Read and Buried: A Lighthouse Library Mystery
By Eva Gates
Crooked Lane
October 2019

Review by Cynthia Chow

When Bodie Island Lighthouse Library Lucy Richardson is called out of the office during her performance review, it’s with mixed emotions. While the assistant librarian can’t help but appreciate anything that delays the inevitable suggestions for improvement from her library director Bertie James, Lucy’s track record with murder makes the request ominous. For once though, construction workers have discovered not a body but a tin box buried deep in a hole at the basement of the lighthouse tower. Inside the box is a leather-bound diary from 1858, but what truly captivates their attention is a coded page and hand-drawn map of the Outer Banks. It doesn’t take long for rumors to spread hinting of pirate treasures, while it is the historical value of the book that has rival college professors descending upon the discovery. The new head of the historical society also displays a vested interest in the project of deciphering the code, although even more obvious is Jeremy Hughes’ reputation as a “Ladies’ Man.” While Lucy dodges his gropes and leers, others aren’t so dissuaded and instead fall prey to his promises of a future. So when Lucy discovers Jeremy Hughes’ body in the library director’s office, the question is whether he was murdered by another burglar or killed for more personal reasons.

While Lucy promises to stay uninvolved and instead focus on the upcoming Settlers’ Day Fair, no one really takes her too seriously. Detective Sam Watson not only allows the admitted nosy librarian to accompany him on several interviews, he encourages the group effort to decipher the complex code. Lucy’s bookclub selection of Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth does much to encourage their quest, especially since the classic novel itself begins with a coded message leading the way to the adventure. Soon matters begin to get out of hand as their collection of historians, librarians, and researchers intrude on Lucy’s beloved Lighthouse Library with séances, break-ins, and threats of lawsuits. Their efforts come to a head during the Settlers’ Day Fair, in what should be the summer’s day of historical lectures, food and craft booths, and somewhat accurate costumes. The past meets the present ways that were not intended, and Lucy’s discoveries place her at the mercy of someone who couldn’t let the past lie dead.

Writing under the names Vicki Delany and Eva Gates, this extraordinarily talented author has crafted five mystery series, five standalone novels, and numerous novellas. Here she continues to build upon the cast of entertaining characters, many of whom may be unlikable but are undeniably intriguing. The romance between Lucy and Nags Head’s new mayor Connor McNeil progresses at a satisfying rate, although it would move faster were they not constantly interrupted by demanding volunteers and library board members. That’s what happens when one lives above a library, yet Lucy’s apartment in the Lighthouse Aerie is as enviable as it is cozy. While modern libraries are community spaces and not the shushing, quiet places of yore, the lighthouse provides Lucy with a comforting consistency. Charmingly cozy and a delight for puzzle-lovers, this novel also tackles academic pressure, contested wills, and shady construction developments. Charles the library cat delights in his role as guardian of the lighthouse, proving to be a reliable judge of character. Readers should look forward to this charming mystery that celebrates libraries, histories, and the joy of puzzle-solving.

Read and Buried is a cozy mystery set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Lucy Richardson works at a library in the old lighthouse on Bodie Island, and lives in the upper level of the lighthouse as well. While a crew is digging for some renovations at the lighthouse, they find an old diary, a page written in code, and a map of the area with numbers marking locations. In the small beach community, this mystery attracts a great deal of attention -- leading to a death at the lighthouse. Lucy decides to investigate and try to solve the mystery.

I love both lighthouses and libraries, so was eager to read this mystery. I especially enjoyed the lighthouse descriptions and setting.

This is #6 in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series, but I had no problem picking up with the characters and reading the book as a standalone. (Although I now really do want to read the rest of the series!)

The mystery aspect of the story was interesting -- I especially liked the secret code in the story. It was really interesting to see how the code was finally solved. I also liked the Civil War history involved in the mystery. There were a number of possible murderers, and I solved the mystery about the same time that Lucy did.

There is even a mischievous lighthouse cat named Charles. I always love cozies that include pets!

I really like Lucy as a character. She is bright and resourceful and smart enough not to take a lot of dangerous chances that amateur detectives often do. I also liked reading about her friends and coworkers, and her budding romance with the town's mayor, Connor.

