librarian amateur sleuth – Cuddle Up With a Cozy Mystery

A Book Club to Die For

November 1, 2022 Tari Hann

This is the third book in the Beloved Bookroom Mysteries by Dorothy St. James, and I’ve loved reading this series from its very beginning. It’s horrible to even imagine a bookless library, but I what I’ve loved most was Tru and her friends’ determination to see real books survive by rescuing the discards to the basement secret library. To make matters even worse, this time the story featured a LIFU (librarian of the future, um no thank you!) robot unit that didn’t do much to prove its worth.

I’m definitely hoping for more books in this series because I’d love to see Jace and Tru get their happily ever after! And I’ll always hope the real books can come back to the library and live in peace along with the awesome technology (which hopefully wouldn’t include LIFU!). But for now it’s fun to see how people really love using the secret bookroom.

#BerkleyPublishing #DorothyStJames

My Goodreads review:

A Book Club to Die for by Dorothy St. James
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just when you thought a bookless library couldn’t get any worse, the Cypress library was now testing a robot librarian which definitely had its glitches! I mean face it, nobody can get after you in a whisper quite like Lida Farnsworth, Tru’s boss, lol.

There were several secrets that came to light while Tru was sleuthing the latest murder that took place right in Jace’s parents’ house. Since he couldn’t be involved in this investigation, Tru was even more determined to help his mom. At the point where Tru gathered quite a few clues, I was starting to get an idea of whodunit, and I was right, but it wasn’t until later in the book.

The showdown was planned and worked out as well as they could expect. I love it when the main sleuth works with the police and keeps any possible damage to a minimum! I hope more books are planned for the series–I’d really love for the books to come back out and coexist with the technology like all the normal libraries I’ve ever seen. I think I could live without the LIFU though! 😉

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Berkley Publishing via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

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Murder Out of Character review

September 13, 2022September 13, 2022 Tari Hann

This is the second book in the Peach Coast Library Mysteries by Olivia Matthews who wrote a couple other cozy series as well before working on this one for Hallmark Publishing. I sure hope they want her to do more because I’m more than ready to keep reading about these characters! They just really pulled me in extra hard in this second book.

I love the closeness Marvey has with her parents even though they’re still living in New York while she’s in Georgia. And her friends are just so amazing with how they’ve welcomed her into their various circles. It’s cool how she’s got her close circle of friends (Jo, Nolan and Spence) for sleuthing, but she can also call on her librarian friends for some after-hours sleuthing as well. What an awesome entourage, right? I know they’ve gotta have plenty more stories to tell! (Oh and a total side note: there’s no way I’d be able to only enjoy Anna May’s peach cobbler once a week! I admire Marvey’s self-control!)

#HallmarkPublishing #OliviaMatthews

My Goodreads review:

Murder Out of Character by Olivia Matthews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really liked this so much better than the first book, and I liked the first book a lot. The characters drew me in but in this book it was just different. Somehow it just all came together and these characters became friends I was visiting. The mystery did seem more compelling in this book too, and at times I had a hard time putting my Kindle down. I couldn’t read fast enough toward the end lol. A clever clue led me to guessing the killer.

The book had probably my most favorite type of showdowns (meaning it was fairly safe for all involved), and I sure hope there’s another book because it’s about high time that Jo lets Nolan know how much she likes him. And Marvey needs to do the same with Spence. There at least were some better hints toward that as the book progressed and especially at the end. I really loved how everyone gathered at the end for a sort of debriefing then a party to see Marvey’s folks off which was actually a little bit more than just that! I really hope Hallmark Publishing wants more of this series!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Hallmark Publishing via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

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Death by Beach Read-review

June 6, 2022June 6, 2022 Tari Hann

This is the ninth book in the Lighthouse Library Mysteries by Eva Gates also known as Vicki Delany. You can check the links to see what she’s written under both, but I know she’s used the Eva Gates exclusively for the Lighthouse Library.

I just love this long-running series and how all the characters have grown and developed. Probably the most changed was Louise Jane. She went from being someone I absolutely couldn’t stand to someone who’s actually a decent supporting character now. Yep, she’ll never get over loving to tease Lucy (because Lucy’s just so teasable, lol.), but since she’s now the proud inhabitant of the Lighthouse Aerie, part of her lifelong dream came true. I believe Louise Jane might just achieve complete happiness if she could adopt a ghost as a pet or a roommate!

My Goodreads review:

Death by Beach Read by Eva Gates
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lucy and Connor didn’t exactly count on a ghostly roommate when they started working on fixing up the Harper house on the beach, but good ole Louise Jane’s always hoping for a new haunt to talk about. Lucy didn’t think for a minute that the noises she heard in their house had anything to do with a ghost but more like a flesh ‘n blood intruder…which they’d find out soon enough when a guy was killed in their house.

OMG I was so unhappy to see that Diane, one of the nasty previous library board members was back in town and just wondered what kind of trouble she’d get into this time. Then we met Ralph’s recluse sister Jo who surprised everyone by attending book club. Another woman came around claiming to be the dead guy’s ex-wife and wanting her fair share of the house’s sales. Was it one of them whodunit…or could one of Louise Jane’s wishes come true, and the man was killed by a ghost? Not that she’d ever wish someone was killed by a ghost, but she sure likes talking about ghosts.

