Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay

Happy Book Release Day!  A few of the new titles out today include A Diamond in the Rough by Jen Turano, Listening to Love by Beth Wiseman, An Amish Christmas Kitchen by Leslie Gould, Jan Drexler and Kate Lloyd, A Night's Tail by Sofie Kelly, Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay and The Spice King by Elizabeth Camden.  Which book are you looking forward to reading?  

A library out of shipping containers in Indonesia

Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay takes us back to Briar Creek, Connecticut.  Lindsey Norris is getting married to Sully in five months and she is woefully underprepared.  They are having a Christmas on Bell Island in the Sullivan’s expansive backyard and that is as far as Lindsey has gotten with the planning.  Before heading off for Crafternoon, Lindsey helps new patron, Aaron Grady locate books on taking care of roses during a drought.  A short time later he sends her a thank you and then he delivers a bouquet of roses from his garden to her.  Lindsey believes Mr. Grady is being friendly until he shows up at her home with more roses.  Despite telling Aaron that he has overstepped and that his advances are unwelcome, he continues to pop up wherever Lindsey happens to be.  Lindsey finds it unnerving and reports the incidents to Emma Plewicki, chief of police.  After an encounter at the Blue Heron the previous night, Robbie escorts Lindsey to work the next morning.  She is glad when they see Aaron Grady propped against the wall outside the back entrance to the library.  Robbie approaches to discover Mr. Grady was shot in the chest with Sully’s gun.  Lindsey sets to work to learn more about Aaron Grady and uncover who is framing her fiancé.  The last thing Lindsey and Sully wants is a jailhouse wedding. 

Word to the Wise is the tenth entertaining installment in A Library Lover’s Mystery series.  If you have not read any of the previous books in the series, I do not recommend starting with Word to the Wise.  You would be a little lost regarding the characters and their relationships.  Jenn McKinlay skillfully tackles the serious topic of stalkers as well as online predators in Word to the Wise.  We see how easily a stalker can fool people with their friendliness and lack of threatening demeanor.   They are very careful to not break the law and use the law to their benefit.  Of course, some people believe Lindsey is overreacting to Aaron Grady’s overtures and that she should be complimented by his attention.  Stalking is one of those crimes that is hard to prosecute especially since the law has yet to catch up with disturbing crime.  I believe the author accurately portrayed how victims feel and the attitudes of those around them (some are supportive, and others are not).  I found Word to the Wise to be well-written and it proceeded along at an even pace.  I love the characters in A Library Lover’s Mystery series.  Beth Barker, the children’s librarian, is sweet and comes up with creative story hour ideas.  She is wearing a bat costume in this book and Beth has some special news to share with her friends.  Ms. Cole has changed from the lemon we first met her in Books Can Be Deceiving, and I was surprised by her decision in Word to the Wise.  The rest of the Crafternooners are present with Violet and Nancy adding humor.  There is an amusing scene between Robbie and Sully that will have you chuckling.  The mystery was interesting with a good twist, but it was easily solved (that I found disappointing).  Aaron Grady, in my opinion, is the creepiest villain Lindsey and the group has had to deal with to date.  Unfortunately, Lindsey’s wedding planning takes a backseat while solving the whodunit.  But her friends are ready to help especially with picking the cake flavor (cake for lunch).  There is a section at the end that tells you what a crafternoon is and how to host one.  I cannot wait for the next A Library Lover’s Mystery for the wedding of Lindsey and Sully.   My favorite quote from the book is, “Life is uncertain—eat dessert first.”  Word to the Wise has scary stalker, reeking roses, valuable friends, wedding work, a hound named Heathcliff, and one alarmed librarian.

Word to the Wise is out today and available at Amazon as well as other major retailers (Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, Amazon UK).  You can find a complete list of A Library Lover's Mystery novels here.  I appreciate you joining me today.  I am showcasing An Amish Christmas Kitchen by Leslie Gould, Jan Drexler, and Kate Lloyd next time.  

Kris

The Avid Reader