Death on the Shelf is the fifth book in The Haunted Library Mysteries series by Allison Brook.

Carrie is busy getting ready for her BFF and co-worker Angela’s wedding shower when she learns that the restaurant where they were going to have the shower has had a fire and will be unable to host the gathering. Carrie begins calling the people who were coming of the change in plans. When she reaches Angela’s cousin Donna she offers her home for the shower and will get cousin Rozy to help her. Angela is upset when Carrie tells her of Donna’s offer. The cousins grew up wealthy and beautiful and were prone to showing it, and Angela had difficulty dealing with it. While at the shower, Carrie notices that Roxy is spending a lot of time with Aiden Harrington, Donna’s husband, and appears to be hanging all over him. Carrie also witnesses a heated argument between Donna and Roxy. Also, a dispute between Angela’s brother Tom and Aiden. This argument was about Aiden’s deciding not to provide monies for the movie Tom wants to produce.

Angela and her husband, Steve, have a beautiful wedding will head for their reception. Once more, Roxy monopolizes Aidens time, and Tommy continues to berate Aiden for reneging on providing monies for his film. Guests are lining up at the chocolate fountain; Aiden is in line in front of Carrie and her boyfriend, Dylan, just behind him. Aiden suddenly collapses and soon dies. It is soon ruled that Aiden died from poisoning.

When Tommy becomes the prime suspect, his mother asks Cariie to do some investigating on her own to find the killer of Aiden. As Carrie gets into her investigation, she sees no shortage of possible suspects. Rumors abound that Aiden was having an affair with Roxy. Possibly, either Roxy or Donna might have done away with him. Another is a business partner who wants to open a second office, which Aiden is against. It appears that there may be some insurance fraud going on at the office. Maybe the person guilty of this feels that Aiden was on to them.

A subplot in the story involves Evelyn, the library’s resident ghost. Evelyn wants Carrie to find her brother, who had left town some fifteen years ago. His daughter and Evelyn’s niece, Michelle, needs help. Her husband has left her and cleared out their bank accounts. In addition, she has recently lost her job and is sure to be kicked out of the apartment, as she has no money to pay the rent.

It’s always enjoyable to visit with the folks in Clover Ridge. The residents are exciting, believable, and well-developed. The book is beautifully written so that you feel you are with them. There were plenty of twists and turns that I was kept guessing until the end of the book to learn who the killer was.

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

I love that the Carrie we first met, is a very different character from the Carrie we see today. She’s become more thoughtful and careful. I love how twisty and tangled the mysteries she gets involved in are. However, I think I just have to accept that for a series that’s supposed to be about a library and its resident ghost, it’s very food-centric. I had a lot of fun with this story. There was plenty going on that kept me from correctly guessing the villain at first, and also provided vast possibilities for a motive. Add to that, I really appreciate that we get to see growth and change in our leading lady. I’m still not completely sold on how much focus is placed on the food in this series, but I look forward to reading more about Carrie, her friends, and her family.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book through NetGalley.

Death on the Shelf by Allison Brook is the 5th book in The Haunted Library Mysteries series, and a great addition. Carrie Singleton is the head of programs and events at Clover Ridge, CT library, which is also haunted. Carrie is excited about her best friend, Angela's, wedding. Unfortunately that means dealing with Angela's family. When Angela's cousin husband is murdered at the wedding reception, Carrie begins her sleuthing. I enjoy this series, I love the unique people and situations in this book. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you love cozy mysteries, I recommend this book/ series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I’ve read all of the Haunted Library mysteries and I looked forward to this one. This book felt a little disjointed.
Evelyn, our library ghost, was demanding and pushy. It wasn’t as nice of a part of the story as in previous books.
There was drama surrounding Angela’s bridal shower that didn’t reflect positively on Angela. She definitely let the past color her present and future.
The digs that everyone kept taking at Carrie about where her relationship with Dylan was going didn’t add to the story.
Carrie’s decision making at the climax of the mystery was poor.
I didn’t consider not finishing the book but this definitely wasn’t the best in the series.
I love the library setting. I enjoy Smokey Joe, the cat. Dylan is a lovely book boyfriend. Carrie’s aunt and uncle are always fun parts of the story. I like the series but this one didn’t flow as well for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

This the fourth book in an excellent series which I actually joined at book two. One day I must make the time to go back and read the very first book.

Anyway by now the characters are good friends and I look forward to seeing what will happen to them next in each new book. In Death on the Shelf Carrie's friend Angela is getting married and unfortunately someone dies suddenly at the reception. When the police declare it to be murder Carrie is on the case, determined to find out who did it.

There are plenty of possible culprits and the choice only gets a little easier when one of them becomes the second victim. I enjoyed the fact the the police and Dylan, Carrie's boyfriend, support her in her efforts instead of constantly putting her down which is more the norm in the average cosy. She also gets advice from the library's resident ghost which is fun!

