Another fun book from Allison Brook. This is Book 3 in a series titled "A Haunted Library Mystery". These are almost like cozies although a little more involved. Maybe I should say a little more plot. Nonetheless, I love them. If you like libraries and books and people involvement, you'll like this book.

To begin with, it reads easy and is very clear. It flows well and Brooks characters are defined and likable, except maybe of course the bad guy or girl. This time there is a little more emotion added, not a romance, just Carrie hoping she and her guy will work out. Of course Carrie can't keep her nose out of the mystery but I think this time it causes more people who care about her to become involved or at least it gives us more of a picture of them.

The best way for me to describe my feeling about this book is to ask when we get Book 4? Write some more Allison Brook.

I would like to thank Allison Brook, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Spoilers

All right, I’ve been working on this book for a few weeks now, and I’ve decided enough’s enough. I managed to read 60% of this boring, meandering story, and I’m calling it quits. I just don’t care—about the mystery, about the characters—and I have a tall stack of other books waiting to be reviewed.

This was my first cozy mystery, I believe—which surprises even myself, given how prevalent the subgenre has become in recent years—they’re freaking everywhere—and I really hope it’s a bad representation of the genre, because it might have ruined me for it.

The narrative was tedious and toneless. Nothing exciting happened, not even Dorothy’s murder, because that was a given. There was no tension. It wasn’t quite monotone, but definitely bland. It had no passion, and any emotion felt…staged, I suppose. It felt rather as if all the characters were bad actors in a play, reciting their lines inorganically.

And there was so much irrelevant chatter. That’s what irritated me the most. We didn’t need to be taken through what Carrie did in her downtime, not when it had nothing to do with the plot. I didn’t care what she had for supper when she got home, what she did on the weekend, how much she missed her boyfriend—she all but waited by the phone every night—or what was going on with her aunt and uncle. I didn’t care who wanted to give presentations at the library, I didn’t care that she wrote the newsletter, I didn’t care that people kept feeding Smokey Joe despite the signs. (Are they allowed to have an animal in a cafe? Isn’t that a violation? *googles* Answer: It’s complicated.) I also don’t know if the kidnapping of Smokey Joe—or the threat of it, anyway—remained a thing. It seemed irrelevant to the portion I read. We also didn’t need any of that ridiculous nonsense about Angela’s wedding; long scenes—maybe even entire chapters—held only talk about a wedding that had nothing to do with the story (at least not up to 60%). All the irrelevant fluff stuffed into the narrative made it harder and harder to take the story seriously.

The narrative also felt antiquated. If not for the technology in use, I would have said this felt like a period piece set back a few decades when there was no texting or emailing and people made a phone call to say—anything. Everything. Back when there were also higher standards of social etiquette, when you called the person who gave you a gift to thank them for it again, even if you already thoroughly thanked them when you received it.

Also lending to the formal vibe was a noticeable lack of slang. The one time I noticed her try to have a character use slang, it was merely a shortening of the word terrific. “I think you’ll look terrif in blue.” I was already annoyed because this was part of one of those irrelevant wedding plan conversations, then I read that quote and sighed in exasperation. I wrote in my notes, “Her one attempt at slang and that’s what she goes with?” I’ve never heard that word shortened. Or if I have, not at all often. Maybe it was a typo? That would be hilarious.

