A Deadly Edition was a fun and engaging read. The plot was well written, even if I had suspicions on the culprit(s) and the characters were three dimensional. An added bonus was the diversity of the characters, such as Scott and Jessica.

I enjoyed reading "A Deadly Edition" book 5 in the Blue Ridge Library mystery series by Victoria Gilbert. I haven't had the opportunity yet to read the previous books in this series but because the author did a great job of providing key details from previous books in the series it was no issue jumping right into this one. I immediately got a sense of female camaraderie which was refreshing because the female characters are all self confident and self assured. There aren't any catty relationships, and the male characters are more amiable and like true partners.

There was so much appreciation and representation of the arts in a non-stereotypical way that it again, was very refreshing. Usually in cozies - even when a character is entering a profession in the arts (usually after being in finance) they view it with doubt and uncertainty. In this book, everyone is comfortable being in the arts world and they really advocate for it. But it's not just the frilly art world - there is a seriously shady underside of the arts world that takes center stage all throughout the mystery. There are art forgeries, corrupt characters willing to lie, cheat, steal, and murder.

The inclusion of different character types (complete with different sexual preferences and dietary restrictions) made the story all the more plausible - because real life IS that diverse! So if you're looking for a good murder mystery chock full of the arts and seedy characters against the backdrop of a quickly approaching wedding - then you're in for a wonderful time!

My only bit of sadness when reading was that once again, a "Meredith" is an unfavorable female character. This is one of those weird trends in pop culture where for some reason, more often than not, characters named Meredith are the worst. This character doesn't really have a role in this book, but she is mentioned briefly and I get the sense she was a real problem in the previous books in the series. It's just a personal sadness for me since I'm a Meredith and I like to think I'm pretty cool.

Not my cup of tea, the characters fell flat and I was left with an unengaging plotline that was dragging on too many witty remarks and less substantial conversation syntax.

In a video interview on Books Are My Hart (Oct. 16, 2019) Gilbert discussed tips on writing. She said "if you are bored, the reader will be bored". This never will be the case with Gilbert. She writes fun engaging cozy mysteries. Book 5 brings the reader back to Taylordsville, where a wedding might be postponed due to murder.

Book 1 established an overall series arc that has linked a crime from the 1920's to our protagonist and other characters in the present. Now the romantic leads, Richard and Amy are to be married. Kurt, who hides his past, like an artist who covers the first painting with another, has opened his home for Amy's engagement party. A beautifully orchestrated event that is marred by an very unwelcome guest. The corpse is on Kurt's turf, and he becomes a lead suspect.

The modus operandi is poisoning. Perhaps the victim was to much of a threat. He was involved in a scandalous art forgery from long ago. Was Kurt part of that crime? As before, the shadows of the past loom into the present. Along with Amy, Gilbert has also focused on other characters in the main cast. This is Kurt's book. We find out more about him. For me each piece of his puzzle makes him more likeable..

But you may ask, what about the wedding? I must confess the tensions got to me and I read the last chapter first. Readers who play by the rules will find plenty of suspects, including Amy's brother, who have hidden agendas. The author plays fair; the mystery has layers of depth. This is a great summer beach read. One for mystery readers of all ages. Book clubs would have a fun evening discussing A deadly edition.

Full disclosure: I received this ARC from netgalley and Crooked Lane Publishing in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you for this opportunity.

A Deadly Edition is a very well written murder mystery. Great plot and character development. I highly recommend this book. Mystery fans will not be disappointed. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

I did enjoy this cozy mystery! I have read a few in this series already, so I knew I would enjoy the writing at least. But the story was well paced and captivating, and I feel into that spell that only a good cozy can induce. Who is the murder? Is there danger just around the corner for the characters? What is the motive? All of this and more gets answered, and in a way that leaves you wanting more from the series, and yet glad this chapter has concluded.

A great cozy series with more to come! Five stars.

A cozy mystery that involves murder, mystery, a wedding, rare book dealings and intrigue. Many suspects, hidden motives and mysterious pasts keep you guessing until the end.

Thank you NetGalley and Crookedlane Books for my advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've been reading this series since last year and I can tell you I've been enjoying it. This last book however was very slow for me and I felt the characters were very bland. I enjoyed the ending, as it's the wedding between Richard and Amy.

The mystery surrounds the murder of an art dealer, who at times has sold fraudulent artworks in the home of Kurt during a dinner celebration for Richard and Amy. Plenty of suspects and I feel the plot could have been played up more, considering who the murderer was and the spin the author gave.

