Lucy Richardson is ready to help her cousin, Josie O'Malley plan her small intimate wedding to chef Jake Greenblatt.

But then Josie's grandmother, the overbearing Gloria, comes to the Outer Banks and takes over, insisting the small and simple is not done in their family. She brings with her the "Louisiana Mafia," which includes cousin Mirabelle, who is ready to take the event to new heights.

Lucy hosts a bridal shower at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library. But it turns deadly when Mirabelle collapses—soon after eating the gluten-free treats Josie prepared specifically for her. Now, Lucy has to get to the bottom of things before Josie is arrested for a murder she didn't commit.

This book was wonderfully plotted, and had a great secondary plot that pulled at my heartstrings. I've come to love the Lighthouse LIbrary, just like the people who inhabit the pages of Ms. Gates' books. While Lucy is solving the mystery, she is also worried about the fact that damage has been found in the library's walls, and must be fixed before the whole thing tumbles down.

The fact that the library was endangered added a great deal to this already intriguing story. I had put my pin on one of the main characters as the culprit, so when I was proven wrong I shook my Kindle and cried out, "No not that person, the other one."

I enjoy having that happen in a book ,because it makes me want to go back and read so I can see what I missed. In this case, I did just that, and I did see the clues that I'd missed, and obviously chosen to ignore. Kudos to Ms. Gates for pulling the wool over my eyes.

This is another series that I hope lasts for a long time. Reading a Lighthouse Library mystery is like visiting with old friends. You want it to last, because you want to spent time with them. But when it is over you eagerly anticipate the next installment. That's what I'm doing now

I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

As a lover of cozy mysteries, I thought I would be onto a winner with this fifth book in ‘A Lighthouse Library Mystery’ series! “Something Read, Something Dead” ticked all the right boxes before I had even started reading. The setting - a library in a lighthouse, no less - and an eye-catching front cover - all the makings of a great read for me. The concept of a library in a lighthouse is incredibly alluring and the thought of living and working there even more so. This location is particularly enticing for me as I live on the coast near a lighthouse!

I have not read the earlier books in the series, but I didn’t feel as though I had missed out as it wasn’t particularly difficult to catch up with the characters and their roles.

Best-selling author, Eva Gates has drawn a lot of fun characters in this fabulous cozy mystery. Likeable Lucy is a librarian who recently moved to the Outer banks and she had a lot going on in this book. Protagonist Lucy had the necessary attributes of any great sleuth - intelligence, curiosity and keenness.

I was especially fond of Eva Gates’ portrayal of endearing Grandmother Gloria. She was depicted as being a bit of a car crash but was always very entertaining. Charlie, the library cat, was, of course, one of my favourites too.

There aren’t many settings as perfect as a library located within a lighthouse, and Eva Gates made great use of this. Outer Banks, North Carolina is a fine coastal town, with a real sense of community and a general feeling of nostalgia. I could really feel its wild beauty and this, as well as a town full of secrets, made it a brilliant backdrop for a murder investigation.

Another of my favourite aspects of this novel was the fluidity of the writing. The details of the plot were very well executed and every chapter left me with a compelling need to read on.

The author did a brilliant job of balancing a few different story-lines and even potentially set things up for another book in the series. A couple of events jumble matters up somewhat and make figuring out the identity of the perpetrator more challenging. There was a sense of increasing danger as the story progressed, which definitely helped to keep my interest.

Reading “Something Read, Something Dead” was my chance to discover another new favourite author to add to my ever-growing list and I’m happy to be able to say I have definitely achieved this goal.

I very much look forward to returning to the Outer Banks, North Carolina with Lucy on a future occasion and reading the earlier books in the series, too!

Thank you for a complimentary digital copy of this novel, sent at my own request, from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Something Read Something Dead is a great mystery with great characters that is well written. I will definitely read more from this author.