I would recommend Read and Buried for fans of cozy mysteries, especially for anyone who enjoys southern mysteries, library mysteries, lighthouses, or mysteries involving some American history. I look forward to also reading more books in this series!

This is the sixth book in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series. The book can be read alone but I do recommend reading the series. I have read other books in the series and enjoyed them very much. This is my least favorite of them.

I felt like the book was hard to get into. I kept stopping and starting it. I finally forced myself to sit and read it so I could review it. Lucy is usually an enjoyable character for me and I feel like she fell flat in this book.

The historical information given in the book was very interesting and I enjoyed it. I look forward to reading the book book and see if it has the same spirit the previous books had.

Read and Buried is the 6th Lighthouse library mystery by Eva Gates. Released 15th Oct 2019 by Crooked Lane, it's available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

This is a clean cozy mystery with books, cat (a Himalayan called Charles), a librarian, and a library in a lighthouse. Although it's part of a series, there's enough backstory woven into the plot that it works fine as a standalone. The ensemble cast is full of archetypal characters, but the author is skillful enough and the writing technically adept enough that the whole works very well. The plotting proceeds at a good clip, the murder (which happens off scene) is relatively gore-less and couldn't have happened to a more deserving scoundrel. (Even his wife hated him).

Despite her protestations to the contrary, main character Lucy gets drawn into solving the mystery. There's a coded cipher, a Civil War era map and journal and hints of a buried treasure. The language is very clean, nary a sh*t or d*mn to be seen. There is no sexual content (some chaste kisses, in context, but nothing racier).

This is, simply, a well written, readable, and enjoyable library cozy (with cat). There are also a number of fun bonus reading prompts referenced in the book which will lead the reader to other books and series. It's well worth a look for fans of the genre.

Four stars.

There are six books in this series and each one becomes my favorite. Spending time with Lucy, her boyfriend Connor, her family and friends and assorted other residents of Nag's Head is always fun. As Eva Gates says, she takes artistic license with the inside of the Bodie Island light house (think Dr. Who and his TARDIS) but her description of Nag's Head is the real deal. Just probably not with such a high body count, I'm sure. In the previous book, something Read, Something Dead, the light house has developed a very large crack in its foundation and that means construction work to make the repairs. So, here is the library with a gaping hole beside it and safety fencing and, if that's not enough, at the bottom of the deep hole lies a buried metal box. Now what kind of treasure might it hold? when shaken nothing rattles, not like coins or jewels. Nope, when it's opened all that is revealed is a small journal and a couple of loose pages. None of it makes any sense. The journal seems to be daily notations of tides and weather, one loose page is a map that seems to be Nag's Head during the period of the Civil War and the other page is a jumble of numbers that don't make a lick of sense. However, it sure is enough to get most of the town all hot and bothered with rumors of a map and buried treasure. Everybody wants a piece of the action, everybody wants a look see and some are more determined than others to get there first.
The library is also Lucy's home - she lives on the fourth floor in a cozy apartment with the resident cat, Charles. The evening of the discovery, with the box and contents safely locked in Bertie's desk drawer, Lucy and Connor go out for dinner and return to find somebody didn't want to wait to see the map. The door has been broken in and Bertie's office is a shambles. If that wasn't enough to scare Lucy, the body of one of the people most eager to examine the book and map is found dead on the floor. as this is Lucy's home and she is also one of the librarians, no way will she be able to keep her distance from this criminal act. When Detective Sam Watson needs to interview a possible suspect and hasn't got a female police officer to accompany him, he asks Lucy to join him. It also helps that she know the suspect. One thing leads to another ad Lucy is very much involved in finding the killer.
This series is one of my must reads and it always gives me a well crafted mystery with characters I enjoy spending time with. As for reading order, I prefer to read series in order but this one can be read as a stand alone if you are new to the series.

I've read two of the books in this series, both in random order, and I love the stories. In fact, I went back and bought all of the books in the series that I hadn't read!

The mystery keeps your attention and will grab you from the beginning. I love Lucy and Conner and some of the secondary characters. And, of course, as with any community, there are people who will get on your last nerve.

