This book was a good start to a new cozy series. It features Amy Webber, a university librarian who moves to a small town in Virginia to live with her aunt and uncle and work as a librarian. She is trying to deal with the lack of funds and unusual patrons when Richard Muir turns up. He is a former dancer who choreographs and teaches, and he inherited a house in the small Virginia town from his uncle. He implores Amy to help him investigate the murder of the original owner of the house, his great-uncle. It is believed by the townsfolk that his wife murdered him and then disappeared after the trial. Richard is determined to clear her name. As Amy and Richard begin to investigate the many decades old cold case, they begin to uncover conspiracies and a past that they would have never dreamed.

Great characters make this one fun to read. I loved both Amy and Richard, and enjoyed the way the worked together to uncover the secrets of the past. I was interested and entertained by the storyline, and thought that it moved at a very nice pace. I'll be looking for more in this series. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy o the book in return for an honest review.

A Murder for the Books

by Victoria Gilbert

A Murder for the Books is the first book in the new Blue Ridge Library Mystery Series. Author Victoria Gilbert is obviously passionate about reading, writing, and libraries. Her main character, Amy, a former university librarian rebounding from a bad romance, moves to the town of Taylorsford to live with an aging but still feisty aunt. She puts her research skills to good use in attacking a mystery involving several local families, including her own. The murder of an elderly lady in the library’s archives draws her into this case which has intriguing connections to historical happenings in the town. This mystery has interesting characters, a complex plot, and good pacing. When the main “who done it” has resolution, the story continues with a surprise development and ending. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series, set for publication in July.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: short discussion of possible paranormal activity, but certainly not a major factor in the book as the main character does not believe in it

Publication: December 12, 2017—Crooked Lane Books

Memorable Lines:

The age of shushing librarians had gone out with card catalogs, despite what popular culture might portray.

“He was a canny old devil. He read the whole situation like words in a book in that one afternoon.”

I loved the smell of books. Although I appreciated the value of computers and online research, nothing could replace the magic of rows of books filling shelves.

Hello, hello! We’ve reached the last Wednesday in December (the last one of 2017). Can you believe that? And that means it’s time for my monthly book review. For December, I chose a cozy mystery (think along the lines of Murder She Wrote, only this heroine is a young librarian). I was looking for something light and fun this time, and A Murder for the Books by Victoria Gilbert, which was published on Dec. 22nd, popped up in my recommendations list on NetGalley. Yes, it’s another advanced reader copy (ARC), so I must thank the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for giving me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Now, let’s get on with the actual review.

A Murder for the Books is the first in a new cozy series collectively known a the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries. It follows Amy Webber, who has moved in with her elderly aunt Lydia under the guise of taking care of Lydia (who doesn’t really need much in the way of help), but is actually fleeing her old life after making a public scene when she found out her long-term boyfriend had been cheating on her. She’s gone from being a librarian at a major university to being one at a small town public library. Plus, she’s self-conscious about her weight and wary of anyone who shows a romantic interest in her. Cue the entrance of Richard Muir who is a dance instructor at her old university and is new to her little town. He asks for some help researching an old murder and that’s when they stumble upon a fresh murder and things just get weirder from there.

After the last three ARCs I got turned out to be less than satisfying, I had very low hopes for this book. But I went into it with an open mind and, to my surprise, I liked it quite a bit. The characters were relatable (if somewhat over the top occasionally). And the plot was fun. It was a little predictable at points, but the main antagonist turned out to be a bit of a surprise. I figured they were somehow involved, but I didn’t think they’d actually do their own dirty work. So, it was fun.

That being said, I did have one major issue with the plot. Every time Amy painted herself into a seemingly inescapable corner, instead of finding a logical way out, the author employed a deus ex machina (plot device where something is magically cleared up by the intervention of something random). A book that’s been lost for years shows up even though they had done a complete inventory of the library earlier that year and no one had found it, another book randomly falls off a shelf at her house… twice, a shadow in the woods spooks the killer into running away, a gust of wind on an otherwise calm day knocks the killer off balance, etc. These things are explained away as the possible actions of a ghost, which would be fine if this were a paranormal series (I love ghost stories!). But it’s not. The whole prospect of ghosts doesn’t even come up until more than halfway through the book, so it feels like a lazy escape method from having to find logical alternatives.

