Release Date: November 14, 2023
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Returning to her role as an amateur detective is the last thing library director Amy Muir wants. She’s already buried under an avalanche of responsibilities, including sharing the directorship of the local public library, parenting her holiday-obsessed five-year-old twins, and helping her choreographer husband, Richard, present The Nutcracker as part of the town’s festivities. With her frosty mother-in-law, Fiona, visiting for the holidays, Amy definitely has enough on her Christmas cookie plate. But when the chair of the festival committee is found as dead as Dickens's proverbial doornail at the town’s ice rink, Amy is determined to uncover the real perpetrator to protect her brother-in-law, Ethan Payne, who was placed at the scene. The clock is ticking down as Sheriff Brad Tucker is equally sure that Ethan is guilty. It's beginning to look a lot like the murderer hasn’t wrapped up his killing spree, and now, it might just be “lights out” on the holiday festivities—and on Amy’s life.

#murderchecksout is the eighth book in the #blueridgelibrarymystery series. If you have read the previous books…don’t panic! We take a 5 (6?) year leap into the future as the last book was Richard and Amy’s wedding. While I think it would have been fun to have a pregnant Amy solving a murder, the time jump is fine. The murder suspect is Amy’s brother in law which I thought an interesting choice. The twist was not one I saw coming and was quite sad. So far this is my favorite book in the series! Id recommend this book!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

#murderchecksout #blueridgelibrarymystery #victoriagilbert #librariandetective
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While I haven't ready other books in this series by VIctoria Gilbert, Murder Checks Out definitely can be read as a standalone. It wasn't hard to pick up on who was who, and the storyline moved right along. I really enjoyed Amy and her family (as well as extended family) - their interactions were relatable, and their challenges were real. The story moved along, and I enjoyed the Christmas time setting - especially how the author wove the Nutcracker and family traditions in. The mystery itself was fine and had some nice twists to it, but it wasn't one that I found myself unable to put down. Overall, if you are looking for a cozy mystery, this might be a good choice for you - especially if you enjoy ones that involve libraries and are family centric.

In Murder Checks Out by Victoria Gilbert, Amy the director of the town’s library and an amateur sleuth is busy with her job, her twins and assisting her husband with his production of the Nutcracker. Therefore, she does not have time to solve any mysteries. Then the head of the town’s festival committee is found dead at the local ice rink and Army’s brother-in-law becomes suspect number one. As a result, Amy feels that she needs to put on her detective hat once again. Will she be able to find the real killer while juggling all of her own holiday festivities?

Murder Checks Out has the usual quirky characters living in a small town. Also, For those of us who are Nutcracker fans, we get to read about someone doing a modern dance version rather than the typical ballet one.

A cute cozy mystery. I enjoyed the family dynamics. The interactions felt lovely and realistic. Looking forward to reading others in this series.

This begins a multi-month theme of holiday mysteries, and because it's been a blast furnace of a summer, I'm starting with a Christmas mystery. I've read two in this series, and I thought I'd missed quite a few books until I checked. The last I read ended with Amy and Richard's wedding. In this book, published just a couple of years after that one, Amy an d Richard have 5-year-old twins. The author is not letting these characters age naturally, and I expect the twins to be dating and driving cars within a book or two, at this pace. They are unnaturally articulate and read as much older than they're supposed to be, and I found that disconcerting. It's Christmastime, and while Richard and the twins are busy preparing for The Nutcracker Suite, Amy is busy dealing with her mother-in-law, who has decided to spend Christmas with them. That stress is compounded by the murder of a real estate developer, and the main suspect is Amy's brother's husband, Ethan. I love how matter of factly this series deals with the gay couple; they're just family, and none of the characters make any deal about it. Amy's involvement in the investigation is handled much more deftly, and there is none of the insulting and arrogant behavior Rain in the abovementioned book exhibited: Amy tells the sheriff about what clues or gossip she hears. She's part of the investigation but not at the expense of making the professionals appear stupid and incapable, and I hate the mystery writers do that. Disconcerting twins aside, this is a far more pleasant series, and I think I need to catch up with this series.

Thanks to netgalley for a copy of this book in return for a fair review.
I enjoyed the latest installment in this series. Time has passed and Amy and Richard are parents of 5 year old twins. When Amy’s brother in law becomes a suspect in a local murder, she must put her researching skills to work, all while preparing for Christmas, entertaining her mother in law and helping with preparations for the Nutcracker. I enjoyed seeing all the old characters and the relationships having matured and strengthened. The mystery was almost secondary.

this is a very good suspense story. amy is heling her twins and richard prpare for the show and the twins are in it richards mother is also coming to visit. now there is a murder and the policy are looking for her brother in law but he has gone missing. well written story i was give a copy of the book but this is an honest review

Amy Muir is enjoying her life as a wife and mother, aside from the fact that it's keeping her so busy she's exhausted -- it's not easy being the mother of five-year-old twins, especially at Christmas, and double especially when they find out their grandmother Fiona, Amy's husband Richard's mother, is coming to spend the holiday with them.