Between the murder mystery and the intrigue of the map and diary found buried in the ground next to the lighthouse, you will be flipping the pages quickly.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I can't wait to read the rest of the books and any future ones in this series.

READ AND BURIED by Eva Gates is the sixth book in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series. This book (and series) has it all: terrific characters; location, location, location; a clever murder mystery; intriguing sub-plots. I love how the author pulls it all together into one entertaining read that kept me glued to the pages. She manages to make each scene come alive so the reader feels like they’re right there experiencing the excitement, the humid summer heat, the fear. Ms. Gates (aka Vicki Delany) is an expert storyteller and knows how to write a fast-paced plot that captures the reader’s attention from the very beginning. I’m looking forward to seeing more releases in this delightful series!

The lighthouse is under repair from the large cracks which showed up in book #5. As the work goes on, a box is discovered. When opened in the library, it has a diary and 2 loose pages, a map and what appears to be an encoded message. Before anyone has time to figure out the message, the pages are stolen and and a dead body is found in the library.

Fortunately, Lucy snapped pictures of the missing pages and the job of solving the puzzle begins. Although Lucy tries to stay out of solving the murder, she becomes involved.

I really enjoyed this book. I love the characters and the library.

The characters in this series really do feel like old friends to me at this point. I love the consistency of their characters, and it’s a pleasure to see each of them again, even Lucy’s nemesis Louise Jane.

This time around, Lucy finds a box containing a map and a page of code while digging is being done to repair the lighthouse foundation. Soon after, a member of the historical society turns up dead, and Lucy finds herself pulled into another murder investigation.

Read and Buried has a wonderful plot – the code adds one more layer of mystery to the story, and it was great fun trying to figure it out along with Lucy. Now I just have to wait for the next book in the series…

Read and Buried
(Lighthouse Library Mystery #6)
by Eva Gates

Kindle Edition
Published October 15th 2019 by Crooked Lane Books





Goodreads synopsis:
Librarian Lucy Richardson unearths a mysterious map dating back to the Civil War. But if she can't crack its code, she may end up read and buried.

The Bodie Island Lighthouse Library Classic Novel Book Club is reading Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne while workers dig into the earth to repair the Lighthouse Library's foundations. The digging halts when Lucy pulls a battered tin box containing a Civil War-era diary from the pit. Tucked inside is a hand-drawn map of the Outer Banks accompanied by a page written in an indecipherable code.

The library is overrun by people clamoring to see the artifact. Later that night, Lucy and Connor McNeil find the body of historical society member Jeremy Hughes inside the library. Clearly Jeremy was not the only one who broke into the library--the map and the coded page are missing.

Lucy's nemesis, Louise Jane McKaughnan, confesses to entering the library after closing to sneak a peek but denies seeing Jeremy--or his killer. When Lucy discovers that fellow-librarian Charlene had a past with Jeremy, she's forced to do what she vowed not to do--get involved in the case. Meanwhile, the entire library staff and community become obsessed with trying to decode the page. But when the library has a second break in, it becomes clear that someone is determined to solve that code.



***

4.5 Stars

This is the sixth book in the Lighthouse Library series by Eva Gates.

This was a fun book with a complex mystery and quirky characters. The entire code-breaking scenario was wonderful and had me on the edge of my seat. I was biting my fingernails wondering if they would ever find a clue to the substitution cipher. This book had all the bells and whistles that made a compelling mystery that keeps you interested from the beginning to the end.

When a Civil War era diary is found on the library grounds, you know it only a matter of time before someone gets a bit too greedy and wants what they think is a map to buried treasure. The searching was the most interesting part of this as the team got together to find clues. I enjoyed the whole black history aspect to this puzzle and getting the family some well deserved notice after a hundred years of being overlooked.

I have to confess that I will be pushing a lot of the previous books in this series up in my TBR pile because I want to complete all the books I haven’t read yet.

This has me intrigued and wanting more. Loving this mystery lighthouse library series!

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.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Repairs are underway at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library and a surprising discovery is made. A notebook, with a loose page of mysterious code and a map that had been buried underground for years. To find its value the code needs to be cracked and it isn’t easy. Many try and many fail. Correlations are drawn between the notebook and the book the library’s Classics Book Club is now reading, Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne.

