Carrie, recently hired with her uncle’s help as program coordinator for the town library, has the reputation for solving murders, much to the dismay of her boyfriend, a private investigator. When there are two murders in quick succession, Carrie can’t resist trying to help. Aside from a few annoyances (I’d like to tell Carrie’s boyfriend that she is NOT a librarian. Could a mom really let her innocent son go to jail when she knew who’d committed the murder?) this book was an entertaining cozy mystery with both a cat and a library ghost. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

this is another good story in the series, her mother is in town with her step father who is in a movie being filmed in town. then one of the stares is killed but who and why, she promises to stay out of the case and leave it to the police, but does she, if you like who don its and suspense and romance you will enjoy reading the story i read it in a day

I felt that this started out a bit slowly but picked up the pace about a third of the way in. I like how Carrie and the other characters have grown from book to book. And the author always manages to bring in interesting secondary characters. But I would have liked Evelyn to have been more involved in the story.

I love all the books in the Haunted Library Mystery series. The author's writing style and different phrases that are used, it is really fun to read. The pages turn so fast that before I know it the book is finished. This was another interesting 'episode' in the main character's life. Getting to know her mother in this book helped one understand the main character even more. I look forward to the next in the series!

Carrie’s mother had a problem and it wasn’t just her desire to be younger, no, her younger husband was an integral part of her being the main suspect in his former fiancee’s death. Another time travel back to the past for clues leading to the present murder. I like the mix with the past it gives intrigue to the whole storyline. Carrie could not sit back and let the real murderer escape, she needed to find the culprit and fast. Very entertaining with the right amount of intrigue.

Carrie Singleton finds herself involved in a murder mystery again. In the 4th Haunted Library Mystery Series by Allison Brook Carrie tries to solve not one but three murders! Carrie is the head of programs and events at a library in Clover Ridge. Her friends and family want her to solve the recent murders.

Carrie relies on tips from Evelyn, the ghost of a former librarian that only Carrie and her cousin can see. The unlikely pair are friends. Evelyn pops up at the Library to consult with Carrie over the most recent murder. Evelyn urges Carrie to solve the murder and gives her clues to help aid Carries investigation. Carrie’s unusual source of tips and information is very helpful to her this time. As one murder Carrie had to solve happened a long time ago.

Carrie has recently met Daphne, a local psychic, through her job. Carrie is under a lot of stress and sees Daphne as a new friend/distraction and spends time with her. When Daphne is murdered Carrie is trying to stay out of it to make Dylan her boyfriend and friend Lieutenant John Mathers happy. They feel concern for Carries safety as when Carrie investigates a murder it puts her in danger. However, Carries personal trainer Billy, who is Daphnes long-lost brother who wants Carrie to solve the murder.

To add to the drama Carries estranged mother Brianne and stepfather Tom show up to film a movie. Tom is co-starring in a movie that is being filmed in Clover Ridge. Brianne has a penchant for being overly dramatic, and Carrie soon finds herself dragged into her mother's marital issues. Mainly issues caused by Tom’s ex-finance and current co-star Ilana Reingold. Ilana wants Tom back and her behavior makes Carries mother Breanne crazy. Poor Carrie has her hands full trying to solve three murders and babysit her mother.

Overall, I like the Haunted Library Mystery Series. I love themed cozies, and a haunted library is perfect. Believe it or not, the ghost of Evelyn is believable and is subtle. You will not find yourself immersed in a story about a ghost that makes it hard to suspend disbelief.

However, I felt Carrie was stretched too thin and had much to contend with, like having to solve three murders, handle her mother’s drama, and keep Evelyn and Smoky Joe (her cat) happy. Not to mention she is trying to spend time with her boyfriend Dylan.

My real problem was in a previous book we dealt with Carrie’s dad being involved with a murder. Another book where Carrie’s parent was involved in a murder Carrie must solve was a little too soon in the series. It was bad enough Carrie was dragged into the middle of Brianne and Tom’s marital woes.

I felt bad for Carrie because the killer was a nobody in terms of the story/series. It made the murder harder to solve for me as a reader. It made no sense. Despite the suspense of disbelief, this killer came from left field. I dislike coming out of a killer reveal thinking what just happened here? The killer did not feel right. Seriously. It made little sense. Once you read the book you will get it. So I rated Checked out for Murder by Allison Brook four out of five stars on Goodreads.

