I have enjoyed reading this series form the beginning. There has been a growth of the characters and the storyline since then that continues to make the books better. In this book, there is a lot going on with many small mysteries. The death of the gallery owner is probably the main plot line but the others seem to become entwined with it. Overall it is a satisfying read.

"Allison Brook's "Overdue or Die" is a captivating cozy mystery that combines the love of books with a thrilling whodunit. With its charming small-town setting, engaging characters, and a cleverly crafted plot, this book is a delightful addition to the genre, sure to keep readers guessing until the very end.

The story revolves around Carrie Singleton, the head librarian at Clover Ridge Library, a cozy haven for bookworms and mystery enthusiasts. When a local businessman is found dead inside the library, Carrie becomes entangled in a web of secrets and suspects. As she delves deeper into the investigation, she discovers that the victim had a hidden past, and the library holds clues that could unveil the truth behind his demise.

Allison Brook excels at creating a vibrant and relatable cast of characters. Carrie Singleton is a smart and resourceful protagonist, passionate about her job and determined to uncover the truth. Her interactions with the quirky residents of Clover Ridge bring the small-town setting to life, with each character adding their own unique charm and quirks to the story.

The mystery itself is intricately plotted, with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers guessing. Brook's storytelling skill shines as she carefully reveals clues and red herrings, keeping the suspense taut throughout. The pacing is well-balanced, allowing for moments of intrigue, humor, and character development to blend seamlessly.

"Overdue or Die" is an engaging and entertaining cozy mystery that will delight fans of the genre. Allison Brook's skillful storytelling, engaging characters, and love for books make for an enjoyable reading experience. This book is a perfect choice for cozy mystery lovers, combining a puzzling mystery with a charming small-town atmosphere. Readers will eagerly await the next installment in Carrie Singleton's adventures at Clover Ridge Library.

Carrie Singleton is very busy. She's planning a wedding, putting the finishing touches on the new library addition, and planning all the events that are being held in the newly expanded space. When her assistant, Susan, starts working for a local art gallery, Carrie fears she's about to lose a valuable employee, but that becomes an afterthought as the gallery is suddenly plagued with issues- including murder.

This series has improved tremendously! In the beginning I liked the stories but found Carrie's fake-goth persona and attention seeking behavior trying. She's grown so much, become more serious about her career, gotten involved with a good guy, and formed a healthy relationship with her formerly neglectful (at best) parents that has obviously healed some old wounds. I really enjoyed this book, the art forgery angle being an unusual and interesting topic. I did miss her aunt and uncle, who played a much smaller role than in previous books.

One thing did kind of bother me. Carrie is a full-fledged adult who's had her own household for several years. Dylan is a full-fledged adult who's had his own household for years and who inherited a large property with two houses and boatloads of money and also owns his own successful company. When they get married they'll be the richest couple in town and they'll have two of everything they need to run a household... but they're setting up two gift registries? For their engagement party? So their friends and family who are less well-off than they are can buy them a 3rd of a bunch of things they already have? I'm sorry, but that's just tacky.

Overall this is a series that is reliably good and getting better, I do plan to continue it.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

library-cat, library, librarian, family, friendship, friends, relatives, amateur-sleuth, cozy-mystery, murder, murder-investigation, law-enforcement, ghosts, suspense, art-theft, detective, swindles, angst, art-forgery, series, private-investigators****

Carrie is a librarian who is engaged to Dylan (who is a Private Investigator specializing in art thefts) and in the midst of planning their wedding. Then her beloved uncle has a heart attack, Dylan gets beaten and left in a parking lot in Chicago while a valuable painting is stolen from him, the library has an Open House for their new building but it goes awry, and local art gallery manager Martha gets murdered. Let the sleuthing begin! Lots of suspects, plot twists, and red herrings along with some sly humor. Loved it!
I requested and received an EARC from Crooked Lane Books. Thank you!

this is another wonderful suspense story . carrie and dylan are planning the wedding but one of the owners of the art gallery is found dead. and carry is asked to help find out what happened. it turns out there are a lot of people who did not like her . this is a well written story that you will keep reading to the end i was given a copy of the book by netgalley but this is an houest review

Warning, as I've thought about this review in my head, it sounded very complainy considering I'm giving the book 4 stars. It's just a bunch of small nitpicks, I truly do enjoy this series. I picked up this series because I wanted a little light paranormal twist to a book, and this has one, but Evelyn is much more of a deceased character than any player in story....bums me out, but the rest of the cast of characters are endearing enough to keep me coming back. There's so much murder in this small town that it's not entireley plausible considering Carrie isn't in a large bustling city - I'd love to see her go out of town with Dylan for HIS work and then stumble on a death.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5557150779

