Synopsis:
When in doubt, go to the library…and solve the murder mystery!

Greta Plank, library director in the small, lakeside town of Larkspur, Wisconsin, prefers her rose-tinted glasses extra rosy, thank you very much. It’s how she copes with the hard stuff in life…like her sister’s death and her ex-boyfriend’s deception. But Greta’s cheery resolve takes a hit when she stumbles upon a dead body on her way home from work. What she assumes is a terrible accident Greta soon learns is something more sinister, and to make matters worse, a new-to-town detective cites her as not only his primary source for the case, but his top suspect.

To clear her name and save her reputation, Greta decides to do some off-the-books clue cataloging of her own. After all, asking questions is what she does best. With the help of her fellow librarians and her lawyer mom, Greta flips through the pages of the murder, uncovering details about Larkspur’s real estate market and the deceased’s rare book collection as she tries to understand why anyone would have authored his death.

With friends and neighbors stacking up as both victims and suspects, Greta must cross reference the facts and put a hold on her idyllic worldview if she wants to get the full story without paying the fine of her life.

Review:
I found this book and the town of Larkspur interesting and idyllic but ultimately boring and I guessed who the culprits were from the jump. The relationships never progressed enough for me to feel like these characters were my friends or people I wanted to get to know and while I know all about Greta, I don't feel like I truly understood anyone else in Larkspur.

3 stars
Death Checked Out
A Larkspur Library Mystery by Leah Dobrinska
A decent mystery that many will enjoy. I was drawn in from the first page. However, the cockiness of the Chicago detective and the interplay between him and main character Greta were just as trite and expected as you would imagine. I am ever so tired of this trope in books. When will authors stop with the whole handsome cocky cop and interfering busybody, whom will no doubt fall in love in the rest of the series? It is enough to put me off of cozy mysteries.
The middle dragged quite a bit, but the conclusion was satisfying. I appreciated the multiple generations of Greta's family being a big part of this book. I do plan on reading the next one in this series and hopefully I will be surprised by the outcome of the characters.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley.

Thank you to the publish and Netgalley for proving me with this eARC.

The book was advertised as a small town, cozy read and did absolutely fit that category. Just like a glove.
I liked the storyline and the pacing.
It was, admittedly, a bit slow at times but nevertheless a good read.

Greta Plank has moved to Larkspur, Wisconsin and works at the library. She is upbeat and makes friends with the other librarians, Josie and Iris. She also makes friends with her neighbor, Franklin Halloway. When Greta stops by Franklin after work, she finds him dead at the bottom of some stairs. A new detective in town is now in charge and Detective Mark McHenry declares that the death was no accident. Greta feels that he is looking at her as a suspect and might not look any further, so she gets her friends to help investigate what happened.
An enjoyable cozy mystery with small town charm, a budding romance and where everybody knows everyone's business and secrets are hard to keep.
Thank you NetGalley and Level Best Books for this e-galley of "Death Checked Out".

This was a marketed as a cozy mystery and I can definitely agree with that! I loved the small town vibes, and the mystery was just enough to keep me reading and guessing. I loved the quirky cast of characters.

I received a free copy of Death Checked Out, by Leah Dobrinska, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Greta has a mystery to solve, someone has set her up for murder. I enjoyed this quirky mystery.

This is a gorgeous little story, you will fall in love with the characters and the setting, and the ending will leave you with a very cozy and happy feeling. The cover is very bright and pulls you in and matches the story perfectly. I had a lot of fun reading this book! This book would be perfect reading for autumn or for a cozy little story.

This is a perfect setting for a fall cozy mystery. I was excited to find it was in a library. It was a fast read however it was maybe a little to cute for my liking. The MC seemed she shouldn't have been a suspect in the murder. I don't think this is a series I will pursue.
#DeathCheckedOut #NetGalley

A quick, easy and cute cosy read that I loved. It was well written with well developed characters, an adorable storyline and a fantastically cosy setting. It also had a mystery element that I really enjoyed.

