Tag: Library Lovers Mystery series

REVIEW: Death in the Stacks by Jenn McKinlay

REVIEW: Death in the Stacks by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

[I recently discovered some unpublished reviews I wrote several years ago. I’m posting these now as they were originally written.]

Summary

Lindsey and the library crew are preparing for their biggest fundraiser of the year – the $50 per plate Dinner in the Stacks. But the new library board president is determined to cause trouble.

Olive Boyle is only chairing the board because she wants to run for mayor. She thinks a few local leadership positions will help secure her win. But her abrasive personality isn’t doing her any favors. She threatens to fire Lindsey and to expose another library employee for some past indiscretion. And then she tries to bully the event caterers into donating everything for Dinner in the Stacks.

Is it really any wonder that Olive ends up dead?

Unfortunately, Olive’s feud with Lindsey and her staff was quite public. And the body was found in the library. Even though Lindsey has sworn to all her friends that she is done sleuthing for good, how can she hang back now when her friend is the  prime suspect for Olive’s murder?

Review

This was excellent! As I have mentioned before, I love the characters in this series. I enjoy spending time with them in every book. The library angle is also a perfect fit for me.

Fans of McKinlay’s hat shop and cupcake shop series will be delighted to find the characters from those books making an appearance here. Both of those series are on my TBR pile – and this made me want to dive into those soon.

The mystery in this was outstanding. Olive was like Delores Umbridge in the HP series. Just a horrible, mean, hateful, narcissistic character. There were plenty of suspects to choose from. And the solution twisted and turned all the way to the end. Delightful!

I highly recommend this series. I am a big fan of Jenn McKinlay’s work. If you haven’t tried out any of her books, she has several series to choose from for both mystery and romance fans.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: A Merry Little Murder Plot by Jenn McKinlay

REVIEW: A Merry Little Murder Plot by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

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.

REVIEW: Fatal First Edition by Jenn McKinlay

REVIEW: Fatal First Edition by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

While enjoying a train ride home from an archivist convention, Sully and Lindsey get connected to another murder. By the end they will endure a blizzard and a kidnapping as well as discover a valuable book. But the Crafternoon crown help Lindsey, Sully, and local law enforcement save the day.

Review

This was a fun mystery! It was super easy to fall back into the flow with these characters. I loved the mystery on a train angle, although Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect does it “better” in that the whole story takes place on the train. In this, the train is just one of several settings, but it was a fun one. And the other locations helped draw Lindsey and Sully’s usual community into the case. And that’s half the fun of a long-running series like this one. (This is book 14.)

McKinlay does a good job of giving context to the series regulars which I love because I don’t always remember well after a year’s wait between books. But while I think a newcomer could start here, I would recommend reading this series in order. I find it more satisfying. For example, I think I appreciated Lindsey and Sully’s relationship more in this because I’ve watched it develop from the start.

Series fans should enjoy this latest adventure for Lindsey and Sully – don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great!

REVIEW: Killer Research by Jenn McKinlay

REVIEW: Killer Research by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The mayoral race between Ms. Cole from the library and the incumbent, Mayor Hensen, is heating up. And Lindsey and her Crafternoon friends are all in for the campaign. In fact, children’s librarian, Beth, is serving as Ms. Cole’s campaign manager.

But when a dead body is found in Ms. Cole’s car, the mayor and his cronies smell blood in the water and turn up the heat on their smear campaign.

So Lindsey, Sully, and Beth start sleuthing, determined to clear Ms. Cole and clear a path to her election victory.

Review

This is one of those series that’s easy to fall into no matter how long it’s been since you read the last one. This is the 12th book in the Library Lovers Mystery series by Jenn McKinlay, and it’s a must-read for me and has been from the beginning. The main characters feel like old friends, and it’s no work at all to dive into a new book.

My book friends did not disappoint in this outing. I was completely invested in seeing Ms. Cole cleared, and I cheered every time she verbally stomped on the mayor when he tried to stir up trouble. The mystery kept me guessing, and I enjoyed watching the story and the solution play out.

I don’t know that you have to read this series in order. It helps, though, because of the history with Ms. Cole throughout the series. It’s so satisfying to have seen her evolution from the beginning of the series until now, especially in her relationships with Lindsey and the Crafternoon group. That said, I still think the story is easy enough to follow if you decide to drop into the series here.

Series fans, of course, should absolutely pick this one up and enjoy watching Lindsey work the case – and Ms. Cole work the election!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

BONUS REVIEW: One for the Books by Jenn McKinlay

BONUS REVIEW: One for the Books by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Christmas is coming, which means Lindsey and Sully’s wedding is too. And the whole town is looking forward to it. In fact, thanks to a glitch with the invitations, it looks like the couple will have at least three times as many guests as they had planned for.

When Lindsey, Sully, and some friends head out to the wedding site to make plans for their extra guests, they find the body of a friend. Steve and Sully had known each other for years. He was going to perform their wedding. They had just seen him the night before at a Christmas party in his home.

Lindsey has to wonder if something from the party led to Steve’s death. There was the huge argument with Steve’s former business partner; everyone saw it. And then the frosty relationship with his wife. And what about the story of a strange woman dressed all in black in the house during the party?

While Lindsey would love to leave the sleuthing to the police this time, the island where her wedding should be is off limits as a crime scene. If she wants her wedding to go as planned, she’s going to need to help the case along.

Review

Terrific! I have enjoyed this series from the start. This latest story does not disappoint.