Beyond that, the writing was good. There was a little too much focus on description. I didn’t really need to know what every house and garden Amy went in looked like in full detail. That made it drag a little bit in places. And there was a lot of hair twirling and similar actions that could’ve been left up to the reader’s imagination. But none of that detracted from the fun of the story itself, so I’ll let it slide.

Ultimately, I was satisfied with A Murder for the Books. It was interesting and fun enough that I’ll probably pick up the second book when it’s available. Hopefully, there won’t be as much deus ex machina in the second one.

Overall, I’d rate it 4 out of 5 stars. If you’re looking for something nice to snuggle up by the fire with, this one would be a good choice.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Fleeing a disastrous breakup, Amy Webber begins a new life in a quiet, small town in Virginia. Just when she’s starting to feel settled, there’s a murder that shakes this sleepy town to its core. As the bodies pile up, Amy takes the investigation into her own hands. With the help of the gorgeous choreographer next door, Amy may just find out more about the mystery and her family history than she ever bargained for.

A Murder for the Books was an adorable cozy mystery. I loved how the characters were both quirky and entirely relatable. Amy herself was such an enjoyable protagonist, I’m looking forward to seeing future installments in this series.

The murder mystery itself was a lot more complex than I had originally anticipated, I loved the red herrings the author included and how they kept me guessing. There were a few parts that felt a little slow to me but the pacing was generally good. The love story was adorable but a bit on the insta-love side. There was also a paranormal aspect to this book that took me by surprise. However, I ended up enjoying what it contributed to the story. I would recommend this book to readers who are looking for a cozy mystery with just a touch of the paranormal.

When Amy returns to her aunt's house to live, she believes that she will live her life quietly taking care of the library and her aunt's garden. She doesn't figure to be solving a murder or falling in love with their new neighbor, Richard. I love how the author made these characters. Each has their own quirkiness. The story is fast paced and a page turner. I received a copy through Netgalley. The review is my own.

A Murder for the Books is the first in a new series, the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries, and I thought it was a nice start to what could be an interesting series. After catching her ex-boyfriend in a compromising position at a party, Amy reacted in a way that forced her to make a hasty retreat from a beloved job, move in with her aunt, and take over the job as a local librarian in the small town in which her aunt lives. Being a fan of such scenarios, I was looking forward to simple who-dun-it, and it didn't disappoint in that regard.

I think my biggest issue with the cozy mystery genre is the way they often treat the local police and their lack of ability to solve crimes: you know, you have to suspend you disbelief a bit too much and accept the fact that police officers can't find the clues on their own, or aren't capable of interrogating suspects or witnesses capable, and I get really frustrated by this. And sometimes it's a little too much suspension for my liking. This novel however, didn't treat the police that way as Amy used her research skills to help her neighbour work on a personal project and discovered information through that research, which she shared with the police. This is something that I liked and found much more convincing. It really made the story much more credible, and because of that, I found the research and the subsequent activities and actions to be quite interesting and entertaining. There were a few twists and turns that I wasn't expecting, and even though I guessed who the murderer was quite early on, those research twists made the novel, and the resulting research that Amy and Richard did, quite fascinating. And I suppose it was the research for me that made this book so interesting; that is why we read, isn't it?

As for the characters, while I didn't quite connect with either of them, I did find them charming and interesting. I did develop a particular fondness for Amy's Aunt Lydia, and interestingly enough, the local policeman, Brad, who was actually allowed to shine during the investigation instead of looking like a bumbling idiot. The writing was really good though, clear and concise, and I have to admit the plot was at times, quite clever.

A Murder for the Books was an entertaining first novel, and definitely set up the characters for some interesting times ahead; I am looking forward to learning more about some of the other characters introduced in this novel. This was an easy read, and I am definitely looking forward to the next book in this series, Shelved Under Murder, to be published July 2018.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Oh, I am excited about this series. It is off to a wonderful start.

Amy Webber has left her job as a college librarian and moved to her aunt’s home in Taylorsford, Virginia. She manages the town’s library which is quite different from her previous job. The residents of Taylorsford are an eclectic bunch. She is thankful her predecessor left her plenty of notes about her new patrons. Sadly, one of those patrons is murdered early in the story. Found on library property Amy finds herself in the middle of the investigation. Some are even pointing their fingers at her.

She also meets her new neighbor Richard Muir, a dancer/teacher/choreographer. He has been renovating the house next door that he inherited from his uncle. He is very interested in his family’s history, especially a murder and a disappearance. He turns to Amy for help researching the archives to find answers. Maybe together they can solve the current case while finding answers in a cold one too.

