Bonnie A. (ladycholla) -
I absolutely loved this one in the series. Great solving of a cold case murder and I didn't even come close to guessing who the murderer was. Other things resolved, new characters to meet and good stuff going on. Loved hearing more on Heathcliff this time, played a bigger part.
Cathy C. (cathyskye) -
I've long been a fan of Jenn McKinlay's feel good writing, and she's delivered another winner with Better Late Than Never. In the midst of speculation over the state of Lindsey and Sully's relationship and the meddling of that British actor who insists on hanging around Briar Creek, we are served up a story about the power of friendship in a setting that showcases how libraries are changing with the times.
The characters are of utmost importance, as they should be in any cozy series worth its salt, and you can tell I've fallen under their spell after reading my remark about "that British actor." Fortunately there are some very interesting developments with that man in the book, and I certainly want to know where those are headed in the next installment.
But it's not just the characters in Better Late Than Never that make it a winner. The solution to the mystery came out of left field and beaned me right upside the head. I love, love, love being surprised when I learn who done it! Jenn McKinlay's Library Lovers series is one of my favorites, and if you haven't given it a try, I just have to ask-- What are you waiting for?
The characters are of utmost importance, as they should be in any cozy series worth its salt, and you can tell I've fallen under their spell after reading my remark about "that British actor." Fortunately there are some very interesting developments with that man in the book, and I certainly want to know where those are headed in the next installment.
But it's not just the characters in Better Late Than Never that make it a winner. The solution to the mystery came out of left field and beaned me right upside the head. I love, love, love being surprised when I learn who done it! Jenn McKinlay's Library Lovers series is one of my favorites, and if you haven't given it a try, I just have to ask-- What are you waiting for?
This is one of my favorite series, maybe partly because Lindsey is a librarian and so is my daughter. In her latest novel, the library has an Amnesty Day, where all books that are overdue can be returned with no questions asked or fines paid. The book that has been out of circulation the longest is a 20 year old copy of "Catcher in the Rye". It was taken out by a popular high school teacher the day she was murdered and the case was never solved. This unleashes a long chain of events and Lindsey decides she has to solve this mystery. On the side, where is Lindsey and Sully's relationship going? What about Robbie? This was a fun read and I would recommend it highly.
A mystery set around a library. A library book returned after decades. A librarian turned amateur detective. Some cooking. Some crafting. A whole lot of book talk. A small town where everyone knows everyone. How can I resist such a description? Better Late Than Never by Jenn McKinlay is a perfect set up for a cozy mystery for a book lover. The book is the seventh in a series, but can stand on its own.
Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2016/11/better-late-than-never.html
Reviewed for the Penguin First to Read program
Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2016/11/better-late-than-never.html
Reviewed for the Penguin First to Read program
I received this book as part of the First to Read program with Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.
Local librarian, Lindsey Norris, has decided to give all of her patrons a fresh start by holding an amnesty day at the library. Books that are overdue can be turned in and fines will be overlooked. Little did she realize that this idea would be incredibly successful as well as open up an old mystery. Many books are anomalously returned, included a copy of Catcher in the Rye that has been checked out for the past twenty years. After looking at the records, they discover that the book was loaned to a school teacher named Candice Whitley. She just so happened to check the book out on the day she was murdered. Along with a few breakins around town, Lindsey has the feeling that the person who returned the book is the culprit who is trying to finally get rid of the evidence.
This is book number seven in the Library Lover's Mystery and a great addition to the series. You can easily read this as a stand alone book, but I feel that the reader would be more connected and understanding of the character's actions if they had a bit more background story.
All of our favorite characters make an appearance in this book. Mary's secret becomes public knowledge and Lindsey finally makes a decision about her love life and bravely leaps into a relationship that leaves the entire town of Briar Creek talking. There's the addition of a couple new characters who also join the Crafternoon group. I think they will bring a new dynamic to the series and I'm anxious to see how McKinlay develops their storylines. My favorite character is the children's librarian, Beth! She wasn't in too many scenes this time, but the ones she did make an appereance in kept me smiling. You have to love someone who will walk around in an elephant suit!!
The story was fairly evenly divided between character development and investigating the clues. The mystery was really well written and paced. I liked the correlation brought up that librarians make good sleuths because they are always determined to seek answers. I was kept guessing until the very end of the book and was actually surprised once the culprit was revealed. Definitely a bittersweet murder for several of the people who were close to Candice and have been plagued by her sudden death all of these years.