Everyone seems to want to take a gander and the find, but Jeremy Hughes, the newest historical society member, breaks in to accomplish the deed. Sadly, someone else either accompanied him or had the same idea and absconded with the page of code and the map and left behind a very dead Jeremy Hughes. Librarian Lucy Richardson finds out her nemesis Louise Jane McKaughnan and her co-worker Charlene could both be involved. After a second break-in, Lucy knows it is imperative to solve the code. She also knows all the suspects will be at an event on the library grounds. Can she find the key and catch the killer before she is the next thing buried by the lighthouse?

I love this series! Readers need to stretch their imaginations to fit all the wonderful goodness in under the Bodie Lighthouse roof but it is soooooo worth it. From Bertie’s office to Lucy’s Aerie apartment on the 4th floor and everything in between the Lighthouse Library is a fantastic place. The author describes everything so well you will feel like a butterfly on Lucy’s shoulder taking in each and every step she takes.

This time Lucy tries to stay out of the investigation but an indecipherable code and a request from Detective Sam Watson pulls her right in. Twists, turns, a spur of the moment seance and a fair bit of mayhem take place all on the road to crack a code and catch a killer. The author takes her characters on one heck of a journey. The ending was unexpected and exciting. She throws in the perfect amount of humor and romance along with daily life details to check all the cozy boxes. Ms. Gates is a marvelous storyteller.

I really liked the whole code theme. I wished I had had a copy so I could take a crack at it myself. It added an interesting element that brought several characters together in their efforts to crack that code.

I love this series for many reasons. The characters are unique, diverse and realistic. The setting is one of my favorites of all the cozy mysteries I have read. And most of all, Eva Gates always gives her readers a top-notch mystery, that we ache to solve before Lucy but rarely do. Read and Buried is an excellent addition to this series. I enjoyed every single page! I highly recommend for all cozy mystery lovers.

Note: This book can be read on its own but for maximum enjoyment, you should read them all in order.

I absolutely adored this book! Even though this is a cozy mystery that is part of a series, it can definitely be read as a stand alone.

The story is set around a library that is located in a lighthouse at Nag's Head on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The lighthouse is having some exterior work done on the foundation and an old box is found buried. Inside the box is a diary that appears to belong to a fisherman's wife along with a note and a map. The note is written in code and the made looks like a rough drawing of Nag's Head. Individuals from the historical society, the library board and near by college all try to get their hands on the book and additional pages but one of them ends up dead trying. It seems that the killer also made off with the code and map, but left the book behind.

I loved that the book had so much more than just the main story to offer. There was some historical fiction, a little romance and a mystery in the mystery (deciphering the code).

Even though I have never read the other books in this series, I am hooked. I definitely be picking up the other books!

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me to read and review Read and Buried.

Read and Buried is the sixth entry in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series and I really enjoyed returning to Lucy Richardson's world as she uncovered another mystery yet again. I really think the setting is part of the appeal for me with this series as a library situated in a lighthouse whose main character lives on the fourth floor of said lighthouse sends shivers down my back as to the possibilities of murder, secrets, and mayhem that can ensue in such a setting.

I really enjoy Lucy as a main character as she is curious without being reckless and if she just happens to discover information that is relevant to whatever murder is currently being solves, well...it just happens to be coincidence if she decides to investigate a little further than she should. What I do like however, is her healthy respect for the law and how she divulges everything to the police when she does discover something she thinks is useful. I also like how the police treat her with respect while, at the same time, keep her at a distance while they are investigating. A few snide remarks from the police chief had me laughing out loud wishing I could picture Lucy's face during those moments having she was put back in her place and her role as librarian and not detective. I also really like the secondary characters and their interactions in such a small town, especially with how they treat 'outsiders' and the small jokes and history they share. And I really liked Louise Jane in this one, especially her actions towards the end. Interesting times! I can definitely see her playing a larger role in future books.

The plot was interesting and definitely piqued my curiosity right away. Gosh, as a kid I lived for books about treasure maps and codes and this one seemed to have both plus a mystery. Although it was quite easy to figure out how it would all play out in the end, it was definitely entertaining to read as the characters all fell over themselves trying to solve the clues and discover who did the deed. I have to say, this series continues to entertain and impress me. The author's writing style has a way of drawing you in and although I had figured out the ending, I did read with bated breath as the characters searched for a missing treasure. What fun!