Oh, another thing that made it feel out-of-date—or maybe just out of touch. When Fred and Carrie were discussing his alibi for the night Dorothy fell, he claimed there was no way to prove he’d gone back into the store to buy the butter they’d initially forgotten. That’s a huge load of crap. In addition to the store’s security cameras being very conveniently off that night, Fred had paid cash and thrown away the receipt, so there was no paper trail—but I’m 99.9% certain there would have been an electronic sales record in the store’s POS—point of sale—system. The only way there wouldn’t have been is if the system only saved the records for a short period of time, though I think those records are retained like any other paperwork—for as long as the IRS could audit them. For that matter, some stores even keep their own hardcopies of every transaction. I can’t remember how long records remained available when I worked at a convenience store, but I remember being able to search for a specific transaction in the past—usually by date and narrowed by time—and reprint the receipt. It should have been simple enough to find a purchase of only butter in a cash transaction at a specific time on a specific day. It wouldn’t list his name or personal information, but it would go a long way in corroborating his story. And what about the first purchase, when they bought everything but butter? Did Fred keep that receipt? Can it be matched on the store’s POS system and prove that it took place only a couple minutes before the butter purchase? Aside from all that, I think there’s a good chance the cashier would remember him returning to buy butter. I’m sure he and the cashier would have joked about it. There’s so much more to consider than whether or not he possessed that one receipt.

As for the protag—I didn’t like Carrie. I completely understood how Lt. Mathers got annoyed with Carrie’s interference in the investigation, and I was kind of disappointed that he didn’t shut her down. She had no qualifications beyond an inquisitive mind, she didn’t even like the victim, yet she thought it was her responsibility to solve the crime. Because reasons. Because mystery book, I guess. She wanted to solve it because she arrogantly thought she could—should. Her involvement wasn’t sanctioned; it wasn’t a matter of working with the police, helping them, like as a consultant—which she didn’t have the qualifications to be. She was told to leave it alone—which she ignored without qualm. She even internally debated whether or not she should share the information she uncovered with the police. At one point she thought, “Hmm. John had told me to stay out of the investigation. Was it my obligation to tell him what I knew?” At which point I gave up trying to like her. In my mind, I responded, “I’m pretty sure it’s a crime if you don’t share pertinent information with the police, sweetheart. I believe that falls under obstruction of justice and/or withholding evidence in an investigation by law enforcement. If things really got messed up because you kept secrets, you’d be facing charges. The fact that you don’t know that, hon, is exactly why you should leave it alone.”

Moving on—I’m not sure what the point of Dylan was. I’ll grant that he seemed important to some aspect of Carrie’s character—maybe?—but his significance to the plot was lost on me. As far as I can tell, having only read 60% before skipping to the end to skim the conclusion, the only way he contributed was showing up like a deus ex machina white knight to save Carrie. Other than that, he was…there. And not even actually there; for half the book he was on the other end of a phone call.

Maybe I would have cared about the characters more if I’d read the first two books. But I doubt it.

All that remains of my notes are some random comments.

The word “avocado” was used seven times in the book, always in relation to Carrie’s irrelevant meal choices. Lots of salads and turkey sandwiches featuring avocado. I would exempt the cheeseburger, if she hadn’t put avocado on it. A bland, pretentious, goody-two-shoes palette suits her character, though. But yeah, by chapter eight and the fourth mention of avocado, I made the note: “If I read the word ‘avocado’ one more time…”

At one point early on the timing got confused—Carrie said Dylan would come home on Friday, when really it was the following Friday. Hopefully they corrected that in the final. Not critically important, but it threw me off enough that I had to take time to investigate the mistake—I reread several pages to make sure I hadn’t missed something—and reorient my mind to the narrative’s timeline.

There was the moment when Carrie asked Evelyn, “Did you ever have a serious argument with Sally?” This was after Carrie and Evelyn had been looking into Dorothy’s—and consequently Evelyn’s—death for some time. Carrie had already implored Evelyn to tell her anything that seemed even remotely relevant to the matter—several times, I think. Evelyn responded, “A few times. The worst was the day I…became deceased.” Carrie said, “You never said.” And Evelyn told her, “You never asked.” And I thought—Are you serious right now? You did not just use the laziest excuse in history to withhold information until you wanted to reveal it.

Lastly, this plan: Carrie to Gillian: “I’ll call you Saturday when I’m leaving for the country club. This way we’ll arrive close to the same time.” Gillian to Carrie: “Good idea. I’d feel like an idiot, standing around with no one to talk to.” Why didn’t they just ride together? I mean, wouldn’t that be easier? There was no reason not to, as far as I could tell.