The new library extension is set to open. While Carrie’s uncle is in the hospital with a heart attack her aunt and other donors will be in attendance at the dedication ceremony. The ceremony is disrupted by a former resident, Emily Fielding, claiming she owns the building. While that claim is settled there is still the issue of a house she says she still owns in town. The town is distracted from that controversy when art gallery owner Martha Mallory is murdered. There is suspicion that the gallery may be involved in selling art forgeries. Carrie’s fiancé Dylan found a forgery, purchased from Martha, in the collection of Victor Zalinka while he and Carries chose paintings for a display in the new library. Soon there is another murder and Carrie finds herself involved in the hunt for the killer.
These are quick, pleasant reads, almost more just a story of Carrie’s life with a tiny bit of a mystery thrown in. The regular characters are nice people, Carrie’s involvement in the mysteries does not strain credulity though the cat and the ghost seem almost irrelevant to the mysteries and the story itself.

Always a great time when a new Haunted Library book is released. This is the seventh book in the delightful series. I liked this book the best of all! Loaded with interesting characters that will keep you guessing until the end. Well developed characters. Lots of twists and turns. Make sure to read this one! Thanks#Netgalley and #CrookedLanebooks for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Carrie Singleton has a lot on her plate what with the library, opening the library's new wing, and planning her upcoming wedding to her fiance, Dylan Avery. When Carrie and Dylan go to local art collector, Victor Zalinka's home to view his collection so Carrie can pick some for the library, Dylan spots a forgery. Then the owner of the local art gallery, Martha Mallory, is found murdered. Carrie is drawn into the investigation and with some help soon discovers that the case is far deeper than imagined and the art gallery is at the center of it all.

I love this series and always look forward to each release. This book is no exception. I was drawn into this well-written, engaging story and kept hooked from start to finish. The characters are wonderful and I enjoy the various relationships. The mystery will keep you guessing and on your toes. I'm looking forward to the next book and highly recommend both book and series which should be read in order to get the most benefit and enjoyment.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This is my honest, unbiased, and voluntary review.

Carrie's great uncle Bosco is in the hospital after suffering a heart attack. This means he will miss the grand opening of the library's new wing, the special art exhibit and the town excitement. Why is the local art shop owner seen with Carrie's coworker? Why did the resident that moved away making false claims against the library? And why do murders keep happening?

Another fun read in the series

Ms. Brooks series Haunted Library is enhanced this newest edition.
Librarian Carrie is a librarian whose library has a ghost or two, and a knack for adding up the clues before the police.
Carrie and her fiance look into the rash of murders that seem to be connected to a criminal element. It’s nicely plotted and continues along a good pace. Her characters are interesting and the scenes are nicely set. I recommend it to any cozy lover.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC gratis and give my opinion in the same.

Overdue or Die is the 7th book in The Haunted Library Mysteries by Allison Brook (pen name for Marilyn Levinson) and is the best one yet! Carrie Singleton is a librarian and is engaged to Dylan Avery, a Private Investigator specializing in art thefts. They are planning their wedding! The library is having an Open House for their new building but the event is interrupted and someone ends up dead. Victor is a local art collector and Dylan spots a forgery among his collection. Carrie's assistant Susan is helping out at the local art gallery and the manager Martha ends up dead. It all keeps Carrie very busy! The relationship between Carrie and Dylan is more of a couple than previous books. Carrie still figures it out but Dylan is more supportive which I liked. This is such an enjoyable book and series! #OverdueOrDie
#NetGalley

Carrie Singleton is trying to find time to plan her wedding to Dylan Avery, the owner of a private investigation firm. But she's also wondering if her employee Susan is going to be poached by the owner of a local art gallery. In between this, an art collector, Victor Zalinka, is willing to offer several of his paintings for a show at the library.

But more is happening in Carrie's life: there's a problem with her Uncle Bosco, and she's worried about him; and Dylan has to travel once more to retrieve a painting his late uncle left for him. So, Carrie is manning everything by herself without trying to feel overwhelmed, even if it's hard to do. Then, the owner of the art gallery, Martha Mallory, is found dead; bludgeoned with a heavy object, and of course the first suspect is her husband Ron. But when he turns out to have an alibi, Carrie once again tries to find out who the murderer might be. Was it a wannabe artist who has a bad past and disliked her? Was it the son of a noted mob boss? Or could it have been someone Carrie never even suspected in the first place...