This was a cute cozy mystery perfect to get into the spirit of the fall season. I liked the small town feel of the setting and loved it being set in a library my only issue with this read was it was maybe a little too sweet and cute for my taste. I thought the central mystery was interesting but had a hard time believing the main character would ever be seen as a suspect. I was entertained by this book and would recommend it but was only a 3 star read from me. Thank you to NetGalley and Level Best Books for a digital arc of this title in an exchange for an honest review.

just reviewed Death Checked Out by Leah Dobrinska. #DeathCheckedOut #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL] this book is just like a warm hug enveloping you. I am completely obsessed with these characters. There has to be more and soon! This is one of the best cozy mystery stories I have read in awhile. This book makes my top 10 of the year. What's not to love about it. Small town, books, coffee and tea, friendship, murder and one sexy detective.

The town of Lakespur, the library and the characters we meet in this book… it’s all so cozy! Yet there is a murderer on the loose and there’s both sorrow and fear in the heart of heroine Greta Plank.
QThat she’s a suspect in her neighbour’s murder doesn’t really make her life easier.
Still, she’s a good natured person.with lots of friendly people around and it takes a lot of pain, both physical and mental, to get her to stop investigating.
I like Greta, she seems very genuine.
Tall, dark, handsome and somewhat broody detective McHenry is a bit more predictable, but his supressed interest in Greta is so subtle, I really admire that kind of writing!
Greta has sworn of men so this is no romance novel, but I can imagine a sequel where sparks can fly a bit more.
Most characters are well written, maybe Iris gets a little thin as all we read about her has to do with hear beau. Josie is a much more complex and interesting character. All in all I liked this book very much and would like to read the sequel weather there’s romance in it or not.

I recieved a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the best cozy I've read in awhile! I blazed through this - it was a perfect read to welcome in the fall/winter season. I enjoyed the setting (quaint little lakeside town), the characters (a trio of plucky librarians, a broody detective, and your usual small town ensemble), and the overall feel of the start of this new series (bookish and delightful).

I feel that dialogue can feel really unnatural in a lot of cozies, but I enjoyed it for the most part in Death Checked Out. Especially between the friends. As the first book of a potential series you did have to get through some of the character/setting setup in the beginning, but it didn't feel too slow paced for me. I actually gasped when I found out who the victim was! The victim is so often such a minor character in cozies that it's hard to care about them much, but I DID care about the victims of Larkspur.

Now, I must admit that I had it solved pretty early on...but that didn't dampen my spirits or damage my reading experience. I was turning the pages to find out how Dobrinska was going to reveal her killer. I also couldn't totally get a read on McHenry in the beginning, but now I'm looking forward to seeing where things go between our heroine librarian Greta and the broody detective in the future.

Quick, lighthearted, fun - Thank you to NetGalley and Level Best Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a well-written and fast-paced whodunit that became a page-turner as I had to know who was doing what to whom. The author did a great job in staging this wickedly solid mystery with a suspect pool where anyone could have been the perpetrator, but it was the slice and dice of clues that with each chapter read, took us closer to the true killer’s identity. There were a few red herrings that teased one way or another to a different person, but it was the visually descriptive narrative that kept me in the game. As the story moved to its conclusion, I had an inkling as to who was the killer and I enjoyed watching it all play out just as the author intended when their identity was revealed. Boasting a great cast of characters, engaging dialogue and a small-town atmosphere, this was a fun book to read, and I can’t wait to see where our heroine and her friends find themselves involved in the next book in this pleasantly appealing debut series.

This cozy crime was a fun and relaxing read. I loved the use of the library trope and the realism which came along with this, paired with the small town feel and strong character relationships. With approaching Christmas, this book made me feel like I was investigating a murder with all of the attributes of a stereotypical Hallmark movie! 🤣

I enjoyed this read and quickly finished it in two days. This book is well written and I loved that I couldn't figure out who the perpetrator was. However, I felt that sometimes some things that happened in the plot were just too convenient, and that the story was very drawn out and slow for much of the book, with all of the action saved for right at the end. I have to admit that through the second half of the book I was only reading the dialogue.

Overall, I enjoyed and would recommend if you're looking for a very easy to read cosy crime.

Review also posted on Goodreads.

Thank you again NetGalley, Leah Dobrinska and Level Best Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you @netgalley and @whatleahwrote for the e-arc of Death Checked Out!

