I obtained the audiobook from the library after publication to listen and review.

Another delightful addition to my most beloved cozy series! I thought the added intrigue of the art world (its history and shady dealings) was so interesting. I was left guessing until it was all revealed. I liked the audio portion a lot too - the narrator was great and I loved how she did the accents.

Lucy is a newlywed to the mayor and her grandmas painting goes missing after its been elected in the library and our main girl is trying to find out who took it.
Sadly, for me it was just a mid range mystery and a forgettable one at that.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for this ARC. I loved this cozy mystery and read it in one sitting. Eva Gates did not disappoint me again! I would definitely recommend this book..

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to review this ARC with honesty.

I can't say too much since this is 11th of the series. But this was fun! Had a fun time watching the girls start to build a more complex friendship and certain individuals getting romantic interests. The mystery was also interesting as well as all the artwork. I read in the author's notes how the main artist was a figment but everything outside of that was well established authors.

Again, this was a lot of fun and love of this series keeps developing.

Rating: 4 Stars

The pre-event for the art installation is a success, but a family heirloom is stolen and returned damaged. The next day, the coordinator is found dead in the fish pond. Suspects include local artist Ivan, assistant at risk of fired, art patron, icy wife, and mysterious Tom Reilly. Lucy delves into the history of an ancestor who died under suspicious circumstances. She assists Detective Sam with interviews but stays mostly hands-off. Lucy observes closely, especially when Lisa's daughter Franny talks. Franny loves drama. Louise Jane works well with Lucy and is in good spirits. The story has a cozy feel with red herrings and clues. It includes a vivid description of Outer Banks, making the reader want to visit. The mystery and art elements are engaging, making the reader excited for Louise Jane's next adventure.

amazing works of art. Art that gives inspiration to Lucy as she curates an ancillary exhibit coincide with a traveling art exhibit.

The pre-event event is a hit with the locals, library patrons, and out of town guests. Maybe too big of hit since a family reproduction is stolen then returned but with the backing ripped. The following night the traveling art installation coordinator is found dead in the fish pond. Suspects include a grouchy local artist named Ivan, the personal assistant who make have been on the verge of being fired, an art patron, the wife who is an ice queen, and the mysterious art dealer Tom Reilly (if that really is his name). Instead of the usual sleuthing, Lucy researches the history behind Louise Jane’s famous Outer Bank artist ancestor Robert O’Callaghan who may have died from a horrible accident or something more sinister. Could it be possible that the two occurrences could be related? Lucy helps Detective Sam Watson with a few informal interviews but otherwise she is pretty “hands off” this time. She does keep her eyes and ears open, especially when art patron Lisa McMahon’s somewhat spoiled daughter Franny is talking. That girl sees plenty and knows how to keep a person talking without giving things away. Chances are that it is because Franny likes drama. The one who tends towards bits/fits of drama is Louise Jane but she and Lucy work together quite well. It could be because Louise Jane is in a rather good mood throughout the story, almost giddy.

This story has all the cozy feels and is does a good job as a stand- alone, complete with red herrings and plenty of clues for both the sleuth and reader to follow. I enjoyed the mystery and the description of all things Outer Banks which makes a person want to grab a towel and hit the beach. Or perhaps plan a trip to Paris to see the wonderful works of art at a museum or small art gallery co-owned by a mysterious stranger. I am looking forward to reading all about Louise Jane's trip in the next Lighthouse Library Mystery.

The summer season brings art lovers together at the library for a showing. When a painting goes missing and a man's body is found in the pond, Lucy and her intrepid friends are on the case again. Enjoyable cozy mystery with a climactic ending. What they say about curiosity may indeed be true.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

The Stranger in the Library is the 11th Lighthouse library mystery by Eva Gates. Released 4th June 2024 by Crooked Lane, it's 304 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback due out first quarter 2025 from the same publisher. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a clean cozy mystery with book recommendations in the text throughout, cat (a Himalayan called Charles), an appealingly intelligent MC who's a librarian, a library in a lighthouse, and an interesting and well crafted mystery. Although it's part of a series, there's enough backstory woven into the plot that it works fine as a standalone. Since there is already so much history with marriages and interrelationships, spoilers should be expected if read out of order. The ensemble cast is full of eccentric small town characters, but the author is skillful enough and the writing technically adept enough that the whole works well enough. The plotting proceeds at a good clip, and although the dialogue is a bit trope-y in some places, it's not intrusive enough to yank readers out of their suspension of disbelief.