When Amy visits her Aunt Lydia at Winterfest, she notices a steep snow-covered slope near where her aunt has her craft booth set up. It's not until later when the sponsor, Wendy Blackstone, is found murdered that Amy really has her hands full. She thought she was done with murder, but it seems that the spotlight is on her brother-in-law, Ethan Payne, for the deed. Now, she'll have to sift through suspects and clues to find the real killer -- and hope that she can do it before Christmas...

This is the eighth book in the series and I have read them all. I thought because of the time progression (stay with me) that I had missed one, but nope. This one takes place five years after the last book, and now Amy's given birth and her twins are ruling her life. There are several changes also, one in which how Amy treats Kurt (my favorite character) and I approve of that. They've not only come to an understanding, they've become friends. He's also the twins' godfather, and that shows how far Amy's come. Good move.

When Ethan is accused of murder, Amy isn't happy. People know he doesn't have the temperament to commit murder, but there's a problem that no one in the town can get past (and I won't reveal it here since this book is not yet published). This only adds confusion to the investigation and makes Amy's personal investigation harder. Not to mention her brother Scott hasn't yet arrived, so Amy is on her own.

Then Fiona arrives, and while Amy is apprehensive at first, things begin to change between them, and Amy comes to a greater understanding of Fiona as well. I like how this has progressed, and how Amy has become softer since motherhood; she's no longer so judgmental of people, and it works so well in this book.

When the murderer is discovered, it was hidden well until nearly the last, and I found the reasons behind the murder believable and sad, and while murder is wrong, one can sympathize (to a point) but derangement is what it is.

All in all, I found this one of my most favorite books of the series, and I hope that they keep coming for a long time yet. I read all of Ms. Gilbert's books and have yet to be disappointed. She is a talented writer with an ability to create interesting storylines. Highly recommended.

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

First read with this author but definitely not the last. Very enjoyable book. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Murder Checks Out is the eighth book in Victoria Gilbert's Blue Ridge Library series.
Librarian Amy Muir is very busy getting ready for Christmas. Her husband, Richard is choreographing a production of the Nutcracker and their 5-year-old twins are part of the cast (ramping up their excitement levels); the first annual Taylorsford Winterfest is being held, but on opening night, Fest Chairperson, real estate developer, Wendy Blackstone is murdered and Amy's brother-in-law Ethan Payne, is the prime suspect; and finally, her sometimes difficult and opinionated mother-in-law, Fiona, is coming for a Christmas visit. Amy’s stress level remains high as she juggles all these balls and maintains her prime objectives of keeping the twins semi-calm and clearing Ethan.
Well-paced story with several suspects, shady land developers, clues to unravel and Christmas to celebrate. Nice holiday addition to the Blue Ridge Library series. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

As if library director Amy Muir doesn't already have enough on her hands, the chair of the Winter festival committee has just been murdered and the top suspect is Amy's brother-in-law. Between fulfilling her duties at the library, taking care of her twins, helping her husband and children prepare for their roles in the upcoming "The Nutcracker" production, dealing with her medaling mother-in-law, and get ready for the Christmas holiday, Amy now has to track down a murderer to clear her brother-in-law's name. It doesn't help that her brother-in-law has gone missing or that his absence casts further doubt on his innocence.



Amy Muir is back, and there has been a significant jump in time since the last novel in the series. At the end of DEATH IN THE MARGINS, Amy has only just discovered that she is pregnant. In MURDER CHECKS OUT, not only have her children been born, they are five-years-old. Amy has cut back in her duties at the library and Richard is more focused on teaching others to dance than he is on his professional career. There have been other changes around Taylorsford, and it takes a minute or two to catch up. Overall, MURDER CHECKS OUT is a solid, enjoyable story. There were enough suspects and motives to keep me guessing.

As Christmas approaches, Amy Muir has her hands full working as Library Director and doing the usual holiday preparations. She is especially busy since her husband is running a production of The Nutcracker, her two children are in the productions, and her prickly mother-in-law is visiting. As if she isn’t busy enough, when someone is murdered and her brother-in-law is the chief suspect, Amy vows to do whatever she can to clear his name but will her efforts put her and those she loves in danger?

