Another cozy mystery series that I have stumbled upon mid-way in the series! Overdue or Die is the seventh book while it is the first one I have read. Judging by what I read, all the characters that are part of the Clover Ridge society and their backstories seem well developed by now and Carrie and Dylan are well on their way to get married soon. Overall, I liked the characters and the setting of the book and the mystery was well plotted although the first murder does not occur until chapter 15! I am curious to know how the story of these Clover Ridge residents began and also the story of Evelyn the ghost who resides in the library. I will be sure to check out the earlier titles in the series.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author Allison Brook for the e-Arc of the book. Expected publication is 10th October, 2023.

It’s nearing winter in Connecticut where Carrie and Dylan are planning a wedding. Life keeps getting in the way. Dylan gets hurt while working on his Uncle Alec’s estate. Carrie is worried about losing her assistant Susan to Susan’s art. One of the art gallery owners is murdered. Uncle Boscoe had a heart attack, which has Aunt Harriet and Carrie worried.
Evelyn, the library ghost, pops up nearly every day but she has little to contribute other than to remind us that the library is haunted.
Book #7 in the Haunted Library series revolves around art, art forgeries and family. It’s a fun read that lets Carrie shine.
I enjoy keeping up with the characters in this series.
Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for making this book available for review.

Overdue or Die is the seventh cozy mystery in The Haunted Library Mystery Series. Carrie Singleton is in the middle of planning her wedding and celebrations Thanksgiving when another murderer strikes and she finds herself wrapped up in the case.

I have read this series from the beginning and have always enjoyed it, this book was no different. I enjoyed the characters as much as always and am excited to see how Carrie and Dylan’s wedding planning plays out. The new characters in this series and the seedy art forging ring bring a new angle to this series, which I enjoyed as well. There really isn’t much I didn’t like about this book. The only thing I wish there had been a little bit more of is the library and our resident library ghost. It felt like this story got a little bit away from that, but maybe I was too tied up in the mystery that I didn’t notice the part the library played in this cozy. Anyway, this was an enjoyable read and I can’t wait to see what comes next for Carrie and the gang!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC version of this book!

Carrie Singleton was at a perfect stage of her life; she and her fiance Dylan Avery were organising their wedding; her position at the Clover Ridge Library continued to make her happy; Smokey Joe, her cat and constant companion, kept her on her toes, and the new addition to the library was about to be used for the first time. But Carrie's one concern was the art gallery, and the possibility that Susan, one of her part time employees, would leave the library for the gallery. And when Carrie and Dylan visited the home of Victor Zalinka, Dylan was shocked to see a forgery among Victor's collection of art.

When a woman was murdered, then another elderly lady also murdered, the local police were baffled. As Carrie compiled a list of suspects, they realised the list was long, and there were many tangled webs through the small town, which pointed to something much bigger than any of them had imagined. Would Carrie discover the culprit before someone else died?

Overdue or Die is the 7th in The Haunted Library Mysteries by Allison Brook and it was fun and entertaining. The library's resident ghost, Evelyn, played a pivotal part, as she often does, with Smokey Joe always on the sidelines. Carrie is an excellent character, and she and Dylan make a great team. Recommended.

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

I have read almost all of the books in The Haunted Library series by Allison Brook and I have loved all of them! I have grown to love the characters in the series. From Carrie and her fiancé, Dylan to her aunt and uncle, Harriet and Bosco to the resident library ghost, Evelyn. This one has multiple murder mysteries and lots of side things going on that will pull you into the book and keep you invested until the last page. Lots of twists and turns along with the fun of experiencing the wedding planning aspect for Carrie and Dylan. I am looking forward to the next book to see how their relationship continues to develop and what crazy murder mystery Carrie will find herself in the middle of investigating. Definitely pick up the first book in this series and fall in love with the people at the Clover Ridge Library in Connecticut. You will be in for many hours of entertaining reading.

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!

Carrie and Dylan are meant to be preparing for their wedding but first there's murder! Fans of this series, which features Evelyn the hoot of a ghost in the library and Smokey Joe the cat, know that the killing of an art dealer is going to lead to. more villainous activity. And, cozy readers know that the first victim had many people who had issues with him. Never fear, our intrepid heroine and her pals will solve the crimes. Best of all. though, for those who have been following along, are updates on the large and boisterous family. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read that should be fine as a standalone.

This is pretty much everything I want a cozy mystery to be. A main character who has had some growth, a world of likable characters, an animal sidekick with some serious opinions, and books. Throw in a ghost and I'm pretty happy. I especially enjoyed the art forgery aspect of this and liked that Carrie and Dylan's worlds kind of collide there as they are both pulled into the same mystery.

