This is the first book in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery that I have read, and seeing as this is book four in the series it was more than easily read as a stand alone, though to get a better feel for the characters it will be good to start from the beginning

Amy is the director of the Blue Ridge Library and as it would seem a great researcher and sleuth on the side. When a body is discovered at Vista View farm where her friend Sunny's grandparents live, it appears the past is coming back to haunt them, so Sunny and her grandparents enlist Amy's help. PJ and Carol used to run Vista View as a commune back in the 60/70's when it was a time of free love, drugs and hippies, and Amy's research leads to quite a few potential suspects.

Bound For Murder was a great clean cozy mystery with wonderful characters, it was also filled a few twists and turn to throw you off and keep you reading. 

4 stars

Prior to reading this book provided to me by NetGalley, I decided to read the first three books in the series and I'm really glad I did. I got to meet new characters in each book and watch them grow and see the town's people and how they interacted and so forth.

This series takes place in Taylorsford, Virginia, where Amy Webber is a librarian. She and Richard Muir have developed a love interest over the development of the series. In addition to that, they keep somehow stumbling across murder cases by finding dead bodies or bones.

This book is centered around missing persons, one of whom is an African American. The mystery is whether this man simply left, if he might have been killed, or something else happened to him. It seems that most everyone knew of this man and everyone has their own opinion as to what happened to him. As Amy investigates, things get kind of crazy as she discovers some unknown things about many of the townspeople.

I loved how the characters grow, interact with each other, and you get the feel of a small town where everyone knows everyone else. I thoroughly enjoyed this series and this book. I'm glad I discovered a new to me author and I'll definitely read her again..

When Amy, a library director, is asked to help research yet another murder, she finds herself in the middle of a mystery that started at a nearby commune in the 1970's. This is the first book I've read in the Blue Ridge Mystery Series and I loved it. The characters are genuine and the plot had enough twist and turns to make the book difficult to put down. Consequently, I read it in a day and enjoyed it immensely.
I received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and I'm happy to have had this opportunity. Now I'll look for other books in this series.

BOUND FOR MURDER by Victoria Gilbert
The Fourth Blue Ridge Library Mystery

Sunny's grandparents are always mellow and full of light and love, after all, they ran a commune on what's now their now organic farm in the 1960s. But the county dredging up the creekbed adjoining their farm has them getting upset. The noise and possible destruction of trees is nothing compared to what the workers discover- a human skeleton. Everyone is quick to blame the grands, especially when the remains turn out to be those of a former commune member. Librarian Amy Webber agrees to give former commune members a heads up that a visit from law enforcement officials could be imminent while also assisting the Sheriff with some research. However, when a former commune member is shot and Amy is warned to stay away from the investigation, she decides to simply be more discrete. Will her research uncover the truth before she's put out of circulation?

The danger of old secrets coming to light is the crux of this fourth Blue Ridge Library Mystery. Blame, regret, and shame can fester. Things thought left far behind can reappear and wreak havoc on the life you've made, opening up old wounds and causing new hurts.

I truly enjoy a novel where an old crime is the heart of the mystery. I appreciate when most of the suspects are of a certain age. Old timers can be just as dangerous as the youth, and Kurt is a prime example of that.

Relationships continue to play a major role here. Amy and Richard hit their stride while planning a wedding with"help" from almost everyone-from strangers to family. How they deal with Richard's mother and two mischievous scene stealers is stellar! Then there are the relationships between friends, couples, and family, all providing even more meat to the story.

An intricately plotted mystery with lots of red herrings and subtle clues, BOUND FOR MURDER shows that past decisions can not only impact you, but those around you. Who knew research could get you into so much trouble?

Thank you to #NetGalley and #CrookedLanebooks for the free Advanced Reader Copy. I thoroughly enjoyed the fourth entry of Victoria Gildbert's Blue Ridge Library Mysteries. In this one, Amy Webber helps her friend Sunny and Sunny's grandparents find a killer. It is all connected with Sunny grandparents' commune which they owned in the 60s.
I liked the references of how a reference librarian does research. I found it interesting to have many suspects who were in the 60s and 70s. I definitely recommend this series to people who like cozy mysteries. It is well written. I did not immediately figure out who the bad guy was.
Victoria Gilbert also describes the antics of cats to a T. I am not the biggest fan of cats but I smiled at the cats in the book.
If I could give half stars on Goodreads, I would give this 4.5 stars.

Bound for Murder by Victoria Gilbert is a tale of forgotten deeds and how that affects the present.