Here’s what I loved about this book:
• an inquisitive librarian
• an untrusting detective
• small town setting
• it’s a book to cozy up with
• a mystery that had me turning
pages but not giving me
nightmares

Greta is determined to get justice for the murder committed in her town! I loved how much she cared for her town and the people in it. The community and friendships play such a huge roll in the story and it was lovely.

★ ★ ★ ★/5
Out December 6
Steam: nothing but tension here
TW: murder, blood, character(s) held at gunpoint

Great cozy mystery that read like a romcom and I loved that aspect. Greta had some very funny moments but at times I felt she was not thinking through things very well like who goes out to a lake in the dark when they find out they could be targeted by a killer! While I did figure out the mystery by the end it did send me on some twists and had some surprises. I was hoping we would get a little more of Greta's backstory but maybe we will get more as the series continues. I'm also rooting for the romance but keeping it light hearted and funny while keeping the mysteries the main plot.

DEATH CHECKED OUT is the first book in the brand-new Larkspur Library Mystery series by Leah Dobrinska. For cozy mystery fans, this book checks all the right marks: a close-knit small community, delightful characters who you’d love to make friends with, and a puzzling murder to solve. And the fact that the book centers around a library makes it even more inviting! The mention of several authors and books that Greta recommends to her patrons had me adding to my TBR pile. The protagonist, Greta Plank, is an almost overly optimistic librarian, despite some setbacks and a heartbreaking tragedy in her life. Still, with supportive parents and two best friends who work alongside her, life couldn’t be better.

I also loved Greta’s two best friends, Josie and Iris. They add a lightheartedness to the story. Ms. Dobrinska’s attention to details, along with her descriptive voice, for both characters and setting alike, makes the reader feel like they are right there. It was a delight “experiencing” everything the three young women did, like hanging out at Mugs & Hugs, the local coffee café. The cozy scenes added to the overall enjoyment of the book.

The murder mystery is well-plotted yet adds an element of emotional investment… you can’t help but feel the heartache Greta experiences when she finds the body of her reclusive neighbor. Using her skills as a librarian, Greta gets involved to clear her name when the new detective in town eyes her as his prime suspect. There are clues to follow and, while I had my suspicions that proved right, there was a major twist I didn’t see coming that ramped up the suspense. As the clues fell into place and the resolution came to light, the different threads of the story came together in a highly satisfactory conclusion. I, for one, am looking forward to more books in this delightful series!

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Death Checked Out
A Larkspur Library Mystery
by Leah Dobrinska

I am not one to read cozy mysteries, but I did. I really enjoyed this fun, charming read. Far apart from my mystery genre. It felt like poor clutsyHanna was on the downside of trying to solve a mystery. She did have Larkspur, Wisconsin backing her. It was worth it all. LOVE it.

Leah Dobrinska’s DEATH CHECKED OUT (Book 1 in the Larkspur Library Mysteries series) is a cozy mystery based in a northwoods, lakeside setting. It follows our main character Greta Plank, a cheery librarian with a heart of gold. She suddenly is thrown into the middle of a murder investigation in her small town of Larkspur, Wisconsin after she stumbles across a dead body on her way home from work. When her reputation in Larkspur is suddenly at stake, Greta decides to do some of her own investigating into this sudden and jarring death. This book features a trio of spunky librarians, a grumpy and brooding detective, a handsome little tabby cat named Biff, and plenty of suspense!

I really enjoyed this read! This book kept me engaged from page one and the steady pace of the story was refreshing. I feel like a lot of mystery novels stagnate at some point in the storyline, but I think Mrs. Dobrinska kept things moving along consistently without leaving out any important plot moments. Greta is a character I had a very easy time connecting with, and her friends at the library are a hoot to get to know as the mystery unfolds. Also the grumpy yet handsome detective? Sign me right up. I thought I had the case solved about halfway through but ended up being completely bamboozled when I got towards the end and it was all revealed! This book was one I couldn’t put down (in the spirit of full transparency, I binged this in two days). It was light and refreshing while keeping me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of mystery, books about books, and loves a good strong, female lead.

As for content warnings, this book does feature some death, several injuries to characters, with mentions of blood and bruises, but they’re not described in great detail. This isn’t a gory mystery by any means, but if any of those topics are sensitive to you be sure to read with caution!

(Instagram review will be posted soon)