Something Read, Something Dead
(Lighthouse Library Mystery #5)
by Eva Gates

Kindle Edition, 320 pages
Published March 13th 2019 by Crooked Lane Books



Goodreads synopsis:
National bestselling author Eva Gates’s fifth Lighthouse Library mystery will carry fans of Miranda James and Jenn McKinlay to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Dark deeds in the Lighthouse Library threaten to send Lucy Richardson’s soon-to-be-wed cousin Josie to an early ‘til-death-do-us-part.

Winter falls on North Carolina’s Outer Banks as Lucy Richardson and her friends joyfully help her favorite cousin, Josie O'Malley, plan her wedding. The owner and head baker of Josie's Cozy Bakery and her fiancé, chef Jake Greenblatt, want a small, simple wedding.

But to their horror, Josie's imperious grandmother, Gloria, descends with the “Louisiana Mafia”: a gaggle of aunts and cousins who intend to take control of the wedding plans. Gloria doesn't do small and simple, and cousin Mirabelle has her own ideas for Josie's wedding, something grand and lavish—and paid for by Josie's parents, of course—that will kickstart her fledgling event planning business and get her work shown on the covers of wedding magazines. To make matters worse, Mirabelle focuses her full Southern charm on the prospective groom…and Jake doesn't seem entirely adverse to her attentions.

To smooth the waters, Lucy hosts a bridal shower at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library. But it turns deadly when Mirabelle collapses—soon after eating the gluten-free treats Josie prepared specifically for her. Now, to save her favorite cousin from prison, Lucy will have to bring a crook to book in this fifth festive Lighthouse Library mystery from national bestselling author Eva Gates.

***

4 Stars

When I first started this book, I was worried. It wasn’t starting as greatly as I had anticipated it to be. But luckily the slow beginning was an anomaly. It got much better from then on. I think the main problem I had was that I had not read any previous books in this series so I was reeling a bit trying to get my mind around who was who. Then at some point about a third of the way through, BAM, I was there in the sweet spot and everything was making sense in my brain.

The mystery was well-crafted and the characters were interesting. If someone hadn’t killed Mirabelle, I’m afraid I would have. Now, there is a character you love to hate. it’s almost too bad she’s dead. She has soap opera uber villain written all over her. I really had no idea who the killer was until it was figured out by the main character.

Just an all over good book. Check it out cozy mystery fans.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

I always look forward to new books in this series. This is one of my favorite mysteries set in a library. In this book a wedding is getting everyone excited and stressed and when the brides not so sweet Southern grandma comes to add more stress and more cost everyone just wants to get the wedding planned. That is until a murder happens and the bride is the main suspect. I love the characters in this book and love seeing Charlie the library cat. The mystery wasn't much of a mystery but overall it was a great book and can be read as a stand alone if you haven't read the other books in the series.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Whether it is the library cat Charles, named after Mr. Dickens or whether it is a library set in an old lighthouse on the Outer Banks, or whether it is simply the likability of the heroine Lucy, I enjoyed this book thoroughly. Lucy, a transplant from Boston, works and lives in the lighthouse. She is the maid of honour for her cousin Josie’s upcoming wedding.
It is going to take a lot of effort to keep things in line. The carefully planned wedding is hijacked by Josie’s relatives led by her domineering grandmother who descends upon them from New Orleans. Things become difficult as the unwelcome trio of relatives want to micromanage all the details with no concern for the bride. It is enough to turn the most docile fiancée in bridezilla.
When one of the trio is poisoned at the bridal shower, suspicion is cast on Josie. The fact that she made the treats does not help. It is a good thing that Lucy and her friends are there to defend her. It seems everyone with an agenda is out to smear her reputation. Added to her problems is the arrival of her fiancés old girl friend who is obsessed with getting Jake back.
If that is not enough, the library is crumbling and in need of major repairs. The big question is whether they can find the money to do the job or will have to abandon the lighthouse. It means a lot of balls in the air for Lucy but she handles them with aplomb. The murder is solved and the library is saved and I had several enjoyable hours meeting this cast of characters. I am ready for more.
Five purrs and two paws up.