Ms. Gilbert has created such rich main characters. I felt drawn to them immediately. I wanted to know their family histories and get to know them better as themselves. There is a romantic spark between Richard and Amy. Amy tries to stop or ignore her feelings because it was a broken romantic entanglement that made her quit her last job. Richard is a patient man and is not giving up. Their interplay is touching and real. Amy’s aunt also likes Richard very much and is not beyond a little matchmaking between the two.

There are two mysteries to solve in this story and they are seriously tangled up together. I did have an inkling about the 1925 case early on in the book, but that did not deter my enjoyment of following each and every clue. The current mystery was total surprising from start to finish. Several suspects had means, motive, and opportunity. The climactic reveal stunned me. It was exciting and action-packed. The suspense was at a high level.

Victoria Gilbert walks that fine line keeping this cozy from jumping into the thriller lane. She has created a mystery story with great substance, tempered it with the beginnings of a romance and the exact right amount of humor. The characters are genuine and really shine throughout the entire book.

I loved this story and wish I had Shelved Under Murder in my hot little hands right now. My escape to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains ended much too soon. I have my virtual bags packed for a return trip mid-July 2018.

After the end of a bad relationship, Librarian Amy Webber moves to small-town Virginia to live with her aunt. She feels the mountains and a new job running the local library ought to help her forget her cheating boyfriend. She begins to settle into her new life and starts helping a neighbor, Richard Muir, with research on local history, including an old murder case. When a local woman is found murdered in the library archives, Amy and Richard wonder if the killing is tied to their investigation of the cold case. Soon more people who have information on the old poisoning case start turning up dead. Amy and Richard know they need to discover facts quickly to prevent more deaths.

This book is just so much fun to read! There are quirky small-town characters, a run down library that needs updating, a love interest for the main character, a cold case that's heating up again, and a killer determined to prevent the truth from being revealed. It's a nice mix of cold case investigation and cozy mystery. The story has a bit more "meat'' to it than some cozies...well-written, great characters and a great mystery plot! I will definitely be reading more of this series! I'm not going to say much more about the characters or plot as I want to avoid spoilers, but I definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy the cozy genre!

A Murder for the Books is the first book in the new Blue Ridge Library Mysteries series. The second book, Shelved Under Murder, will be out in July 2018.

To find out more about the author and her cozy series, check out her website: http://victoriagilbertmysteries.com/

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Amy Webber finds herself living with her Aunt Lydia in a small town in Virginia after a scandal involving her then-boyfriends causes her to flee her job at a university. After making her home in Taylorsford, Amy takes the director's job at the local library. Not nearly as exciting as the large university library she's used to, this small one still exuded a charm as a Carnegie library - even with the leaky roof. When a patron comes in looking for archival data on his family, Amy is quick to recommend their little shed of hidden history outside the library.

Richard Muir has moved into his ancestral home next to Amy and Aunt Lydia. Knowing the basic history of the home has piqued Richard's curiosity into learning more about its past inhabitants. Legend has it Paul Dassin, the homeowner, was murdered by his wife, Eleanora and after the murder trial, she disappeared. Richard would like to prove that Eleanora wasn't responsible and requests help from Amy.

When murders begin happening in Taylorsford, Amy and Richard learn that no one has a spotless past and the skeletons in their closets are about to make an appearance.

A Murder for the Books is a fantastic cozy mystery filled with history and secrets. The book is full of present-day scandal and murder but also focuses on a cold-case. Richard is looking into his family's past which also intersects with Amy's family and other prominent members of the small town community. He and Amy hit it off really well and I like their interactions and chemistry. They are written really well and their dialogue is smooth and realistic. The supporting characters are also written well. I enjoyed the character development overall. The world building inside Taylorsford was descriptive and informative, and I was able to visualize the world created by Victoria Gilbert.

The plot was interesting, engaging, and contained several threads to the keep the reader entertained. The author's writing style is conversational and the dialogue between the characters is realistic and believable. The story and history is captivating and held my interest from the first page. The steady pacing draws the reader into a well-developed book without the rush or the dragging out of each plot point and scenario.

The book was set in a small, close-knit town where everyone knows everyone else's business - sometimes before the actual person involved knows. I grew up in such a town and can attest to the grapevine and how fast information and gossip flows along. The author did a wonderful job putting this story together and I can't wait to see where the author takes Amy next.

