Carrie Singleton is ready to leave Clover Ridge, Connecticut, when she is offered the job of events coordinator at the public library where she works. Though she spent summers in Clover Ridge, she never intended to stay when she came to visit her great-aunt and great-uncle. This job is just the challenge she is looking for and it becomes more than a challenge when her first guest speaker dies after eating a cookie.

Al Buckley had come to talk about the murder of a housewife that happened fifteen years earlier. He was the police detective in charge but messed up the case because of his drinking. Once he got himself straightened out, he began investigating again and now believes that he knows who murdered Laura Foster. Someone doesn't want the identity of the killer to come out.

Despite knowing Al for about fifteen minutes and having no experience as a detective, Carrie decides to solve the crime that has baffled the police for fifteen years. She teams up with Jared who is Laura's youngest son (and a potential suspect). Together they interview people who know Laura and who knew Al to try to solve the crime.

Carrie is also dealing with a co-worker who is jealous that Carrie got the job she wanted and the ghost of a former library employee who is the vengeful co-worker's aunt. After living with her aunt and uncle since her arrival in town, now that she has a full-time job, she is looking to get a place of her own. She gets a great deal on a cottage owned by the mysterious Dylan Avery who was a childhood friend of Carrie's brother Jordan.

There is a romantic triangle here as Jared wants to do more than investigate with Carrie and Carrie is fascinated by the mysterious Dylan. There are also quite a few suspects in Laura's death including her husband, son with anger management issues and even Jared who is keeping secrets of his own. Then there is Laura's secret lover as a possibility.

This was a nice mystery which reads as a first book. The plotting is fine if you can get behind the assumption that Carrie would attempt the solve the mystery at all. I felt that there was some inconsistent character development with some of the side characters. I do look forward to reading more by this author about Carrie and her ghostly assistant.

Carrie is living with her aunt and uncle and working at the local library. She loves her family but her job is boring and she's thinking of moving on. Then she's offered a permanent position in the library. She's not sure but she agrees to try it for her aunt and uncle. She doesn't know there is a resident ghost there that will be making her acquaintance...

Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you). It will be published October 10th.

One of the first programs she puts on is a presentation by a former cop about a cold case of murder. He says he knows who did it and will reveal it that night. Someone doesn't like that idea and poisons him during the meeting. Carrie is upset it happened in the middle of her event and that he's dead. She really liked him. The worst part is that the police have no idea who the killer is. It might have been the person that killed Laura, the unsolved case that Al was working on.

She decides to work with Laura's youngest son to try to solve the case. He's good looking and charming enough but he's a bit immature. They work together and the more she searches through relationships and possible killers, the more confusing it gets. It doesn't help when she's being bullied at the library and getting threats from the killer.

This was a very good read. I enjoyed the ghostly help, like Carrie's new boyfriend, and am glad she's decided to stay in town. I'll be looking forward to reading her next adventure.

An OK cozy. A library, a ghost, and a couple unsolved murders but not enough clues to keep me guessing or interested. The setting was a little confusing as I thought it was a small town but yet the library seemed to be extremely well staffed and funded with extensive programming. The characters were only mildly likable and/or interesting.

This book is a fun start to a new cozy mystery series. I don't read a lot of supernatural/paranormal books so I wasn't sure if I would like that there is a ghost in this book, but she fit right in with the other characters. I like that two murders (one in present day and a cold case) are woven together. The ending felt rushed, which was disappointing. I look forward to watching the romance develop in the next book. I'd love to move quaint Clover Ridge and work at their very well-funded library!

This is a promising start to a new cozy mystery series! Carrie Singleton has returned home to Clover Ridge and begins to build a life for herself there when she accepts a permanent position at the local library. When one of her speakers is poisoned and dies during his presentation, Carrie works to find out of the killer of her speaker as well as a previous cold case.

Great characters, an adorable cat, and a library ghost - Death Overdue has all of the elements of a fantastic cozy mystery. I found Carrie's shift from gothic to responsible library director a bit quick, and the mystery was quite easy to solve, but nonetheless, I continued reading and enjoying this novel. Great setting, super characters, and a wonderful sense of family. I look forward to more in this series!