Read and Buried is another fun entry into a really great series. While it can be read as a stand alone, I do recommend you start from the beginning just to get a feel for the characters and the setting. Some of the animosity might be more apparent if you have read the previous entries as well. With quirky characters and a lovely setting, I highly recommend this book. In fact, I want to move there and live in that lighthouse. What a perfect setting!!

This is a perfect series for me! Lucy works in a library and lives on the 4th floor of a historic lighthouse on the ocean with a gorgeous, protective cat, nearby family, and friends. I can almost feel the warm ocean lapping around my feet, so well is it written! Major, required structural repairs are underway on the Bodie Island Lighthouse, and a mystery is unearthed that has been literally under their feet for nearly 150 years.

The contractors working on the lighthouse find a tin box buried deep at the lighthouse base. It contains an unusual diary of Mrs. Jeremiah Crawbingham that began in 1858. Tucked in the pages are a hand-drawn map and a sheet of letters that look like a coded message. Those who dream big think it is a treasure map and whoever breaks the code and map will be wealthy. Others wonder if it contains secrets from Civil War battles. Most agree there may be historical value, even if not monetary.

Within hours, the library is full of people trying to convince Bertie, Director of the Lighthouse Library, who should be allowed to take and authenticate the journal, including the board of the Historical Society, library board members, and professors of North Carolina history from Blacklock College. Bertie determines that for the time being, since the library belongs to Nag’s Head, it belongs to the town, so she locks up the diary. Members of the Historical Society can return when the library opens the next morning to view it.

Lucy, the assistant librarian, has a dinner date with Connor, the mayor. They return to the library after a heavy thunderstorm rocked the island and find a car parked outside and the door to the library open, the lock smashed. At first it doesn’t look as if anything is disturbed. Lucy panics, looking for Charles, the handsome cat who shares the library and her life. She follows his cry to the closed door of Bertie’s office, and is horrified to see the office has been trashed, and Jeremy, new head of the Historical Society, dead on the floor. The drawer to Bertie’s desk has been broken into, the tin box holding the diary open. The map and the coded paper that were on top when Bertie locked it up are both missing.

I have loved this series from the beginning, each novel better than the preceding. The characters are fresh and exciting; the mysteries are finely plotted and executed and a challenge to solve. The eccentric characters seem to stand out more because it is a small town; most are endearing in their own way. This is a complex mystery, including Jeremy’s murder and the origins and secrets behind the diary, code, and map. Lucy is determined to not get involved in another murder, yet people still try to involve her. There are several good suspects, as Jeremy was not well-liked except by the woman in the Historical Society who he promised a future together. At least until his wife finds out. Then there is Lucy’s nemesis, Louise Jane, who is the first police suspect due to the tire tracks of her van in the mud at the library. If only Charles could talk and tell them whodunit! I could not figure out who or why until only minutes before Lucy did, and oh, are there surprises at the end! I highly recommend this to those who love well-written cozy mysteries, libraries, lighthouses, and cats!

From a thankful heart: I received a digital copy of this from the publisher and NetGalley; a review was not required.

The historical detail brought this one to life. Eva Gates does a great job of setting the scenes and providing the reader with hours or cozy enjoyment.
The Lighthouse Library series is quickly becoming another one of my favorite series.
The characters are fun and engaging especially the main character Lucy and her cat Charles who live in an apartment above the library. Charles is the library cat that oversees things and has an ability to size people up.
The rest of the cast is funny, annoying (to Lucy) and help keep things light while Lucy tries to solve the mystery(s).

The Lighthouse Mystery Series is fun and I have enjoyed each one I've read.

I received a complimentary copy.

Love these characters and the story line. Who wouldn’t love to work and live in a lighthouse? This is such a neat place for a library. I would love it if our libraries had a Charles. Some of these characters are a hoot! Others, not so much, but they certainly add to the entertainment of the story. I enjoyed reading this book and hanging out with Lucy, Conner, Bertie, Sam, Louise Jane and the rest of the crew. There is never a dull day at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

“Don’t worry. I promise to stay completely out of it this time.” are the last words spoken by Assistant Librarian Lucy in Read and Buried before she gets involved up to her neck in the mystery and murder.