Just a word of caution - this book does contain some harsh language.

I enjoyed this first in a series. The trailer for this book gives it good overview. I liked the well crafted and written story. It was a joy to get to know the characters of this small town. Having two story lines weaving throughout the book is not original but did make the book extremely interesting. I cared about who did the current murder but was more intrigued by the older murder that Richard and Amy are on a quest to solve by researching family histories.
Without giving too much away, they solve a few murders and introduce us to a cast of enriching characters. Looking forward to the next episode.

Amy Webber is working as the town librarian in the town where she grew up. Richard Muir the new hunky neighbor is interested researching a murder trial of a woman accused of poisoning her husband and recruits Amy to help him with his research. Unfortunately they discover a dead body in the library building where the town archives are stored.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is not your usual cosy mystery. You get to solve two different mysteries.

The link to the review will be added upon completing and polishing the review.

It was very nice of Victoria Gilbert to write a mystery especially for me. I mean a book containing all of my favorite things can't be by accident and a book that contains all of my favorite things AND lives up to its potential is quite a Christmas gift. I love a librarian main character and I adore and old murder so having these two things combined was wonderful. Throw in a solid well paced mystery and a heaping helping of old secrets and this reader was in bookish heaven. I thought Amy made a great main character with her librarian's curiosity and love of research as well as her level headedness and sense of humor. Richard, Aunt Lydia, Sunny, and the rest of the characters add a fun team feel, a bit of humor, and a real sense of community. This was a really fun start to a new series with a great cast of characters and a fantastic premise. Even with just one book this will be going on my auto buy list and I'm excited to see what happens next!

4.5 rounded up.

I absolutely loved this book. It didn't quite have the pizzazz that puts it up to a 5-star read for me, but it is definitely a solid 4.5!

A book that makes me laugh from the very first sentence is definitely worth my time to read. I'm a librarian so I'm interested in all cozy mysteries with a library setting and this one did not disappoint!

I really enjoyed our two main characters, Amy and Richard. They're both well-rounded, developed characters. Their chemistry together is amazing. I'm looking forward to learning more about them and seeing their relationship blossom in further books in the series.

The setting descriptions were just right - not too little, but not too much either. I could easily imagine the town, the buildings we were in, the surrounding countryside, all of it. I like the setting. The town sits close enough to various larger towns/cities so there are all types of people who are included in the town. It's a nice variety.

This plot moved along at a pretty steady pace. There were lots of subplots that were entangled with the main plot, but I was able to keep everything straight in my head so the subplots were a nice addition. I wondered briefly about the villain, but I really didn't think it was them until it was revealed. It's amazing the motives that make people kill. This was one motive I just couldn't wrap my head around. I mean, I understood what the author meant, it just seemed like a not-so-good reason to commit murder!

I highly recommend this book if you like cozy mysteries! It's a great start to a new series!

4.5 stars! Excellent mystery. Actually, in some ways there are three mysteries in different parts of town history. For me, this made the book especially satisfying - lots of mysteries to puzzle out. I loved the characters, too. This breaks with the cozy pattern of the protagonist and law enforcement romance. There's great chemistry between Amy and her neighbor. I am looking forward to more books in this series; there were a few clues dropped that could be possible material for future books.

After a love affair gone wrong, Amy Webber flees to the small Virginia town where her aunt lives and becomes the librarian. It’s not what she had in mind for her life, but she takes quiet satisfaction in helping the town’s residents. Until one of them turns up dead in the library, and Amy is thrust into a mystery that goes back almost one hundred years.

Amy’s neighbor, Richard, inherited the house that belonged to his great-uncle. The town believes the house’s original owner was poisoned by his wife—who vanished after her trial—and who Richard’s great-uncle was in love with. Determined to find out the truth, Richard convinces Amy to help him solve the case, revealing chilling details that the town’s founders would like to keep secret.

A Murder for the Books is more than a cozy mystery. It’s a comfy, enjoyable read in a small-town full of quirky, memorable characters. The town feels like home—complete with the family member no one wants to claim, the town grapevine, and people like Amy and Richard you’d really like to spend time with. A light read that you can sink into, without getting bogged down into weighty matters.