Lucy Richardson is a resident librarian at a lighthouse library on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. And yes that means she lives in the lighthouse. Her cousin Josie is getting married soon and all are ready to celebrate and finalize the details. Enter the “Louisiana Mafia”, Josie’s relatives from New Orleans. They’re set to upgrade the wedding, change all the details, and bill Josie’s parents. At the bridal shower, one of the Mafia is killed. And all indications point to Josie as the guilty party. The wedding remains on, but Lucy must find the real murderer.

This is my first Lighthouse Library Book and it won’t be my last. Great characters and great stories.

If you are looking for a mystery that's "cute and cozy," try SOMETHING READ, SOMETHING DEAD by Eva Gates. It takes place on North Carolina's Outer Banks and local librarian, Lucy Richardson, and friends are helping plan the wedding of Josie O'Malley to restauranteur Jake Greenblatt. All is going fairly well until Josie's grandmother arrives to take charge and create a more elaborate wedding feast. Soon, one of her wedding consultants is dead, the bride-to-be is a chief suspect, and Lucy has a mystery to solve in this fifth Lighthouse Library mystery. Eva Gates is a national bestselling author who has also been published under the name Vicki Delany.

Something Read, Something Dead: A Lighthouse Library Mystery
By Eva Gates
Crooked Lane
March 2019

Review by Cynthia Chow

For Lucy Richardson’s cousin Josie O’Malley, the words to embody her perfect wedding are “small and simple.” They are well on their way towards that goal just a month before the ceremony, with the reception to take place at the groom’s Outer Banks, North Carolina restaurant, the church booked for 80 guests, cupcakes ordered, and the wedding dress purchased. Even the reception is to be a low-key event held at Lucy’s Lighthouse Library, where she works and lives. Unfortunately, the unexpected early arrival of Josie’s imperious Grandma Gloria and her “Louisiana Mafia” send all of their plans into a state of upheaval, as she brings along not just her own plans but her brother’s granddaughter Mirabelle, who hopes to use the wedding to jumpstart her own event planning business. As much as Lucy attempts to preserve the original vision, Josie’s will quickly crumbles as she is bulldozed into an over-the-top extravaganza. The wedding isn’t alone in having its budget explode, as a seemingly minor crack in the Lighthouse Library may end up costing hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs.

The bridal shower thrown at the Lighthouse Library looks to be the only surviving remnant of the original ceremony, but none of the plans included Mirabelle collapsing dead at the party’s end. No one would blame Josie for going Bridezilla on her flirtatious, attention-hungry relative, but Lucy knows that her beloved cousin was incapable of putting poison in gluten-free cupcakes. The investigating Detective Yarmouth isn’t as sure, and with a blogger reporting on the bridal meltdowns, Lucy is determined to see that Josie walks down the aisle towards her groom and not into a jail cell . Tracking down vengeful ex-girlfriends and disgruntled employees seems easy in comparison to figuring out a way to fundraise enough money to save her beloved Lighthouse Library.

The novels by the prolific author Eva Gates/Vicki Delany all showcase characters with whom readers quickly grow to love and would want to know as friends. There’s no better feeling here than when seeing Lucy stand up for Josie and preserve the initial “small and simple” design, and it’s genuinely delightful when they attempt to bait and switch Grandma Gloria. Lucy’s own relationship with mayor Connor McNeil hits a bit of a bump as the board of the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library decides on whether to invest in repairs or allow certain factions see its ultimate closure. The extravagance, fun, and stress of wedding planning proves to be an excellent setting for a murder, especially when it’s combined with these wry, likable, and always entertaining characters. The reality of supporting an aging building will have book-lovers appreciating libraries all the more, and readers will truly be rooting for Lucy and her unique Lighthouse Library.

This was even better than the last book, and I really liked that one a lot. While this is only the second book I've read in the series (I seriously do need to start it at the beginning), I'm never lost, because the character relationships and previous happenings are referenced or explained, and...I like that there are never any spoilers.

Josie and Jake's wedding was coming up soon and when the "Louisiana Mafia" as Josie called her Grandma Gloria, aunt and cousins on her dad's side, showed up, Josie was nearly tempted to grab Jake and elope. One of the cousins died after eating a dessert at Josie's shower at the lighthouse, and since the dessert was made by Josie, her bakery was closed for the investigation, and she was the main person of interest. Sam Watson who was the usual detective had to step to the side and allow the state detective to take over, and it wasn't easy for Lucy to investigate without him getting angry.

