Death Overdue
Clover Ridge, Connecticut doesn’t hold a lot of attraction for Carrie Singleton, and she is thinking of moving on to someplace different. Then she is offered a position as the director of programs and events at the town public library. The library is old and haunted, or so it is suggested. After accepting the position, she starts working with her first major event, a discussion presented by retired homicide investigator, Al Buckley. Al wants to expose the murderer of Laura Foster, a part-time library aide who was bludgeoned to death fifteen years previously.
During the talk, Al asks the audience to share stories about Laura. Unfortunately, someone decides to silence the aging detective before he can reveal who he thinks the killer is.
The autopsy proves that Al was poisoned. Carrie feels responsible for Al’s death, primarily because she had convinced the library director that everything would be fine. Carrie liked Al and is determined to track down who murdered the detective. She is convinced it’s the selfsame individual who killed Laura Foster. Much of her assertions come from the real-life ghost of Evelyn Havers. It isn’t long before she uncovers secrets in and out of the library.
Series: A Haunted Library Mystery – Book #1
Author: Allison Brook
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Rating:
Death Overdue is the first book in a new cozy series by Allison Brook. The story is an amusing journey through the life of a library and those who quietly keep the world of books revolving. The author writes with intelligence, the characters, and setting brought to life with the use of a fantastic imagination and an ability for making the ordinary extraordinary.
The role of Carrie Singleton is a mixture of someone who doesn’t want to grow up and someone who has never known a family’s love. When the story first opens, Carrie dresses like a “goth girl,” but she is 30 years old. When she makes the switch to a working head of a department, she dresses as a professional adult. Carrie quickly realizes that she doesn’t miss her goth attire or her former life.
This is also a story of transformation. Carrie becomes someone the reader begins to love. They will cheer as they watch her grow into a settled, happy adult, instead of the never fit in, never loved, letting life pass her by girl. As she starts to bloom under a new environment and a loving family, Carrie changes. The reader begins to understand her past and encourages her with each accomplishment.
The additional characters in Death Overdue are charming and add to the appreciation of this book. Evelyn, the ghost is a pleasant and intelligent character that sometimes the reader forgets is not alive. Even Dorothy, the unlikable nemesis becomes a little nicer by the end of the book but not altogether likable. Sally, Carrie’s boss and the head of the library starts as a character the reader will not like. She will ultimately evolve into a cherished friend to Carrie and the reader. Carrie’s Aunt and Uncle are lovable and exceptional people who love Carrie like a daughter. They are thrilled she has come home at long last to settle down where they can see her and spend time with her.
The story is packed with twists and turns, and most readers will not be sure of who the murderer is until the very last minute. Ms. Brook has composed a fast-paced, suspenseful story with characters the reader will wish to read about over and over. The writing is smooth; the author never loses track of the primary plot. This book is recommended for anyone who enjoys their cozy with a slight twist of paranormal and a setting that they might find in their neighborhood.
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