(Galley provided by Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

A Murder for the Books is a fairly typical mystery that occurs in a small, quiet town. Throw in a little suspense, deep, dark family secrets, and a budding romance and the story is complete. That said, it did hold my interest as I found the characters engaging.

If you've been reading my blog for even a minute, you are more than likely aware that I love cozy mysteries featuring books, librarians, and libraries, so with that in mind, I was highly anticipating this read.

There are several mysteries and multiple story lines going on as everything unfolds with not much of it having to do with the library, but I did enjoy the aspect of the town's archives being used as a means of finding out information to help solve much of what is going on, especially in regards to a very cold case. Secrets run deep in this small town, and while this particular story had more to do with family history and legacies, the large cast of shady characters will prove interesting to watch as the series progresses.

The pacing was somewhat slow as the story started, but it gradually picks up to an almost breakneck speed at its conclusion. I honestly started to wonder just how much more danger Amy, the main character, could get into before the end and the hits just kept coming! Amy's ability to find herself in so many predicaments will definitely prove good fodder for future stories.

This is definitely something for fans of bibliophile cozys and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens to Amy next!

A Murder for the Books: A Blue Ridge Library Mystery
By Victoria Gilbert
Crooked Lane Books
December 2017

Review by Cynthia Chow

It was a rocky path that led Amy Webber to her position as the director of Virginia’s Taylorsford Public Library. She preferred being Clarion University’s academic librarian, but seeing her fiancé dallying with a violinist at a faculty reception made staying there impossible. Aunt Lydia’s poor health prevents Amy from leaving the area, making the admittedly impressive historic public library the only viable alternative. Their archival building appeals to both tourists and historians, but unfortunately it also becomes the last resting place of former library volunteer Doris Virts. Amy can’t explain why the room was unlocked, nor why someone stabbed the dementia-prone woman to death.

With the library temporarily closed, Amy has enough time on her hands to help her handsome new neighbor with his own cold-case investigation. Dance choreographer and instructor Richard Muir moved to Taylorsford to renovate a home and prove that Eleanora Cooper did not murder her husband, something the town continues to believe despite her acquittal. Richard’s great-uncle wrote a book covering Eleanora’s trial, and in the process fell in love with her. Eleanora’s connection to Amy’s own family makes their search for the truth all that more compelling, especially when it stirs up further mysteries and scandals within Taylorsford.

Since she rather publicly ended her engagement, Amy is understandably brittle and wary of anything that resembles a new relationship. That makes Richard’s interest in her all the more uncomfortable, as her insecurities are at their highest levels and doesn’t believe that she could trust someone accustomed to dancers’ physiques. Many will relate to Amy’s fears, and seeing her cope with them is both appealing and admirable. Letting down her guard will not be easy for Amy, although her Aunt Lydia’s encouragement and support does much to bolster her courage. Further assisting Amy’s grown and development is her assistant and friend Sunny Fields, whose boisterous personality and confidence is a delight to behold. The connections and interwoven histories of families hide secrets that have been worthy of murder for generations, placing our heroes are risk despite the time that has past. The small-town setting, not to mention a librarian heroine whose romantic prospects may be on the upswing, will appeal to fans who adore humor-filled, cozy mysteries.

A MURDER FOR THE BOOKS by Victoria Gilbert
The First Blue Ridge Library Mystery

Taylordsford is a small Virginian town built on old families and secrets. Fleeing a disastrous breakup Amy Webber left the academic library of Clarion University and has come to live with her aunt and work as director for the town's public library. Although vowing to keep good looking artistic men at bay, Amy can't help but be intrigued by her neighbor's research, looking into an old town mystery. Instead of archival documents, however, they find the murdered body of an elderly patron. Who would want to kill the harmless woman? Was it a passing stranger? As Amy and Richard explore a mystery from the past they uncover secrets that may be deadly in the present.

A MURDER FOR THE BOOKS is a great start to a new series. Interesting, well developed characters inhabit the pages along with a current murder and a mystery from the past. Romance does play an integral part of the story, but I enjoy the developing relationship between Amy and Richard. It enriches the characters and leads us to learn more about them and their motivations by seeing their reactions to each other.

I appreciate Amy's research skills, and even learned some new tricks myself and I loved the hint of the possibility of the paranormal. The mystery is well plotted and pairing the current murder with a mystery from the past, along with family secrets, provides an added depth. There's a lot going on in this first Blue Ridge Library mystery, but that adds to the interest and I look forward to the next book in the series.