Will Amy find the murder before she's next?

Amy Webber
Amy is our main character, sleuth, and point of view, all wrapped up in researching librarian, fiancee, and friend to many. This time Amy didn't find a body, but it seems she may have connected with a spirit or just her mind knew what to look for. Amy is quite a busy person, but she finds time for sleuthing.

Things that I like about Amy is that she gives her friends the benefit of the doubt even when she feels that they are holding something back. She tries hard to keep her word, and she loves cats. I didn't find anything about Amy to dislike.

The Mystery
Our mysteries were a cold case or two, and those have moved into the current day with people being killed to silence them. The mystery was well-plotted, with clues set up to find the culprit. But I got stuck on a red herring and didn't see the real villain until the unmasking. I love it when that happens, as I am surprised like everyone else.

Four Stars for Bound for Murder by Victoria Gilbert
Bound for Murder by Victoria Gilbert is an excellent story with a couple of murders that keep you guessing. Therefore I am giving it a rating of four stars. I recommend this mystery to all the cozy readers out there.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. 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 Bound for Murder by Victoria Gilbert.

This Guest Review is for Baroness' Book Trove.

Until the next time,
~Jen

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

Bound for Murder is book four in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series by Victoria Gilbert. I have read all in the series and number four could be read as a stand alone with very little problem.
Amy, our protagonist, and Sunny are best friends and co-workers at the library. When remains are uncovered on Sunny's grandparents farm the suspicion falls on the grandparents. Now Sunny has her hands full since she is running for mayor. Amy feels that they couldn't have done it and jumps into investigating on her own. so Sunny can focus on the mayoral race. Then when a second murder happens in town with the victim also having ties to the farm, Amy delves deeper into the investigation and finds plenty of suspects.
Throw in planning her wedding, playing match maker for Sunny with a reporter in town investigating the murders, and celebrating her future mother in laws birthday you get one stressed Amy .
This easy to read cozy has it all, great writing, characters, setting, and a couple playful kittens. There is romance, love of family, plenty of twists and turns, and humor.
I was given an ARC by NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an honest review.

I just couldn’t get into this one. The main characters are kind of dull and the mystery felt all over the place. It didn’t really feel like it tied together. Others may enjoy this series but I think maybe this one isn’t for me. The covers of the books in this series are always georgeous though! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Bound for Murder is a cozy mystery set in Taylorsford, Virginia, a bucolic town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Victoria Gilbert grew up on the Blue Ridge and—like her heroine, Amy Webber—is a professional librarian. The lively and quaint coexist in Gilbert’s fictional town that’s “dominated by elegant turn-of-the-century Victorians.”

On this September day, the air was heavy with the spicy fragrance of late-season flowers, blooming profusely as if staking a valiant stand against the coming frost. I gazed up into the canopy of trees that lined the sidewalks. As it was still so early, autumnal color barely tinged the tips of the green foliage.

Reality, in the form of a toe stubbed on crumbling concrete, intrudes. Taylorsford’s mayor, Bob Blackstone, has long promised to lay down brick pavers but has nothing to show after 10 years in office. Sunny Fields, Amy’s best friend and coworker, is running for mayor, and Amy vows she’ll do more to aid Sunny’s campaign.

Amy is engaged to dancer and choreographer Richard, who admires Amy’s penchant for solving local mysteries. As her fiancé (and next-door neighbor), however, he worries about her—even if her most pressing problem lately is well-wishers descending on her at the library.

There are two times in a woman’s life when complete strangers think it’s appropriate to offer unsolicited advice—when she’s obviously pregnant, and when they discover she’s planning a wedding.

She’s happy to be rescued by wealthy local artist Kurt Kendrick, an “art dealer and collector” who asks Amy “for something on Caravaggio.” It’s a ruse; Kurt is looking for Sunshine (Sunny) Fields so he can contribute to her campaign. Amy says Sunny’s helping Carol and P.J. Fields, her grandparents. Does Kurt know them?

Kurt looked away, although not before I noticed his lashes lower to shadow his bright-blue eyes. “Of course, although we’re not personally acquainted. But I’m aware that they run an organic farm outside of town. My chef often buys fresh fruits and vegetables from them. The farm has a picturesque name, as I recall.”



“Vista View. It’s been in P.J.’s family for generations and, unlike most land around here, has been continually farmed.”

