This is the first in a series of cozy mysteries about a small-town librarian in Connecticut. It was fine, but I'm not sure cozies are my thing. I tend to roll my eyes at what non-professional crime solvers get themselves into. Still, some of the secondary characters were fun, and I like the setting and library angle, so I will probably give the next one a try at some point when I need an easy audio.

3 stars
(My rating scale translation: Some redeeming qualities, but I wish I’d read something else) ( )

Lindsey Norris has started a new job as the director of the Briar Creek Library half a year ago after breaking up with her fiancé. She has introduced a few new activities to the library, like the crafternoons when a circle of women do crafts and talk about the books they have read, and like that she has made a few friends and already feels at home in the small town. Her best friend Beth, who is the children's librarian and an inspiring children's book author, suddenly finds herself to be the prime suspect of a murder investigation, but Lindsey is convinced of her innocence and sets out to find the truth.

There is nothing really new here of course, but I still enjoyed the cosiness of the small community at Briar Creek. The setting is a big plus because it is a coastal town, so the action takes place around the small islands off the coast and there is lots of boating, which I loved to read about. I also liked the characters, but must say that the writing style could be improved because the dialogue felt stilted most of the time.
I don't think I will seek the next one out soon, but I liked it enough to want to meet the characters again and see how the romance that has only tentatively started so far develops. ( )

I am backtracking, reading the 1st in the series that I have already read book two. Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay. Great cozy writer!

Anger over plagiarism is thought to be the motive. Beth in the children's area of the library had been working on a children's book for years. The director of Briar Creek Library, Lindsey encourages Beth to submit her book for publication but, the publisher flatly turns her down. The woman consulted confides in Lindsey that she thinks that Beth copied the idea for the book. The author turns out to be Beth's ex-boyfriend. When Beth and Lindsey, go to confront him, Beth finds that he has been murdered.

Lindsey does not want to lose her friend and the library's children's librarian and together with Beth, they look for clues. My hunch about the motive turned out to be correct but I did not guess the murderer. How well can you solve this?

Enjoyed this one. ( )

Books Can Be Deceiving
3.5 Stars

When her best friend is suspected in the murder of her ex, small-town librarian Lindsay Norris dons her sleuthing cap to uncover the truth.

Anyone expecting an intense and suspenseful murder mystery is bound to be disappointed as this is most certainly a light and fluffy cozy.

Set in a quaint little town on the Connecticut coast, the residents of Briar Creek are rather stereotypical from the bumbling police chief to the mean-spirited librarian to the town eccentric. Nevertheless, each one of these quirky characters adds a delightful charm to the story, and the numerous references to books, both classic and more contemporary, will appeal to any discerning bibliophile.

The heroine, Lindsay Norris, is independent, loyal and good-natured. Her attraction to the sexy boat captain provides an element of romance, and her reasons for investigating the murder are reasonable given the police chief's misogyny and ineptitude. That said, there are one or two TSTL moments that leave the reader questioning her intelligence.

The mystery itself is intriguing as there is a lot more to the victim than first meets the eye, and the clues leading up to the finale are well-developed and established within the narrative. That said, there is one significant plot hole that is never addressed how on Earth did the killer get to the island to commit the crime?

All in all, an entertaining read for those who enjoy lighter fare.



( )

A quick, cozy read. But what about the note left for Lindsay at the library? I don’t think that she ever read it? ( )