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane for an ARC of this novel.

Carrie Singleton is thinking about moving from her hometown of Clover Ridge, Connecticut until she becomes the head of programs and events at the local haunted library. Her first event is the presentation by a retired homicide detective, Al Buckley, who believes he knows who murdered Laura Foster, a part-time library aide who was beaten to death fifteen years earlier. After he bites into a cookie during the presentation, he drops dead. After the medical examiner reveals that poison killed Al, Carrie feels guilty and decides to investigate the murders. With the help of a friendly ghost, Carrie finds more secrets are hidden in the shadows and needs to find the truth before someone believes her death is overdue.
This is a great read for anyone who loves a cozy, fun mystery. I instantly liked the main character, Carrie, and how she had different sides to her character, one reserved librarian and the other a little Goth. I loved how the library’s ghost was not scary, but friendly and informative. Carrie’s aunt and uncle were a good sounding board and showed love whenever possible. With enough suspense and red herrings to keep the reading light burning throughout the night, I would recommend this book to any mystery lover. An Advanced Reading Copy was received in exchange for an honest review.

Books, cats and mystery? Sign me up! I loved every minute of this book, because it combines so many elements that I just love to see in a book. I was hooked from the first page, when I first started to see Carrie's character and the town around her. I really liked the difference in this mystery; not only is Carrie trying to solve a recent murder, she's trying to piece together events from before she even came to town.

The writing is fun and fresh, and there's plenty of food talk to make you hungry. Seriously, small town food, home cooking -drool- The mystery is tightly wound and full of intricacies that will delight regular cozy mystery readers.

This is only the first book, so I predict it will only improve from here. Four stars!

Cute new cozy series. I think the concept of a cozy little home town library with a resident ghost is appealing, but the story seemed to drag at times. I struggled to connect with the main character and her goth preferences, but that's just personal taste differences. Hopefully the series and the staple characters will develop more as it continues.

Carrie Singleton had returned to Clover Ridge, Connecticut to live with her aunt and uncle for a while but she is just about to move on when she’s given the opportunity to become the head of programs and events at the local library. When offered the job Carrie is almost ready to turn it down when she hears a strange voice telling her to think on it. Thinking this is her own mind telling her not to pass up the offer quite so quickly she does just that when she finds that the salary will be quite nice which would allow her to get her own place and begin her new life while still close to her family. Carrie finds though the voice convincing her to stay is not her conscience but a friendly ghost of a former employee that helps Carrie in her new position.

Jumping into her new job Carrie plans to start adding to the events offered at the library beginning with having a retired homicide detective, Al Buckley, come and speak when she hears that he knows who murdered Laura Foster, another former library employee who had been murdered fifteen years earlier. Carrie’s event however is cut short when the detective is poisoned and dies in the middle of the meeting. Now to try to save her job Carrie decides she needs to begin investigating herself seeing how the police never solved Laura’s murder fifteen years before and it seems someone didn’t want Al to speak up about who may have committed the crime.

Death Overdue by Allison Brook and Marilyn Levinson is the first book in the new Haunted Library Mystery series. Now how in the world could I pass by a book that not only has a main character that shares my name but a setting with a haunted library??? Books and ghosts?? Sign me up please. I will say though jumping into this one I had to keep reminding myself it’s called fiction for a reason since sure, a ghost may be fictional but this small town library certainly didn’t live up to reality when described either. Unfortunately libraries in the real world are struggling everywhere which is a shame but this one seemed to have endless funds and staff. It threw me off a bit but I sure wish all libraries could be as nice, even if they came with their own ghost.

For the most part the book was a decent start to this new series but there were a few other things I think could have used a bit of a change. The relationship side of the book left a bit to be desired leading into two different directions which had me scratching my head on both sides but won’t go into too many details there. I wouldn’t have minded to see more of the ghost in the story to make use of the more unique setting for this book. Otherwise, I ended up deciding to give this first installment of the series 3.5 stars and would read the next to see where the story heads with the next case.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I love discovering a new cozy mystery series. This is has a supernatural slant to it but nonetheless, it's a wonderful new entry into my library at home. Carrie is the new librarian in a small town in New England. While hosting a talk, the lecturer keels over dead. With the assist of the resident ghost, Carrie finds herself playing detective and in a cat and mouse game with the killer. Setting is the best part of the book with the characters running a close second. Cannot wait for the next book!

