The epilogue shows Viv at her coffee shop. She receives a letter from Fern, saying she plans to visit Viv in Thune.

That’s what happened in Bookshops and Bonedust! Check out our recap list for more recaps. If you can’t find what you need, you can request a recap from us!

Other recaps for this series:

• Legends and Lattes (Legends and Lattes #1)