The language is squeaky clean, no cursing whatsoever. The denouement and resolution were satisfying and there were some last minute twists which added a nice coda to the ending. Since there are 11 books extant in the series, it would make a good candidate for a long light binge/buddy read.

This is simply a well written, readable, and enjoyable library cozy (with cat). There are also a number of fun bonus reading prompts referenced in the book which will lead the reader to other books and series. I also liked that the author highlights the fun and social aspects of book clubs. Talking about books with other book lovers adds another whole level of enjoyment. It's well worth a look for fans of the genre.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Stranger in the Library is the last book, published at least, in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series, and the last book I will read from this series, as it has become too predictable for my taste.
The story takes place in Nags Head and follows the adventures of Lucy McNeil, the nosy librarian and wife of the town's mayor and her group of friends who, whether they want to or not, get involved in the crimes that abound in this small town.
This time, an exhibition of valuable paintings is the setting around which the action takes place. As usual, Lucy's curiosity forces her to stick her nose in where it doesn't belong, which puts her again (and again shortly after 80% of the book) in danger.
The opinion I have expressed above is based solely on what I think and feel about this book

I am so happy that the library of the series name was included so much more in this book than the previous mystery. My evening flew by reading this and I am so glad that some side characters are finally starting to have some good luck.

I adore the Lighthouse Library Mystery Series and Eva Gates just gave us another winning edition with The Stranger in the Library.

On this adventure, we have an impressionist artist event at our favorite lighthouse library, and some pieces of work disappear while on display. Lucy is not about to have this kind of thing happening in her library. Lucy is also adjusting to Mary’s life just coming back from her honeymoon with Connor.

Eva Gates once again provides an entertaining, cozy mystery. Lucy and her cousin Louise Jane always deliver a laugh, while trying to figure out the next piece of the puzzle. We get some adventure, twist and turn, danger, and always a murder mystery that keeps us thinking.

I was really pleased with this. The series had been sort of lagging, I think because of keeping the story so focused on the library apartment. Now it's picked up again and it's much more interesting than it has been. The story is completely focused on.

The Stranger in the Library: A Lighthouse Library Mystery
By Eva Gates
Crooked Lane Books
June 2024

Review by Cynthia Chow

To tie-in with the arrival of a traveling 19th-century American Impressionism art exhibition to Nags Head, North Carolina, The Bodie Island Library Lighthouse will hosting its own, smaller event. Assistant library director Lucy McNeil has been assigned the duties of finding the imitation art pieces, displaying them alongside art history books. Since Lucy’s new husband Connor is the mayor of Nags Head, they have been invited to the catered party being thrown for the real exhibit, “American Expressionism: A Comprehensive Retrospective.” Mark Farrago is the chief organizer who planned the event, but he goes MIA during the party and leaves it to the very-prepared sponsor Lisa McMahon to make the welcoming remarks. Mark’s absence is explained when Lucy finds his body floating in the conference center’s koi pond, dead not by a drunken fall but something that proves to be far more nefarious.

By now, the Nags Head police lead detective Sam Watson has become accustomed to Lucy’s talent for criminal investigations and her surprising ability to coax out information from suspects. And since it was his own art-activist wife who first encouraged the library’s involvement, Detective Watson is rather resigned to the Bodie Lighthouse Library staff once again being in the middle of his case. Lucy’s co-worker and frenemy Louise Jane McKaughnan claims to be a descendant of one of the library art exhibit artists, but Robert O’Callaghan was a local artist more famous for his reproductions than any actual valuable paintings. That’s why when one of his imitation art pieces is stolen out of the Lighthouse the motives are confusing, and both Lucy and Louise Jane wonder if there was perhaps more to the painting than they previously thought. Louise Jane may be a little distracted though, as the arrival of the handsome and possibly shady Tom Reilly triggers her instincts to immediately fall for the wrong man. Besides learning of his apparent multiple identities, the two library workers encounter Mark’s not-so-mournful wife, a combative rejected artist, and Lisa McMahon’s disruptive daughter who delights in all of the chaos.