Oh, I suppose I should comment on the actual mystery, since that was kind of the point. (Or was it? Hard to tell at times.) Honestly, if Carrie had been likable and all the fat was trimmed off—Ugh! The wedding talk! If I had a print copy I’d take a red crayon and scribble all over those pages right now—it probably would have been a great book. Brook did a good job presenting several suspects and giving them plausible motivation for murder. I didn’t figure out whodunit, which is why I had to skim the end. All that irrelevant crap also diluted the tension by distracting from the sense of danger and threat of harm to the characters we’re suppose to care about. It’s hard to be worried about murder when you’re having fun dress shopping and discussing color schemes. The homeless plot had potential, too. (I assume it tied into the murder mystery via money scheme, otherwise it was also irrelevant). If I cared about anyone, it was the Marises.

Overall, the plot had potential but the execution was shoddy.

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Buried in the Stacks in the third book in the Haunted Library Mystery series! We meet up again with Carrie as she’s visiting her colleague in the hospital because she suffered a bad fall. But while visiting, the colleague said she believes her husband tried to kill her. Some time later, said colleague winds up getting killed.

This is one of my favorite cozy series! I love the haunted library theme, and I really love the town of Clover Ridge! It’s a town filled with friendly, interesting residents.

The mystery itself was very intriguing and well-thought-out. It gripped me instantly and didn’t let me go until the end. The twists were perfectly placed, and the ending left me satisfied and surprised.

Overall, it was a great, fun read. It had a great mystery, interesting characters, and a charming town. What more could I ask for?

This book is rounded up to a 3 star, I don't do half stars...but if I did this would be a 2.5. Solid plot, decent characters, and a haunted Library. The execution I think was lacking a bit.

I didn't like the writing style. This type of book, where there is no distinction between small movements, is my least favorite style. For example the main character would be in the middle of a conversation with someone, a decision or point would be made, and the next sentence she has moved on to the next day or a new setting. I have a very hard time staying in the story with this style of writing.

The other reason I knocked off some points is because I didn't like the reveal. The culprit of the crime was believable, I could absolutely see this person doing it, but the way this person revealed their guilt was, albeit within character, it lacked any sort of suspense and ended so quickly.

Despite those two things I didn't like, it was enjoyable for what it was. I don't think I'll pick up any more in the series though. Not particularly my cup of tea

I love a good haunted mystery, in which there is a ghost that helps gather information for the sleuth. In the Haunted Library series, we have the ghost of Evelyn (former library employee), who assists Carrie, head of Programs & Events. Carrie and her little cousin Tacey are the only two who can see Evelyn. I really liked that this book dealt with homelessness and didn't just brush it off. I like Carrie and I love Smokey Joe, her cat. Carrie is a good person who really cares about others. Her boyfriend, Dylan, seems like a good guy, but I can't help but wonder if he is really on the up and up. I shouldn't feel like this, but I'm glad that the murder victim was Dorothy. She was not a nice person and I don't think she would have really added to the continued growth of this series. The murderer was not who I thought it was either! I have read the other two books in this series. If you haven't read the other two, this can be read as a standalone and the author does a really good job of explaining things that may confuse you, such as whom Evelyn is, but I encourage you to read the other books! Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I recommend it. Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Allison Brook gives us another pleasing cozy mystery in the Haunted Library series. Buried in the Stacks has librarian Carrie and her library cat Smokey Joe looking into the murder of fellow staffer Dorothy. The latter's Aunt Evelyn who haunts the library since her murder asks Carrie to look into the murder. Meanwhile Carrie is concerned that a proposed homeless shelter may be a cover for a high stakes gambling operation. Red herrings galore. Whodunit?

Another good addition to Allison Brook's cozy mystery Haunted Library series! .

