BURIED IN THE STACKS is the third story in the Paranormal Cozy Mystery series, A Haunted Library Mystery. I don’t feel you “must” read the earlier books to enjoy this current one, but then I’ll always suggest going back to the beginning, if you can, to get the entire feel and nuance of any series. Pretty much everything you “need” to know about this story can be found in the Cover Description. And since it’s a Cozy Mystery I’m even more careful about giving away possible spoilers, so this review may be a bit vague on details – but know that I loved and enjoyed this addition to the ongoing series.

I was completely caught up in this story and especially liked that the social aspects of the plight and needs of the homeless being a major part of the story. Carrie is, as usual, brought into another mystery by Evelyn, only this time it just might be a bit more personal. I love Smoky Joe, that cat adds so much to this series. Carrie’s and Dylan’s beginning romance is moving along at a steady pace. I was glad to see that the police are actually taking Carrie more seriously with her offered help – and at the same time warning her to stay out of it. The murder of Dorothy had me making guesses and flipping pages to discover those answers. I enjoyed myself in BURIED IN THE STACKS. If you like a Cozy Mystery with a touch of the Paranormal or a really good mystery to solve then you’ll want to check out the latest addition to the A Haunted Library Mystery series.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

This series just keeps getting better! Take one black-clad goth girl with purple hair, put her in a small-town public library, give her a promotion that results in a new outlook. Voila! Carrie is a respected and loved member of Clover Ridge. No longer defined by her family history or rebellion, Carrie has roots in the town, special boyfriend Dylan, an irreplaceable, heroic cat Smoky Joe, and her father is on the straight and narrow for the first time. I love most of these three-dimensional characters. The mystery is a challenge, with enough plot twists to keep it exciting.

Carrie is the library’s Sunshine Delegate. If an employee has a long-term illness or a death in their immediate family, Carrie sends a card and visits or sends a gift basket. The first person in need of a visit is her once-nemesis, Dorothy. Dorothy wanted the promotion to head of programs and events that Carrie was given and took it out on her. One of Dorothy’s favorite things to do is learn someone’s secrets, then bribing them for her silence. She fell on ice at the supermarket and is hospitalized with several injuries. When Carrie visited her, she seemed terrified of her husband, Fred, and begged Carrie to not leave her alone because Fred tried to kill her.

Evelyn was Dorothy’s aunt and a library aide. She died outside the library several years ago on a cold night when she slipped on ice, hit her head, and never regained consciousness. She is a ghost at the library, visible only to Carrie, Smoky Joe, and her four-year-old cousin Tacey.

The library is a daytime refuge for some of the local homeless people. Carrie is concerned for them, and It is frustrating to some patrons. Some people have purchased an older home that is being renovated to be a daytime safe place for the homeless to read, watch TV, or participate in other activities when the shelter is closed. Dorothy’s brother Roger and her sister and brother-in-law, Francesca and Gerald, are involved in the Haven House. They might also be involved with rumored, shady activities that would take place at night, including high-stakes card games.

Roger wanted Dorothy and Fred to help him invest in a new project promising huge returns, and Dorothy refused. Within days of turning him down, Dorothy was murdered. Carrie doesn’t want to help solve this murder as she had others…but her dear friend Evelyn is desperate for answers, especially when Dorothy’s journal is found, fearing that Fred was trying to kill her as he “killed Evelyn”.

This is a series I’ve genuinely enjoyed since the release of Death Overdue. The author includes intriguing plot twists a-plenty! I appreciate the dignity she affords to the homeless people and their needs as well as the reality of many of their backgrounds. Carrie seeks solutions and becomes involved with Haven House fundraisers. Dorothy’s murder, Haven House, the library, her best friend’s upcoming wedding, and Dylan opening his new office are keeping Carrie hopping!

I had an idea who the bad guy was but bounced back and forth between a couple suspects. There are so many people Dorothy annoyed that it is hard to narrow down a motive and bad guy. The electrifying ending is satisfying with all loose ends tied up. I highly recommend this to anyone who appreciates well-written cozy mysteries, and libraries with engaging characters and a caring community.

From a thankful heart: I received a copy of this from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest review.

An easy to read cozy with an interesting libary setting and a cat that manages to get lots of treats.
I like how the author used her platform to kindly remind us that the homeless have a story and being part of the solution is better than being part of the problem. She worked it nicely into the story which had a number of other elements to entertain the reader along the way.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

I’m loving this series. You have a library, a library cat and some wonderful characters. Course not everyone is so wonderful, but hey, those help make a good story. I love Carrie and her want to help people. Would you want an Evelyn in your life? I think it would be cool. Smokey Joe shows what he’s made of this this book. I loved it! Going to be interesting to see what happens with Dylan and Carrie now that he’ll be closer to home. I can’t wait to see how the movie business goes in the next book. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

A really cozy mystery story that I enjoyed a lot. I haven’t read the other books in the series but I liked the heroine quite a lot and she’s very reliable and caring.
The homeless topic brought in the book brings a great addition to this story and shows that there are still people who cares for others without any ulterior expectation.

Thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley for my review copy

This is the 3rd book in the series that I've read and I think I've liked each one better then the last. I was really surprised when I read the blurb on this book. Normally main-ish characters aren't killed off in cozies so I was so curious to see how it was done and I could not be more pleased. Not only did we learn more about Dorothy's secrets but we got to look into Evelyn's death and get to know her a bit better as well. I was really engaged with the mystery and enjoyed following along with Carrie's investigation.



As the series has gone on I've liked Carrie more and more. Her relationship with Dylan and her ability to self-reflect and just think about what was bothering her instead of just reacting was just refreshing. I think I enjoyed hanging out with Carrie and friends almost as much as the mystery!



If you enjoy cozies with bookish settings, likable characters, and solid intriguing mysteries then this is a series you shouldn't miss!

First, let me say that I haven't read the other books in this series and I had no problem following the story. Would like to read the other books though just to flesh it all out. It was a very entertaining read. I used to work in a library so naturally I loved the setting. We didn't have a ghost that I know of though! LOL! The characters are wonderful, even the ones you don't like. The homeless using the library during the winter is definitely on point and it really highlights the problems they face due to stereotypes and prejudices. All in all, a really good cozy!
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it.

Librarian Carrie Singleton is once more caught up in a murder mystery, following the events in Death Overdue and Read and Gone. This time, though, she might also get to the bottom of what happened to Evelyn, the library’s ghost.

The homeless of the town have started to use the library as a warm shelter during the cold days. When this causes troubles with other patrons, Carrie finds herself helping out with an ambitious project to refurbish an old house as a refuge. But is the project as above-board as it seems? Could the death of a local resident be connected? And can Carrie curb her sleuthing ways long enough to stay out of danger?

The answer to that last question is a resounding no, and that’s maybe the big irritation here. If someone had broken into my house and left threatening messages, I might be looking to take a holiday – not still poking my nose into shady situations!

Still, plot needs must, I suppose, and Carrie continues to investigate while otherwise leading her normal life: planning library events, eating a lot of avocado, getting her boyfriend to move back to town, and helping her best friend plan her wedding. And looking after a cat, of course! The charming normality is layered on quite thick, but that’s what makes a cosy mystery.

Points off, however, that the mystery is wrapped up rather abruptly and in a very trope-y confession scene. So, enjoy the pleasant meander through Carrie’s life again, but don’t expect too much of a thriller.

I like this series and I loved the previous instalments. I liked this one but I don't think it's the best book in this series.
Let's start with the pro:
- the cast of characters is fleshed out,
- the setting is lovely
- it was great to meet again the characters and see what's going on
- I liked the idea of the homeless as part of the plot
The cons:
- Carrie is not always likeable. She's sometimes pushy and careless
- The mystery takes too often the backseat and nothing seems to happen on that side
- The ending seems a bit rushed and the discovery of the culprit was a bit out the blue.
It was a pleasant read, engaging and entertaining even with the issues.
I look forward to reading the next instalment.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I’m enjoying this series, but the individual books just don’t seem to be what I was hoping they would be. This book especially seemed to suffer from having too much of the stuff I didn’t want and not enough of the stuff I did. I like Carrie and I love we’ve gotten to see her “grow up” from where she started book one, but I really don’t need so much of the minutia of her day; such as what she ate, what she’s wearing, what makeup she put on, where she had to find the cat. I’m also having difficulties believing in the library she works for. I realize that many libraries want to be the center of their communities, but this sounds more like it’s set in a Community Centre. Where are the books and the authors? And where the heck does this library get all the money it’s able to spend? There’s a lot of stuff happening in this book, and not very much of it directly impacts on the murder mystery. Fairly early on, by random guess, I’d managed to pick the correct villain and most of the correct motive. Though, I have to give the author credit, I spent most of the book second guessing myself if I’d managed to choose correctly. I just would have liked to see a bit more time spent on the real mystery rather than chasing down wild geese. Did we really need to accompany Carrie while shopping for Angela’s wedding or Dylan’s office? Or to every blessed restaurant in town? Overall, I did enjoy this book and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book through NetGalley

It's January in Clover Ridge and the library has become a refuge for several homeless people who are upsetting the rest of the library patrons. When a developer decides to buy a vacant house to create a daytime haven for the homeless, library programs director Carrie Singleton is happy to host the Haven House committee meetings, but quickly learns the house may be used for illegal activities.

