Renewed For Murder is the sixth book in Victoria Gilbert's Blue Ridge Library Mystery series. Amy and Richard are still in the honeymoon phase of their marriage. This time around, Aunt Lydia's best friend, Zelda, is the murder suspect when a woman is found shot to death on Zelda's property. A blackmail note is found in the victim's pocket. Amy suspects the murder has something to do with an incident that occurred when both women were members of rival choruses back in the '70s.

Amy, Richard, Aunt Lydia, Sonny, Kurt, Brad, and other characters we’ve grown to know over the first five books return to help solve the murder. One thing I like about Amy is that when she finds something out, she lets Brad know. She still ends up in danger, though. I enjoy this series and recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

When I requested this book I did not realize that it was the 6th in a series. That being said I was able to follow the plot. As with many cozy mystery series this one has recurring characters but single book storylines. In regards to the characters they were pretty neat - lots of different personalities. Knowing this is later on in the series, I know that I have missed some crucial information about certain people. Again though, it doesn't affect being able to follow the murder in this book. Overall a fun series that I can't wait to read more of!

This is Book 6 of the Blue Ridge Library mystery series . I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it almost straight through. It was entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises. Thoroughly entertaining, with wonderful characters.

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

3.5 ⭐

Like most cozy mysteries, it's not necessary to read all the books in the series to understand it, each book deals with a different case, especially for the amateur investigator and librarian Amy, who has facilitated the resolution of various crimes in her city and is now trying to demonstrate the innocence of his grandmother's friend Zelda, who has been unjustly accused of murder, or not?
The book is quite light and easy to read, the plot is very direct and focused on the investigations, which I liked since there was no filler in any scene, everything had its purpose, although a little predictable, the plot seemed very well executed and entertaining, I practically finished it on an October afternoon.
So I recommend it to mystery and suspense fans looking to clear their heads for a while.

My thanks to the author Victoria Gilbert, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to get this ARC for an unbiased review.

I really loved this book in a new to my series and author. I can't wait to read the next one. The characters and location really add to the plot. This book keeps you guessing until the end

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed reading it the plot was interesting and the characters made me want to know more about them. I highly recommend.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my copy of Renewed for Murder by Victoria Gilbert in exchange for an honest review. It published December 7, 2021.
This was my first book in this series, and I felt that the author did a good job at catching the reader up so there wasn’t much confusion on who the characters were, or their relationship.
This book was well-written, and interesting, although I did solve the murder very early on. It didn’t matter though, because I enjoyed the ride.

Fun cozy mystery in a reliable series. Always great pacing and plotting. Enjoyable characters and great sleuthing.

This one was not for me.
Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’ve read most of the books in the Blue Ridge Library series. I have enjoyed them and the wonderful characters. As is typical, Amy finds herself involved in solving a murder mystery. The relationships between the characters continue to develop. The mystery took a lot of twists and turns and I really did not figure it out. I love the setting and delightful characters. I’ll definitely go back and read the other books in this series and look forward to more adventures with Amy, Richard, and the rest of the gang.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Librarian Amy is enjoying her life and new husband, when a body is found in Zelda’s (a family friend) greenhouse. Suspicion immediately falls on Zelda, particularly as it is soon discovered that the deceased is somebody from Zelda’s past. Amy starts to research these past events, in order to find answers to clear Zelda’s name, but this soon proves to be a dangerous mission, and Amy finds herself in trouble more than once. Although this is the 6th instalment in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries, it was the first that I’ve read, and I feel that my reading experience would have been improved by getting to know the characters beforehand (I’ve now ordered the first two books in the series), having said that, the characters are all likable, and I look forward to starting the series at the beginning and seeing how their relationships have developed. The mystery was interesting, and it was fun tagging along with Amy to see how she would solve it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy in return for an honest review.

I also am coming in not having read the first five books, but that didn’t seem to be a huge issue since mystery series always repeat the important background information. I think that the cover is super cute and for this to be a long series like it is, something is obviously being done right... That being said, I didn’t love this one at all. The main character gives off 60-year-old woman vibes so I had a really hard time believing she was only in her thirties. I also really struggled to believe the chemistry between her and her gay husband Richard. Then there was an older character in the book that did an offensive southern accent, which probably sounds insane but if you’ve heard it you know. I would not read more by this author unless there were significant more cats involved because for them to have been on the cover they were not nearly present enough.

A familiar, cozy mystery that many will enjoy. Though not especially surprising for experienced mystery readers, the story was engaging enough with a fun plot and characters.

I have always enjoyed this series, but I found that I had very hard time 'engaging' with this one. The uncorrected edit issues, did not help.

A fun mystery that had me guessing until the end! So many possibilities!

Only 4 stars because I skimmed a couple chapters towards the end. It didn’t look like I’d be getting any helpful information, so I didn’t have to read closely.

I love all the characters, but sometimes had trouble thinking about their ages. These women are only a few years younger than I am - so the people who would have been the adults when they were teens are at least 5 years older. Some of the situations in present day didn’t seem to fit their ages.

Classmate of Aunt Lydia is accused of murder due to an event that happened 50 years earlier while in huigh school.