The Bodie Island Lighthouse Library is being renovated to shore up its crumbling foundation. Workmen find an old tin box buried under the lighthouse. In it is an old, but unimportant, fishwife’s diary. Hidden within the diary’s pages is a map and a coded legend to decipher the map. Before anyone can solve the puzzle, a break-in occurs, the map and legend are stolen, and someone is killed in the library.

In Read and Buried, there are two mysteries. Who killed the victim and why? Plus where or to what does the coded map lead? Is there a connection between the library’s book club book, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and the coded map?

I love the Lighthouse Library mysteries. The characters are like friends and family now. I read each book to catch up on their lives. The mysteries in this book were especially challenging. There were many red herrings in plain sight but the real perpetrator can be found with enough investigative skill. Overall, an excellent addition to an excellent series. I’m already looking forward to the next one. 5 stars!

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review. Stay tuned for a guest post tomorrow on my blog from Lucy from this series. See what she really things of her job!

For many readers of this series, I am sure that this book is a fun visit to a bunch of old friends. For me, it was the first book in the series that I have read. It was easy to read stand-alone but, by the end of it, I purchased the first book in the series, so I can read through them all in order.

Lucy Richardson is a librarian at the Lighthouse Library in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The historic lighthouse has developed series issues and is being fixed. During the excavation of the ground around the Lighthouse, a old tin is discovered. What is discovered in the tin sets in motion this whodunnit.

Lucy and her boyfriend, Connor (who just happens to be mayor) come across the body of an annoying member of the historical society. Unfortunately, that body is located in the business office of the Lighthouse and is deemed a murder.

While the police, Lucy, Connor and a cast of most of the individuals in the town, are busy trying to solve the crime, another break-in occurs at the Library. It starts to look like the contents of that tin may be worth a lot more than they appear to be.

I enjoyed the plot, the dialog, the characters and, especially, the cat. The ending of the book, along with the Settler’s Day festival had me rolling in laughter. I am looking forward to reading more in this series.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

Read And Buried is the sixth book in the A Lighthouse Library Mystery series.

Repairs are progressing on the repairs to the lighthouse and even the children have their construction site so they can learn that anyone can work in construction. Repairs come to halt when an old tin box is found by the construction workers who turn it over to Lucy and Bertie. There is a meeting with the local historical society regarding the upcoming Settler’s Day program. When the box is opened all it contains is a diary that someone has recorded weather daily weather reports, an unidentified may and a paper that has most likely been written in some kind of code. Everyone wants to examine the find but puts them off until the next morning. Later that evening Lucy finds that someone has broken into the library and the map and the note have been stolen and the body of Jeremiah a member of the historical society and provided most of the funds for Settlers Day. Fortunately, Lucy had taken pictures of the map and note. Before long the rumors begin that the map is a treasure map.

Lucy with the help of the library staff set out to try and break the code of the note, hoping that it will also help identify the map and who might have written them. Lucy soon finds that there many suspects who might have wanted Jeremiah dead.

I always enjoy visiting the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library and this book was no exception. The story is well-written and moves at a steady pace. There are plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing till the end. The book also has a cast of interesting and believable characters.

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

I had said I was NOT going to read anymore of this series - I was just not happy with the characters and how the stories went etc etc and then the author left the last book in such a way, that I knew I would have to read the new one when it [if it did] came out. Turns out, I am actually glad I did.
I can barely believe it, but I think the author has hit her stride with this series finally and they are actually not painful to read and it was both a very good story AND a very good mystery!! I read another series by her [as Vicki Delaney] and I adore that one. The writing, the characters, everything about them is just fantastic. These, not so much. But this one has made me think she is listening to the fans that have stuck around and is really trying to flesh everything out in such a way that the story is now really good, and this mystery? I seriously never saw that one coming. And the end was just fantastic. There was some great references to history as well. NOW, if we could only get rid of Louise Jane [WHAT a infuriating character], the book would be perfect. ;-)

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.