I was immediately hooked by the jacket blurb - a librarian turned amateur sleuth who works with the crime collection at the New York public library! Sign me up. However, there were too many scenes that seemed out of place in the narrative and far too many red herrings. The promise of the setting ended up being left unfulfilled, as very little time was actually spent in the library.

I usually love books about libraries, but I just wasn't feeling this one. It was more than likely just me being in a mood for something other than a mystery. I'd still recommend it to mystery readers.

I loved mysteries set in libraries. But this one was a miss for me. I didn't like the hero which can be a problem in mysteries as it pretty much follow theme through the whole book. But while I didn't like the hero I did enjoy the setting of the 42nd Stree library as well as the description of it. It almost felt like I was there as a patron.

First book in an interesting new series. Seems like it would be a cozy mystery, but it's really more of a police procedural. What's not to like about a book set in a library?

"This first book in an irresistible new series introduces librarian and reluctant sleuth Raymond Ambler, a doggedly curious fellow who uncovers murderous secrets hidden behind the majestic marble façade of New York City’s landmark 42nd Street Library.

Murder at the 42nd Street Library follows Ambler and his partners in crime-solving as they track down a killer, shining a light on the dark deeds and secret relationships that are hidden deep inside the famous flagship building at the corner of 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue.

In their search for the reasons behind the murder, Ambler and his crew uncover sinister, and profoundly disturbing, relationships among the scholars studying in the iconic library. Included among the players are a celebrated mystery writer who has donated his papers to the library’s crime fiction collection; that writer’s long-missing daughter, a prominent New York society woman with a hidden past, and more than one of Ambler’s colleagues at the library. Shocking revelations lead inexorably to the traumatic events that follow―the reading room will never be the same."

OK, yes, part of this is my love of NY, part of this is my love of a good murder mystery. But combining the two? Yeah, totally for me! PS, adore this library!

I myself enjoyed reading this book a lot; it was the perfect concoction of suspense and fear, and Con Lehane's character development is nothing short of masterful. I love the relationship between Mike Cosgrove and Raymond Ambler, and the way that they both have bad kids is a nice touch. Overall a great adult read, but I would unfortunately not recommend it to my students, as they may find it a bit difficult to read, and it may be too intense. However, if a student was looking for a challenge, this book would definitely be one of my recommendations!

Another late review. Well.

I thought Murder at the 42nd Street Library took a little time to get going; I started it more than once. A lot of characters are introduced very quickly, and while who they are and a bit of description is provided first time around, if I went a day without reading a chapter, I could lose track of who was who.

The solution is not to read this in short bursts but to dive in for a longer read. By the time you're halfway through the book, the growing webs between characters make the story more compelling, as do some of the relationships that become established. By the time the book ended I was fully engaged and enjoying myself. It seemed to end a little abruptly, but with this starting a series, I assume some of the unfinished business (relating to characters' relationships, not to the actual mystery) will continue in later books.

Making the main character a librarian specializing in crime fiction lets the author give a hint as to where the book is going: he refers to Ross McDonald a couple of times, and that writer's private eye novels' frequent use of family secrets and tangled relationships finds an echo here.

Overall, I'm glad I eventually got to this one.

With a librarian sleuth and a setting of the New York Public Library I expected to love this new series. Unfortunately it is dreary and unengaging.

(Lengthened review to come shortly... Stay tuned...)