Overall, this was not my favorite of the series, and I found Amy to be extremely naive and dull. Hopefully the next book will be better as this author is normally very good.

Amy and Richard are getting married and as the time approaches a murder takes place at a party in their honor. I am intrigued by Victoria Gilbert's writing style as she slips between the easiness and angst of her characters. Amy's relationship with Kirk seems to sum it all up - is he a good guy or isn't he. You'll have to read 'A Deadly Edition', in fact treat yourself to the entire series, to answer that question. I never knew what was going to happen next, or at least the 'why' of what was happening. This has a charming locale, lots of diverse characters and a great mystery, all wrapped up with a very romantic wedding.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This is my first book in this series and while there are many characters with a history I didn't think it made it difficult to follow along and enjoy, but I think reading earlier books in the series would have added to the experience as well as fleshing out some of the other characters and their backgrounds.

The book blurb sets up the story very well so won't rehash.

Amy doesn't believe Kurt murdered Oscar Selvaggio, although his past is murky enough to believe he is capable of it. She believes the murder is somehow related to the book so starts to research it and discovers ties to family and friends There is another subplot with a wanted drug dealer and her brother who is investigating those ties.

A very solid mystery that is wrapped up with a bit of danger.

And an added bonus Amy and Richard's wedding at the end.

A fun and fast-paced read from author, Victoria Gilbert and Crooked Lane Books. This cozy mystery is book number five in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series. Amy Webber is a bride-to-be trying to focus on wedding preparations while adjusting to her newish position as director of the Taylorsford library.

Once again, she has found herself at the center of a murder mystery. Her family and friends try to caution her to steer clear and leave the investigation to the authorities. Still, Amy can't resist getting to the bottom of a mystery -- especially when suspicion is cast on her nearest and dearest. The research skills she gained as a librarian make her an exceptional sleuth and she's quick to put those skills to work following every lead and clue.

The book was well-paced with plenty of twists. The book does a decent job of hinting towards events of previous books, but going back and reading the whole series would probably flesh out the characters and backstory better.

I received this Advanced Reader Copy of A Deadly Edition from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Deadly Edition by Victoria Gilbert was another book by this author that grabbed me on the first page and I didn't want to stop reading until I reached the end. I adore this series and I'm always excited when I find a new one in this series.

Ms. Gilbert's writing is descriptive of not only scenery but of each character to the point that I feel like I would recognize each character if I met them on the street in Taylorsford. The plot was intricate and quickly paced with plenty of twists, several suspects (some obvious and some not) and a dramatic reveal that caused me to hold my breath in suspense. A sweet ending with Richard and Amy's wedding day rounded this book to be a perfect read for me.

*This was a ARC given to me by Crooked Lane Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I gave this book a 3,5 stars out of 5 stars.

This is the fifth book in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series by Victoria Gilbert. It’s a continuation of library director Amy Webber’s adventures in her town. In this one, her and Richard are planning their wedding but at a party hosted by Kurt, someone dies. Since our heroine cannot help herself, she gets entangled in the investigation of this murder mystery.

I went into this book, not having read the previous books in the series so it was kind of confusing to me at first. I’m sure we were introduced to our cast of characters in previous books so they were already established.

I liked how the plot was interconnected with our heroine so she actually had a reason to dive into the investigation and it was not only because of her curiosity. I loved the entire cast of characters and how you could feel the love and camaraderie between them.

The plot was okay and kind of went all over the place with some characters. It wasn’t that believable considering some points but I don’t want to spoil.

Overall, cozy mystery readers will like this book and this has intrigued me enough to want to read the previous books, especially the first one.

3.5 stars but rounding up. I have a soft spot for library mysteries, and am currently following "Haunted Library Mysteries" and "Book Retreat Mysteries" This is the fifth book in Blue Ridge Library Mysteries but I was able to pick and up and follow the characters easily. Library director Amy is getting married in a few weeks to her fiancé Richard. At a party given by her future father-in-law they discover a body. There are lots connections between people in attendance and red herrings to figure out. Amy's main sleuthing skills are her knack for research and an easygoing manner that allows people to tell her things. She also enjoys a good relationship with local police and is not out sleuthing totally on her own. Good cosy mystery to read on a lazy afternoon. I would care more about the wedding and side characters if I had read from the beginning of the series. I will add the series to my list of books to read. Thank you NetGalley for the eBook in exchange for an honest review.