I enjoyed seeing a bit more of Carrie's growth. Not only is she becoming more comfortable and confident in her job she is also getting better at being vulnerable with the people she loves most. I've also really enjoyed the development of her relationship with her father.

The mystery kept me intrigued. I was fascinated by the art forgery links and I'm always fascinated by the discovery of fraud. The balance between Carrie's regular life and mystery solving was well done and the pacing made this a fast read. I've enjoyed this series from the beginning and this latest book was an entertaining read.

Another adventure with Carrie Singleton and her ghostly friend, Evelyn. Carrie is already dealing with being overwhelmed by wedding plans when unsolved murders show up again. I don't want to give too much away, but this time her fiancee, Dylan, gets more involved. Dylan and Carrie try to make sense of seemingly unconnected events in order to help resolve matters for their friends.
This series is an easy-to-read, cozy mystery series that book lovers will find enjoyable. Focuses on small-town life and local issues.

This is a good cozy mystery, with fun and likeable characters, and a whodunnit that wasn't easy to solve.

When you’re invested in reading a series, particularly a cozy series, each new installment is like reconnecting and catching up with old friends. Even though you may pick up the book for the mystery, the characters and their lives are why you keep coming back. This is a very appealing, well written series and this book is an entertaining addition!

I’m still invested in the The Haunted Library mystery series and this is book #7. Like most cozy mysteries half the fun is to catch up with the regulars although not much changes with them. Carrie Singleton (told from her POV) is over events at the town library. Her friends refer to her as their own Nancy Drew because she solves many of the towns murders. This time there is more than one murder and seemingly they are tied in with art forgeries. Evelyn, the ghost of a deceased librarian, appears at the library only to Carrie. She is a good sounding board for Carrie and a resource for her knowledge of old town gossip or connections. Evelyn doesn’t do anything supernatural to help solve cases. Carrie is the kind of person who people confide in but she isn’t afraid to go out and ask questions herself. And she does manage to have the police on speed dial when she needs them. I’m not sure about the time frame between books but on the personal side Carrie is looking for a venue for her engagement party and wedding to fiancé Dylan. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane for the ARC and I am leaving an honest review. (3.5 Stars)

I am loving this series. This story had some excitement in it. Sometimes we are quick to judge others when we should take a step back. Other times we shouldn’t be so trusting. I think Carrie has one of the best jobs ever and with the bonus of Evelyn. How fun would it be to have her job? Loved this story line and the characters – the good, the bad, and the ugly. I can’t wait to go visit them again. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

Sometimes, I just need a break from heavy-duty, mind-bending thrillers and gory murders that make up the bulk of my reading matter - and that's when I turn to a trusted cozy mystery series like this one. In particular, I enjoy heroine Carrie Singleton, head of programs and events at the Clover Ridge library, just because she's not the typical cozy airhead who insists on nosing around where her nose (and the rest of her body) has been warned not to go by those in authority. Yes, she's a competent sleuth - aided by her almost-husband, investigator Dylan Avery - but she basically works with the cops, not behind their backs. Then too, she's got a cat; Smoky Joe not only lives with her and Dylan, but is the official library cat. What's not to love about that?

The only thing about this series I don't love is that the library is a haven for ghosts - yep, "real" ones that Carrie sees and talks to with regularity. It's sort of a cute touch, I suppose, but to me it's just a silly distraction. That said, as this begins, new programs are set to begin in the new addition to the library - an old adjacent building that's been renovated. Dylan has gone off to check out a painting that belonged to his recently deceased great-uncle; the plan is that sometime after he returns, he and Carrie will begin making plans to get married. As she and Dylan visit the home of a well-to-do local art collector to pick out some paintings for a library art show, Carrie is taken with the surroundings and wishes the wedding could be held at the opulent house and garden.

But at the library ceremony to show off the new facility, an elderly woman interrupts, claiming that she owns the building and the library has no claim on it - throwing a wrench in the deal. Not long thereafter, Carrie learns that Dylan is in the hospital; it seems that after he picked up his great-uncle's painting, he was mugged and the painting was stolen. Not long after that, the owner of a local art gallery - a woman who seems intent on poaching one of Carrie's best employees from the library - is found in her gallery, quite dead. But with few clues to go on, the suspect list is both highly speculative and almost endless. A couple more murders happen to complicate things, but of course Carrie carries on with help from Dylan and the local police. I had a suspect in mind for about the final third of the book and it turned out I was right, but I admit I'd never have guessed the motive in a million years.

All told, it's another fun adventure that stacks up well with the others I've read (this is the seventh book in the series). Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

Carrie is busy and getting busier. Between searching for the perfect venue to her wedding and her job as events planner at the library, featuring its newly renovated meeting space, she doesn’t have time to add more to her plate. But that’s exactly what happens when one of the town residents is found dead, and her death opens a can of worms that leads to bigger and more dangerous things than anyone could have guessed.