There was an awesome twist toward the end that I never saw coming, and I hadn't really figured out the killer. I had it down to two people, but no particular reason, so it was fun to watch it play out. I especially liked that Lucy had all the suspects and both detectives gathered at her aunt Ellen's house and was able to do her big reveal there, like in so many TV shows and older mysteries.

The side story of the library desperately needing $100K for emergency repairs was interesting and even had a little drama of its own, when someone spread rumors that the donations would revert to the town's operating fund if the library didn't raise the total (which was a total lie). In the end, everything worked out great and I was very pleased with the book's ending as well. While I'm anxious for the next book, I hope I can get caught up with the first three before it comes out!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

My rating: 2 of 5 stars, it was okay.

Book 5 in the series.

I've really wanted to like this series. And I was thrilled for the author when she got the rights back and was able to find a new publisher after the massive Berkley Purge. But I really just don't like the characters in the series enough to like the books. Louise Jane needs to be the next murder victim, and then maybe I will read them again. She's just too distracting and annoying.

In fact, the only thing I really liked about this book was the fact that we didn't see much of Louise Jane!

This series is for sure relegated to my library list, if I remember it.

Something Read, Something Dead by Eva Gates is the fifth A Lighthouse Library Mystery. Lucy Richardson is helping her cousin, Josie O’Malley plan a small and simple wedding to chef, Jake Greenblatt. Unfortunately, Gloria O’Malley, Josie’s grandmother, does not feel the wedding is progressing the way she desires. Gloria descends upon Outer Banks with a group the relatives call the “Louisiana Mafia” to take over the wedding plans. The mafia includes Florence Fanshaw and Mirabelle Henkel who run Festivities by Fanshaw. Gloria, Florence, and Mirabelle have extravagant plans for the nuptials and reception. They are completely ignoring the wishes of the bride and groom. Twice-divorced Mirabelle is on the prowl and takes to flirting with Jake. As if that is not enough, Jake’s old girlfriend has moved to town and is determined to win back the bridegroom. Lucy hosts Josie’s bridal shower at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library with the help of her friends. Josie provides the sweets from her bakery along with some gluten free options for Mirabelle. At the end of the shower, Mirabelle becomes ill, collapses and is rushed to the hospital. Mirabelle passes away and foul play is suspected. Detective Yarmouth from the North Carolina State Police is overseeing the case and he has placed Josie at the top of the suspect list. Lucy dons her sleuthing cap to clear her cousin of suspicion. Can Lucy wade through the suspects to identify the killer or will Josie be saying I do behind bars?

Something Read, Something Dead can be read as a standalone if you have not indulged in the previous books in A Lighthouse Library Mystery series. I always enjoy Eva Gates descriptive writing which brings the story to life. I can imagine the beautiful library, the town, the characters, and Lucy’s adorable apartment inside the lighthouse. There are a variety of new characters as Grandma Gloria descends on the town with a group of relatives. Gloria is a Southern lady who believes in proper etiquette and extravagance (which she expects Josie’s parents to pay for, of course). Gloria brings along her own wedding planners to carry out her instructions (oh dear). Mirabelle has her own agenda and is happy to cause mischief wherever she goes. The adorable library cat, Charles is back, and he provides some laugh out loud moments. After Mirabelle’s death, Lucy is not about to let Detective Yarmouth pin the crime on Josie. Lucy immediately starts asking questions so she can quickly close the books on this terrible incident before Josie begins a new chapter of her life married to Jake. The mystery has multiple suspects (all with good motive to harm Mirabelle) plus misdirection to send readers down the wrong path. I was able to identify the killer long before the reveal, but it did not hinder my reading pleasure. There are references to Busman’s Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers and her main character, Lord Peter Wimsey sprinkled throughout the story. The Outer Banks sounds like a beautiful place to live and work. I believe many of us would want to work and live in a library that is inside a lighthouse (it must be a large lighthouse). It is such a shame that Bodie Island Lighthouse Library is suffering from foundation issues which will be costly to repair. Let us hope that the townspeople will rally around and help with the expensive renovations. I liked the reference to Daryl Wood Gerber and her French Bistro Mystery series (entertaining cozy mystery series). Something Read, Something Dead will delight cozy mystery readers with its engaging characters, charming library, delectable sweet treats, and a bewildering whodunit.

