Amy and Richard are preparing for the annual performance of The Nutcracker. A special one because their twins are making their dance debuts! But life outside the theatre still continues, and when someone close to them is accused of murder, Amy steps in to do research and help the local police. Fun read!

I received a free copy of, Murder Checks Out, by Victoria Gilbert, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book 8 in The Blue Ridge Library Series. Amy Muir is pretty busy, married with five year old twins, and working as a library director. The busy holiday season gets busier when someone is murdered, can Amy solve the murder before anyone else gets hurt or murdered? A great cozy holiday mystery.

Who doesn’t love a good Christmas murder mystery book? This gave me all the feels! From wanting to help solve the murder myself to the warm, cozy, Christmas vibes. I truly enjoyed it! I will definitely be looking forward to more books by the author since this was my first time.

Amy is 41 years old with 5-year-old twins married to Richard. Richard is putting together to Nutcracker play for most of the book. His mother ends up visiting and discovering what true happiness is and she makes a big life decision.

Amy is a curious detective and she is not a legitimate detective. She goes around gathering information to help solve the mystery.

Unfortunately, Amy’s brother-in-law ends up being the main suspect. So while she’s trying to help solve who did it, she’s also trying to clear his name.

When Amy gets too close to solving it and receives a threat herself. That doesn’t stop her from trying to capture the real suspect.

When the mystery is solved right on Christmas Eve. I was not expecting it to be that person. I had two people in my head that I assumed it was and I was completely wrong.

If you have Christmas books or murder mysteries. You will love this!

Thank you to NetGalley for the EARC! As always, my review is my opinion and thoughts. This review will be shared on my Instagram (@Alexandriavwilliams_) shortly.

Murder Checks Out is the 8th book in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteriy series. I have read all in the series from the first Murder by the Books. The story takes place in the town of Taylorsford. Amy Muir is the main character who works as library co=director at the Taylorsford Public Library along with her best friend and co-director Sonny Fields. Richard Muir is her husband who is a choreographer and teacher of dance. The main characters from the first book along with the new characters add to the story.

The town is doing their first Winterfest and the chair is Wendy Blackstone who's company, Blackstone Properties is building a new development which many people are opposed to. Amy's Aunt Lydia and her friend Zelda are at their booth for their garden club. Amy is taking some soup and a hot drink to them. She runs into her brother, Scott's husband Ethan Payne who is a firefighter at the Winterfest who is there to make sure there are no fires. He has a great dislike for Wendy. At the end of the first night of the Winterfest Wendy is found murdered. She fell down the steps.

This is where the story takes the reader on an adventure to find out who killed Wendy with Amy interested in solving as her brother-in-law, Ethan has disappeared and is the police are looking for him. There is so much going on in the story that I will leave to the reader to enjoy to the exciting finish.

I have enjoyed this series and look forward to the next adventure of Amy and Richard along with her family. and friends. Richard's mother is a new addition to the story with her planning to live in Taylorsford now that she is divorcing her husband.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.

Cozy read, perfect for a rainy winter day.

It’s Christmas time, and the town of Taylorsford is enjoying the seasonal festivities. As with probably most parents of five-year twins olds, Amy’s busy. Her husband is choreographing the Nutcracker which their twins have a small role in, meaning lots of trips carrying them (and him) to practice. Meanwhile, her mother-in-law, whom Amy doesn’t get along with, is visiting. Things get even crazier when Wendy, the unpopular chair of the festival committee is found dead at the bottom of flight of stairs. Lots of people where unhappy with Wendy, including her daughter (who also worked at the development company Wendy owned), several environmental activists who were protesting the a new development Wendy was working on, and even Amy’s brother-in-law Ethan who got into a fight with Wendy a few hours before her death. Amy’s superpower is being a librarian and doing research; she puts it to use to help clear Ethan and find the real killer.

Entertaining enough read. I’ve read several in the series, but there are some gaps. I liked the fact that Amy and her family has grown. Too often a series has characters that never age, or that end once the main characters get married. I also like how it ended with Amy and her mother-in-law being on slightly better terms.

Recommended. Even though this is part of a series, I think there’s enough background information for anyone to enjoy.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.com that I voluntarily chose to review.

The 8th book in the Blue Ridge Library continues the exciting series. Perfect for the holiday season or any time you want some holiday mystery. Amy's brother in law needs her help in solving who killed the shady land developer. A true delight with rich well developed characters. Great plot with lots of red herrings. Thanks#Netgalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Victoria Gilbert has done it again! Murder Checks Out is a delightful cozy mystery perfectly suited for the Christmas season. Between her husband and kids performing in the Nutcracker and her brother in law being accused of murdering an unscrupulous realtor Amy Muir, librarian and amateur sleuth has her hands full. Oh yeah, and her Mother-In-Law is visiting for the holidays. No problem! This is a joy to read and I highly recommend it

When a controversial land developer ends up murdered and Amy's brother in law becomes the prime suspect she will stop at nothing to prove him innocent.