Lucy definitely had her plate full…again with juggling the murder and sometimes actually being asked to help Sam, she was planning her wedding, and there was pesky Diane back in town probably hoping to get back on the library board. What’s a girl to do? Well for starters, you just cuddle a certain library cat named Charles. Speaking of Charles, he got to be a hero cat in this book-I always love when a pet gets to intervene and help. Poor guy, I felt bad for the cat having to get used to living in a house when he previously had full run of the library.

That showdown was something else, but Lucy used her head about at least part of it, and there was some good evidence to turn in. It was pretty sweet how poor, troubled Jo had gotten some closure for an event that’d still haunted her from long ago. And a nice older gentleman got a new friend in her. I’m really eager now for the next book figuring and hoping it’s Lucy and Connor’s wedding story. As in everything Lucy does, I’m sure it’s gonna be an adventurous tale!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC provided by Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own. This book releases June 7, 2022.

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Renewed for Murder review

December 17, 2021 Tari Hann

This is the sixth book in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries by Victoria Gilbert. She also writes a newer series as well called Book Lovers B&B Mysteries. Anything that’s related to books and mysteries, I’m there! I’ve come to think of the Blue Ridge characters as old friends, and I’m always happy to see a new installment in this series.

My Goodreads review:

Renewed for Murder by Victoria Gilbert
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I can’t say this was my favorite in the series so far, but it was definitely a good mystery and fairly complicated (and admittedly slow in spots), so I just took the advice Brad always gives Amy (but she never follows lol) to let them take over solving it. I kinda just sat back and read wondering what was going to happen next. I never really had one person in mind. At one point, the person whodunit did cross my mind, but I never could come up with a good reason.

The showdown was really exciting though and had Zelda and Amy running around with a killer in an old building in the dark, wow talk about suspense! Everything ended great, and Kurt had a big hand in getting them some much needed help from the authorities. I loved the line he gave Brad when Brad gave his approval for Kurt helping out. But I won’t spoil it. It’s just typical Kurt, and I’ve honestly come to love his character a lot! I don’t think I could’ve said that early on. Yep, he skirts the law, but I remember how everyone always loved ole JR Ewing every Friday night doing that same thing. This guy isn’t much different lol! He’s also very good to have as a friend rather than an enemy, lol.

I’m loving the married Amy and Richard! They’re the cutest couple and despite having their normal share of disagreements, they always end each day on a good note and have lots of respects for each other. I’m definitely looking forward to more adventures in this series!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Crooked Lane via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

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Deadly Ever After review

May 14, 2021 Tari Hann

This is the eighth book in the Lighthouse Library by Eva Gates (aka Vicki Delaney), another of my favorite series. It always has everything you’d want in a cozy mystery, and it’s big on a great setting being Nags Head, NC and the Bodie Island Lighthouse. Wouldn’t it be great if there really was such a thing as a lighthouse library? I love how in the Acknowledgments, the author says the inside is all her own imagination and compares it to Hermione Grainger’s carpet bag being big enough to hold everything. Perfect comparison!

My Goodreads review:

Deadly Ever After by Eva Gates
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my goodness, this was so good! One of my favorite book couples got engaged in the last book in this series, and this book continues with Lucy and Connor’s engagement party kicking things off. Everything was going along just fine until the body showed up in Jake’s alley.

There were a lot of secrets, motives and possible suspects that Lucy wanted to sift through and like always ended up getting a little too close to the truth even if she didn’t realize it. At least for once, the murder wasn’t at the library itself, but Lucy felt invested because of her mom feeling like she needed to support an old frenemy. I liked the little side stories of Charlene doing research with a handsome British guy, then Connor and Lucy kept looking for a house. Both had great outcomes and resulted in an awesome book hangover!

The showdown was pretty epic, and I loved how it tied in perfectly with Lucy’s book club’s selection of “The Hound of the Baskervilles.” This is another series that doesn’t just cut off and finish when the killer is caught. There’s always that satisfying ending involving most of the characters. All I can say is, I’m anxious for the next book and wish we didn’t have to wait a year!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

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A Deadly Edition review

January 12, 2021January 12, 2021 Tari Hann

This is the fifth book in the Blue Ridge Library series by Victoria Gilbert, and I’m so happy that there are at least two more books coming to the series. I absolutely loved this book, and the wedding was pretty awesome too.

This series is really best read in order to help build on character knowledge and previous happenings. But the author does a great job of catching readers up without spoiling anything.

My Goodreads review:

A Deadly Edition by Victoria Gilbert
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This might be the best of this series yet! Richard and Amy’s families came together for their wedding, and it was fun getting to know Scott, her brother a little bit better. We always knew he had a super secret job, but in this book he even surprised his sister with what he does.

Eventually the clues fell into place for me, and I figured out someone’s identity. I don’t want to say too much or spoil it, but this series had mentioned the person in an earlier story. The showdown was great, and everyone involved had a small part. Kurt Kendrick is definitely the JR Ewing of this series–you gotta love him, and I think he’s an awesome character, but sometimes he really can be a stinker. Amy was never sure if she should trust him or not, but I think he proved himself a good ally in this book, past shady deeds or not.

The wedding was beautiful to read, and it seems as though for now everyone in the book had someone or something to make them have a happy ending. I was really happy to read on the author’s blog that there will be at least a couple more books in this series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

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