I was a bit concerned towards the end because Lindsey is adamant that she will no longer jeopardize her relationships. In doing so, she vows a couple times to no longer become involved in future investigations. That statement as well as the announcement of her relationship almost felt like the conclusion of the series. I really hope that's not the case though!!
At the end of the book, you will find a few ideas on how to start your own book group. There's a few reader's guide questions for The Catcher in the Rye, a craft project and several recipes. A preview of the next Hat Shop Mystery is also included. Overall, this was a wonderful book and an enjoyable read. If you are a fan of the author's other series, you will appreciate the part where she briefly mentions the Cupcake series!
Local librarian, Lindsey Norris, has decided to give all of her patrons a fresh start by holding an amnesty day at the library. Books that are overdue can be turned in and fines will be overlooked. Little did she realize that this idea would be incredibly successful as well as open up an old mystery. Many books are anomalously returned, included a copy of Catcher in the Rye that has been checked out for the past twenty years. After looking at the records, they discover that the book was loaned to a school teacher named Candice Whitley. She just so happened to check the book out on the day she was murdered. Along with a few breakins around town, Lindsey has the feeling that the person who returned the book is the culprit who is trying to finally get rid of the evidence.
This is book number seven in the Library Lover's Mystery and a great addition to the series. You can easily read this as a stand alone book, but I feel that the reader would be more connected and understanding of the character's actions if they had a bit more background story.
All of our favorite characters make an appearance in this book. Mary's secret becomes public knowledge and Lindsey finally makes a decision about her love life and bravely leaps into a relationship that leaves the entire town of Briar Creek talking. There's the addition of a couple new characters who also join the Crafternoon group. I think they will bring a new dynamic to the series and I'm anxious to see how McKinlay develops their storylines. My favorite character is the children's librarian, Beth! She wasn't in too many scenes this time, but the ones she did make an appereance in kept me smiling. You have to love someone who will walk around in an elephant suit!!
The story was fairly evenly divided between character development and investigating the clues. The mystery was really well written and paced. I liked the correlation brought up that librarians make good sleuths because they are always determined to seek answers. I was kept guessing until the very end of the book and was actually surprised once the culprit was revealed. Definitely a bittersweet murder for several of the people who were close to Candice and have been plagued by her sudden death all of these years.
I was a bit concerned towards the end because Lindsey is adamant that she will no longer jeopardize her relationships. In doing so, she vows a couple times to no longer become involved in future investigations. That statement as well as the announcement of her relationship almost felt like the conclusion of the series. I really hope that's not the case though!!
At the end of the book, you will find a few ideas on how to start your own book group. There's a few reader's guide questions for The Catcher in the Rye, a craft project and several recipes. A preview of the next Hat Shop Mystery is also included. Overall, this was a wonderful book and an enjoyable read. If you are a fan of the author's other series, you will appreciate the part where she briefly mentions the Cupcake series!
Better Late Than Never by Jenn McKinlay is the seventh book in A Library Lover's Mystery series. It is First Annual Amnesty Day at the Briar Creek Public Library. They library clerks are being overwhelmed with returned books. The day is an overwhelming success. Lindsey Norris instigated a contest with a prize for the clerk who finds the grungiest book and the oldest due book. One clerk shows Lindsey J.D. Salinger's Cather in the Rye that was due October 23, 1996. Lindsey takes the book to Miss Eugenia Cole. Miss Cole has records on all overdue books (even those that are 20 years old). Miss Cole looks shocked when she finds out who checked out the book. The book was checked out on October 2, 1996 by Candice Whitley. Candice was murdered on this day, and her killer has never been found. Lindsey's curiosity will not let her rest. She sets out to get answers to this twenty-year-old mystery. Lindsey has started seeing Captain Mike "Sully" Sullivan, but they are keeping it quiet (or so they think). The two of them are going slow, but Sully has competition. Robbie Vine, British actor and new citizen to Briar Creek, has taken a fancy to Lindsey. Robbie believes the two of them will be the perfect couple (and is very vocal about it). How will Sully handle the competition? Join Lindsey and friends in Briar Creek for another fun installment in Better Late Than Never.