This is another series I’ve been enjoying for years, yet every book makes me more and more envious of the public library in Clover Ridge. At a time when many of the libraries in my area are reducing hours and even cutting some services, it’s hard to fathom a library that can take on such an extravagant renovation, while offering things like art shows and more to its patrons. They must have a stable of generous donors.

I like Carrie and Evelyn, the library ghost, but Evelyn is annoying when Carrie puts other things ahead of whatever investigation Evelyn thinks is more important. Smoky Joe, Carrie’s library cat, is a doll, but another thing that seems unrealistic to me. How do they keep the cat away from patrons who are allergic, or prevent its dander from infiltrating the space? I like the support Carrie gets from her friends and family, and appreciate her concern for the health of her aunt and uncle that is especially evident in this book. I learned a lot about art forgery while reading this book, a theme I’ve run across in several recent reads.

At first, the murder victim appears to have been a well-respected resident of the town, but as the investigation into her death continues, they learn enough about her to compile a lengthy list of potential suspects. Even as the suspect pool is reduced, I still had trouble figuring out the guilty party until just before it was revealed in the book, and the motive was equally puzzling. Despite that, I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Really enjoyed reading this one. Library, art, mystery and murder. The makings of a great mystery! It is written very well and is a pleasure to read. An absolute must read. Just loved it!

This is a very fun, easy to read cozy-mystery series. It's the second book in the series that I've read (I also read book 6), and I keep meaning to go back and start from the beginning. With how enjoyable the storylines are and how well the writing flows, I really need to actually do it!

Carrie and Dylan have a great relationship, the library location is interesting, the appearance of the ghost to help with clues is neat (though this wasn't very prevalent this time, with a lot of the art theft ring being outside the library). Following a rather large series of clues and characters with this one with the art theft and forgery ring - it's quite a runaround! This book had a few more deaths than I was expecting for a cozy mystery...

Hoping the wedding happens in the next book!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, and this is my honest feedback.

I gave Overdue or Die by Allison Brook 4 stars

Carrie Singleton has more than her fair share on her plate: her job at the Clover Ridge Library, preparing for her wedding to Dylan Avery, and hoping that the local art gallery doesn’t steal away one of her part-time employees. Her fiancé Dylan accompanies her to the beautiful home of Victor Zalinka—art collector and successful businessman—to select paintings for an art show at the library. While Carrie muses that Victor's home would be the perfect wedding venue, Dylan spots a forgery among the paintings in Victor's collection.

Then Martha Mallory is found murdered in her art gallery. With the assistance of Evelyn, the library ghost; the resident cat, Smoky Joe; and the office manager of Dylan’s private investigation company, Carrie comes up with a suspect list long enough to rival the size of an encyclopedia. During her investigation, Carrie stumbles across a terrible truth: Martha’s murder was part of something far bigger and more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. And it all leads back to the art gallery.

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I have liked all books in the series so far, and this was no exception. A good mystery, likable characters, and it was fun reading about the wedding preparations for the future book(s). I had no clue of whodunit until Carrie found out herself.

Something I like about this book series is that one character is a library ghost. However, I missed her a lot in this book, since she almost didn't have any scenes. I also would have wanted more scenes with Carrie's aunt and uncle, because they are amazing.

Highly recommend this cozy mystery series!

This book comes out 03 Oct.

Thank you, Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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I really enjoyed the latest installment in this series! The mix of art forgeries, mobsters, affairs, legal misconduct, and more made for an exciting read. A LOT happened in this storyline but it tied together nicely.

I love the cast of characters in this series, but was sad that Evelyn was barely present in this installment with only the occasional comment here and there.

Looking forward to the next in the series. I can’t wait to see what Carrie, Evelyn and Dylan (and Smokey Joe) get up to next.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overdue or Die was another homerun in this series about Carrie and her family and her community. I cannot wait for the next book in the series to be out.

4/5 stars: This is the seventh entry in Brook's Haunted Library Mysteries series, it's a Paranormal Literary Cozy Mystery and takes place in Connecticut, during Thanksgiving. Brook has once again written a mystery that perfectly blends just the right balance of suspects, clues and red herrings that will leave you scratching your head until the last page. Brook's cast of characters are not only well written but incredibly likable. It's so much fun to catch up with Carrie and the library crew including Evelyn, the library ghost and everyone's favorite cat, Smoky Joe. Additionally, it's a joy to see Carrie and Dylan planning their wedding. Be sure to catch up with this great series and pick up book one, Death Overdue.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.