Meanwhile, as the newly appointed library Sunshine Delegate, Carrie goes to visit her nemesis, reference librarian Dorothy Hawkins who fell outside the local supermarket. Carrie is surprised when Dorothy claims that her husband Fred tried to kill her and that he had also murdered her Aunt Evelyn, the library's resident ghost, six years earlier. Then Dorothy is killed in a car crash shortly after returning to work. Evelyn begs Carrie to find Dorothy's killer and she reluctantly agrees. Carrie soon realizes that Dorothy had plenty of enemies since she had been blackmailing her neighbors and colleagues. Dorothy's sister Francesca and brother Roger had had a fractious relationship with their older sister. Did their financial needs lead them to commit murder?

This book did not work well for me. The police investigation into Dorothy's murder went nowhere and it was several weeks of fruitless snooping by Carrie before the killer confronts her at home.

I received an eARC from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

Dorothy wasn't the nicest person in the world- but she didn't deserve to be assaulted and then killed in an auto accident. Or was she murdered? Carrie might have thought things would be simpler when she moved back home to Connecticut but no...She and her terrific cat Smokey Joe run the library and keep running into dead bodies. The library is occupied by a ghost- Evelyn- who (and this never gets too twee) talks with Carrie and she's Dorothy's aunt. Evelyn's not the most helpful of ghosts but she's all Carrie's got to help her solve the murder. The thing that makes this installment of a nice series different (and different from many cozies) is that it addresses the issues facing the homeless. Carrie is trying to help but there are those that don't want that to happen and those that want to exploit. No spoilers but it's a good read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's also fine as a standalone. I'm looking forward to the next one.

Book 3 of the Haunted Library Mysteries finds our sleuth, Carrie, a bit underwhelmed listening to Angela prattle about her wedding plans. Wondering if her best friend has morphed into a Bridezilla, she is relieved when Angela owns up to blabbering endlessly about the coming wedding. The introduction does serve to introduce the romantic theme. Dylan does return and does settle closer to Carrie. Is this exactly perfect? Wait and see.

Our ghost, Evelyn, or rather the library's ghost is more concerned with solving the Clover Ridge Library's Reference Librarians death. Dorothy is/was her niece. True, Dorothy had a sour disposition. She also put her reference skills to unsavory use -- in fact some might say this was a 'good' death. Carrie, in this book, is more assertive with Evelyn, insisting on full disclosure from her. Will Evelyn comply?

Dorothy's death is not the only concern facing the library. The homeless population has begun to populate the library. Patron complaints and public disturbances are increasing. Carrie hopes the plans to provide a day center for the homeless will alleviate the situation. Unfortunately, a criminal element may be involved in the plans for the shelter. What do they hope to gain?

As a former librarian I enjoy reading about public libraries. I especially loved hearing about Smoky Joe, Carrie and the library's cat. Most public systems no longer house cats, as of 2016 there were only 39 left down from over 200 American library cats found in a 2001 census. One hopes Smoky Joe might encourage other systems to adopt other cats that adopt the books.

The killer was not telegraphed. Brook did provide many logical choices for the perpetrator. She ended the book on a cliff hanger, leading the reader to eagerly anticipate Book 4.

Recommended for all cozy mystery fans.

Full disclosure: I received this review copy from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Publications in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you for the opportunity.

An enjoyable entry in this series about a librarian, her cat and a haunted library. In fact I liked this one much more than I did #2.

Carrie is still taking her cat, Smoky Joe, to work with her and he is still getting far too much to eat. The ghost, Evelyn, continues to appear only to Carrie and her small niece and only in the library. And why I do not know but I keep waiting for the relationship between Dylan and Carrie to fall apart. For some totally unsubstantiated reason I don't trust him! But that's just me.

The story is good. Of course there is a murder and Carrie sets about trying to solve it with the help of Evelyn and her insider knowledge. Ghosts of course can listen in on conversations - in this case as long as they take place in the library. I was a little dubious about the way the author dealt with the fact that Evelyn was not able to talk to the murder victim after her death, but hey this is cosy fiction not a scientific text.

It all rolled along nice and cosily and I will be watching out for more books from the Haunted Library.

This is the third book in the haunted library series, and I haven’t read the first two. However, this one was a good stand alone and I liked the main characters. Now I’m curious to read the first ones.

Buried in the Stacks was another fantastic installment in the Haunted Library Mysteries series with an intriguing plot and a charming group of characters.

As the library’s new Sunshine Delegate, librarian Carrie Singleton visits her colleague Dorothy in the hospital after the woman suffers a fall. But when Dorothy tells Carrie she believes her husband tried to kill her, Carrie writes it off as too many pain meds after Dorothy later has no memory of the confession. But when Dorothy is then killed in a car accident, Carrie realizes she made a mistake. After Evelyn, the library’s resident ghost, pleads with Carrie to look into her niece’s death, Carrie begins her investigation and quickly finds a connection between Dorothy’s family and Haven House, the new daytime center for the homeless. When Carrie uncovers possible illegal activity at the center, someone sets out to stop Carrie’s investigation by any means necessary.

