This second book in the Lakeside Library series picks up where Rain has decided to permanently stay in Lofty Pines and keep the lakeside library open year round. The log cabin library setting for this series is appealing and fun. You can just picture cozying up by the wood stove with a good book. Rain and Julia are drawn into investigating the murder of an ice fisherman after Julia’s husband, Nick, becomes the main suspect. The storyline is interesting and offers enough red herrings to hold your interest. The weakest part of the book, in my opinion, is the characterization. Rain is a bit too much of a follower and Julia is too impulsive and leads them into doing things that are reckless. Their lack of maturity, irresponsible behavior and racing into situations without thinking actually takes away some of the enjoyment of the story.

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
#2 Lakeside Library Series
Recommending the reader enjoy first in series prior to reading this cozy mystery as character development and background is necessary for the plot.
Rain has settled into the lakeside cottage with the intent to stay year round. This will mean the beloved library can remain open and not just seasonal cottage users will have the opportunity to use it. A local ice fishing competition has everyone excited and emotions running high. When a local is found dead, the victim of a terrible crime, Rain must not only wade into the fray to help a friend but be well prepared for the physical storms to come as Wisconsin is buried in snow. It may not be all that is buried.
I have read and reviewed the first of the series through Netgalley and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was so happy to see this available for review. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

This is the second book in the Lakeside Library series, and though I have not read the first installment there is enough information that I did not feel I was missing much.

Also, I am back in the world where the main character runs a bookshop/coffee shop/florist - sure there can be more options for our ladies?

An ice cold murder sets Rain and her best friend on a quest to solve the murder, and whilst the MO of a cozy is for the people to get involved in solving the mystery, I had to wonder about some of the reckless and toe-the-line decisions that Rain and her best friend Julia made in this pursuit.

I liked the setting of this mystery, and I liked (for the most part) the people of Lofty Pines, and I would like to visit here again.

This is a fitting cozy mystery for the dead of winter as it takes us to the snowy regions of Wisconsin. A man is found in his fishing shanty atop the frozen lake. He has been murdered. The husband of Rain's good friend is arrested for the murder. Rain knows he must be innocent but can she and her friend find the real killer before it is too late?

I enjoyed this mystery. The setting is well described with characters trudging through winter snow. The characters are done well too. We get to see more of Julia's character as her husband is the accused. I like how Rain and Julia pursue rumors and stories, interviewing people the police might never think of questioning. And they solve the mystery in a final suspenseful quest.

This is a good novel for readers who like a mystery set in an interesting location with two brave female amateur murder mystery aficionados.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library is a cozy mystery set in Wisconsin. Librarian Rain Wilmot gets involved in solving the murder of a man killed during an ice fishing competition.

I wanted to read this novel because I love cozy mysteries and enjoy library settings. I have not read the first book in the series but had no problem jumping in and enjoying this book as a standalone novel.

I really liked Rain Wilmot as a protagonist and thought the mystery was well paced and fun to solve. I look forward to reading more in this series!

I would like to thank Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Holly Danvers for the e arc of this book.
What a beautiful setting for a book. Who wouldn’t want to spend time in a library with a wood burning stove, where you can wile away hours reading and drinking a hot cuppa? I loved that the library was also in an old wooden cabin.
We meet rain who has decided that she wants to stay in family library and open it year-round. The town of Lofty Pines has some lovely characters and it seems to be quite the tourist destination.
The annual ice fishing jamboree is coming up and competitors are picking their pitches and setting up their huts. As well as the fishing there is a ‘chilli dump’ and everyone is making their favourite chilli for the contest. One competitor is Wallace Benson, who comes to the library to borrow some cookbooks to inspire him. He is a quiet man and Rain likes him. On the start day of fishing Wallace is found dead in his ice hut. The police have Rain’s friend Nick in their sights as prime suspect. With the help of her friends Jace and Julia, Rain sets about clearing Nick’s name and finding the real killer. There were a number of side characters who had a motive and things to hide. A well-paced cosy mystery, with good plot and characters.
Would recommend.

I'm in mood for cozy mysteries these days, or any type of #mystery for that matter. Maybe it's the weather☃️.

Winter is at its peak and all Rain wants is ride out this winter in her family's library, with her best friend Julia. But we don't always get what we want do we? She finds a man murdered in the annual Ice Fishing Jamboree. And to top it? The man's wife blames Julia's husband.

What follows next is the bestfriends putting their heads together to find the real killer in one of the coldest winters the have seen.

Rain was your typical amateur detective in a #CozyMystery. A troubled past & a fresh start. Where her best friend Julia is impulsive & temperamental, Rain balances it out by being calm albeit indulgent of Julia's wild idea's & schemes🤦‍♀️.

Things I liked:
🗻The place where the book takes place is described so beautifully that it made me want to jump into the book!⛷❄
📚The whole library setup and the scenes that took place there.
📖A book reader's habits and quirks that were mentioned were relatable.