When you visit the town of Taylorsford, Virginia you know you are going to be in for an enjoyable ride with newly wed Amy Webber, now Muir, her husband Richard, and their many friends and family. Amy and Richard seem to be settling into a normal married-life routine until Amy's Aunt Lydia in a panic asks Amy and Richard to help her find her best friend Lydia who apparently has gone missing. Unfortunately, when they arrive at Zelda's house, they find a dead woman in Zelda's gazebo and Zelda laying unconscious in the bushes. No one seems to know who the woman is or what she was doing in Zelda's gazebo, and Zelda's not saying a word. For various reasons Zelda is at the top of the suspect list and it's up to Amy, Richard, Lydia and their friends to clear Zelda and solve the murder.

This story is full of twists and turns and keeps you guessing until the end. The plot includes a present day reunion of high school choir members, and a death that occurred many years prior when these same choir members were competing in a choir competition. The revelation that the murder might be connected to the history of the high school choir competition leads Amy to use her well-honed research skills as a librarian to reveal the murderer.

This is one book that I had no idea who the murderer was until the reveal - there were so many possible suspects and scenarios, all very plausible! I found that several times I was sure who the villain was only to have that theory shot down - the book kept you engaged and stumped the whole way through. The resolution was very unexpected. The book is so fast-paced that you may want to read it from start to finish in one setting - something someone considering reading the book might want to keep in mind!

The storyline was interesting using the high school choir reunion at the Arts Festival to bring everyone together for a present day murder, but also exploring a tragic incident in the pasts of the choir members. All of the characters are well-described and so relatable that you almost forget they aren't real! You find yourself being anxious for and frustrated with Zelda, sometimes getting annoyed with Amy and her nosiness or dogged pursuit of those potentially involved in the murder, and feeling sorry for Richard and what he endures as Amy pursues her adventures!

Great book and addition to the series. Very much looking forward to the next in the series!

Amy and Richard are settling into married life, he working on a new dance project, she helping with background research. When Aunt Lydia calls to ask them to go with her to check on her friend, Zelda Shoemaker, who called her for help. When they arrive they find Zelda lying in a bush very disoriented and a dead woman in her gazebo. Zelda claims she doesn't know what happened, but Chief Deputy Brad Tucker puts Zelda at the top of his suspect list, thanks to a blackmail letter he finds in the dead woman's pocket. Aunt Lydia asks Amy to use her research skills to clear Zelda, but they are hampered in their investigation by Zelda's refusal to tell them why she might be being blackmailed. Amy enlists hubby Richard, Aunt Lydia, art dealer Kurt Kendrick, Mayor Sunny Fields, and other quirky townsfolk in a quest to exonerate Zelda, but might it do the opposite and end up putting Zelda behind bars??

Renewed for Murder is the 6th in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries by Victoria Gilbert, and although a bit slower, I loved that it was definitely the research that solved this one. This is a case that had it's beginnings back when Aunt Lydia, Zelda and their friends were in high school. This added a lot of suspects to the pool as there was a reunion of musical groups from high school in town. I enjoy the characters - Amy, Richard, Aunt Lydia, Sunny, Kurt and the others – and it’s always interesting to see what the mystery is and how they’ll all go about solving it. Because things were a bit convoluted with all the characters and their secrets, I stopped making guesses, and just let Amy solve the mystery. Once again, she finds herself in danger as her and Zelda run from the culprit. Although it was not the person I originally thought it was, the murderer made sense. This story has all the features that I have come to expect in this series: danger, lots of clues and suspects, suspense, Amy sticking her neck out, frustrating Richard, and a surprise killer. I also enjoy that there is always a storyline about life in Taylorsford, Virginia and the festival and life as newlyweds bookends the story well.

⭐⭐

First off, this is the second book in a month I have read as an ARC where the formatting was all messed up and letter combinations were missing in my advance reading copy. For some strange reason, they always seem to be 'if', 'ff', and 'th'. 🤷🏻‍♀️ This made it difficult to get fully into this story.

As for the story itself, it was okay. This was the first time I read anything by Victoria Gilbert, and this held up well as a standalone. The mystery itself (when it was actually the focus) was engaging and kept me guessing until the end. My main issue with this one was Richard. I found the fact he was a dancer weird. Don't ask me why, I just did. 🤷🏻‍♀️ We spend way too much of this book focused on Richard's dancing, which was honestly a snoozefest. 🥱

So yeah, unfortunately not a series I am interested in continuing with.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

I rate this closer to 3.5 stars than 4. For me, the mystery was interesting but the cast of suspects always seems to involve a lot of the same people. Plus it felt very drawn out.

I was a bit put off by Richard’s neediness with missing Amy when he left for town. They are mature adult newlyweds, not early twenty-something newlyweds. I’m not a fan of clingy men.

It is not a favorite of mine in the series.

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

I have read three of the six books in this series so I know the main characters but I found it a little hard to keep up with all the additional characters involved in the choral reunion. This was an entertaining story although the culprit was such a minor character it was a big surprise to find whodunnit.
Also, while I like Amy, I could do without Richard. He is sanctimonious, bossy and sometimes a bit of a jerk. I would be happier if he ran away with his dance partner and he was never heard from again.
Otherwise, it was not the best book I have read in this series, it was still good.