Review by Booklist Review
Librarian Carrie Singleton's excitement at being a bridesmaid at her best friend Angela's wedding turns to horror when a wedding guest drops dead in front of her at the chocolate fountain. Popular doctor Aiden Harrington, the victim, had been withdrawn in recent days, even asking Carrie's boyfriend, detective Dylan Avery, for his contact information right before the murder. Given Carrie's natural inclination for crime-solving and Angela's mother's request that she help clear her relatives (many of whom are possible suspects), Carrie agrees to look into the murder. Complicating matters, library ghost Evelyn Havers asks Carrie to locate her brother, who abandoned his family, leaving his daughter depressed and jobless. Cozy fans will respond to the principled heroine, the friendly ghost (reminiscent of Aunt Dimity in Nancy Atherton's series), the well-developed library frame (complete with a library cat), and a developing romantic relationship for Carrie.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Brook's captivating fifth Haunted Library mystery featuring Carrie Singleton, the head of programs and events at the Clover Ridge, Conn., library (after 2020's Checked Out for Murder), finds Carrie looking forward to the marriage of her best friend and library coworker, Angela Vecchio. Toward the end of the bridal shower, hosted by Angela's wealthy cousin Donna Harrington, two men show up: Donna's husband, Aiden, "a drop-dead gorgeous doctor," and Angela's disruptive brother, Tommy, who wants Aiden to invest in his latest movie. Roxy Forlano, another wealthy cousin, takes an interest in Aiden. Later, after Aiden topples dead into the chocolate fountain at the wedding reception, Carrie, known for her sharp intuition, once again turns amateur sleuth. An unrelated subplot, in which Carrie agrees to help Evelyn Havers, the library's resident ghost, reunite Evelyn's estranged brother and troubled niece, provides a counterpoint to the crime solving. Well-drawn characters match the lively plot, and the culprit will surprise most readers. Fans of paranormal cozies will have fun. Agent: Dawn Dowdle, Blue Ridge Literary. (Nov.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A librarian must deploy all her sleuthing skills when her dearest friend's wedding turns deadly. Carrie Singleton is helping her bestie, Angela Vecchio, negotiate the treacherous shoals of wedding plans. Despite last-minute problems, they manage to make it to the big day with some help from Angela's cousins Donna and Roxy, even though they aren't her favorite relatives. The wedding is lovely, but disaster strikes at the reception, where Donna's physician husband, Aiden, drops dead in the chocolate fountain. Angela's mother begs Carrie to help find the person who poisoned Aiden, since all the obvious suspects are family members, including Donna; Roxy, who was recently divorced and making a play for Aiden; and Angela's belligerent brother, Tommy, who was furious when Aiden turned down his request to help finance a movie Tommy wanted to make. On top of those problems, Evelyn, the library ghost, asks for help in tracking down her brother, who deserted his family years ago and whose daughter has been in financial trouble ever since her husband dumped her. Luckily, Carrie's own life is going smoothly. Her landlord, investigator Dylan Avery, is a highly satisfactory boyfriend. And she's come to terms with her mother, who's remarried, and her father, who's a reformed crook. Does the illegal scheme Carrie unearths at Aiden's medical practice mean that he was killed for love or money? Red herrings abound as the pleasing heroine continues her crime-solving avocation. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