When a character looks away during an innocuous conversation, take note. Vista View hasn’t always been an organic farm; back in the 1960s, “Sunny’s grandparents ran a commune” there. So what? Lots of respectable citizens were part of the counter-culture back in the day. Think of Forrest Gump. But distressingly, county bulldozers—engaged to clean up the farm’s creek and adjacent watershed—discover a skeleton at Vista View. Bad news for the Fields family and their granddaughter’s mayoral campaign.

But these former hippies face criminal charges when human remains are found in their fields—and a forensic examination reveals that the death was neither natural nor accidental.

Sunny needs Amy’s research skills to figure out who died and whodunit. Is there a benign explanation? Maybe Vista View “was once the site of a Native American settlement, or part of some long-abandoned homestead.” Also, Amy is glad to put her wedding plans temporarily on hold because Richard’s conservative mother, who knows just how her son’s wedding should unfold, is driving her a little crazy.

Amy reviews the missing-persons cases over the years. Could it be the body of budding musician and hippy Jeremy Adams, reputed to have “left for LA” decades ago and never heard from again? As Amy sifts through old photographs, wearing white cotton archival gloves, she thinks about the task ahead.

Sure, it would be like sifting through all the sand on a beach to find a tiny diamond. But that was often the case with research—hours, days, or even months invested in digging through information just to discover one essential gem.

After the police identify Jeremy Adams as the dead body, Amy wonders what precipitated his murder. She leaves the archives to track down former residents of the commune, like Ruth Lee. Ruth is the proprietor of a “consignment and antique shop.” Its dark interior is jammed with “display cases” that “boasted glass so cloudy it was impossible to tell what was inside.” Amy tells the elderly, grey-haired owner that she has a message from the Fields. Ruth had once lived on the commune, but she averts her face from Amy’s “inquisitive gaze,” while telling her she has nothing to hide.

“It’s just that Carol and P.J. thought you should be warned about the authorities looking into the matter. They wanted to give you a heads-up.” I circled around the display case to stand beside her.

Ruth is unimpressed that the Fields are worried on her behalf. “Yes, yes. The ultimate do-gooders, bless their hearts.” Even Northerners know that’s a putdown, but the Fields are right to be concerned. Ruth Lee is murdered—someone is coming after the former hippies. Could it possibly have been a drug deal gone wrong?

Victoria Gilbert unfolds the tale skillfully, sprinkling the plot with red herrings and misleading pathways. It’s not obvious why Jeremy Adam’s unfortunate death has stirred such an unholy hornet’s nest decades later. Amy is told many a contradictory tale.

After dealing with a few other criminals, I had learned not to trust everything people told me, no matter how innocent they might appear on the surface.

Her fiancé hopes Amy doesn’t provoke “a possible murderer” into violence as she unravels the mystery of Jeremy’s long-ago death. Bound for Murder is a clever cozy with some spikey edges. What’s next for our intrepid librarian?

Bound for Murder: A Blue Ridge Library Mystery
By Victoria Gilbert
Crooked Lane
January 2020

Review by Cynthia Chow

It’s turning out to be a busy end of the summer for the town of Taylorsford, Virginia. Their county fair full of cooking competitions is being held at the end of the month, library director Amy Webber is planning her upcoming wedding, and Amy’s BFF library assistant Sunny Fields has tossed her hat into the ring in the race for mayor. What threatens to derail all of these events is the discovery of decades-old bones found on the Vista View farm, owned by Sunny’s genial grandparents. During the 1960s Carol and P.J. Fields established a commune on their property, and now it seems as though one of their members may never have left that era of peace and free love. Utilizing the research skills that are Amy’s superpowers, she discovers that musician Jeremy Adams went missing in 1964, leaving his family with the belief that he had left town only to become an eventual victim of Los Angeles’s drug epidemic. Amy discovers that it is far more likely that Jeremy met a dire fate in Taylorsford, and that one of his less congenial communal neighbors was responsible for it.

As the current mayor enthusiastically spreads rumors implicating Sunny’s grandparents, pressure mounts to have the Fields arrested for the crime. Determined to prove them innocent and ensure that Sunny’s bid for mayor isn’t sabotaged, Amy delves into the era of hippies and flower children. A planned library event by a famous author who sprouted out of Andy Warhol’s infamous Factory not only adds to the nostalgic atmosphere, it brings possible clues to help Amy unravel a multitude of crimes. This becomes instrumental when the senior Fields ask for Amy’s help in tracking down their former commune residents, ostensibly to warn them about the official investigation that may stir up their former less-than-legal activities. Amy can’t help but be a little suspicious about their motives, especially when Amy receives a warning letter, threatening graffiti is carved into a library table, and seemingly accidental gunshots go off in the woods a little too close for comfort. Dealing with busybody suggestions for her wedding, even those from her socialite future mother-in-law, are almost welcome distractions for the stubborn library director.