“Murder Checks Out” is the nicely done eighth book in Victoria Gilbert’s Blue Ridge Library cozy mystery series – while it is the eighth book in the series, it was the first book in the series that I have read – it certainly won’t be my last! I liked everything about this book starting with Amy, her job, her coworkers and friends, her husband, her children (who are more realistically portrayed than some children in cozy mysteries that I have read), her Aunt Lydia, even her mother-in-law Fiona (I want to read the other books in the series just to see what their relationship was in earlier books). And I love cozy mysteries set at Christmas! The mystery is well done with just the right amount of suspects, plot twists, and a nice sense of tension as the killer is revealed. All in all a well done book!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Setting the Scene: Amy Muir is the mother of 5 year old twins, the co-director of the local public library, and wife to choreographer Richard Muir. Add to that the chaos of the holidays, her husband's production of The Nutcracker, and a prolonged visit by her forbidding mother-in-law, the last thing Amy needs is to return to her sleuthing days, but when the chair of the festival committee is found murdered soon after an altercation with Amy's brother-in-law, Ethan, Amy is left with little choice but to clear his name, particularly since Sheriff Brad Tucker seems to be convinced of his guilt.

What I Thought: I have loved this series, but this book had me a little off kilter. First, it fast forwarded at least five years. Amy and Richard had no children in the preceding book that released less than a year ago, but they are now the parents of five year old twins, twins that will appear on stage for the first time in their father's production of The Nutcracker. In this outing, it felt as though Amy's posse, particularly Richard, Sunny, even the morally gray Kurt, were more peripheral than usual. As I often have made clear, I want cozies to have that core group on which the protagonist can depend, no matter what, and while they are in this story, it didn't feel that they were truly present. On the other hand, new relationships are developing that may prove interesting for future books, so, if you are a fan of the series, just be aware that changes are afoot, and if you have not read the series, I recommend you begin with Book 1 and read them in order. I am hopeful that the next book is more in keeping with the series, and this one will just provide updated back information necessary for going forward.

It's almost Christmas but that doesn't stop a murder. The proposed development on the mountain is a hot topic. Especially to Ethan Payne. His property backs up to said development and he's not a happy camper.. When Wendy Blackstone ends up at the bottom of the cliff stairs Ethan is in the hot seat as he was observed having a heated argument with said victim.. But there are others who had reason to off her as well. Like the environmental group who is opposed to the build. When Ethan disappears things really heat up. Can Amy help clear her brother in laws name or will he end up in the slammer? Lots of other things going on as well. Great book with realistic characters and events.

Murder Checks Out by Victoria Gilbert is the 8th book in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series and the very first book I’ve read from this author. I’ll definitely be going to check out her other works here in the near future. This book is due to be published November 14, of 2023 by Crooked Lane Books.

This was such a wonderful little holiday cozy that anyone could read! P.s I highly recommend doing so because it was amazing!! Amy and her husband Richard, and their 5 year old twins seem extremely busy this holiday season.
The children are excited to be part of The Nutcracker, and Amy has her hands full juggling everything around. Then bam a murder happens and Amy’s own brother is the suspect. Will they be able to solve it before he gets arrested?

Definitely recommend reading this series if you love a good cozy!

Thank you Netgalley, Victoria Gilbert and Crooked Lane Bookd for allowing me to read this cute little cozy in exchange for a free review!

MURDER CHECKS OUT, written by Victoria Gilbert, is the eighth book in the Blue Ridge Library mystery series. Amy Muir is the co-director of the Blue Ridge Library in Taylorford, Virginia, and the town is getting in the holiday spirit by holding its first Winterfest celebration. The Winterfest chair-person is found dead at the ice rink. What, or who, caused her death? Amy intends to find out.

Amy Muir and her family are interesting characters, and I am happy to read other books in the Blue Ridge Library mystery series to discover what is happening in their lives. I like that the dialogue moves the story along without needless banter. This book’s mystery is well-plotted, and the conclusion ties up all the loose ends nicely. Thank you, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read and review an advance reader copy of MURDER CHECKS OUT.

Amy Muir definitely has her hands full as the mother of five-year-old twins who also shares the position of library director. Her husband, Richard, has also been busy as a choreographer and he's putting on his version of The Nutcracker for the town's holiday festivities. The twins are participating. In addition, Amy's mother-in-law decides to come visit for the holidays. When the chair of the festivities is found dead and determined to have been murdered, Amy's brother-in-law, Ethan, becomes the prime suspect. So, Amy begins her own investigation.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest, unbiased review. I've really enjoyed this series and this book is no exception; however, I was lost at first thinking I'd missed a book with the way the timeline is done. Still, the book's well-written with well-rounded characters and a fast-paced plot. The mystery will keep you on your toes and guessing throughout. This story was captivating, and it drew me in from the beginning keeping me hooked until the end. Victoria Gilbert is a wonderful author and storyteller, and this book's a prime example of that. I loved this book and do hope there's more to come. I highly recommend both book and series which I think is best read in order.

With such an eye-catching cover, I was expecting a very intriguing book, but I was doomed to be disappointed by the dreariness of the story. This book only got interesting in the last couple of chapters. It was mildly entertaining.

This series is a must-read for me!
I love how the characters are developing as the series progresses, and I hope there are more to come!

A cozy, Christmas- themed mystery with a good plot and plenty of seasonable touches. A quick, easy read.