This is the seventh book in the series and I have read them all. I loved this one even more than the last. While we watch Carrie's angst at planning her wedding, we also see that she can handle stress and multitask like there's no tomorrow. Unfortunately, there is no tomorrow for the dead woman, and Carrie only hopes that her employee Susan isn't involved in the murder. While Evelyn, the library ghost, offers cryptic clues and pushes Carrie to solve Martha's murder, Carrie soon finds that the list grows with every day. But what surprises her is actually a surprise about Martha, and this revelation brings more doubt and even more suspects. For Carrie, the truth isn't going to be easy, and no matter what she does, she discovers that she might have her eye on the wrong people.

When the ending comes and the murderer is revealed, it is a cold day indeed; one that brings us to realize just how one of the Seven Deadly Sins can cause murder and distrust. This story is not only well-written, it is done with aplomb and intrigue, and kept me reading in one sitting. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

This is such a wonderful cozy series! I adore Carrie and love seeing what she is getting into in each book. I couldn't put this one down it was so good!! I can't wait for the next one!
I just reviewed Overdue or Die by Allison Brook. #OverdueorDie #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

The latest in the Haunted Library series has Carrie planning her wedding while getting drawn into another murder case, this time involving a gallery owner, organized crime, and forged paintings. The murder is interesting, with lots of twists and turns. While it’s nice to catch up with recurring characters, a few things felt slightly underdone. Carrie herself came across as a little self-centered and caustic in a few places, while some of the other characters felt a little one dimensional. The main quirk of this series, the library ghost, only appeared occasionally and did not really serve to drive things forward. That said, regular readers will enjoy catching up on the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review in exchange for an advance copy.

I love cozy mysteries and this one hit the spot. Another wonderful addition to the series. Great read.

Where have I been that there are now seven of these books in the series and I have never known it? Delightful characters, interesting storyline, fantastic world building, and such a clever mystery. I admit, I do not know much about the art world and how it works but I certainly learned a ton just from reading this book.

I love libraries so when I saw this book available to review on Netgalley, I had to go for it. And I am really glad that I did. I loved the haunted aspect of it as well. It makes sense considering how old a lot of our libraries are, I am certain they have seen a lot of action in their day. And Smokey Joe! What a hoot!

Carrie and Dylan are a match made in heaven and I was doubly excited about going along with them to plan their wedding. The love and affection they have for each other is clear and concise and is noticeable whenever they are around one another. Carrie's family and the love they feel for one another is also clear and very much felt. It makes me wish that I was a part of their family dynamic.

Dylan being a part of the FBI and helping out with art heists is very exciting and definitely gives him an added edge. Too often, the main character is written very vivaciously and outgoing while their partner is often left looking a bit drab. This wasn't that.

I wholeheartedly enjoyed this story. I was sad to see it come to an end. I will most definitely be reading the previous books in the series. Allison Brooks, you have a new fan!!

I absolutely recommend this book. I think you will completely fall in love with all of the characters.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers, and to Allison Brooks for the ability to read and review this book. All opinions are my own and completely honest.

« Overdue or Die » by Allison Brook is about Carrie, Dylan, a forged painting, three murders and a growing list of suspects. Will she find out the truth before the killer finds her?

#OverdueorDie #NetGalley is another great addition to this series.
Carrie Singleton is newly engaged and excited to begin planning the wedding.
She has a lot on her plate with library and the upcoming holidays, and with Uncle Black recovering from a heat attack makes Carrie nervous.
Something fishy is happening in her little town, and when faced with 3 deaths, everyone has the urge to have Carrie investigate.
Carrie believes the deaths are related, but what do the art store owner, the mobster's son, and an elderly woman with dementia have in common?
This is a perfect weekend book, easily read in a few hours, but will keep you reading until the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.

I was excited to read this book since it involved wedding planning and murder. It was a pretty good read and I did go back and forth on who was the murderer. What I struggled with was that Carrie seemed so annoying and judgemental in this book. I'm a big fan of the series and I don't remember her being this annoying. I know wedding planning can bring out the worse in people since it is a stressful time, but she just seemed like she was better than everyone else around her. I also wanted more Evelyn, she is the reason I fell for this series! This was an entertaining read and I will continue to keep reading this series.