Book three of the Blue Ridge Library mystery series opens with Amy Webber director of the Taylorsford Library and her best friend and assistant Sunny hosting an event for Girl Scouts out at Sunny's' family farm.

Such an innocuous beginning for what turns out to be a riveting mystery set in a small Virginian town. Victoria Gilbert has cleverly woven the mystery into not just the towns past and present but also the relationships of her characters.
You can see Ms. Gilbert's care with her craft as the characters pull you in and don't let go. I loved this book and would gladly recommend it to anyone! 5 stars.
Those who have not read the previous two books (A Murder for the Books & Shelved Under Murder) need not worry about feeling lost as the author does a remarkable job giving enough past information to update new readers while not so much that it aggravates us established readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Murder and Conspiracy in the Blue Ridge
This book is part of the Blue Ridge Library Mystery Series. This is the first book of the series that I have read and it stands alone without issue. The plot has lots of twists, plenty of suspects and lots of motives. The reveal is very exciting and not totally expected. The author then takes her time to end the story with nice closure in all of the human relations. This is a very well done book. I received this book for free and this is my honest review.

Twists, Turns, and Murder!

Although this is the third book in the Blueridge Library Mysteries, it the first book I have read by Ms. Gilbert. At first, I felt a little behind in knowing the characters, yet Ms. Gilbert brings you up to speed quickly with their background stories and the murders that happened in the past.

Our protagonist is Amy Webber, director of the town’s library. As the director she was assisting one of the professors and her students from the local university in researching the folklore of the area. When one of the professor’s students goes missing after hiking into the mountains, Amy finds herself caught up with the investigation. Especially since Richard, her boyfriend was questioned about the missing student since he was the last to see her after his dance class. Would the mystery of the missing girl become part of the folklore of the mountain folk, or fairies as some call them? As the professor continues to research the folklore of the area and the fact that two women also went missing in those mountains back in 1879, along with a bag of gold, she, as well as, her decide it time to find the gold.

I loved the descriptions Ms. Gilbert uses as she paints a picture of the area and weaves the magic of the fairies and mountain lights into the story. I thought the way she incorporated the past story into the current story very cleaver. The characters are all well-developed, the backstories helpful, and the ending suspenseful! I was caught up in the story and did not want to put it down! I was also surprised at the ending. That’s a good thing. I will go back and read the first two as I would like to know a little more about Amy’s family. A great cozy read!

I was provided this copy through NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a honest review.

Past Due for Murder is even better than the first two books in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries and I loved both of them. As a librarian, I enjoy the seeing her loving her job and seeing the job realistically presented, but I think I would enjoy those parts just as much if I were not a librarian. I love the romance when they are together, but sometimes I want to shake her when she has doubts about Richard, then I remind myself that it is her romantic past creating the trouble and that we all carry our pasts into our present.
The mystery was complex enough for any reader and all of the new characters were interesting. There were several good twists that made it impossible to guess what happened next as long as you don't read the blurb. Good mystery fun all the way.
I recieved a copy of this book via NetGAlley and loved it enough that I chose to share reviews.
#NetGalley #PastDueForMurder.

Amy Webber, library director in Taylorsford, Virginia, is helping to organize a research project dealing with local folklore. Professor Mona Raymond is contributing to the project and can be hard to take, but knows her subject well. When one of her student assistants disappears, Amy’s boyfriend Richard becomes a suspect. Richard seems to be hiding things, but Amy knows he would never harm a young woman. Professor Raymond hints that she has dirt on Amy’s ex-boyfriend Charles that could destroy his career. Amy uses her research skills to dig up information to try to solve the case and learns there are many people involved who are keeping secrets. When a murder occurs, Amy’s search for the truth could put her own life in danger.

This is the third book in the Blue Ridge Library series. I read the book prior to this one, which is recommended to keep track of all the characters. The storylines with the missing student and then later the murder victim are both interesting and there are plenty of suspects. I like that Amy is able to use the skills she has as a research librarian to find clues the police can’t. However, I think it’s a missed opportunity that Amy and Sunny are shown assisting library patrons, but no specific books are talked about. Adding these details would make the library setting more realistic and would be a fun treat for readers.