Things I didn't like so much:
😒Julia, her character is so impulsive, ironically its mentioned several times in the book that "she can't hold her tongue in the best of circumstances". It irritated me.
🔪The Who dunnit part was so easy to guess right from the start.
🤷‍♀️Overall it was perhaps the writing style of the dialogues that felt like long winded monologues that kept me distracted from this book and reaching for others.

Thank you to the publisher and #netgalley for providing with the #ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was just as good as the first and I loved returning back to Lofty Pines!

Rain has officially decided to live life at the lake and keep the lakeside library open year round. When a library patron turns up dead during the local Ice Fishing Jamboree, Rain jumps into Nancy Drew mode to solve the crime and clear her friends name.

I did read the first book and my main complaint was the repetition, that complaint still exists in this book but it has improved slightly. My favourite part of this book and the series as a whole is the setting, Danvers does a great job describing the scenery and engulfing the reader in Wisconsin lake life. I unfortunately am not the biggest fan of Rain and am even less of a fan of her best friend and sidekick, Julia who is flippant and obnoxious.

Overall, a quick and enjoyable read with a good mystery! If you enjoyed the first one, this is definitely even better!
3.5/5

Well, THIS is getting old. Another bad file. I understand that this is an uncorrected ARC, but one just cannot read a book where there are letters and words missing and then whole paragraphs. I am beyond annoyed. It is very frustrating to start reading a book and then not be able to read it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Holly Danvers and Crooked Lane Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will leave a review on Amazon or Barnes and Nobles on Feb 8th

Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library is the second book in the series written by Holly Danvers. I really enjoyed this book and enjoyed to getting to know about the other characters in the series. I believe this book could very easily be read as a standalone also. The mystery surrounding the murder in the book was entertaining and well thought out in my opinion. I certainly would recommend this book to others.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library

The Lakeside library is gearing up for a new tradition of being open during the winter months. Rain is already to get cozy down in her Lofty Pines cabin with a good book through the Wisconsin winter. The start of the annual Ice Fishing Jamboree brings excitement to the town as the ice shanty’s start going up, all trying for those coveted spots and chili cooking begins. What should be a festive and fun time turns into mystery and murder of the coldest proportions. Rain Is smart, able to put the clues together and will sometimes forget reasoning or logic to help out those she cares about.


Rain is a helper by nature. She generally cares about people. Whether it’s the desire to help them find that perfect book they’re looking for or to solving a murder. She does get herself into the thick of things. There were a few times I wanted to grab the girl by her shoulders and ask her what are you thinking. But then we wouldn’t have a story. What when one of your good friends it’s a suspect you will go above and beyond to prove his innocence. Rain allows her best friend, Julia, to talk her into some rather peculiar situations. Even if they are for the good of figuring out the truth they may not always be the best decisions. But you get a good laugh.


Holly Danvers gave us a second installment that was just as enjoyable as the first. Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library was an entertaining read. This is a charming town and I love the inhabitants of it. As much as I say I just like winter weather I do love a book that has a good winter element to the story. You could feel the cold seeping through the pages and just made you wanna cuddle up in a blanket as you were reading. That is high praise from me. The one thing I wish is that we see a little bit more personal character development within Rain. I enjoy her very much but I feel she can be led astray very easily. However, that does give us some of our most laughable scenes of the book.

Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library is the second book in the series. Rain Wilmot has decided to stay the winter in her family’s cabin in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Since she is staying, she decides to keep the library that is normally open in the summer open all winter.
At an ice fishing festival, a man Rain met recently is found murdered. Rain’s friend Julia’s husband Nick becomes the prime suspect. Rain and Julia investigate to try to clear Nick’s name. Massive winter storms hamper their efforts.
The real murderer is caught following a bizarre chain of events where Rain and Julia’s lives are threatened.
The winter storms described in the story make me glad I don’t live in Wisconsin in winter.
I wonder how there is money to run the library. Rain doesn’t have a job and I have forgotten from the first book where the money came from for her to live. The story doesn’t seem probable from a make a living point of view.
The emotions in the story feel dramatic. It was a little exhausting to read because of the emotional content.
I like the library setting. This is a good tale but it didn’t draw me in such that I couldn’t put it down. I wasn’t invested in the outcome. 3 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

In Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library, Rain Wilmot has decided to make her home at the lake for now. This means that instead of the library closing up at the end of the summer, it can stay open year around. It is during one of these early days of being open in the winter that a man comes to the library to borrow some cookbooks. There is an upcoming chili cook-off along with an ice fishing contest.

As Rain talks to Wallace Benson, she learns a little about him and also realizes it is his ice house parked right at the edge of her property. A detail that leads to an interesting suspect when Wallace is found dead in his ice house.

When Wallace is discovered, it is realized that one of the last people to see him alive is Nick, Rain’s friend’s husband. It is no secret that Nick was not happy about Wallace getting the highly coveted spot on the ice. As more detailed emerge and point to Nick, Rain decides the only thing she can do is prove him innocent. With Julia, Nick’s wife, and Jace Nick’s brother who was removed from the case for a conflict of interest, Rain gets to work digging into her own list of suspects and ends up in some interesting situations while doing so.