Death Overdue by Allison Brook is the type of book I absolutely love, from the title to the cover and all the pages in between once I picked this one I up I could not put it down. I read way past midnight to finish it Friday August 25th and was I ever thrilled I did so.
Death Overdue is out in October and published by Crooked Lane Books. I don't know Allison Brook but I can tell you that I might just drop everything in the future to pick up and read anything she writes! I was so drawn in by this story and loved the way it was written. It's not exactly paranormal the way I consider a paranormal mystery to be, but having the main character Carrie posses the ability to talk to the resident ghost feels more natural than not! I thought this was a wonderful read. I loved the theme, the characters even Carrie's arch nemesis in the book. Allison does a great job of letting you get to know Carrie but leaving you with questions about her family, about herself and makes you want so much want to be apart of the library staff! A truly great read for fall and I anxiously await the next in what I hope will be a long running series.

A pleasant debut cozy featuring a librarian, a ghost and a cat. Librarian Carrie Singleton was itching to get away from her home town until a promotion to Programs and Events coordinator convinces her to stay put. Unfortunately, one of the first programs she is involved with culminates with the shocking death of the speaker -- a retired police detective who had investigated an unsolved murder of a library employee years before.

Carrie feels obligated to find out more about the whole series of events and two murders that have taken place. In the meantime, we see her develop from a post college Goth type with a gray outlook on life to a more mature professional woman with a little confidence. She moves out of her aunt and uncle's home to her first house of her own, which comes with a mysterious and attractive landlord. She begins to make friends, one of whom is the cheerful ghost of a former long ago librarian.

The story sometimes seems a little bogged down in endless minor detail -- what Carrie had for lunch, what she bought at the mall, etc. And there is a fair amount of repetition. The author has done a good job of showing us that Carrie is actually happier than she's ever been, so it wasn't necessary for her to remind us several times in the second half of the book.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Death Overdue started out gently with a library assistant who dresses goth to shock the older librarians. She has been on her own and flitting from place to place since quite young. Now she has landed in the only town she could consider her home town, where her Aunt Harriet and Uncle Bosco live, and generously took her into their home. While she loves them both, she just never stays long in one place, and things are getting too comfy. Time to move on...
Then Carrie is offered a better position at the library. Due to a senior librarian moving to California with her husband, there is a position available that she is fully trained for and actually sounds exciting to Carrie. The position is head of Programs and Events, and to tell the truth, Carrie is excited. However she takes the night to think it over, and decides to accept the position after careful consideration...and some kind words from a ghost. (Turns out the library is haunted by a librarian who died a few years before in the parking lot.)

From that point forward things get more and more interesting and the story begins to move forward much faster. At a program that features a retired police detective, the gentleman is going to discuss the cold case of another librarian's murder just about 4 years ago. He starts the program out by asking people questions and listening to what they say about the victim. Only a few minutes into the evening, he suddenly dies from eating a poisoned cookie that no one knows from where it originated. Now there is no one who knows who the murderer was. Before long, Carrie joins with the son of the murdered librarian and they try their best to find out who killed his mom.

So much happens in this book-it is jam packed with action and supposition. Well developed characters and plot added to the interesting topic. I could hardly put it down at night when I absolutely HAD to stop reading at 1 or 2 am. I hope there are other books to come in this series, because many things are left up in the air, and the characters are too good to ignore! Don't miss this terrific mystery of a small town and the library, ghosts, and romance!

Death Overdue is the debut of the A Haunted Library Mystery series featuring Carrie Singleton. Carrie isn't sure what she wants to do with her life so she's staying with her aunt Harriet and uncle Bosco in Clover Ridge, CT, thinking about where she wants to move next and working part time at the local library.

Carrie is offered the head position of programs and events at the library and decides to give the job a try. Unfortunately, a few other people at the library aren't happy and set out to make her life as miserable as possible.