Buried in the Stacks
(The Haunted Library Mysteries #3)
by Allison Brook (Pseudonym), Marilyn Levinson

Hardcover, 313 pages
Published September 10th 2019 by Crooked Lane Books


Goodreads synopsis:
Librarian Carrie Singleton is building a haven, but one of her neighbors is misbehavin'. Can resident spirit Evelyn help Carrie catch the culprit who made her a ghost?

In winter, the Haunted Library is a refuge for homeless townspeople. When a group purchases a vacant house to establish a daytime haven for the homeless, Carrie offers the library as a meeting place for the Haven House committee, but quickly learns that it may be used for illegal activities.

As the new Sunshine Delegate, Carrie heads to the hospital to visit her cantankerous colleague, Dorothy, who had fallen outside the local supermarket. She tells Carrie that her husband tried to kill her—and that he murdered her Aunt Evelyn, the library's resident ghost, six years earlier.

And then Dorothy is murdered—run off the road as soon as she returns to work. Evelyn implores Carrie to find her niece's killer, but that's no easy task: Dorothy had made a hobby of blackmailing her neighbors and colleagues. Carrie, Evelyn, and Smoky Joe the cat are on the case, but are the library cards stacked against them?


***

4.5 Stars

This is the third book in the Haunted Library Mystery series by Allison Brook.

I found another cozy series to follow religiously. I am having such good luck in the series department lately. I really, really enjoyed this.

Former goth girl turned librarian stars in this exciting cozy mystery. She can’t seem to keep her nose out of the investigation. Can any amateur sleuth ever keep themselves from finding out the truth? Carrie Singleton is designated the Sunshine Delegate at the library which means she is the lady who gives out cards, flowers and gifts to those on staff who are sick or in the hospital. The first person she has to visit is not her favorite person in the world. Dorothy has been a thorn in her side before and now she has to smile and be nice when she ends up in the hospital after a nasty fall on the ice.

There had been a bit of a kerfuffle at the library regarding homeless people needing someplace to stay during the cold weather and it bloomed the idea of a place called Haven House for them to stay at during the day. But not all was what it seemed behind this idea.

Then Dorothy winds up dead and Carrie goes into full investigation mode to the dismay of her boyfriend, Dylan and John, the resident cop. There is a lot going on in this series and just when you think you might know where the plot is going you change your mind when another clue pops up.

This is a really fun cozy romp! And I am reading the previous two books as soon as possible.

Definitely check out this cozy if you love mysteries. You won’t be disappointed.

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.

Buried in the Stacks is the third Haunted Library mystery from author Allison Brook.
We pick up shortly after the previous book Read & Gone. (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B078M7MXGR/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i2) Advance warning, Dylan is not a focal point in this book. Carrie's best friend Angela and her boyfriend Steve are getting married soon and she's the maid of honor! After an incident involving a homeless couple and followup meeting Carrie is soon involved with a committee to help provide the homeless with a dedicated day facility. I liked how the author delicately wove in not just the problem of homelessness but also some of the ways people can become displaced. Along with some of the ways they can affect public and private businesses.

Carrie attempts to juggle her responsibilities to the wedding, her job at the library, a new project, her own relationship with Dylan and now a Murder! 5 Stars all the way!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my ARC.

This is the 3rd installment in the Haunted Library series. Carrie Singleton is the only one who can see Evelyn at the library and wants to find out who killed her. First, Dorothy who is Evelyn’s niece is attacked and tells Carrie that she think it was her husband and that he killed her Aunt Evelyn. Dorothy is not the nicest person and then she is killed in a car accident that was not really an accident. Also Carrie is helping a group at the library who purchased a house and it trying to address the homelessness in the area. Does the group really have pure motives or is something else going on. Also Evelyn is asking Carrie to find Dorothy’s killer and she learns that Dorothy was also blackmailing some people. Well written mystery with lots of possible suspects. Good addition to this series and look forward to see where this will go.

Buried In The Stacks
The Haunted Library Mysteries, Book #3
Allison Brook
5 Stars

Synopsis:

Librarian Carrie Singleton is building a haven, but one of her neighbors is misbehavin'. Can resident spirit Evelyn help Carrie catch the culprit who made her a ghost?

