Shot Through the Book by Eva Gates - 5 Stars!

The upcoming YA book festival at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library is bringing in renowned authors from around the world. When author Todd Harrison unexpectedly visits librarian Lucy McNeil at her Outer Banks beach house after a meeting, she is puzzled by his presence. After she steps inside to get him a drink, she’s shocked to discover that he’s been murdered on her deck in the few minutes she left him alone. When Heather Harrison, Todd’s widow, shows up in town, her motivations aren’t inspired by grief, but political ambition. Can Lucy catch the killer before the chapter closes on justice.

I loved this cozy mystery. I love Lucy and all the characters at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library. She always tries to work with the police to help them with their investigations, not go behind their back and make them look silly. The setting is so well described I can always envision the Lighthouse library on the shoreline and smell the salty air. The plot was ingenious, and the culprit was a surprise to me. I can't wait to read the next installment to this wonderful mystery series. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my honest opinion.

 

Booked on Murder by Allison Brook - 5 Stars!

Carrie Singleton's wedding to Dylan Avery is just a few weeks away. But then a body is found on the lawn of their wedding venue. The victim is Billy Carpenter, a man recently released from prison after serving time for a bank robbery. The police believe Billy’s two alleged co-conspirators, Luke Rizzo and Tino Valdez killed him, and are looking for the money. But then Luke is murdered and Tino is nowhere to be found. With no leads and a week to go before her big day, Carrie is hunting for clues. She hopes to wrap up this investigation before she and Dylan tie the knot.
This story saddens me because it's the last one in a wonderful series that I have enjoyed immensely. As soon as I read that the main character was getting married, I had a feeling of doom because that usually means that the series is coming to an end. I have loved the characters, I have enjoyed the plots, and the settings have made me want to discover and travel to that area of the country. I will always recommend this series but I'm still sad and a little annoyed. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my honest opinion.

 

Fatal First Edition by Jenn McKinlay - 5 Stars!

Briar Creek Library director Lindsey Norris and her husband, Sully, are at a library conference in Chicago to hear book restoration specialist Brooklyn Wainwright give a keynote address. After the lecture, Lindsey finds a tote bag containing a first edition of Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, inscribed to Alfred Hitchcock. Brooklyn determines the novel is one of a kind and quite valuable, so Lindsey and Sully return the book to the conference director. But just hours after they board a train back to Connecticut, rumors that the Highsmith novel has gone missing buzz amongst the passengers, and they soon find the conference director murdered. And the murderer planted the book in Lindsey and Sully’s room, making them prime suspects. Now, they must find the murderer, before they find themselves booked for a crime they didn’t commit. This story features a cameo from the New York Times bestselling author Kate Carlisle's Bibliophile series!

This cozy mystery series is one of the best, and this story is an example of why readers, like me, love it so much. Lindsay and Sully are a great pair that work together to solve mysteries. Lindsey is the amateur sleuth, but Sully's love for her has him joining her in many investigations. All the characters in this series are phenomenal. Having the murder occur on a train makes for an amazing sensory experience. The author described its movements, and scenery well. I saw, heard, and smelled the train as it traveled through the cold northeast winter storm. The mysterious plot was confounding, and I didn't know whodunit until the very end. I loved that there was a cameo from the other series I read in this story. I can't wait to read another Library Lover's mystery.

 

The Stranger in the Library by Eva Gates - 5 stars!

When a traveling show of impressionist art comes to Nags Head, North Carolina, librarian Lucy and the staff at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library are inspired to create an educational display about art history. The display is a huge success, but afterwards, they discover a reproduction of a famous painting has gone missing. Lucy gets an invite to the glitzy opening night for the real show, where she notices tension among the show’s organizers. Then, the man scheduled to give the welcoming speech is discovered drowned in a fishpond. Something is afoot in Nags Head, and it’s up to Lucy and her friends to get to the bottom of it before it’s not just paintings being framed.
This was a fun cozy mystery full of great characters and a plot that, at times, had me sitting at the edge of my seat. Lucy is a great amateur sleuth who winds up seeing things that no one else sees and getting into trouble with nefarious culprits. I love all the side characters at the Lighthouse Library and how they help with getting Lucy in and out of trouble. I really can't wait until I read another novel by this wonderful author. Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my honest opinion.

 

Overdue or Die by Allison Brook - 4 Stars!

Carrie Singleton is setting up an art show at the Clover Ridge Library.  Her fiancé Dylan accompanies her to the home of Victor Zalinka, an art collector, to select paintings for the show. While Carrie muses that Victor's home would be the perfect wedding venue, Dylan spots a forgery among the paintings in Victor's collection. Then Martha Mallory is found murdered in her art gallery. Carrie comes up with a long suspect list. During her investigation, Carrie realizes that Martha’s murder was part of something far bigger and more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. How far will Carrie go to find the killer and uncover the truth? 

This is a great library cozy mystery with wonderful characters, red herrings and clues that will drive you nuts when you try to figure out the truth. I can never figure out whodunnit and I'm always surprised in the end. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

 

Two Ghosts and A Murder!

 

Dewey Decimated by Allison Brook
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Carrie Singleton, head of Programs and Events at the Clover Ridge library could really use a break, but it doesn’t look likely when a dead body is found in the basement of the building attached to the library. It turns out to be Carrie’s fiancé’s Uncle Alec, who Dylan hasn’t seen in years. But Alec has no intention of truly checking out until the mystery surrounding his death is solved. Meanwhile, the town council, of which Carrie is a member, is embroiled in a debate over the fate of the Seabrook Preserve, a lovely and valuable piece of property that runs along Long Island Sound. As the dispute rages, there’s another murder, this time involving a council member. Could the two murders be connected? And could Carrie be next on the hit list?
This cozy mystery was great to read during the season prior to Halloween, it really got me in the mood. Reading about the new ghost’s antics gave a little comedic relief, and this story never became too scary. Carrie is a great sleuth, but I missed the interplay and subplot of her relationship with Dylan. All in all, it’s a very good mystery, and I can’t wait until the next installment in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader’s copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.


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