Carrie is looking forward to her first library program. Retired Detective Al Buckley is going to speak about his investigation into the cold case homicide of local resident and former library employee, Laura Foster. The talk generates a lot of interest and the room is filled to capacity with Laura's sons and husband in attendance. Apparently, Al is a little closer to solving the mystery than someone wants him to be and poisons the man with one of refreshment cookies.

Having enjoyed meeting Al, Carrie sets out to find his killer and Laura's. With the help of her new library co-workers and the spunky resident ghost Evelyn, Carrie soon finds herself caught up in small town animosity, intrigue and mystery.

A great first! A spunky heroine, a fun supporting cast of characters, a delightful kitten, a feisty ghost and a hunky neighbor equal a perfect cozy.

I received an advanced copy of Death Overdue from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

Carrie is working at the library as a jack of all trades when the current director offers her the position of head of programs and events. Thrilled with the opportunity despite the fact that her uncle may have influenced the director, Carrie sets out to settle into the job when she discovers that there is a ghost that only she and her young cousin can see.

On the evening of her first program a retired police detective comes to discuss an old cold case that he believes that he has finally solved. Before the discussion proceeds, however, the detective collapses and later dies. When poison is confirmed, Carrie resolves that she will figure out what he had discovered and solve his murder as well as the cold case.

It was an interesting little mystery but I wonder how the library ghost is gong to continue to be involved in future stories.

I really enjoyed this first in a new series. The author writes well developed characters, has a good plot and gives you plenty of suspects. I am excited for the next installment. There were no cliffhangers unless you want to know what is happening in her life.

I like the cast of characters. I felt like I was in that small town while I read the story. I found the story synopsis or lead-in compelling. I wanted to read this book and thank netgalley for letting me. I can't wait to tell my friends.

This was a good first in a series. I hope further books in the series expand on the haunted aspect of the library.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Thanks to the publisher for an advance reader's copy.

I'm not going to lie: this book is not great. There are several points to the mystery that aren't wrapped up (why did the murderer take the victim's jewelry? How did the murderer sneak the poisoned cookie onto the plate in front of dozens of people, and how did they know to bring a cookie in the first place?) and many of Carrie's professional practices are dubious at best. Still, I've been joking to my friends that this is the novel I was meant to write. It's about a HAUNTED LIBRARY! Literally nothing could be more up my alley! While the mystery was thin, I enjoyed the seasonal fall atmosphere and the occasional accurate insight into modern librarianship (although what small town library has four degreed department heads with several more professional librarians under them, AND THEN still has multiple library assistants? I guess every library is different, but still...). I'm on board with pretty much any cozy mystery, so I'll definitely keep reading.

Death Overdue is an excellent start to the Haunted Library Mystery series. It has everything I love about cozy mysteries - a likable heroine, books, ghosts, a library cat, and a wee bit of romantic intrigue.
Carrie Singleton is adrift and looking for her next place to land when she is offered a great job at the library in Clover Ridge, Connecticut. Settling into her new position, moving out of her aunt and uncle's home, and finding her place in a small town would be enough to keep anyone busy. Carrie has a whole lot more on her plate! At her first event as head of Programs at the library, the guest speaker is killed! Now she has to try to figure out who killed him, if the killer is tied to a decades-old murder he was scheduled to speak about, and if she has feelings for either of the two new men she has met. She also has a jealous and malicious co-worker and a friendly library ghost to contend with. All of these elements come together in a fun mystery that kept me guessing. I am looking forward to the next Haunted Library Mystery!

Fun cozy mystery with a ghost in a library, and an excellent fall setting. Carie has been working at the library for a bit, ans it debating moving on keeping up with her pick up and leave lifestyle when she is offered a promotion doing what she loves, programs and events, as the department head. She decides to take it, leaving some coworkers who have been there more than a decade upset. On her first program in the new promotion, someone is killed in front of everyone. This death may also be linked to an unsolved 20 year old murder. Helping Carriw with the new job, amd to solve the mystery, is a ghost of an old library worker.

I have to say, I loved all the settings, I always felt as though I was actually at the places described. I am a sucker for fall and Halloween, so the timing was right up my alley as well. The murder had many suspects, and was hard to figure until the end. Very fun read, I will look for more in this series.