In winter, the Haunted Library is a refuge for homeless townspeople. When a group purchases a vacant house to establish a daytime haven for the homeless, Carrie offers the library as a meeting place for the Haven House committee, but quickly learns that it may be used for illegal activities.

As the new Sunshine Delegate, Carrie heads to the hospital to visit her cantankerous colleague, Dorothy, who had fallen outside the local supermarket. She tells Carrie that her husband tried to kill her—and that he murdered her Aunt Evelyn, the library's resident ghost, six years earlier.

And then Dorothy is murdered—run off the road as soon as she returns to work. Evelyn implores Carrie to find her niece's killer, but that's no easy task: Dorothy had made a hobby of blackmailing her neighbors and colleagues. Carrie, Evelyn, and Smoky Joe the cat are on the case, but are the library cards stacked against them? (Goodreads)




Review:

I love this series, each book just gets better. The characters are well developed and well rounded, and Carrie has some great friends. I was shocked to see who the victim was, I was definitely not expecting that. I was happy that Evelyn, the library ghost, was more prevalent in this book. And Carrie shared some important news with her boyfriend, Dylan, and he did not go running for the hills.

The writing style flows smoothly and it helped define the characters very clearly by their actions and words. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and this brought the library alive in my mind. These descriptions pulled me into the story right from the beginning.

I like the fact that the author took a social issue and wrote about it compassionately. Homelessness is a big problem and the author touched on it and some solutions. I was happy that this issue was addressed.

The mystery was well plotted and was not easily solved. There were enough clues to sift through and suspects to consider. I was not completely convinced who the culprit was until it was revealed at the end.

I would highly recommend this book, and series, to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. And if you like ghostly cozy mystery, like I do, then you should read this series.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

When I received this book from Netgalley I realized that this was the third book in the series. Of course before I could read this book I had to go and get the first 2 books in the series. I have now found another favorite series!!

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane books for allowing me to read and review this book!

I have loved watching the change in Carrie from the first book to this one, she has grown and matured and I love her! Carrie is nosy and impetuous and cares deeply for the people around her, and that is why she keeps investigating. I eagerly await the next book in this series. I can't wait to see what Carrie gets up to next.

Carrie is a librarian with something different. She has a ghost librarian, Evelyn, that talks to her in the library. When Dorothy, Evelyn's niece, is murdered Carrie feels obligated to help find the murderer. There are several people in the community that aren't model citizens and may have had something against Dorothy since she was not liked.
This was a good cozy read.

I enjoy the Haunted Library cozy series. The idea of a librarian that not only supplies the local library cat, but also gets visited at work by the resident ghost is cute and entertaining. Why shouldn't a library be haunted by a prior librarian? That's real dedication to a career! Evelyn Havers loved the library, so why shouldn't she stick around? The ghost is woven into the plot so well in each book that the paranormal portion of the plot isn't cheesy or over-the-top....just fun. I like the quirky Clover Ridge side characters and the fact that it took awhile for locals to accept the "new girl.'' So true.....small towns can be so clique-ish. "You're not from around here'' really is a thing. I would imagine it's even more so when dead bodies start stacking up. The minute Carrie Singleton showed up in Clover Ridge....cue the murders. I can see why the local police started giving her some serious side eye from the start!

Buried in the Stacks is the 3rd mystery in the series. A local group bought a house to help local homeless people have shelter in the winter. During the day, the homeless have taken to hanging out at the library. There have been some altercations in the reading room and the locals seem nervous around the homeless. It's becoming a bit of a volatile situation. Carrie is being kept busy by her new position as Sunshine Delegate -- the library employee who visits sick and hospitalized library employees. When her least favorite co-worker is injured in a fall, she gets sucked into delivering her books at home and listening to her pain-killer induced rant about being afraid of her husband, who pushed her down causing her injury. Later when the woman is killed in a car accident, it's pretty evident she was run off the road. Carrie learns her coworker was not just a hard person to work with, but she had some pretty bad behavior in her personal life as well. Behavior that might explain why she was killed. The case might also solve the question of who killed resident library ghost Evelyn as well.... Despite not liking the deceased much, Carrie is on the case.....again.

