Something Read, Something Dead by Eva Gates

Happy National Open An Umbrella Indoors Day! A Bidder End by Ellery Adams and Parker Riggs is now out.  It is the seventh Antiques & Collectibles Mystery.  Trouble on the Books by Essie Lang is out today.  It is the first novel in A Castle Bookshop Mystery series.  I am looking forward to Murder's No Votive Confidence by Christin Brecher which publishes on June 25.  It is the first story in A Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery series.  

Something Read, Something Dead by Eva Gates is the fifth A Lighthouse Library Mystery.  Lucy Richardson is helping her cousin, Josie O’Malley plan a small and simple wedding to chef, Jake Greenblatt.  Unfortunately, Gloria O’Malley, Josie’s grandmother, does not feel the wedding is progressing the way she desires.  Gloria descends upon Outer Banks with a group the relatives call the “Louisiana Mafia” to take over the wedding plans.  The mafia includes Florence Fanshaw and Mirabelle Henkel who run Festivities by Fanshaw.  Gloria, Florence, and Mirabelle have extravagant plans for the nuptials and reception.  They are completely ignoring the wishes of the bride and groom.  Twice-divorced Mirabelle is on the prowl and takes to flirting with Jake.  As if that is not enough, Jake’s old girlfriend has moved to town and is determined to win back the bridegroom.  Lucy hosts Josie’s bridal shower at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library with the help of her friends.  Josie provides the sweets from her bakery along with some gluten free options for Mirabelle.  At the end of the shower, Mirabelle becomes ill, collapses and is rushed to the hospital.  Mirabelle passes away and foul play is suspected.  Detective Yarmouth from the North Carolina State Police is overseeing the case and he has placed Josie at the top of the suspect list.  Lucy dons her sleuthing cap to clear her cousin of suspicion.  Can Lucy wade through the suspects to identify the killer or will Josie be saying I do behind bars?

Something Read, Something Dead can be read as a standalone if you have not indulged in the previous books in A Lighthouse Library Mystery series.  I always enjoy Eva Gates descriptive writing which brings the story to life.  I can imagine the beautiful library, the town, the characters, and Lucy’s adorable apartment inside the lighthouse.  There are a variety of new characters as Grandma Gloria descends on the town with a group of relatives.  Gloria is a Southern lady who believes in proper etiquette and extravagance (which she expects Josie’s parents to pay for, of course).  Gloria brings along her own wedding planners to carry out her instructions (oh dear).  Mirabelle has her own agenda and is happy to cause mischief wherever she goes.  The adorable library cat, Charles is back, and he provides some laugh out loud moments.  After Mirabelle’s death, Lucy is not about to let Detective Yarmouth pin the crime on Josie.  Lucy immediately starts asking questions so she can quickly close the books on this terrible incident before Josie begins a new chapter of her life married to Jake.  The mystery has multiple suspects (all with good motive to harm Mirabelle) plus misdirection to send readers down the wrong path.  I was able to identify the killer long before the reveal, but it did not hinder my reading pleasure.  There are references to Busman’s Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers and her main character, Lord Peter Wimsey sprinkled throughout the story.  The Outer Banks sounds like a beautiful place to live and work.  I believe many of us would want to work and live in a library that is inside a lighthouse (it must be a large lighthouse).  It is such a shame that Bodie Island Lighthouse Library is suffering from foundation issues which will be costly to repair.  Let us hope that the townspeople will rally around and help with the expensive renovations.  I liked the reference to Daryl Wood Gerber and her French Bistro Mystery series (entertaining cozy mystery series).  Something Read, Something Dead will delight cozy mystery readers with its engaging characters, charming library, delectable sweet treats, and a bewildering whodunit.

The next A Lighthouse Library Mystery is Read and Buried which comes out October 8.  The other novels in A Lighthouse Library Mystery series are By Book or By Crook, Booked for Trouble, Reading Up a Storm, and The Spook in the Stacks.  Thank you for joining me today.  Death by Dog Show by Arlene Kay is my featured book next time.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader