I really got invested in the community and the mystery in this book, it kept my attention all the way through, I loved it.

Greta, girl… the whiplash I now have from this wild ride you put us on.. whew.

From the very beginning I had no idea how this was going to end. The who done it, WOW. Didn’t see that coming at all. I was just as confused as Greta was trying to figure out the mystery of the murder.

It’s no secret at this point that I love Leah’s writing and her excellent story telling. I haven’t read a book of hers that didn’t grab me from the first page. I loved how she tied true history into this story. It was interesting seeing the whole thing come together.

Greta & McHenry are probably my favorite MCs of hers. The simplicity of their relationship and the way they piece together their jobs and what’s going on in Larkspur. Love them.

I hope there’s more to this series but if not, I’ll be happy with how it ended.

I didn’t realize A Killer Hold was the third book in a series when I picked it up, but it works well enough as a standalone. The premise of libraries, librarians, and a mystery immediately drew me in. Greta Plank, a small-town library director, is preparing to host a library conference while overseeing a treasure-hunting club researching a 1930s gangster trail. When a body is discovered outside the local pub, Greta gets pulled into solving the crime, uncovering unexpected connections along the way.

I enjoyed the cozy library setting and Greta’s likable personality, but the story didn’t fully hold my attention. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, and the character development felt thin, possibly due to skipping the earlier books. The mystery offered a few twists but felt predictable at times. I also would’ve liked more small-town drama to liven up the pacing. The romance was wholesome, but the ending felt rushed, leaving me wanting more closure.

Overall, this was an enjoyable cozy mystery with a charming premise, but it didn’t quite stand out for me. A solid 3 stars.

This was such a cosy mystery! I loved the three main characters, Greta, Iris, and Josie, librarians and detectives all in one. Their friendship was wonderful to read about, supporting each other and cheering each other on, celebrating each others wins and holding each other up when they needed a hand. I hadn't read the previous two books, and I felt that although it it a series, I could comfortably read A Killer Hold without reading the first two before hand. However, I will definitely be going back now and reading them. Loved, loved, loved.

I liked the idea of this storyline but just think it waste for me. The storyline felt implausible and the characters shallow, Im sure there are many who will feel quite differently.

It was 2/5 for me

Thanks to Level Best Books, Netgalley and the author for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review

I give A Killer Hold 3 stars. While the mystery was enjoyable and the library setting was charming, I found the story to be a bit predictable at times. Greta Plank is a likable protagonist, and I appreciated the cozy atmosphere of the book, but the plot didn’t offer many surprises or moments of intense suspense. It was a solid, entertaining read, but it didn’t quite stand out as much as I hoped. Overall, it was a decent addition to the series, but not as gripping or unique as I would have liked for a 4-star rating.

This a very cute cozy mystery with a little bit of romance. The characters are great and overall, the plotting is perfect. What an enjoyable read!

This was an enjoyable mystery and I loved librarians being at the core of the story. The premise is interesting and the main character is likable, but I found some parts of the plot to be predictable and the pacing dragged at some points. The mystery did have enough to keep me engaged though, and I wanted to find out more about the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this book.

10/10 would recommend and would love to be part of the Greta's Larkspur Crew! I didn't realize this was 3rd in a series and am kicking myself for not finding it sooner! Having no prior experience with the first two, I was still able to fully enjoy this book. I would have thought it was a stand-alone if I didn't find out it was the latest installment of a series!

Plot, length, characters, atmosphere were all satisfying and I really loved and appreciated the aspects of librarianship that were included throughout. The mystery aspect was delightful, there was a tiny bit of suspense toward the reveal, but not too much. I have to be honest -- I was so blindsided by the plot twist/murderer reveal! Pacing was also 10/10. I thoroughly enjoyed this from beginning to end and devoured it in like 2 days. On my way to secure the first two because I need more ASAP!

Will be recommending this to all my bookish and librarian friends as well as my library customers who want a cozy but well-developed mystery.

Another cozy mystery featuring some of my fav, smart sleuthing librarians. The Larkspur Library Mystery series is so enjoyable and I loved the premise of this latest book set in the Spring that involves a Library conference and a local group of treasure hunters plus insights into a group set on tracking down notorious gangster hideouts. Clever, entertaining and just pure bookish fun. This is sure to delight librarians and cozy mystery lovers alike. Part three in the series but it can be read as a standalone. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

I wasn't the biggest fan of this one. The idea was great, but the plot felt slow-moving and guessable as we learned more about the situation. I would have liked to see a little bit more small town drama added to this, just because it needed some more bite to keep everything moving along.
Also the sub plot with the boyfriend's brother in Chicago felt odd and unnecessary for the purpose of the story. I'm assuming there will be another book in which that gets brought up, but otherwise it felt off.
Great concept and plot, just too slow moving for me personally.

This was such a fun continuation for the series. I loved all the gangster references and the progression of this murder mystery. I do wish we had more of McHenry in this one; I feel like he didn't have as much page time as he has in the past two books and I've really enjoyed their relationship too. Overall, another good mystery from our librarian sleuth!

A cute, cozy mix of mystery and romance, with a bit of a thriller and history element as well. The main character is likable and interesting enough to make you want to stick around for the end of the novel.

I have not read the previous 2 books in this cozy mystery series so I was hoping I could read Book #3 without reading the first two. The plot was very intriguing with some red herrings - though I had the killer pegged early on. I also enjoyed the small town setting. I look forward to reading the first two books of the series to see how it all started.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I read this E-ARC book in exchange for an honest review

This is the third book in the Larkspur Library mysteries and, I'll be honest, when I started this I wasn't aware it was mid way though a series. This didn't make a difference though, I didn't feel I was missing anything but I'd like to go back and read the first two, other than a a few little things like was McHenry the love interests first or last name?
The characters were well described and distinguishable, even in this already established ensemble cast. It met the standard requirement of the cozy murder that the person who died was no one who would be missed and the town was as much of a character as the people. I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to reading the rest soon.

I really enjoyed this book. I'm a librarian and the portrayal of Greta in this book made me feel like I was back at work! I also love the close-knit, small-town vibes we get in this book and I felt like each of her relationships with the other characters was well fleshed out. I especially fell for our male lead as this is the third book and the romance was already underway and very sweet to read.

The mystery in this was compelling and fun to follow along and solve. I love that you can piece the clues along with Greta and make your own guess at the killer without it coming too far out of left field. I had a hunch of who it was but the details escaped me so the reveal was still satisfying.

Overall, an enjoyable cozy mystery with a good dose of romance. I’d recommend it to anyone that loves a book about books or a simple mystery/romance. I gave this 3.5 stars as it often reminded me of work when Greta was going about her librarian life otherwise this would be a solid 4 star read!

I came across this ARC and I was immediately attracted to the cover art and the concept of the story. Though once I started I realised this was the third book in the series it didn't feel like I missed anything major with the characters to make me stop reading.

The whole time I was reading this I got cozy small town vibes very much like Gilmore Girls/Virgin River. The story kept me hooked all the way to the end and even though I had picked who the killer/villain was it didn't bother me because of how it played out in the book.

Will definitely look for more books by Lea Dobrinska!!

I enjoyed this book, it was a nice cozy mystery and I’m excited to read more of Leah’s work. We have purchased this book for our library.

Literary Cozy Mystery featuring a Wisconsin library director who turns sleuth after a treasure-hunting club member turns up dead leaving behind a book marked with peculiar notations.

5/5 stars: This is the third entry in Dobrinska's Larkspur Library Mysteries series which is a Literary Cozy Mystery that takes place in Wisconsin and features a library director who investigates the death of a library board president and treasure-hunting club member. In addition, she agrees to decipher peculiar notations found in a book owned by the deceased. Juggling hosting duties for the Wisconsin Library Organization’s annual conference, she also looks into shady doings at the deceased’s jewelry shop, a visiting author acting suspiciously and a discovery the victim made that's linked to a notorious gangster. After decoding the book markings, she discovers someone ready to kill again to keep the past and it's secrets buried. With plenty of twists and turns, Dobrinska has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Heartfelt and humorous, Dobrinska's writing and character work are stellar; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. I particularly love Greta's library colleagues and her friend (and sleuthing) group. It's also great to check in with all the fine folks of Larkspur and I really like seeing Greta and McHenry, her detective beau, continue with their relationship. And of course, there's Greta's adorable Siberian cat, Biff. I also very much appreciated learning about the history of gangsters and their activities in Northern Wisconsin. While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick out book one, Death Checked Out.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Level Best Books | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

A Killer Hold

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“ Spring has sprung, and with it, a full line-up of programming at Larkspur Community Library. Director Greta Plank is preparing to host the Wisconsin Library Organization’s annual conference—and dreading the arrival of her ex-boyfriend—while also helping a local treasure-hunting club coordinate a showcase highlighting Northern Wisconsin’s gangster trail and the nearby hideouts of the notorious criminals of the early twentieth century.”

Wow this addition to the series did not disappoint! The mystery in this book was wonderful. I loved every minute of reading it and sad when it was over. I am loving the character development in the bigger picture plot. These books make me want to live in Larkspur. Highly recommend this book and the whole series.