This is another well-written, entertaining story in this series. I like the character development in each book. Carrie has come a long way! And so have the residents of Clover Ridge. I was a bit surprised at the murder victim in this newest story.....but I can't say I will miss the character. There is a bit of a cliff hanger at the end of this book.....Carrie's life is about to get a bit...complicated for awhile. :) Makes me sad I have to wait awhile to read the next book in this series!

I think the side plot of a small town dealing with homelessness was interesting and so true. It isn't a large city problem anymore....it happens everywhere.

Allison Brook is a pseudonym for author Marilyn Levinson. Levinson has written several mystery novels....I will fill in the time til the next Haunted Library mystery by reading more of her books! :)

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Crooked Lane via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Book 3 in the series.

I'm still struggling to like Carrie, she sort of comes off as a dink (seriously, you're a librarian, research some of that stuff!) sometimes and I didn't care much for the victim at all.

There's A LOT going on in this book, most of which is way above Carrie's "pay-grade," and stuff she really shouldn't have been meddling in. The one positive thing I have to say about this book is, it does showcase an issue that a lot of libraries (mine certainly is) are dealing with, and that's becoming a haven for the homeless and how best to make it work for everyone.

My biggest complaint about this book is that it was utterly forgettable. I read it months ago and forgot to leave a review. It was still in my NetGalley list and I had to look it up to refresh it in my memory. I don't think I'll be reading this series any more.

Buried in the Stacks by Allison Brook is a fantastic story filled with mystery, murder, destruction, blackmailing, and how some people take advantage of others. On the positive side, there is a ghost and a cat — all in all, a great book.

Who killed Dorothy? Yes, she wasn't the nicest person but is murder necessary?

Carrie Singleton
Carrie is our sleuth, the owner of Smokey Joe, head of Programs and Events at the Clover Ridge Library, and friend of Evelyn the library's ghost. She has a lot going on but still seems to find the time to go sleuthing.

I think Carrie is a fantastic character; she is smart, funny with flaws that make her human and relatable. She has problems with her mom, finally has a good relationship with her father, but her favorite family members are her aunt, uncle, and cousins who live in Clover Ridge. Carrie loves her position at the library, and Smokey Joe seems to adore his job as a library cat.

Things I liked
• Carrie has a great cottage.
• Smokey Joe loves his job and Carrie.
• Carrie and her best friend Angela have the best relationship.
• Dylan Avery and Carrie are getting closer. They are in that cute discovery stage in their relationship.
• Evelyn Havers is Carrie's spirit friend, and even now she tries to keep her family's secrets.
• John Mathers, Clover Ridge's Police Chief tries to discourage Carrie from snooping but listens to what she has learned.

Dislikes
The only things that bothered me were somethings that are a part of everyday life, like the homeless and their discrimination, then the way people treat others. But it was nice to see that Carrie and her Uncle do their best to make a difference.

4 Stars for Buried in the Stacks by Allison Brook
I truly enjoyed the mystery, the way that Carrie grew throughout the story, and the family dynamics and family secrets that tend to take some families down. So I am giving Buried in the Stacks by Allison Brook four stars. I highly recommend this book to all those cozy fans out there.

Oh and isn't the cover beautiful? I think it superb.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Buried in the Stacks by Allison Brook.

Anyways, until next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.

Buried in the Stacks is set in small town Connecticut. Carrie Singleton works at a library haunted by a kindly librarian ghost, Evelyn, whom she has befriended. In this cozy mystery, Carrie faces several issues at once. The library suddenly has become a daytime refuge for homeless people in the community. Several library patrons are upset about this and Carrie steps in to find a way to help the homeless people. In the meantime, her longtime antagonist, Dorothy, the library's reference librarian, dies under mysterious circumstances. Dorothy was the niece of Carrie's ghostly friend, Evelyn, and Carrie begins to investigate both their deaths -- Dorothy's recent passing and Evelyn's from some years ago.