Life is really looking up for Carrie now and several really good things happen to her. The book ends on a high note and I am already looking forward to the next.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this latest book in The Haunted Library Mysteries series. Although it can be read as a standalone, it is best enjoyed if you gave read the previous books in the series as there are references to what happened earlier in the series. In Death on the Shelf, Carrie Singleton, the main character, investigates the death of her best friend's cousin's husband, which happens during her best friend's wedding. The victim appears likable enough at first, but there are interesting surprises along the way. Also, there are many potential suspects.

A second mystery involving Evelyn's family is also investigates by Carrie. Once again, there is a nice little twist concerning this second investigation.

It was also nice to see Carrie evolve and become more active in her town. I am looking forward to the next book, especially after the ending of this one.

Carrie Singleton was busy with her friends, organizing her best friend’s bridal shower, which would follow with the wedding a couple of weeks later. Angela was looking forward to marrying Steve but was hoping her brother Tommy wouldn’t arrive for the wedding. She and Tommy hadn’t seen eye to eye since they were children, but it seemed there would be more trouble with cousins and in-laws as well. Angela knew they should have eloped!

The wedding went flawlessly but the reception with the delicious food and drinks, speeches and laughter, faded when Angela’s cousin in law, Aiden, collapsed over the chocolate fountain, right beside Carrie and her partner Dylan. When he was pronounced dead and the local police arrived, the small town of Clover Ridge had another mystery on its hands.

Carrie’s job at the library was one she loved and the resident ghost, Evelyn was always popping in to see Carrie. When Evelyn set a task for Carrie, one she was happy to do her best with, she found herself busy with looking for Aiden’s killer, working at the library, doing the job Evelyn needed, caring for Smoky Joe (her cat) and trying to decide if she should say yes to the mayor’s request. Oh, and spending time with Dylan! Not much in a girl’s life…

Death on the Shelf is the 5th in the Haunted Library Mysteries by Alison Brook and is the first one I’ve read. I had no trouble following the story and enjoyed it very much. There were plenty of twists, I certainly didn’t pick the killer, and I found the majority of the characters easy to like. Lots of yummy food was eaten – the lobster sounded delicious! – and I’m happy to recommend Death on the Shelf to fans of cosy mysteries.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Having read the previous installments in the series I was looking forward to reading Carrie’s latest adventure. However, because of the wedding, this had more romance than the earlier books and I’m not a big fan of romance in cozies. I also felt like the ghost, Evelyn, was almost an afterthought in this book. But I did enjoy the mystery itself.

I really enjoyed this wonderful cozy mystery. Carrie, the protagonist, is a great amateur sleuth who works to help the local police department solve two murders. She also works at the town's library where one of my other favorite characters, Evelyn the resident ghost, is there to lend an ear and her opinions. The small town setting is calming amid all the suspense. The plot was intricately woven and I was surprised by the ending. I can't wait until the next one! I received an advanced reader's copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is number five in the series. Carrie is quite busy in this book. Angela, her best friend is getting married and her family is a handful. One of Angela’s cousins winds up dead in the chocolate fountain.
Carrie is asked to take on a new job along with trying to solve the murder has her dashing around. Thank goodness Evelyn can give a hand.

I love the abundance of suspects and reasons for Aiden’s death. This story keeps me on my reading toes.

I was given an advanced copy from Netgalley and am not required to leave a positive review.

I like the characters and the town in this series. MC is setting down roots and being asked to do more for the town. She has a good relationship with the law enforcement even when Sheriff is telling her to stay out of it, for her own safety. Her relationship is also moving forward with her boyfriend.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Death on the Shelf" the 5th instalment in the A Haunted Library Mystery series by Allison Brook. Librarian Carrie Singleton sleuths a murder at her best friend's wedding

I still have not read the first two books in the series but I did not have any trouble following along as the author did a wonderful job of retelling things without overloading you with the past books.

The protagonist Carrie is one of the librarians and Evelyn (ghost) was also before her untimely death. This time Evelyn wants Carrie to find her long lost brother. Plus things are heating up in the romance department with all the Angela wedding talk. I also loved the inclusion of the library cat, Smokey Joe into the story.

There are plenty of twists and turns in this story, and I kept guessing and second-guessing myself right to the very end. The story moves at a steady pace, and I had a hard time putting it down.