Although I felt there was too much going in Carries personal life and the killer made no sense, I still liked the Checked out for Murder. It was a welcome distraction, which is why I gave it a good rating.

I love a good cozy. I read book one and two in the series before I read this one. I don’t know if I like the main character. She seems to be wishy washy. Also, the “investigation” got going in about the last three chapters. I will probably read more just to see if Carrie ever changes.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is the 4th installment in the Haunted Library Mystery series. Carrie Singleton is in-charge of programs and events at Clover Ridge Library and she is approached by Daphne Marriott who claims she is a psychic and would like to do a presentation. Carrie had a cancellation and gets a good feeling from Daphne so she agrees to set this up. Evelyn the library ghost lets Carrie know that Daphne is from Clover Ridge and her last name is really Harper and her Dad was murdered 20 years ago and that her brother was sent to prison when in fact he did not do it. Carrie is also getting ready for her Mother (originally Linda but goes by Brianna now) and her husband Tom to come to town for a movie that is being filmed in Clover Ridge. Daphne’s presentation goes very well until her ex-husband shows up and spooks her. At the meet and greet with the actors from the film Carrie gets to sit at the same table as her Mother and the other lead actors. It is all going well, however, there is a lot of tension as Tom’s ex fiancé Ilana is now one of the leading ladies and is outrageously flirting with Tom and Brianna creates a big scene. Later Daphne’s ex shows up to threaten her. Daphne is found strangled in her apartment and a couple of days later Ilana is found killed. Carrie’s Mom is brought in as a suspect in Ilana’s death as she threatened her the day before she was killed. There is so much going on in this story with 2 current murders and one from 20 years ago. Carrie is convinced they are all related. This story kept me engaged and I stayed up late to finish. I really enjoyed it and did not know who the killer was and the twist at the end was great. I like how Carrie wants to help and also honor the wishes of Dylan and keep herself safe. Good group of secondary characters.

Allison Brook’s latest book in the A Haunted Library Mystery collection will remind you of the Nancy Drew novels by Edward Stratemeyer and others written by Agatha Christie, but the book leaves you wanting more. I found that I wasn’t captivated like I wished. Typically I breeze through murder mysteries and crime thrillers in a few hours but I couldn’t get into this one. Overall the story was good but certain lines and character traits seemed to be repeated throughout the book. Perhaps the writing was too tailored for a younger audience than I was originally expecting.

Beginning of a new series, the haunted library.
Carrie, comes town to visit her aunt and uncle and ends up staying for longer than planned.
While hosting an event at the library their speaker fell over dead.
With another staff member out to get her it's a good thing she has the Elenor the friendly ghost to help.
Enjoy

A movie, being shot in Carrie's hometown! Her mother's husband has a supporting role, which will bring them both to town. In the meantime a psychic sets up a library program for the patrons and finds many happy people there. Then the murders begin. Are there only locals involved, or could it be someone in the set? Carrie offers to help, but then realizes she needs to let the police do their own investigating. Who solves the crimes? Quick, fun read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane for the Advance Read copy of this book. Fun cozy mystery. Enjoyed it very much.

This series stays strong with this new installment. All the characters are interesting and this plot was very good. I was truly interested in what would happen next! Now I wait eagerly for the next book.

Brook has written another solid mystery in the 4th installment of the Haunted Library Mystery Series. Carrie's mom and her husband are in town for a movie he is filming. We have watched Carrie mend and grow her relationship with her long-absent father and solve several murders, but this visit may be her undoing.

Sure enough, the rocky relationship is rocked even further when two murders disrupt the movie production and end the life of Carrie's new friend. Our favorite characters are all here including Carrie's boyfriend Dylan, cat Smokey Joe, and library ghost Evelyn. It is a fun romp even if watching the mother-daughter duo can often be both infuriating and painful.

SPOILER ALERT:
There were a couple of odd surprises. First, the murder in the last book was both surprising and bold. The dearly deceased is never mentioned in this book. Something odd for Brook. It could be she did not want to spoil anything for those reading out of order, but a move like killing off a major protagonist seems like something to at least mention in later novels. They played such a big role in prior books it felt more like a slight rather than an oversight. Also, in the very last sentences of the third installment, Brook implies trouble ahead for our heroine and her hero. Luckily, it did not come to pass here but it does leave me worried for one of my favorite cozy mystery couples!