This book is the third in the Haunted Library Mystery series. I absolutely love this series of mysteries, and the third volume did not disappoint!

I admire Carrie's sensitivity and compassion as she works to not just solve mysteries but also help others. Her friendship with the ghostly Evelyn continues to be a strong point in the books.

I also enjoy the small town setting and especially the library locale. I like Carrie's friends, her boyfriend Dylan, and her cat Smoky Joe.

The mystery was well written and it kept me guessing. The character development in this series is especially strong, and that makes the mysteries a bit more substantive to me. The social issue of homelessness was handled with sensitivity in this novel.

I enthusiastically recommend Buried in the Stacks - and the Haunted Library Mystery series - to other cozy fans. I am already looking forward to reading the next book in the series!

Buried In The Stacks is the third book in the A Haunted Library Mystery series.

Winter is upon the residents of Clover Ridge and walking is quite treacherous. Research librarian, Dorothy, has gone grocery shopping and as she is loading her purchases into she falls and injures herself and is hospitalized. Carrie, having been recently appointed Sunshine Chairman for the library she has to put aside her feelings for her nemesis and visits with Dorothy at the hospital. While talking Dorothy shares with Carrie that she is sure her husband, Fred pushed her. Soon he is released from the hospital and returns to work. Shortly after returning to work, she leaves the library and as she is driving home she is forced off the road and dies in the wreckage. Even though she says that she isn’t going to investigate, she can’t help to give it some thought. One thing she needs to think about is Evelyn, Dorothy and the library’s resident ghost that only Carrie and her niece can see. She slipped like Dorothy and ended up freezing to death. She begins to wonder if they are somehow related.

Meanwhile, at the library, with the cold weather, the homeless don’t have any place to go and have been using the library as a place to stay warm during the day and have been making excess noise in the normally quiet library. Carrie soon learns that a group of residents is raising monies to purchase a home and make it into a place for homeless to stay during the day. But soon there seems to problems raising the money needed and questions about the real reason the home is being refurbished. Now Carrie has several suspects to think about. On the positive side, it appears that Carrie’s boyfriend, Dylan, will be moving back in the area.

Once again Alison Brook has provided the reader with a well-plotted and told story with well-developed and believable characters.

I will be watching for the next book in this interesting series.

Carrie Singleton becomes the Sunshine ambassador for the library. Her first outreach ends up being to Dorothy, who is in the hospital after a fall in the grocery store parking lot.
Dorothy acts afraid of her husband at the hospital, but later when Carrie takes books to her home Dorothy denies every feeling that way.
The homeless are spending their days in the library and causing trouble. When a group decides to set up a home where the homeless can go and do activities during the day, Carrie and the library patrons are relieved and excited. Then rumors start to fly that the home will be used for other purposes at night, less legal purposes.
Dorothy is killed a couple weeks after getting out of the hospital. Evelyn wants Carrie to find the killer but is reluctant to tell her all the things she needs to know to find out who the culprit is.
Dylan is winding up his business in Atlanta and moving home to Clover Ridge to set up an investigative business.
All of these things play in to finding out who killed Dorothy and why.
I enjoyed this third Haunted Library mystery. I like the characters and the setting. Evelyn is a nice ghost that doesn't annoy. Carrie was mildly annoying during the middle part of the book where she said she would stop investigating and then went ahead doing things she said she wouldn't do. The middle bit was a bit slow going, so the book could have been edited a little as some content didn't matter to the story.
The mystery winds up with little help from her as the murderer gives themselves away.

I haven't read the first two in the series and it's doubtful that I will go back and read them. This is a typical cozy mystery with a pretty formulaic plot. A non-threatening setting, in this case a library, a overly curious woman playing detective and a murder.
It was cute, but nothing special.