It’s impossible to resist a mystery dedicated to librarians, archivists, and library assistants. In this fourth of the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series, Amy has settled in with yummy choreographer and professional dancer Richard Muir and seems intent on matching up Amy with a visiting investigative reporter. Amy’s Aunt Lydia is herself in a very happy relationship with Hugh Chen, allowing her to focus on creating the winning entry in the county fair’s pie-baking contest. These are all fun ingredients to an enjoyable cozy, library-centric novel, but it is the investigation into the past that propels the action and has Amy and her friends questioning suspects and stirring up the darker side of communal living. Amy’s friends and family coming together to both solve the crime and ensure her future happiness delivers the satisfying moments that make this series so rewarding, especially when it builds upon relationships that have been developed throughout the novels. That it celebrates librarians and libraries only makes it all the more special and catnip to book readers looking for their next literary-theme read.

Taylorsford Public Library director Amy Webber's best friend Sunny Fields is running for mayor but a skeleton from her family's closet may derail her chances. Sunny's grandparents, Carol and P.J., ran a commune in the 1960s on their organic farm. It's a shock when human remains are found on the property. Amy uses her research skills to help chief deputy Brad Tucker to identify missing persons from the 1960s. The victim is identified as Jeremy Adams, a talented black musician who abruptly left the commune one summer. Any of the former commune members or some drug dealers could have killed Jeremy. As a favor to the Fields, Amy goes to question the former hippies and they start dying. Then Amy gets a note and other threats to stop snooping but she is determined to help the Fields find the truth no matter what.

The identity of the killer was a surprise for me but this story was a bit off for me.

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.

This is the fourth book in the Blue Ridge Library series. Although I had no trouble following along, I would have understood more of the character dynamics had I started at book one. I liked getting a peak at a librarian's job as well as the research Amy does for the police. She's clever and naturally curious but not pushy or reckless. The characters are all interesting and the descriptions and pacing are well done. I think the mayoral race was a little superficial, only used as a vehicle for gossip and rumors, with no mention of actual issues a small town would have.

I received an advance copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley and this is my honest review.

Bound for Murder is the fourth book in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series. I’ve read them all and they just keep getting better. Maybe it is because the characters feel like old friends.

Amy and Richard make a great couple. I’m glad that Amy has gotten over her self-esteem issues from some of the prior books. They are now engaged. Everyone in the town is giving Amy suggestions for where to hold both the wedding and the reception. Hasn’t ever small town bride been through that? However, Richard’s “high-class” mother, Fiona, is the worst offender. Nothing in town is good enough for her.

Sunny is running for mayor in Taylorsford trying to replace the corrupt mayor. When an old skeleton from her grandparents’ hippie days is discovered, Amy tries to help her best friend’s family so it won’t impact Sunny’s political run. In the meantime, the Chief Deputy Sheriff has asked Amy to research who the skeleton is. What amateur detective doesn’t set off at a dead run when they hear that? However, Amy has conflicting loyalties between keeping things on the down-low for the Sheriff’s office and for her best friend’s family.

If you love cozy mysteries as much as I do, you probably love them mostly for the warm interrelationships between the characters. Bound for Murder has that in abundance. The mystery is challenging too with a whole creel of red herrings muddying the waters. This book (and really the entire series) is recommended for cozy readers that want to leave their own life and live someone else’s for a few hours. 4 stars!

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

Loved this story and very much enjoyed being with Amy, Richard, Aunt Lydia, Sunny and friends and the not so friendly folks. I’ve always thought it would be great to work in a library. I did get to help in my high school library. My, how times have changed. Amy is in a good place to do her research, which is very helpful in her search for justice. I really loved the characters and the storyline. You may be in for a surprise or two, as I was. I can’t wait to see how Fiona reacts to the wedding plans. Guess I’ll have to wait till the next book to see how that plays out. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

I really enjoyed this addition to this fun series!

When a skeleton turns up on her best friend Sunny's grandparents' farm, Amy Webber is determined to find out what happened. She is determined to make sure that her friends are not implicated in what might turn out to be a murder.

The more I read of this series, the more I enjoy all of the characters. I love following Amy as she learns more and more about the history of her town and her family. I really enjoyed the mystery in this book. It kept my interest and kept me guessing. The development and continuation just gets better with every book! I was completely surprised by the ending of this book and I loved that! Can't wait to see what comes next from Victoria Gilbert!