It’s finally time for Sully and Lindsey to get married. I enjoyed all the wedding prep and the sweet little moments between the couple in their excitement. The issue of an officiant drags through the whole book, and the solution is pretty obvious. But it does lead to one encounter with a possible fill in who was a hoot! That interaction alone made the officiant quest worth it. I would love to see that character in another book.

The mystery was top notch! The twists almost felt like they were circling in on each other – in the best way. I loved watching it all play out.

This is a come-for-the-characters-stay-for-the-mystery sort of series for me. This is book 11, and the Library Lovers Mystery series is as strong as ever.  The author does an excellent job of not sacrificing either part – the setting and characters or the mystery – striking just the right balance. This is why I read anything and everything Jenn McKinlay writes. I am already thinking about where future stories in this series might go – Ms. Cole is running for mayor after all! And I am here for that tale and any other with Lindsey and Sully.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½=Loved it. Would re-read.

REVIEW: Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay

REVIEW: Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Lindsey Norris is in a good place in life. She’s prepping for her wedding to Sully in December. She loves her extended family-to-be, including Sully’s niece Josie. She’s in a good place with her job at the library and at peace with her co-workers.

But it’s one task for her job – one she performs well – that turns everything upside down.

Aaron Grady and his wife are new to town. He raises roses, and is concerned about the impact of a recent drought. Since Lindsey is on the reference desk when he comes in, she takes him to their books on gardening and roses and connects him with a local gardening group.

While Lindsey thought she was just doing her job, Aaron thinks it’s something much more. He tracks Lindsey down at her house to bring her flowers, stares at her for hours while she’s at work, and stalks her, sending texts while she is shopping for her wedding dress. While the local police are taking it seriously, Aaron has yet to really cross a line. The mayor tells Lindsey she’s over reacting. He thinks she should be “flattered” by the attention. He refuses to let her ban Aaron from the library.

When Aaron’s stalking extends to following Lindsey while they are out to dinner, Sully’s had enough. He and Aaron argue publicly. The next day Aaron is dead, Sully’s gun is missing, and he’s the number one suspect for the murder.

Review

This is the second harassment story I’ve read in two days, and I have to say they both have been unsettling. The victims feel skittish and trapped while clueless outsiders excuse the perpetrators’ lack of boundaries. Ugh. It feels awful. The author here does a great job of painting that emotional picture before the murder. I felt a real sense of relief that the guy would not be stalking Lindsey any more.

The mystery here is top notch. Everything moves along quickly. While Sully – and Lindsey – are suspects, their community believes in them and supports them as they seek the truth. There are great twists and turns in this one. I really enjoyed the journey to the truth.

This is the 10th book in the Library Lovers Mystery series by Jenn McKinlay – and it’s not slowing down at all. I love spending time with these characters. I’m looking forward to the next book.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Hitting the Books by Jenn McKinlay

REVIEW: Hitting the Books by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

It starts out like any other Crafternoon. Beth, the children’s librarian is dressed as the Pigeon. The book club has gathered to make a craft, eat great food, and talk about their book,  A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. And they’re passing around Mary’s new baby. Well, Lindsey wasn’t holding the baby. She’s not a big baby person. She focuses on the scene outside the library so no one tries to hand little Josie to her. That’s why Lindsey sees the car speeding down Main Street and notices Theresa Huston start to step off the curb. Lindsey hears the car speed up and watches helplessly as it slams into Theresa and drives away.

It quickly becomes apparent that Theresa, who survives the accident with a badly broken leg, is in someone’s cross-hairs. Lindsey absolutely should NOT look into things on her own. She’s had too many close calls in the past. But when you watch the attack happen right in front of you, it’s hard to ignore the memory of the accident.

Review

Another great mystery from Jenn McKinlay! Lindsey and her boyfriend Sully are caught up in all the action as are police chief, Emma Plewicki and her boyfriend, Robby Vine. The rest of the series regulars play a background role in most of the story. It was nice to spend time with the familiar characters, but the emphasis of the story is really on the mystery, which is terrific.

I love that the emphasis this time was on preventing a murder rather than an increasing body count. I think it’s great when series authors change up the formula. The mystery was delightfully twisty! There was a balance of action and suspense and a reasonable amount of librarian-level detective work from Lindsey. It all comes together in a satisfying story from one of my favorite series.

This is book 9 in the Library Lover’s Mystery series. I’ve enjoyed all the books so far. The author has two other mystery series as well as a set of romances that I loved. You can read some of my reviews at the link above. Jenn McKinlay is one of the authors I buy automatically – and for good reason. She always delivers!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Better Late Than Never by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

An overdue book mystery. It’s amnesty day at the library! That means anyone and everyone can return their overdue and damaged materials without repercussions. But no one expects to find a 20-year overdue book in the stack! And when Lindsey discovers the book was checked out by a patron who was murdered later that night, she has to find out where the book came from. And who the murderer is.

Overdue book mystery

Review

I loved the “cold case” twist to this book! It freshened up a series I already adore (this is book 7), taking it to a new level of awesome!

What do I love about this series? First, the main character is a librarian and the series centers around the library. As a former school librarian, there are a lot of familiar factors for me. And there are lots of book references which I enjoy.

Second, the core characters are fun! This book focused on Lindsey, Sully (love interest #1), Robbie (love interest #2), and a couple of the other librarians. The crafternooners (a crafting book club) make an appearance but aren’t a huge piece of this story. I love these characters. The author has done a great job of giving all of the main group some focus so they have clear personalities, distinct from one another.

Third, I love the mysteries. This one kept me guessing almost to the very end. And I loved the details of the case as Lindsey puzzled it out.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

This one can probably be read in any order, although it is easier to get to know the characters if you read them in order. I love the whole series. Book one is Books Can Be Deceiving.