Better Late Than Never was a charming novel. It is nice revisiting the characters to see how they are faring. Robbie Vine is a nice addition to the series and he is very entertaining. The focus of the novel was on the romance between Sully and Lindsey. In addition, to space devoted to Lindsey thinking and contemplating. I give Better Late Than Never 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). The novel is well-written and easy to read. The story moves along nicely. The mystery, though, was uncomplicated and could be figured out easily. While Better Late Than Never is the seventh book in the series, it can be a stand-alone novel. The information you need to enjoy and understand the story is provided by the author. There were two references in the novel that I particularly enjoyed. One was the mention of Harry Potter. The second was the mention of a cozy mystery series that Lindsey enjoyed reading. It involves two Arizona women who enjoy baking cupcakes. I thought it was a nice plug for Jenn McKinlay's Cupcake Bakery Mystery series. I look forward to reading the next installment in A Library Lover's Mystery series.
Better Late Than Never was a charming novel. It is nice revisiting the characters to see how they are faring. Robbie Vine is a nice addition to the series and he is very entertaining. The focus of the novel was on the romance between Sully and Lindsey. In addition, to space devoted to Lindsey thinking and contemplating. I give Better Late Than Never 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). The novel is well-written and easy to read. The story moves along nicely. The mystery, though, was uncomplicated and could be figured out easily. While Better Late Than Never is the seventh book in the series, it can be a stand-alone novel. The information you need to enjoy and understand the story is provided by the author. There were two references in the novel that I particularly enjoyed. One was the mention of Harry Potter. The second was the mention of a cozy mystery series that Lindsey enjoyed reading. It involves two Arizona women who enjoy baking cupcakes. I thought it was a nice plug for Jenn McKinlay's Cupcake Bakery Mystery series. I look forward to reading the next installment in A Library Lover's Mystery series.
Jody M. (jodymcgrath) -
Librarian, Lindsey Norris, has decided to hold "Amnesty Day" at the library, where patrons can return late or damaged books and the fines will be waived. This is a huge success! The library gets a ton of returns, including a book that was checked out over twenty years ago. When she learns that the book was checked out by a young teacher who was murdered the same day and the murderer was never caught, Lindsey goes straight to the police. Lately in town there has been a rash of break-ins, and while the police chief will eventually get to it, a cold case just doesn't take precedence over an ongoing investigation. Well, everyone in town knows what a snoop Lindsey is, and she just can't handle not knowing. Lindsey finds out exactly what happens when a cold case starts to get red hot?
This is book 7 in the Library Lovers Mystery series. Unfortunately, I have not read the first 6, but this novel reads fine as a stand-alone novel. I was enchanted by the character of Lindsey. She is so curious and inquisitive, which is why she became a librarian in the first place, but she just cannot let a problem go unanswered. By now the whole town seems to know this about her, and it appears it is a running joke. She is resourceful and smart, which I really liked. The rest of the library staff was fantastic. They all had such unique personalities. Robbie, the Watson to her Sherlock, was very funny. He mostly just caused more harm than good, but really tried to help.
The mystery was awesome. I had no clue who the murderer was until the end. There are some twists that I saw very early, but some that I never even glimpsed. The conclusion was well thought out also, which I appreciated.
My only complaint about this book was the enormous amount of time spent on her romance. Instead of a cozy, it was starting to read like a romantic mystery. I realize that falling in love does sort of take over your thoughts, but I was here for the crime-solving! It was sweet, but there was just too much time devoted to this.
I would definitely recommend this book to mystery lovers out there and probably romance lovers also!
* I voluntarily read and Advance Reader Copy of this book and have given an honest review *
This is book 7 in the Library Lovers Mystery series. Unfortunately, I have not read the first 6, but this novel reads fine as a stand-alone novel. I was enchanted by the character of Lindsey. She is so curious and inquisitive, which is why she became a librarian in the first place, but she just cannot let a problem go unanswered. By now the whole town seems to know this about her, and it appears it is a running joke. She is resourceful and smart, which I really liked. The rest of the library staff was fantastic. They all had such unique personalities. Robbie, the Watson to her Sherlock, was very funny. He mostly just caused more harm than good, but really tried to help.
The mystery was awesome. I had no clue who the murderer was until the end. There are some twists that I saw very early, but some that I never even glimpsed. The conclusion was well thought out also, which I appreciated.
My only complaint about this book was the enormous amount of time spent on her romance. Instead of a cozy, it was starting to read like a romantic mystery. I realize that falling in love does sort of take over your thoughts, but I was here for the crime-solving! It was sweet, but there was just too much time devoted to this.
I would definitely recommend this book to mystery lovers out there and probably romance lovers also!
* I voluntarily read and Advance Reader Copy of this book and have given an honest review *