*eARC provided in exchange for an honest review*

Bound for Murder is the forth Blue Ridge Library Mystery by Victoria Gilbert. It is currently scheduled for release on January 7 2020. I do recommend reading the series in order, mainly for the personalities and relationships. However, I think a dedicated reader could catch up fairly quickly.

Taylorsford Public Library director Amy Webber's friend "Sunny" Fields is running for mayor. But nothing puts a damper on a campaign like an actual skeleton in a candidate's closet. Sunny's grandparents ran a commune back in the 1960s on their organic farm. But these former hippies face criminal charges when human remains are found in their fields--and a forensic examination reveals that the death was neither natural nor accidental. With Sunny's mayoral hopes fading, Amy sets her wedding plans aside, says "not yet" to the dress, and uses her research skills to clear her best friend's family. Any of the now-elderly commune members could have been the culprit. As former hippies perish one by one, Amy and her friends Richard, Aunt Lydia, and Hugh Chen pursue every lead. But if Amy can't find whoever killed these "flower children," someone may soon be placing flowers on her grave.

Bound for Murder is a well written mystery with a good balance of character growth and sleuthing. I like that Amy is still growing and evolving- and getting more safety savvy as she researches and questions people. Her taking the precaution of having her keys or phone ready when in less than comfortable situations showed some real growth after the dangers she had faced in past books. I enjoyed following the clues with her, even the side avenues the information took her down. I enjoyed just how interconnected the community is, and how the clues took Amy and readers along a twisted path through the past. I liked that I learned some interesting details, not all relevant to the mystery, as Amy was researching, and I felt like it gave me a much better understanding of the big picture than I usually get in cozy mysteries. I will say that the culprit was not who I expected, but was tied into their story, which made everything so much more interesting as the danger and clues piled up towards the end of the book. I am looking forward to seeing this story continue, and will certainly keep reading this series.

Bound for Murder is a solid continuation of the series, with continued growth for the characters and a mystery that kept me guessing.

As the director of the town library, Amy’s research skills come in handy when having to go back into the 60s to unearth a story. One that could jeopardize her friend Sunny, whose running for mayor, as well as putting her grandparents on the top of the suspect list!

This is the fourth book in this series. Each book adds a new dimension to the story, the characters are well-developed and likeable. The plot is well-conceived, and easy to follow, with suspects turning up everywhere! The twists and turns will keep you guessing right until the end.

Once again, Ms. Gilbert does not disappoint with this series. An enjoyable read, a wonderful cozy, with wonderful characters! Starting with the first in the series is recommended, although, this can be read as a standalone Ms. Gilbert brings you up to speed quickly with the background stories, and the murders that happened in the past. I voluntarily received this book from NetGalley, and Crooked Lane Books.

Amy is a librarian in Taylorsford, Virginia in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Her best friend and co worker Sunny is running for Mayor but a skeleton has been found on her Grandparents farm which use to be a commune back in the ‘60’s. They ask Amy to contact members from the past. Once again Amy is sucked into a murder.
Since years ago I use to work at a Blue Ridge Library too these books bring back pleasant memories. This one is my favorite so far of the series. I can see this library clearly in my head.

Bound for Murder is book four work in the Blue Ridge Library mystery series.
Lies, politics, racism, murder and revenge! These are just a few of the subjects that Ms. Gilbert deftly weaves into a amazing murder mystery. A man went missing from a commune in the 60s or did he? Amy, Sunny and a host of Lydia’s friends set out to find the truth after a body is found at the local organic farm.

This book pulled me in from the beginning. I loved the pacing of the story and the authors simple but descriptive take on sensitive subjects including drug use and forgiveness versus revenge. How one well meant decision can derail or even end a life full of potential. A great addition to what has become a favorite series. I highly recommend this book.

Can be read as a stand-alone mystery but for ultimate relationship enjoyment, please read in order.

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

A very entertaining murder mystery in a small town where everyone seems to be hiding something.

When Amy goes to visit family and plan her wedding she was not planning on becoming a key piece to solve the puzzle of a murder. A body has been found in her friend's property. The body was buried there for years and now the past comes back to haunt all of them.

Amy takes into her own hands this investigation even though the police and her friends advise her to be careful. We follow Amy as she interviews people that knew the victim back in the day and follow the whole investigation which makes this book very enjoyable. I also love that we are uncovering and old case and mystery which is not always the case in this type of novels where the murders just happened in the present time.