I've read that this book is the last in the cozy mystery series featuring ghost-loving librarian Carrie Singleton. Events in the book do signal that may well be the case, but if it's not, I'll note for other readers that this is the eighth of the enjoyable cozy tales (as well as advise, as always, that it's best to start any series at the beginning). Still, like the others, this one stands alone just fine.

What it is not, however, is anywhere close to my favorite in the series. I admit to having a bit of an issue with a librarian who sees and talks to ghosts - but that was only at the beginning. Now, I'm quite used to "seeing" the apparitions and enjoying their insights along with Carrie. No, in this one I was never able to get past the concept that anyone would deliberately leave a priceless, one-of-a-kind item out in the open for a week or more just because a security system can't be installed till then. I mean c'mon, folks, put it in a closet or drawer with a lock on it already.

To the heart of the story is Carrie's upcoming wedding to her main squeeze, private eye Dylan Avery. In about two weeks, they'll tie the knot at the gorgeous home of a friend that overlooks Long Island Sound. The arrangements are being finalized and it looks like smooth sailing from here on; but wait, there's more. That comes when they're doing a walk-around of the wedding venue in the form of a dead body near the gazebo (whoops is sort of an understatement). It would be unnerving all on its own, but Carrie has been feeling stressed after being asked to write an article for a local newspaper about Verity Babcock, a woman who was hanged as a witch in 1652 in Clover Ridge, Connecticut, where Carrie's library is located. Not long ago, she discovered Verity's diary among the library's historical acquisitions - and it's now being displayed in the new historical section, where everyone wrings their hands with worry that it will be stolen before that new security system is put in place.

Carrie, as regular readers know, has a knack not only for conversing with ghosts, but of involving herself in police investigations. Unlike other cozy mystery heroines, thankfully, she does it with respect for and cooperation from the local police (albeit a little grudgingly at times). This one is no exception; since she and Dylan found the body, it makes sense for her to follow up a bit. And thanks to help from her friends and family, she manages to work in all the sleuthing and a little actual work in the library with finalizing plans for the upcoming wedding with only a titch of pre-wedding jitters.

The victim turns out to be a young man who was released from prison recently following a bank robbery - looking for, it's determined, the stolen money he'd buried. In fairly short order, two robbery accomplices are identified, but one has gone missing and the other has turned up dead. From that point on, it's pretty much a race to see whether the murderer(s) will be caught, the diary will remain safe and the wedding will come off with a hitch (see what I did there??) All the loose ends that might otherwise have bothered me are tied up nicely at the end. So whether or not this is Carrie's swan song, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy in a series I've long enjoyed.

This was my first books by Allison and I completely missed that it was book 8 in the series. While the premise was good, I felt the book was a little long and could have been shorter. I always wait till I've read a book to look at reviews so I go in blind. I felt such relief seeing others felt a lot of questions were unanswered at the end. Did the aunt and uncle know about the new homes "guests"? Did they recommend it because of that? What happens with Verity? Why did the wedding take 3 chapters? I won't mentioned the rest because they are spoilers for the book. I think a few other questions I had may be answered in books 1-7. Thank you for this ARC.

Carrie Singleton and her library cat Smokey Joe are involved in a library caper about the diary of a woman who was hanged as a witch in 1652. Carrie is due to be married but bodies start to drop which are connected to a bank heist from the past. Someone wants the missing money and others want to get their hands on the diary which is held by the library. Lots of fuss and muss in Booked on Murder; also a few ghosts. Good cozy.

Booked on Murder by Allison Brook is a delightful ending to this wonderful series.

Will Carrie and Dylan get married without getting involved in a mystery?
Carrie Singleton is getting married to Dylan Avery in two weeks. She is so delighted to get to marry him and have a wonderful life together. Carrie gets roped into writing an article for the paper on a diary that she found in the Historical Archives for the Historical Room in the new wing. Well, after that, things took a downhill turn for Carrie. Except for getting things ready for her wedding. Carrie and Dylan are super cute together. I’m glad to see them solving mysteries together while Dylan keeps Carrie out of trouble. Well, he tries to keep her out of trouble. Dylan fits so nicely into her family, which is always great.

The Mystery
While checking out their wedding venue, Carrie and Dylan find a dead body in the backyard near the gazebo. The dead guy was digging a hole in the ground, looking for the money that he put there when his aunt and uncle still owned the property. Billy Carpenter, the dead guy, just got out of jail and went looking for the money that he stole from the bank five years ago, which is the whole reason why he went to prison in the first place. Carrie tries her hardest not to get sucked into the mystery, but every time there is a mystery, she ends up getting sucked in, especially when it concerns the diary she found and wrote the article about.

I have to say that I didn’t think the person who did it was the actual person until that person confessed. It was a whirlwind of a mystery, that’s for sure.