This is the second book in the Lakeside Library Mystery series, which is quickly become a favorite series of mine. I love the setting and the characters can be quite entertaining. I am already looking forward to the next in the series.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books, Holly Danvers, and NetGalley for the copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the free Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

It wasn't too bad to get into the series without the first book, I enjoyed the relationship of the "sleuth sisters" and the dynamics they had with the rest of the cast. The pacing was not too slow as to the ones I've read. Though it is somewhat predictable, I guess that's what makes this a cozy read. Lovely

This is the second book in the Lakeside Library Series. I have not read the first one, but this one was a delight. It was also not difficult to get into the series.
Rain Wilmont is a young widow who has decided to get over her loss in her parents' old cabin in upper Wisconsin. The old cabin had only been used as a library during the summer months. Rain decides to stay and keep the library open.
Wallace Benson comes into the library looking for a cookbook since he wants to make a batch of chili. He and Rain talk about different things, among them the fact that Wallace has a prime spot for the ice fishing competition that coming weekend. Rain is happy to help the man and feels a real connection with Wallace.
Sadly, Wallace is later found stabbed to death in his ice fishing hut. Rain’s best friend’s husband is arrested for the crime. Julia and Rain race to clear Nick’s name.
I thought the descriptions of the Midwest were great. I thought the clues were fair. I highly recommend this book. I look forward to reading more of this series. However, the author seems to have chosen to introduce a love triangle between Rain and two other characters. I do not like my cozies with unresolved love triangles.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the free Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

I'm not sure I've ever actually read a "cozy mystery" and I didn't actually realize this was part of a series (#2, I see) until I'd finished. So, some of my issues with the lack of setup is probably because it was #2 in the series. As a librarian myself, I had issues with some of the library aspects (looking patron's borrowing histories and one staff member upset that patrons DON'T reshelve books? WHAT?!), but I also could enjoy this romanticized view of a library.

So, despite the fact that there wasn't a character setup since this was #2, I almost gave up on this book because the dabbles in romance and implausibility of two ladies getting involved in a murder investigation seemed ridiculous. But, then it got interesting when I discovered more to the mystery and I wanted to know who did it. So, I can still recommend for fans of this genre, and I'm somewhat curious to read the first book in the series now!

It sounds like Rain is living a book lover’s dream, her home is her family’s library! I loved that this book has a warm community feel, although there is a murderer amongst the locals!
Rain’s friend Nick is the last person to see Wallace alive, when a cryptic message is found in Wallace’s returned library books, there is a real mystery to solve. Rain and her friends set out to find the killer, the plot thickens as unraveling the clues takes many twists and turns.
This book is a wonderful journey of suspense and friendship, it’s hard to stop reading, discovering the person responsible for killing Wallace will definitely keep you guessing.

Thanks so much to Crooked Lane Books and Holly Danvers for a cosy enjoyable mystery.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is book two in the Lakeside Library Mystery series, and I thought it had a much faster pace than the first book. Rain and her friend Julia are the quintessential idea of an amateur sleuth: they sometimes make poor choices, but they are interesting and quite likeable. The mystery was intriguing with several red herrings to keep the reader guessing. There seems to be a love triangle forming around Rain, which I'm not a fan of, but others may enjoy.

This book is set in Wisconsin, on a lake, during winter time. I thought it was a good book to read while snuggled under a blanket and sipping hot chocolate. Works ok as a stand-alone.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

This fun cozy mystery is set in upstate Wisconsin along the shores of Pine Lake. Though the lake, the community, and the people, are fictional, many of us can identify with the environment which Rain Wilmot (known as Rainy to her friends) has chosen to call home. The author presents us with the second book centered around the privately owned public library which is beginning to be a year-round draw for the larger community. Though fictional, I wish I could visit.

Rainy’s best friend’s husband has been locked up for murder. It now becomes Rainy’s, Rainy’s best friend Julia, and Julia’s brother Jace, task to “figure out how to fix that.” To do that would put Rain, Julia, and other members of the Pine Lake community in danger.

I had one disappointment with the book - one about which I will keep my mouth shut. Having spent four years in Wisconsin, it was easy to picture the cold, snowy, icey, winter weather, in which the story takes place. I can easily place myself in Rainy’s place as she finds herself in the ditch along a dark, snow cover road. I have been there! The plot, the setting, and the characters, easily make this a 4-½ star book.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Winter in Lofty Pines, Wisconsin means snow. And ice fishing, And unfortunately, also murder. Wallace Benson is found dead in his ice camp. Our heroine Rain, newly returned to town, finds herself investigating because Nick, husband of her BFF Julia, is one of the main suspects. Cozy readers know, though, that he's not the only one who had a dispute with the victim. The mystery part is trope-y to be sure but there's a good snap between Rain and Julia. And then here's Julia's brother Jace, a police officer and love interest of sorts for Rain. I liked the first book in the series; this one will be fine as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For cozy fans.