Set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, dark deeds threaten the to end a marriage before it starts.

As winter makes its glorious appearance, the Louisiana Mafia enters the scene with their eyes on redesigning the simple wedding. Lucy, in her desire to calm the piranha-infested waters, plans a bridal shower. Sadly, things do not go as planned and she is met with yet another sleuthing mission.

Pros
-Beautiful historic lighthouse providing a home to the public library
-Light read with interesting cast of characters, particularly the 'mafia'

Cons
-Vitriolic Louisiana Mafia
- In comparison to the other books, there is little emphasis on the library staff and patrons
-Slow-burn feel
-To fully enjoy, you may need to read the other 4 books
-Almost like a wedding planner mystery where the library is a means to the end instead a library-centric mystery as expected
-Little suspense

Overall, a good quick read!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

We are back in North Carolina just in time for Josie and Jake’s wedding. Jake and Josie have plenty of love but very little time. Josie owns the local bakery and Jakes owns a restaurant. All they want is a simple wedding with no big fuss and one that is within their budget. As the date draws near Josie’s grandmother has real concerns about this wedding. Email invitations and people left off the guest list have her in a real tizzy. She will not stand for small and simple. Like a hurricane, she blows into town with the “Louisiana Mafia” (aunts and cousins). She has tasked cousins Florence Fanshaw and Mirabelle Henkel with planning the most over the top wedding possible. She also decides the simple shower at the lighthouse library and reception at Jake’s restaurant will never do and Gloria takes over those plans too. Unfortunately, Mirabelle is also searching for a new husband herself and she seems to have set her sights on JAKE!

Things kick off with Lucy’s shower with a few Louisiana adjustments. But it doesn’t end well. Mirabelle dies shortly after eating the gluten-free goodies Jodie had made just for her. The police decide Josie had the motive, means, and opportunity to pull it off. Lucy knows she didn’t do it. Seriously, first Josie would never kill anyone. And second, Josie would not be stupid enough to kill her cousin and have all the evidence pointed right at her. Clearly a set up, Lucy is on the case and she intends to catch the real killer and throw the book at them so that Josie and Jake can start the next chapter of their lives without Josie behind bars.

I absolutely love the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library on the Outer Banks. The author takes poetic license with the place for it to house all the wonderful things it does. Readers imaginations are easily stretched to believe it too. All the books and rooms and Lucy Aerie apartment on the 4th floor reached by climbing all those steps. I can envision it all perfectly. The structure itself has a little trouble in this installment and I was drawn right into the process and cost of handling the issue.

The characters Ms. Gates has created have become old friends. I was taken aback by the way Grandma Gloria took over everything, not caring at all about Josie’s wishes, but I had to deal with something similar when I was married 36 years ago. Instead of a grandmother, it was my mother driving me crazy for opposite reasons though. Gloria wanted things grander, my mother was very budget oriented. Both were determined to have their way. My mother didn’t like the colors I had chosen for the bridesmaid’s dresses or the style. She thought they were too expensive and our trip to buy dresses turned into a trip to buy fabric and not in peach but lilac. The pattern silhouette chosen was nowhere near what I wanted either and they ended up costing more because we had to pay a seamstress to make them. Both she and I loved to sew and she really thought we could make the six dresses ourselves. And that was just the bridesmaid dresses, I won’t go into my dress or the food or the other things she tried to take over. Thankfully like Josie, I had great friends, family, and a wonderful man that help me pick my battles. Can you tell I really identified with this part of the story? Of course, no one died at my shower 🙂 but there were a few stressful moments.

