Death Knells and Wedding Bells
Lucy and Connor planned for the perfect Outer Banks wedding—and that’s exactly what they got. Aside from typical rumblings of familial tensions, the late spring weather allowed for a beautiful day, the food was delicious, and everyone had a good time, until one of the guests goes missing.
With the Classic Novel Reading Club reading the Selected Works of Edgar Allan Poe—Lucy wonders if the master of the macabre can assist her investigation or if the hunt for the killer’s identity will remain as nothing more than an unsolved mystery.
Death Knells and Wedding Bells by Eva Gates has readers returning to Nags Head, North Carolina for Lucy and Connor’s wedding. I like how everyone (family, friends, co-workers, and even a soon-to-be ex-wife) came together for the couple’s wedding. There was a wrinkle or two during the day, but it was overall a wonderful wedding day which Lucy and Connor deserved. The murder of Aunt Joyce’s plus one casts a shadow on the wedding weekend. I know Lucy was enjoying her wedding weekend, but I have a feeling that a murder was icing on the cake (she loves solving a whodunit). The force’s newest detective, Detective North, is not happy with Lucy’s sleuthing and is vocal in expressing his displeasure to Detective Sam Watson. The mystery was straightforward. It is a whodunit that can easily be solved early in the book. I did, though, enjoy following Lucy as she questioned people and searched for clues. I love Charlie’s role in the takedown. I could envision the scene in my head and it had me laughing.
Eva Gates has created a great cast of
characters for this series. I like
Lucy’s curiosity. She has questions and
Lucy likes to get answers. Lucy is a
natural born sleuth. It is also what
makes her a good librarian. I like how
the characters are there for each other.
Bertie may be Lucy’s boss, but she is also a friend. The same goes for the rest of Lucy’s
coworkers. I understand Lucy’s
motivation for wanting to help Bertie’s plus one, Eddie. I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of Nags
Head, Lucy and Connor’s new home, and Bodie Island Lighthouse Library. I like how the author likens the library to
the TARDIS. There is no way the
lighthouse could be big enough to house the library and Lucy’s Lighthouse Aerie
(now Louise Jane’s). It gives readers a
chance to use their imagination (I see this regular lighthouse on the outside
with a beautiful, big library on the inside).
Death Knells and Wedding Bells is the tenth A Lighthouse Library Mystery. It can be read as a standalone,
but new readers will struggle in the beginning (gets easier the further you get
into the story). I did find the pacing a
little slow at times, especially in the beginning. In addition, there is repetition of information
(case details, background on suspects and victim). Overall, though, I enjoyed
my latest trip to the Outer Banks, and I am looking forward to my next visit. There
is humor sprinkled throughout the story.
Louise Jane provides several mirthful moments. I enjoyed the book club discussions about Edgar
Allan Poe’s stories (A Tell-Tale Heart is my favorite). I like how the death of Aunt Joyce’s plus one
related to The Cask of Amontillado. Death Knells and Wedding Bells takes readers to the Outer Banks with beautiful
beaches, jovial nuptials, a snuffed out plus one, an absent date, a single-minded
detective, and a probing bride.
Death Knells and Wedding Bells is available from Amazon*. You can find the other A Lighthouse Library Mysteries here. You can find Eva Gates aka Vicki Delany's novels here. Thank you for joining me today. I will return on Tuesday, June 13 with The Spectacular by Fiona Davis. I hope that you have a relaxing weekend. I am going to get some chores done around the house (and hopefully not injure myself this time). Take care and Happy Reading!
Kris
The
Avid Reader
*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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