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.

Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers

 Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library

Book Summary

An icy cold murder and a library patron collide in Holly Danver’s second Lakeside Library Mystery.

A glowing wood stove, a cozy log cabin, and shelves full of books are all Rain Wilmot needs to ride out the Wisconsin winter, now that she’s made her family’s Lofty Pines library her year-round home. But the warm-hearted librarian’s blood runs cold when local man, Wallace Benson, is found dead during the annual Ice Fishing Jamboree. 
 
After Benson’s body is found in his ice shanty, Rain recalls that she recently saw the victim in her library, borrowing a few cookbooks to prepare for the fishing tournament’s communal “chili dump.” She later finds these same books returned to the library’s drop box, with an enigmatic note from Benson to Rain.
 
As Rain seeks to understand the message, the prime suspect becomes Rain’s friend Nick, who was the last person to see Wallace alive and who returned to the Jamboree with a nasty cut on his hand. The knife found in his tackle box only makes Nick’s troubles worse. But Rain keeps fishing for other suspects. Was the killer Danny, who lost his arm to a logging accident involving Wallace? Or Danny’s bitter father, whose dreams of retirement were dashed by his son’s accident?
 
With the help of her friends Julia and Jace, Rain sets out to hook the real culprit and clear Nick’s name. But can her sleuthing skills protect her from a killer who’d like to take her out of circulation?

About the Author

Holly Quinn is both an avid reader and crafter. Holly sells her artistic creations locally and dreamed of one day opening a gift shop to sell local artist’s handiwork. Instead, she began writing about it and thus her journey of the Handcrafted Mystery series (as Holly Quinn) was born. Holly grew up devouring every mystery novel on the shelf of her local library.  She lives in the Midwest with her husband and three chickens.  You can visit her https://www.authorhollyquinn.com/.

My Thoughts

Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers has Rain trying to prove her best friend’s husband did not kill a fellow competitor at the fishing competition.

Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library is the second A Lakeside Library Mystery.  I suggest reading Murder at the Lakeside Library before embarking on Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library.  I like the premise of this series.  A cozy cabin that has been turned into a library on the shore of Pine Lake in Lofty Pines, Wisconsin.  The author brought the scenery to life with her vivid word imagery.  I could see the cabin by the lake with the snow falling and inside it is cozy with books and a new Franklin stove.  Rain is a likeable and relatable main character.  I like her friends, Julia and Marge as well.  Julia was a little off in this book.  Her husband is accused of murder which I can understand would make her a little touchy, but she goes off on people (Rain should have known better than to bring her along).  The ladies spend their time at the cozy library helping people find the right book as well as chatting with their friends.  I liked how the murder took place in an ice shanty.  I thought this was unique for a cozy mystery.  There are limited suspects, though, and the investigation plods along slowly.  For the first third of the book, there is little to no sleuthing.  Rain’s snooping is mixed in with spending time with Julia, taking care of the library, and flirting with Ryan, the stove guy.  I would like to see Rain and Julia be more responsible when investigating.  I know cozy sleuths skirt the law on occasion, but most of them try to stay on the right side of it.  You do need to suspend your disbelief at times at things that Rain and Julia do.  There are limited suspects so solving this whodunit is a cinch.  I did not appreciate a love triangle being thrown into the mix.  I am not a fan of them (as you can tell).  Rain finds herself torn between Jace and Ryan, the wood stove installer.  I was glad to see less repetition in this book.  Readers who enjoy charming cozy mysteries set in picturesque settings with friendly characters will enjoy Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library.  Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library is a cute cozy with a welcoming library, a friend from Florida, a fish shack clash, a chili cookoff, and a bothersome blizzard.

Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library is available from Amazon*.  The first novel in A Lakeside Library Mystery series is Murder at the Lakeside Library (digital version currently $1.99 on Amazon--as of 02/08).    You can find Holly Quinn's A Handcrafted Mystery series here.  Thank you for stopping by today.  I hope that you have a fun weekend.  Do not forget to pick up something special for your Valentine.  Valentine's Day is on Monday! I am taking the day off to spoil my Valentine--my fur baby, Doozy.  I have a special gift coming for him that I know he will enjoy. I will return on Tuesday with Murder on the Menu by Fiona Leitch.  It is the first A Nosey Parker Cozy Mystery.  Take care, stay safe, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

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

Murder at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers: Book Review & Giveaway!

Murder at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers

  

About Murder at the Lakeside Library

 

Murder at the Lakeside Library: A Lakeside Library Mystery 

Cozy Mystery 

1st in Series Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (July 13, 2021) 

Hardcover: 336 pages ISBN-10: 1643856324 ISBN-13: 978-1643856322 

Digital ASIN: B08L5VF4X5

In this series debut perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Miranda James, Rain Wilmot must discover the killer, before the book closes on her life.

