Summary
Helen Monroe is the “writer in residence” in Briar Creek this winter. After completing her long-running thriller series (by killing off her main character), Helen is working on a new, secret project.
Helen’s “biggest fan,” Jackie Lewis, has also shown up in Briar Creek. And her presence has alarm bells going off in Lindsey’s head. Lindsey has dealt with a stalker before, and this feels all too familiar. And when Jackie crashes a community event trying to paint Helen as a plagiarist who stole Jackie’s book ideas, Lindsey’s fear is confirmed.
But Jackie isn’t the only person with a grudge or vendetta against Helen. Helen’s novels based on true crimes have angered the families involved. And a new member of the library board has a vendetta against Helen as well.
So when Lindsey discovers a dead body, she has some investigating to do.
Review
This was great! A few holiday activities give this a Christmas-y feel, but the story is a solid mystery for readers to enjoy at any time of the year.
I loved the writing-based mystery, and the many twists kept me guessing to the end. I loved getting to spend some time with Lindsey and Sully and their friends while watching the mystery unfold.
Newcomers could easily start this series here. The mystery is terrific and doesn’t rely too much on series history. But the Library Lover series has been a favorite for me for awhile – so be sure to check out the whole series. And once you are hooked, you can check out Jenn McKinlay’s other mysteries and romance books. You won’t be disappointed.
Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*
*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.