This book takes place about 5 years after the last book from this series. It was kind of jarring at first but I was able to catch up fairly quickly. As always a well written enjoyable read with a great mystery.

A delightful eighth installment in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series. This one centers around the holidays, including a performance of the Nutcracker led by librarian Amy Muir's husband Richard and including Amy and Richard's 5-year old twins. All while Amy's mother in law is visiting for the holidays. Of course, there is a murder and, naturally, Amy is involved in trying to solve it.

A charming Christmas mystery with a terrific plot and the usual wonderful characters.

Highly recommended for cozy mystery fans!!

Victoria is wonderful with how they write their stories. The details are rich and immersive but not overwhelming, making it super easy to get to know the characters and the town/mystery. I thought the kids were great, definitely my favorites. I also loved the holiday vibes.

Great read! I enjoyed this book and this series. I love how the twins are old enough to be dancing. This one had me guessing and rethinking all the time.

The twins were a lovely surprise in this addition to the Blue Ridge Library Series, well written, with plenty to keep it interesting and wonderful characters.

I enjoyed this book. I loved the characters especially the kids. I loved how detailed and rich the characters and their lives are. I thought the mystery is interesting especially the research done on the company. I hope that that bodies at Crystal Lake are found. I was surprised by who the killer is. #MurderChecksOut#NetGalley

Cozy mysteries are my comfort, go-to reads and I love Victoria Gilbert's Blue Ridge Library Mystery series is great!

Murder Checks Out was a really fun cozy mystery! I hadn't read any of the other Blue Ridge Library mysteries, but I was able to keep up with everything just fine. The characters were relatable and sympathetic, the story was engaging, and the central mystery was exciting.

Murder Checks Out is the 8th book in this cozy mystery series. I've read all the books in this series and was a little surprised that since the last book, Amy and Richard have become the parents of five year old twins. ( I had to go back and make sure I didn't miss a book in the series.) I have to say the adorable twins do add a fun new dynamic to this Christmas themed mystery. When a woman is murdered during the towns annual holiday festivities, and Amy's brother In Law becomes the prime suspect, Amy uses her research skills as a librarian to find the real killer and clear his name. This a fun read with a good plot, interesting characters. and plenty of red herrings. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC to read and review.
I give this one 5 stars!☆☆☆☆☆

Believe it or not I haven't read any of the previous books in this series. So I was looking forward to reading it. It was a fun cozy mystery. Amy, her husband Richard and their 5 year old twins have a busy life especially around the holidays. Throwing in her mother in law coming to visit makes Amy even more busy. But everything gets put on hold when there is a murder and Amy's brother in law is the main suspect. A fun whodunit coupled with witty dialogue makes it the perfect holiday mystery. Off to read the other 7 books in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

It’s been five years and Amy and Richard are the parents of twins who will be making their debut in the Nut Cracker with their father, Richard. With he holidays off to a fabulous start, Murder pays a visit to Taylorsford when a real estate developer is found murdered.

With her brother in law as the prime suspect, Amy and her Mother in law team up to figure out who really did the woman in. As Amy uses her research skills, she finds that there are more than a few people who have reason to want the developer and her team stopped once and for call. Now to prove it before disaster strikes again in the small, cozy town.

I was a little surprised that this series jumped from the last book to having five year old twins…but it worked well and made for a good story. The eight book in this series, it is the perfect way to move past early motherhood and get Amy back into her sleuthing ways. Looking forward to more in the series.

"Murder Checks Out (Blue Ridge Library #8)" by Victoria Gilbert is a great Christmas Holiday themed cozy mystery. It was a bit heavier on the cozy than the mystery this time around. Also, having only read the first 3 books in the series so far, I was a bit thrown by some details that probably wouldn't have phased me if I'd been fully caught up.

Despite both of those factors I still enjoyed the book. The mystery was well done. I only kinda went "ha, Ha!" To the reveal of the murder.

The Christmas theme will also get you in the Christmas feels. I particularly liked that both kids were in and wanted to be in the "Nutcracker" performance that was a key part to the story. I know it's kinda that family's thing but I could see one or both going "aw dad! Do we have to!?"

Small town librarian solves crimes
Amy Muir has a knack for seeing the whole picture, with the added bonus of a variety of friends with varied information. As a librarian she has access to old info as well as new, and friends of a certain age to flesh out what she finds.
One step ahead of her police friends, she feeds them all she finds to aid in an arrest and draws unwanted attention to herself.
Nicely plotted cozy with a variety of characters and situations. Add a loving family and it’s a winner. I highly recommend.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC to peruse gratis and offer my opinion in the same.