All the subplots flowed into the main plot very nicely. I truly enjoyed the way the mystery unfolded and the way the library’s monthly book club selection Busman’s Honeymoon by Dorothy Sayers played into the story. Several more suspects were noted and I had a delightful time following all the clues and detours right along with Lucy. The killer was on my radar but I couldn’t fully commit until the very end.

This is a wonderful addition to this series. The characters are genuine, the setting ideal, and the mystery kept me guessing. This book can be read on its own but I recommend them all.

A well written cozy, but unfortunately not much suspense. You have to read a quarter of the book before the murder happens, and then there's a lot of talk and very little substance until the last quarter.

Lucy's cousin Josie is marrying Jake. Then Josie's grandmother Gloria shows up with three cousins in tow. Cousin Mirabelle tries to steal Jake and take over the wedding plans. Then she dies after the bridal shower at the lighthouse.
Lucy is on the case. There is some misdirection but the case is solved in the end.
I enjoyed this latest Lighthouse Library Mystery. Gloria and the cousins were not a pleasant part of the book and the lighthouse is in structural danger, but the main characters shine through to ma

This novel is fifth in the Lighthouse Library Mystery Series, and the best I’ve read by Eva Gates! Such a delight it is to be back in the Outer Banks, visiting the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library! From Charles, the loving library cat, to Lucy, the Assistant Librarian, it is a wonderful place where Lucy lives in the tiny fourth floor apartment and works in the library housed in now a non-working lighthouse.

Lucy’s best friend and cousin, Josie, is getting married in a few short weeks, and there are still decisions to make and tasks to complete. Including Josie finding a wedding dress. As she and fiancé Jake are keeping the wedding small, they emailed invitations to their friends and family. When learning that her granddaughter was not sending proper engraved invitations, her grandmother Gloria flew in from Louisiana with her entourage of Mirabelle, a cousin who will be a bridesmaid, Florence, one of Gloria’s nieces, and Gloria’s daughter Mary Ann. Mirabelle and Florence are in the event planning business together. With their expertise and Gloria’s experience, they want to do the wedding of the season. One little thing holds them back; Josie and the budget she needs to stay within.

When the “Louisiana Mafia” meets Jake, Mirabelle shamelessly flirts with him while Gloria and Florence make suggestions for the wedding and reception. Hard as it is to forgive and move on, Josie does so. Next on the schedule is a small bridal shower that Lucy hosts. Josie bakes the sweet treats, including a separate plate of gluten-free goodies for Mirabelle, who recently changed her diet. The shower starts out beautifully but ends with Mirabelle extremely ill and being rushed to the hospital, where she later died. State police take over the investigation, and Josie’s Cozy Bakery is closed for inspection by the police and health department. To top it off, a wannabe journalist tweets terrible photos and potentially damaging info for all to see.

A heavy wind and rain storm brought water in the library through a crack in the wall. The crack goes through the foundation, and only major, costly repairs might be able to save the lighthouse if the work is done soon. The city will give only 10% of the estimate, and the cost is too steep for the usual methods of fundraising.

The author, primarily using actions and conversations, show our favorite people as three-dimensional folks. I envy Lucy’s job! I love how she left challenges behind in Boston and went to her favorite place in the world to stay with her favorite people, and begins a new life. She enjoys the friends she made during the years she spent summers there and is now dating the mayor.

This is one of the best cozy mysteries I’ve read so far this year. The beautiful east coast setting is described very well. The mysteries and the underlying struggle to find a way to repair the lighthouse make it a riveting read. With Josie a murder suspect, her business and her marriage may already be doomed. Plot twists move the mystery in different directions. It was a challenge to find out who the real killer is, who attempts to kill Lucy, and why. I never would have figured out one of the motives! I was very pleased with the solutions to the crimes and the library needs, and highly recommend this to fans of the author, love east coast lighthouses, cats, libraries, and the folks connected with them.

From a grateful heart: I received a copy of the through the publisher and NetGalley; a positive review was not required.