Five Stars
My rating for Booked on Murder by Allison Brook is five stars. I highly recommend this whole series, as it was fantastic to read. Seeing Carrie grow into the wonderful person she is now is amazing. I loved every single minute of it. Ms. Brook, I will miss these characters, but I can’t wait to see what you write next.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Booked on Murder by Allison Brook.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

This eighth installment in the series is the final one, and I think it's a wise idea to offer this kind of closure before the whole thing begins to drag and lose momentum. There is a lot happening in Booked on Murder so you won't get bored. The whole smalltown atmosphere and the references to convicted witches from several hundred years ago really gave the book character. A good way to finish this storyline.

The final book in the Haunted Library series by Ms. Brook was another entertaining mystery.

Carrie and Dylan have been growing throughout the series into strong characters with distinct personalities. The secondary characters are also well drawn now and always help to move the story forward. A smoothly paced plot with multiple suspects, a few unusual twists and enough red herrings to keep me turning the pages. I love that I had no clue as to the who was behind both past and present crimes. I'm sad to see the series end but I look forward to what Ms. Brook has in store for readers in the future.

“Booked on Murder” by Allison Brook, the 8th instalment in the Haunted Library Mystery series. I think this might be my favorite book in the series yet. Librarian Carrie Singleton must catch a killer before she can say “I do”

From the opening pages, I was completely enthralled and couldn't put it down, reading late into the night to uncover the truth.

The twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end, and I loved the steady pace that kept me on the edge of my seat. I'm thoroughly invested in the characters and their lives.

I highly recommend this book to all my fellow cozy mystery lovers - it's a must-read! Allison Brook has outdone herself with this instalment, and Im saddened that it is the last book in the series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Crooked Lane and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have read other books in this series and enjoyed them. There were two factors that contributed to my slight disappointment with this book. I really got tired of all the wedding planning. It seemed like it overwhelmed the story. And, there were so many layers of action, side stories, that I had to turn back a few times to figure out who was doing what.

Carrie and Dylan and finally getting married, but when they go to check out the venue one last time, they find a body near the gazebo. The victim has recently been released from jail after serving a sentence for bank robbery, and the police are sure his partners in crime are the guilty parties. But when more bodies turn up and the money from the robbery is *still hidden away somewhere, Carrie can’t help but dig around to find the truth.

I have enjoyed this series since the first book and was disappointed to discover that this is the last book in the series. I like most of the regular recurring characters, although there were a few who popped up every now and then who made me grit my teeth. Evelyn, the library ghost, was fun, and I missed her in this book – she was there, but since most of the book was wedding-centric and set away from the library, she didn’t play much of a role in this story.

As far as the first murder, the police were focused on just a couple of people, but Carrie and Dylan’s investigation uncovered more possibilities. I kept changing my mind about who was responsible, and never had it narrowed down to just one person until events in the book made it obvious. Given the character, the motive was obvious too.

I know this is the last book of the series, but I hope Ms. Brook will keep writing and will keep an eye out for whatever her next book may be.

I loved this book. The subject of the people convicted of witch craft is dear to me as I live near Salem MA. I loved that there are ghosts in the new house & that so many people are helped. I am sad this is the last book with Carrie & Dylan but excited to see what comes next. #BookedonMurder #NetGalley

A lovely way to end a cozy series!

I admit I was late to the party on this series, and this is the first one I’ve read. But it sounds as though these characters have had some amazing adventures and some great lives.

The characters felt fully fleshed out. And while this story stands on its own in terms of plot, there is a bit of FOMO baked into the exposition that f you hadn’t read the previous books.

Exciting, romantic, suspenseful, this book captures it all. My only critique is that I felt the denouement ran a bit long after the case had been wrapped.

All said, a fun read.

Booked on Murder is the eighth and final book in the Haunted Library series and Carrie Singleton is preparing to marry Dylan Avery. Of course, before this can happen, there is a murder to solve!

A man recently released from prison for committing a bank robbery is murdered on Victor’s property (which is the wedding venue), and it is believed that he was there to retrieve the stolen bank money buried there. Did one of his partners in crime kill him and take the money? Or a fellow prisoner who also was recently released and knew about the money?

I have enjoyed this series and love Evelyn the library ghost and the residents of Clover Ridge whom Carrie and Dylan regularly interact with. Ms. Brook writes a good story with the interaction of the characters such that you fee you know them. The story of Verity Babcock being hanged as a witch and the movement to exonerate her is very interesting and makes you think about how people were treated in the past.

I loved the story, however, I felt it was very busy with so much going on—the final details of the wedding, the Verity story, and trying to solve the murder before the wedding. Also, there were so many new characters to keep track of, which added to the confusion for me. While I felt the story was busy, it was still very enjoyable and I am truly sad to see the series end.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great ending to the series. The author does a wonderful hob wrapping everything up for the last book. She can write a mystery, I couldn't figure out who the culprit was. I liked that she included the author's note at the end which told about the history of witches and witchcraft in the 1600's in Connecticut.

Is time for a wedding, and Carrie is more than ready to say I Do with Dylan. Unfortunately fate didn't get the word that she needed to have calm in these last weeks, it threw her a murder! Librarians, books and murder always make for a good weekend read.