Rain Wilmot has just returned to her family's waterfront log cabin in Lofty Pines, Wisconsin after the untimely death of her husband. The cabin is peaceful compared to Rain's corporate job and comes with an informal library that Rain's mother, Willow, used to run. But as Rain prepares for the re-opening of the library, all hopes for a peaceful life are shattered when she discovers the body of Thornton Hughes, a real estate buyer, on the premises.

The community of Lofty Pines starts pointing fingers at Willow, since she has been unusually absent from the library this summer. A fishy rumor surfaces when Rain learns that Willow had been spending a lot of time with Thornton. The town even thought they were having an affair.

While theories swirl about Thornton's death, Rain takes it upon herself to solve the case to exonerate her mother. As more clues surface, Rain will have to piece together the mystery. But if she isn't careful, she may be the next to end up dead in the water in Murder at the Lakeside Library, the first in Holly Danvers' new Lakeside Library mysteries.

About Holly Danvers

Holly Danvers grew up devouring every mystery novel on the shelf of her local library. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and 3 chickens, where she's already plotting her next novel.

Author Links

Author Links Website - www.authorhollydanvers.com 

GoodReads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20823355.Holly_Danvers 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HollyDanversBooks/ 

Amazon:  https://amzn.to/3r4yELl

My Thoughts

Murder at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers has Rain Wilmot, a recent widow, arriving at her family’s lakeside cabin in Lofty Pines, Wisconsin looking for time alone to relax and read.  She discovers that her mother forgot to mention that she has been operating a library during the summer for the residents and Rain is expected to fill her place.  Before Rain can absorb the news, a body is found by the outhouse.  It belongs to Thornton Hughes who was rumored to have been having an affair with Rain’s mother, Willow the previous summer.  When Rain learns her father may be in town, she is worried that he will be a suspect.  Rain with help from her childhood friend, Julia begins digging into Thornton’s life looking for suspects.  Murder at the Lakeside Library is the debut of A Lakeside Library Mystery series.  There are beautiful descriptions of the Wisconsin’s Northwoods.  I especially enjoy reading about Rain’s family cabin and library (what booklover would not love a library attached to their home).  I would have liked to learn more about Rain Wilmot.  We are given a brief history along with what has her returning the Lofty Pines after a long absence.  The “Lakers” are a friendly bunch.  They are quick to lend a helping hand such as cutting a neighbor’s lawn, bringing over treats, picking up tab for meal, and holding impromptu barbecues.  I liked Julie, Rain’s childhood friend and neighbor.  She is a friendly woman and something of a free spirit.  The mystery plays out slowly over the course of the book.  I wish it had been little peppier with less repetition.  The investigation is a little scattered like Rain’s thoughts.  I did feel the ending was rushed as we are finally given all the details.  I am curious to see what happen next in Lofty Pines. I have a feeling that Rain is not going to get the quiet time she desired. Murder at the Lakeside Library is a blithe cozy mystery with a lakeside library, a curious corpse, a firm friend, uncertain rumors, and a boatload of books.

Murder at the Lakeside Library can be purchased from Amazon, B&N, Kobo, and IndieBound.  The next A Lakeside Library Mystery is Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library which will be out on February 8, 2022.  You can find Holly's A Handcrafted Mystery series here.  As part of the tour, Holly Danvers is hosting a giveaway for one signed copy (sorry, but open to U.S. residents only) of Murder at the Lakeside Library.  You can click here to enter or use the Rafflecopter form below.  Good Luck!  Thank you so much for joining me today.  I will be back tomorrow with Dogged by Death by Laura Scott.  It is the debut of A Furry Friends Mystery series.  I hope that you have a relaxing day.  Do not forget to leave a comment for an extra entry in the contest.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Participants

July 13 – Novels Alive – GUEST POST 

July 13 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW 

July 13 – Ruff Drafts - SPOTLIGHT 

July 14 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW 

July 14 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW 

July 15 – Here's How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT 

July 15 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT 

July 16 – Books to the Ceiling – REVIEW 

July 16 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW 

uly 17 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 

July 18 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW 

July 19 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 

July 19 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 

July 20 – Ascroft, eh? – GUEST POST 

July 20 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT 

July 21 – Novels Alive – REVIEW 

July 21 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW 

July 22 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT 

July 22 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 

July 23 – Baroness' Book Trove – REVIEW 

July 23 – Christy's Cozy Corners - REVIEW, RECIPE 

July 24 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW 

July 24 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW 

July 25 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW 

July 25 – Melina's Book Blog – REVIEW 

July 26 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT 

uly 26 – eBook Addicts – REVIEW

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