This is the 5th in the Lighthouse Mystery Series. I have read the entire series and each book is more charming and enjoyable then the last. This next in series was delightful from start to finish. I adore this series and was thrilled to receive this for review. Thank you with gratitude to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My opinion is my own. This is a wonderful. addition to this fine series and my favorite of all the series to date.

To spend the day in these books is like visiting the Outer Banks yourself and the wonderful lighthouse library. In this next in series its winter time in the Outer Banks. The author has a talent for describing the lighthouse and coastal area with such precision that the reader feels as if they can hear the waves breaking. Lucy and her charming lighthouse apartment are described perfectly. Charles the library cat is delightful and a fun addition to the series. Lucy is well loved by readers as a smart savvy protagonist with a great love of books.
Josie is Lucy's cousin and the best baker in town with a successful bakery. She is planning her wedding with Lucy's help and hopes for a simple small ceremony. When her out of town relatives arrive with all their Southern bravado and ideas of their own things take a nasty turn and a murder occurs. Soon Josie is arrested and her bakery shut down. its up to Lucy to step up and defend her cousin. In the meantime Lucy begins to investigate on her own while running interference with Josie and her overbearing relatives that are hysterically funny as they take over outrageous wedding details.
The murder soon becomes more mysterious as multiple suspects and clues abound for Lucy as she balances her library duties, wedding planning and crazy relatives. In addition they have problems at the lighthouse library that may affect the future of the library. I like that Lucy has a realistic dating life that is both disappointing and not her main focus in life. She would. rather curl up with her cat and a good book at the end of her day like so many readers. She is a loyal friend and very devoted to her friends and family . Its the perfect balance in this series of supporting characters that add to every book , a great sleuth and a sublime setting that is pleasing to the reader.
The sleuth was so well crafted I was pleasantly surprised at the end ! I enjoyed the series of clues and how the sleuth came together so expertly. Lucy is always a delightful protagonist and I love returning to the lighthouse library and the Outer Banks.

This wonderful series never fails to entertain me from cover to cover. Now, in mystery #5, Lucy is trying to help her cousin, Josie, put together her wedding with Jake. Josie owns a bakery and Jake owns a restaurant, both very popular eateries. All is going well, Josie just needs to pick out a simple dress, settle on the flowers and show up for her wedding in a month. As they say...best laid plans. Lucy has convinced Josie that a very small (less than 30 women) bridal shower was in order and Josie agrees but insists that she will bake the treats. All is underway until the larger than life grandmother, Gloria (she who must be obeyed), the mother of Josie's father, Amos, shows up and everything goes sideways - take the plans and toss them in the circular bin. Grandmother Gloria tries to take over, insisting on a BIG wedding, fancy dress, full sit down wedding dinner, etc, etc, + headaches for Josie, Jake, Lucy, and, of course, Josie's parents.
Along with Grandmother Gloria comes a whole gang of trouble in the form of another cousin of Josie's and assorted female relatives. Not one of the I would have wanted to spend a second with. Yes, they are that bad. Unfortunately, one becomes the murder victim. Intended or possibly otherwise, she was poisoned during the bridal shower and, because she had, shall I say, pushed every single one of Josie's buttons and that was very public, the police focus on Josie as the prime suspect, full stop. Because Lucy was in charge of the shower and she and Josie are very close, Lucy is eager to find the killer and get Josie and Jake to the alter on time. Too bad the local police detective was off the case because he's too close to the suspect et al and the detective brought in to investigate is by the book - period. So Lucy is "wink, wink" given the subtle nod to carry on, carefully.
Lucy has her hands full with the murder and the unexpected crack in the library wall that must be dealt with but she, as usual, gets to the final answers and the case is closed

Something Read, Something Dead the 5th Lighthouse Library Mystery by Eva Gates is as usual an awesome read! The story grabs you at the beginning and keeps you reading until the very end. Lucy and friends are joyfully helping Cousin Josie O'Malley plan her wedding to Jake Greenblatt when the bride's Grandmother and Cousins descend intent on helping plan the wedding weather Josie wants it or not. When one of the Cousins ends up dead at the bridal shower it's up to Lucy to find the real killer before Josie is wrongfully accused. I received an ARC for my honest review.