The folklore project plays a large role in the plot which give the story uniqueness. There is a May Day celebration at the end of the book which is interesting, but I had hoped more time would be spent in the story discussing the planning of the event. The pacing of the book is a bit uneven with parts of the book flying by and other portions dragging. There are many unlikable characters introduced in this installment and even one of the good guys acts like a jerk in the beginning of the book. I was interested in how Amy would solve the case and was surprised when the solution was revealed. The story continued past the closure of case with exciting developments in Amy’s life which I’m sure will be explored in the next book. Overall, I enjoyed the book and think it will appeal to fans of Jenn McKinlay’s Library Lovers series. 3.5 stars

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Crooked Lane Books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

I always love heading to Taylorsford and the Blue Ridge Library. In this story, the past meets the present meets the past - an old mystery is stirred up by a local professor who ends up murdered, and the other element of the past is that Amy's former flame, Charles is back.

I had suspicions about the murderer in this one and I was right to a point - red herrings and all :)

The ending was my favorite part - read it to see!

4.7 stars

I voluntarily reviewed this book on Netgalley.

Amy, the public library Director, and her friend, Sunny, are thrown into a missing person’s investigation in Past Due for Murder.

Lacey, a college student, is missing presumed lost in the woods outside of Taylorsford, Virginia. Does her mysterious trek into the mountains have anything to do with the fairy lights or the legendary hidden treasure? Mona, a local Professor and folklorist, is trying to determine the truth about the lights when she too disappears. Since the police suspect Amy’s boyfriend Richard, Amy steps in to clear his name.

Another great entry in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series. Past Due for Murder can also be read as a standalone. The characters in this book are the stars. All have their own internal motivations and needs. Their actions make sense in the context of the plot. The mystery is just puzzling enough to keep the reader guessing until the end. This book is highly recommended for cozy readers. 4 stars!

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is book 3 in the Blue Ridge Library series and it was hard to put down. Amy is the Library Director and she helps a teacher and her students with local history but they are up to something! Her ex-boyfriend is back in town. Her current boyfriend is acting odd. Then a student is missing. Amy has her hands full! This is a really good cozy mystery! I received a copy from NetGalley for an honest review.

Amy is the Director for the library in the Blue Ridge Mountains. But her small town has a girl missing in the mountains. Plus later a professor is found dead in the mountains. Amy starts looking into the incidents and trying to find out who is responsible.
I have years in library systems in the Blue Ridge Mountains so I could relate to the area. This was quite interesting and a good cozy murder.

I'm always on the lookout for cozy mysteries to read and since this one featured a librarian as the amateur sleuth it sounded like the perfect read.

Past Due for Murder is the third book in Victoria Gilbert's Blue Ridge Library series. I haven't read the first two but I want to read them now.

I didn't feel the murder of the professor and the missing student were the central focus of the novel. It felt like the story was more about the relationships between the various characters. Speaking of the characters, it's definitely a colorful bunch living in Taylorsford.

There are references to the previous mysteries Amy has been involved in, but only to convey details pertinent to the current story so in that respect, I don't think I really missed anything by jumping into the series with the third book.

What I do think I missed by not having read the first two books is possibly some of the character development. In this book, the characters felt well established: characters that would be known to readers. Kind of like when you go to a party where everyone has known one another for years - you can engage in conversation and enjoy yourself but you feel like you are on the periphery.

That being said, I enjoyed the characters and want to get to know them better which is why I want to go back and read the first two books.

Past Due for Murder is a light, easy read - the perfect fluff read for curling up under a cozy blanket on the days it is still winter or for laying in a hammock on the spring-like days.

There wasn't as much bookish referencing as I had hoped with a library mystery, but it was still an enjoyable read. If you are looking for a light read with interesting characters, then Past Due for Murder would be a perfect read.