It is just a few days before Carrie abs Dylan’s wedding. All is going well until Carrie is asked to write a story about Verity Babcock a woman who was accused of witchcraft in the 1600s and killed. As Carrie reads Verity’s diary she starts to have som emotions and possible doubts about the wedding. The while checking in on the venue they two of them find a body and become involved in a bizarre investigation. Is this a coincidence or could this dead body also be related to Verity Babcock. There is also a bank robbery that occurs and a sinister plot that erupts. Will Carrie and Dylan be able to solve this mystery before their wedding.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC. Apparently, this is the last book in this series and I guess I need to read it now from book one,

Carrie’s last sleuthing adventure before her wedding almost became her last one. As much as she tried not to get involved in the burglary at the library, she couldn’t avoid becoming entangled in the web of greed. With their wedding looking like a non-event Carrie refused to give up, she needed to outwit the thieves, and the killer because she had no plans to skip her honeymoon.

I enjoyed this book. I really like when a novel has a lot of cool side stories but not an overwhelming amount. I enjoyed all the twists and turns along the way, and the unexpected end!

Finding a dead body not only a few days before your wedding but at the actual wedding site is never a good thing. In this case, it kicks off a flood of seemingly unrelated things. What things? In this, the 8th and final installment of the Haunted Library mystery series, they range from, let's see, bank robbery, old diaries, witchcraft, mysterious emails, a long lost diary of Verity, a woman hanged as a witch, a secret society, newspaper articles, wild rides, and, well, more. And, oh, yes, let's not forget, ghosts. In the middle of it all, Carrie Singleton is seeking to bring order to the countless lists of wedding prep tasks she's tasked with, from dress fittings to seating arrangements.

I enjoyed this last chance to hang out with Carrie, Evelyn the library ghost, and her family and friends. It's always an interesting read. With this being the grand finale, so to speak, I expected various things to be brought to a timely, neat end. True, the happily-ever-after ending was delightful, but some things just seemed to be "off". Like, how did Carrie not know about the secret club when so many other non-members seemed to know? Also, Evelyn didn't even play a particularly major role here, so the addition of two child ghosts in Carrie and Dylan's soon-to-be new home was unexpected. Kinda fun but not quite sure what it added given this is the end of the series. What did actually pull me out of the flow, however, was the actions taken or, in this case, not taken to protect the long dead Verity's old diary. They knew someone wanted the diary. Yet, Carrie and the library staff never seemed to think about finding a safer, out of the public eye spot to store it safely, even after an attempt to steal it was made. They seem determined to right old wrongs but don't seem to do the minimum to keep it safe, hence I kept being thrown off by that inaction every time the manuscript was mentioned.

Yet, I honestly enjoyed the story. Having read the series from the start, it's been fun to watch the growth Carrie has undergone. Let's face it, she didn't seem to promising at the start given her Goth Girl tendencies. Now she's getting married and apparently planning a family. She's made good friends and her relationship with her own family has grown closer, too. I liked the relationship Dylan and she have developed, too. They don't always seem to be on the same page but do have each others' back, even when danger is involved. Well, especially when danger is involved. I'm going to miss visiting the library, too, with all its fun and interesting activities, many born from Carrie's mind. Although Evelyn seems to have appeared less and less frequently as the series went along, it was always something I looked forward to. Thanks #NetGalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for introducing me to Carrie, Dylan, and Evelyn but, hey, we never found out where she got her ever changing wardrobe!

Booked On Murder by Allison Brook is the latest installment in the Haunted Library Mystery series. While Carrie is planning her wedding to Dylan, a dead body is found on the front lawn of the venue for their wedding. The deceased is Bill Carpenter who was recently released from prison. He had served time for bank robbery. The stolen money had never been found. The suspects are Billy’s two partners. However, one of them is also murdered and the other one is missing. Will Carrie be able to solve this murder in time for her wedding!

Book On Murder is my favorite book from the Haunted Library Mystery Series. Parts of the story are very suspenseful and we are introduced to two new ghosts!

Carrie Singleton and Dylan Avery have a wedding coming up in a few weeks and Carrie is really looking forward to it. But while at the home of their friend to check on the place that will be their wedding venue, they find a body. The victim victim turns out to be a young man who was in prison for a bank robbery years ago for which the money was never found. When one of the suspected accomplices is also killed and another goes missing, things get even worse. Carrie soon winds up getting involved and hopes she can figure things out before her wedding day.

I've really enjoyed this series and have looked forward to each one, so as this was the last in the series, it was a slightly bittersweet read. Still, the book was exceptional. The book was, as always, well-written and the characters were well-developed while the plot was fast-paced. I was immediately drawn into this captivating story and kept hooked from beginning to end. The story was fully fledged with a lot going on including a couple different mysteries that are intriguing and will keep you guessing and on your toes. Allison Brook is a wonderful author and storyteller and this series is a fantastic showing of her skill. I absolutely loved this book and am looking forward to seeing where Allison Brook goes next. I do highly recommend both book and series. I did receive an ARC of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest, unbiased review.