While a Bodie Island Lighthouse in the Outer Banks actually exists, it’s without the library and its enormous Tardis-like interior. Its uniqueness, and the tourist-attracting Nags Head setting, was enough to inspire this library-loving mystery series that follows the adventures of Lucy Richardson McNeil and her friends. Library cat Charles- named after Charles Dickens - carpools from their home to the Lighthouse Library every workday, and the library bookclub coincidentally tackles the Patricia Highsmith selection of Ripley Under Ground. The details of art verification, along with the nuances of art appreciation and valuation, are woven into the plot and prove to be as fascinating as the descriptions of the enviable Bodie Lighthouse Library. This 11th in the series builds up to a surprise confrontation and clock-ticking-down escape, making this a thrilling bibliophile mystery set in the coziest of library settings.

If you are planning to head to the Outer Banks this summer, you may want to steer clear of the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library. Okay, so the library is fictional. But if it were an actual place you might think twice about visiting. Every time there is a special event head librarian Lucy winds up discovering a body or being involved in a murder investigation. If once is accident, twice is coincidence, and three times is enemy action...what is eleven times? A delightfully fun cozy mystery series, that's what.

Lucy and her staff at the library have put together a wonderful display about art history to complement a traveling show of impressionist art that is coming to nearby Nags Head, North Carolina. A librarian from the National Archives in Washington who is visiting in the area comes to see the display and comments, "Educational, informative, as it should be. But most of all you've obviously had a great deal of fun with it."

Too bad everyone isn't as appreciative. The next morning a painting is missing. Then a body is found outside the opening night reception of the traveling art show. Lucy keeps overhearing or seeing disagreements between the show's organizers. An overly charming art dealer sweeps Louise Jane off her feet. Is he doing it to divert suspicion or to get inside information on the investigation? Will there be another body soon if the case isn't solved?

As always this book can be read as a stand-alone. For those of us who have been reading the series all along, it is another chance to catch up on our favorite characters. Lucy and her husband Connor, the mayor. Charles the library cat. Police detective Sam Watson. Louise Jane and her endless supply of stories about her family and the history of the area - and now apparently her connection to the art world.

This is book 11 in the Lighthouse Library series. I have not read them all but enough to know this is a wonderful cozy series for the book lover's genre. Lucy and the library staff are setting up an art show for their small town friends and making publicity for the gala set to raise money of original art. With locals donating pictures from their walls, no one thought there would be a theft but one day later there is a large hole in the display. The next night at the original works show, it more than theft, it's murder. As always, Lucy and the Lighthouse staff investigate. enjoy

The next library lighthouse mystery finds Lucy and co hosting an art exhibit at the library. First, a painting gets stolen, and then a man ends up murdered. Lucy sets out to find the culprit.

This one took a little longer to get to the murder than previous in this series, and was a little slow to start (maybe because of that). however, once we get to the real mystery, it definitely picked up a lot! We get some interesting side character development here, and it was overall a good mystery.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It’s another gem in the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library series!

When a traveling show of impressionist art comes to Nags Head, librarian Lucy and her team are excited to create an educational display. But when a reproduction goes missing, and a party-goer is found dead, Lucy dives into another thrilling investigation. 🎨💼

With its intriguing plot, charming setting, and beloved characters, this book is a fantastic addition to the series. Eva Gates never disappoints with her cozy mysteries, and I’ll always recommend her work!

I always enjoy my visits with Lucy and her friends. This latest case for Lucy, Seth and the rest of her crew was interesting. I liked the art element to the story and the mysteries definitely kept me guessing. Good read.

This is the 11th book in the Lighthouse Library mystery series.

Lucy is working on an art show at the library. It is to be filled with reproductions and copies as an educational display and is to complement a traveling show of impressionist art. The library show is a great success with one exception. A reproduction of a local artist goes missing after the show closes. It has little monetary value so why would someone steal it? That's he beginning of this mystery.

The following day the traveling show has their grand opening. It seems to be a great success as well, until it's time for the speeches. The main organizer just not there to give his welcoming speech. Has he gone missing as well?

In the meantime, art collector Tom Reilly has caught the eye of librarian Louise Jane.

As the event is winding down, Lucy and friends visit the garden to get a breath of fresh air. On their walk they find a body of a party-goer floating in the koi pond. Who is it?

When police are interviewing everyone they realize Tom Reilly has left the event. The police look for him the next day but it seems that he is gone missing, too.

The missing (and dead) people and the missing painting make for a great mystery. I enjoyed it very much.

#thestrangerinthelibrary