A mixed bag for me: some parts were lovely while others were. . . Uninspired.

Amy Webber, the protagonist, is the head librarian in Taylorsford, Virginia. She’s been helping a local professor research some of the local folklore, include the disappearance of two young girls and a bag full of gold coins back in the 1800s. Within the first few pages, we’re told about one of the professor’s students who’s disappeared and Amy’s ex-boyfriend who’s new girlfriend had been killed a few months before. Before too much longer, Amy’s involved in finding a missing student and a killer.

As I said above, parts of this book were lovely - the descriptions of a character’s singing voice, skill at making instruments, and how he became a hermit all give the character a lot of depth and interest. Meanwhile, other characters - ones that seem more likely to appear in future books - are not. Amy’s serious boyfriend’s parents show up; both Mom and Dad seem very flat in contrast. Mom refuses bread at dinner with no explanation. She could have become a much more rounded character with a few lines - she has celiac disease, so has to avoid gluten; she was once close to 300 pounds and is paranoid about gaining weight; or, if she’s just being vain, include a line that she thinks a woman could never been too thin or too pretty - something small, but makes the character much deeper. Likewise, a few scenes are uninspired; during the denouement after the killer grabs Amy’s cell phone, they smash it. Which, given most smart phones (all?) have locating on them, means that it would have been shown to last be at a place highly associated with the killer? Just seems like there was a dozen other options that could have increased the tension instead.

All in all, I enjoyed the book except for a few places that were frustratingly lacking!

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.com and voluntarily chose to review.

Amy's really tied up in a mystery this time out! (Don't worry if this is your first- you'll be fine). She's been working with Mona, a local professor and folklore expert, with research on a local legend even as she prepping, with the town, for a May Day celebration. Then, Lacey, one of Mona's students, goes missing and even worse- she's later found next to Mona's body. Amy's love interest Richard is implicated for a bit (and her ex Charles, a real pain) has moved back to town, adding some spice to the story. This has good twists and some interesting Appalachian folk stories. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC. Enjoyed this and am looking forward to what Amy does next!

A pleasant, but also exciting cozy mystery. A few surprises. Engaging characters. I look forward to reading the next one in this series.

Past Due For Murder is the third book in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries series.

Mayor Blackstone wants to bring back the May Day celebrations from years past and has asked librarian Amy Webber to plan a program for the upcoming May Day. Amy asks Mona Raymond who has done extensive research on two girls that disappeared decades ago and who had probably died from exposure. But some people feel that they were lured in the underground court and forced to dance at fairy balls. When the bonfire where she was telling this tale, it is noticed that Lacy, one of Mona’s research students, has gone missing. The next day a search party is formed to look for Lacy. A day or two later Lacy is found next to the lifeless body of Mona.

Since Lacy went missing during the bonfire, she feels that she needs to learn why Lacy has gone off to mountains by herself. Some folks in the area believe that girls that disappeared decades ago had several gold coins when they disappeared. Also figuring into her investigation is that she had seen her former boyfriend, Charles Bartos, having a very heated discussion with Mona. Mona had previously accused Bartos of stealing some of the music that he has claimed was his own. Even Amy’s current romantic interest, Richard Muir, who had Lacy in some of his dance classes, become a person of interest when he can’t provide a solid alibi.

This is a well told and plotted story with an interesting cast of characters. Most of the characters from previous books are back to help Amy solve this exciting series.

Looking forward to my next visit to Taylorsford.

A Murder for the Books introduced us to Amy Webber, small town librarian caught up in a murder mystery which it turns out her research skills and logical mind are well-suited to solving. The second instalment, Shelved Under Murder, allowed both the character and the story confidence to grow, and with the third in the series I think we’ve really hit stride.