The mystery of who killed Dorothy was a good one as due to Dorothy’s history of blackmailing people, as well as her bad attitude, there was a long list of suspects. I had several theories about who was behind Dorothy’s attack, as well as the subsequent harassment of Carrie when she began investigating, and I ended up being completely wrong. I do however think the person responsible makes sense and their motive fit what we know about them as a character. The mystery surrounding Haven House was also an interesting one and I liked how it tied into Carrie’s investigation into Dorothy’s murder. I thought Carrie’s final confrontation with the killer was suspenseful and a great way to wrap the book up.

I didn’t have nearly as many issues with Carrie’s behavior this time around as I did in the previous book, Read and Gone. She stuck to her word more this time around and there was significantly less needless relationship drama. One nice change of pace in this book was that the police were more willing to accept Carrie’s input, while at the same time telling her to stay out of it, which I was happy to see as it was clear she was in a position to find out information they weren’t.

The side characters in this series continue to be fantastic and I was happy to see more of some of them this time around. Dylan features a bit more prominently in this book as he is in the process of settling back into the area full-time. I enjoy his and Carrie’s relationship, so I was happy to see him pop up more. Evelyn is more involved in the mystery this time due to her personal connection to the victim. I really like her character and I was happy we got more background on her in this book. Smokey Joe, the library cat, is adorable as ever and makes numerous appearances which I’m always happy to see.

Buried in the Stacks has solidified the Haunted Library Mysteries series as one of my favorite cozy mystery series and I’m looking forward to future books. I highly recommend this series for readers new to the genre as well as those who enjoy book-centric cozies.

Buried In The Stacks is Book 3 in the Haunted Library series. Carrie Singleton is back with another mystery. Someone is murdered and the homeless are taking refuge from the cold in the library. Carrie and her ghost partner Evelyn are on the case!

Each book gets better and better in this series. I really enjoy the mystery and the dialogue between Carrie and Evelyn.

The author writes well developed characters and a great story that keeps you wanting more.

Carrie has been asked to be the library's Sunshine Delegate, the staff member who sends flowers, pays visits and generally cheer up other staff who are sick or hospitalized. Who knew that her first duty in that regard would be to visit Dorothy, cranky and antagonistic to almost everyone, who is in the hospital after a fall on black ice? When Dorothy accuses her husband of trying to kill her, Carrie can't help but wonder. Carrie also gets involved in a refuge that is being built as a daytime shelter for the homeless in Clover Ridge, but local rumors about the nighttime activities planned for the home make her hesitate – and investigate.

This is the third book in this series, and I have enjoyed each book more than the previous installment. I am a huge fan of public libraries, but the library where Carrie works must be much more well-funded than any of the public libraries that I have visited. I wish out local libraries had the resources to have as big a staff, as many programs and as large a facility as Carrie's library has! The recurring characters are people I would like to spend time with, and I like getting to know more about them as the series progresses.

The mystery in this book was a good one, as there were many possible suspects, each with his/her own possible motive, to consider. I like that Carrie doesn't take unnecessary chances most of the time, and encourages people to go to the police with their information, rather than keeping things to herself as some other cozy sleuths do. The villain was near the top of my list of suspects by the time it was revealed in the story, and I wasn't at all surprised by the motive. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

ARC received via Netgalley for an honest review

I did not realise that this was book 3 in a series when I requested it, however it can be read as a standalone (and I will go back and read the previous books)

I liked our leading lady Carrie, and the way she gets dragged (or insinuates herself into) local murder investigations, even when she really is trying not to lol

My sister is a librarian, so I could kind of picture the library workers here as some of her workmates (well, without the murderers!)

Smokey Joe is a great additional character too.

I liked the way that the author dealt with the homeless people around town and didn't make Carrie look down her nose at them, however treated them like the human beings they are.

I have to say, I am not to sad and won't miss the character who was killed off, from just this book she was unlikable, and I am sure she was the same in the previous two books.

This book gave off a smaller-town vibe (not sure if it is like that, however the relationships in the town made it feel that way).

I read this story in one afternoon, and look forward to more in the future.

Carrie has been working at the library for several months when her co-worker, Dorothy, is first injured and then murdered. Resident library ghost, Evelyn, was Dorothy’s aunt and asks Carrie to help bring the murderer to justice. It seems to have something to do with Haven House, a new project aimed at helping local homeless people.

I have not read either of the earlier two books in the series, but I didn’t have any trouble keeping up with the story or the background information.

There are a lot of fun characters in this story, and I look forward to going back and getting a true introduction to Dylan, Angela, Uncle Bosco and Aunt Harriet, and of course, most important, ghost Evelyn and Smokey Joe the cat!