I read this book in the early days of the COVID-19 isolation. Returning to my friends in the Clover Ridge Haunted Library cozy mystery series lifted my spirits. I loved re-connecting with the library cat and ghost. I wish Daphne, a psychic introduced early in the book, had stayed around longer but her murder set the stage for the rest of the book. Perhaps she will return as another ghost in the series…what fun that would be! Her mother extravagantly returns with murder and mayhem. There are plenty of twists and turns that kept me interested. Can’t wait for the next in the series.

Sleuthing librarian Carrie agrees to Daphne's request to put on a library program about psychic phenomenon. Daphne's recently moved to town, but she actually grew up Clover Ridge. She left years ago, after her father was murdered. Daphne's mother disappeared after his death and Daphne's brother was convicted of the murder, then exonerated. Carrie is enjoying getting to know Daphne and believes they'll become good friends. Meanwhile, Carrie's mom is in town with her husband, because Tom is acting in a movie that is shooting locally. Unfortunately, Tom's co-star is also his ex-fiance and it looks like they may not be over each other. Not long after attending a meet-and-greet with the movie crew, Daphne is found dead.

This is a fun cozy mystery with a lot of possible suspects to keep things interesting. Recommended for fans of cozy mysteries with some paranormal aspects (there is a ghost at Carrie's library). Checked Out For Murder is part of a series but it works as a standalone.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own.

This is the fourth installment of the haunted library series. While the library’s resident ghost, Evelyn, plays a smaller role in this story I still found it highly entertaining. Carrie makes a new friend, Daphne, who claims to have psychic powers. Unfortunately they don’t help her predict her own demise. Carrier’s mother and stepfather show up sooner than expected. Her stepfather is in a movie being filmed in town. His costar is murdered and both her parents are suspects. Carrie discovers that Daphne was originally from Clover Ridge and that her father had been murdered twenty years prior. Carrie is sure the three murders must be connected. She does her sleuthing thing to try and solve them.

An enjoyable read, great for bedtime. The author painted a vivid picture of the town, which was very appealing and other than the death bit, seemed a great place to live! The characters were fun and had enough depth to them to be interesting. The twists and turns in the story were revealed at a decent pace - not too long but long enough to get you guessing. All in all, I enjoyed this and would probably read more by this author.

This is book four of the Haunted Library series. Carrie Singleton has found herself in the middle of another murder investigation.

Daphne grew up in Clover Ridge with her no-good dad, who apparently met his end at the hands of Daphne's brother, Billy. Still, Daphne proves a welcome distraction when Carrie's overbearing mother hits town. Mom's much younger husband, Tom, is in a movie that's lensing locally, and she's there to keep an eye on him: Tom's costar, sultry Ilana Reingold, is also his ex-fiancée, and there's no denying the chemistry is still there. Soon after mingling with the moviemakers at a meet-and-greet, Daphne is found dead. Less than forty eight hours later Ilana is also found dead.

Can Carrie help find the killer before her mother or Tom are arrested for murder? I love all the characters and I love this series!!

Princess Fuzzypants here: Carrie has three murders to solve and two of them hit very close to home. Her mother, with whom she has shared a testy at best relationship, is in town with her second husband who is costarring in a movie to be made right there. When one of his costars, a gorgeous creature to whom he was once engaged, is murdered, her mother is considered a likely suspect. The fact that she had had a melt down on the set the previous day when the starlet and her husband were getting a little too up close and personal, doesn’t help.
This is the second murder of a woman in two days. The first one is a lady that Carrie has just gotten to know but feels the two had a strong chance of becoming good friends. Are these murders connected and what, if anything, do they have to do with the murder of the murdered woman’s father twenty years ago? There is a mother who disappeared after being cleared of her husband’s killing, abandoning her two children.
There is a brother who served time for the murder until he was exonerated and is now in town under a new name. If this sounds complicated, once all the pieces fit together, it does make sense.
Add to the fun, Carrie’s ghostly friend Evelyn and her kitty, Smokey Joe, her boyfriend who is an investigator and the police chief who admires Carrie’s ability but does not want her put in danger. Like a moth to the flame, Carrie cannot say no when the brother asks her to find out who killed his father and his sister. Is it someone local or might it be on of the movie folk who have arrived in town?
It’s a good mystery that makes for an entertaining read. Four purrs and two paws up.