As Amy’s small town gears up to boost tourism by reintroducing the historical May Day festival, a local folklore expert’s tales of young women disappearing on the eve of May Day seems also to be revisiting the town. But as some go missing, other old faces are making unwelcome reappearances in Amy’s (love) life…

As ever, I’m less keen on the romance element that tends to accompany cosy mysteries, but actually the lack of generally fluffiness about this series helps the relationship aspect not feel too saccharine. I am still annoyed with the otherwise rational and logical character tending to fly off the emotional handle where her men are involved, but otherwise, fair ’nuff.

I can tend to be a little sniffy about cosy mysteries in my reviewing, but I actually really enjoyed this. It was a nice light and easy read, with enough going on to hold my attention and make me look forward to curling up with the book when I could. The pace does dip a little in the middle, but almost as soon as I was finding it a little ‘meh’, I hit the start of the revelations and couldn’t put the book down despite the late hour!

Looking forward to more from Amy – even if it requires a bit of her love-life along the way ;)

Past Due for Murder by Victoria Gilbert is the third book in Blue Ridge Library Mystery series but can be read as a standalone.

Amy is Taylorsford's library director and together with Mona, folklorist, has organized lectures for local Girl Scout group. One of Mona's students, Lacey has disappeared. After an extensive search she is found in a coma next to Mona;s dead body. Amy's boyfriend, Richard whose office Lacey has seen leaving in tears, immediately becomes person of interest to the police. Even though she knows Richard is innocent, Amy has to prove it to everyone else.

Not having read previous book I found the beginning somewhat confusing with all the names and characters. Reference to the past books were not at times well explained and that added to the confusion, so for the full enjoyment I would suggest reading books in order.
It is well told mystery with enough twists and turns to make it interesting. Steady paced though at times I though that it was a bit too slow.
There is also a romantic interest that will appeal to the romantics.
I particularly liked mystery in a mystery, which can be amazing if well done. Adorable kitten adds to the overall impression.
All in all, good choice for mystery fans.

I liked this book, then hated this book. I could not decide until the end. Intriguing mystery, usual villain of narcissistic personality. Very well written, how could these intelligent women not realize at a faster pace who was responsible? Stories like this make me wonder, what kind of parents let fourteen-year-olds wander around the mountains at any time, much less when it is dark?
I recommend! Good Read! Thank you Netgalley.
Carolintallahassee.com

The local folklore was fascinating and the student outing around the bonfire was going well with the professor’s tales taking everyone in. But it was the person Amy Webber spotted on the edge of the clearing that gave her pause. She hadn’t seen him in a long time – what was he doing there?

Amy was the director of the local Taylorsford Library, and research for the upcoming May Day festivities was part of her job. With her offsider Sunny, the two worked well together. The realization that one of the students had gone missing from the bonfire put a dampener on things, and when the local authorities were unable to find her, the worst was assumed. But it was the discovery of a body in the woods, alongside the confused and disoriented missing student that had Amy’s investigative antennae vibrating.

What would be the outcome to the strange happenings in the woods surrounding Taylorsford? With Amy’s boyfriend implicated, would her research skills be enough to exonerate him and find the answers? Or was she putting herself in danger once again?

Past Due for Murder is the 3rd in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries by Victoria Gilbert and I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I have the previous two. Action, deception and lies are only some parts of this enticing tale; the main characters – Amy, Sunny, Aunt Lydia and Richard – are well crafted and great to catch up with again. I’m already looking forward to #4. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Past Due for Murder by Victoria Gilbert is a story about a library in Taylorsford, VA. The mayor of this town has revived the town’s May Day Celebration. During this ceremony, Lacey goes missing. There is a search for her as Amy, the head librarian, wants to find her. Her boyfriend, Richard, is a suspect. This is an enjoyable book, full of mystery, with likeable characters. Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me an advance reader’s copy to review.

I love this series by Victoria Gilbert,having read the other two books I couldn’t wait to read this one and it was worth the wait.
It was lovely to catch up with familiar friends again.
Amy involved herself into the disappearance of a student and the death of the professor. Was the two connected.
Red herrings kept you guessing,as well as a old mystery to solve.
Many thanks to Nettgalley and publishers for a copy and the review are all my own words.