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Crooked Lane and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Allison Brook for the e arc of this book, in return for an independent and honest review.
Carrie is the local librarian, a job she loves and finds interesting. She is also friends with Evelyn (the ghost) that comes to the library, bring with her bits of town gossip. The big thing that is happening in Carrie’s life at the moment is being a bridesmaid at her best friend Angela’s wedding.
At the wedding all is going well until Aiden (a cousin in law of the bride) falls dead into the chocolate fountain. As the investigation into this death progresses, Angela’s mother asks Carrie if she will carry out her own investigation into what happened and who killed Aiden. Carrie reluctantly agrees but does warn Angela’s mother that she may have to face to unwanted truths. There are many suspects and most of them come from within the family. There are some characters that you don’t like and that you are immediately made suspicious of, there are characters out with the family that you wonder could it be them.
As well as this main story you have a side story that involves Evelyn asking Carrie to help her Niece Michelle who is going though a tough time and to try and find her brother Harold (Michelle’s father). Carrie asks her boyfriend Dylan, who runs a private investigatory business to help.
I enjoyed all the plots in this book. The characters were well written and the pacing was good. I did enjoy also seeing Carrie’s life out with the library and investigating. It was good to get to know her as a character in more depth.
A good cosy mystery that I would recommend and I will be reading more in this series.

Carrie is a librarian. Her cousin is getting married. At the wedding carries husband is flirting with her cousin. That was dirty but karma served her brand of justice and her husband fell dead on the chocolate fountain. This was a wild little ride. The characters are sweet and the story just flows. It is fast paced and exciting. I read through it in an afternoon. It was fantastic.

This was entertaining. The chaos surrounding the wedding and guests leads to a lot of what ifs. I enjoyed the characters and the mystery was very engaging. So many suspects and twists. I was surprised by the end, which is fun.

I always enjoy reading to escape and this books fulfills that goal.

Weddings! Angela should be having a wonderful time in the run up to her wedding but her bridal shower has turned into a crime scene. when her cousin Donna's husband Aidan is murdered, Luckily, her BFF Carrie (along with her cat Smokey Joe and friendly ghost Evelyn) is a snoop as well a librarian. Carrie finds there's more to Aidan than met the eye but then she, and Angela, have to deal with another murder (no spoilers!). This is a fun cozy series (this latest will be fine as a standalone) which features a good protagonist in Carrie. Her relationship with Evelyn is interesting and this time out, she helps the ghost as much as the ghost helps her. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good cozy read.

Clover Ridge librarian Carrie Singleton is thrilled to attend her best friend Angela's wedding. Angela’s wealthy cousin Donna hosts an extravagant bridal shower at her resplendent home, but the celebrations turn to gossip as the guests notice Donna's surgeon husband, Aiden, spending a bit too much time with Donna’s cousin Roxy. At the wedding reception, the sweet occasion turns darkly bitter when Aiden topples into the chocolate fountain--dead. The suspect list is as long as the guest list, and as difficult to sort out.. A few of the top contenders on Carrie’s suspect list are the flirtatious Roxy, Angela's grouchy brother, who feels Aiden betrayed him; and Roxy's scorned ex-husband. Even Donna may have had reason to want her husband dead. Then another member of Angela's family is murdered, making Carrie more determined than ever to find the killer.

I rarely read the last in a series before I have at least read the first one to establish the characters, but I was so intrigued by the description of this book, that I requested it and thoroughly enjoyed it even though I had not read any of the other books in the series. Of course, now I want to go back and read the others to get the back story on the characters, especially Evelyn. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting my request.

One of my favorite cozy mysteries I have ever read!

Death follows Carrie to her best friends wedding. After solving previous crimes, Carries friends request her help in solving this case. Carrie is a very relatable character and I enjoyed her journey through this book. She has overcome many obstacles and is finding her path in life and in solving mysteries.

There was a lot that happened in this book. Multiple murders, family situations, job opportunities, and relationship growth. Everything was weaved together into an unputdownable book!

The ghost of Evelyn was a really neat detail and I can’t wait to see how she continues to play a role in future books.

This book is in the middle of a series but I was able to follow along without having read any others. I am definitely planning on reading the previous ones! I also can’t wait to see where the series goes and what other crimes Carrie is able to solve.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I have to admit I almost DNF’d this book at the beginning and I’m glad I did not. For the first 30% or so it read very amateurish and not at all like I am used to for this series. It was infuriating to me. I kept reading and somewhere along the way after Angela’s wedding it got better. It was back to the writing style I am used to in this series.

Evelyn, the ghost, appears asking Carrie for help with finding her brother. While the storyline here is good, I’m just not sure it fits. It was almost like the author couldn’t figure out how to use Evelyn in the main murder mystery.

The main murder mystery was very intriguing and I for the life of me couldn’t figure it out.

If I could rate it as 3.5 stars I would but did bump it up to 4. The ending is surprising.

I do look forward to the next installment even though this was my least favorite of the series.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

I was so happy to hang out with Carrie, Smokey Joe, Dylan, Evelyn and friends again. How much fun would it be to be in charge of programs at a library? Just think of the author programs you could schedule! I loved the storyline and the characters. The story flows with so many possibilities. Who will it be? I can’t wait to see what will happen next. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.