A Deadly Edition by Victoria Gilbert is the fifth in her Blue Ridge Library Mystery series. This was my first book in this series and I have to say that my lack of the back story was a hindrance in understanding relationships and the reason behind certain actions, so much so that it became rather annoying. My recommendation is to start with the first book in this series for a more enjoyable reading experience.

Planning a wedding can be murder--sometimes literally. At a party celebrating their upcoming nuptials, Taylorsford, Virginia library director Amy Webber and her fiancé Richard Muir discover the body of art dealer Oscar Selvaggio--a bitter rival of their host, Kurt Kendrick.

It turns out that Oscar and Kurt were vying for the same illustrated book being put up for auction. The book has a lot of mysterious history and Amy can’t help but get involved. She doesn’t believe that Kurt is responsible for Oscars death.

As Amy delves deeper she uncovers a lot of secrets, some involving her own family.

I am a huge fan of the series. The characters are well written and the storyline was great! I do not recommend reading as a stand alone book.

Sometimes a story can take a bit to find its stride, but is well worth the time. This is one of those stories. Once it starts to get going, the reader will be hard pressed to put it down. A solid addition to the series.

An entertaining cozy mystery. The characters shine in this series with unique personalities and unconventional jobs for some people (Amy's fiancé is a well-known male choreographer but he isn't gay) but they are very relatable. As with all the best cozy series, the more books in the series you read the richer the experience is as you get to really know the characters and their histories but you can still read this book without any of the others and easily understand everything.

It was a decent mystery with many suspects though I thought the culprit was fairly obvious. It had enough surprises and twists to keep me reading and even some heart-pounding moments. Amy and Richard are a sweet couple with real moments of intimacy that don't feel fake or age inappropriate (they don't act like teenagers) and is completely chaste (there aren't even any fade to black moments). This is well written and a fun series to keep coming back to.

I received a free copy of this book thanks to Netgalley.com and the publisher in return for a fair and impartial review.

Amy Webber and Richard Muir are finally getting married. Planning a wedding can be stressful, but on this evening they're just going to enjoy themselves. Kurt Kendrick, the enigmatic man who's become their friend, is hosting an engagement party at his home. Unfortunately, an unannounced person has shown up at Kurt's door, and since Kurt knows him, Oscar Selvaggio has become a guest, but not a very nice one.

It seems both Kurt and Oscar are vying to purchase a rare book from William Morris's Kelmscott Press, and although Amy can tell there is tension between them, she also sees other things which look suspicious, but tries not to be too distrustful because of the reason she's there. But when Selvaggio is found dead, and she later learns that he was poisoned, she wonders if the things she saw could be clues as to the murderer. While Kurt is high on the list, she refuses to believe that he killed Selvaggio. But that leaves a whole other set of suspects, and none of them are savory. Now Amy wants to find out who killed the man, and before her wedding...but will there ever be one?...

I have followed this series from the very first book, and I will tell you that while I wasn't impressed with that one, I am glad that I've stuck with this series. I've enjoyed spending time with Amy and her family and friends; and watched her relationship with her next-door-neighbor Richard grow into love. It's been an interesting journey, and I certainly hope it will continue.

I have always been fascinated with Kurt Kendrick, who has a checkered past, is also fiercely protective of those he cares for. He is now a wealthy art dealer (among other things), and it is this mysteriousness of his which has drawn me to him in every book.

In this one, it is things from his past that have come back to him, and Amy wants to know what is going on. She's also concerned with the fact that her younger brother Scott, whom she rarely sees, is now in attendance for her wedding, but still keeping secrets from her. Then there's her Aunt Lydia's boyfriend Hugh, who still seems to be searching for evidence against Kurt about anything, and his new colleague Fred Nash, who seems to have taken up a liking for her best friend Sunny.

With so much swirling about her, it's a wonder she can keep anything quiet in her head. But Amy, being the intrepid person that she is, isn't going to give up trying to solve the puzzle, and I do like the fact that she's careful and doesn't run around accusing everyone she meets of murder. I also like that fact that Richard accepts Amy for the person she is and doesn't hound her to stay out of the investigation, but he does, as is expected, tells her to be careful and not put herself in danger.

With so many questions about the people who are around her, Amy has the need to know what's happening and is surprised at what she discovers but yet knows it isn't anything she can share easily; and I do like that this time out she's changing in her feelings toward Kurt (whom, as I've stated before, is the best character in the series).

When the murderer is discovered, the motive for the murder is discovered, and of course we have a climax that was to be expected, and worth reading all the while. In the end, everything comes together flawlessly; it makes for a highly satisfying ending that makes us long for the next in the series. Recommended.