Read to Death at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers

 Read to Death at the Lakeside Library

Book Summary

Perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Ellery Adams, Rain Wilmot must find a novel solution in order to catch another killer—before her book club members are picked off one by one.

Summer is in full swing as tourists flock back to the Northwoods and travel to Lofty Pines, Wisconsin. For Rain Wilmot, owner of the Lakeside Library, this is the perfect opportunity to bring back her mother’s summer book club. But the summer sun starts to really heat up when one of the club’s members, Lily Redlin, is found dead in her own home not long after the first meeting.

Alongside her sidekick and neighbor Julia Reynolds and the charming Jace Lowe, Rain discovers that the murder is seemingly inspired by the book the club recently discussed Agatha Christie’s classic mystery novel Sparkling Cyanide. But who would kill Lily, and more importantly, why?

The deeper Rain dives into the story, the more confusing and complicated the plot becomes. Was Lily murdered to cover up a tragic accident that occurred years ago involving an old classmate? Or were the rumors true—did Lily really possess a priceless original Laura Ingles Wilder manuscript and someone killed her for it? And what about the mysterious letter Lily received just before her death from a supposed long-lost relative? Was it a hoax?

With a long list of suspects and motives, Rain realizes that all leads come back to people involved in the book club. Rain and her friends take a page from Agatha Christie’s book by hosting a reenactment of the club’s first meeting to flush out the killer. Will Rain’s plan succeed—or will this librarian’s book be checked out for good?

My Thoughts

Read to Death at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers takes us back to Lofty Pines, Wisconsin where Rain Wilmot is getting ready to host her first book club discussion.  The group will be discussing Agatha Christie's Sparkling Cyanide.  I like how the author tied Sparkling Cyanide into the story.  Lofty Pines is a charming town with friendly residents (well, most of them).  It is summer and the weather is perfect for spending time on the lake.  Rain and her best friend, Julia, do not miss an opportunity to take a dip in the lake. The library is busy as people stop by to pick up books to read while lounging by the lake (or to read after dinner while relaxing on their deck).  The mystery begins at the book club meeting where the group has a lively discussion about Sparkling Cyanide.  Lily Redlin, who got a little hot under the collar at the meeting, is found dead in her home the next day.  After the book club meeting, I knew who would die and how.  I soon identified the guilty party.  The why took longer to discover.  Rain and Julia are eager to dig into the crime.  The pair come up with justifications for why they should not turn over the information they have uncovered to the police (aka Julia’s brother, Jace).  The case details are repeated way too many times (preliminary details repeated three or four times before Julia and Rain begin sleuthing).  The case is neatly wrapped up at the end.  

Rain, who thinks about her deceased husband, Max often, is ready to date (seems too soon since she often recalls Max and how much she loved him).  Rain is attracted to Julia’s brother, Jace Lowe (and it is obvious to everyone).  I wish there had been less time devoted to romance.  I lost track of how many times Rain admires Jace’s attributes or thinks about him.  I did like the addition of Bento.  He is a Siberian Husky that Rain adopts.  I am a fan of Siberian Huskies.  They are loving and intelligent dogs.  While Read to Death at the Lakeside Library is the third A Lakeside Library Mystery, it can be read as a standalone.  The needed background information on the characters is provided.   I want to like A Lakeside Library Mysteries, but they are not a good fit for me.  It is an easy-to-read story with likeable characters and a quaint area.  I like that the library is in a log cabin.  The author also incorporated information about the state and creation of the Wisconsin Old-Fashioned Cocktail (recipe at the end of the book).  Read to Death at the Lakeside Library is lighthearted tale with an energetic book club discussion, lounging by the lake, a Wisconsin cocktail, an unexpected death, an adorable dog, and a romantic prospect.  

Read to Death at the Lakeside Library is available from Amazon*.  You can find the other A Lakeside Library Mysteries here.  You can follow Holly Danvers on Amazon and receive an email when she has a new book release.  The beauty of books is that there is something for everyone.  If Read to Death at the Lakeside Library sounds entertaining to you, I encourage you to download a sample to check it out.  Thank you for joining me today.  I will be taking next week off.  Heat and fibromyalgia do not mix well. My feet have swollen so much that I cannot get them in my shoes.  I need a little extra time to rest (with my feet propped up).  I will return on  August 22 with Mountain Abduction Rescue by Darlene L. Turner.  It is the third book in the Crisis Rescue Team series.   I hope that you have a relaxing weekend.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.