Kimberly N. (kimberlyrav) -
Helpful Score: 1
I loved the setting of this book. A library in a lighthouse, not only that but you live in that same lighthouse with your cat, beside the ocean, you cant get any better than that. Though I enjoyed the mystery of the Jane Austen books coming up missing and the murder which occurred inside the lighthouse, the story was a bit boring. I am hoping in book 2, things will become more exciting.
Bonnie A. (ladycholla) -
I enjoyed this book very much, and the characters are good fun. The cat is great, who couldn't love him. The mystery was good and I didn't guess who the murderer was, which always makes for a good story. Look forward to the next one in the series. Great first book.
I liked the characters, but the plot and interactions were very sorority drama. The motivations and rationale of the characters were immature. I was frustrated and set the book aside twice because of the teen drama feeling of it. Eventually I finished it and did not change my opinion. I like the characters and wouldn't mind reading more with them, but the pouty teen-bully histrionics was wearisome.
This is a promising start to a new series. The premise is a young woman, Lucy Richardson, who has a Master's in Librarian and Information Sciences, has taken a stand against her Society Mother in Boston and moved to the NC outer banks to take a job as Assistant Librarian. The library is in a lighthouse and she even gets to live on one of the levels! Of course there is a murder. There are also the thefts of 3 Jane Austen first editions on loan to the library. In between we get to know Lucy and her friends, co-workers, family and 2 possible boyfriends, one of them being the boy who gave Lucy her first kiss when she was 15. This is a delightful series and I look forward to reading the next book
Brenda H. (booksinvt) -
By Book or By Crook is the first in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series. Lucy Richardson has given up library job in Boston, rejected the marriage proposal of the man her parents wanted her to marry and moved to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Having spent the summers of her youth on Bodie Island with her Aunt Ellen, Uncle Amos and Cousin Josie, Lucy heads back there in search of a simpler life. Lucy lands the dream job of Assistant Librarian at the Lighthouse Library and takes possession of the even dreamier apartment on the fourth floor of the lighthouse.
Lucy's first task is to oversee the exhibit of a very rare Jane Austen book collection that Head librarian Bertie has worked hard to acquire for a three week loan to the Lighthouse Library. Opening night of the exhibit brings all of the Library Board members to the cocktail party and Lucy discovers that a few of the members are not too happy that she has been hired for the Assistant's position.
Library Chair Jonathan Uppiton is found stabbed to death in the Rare Books room with Bertie standing over him clutching the murder weapon. Bertie becomes the prime suspect due to the loud and public argument she had with Mr. Uppiton moments before he was found murdered. But, Bertie isn't the only person who had a motive to murder Mr. Uppiton, and Lucy sets out to clear her friends name and to save her new job at the library.
Things go from bad to worse however, when the Jane Austen books begin disappearing one by one. Are the thefts for personal gain or is someone trying to distract the police from finding the murderer? Lucy soon finds herself in the midst of a romantic triangle with Mayor Connor MacNeil (whom Josie fondly remembers kissing back when she was 14) and Butch Greenblatt, the hunky police detective. With the help of these two and fellow library employees, Ronald and Charlene, Lucy begins her quest for justice.
I couldn't think of a better location for a library or an apartment than a lighthouse. The author does a terrific job with the descriptions of the scenery and the characters. I could picture myself sitting in the sunny alcove in Lucy's apartment devouring the latest cozy mystery to hit the shelves. Plus, the mouthwatering descriptions of the pastries that Cousin Josie offers up in her Bakery will leave you drooling. Oh, and I can't forget to mention the lighthouse mascot - Charlie (Charles Dickens) a giant 30 pound Himalayan cat who features prominently in the killer's capture.
A great fun read and I can't wait for the next installment "Booked for Trouble" to find out what Lucy and the Lighthouse Library gang will be up to next.
Having spent the summers of her youth on Bodie Island with her Aunt Ellen, Uncle Amos and Cousin Josie, Lucy heads back there in search of a simpler life. Lucy lands the dream job of Assistant Librarian at the Lighthouse Library and takes possession of the even dreamier apartment on the fourth floor of the lighthouse.
Lucy's first task is to oversee the exhibit of a very rare Jane Austen book collection that Head librarian Bertie has worked hard to acquire for a three week loan to the Lighthouse Library. Opening night of the exhibit brings all of the Library Board members to the cocktail party and Lucy discovers that a few of the members are not too happy that she has been hired for the Assistant's position.
Library Chair Jonathan Uppiton is found stabbed to death in the Rare Books room with Bertie standing over him clutching the murder weapon. Bertie becomes the prime suspect due to the loud and public argument she had with Mr. Uppiton moments before he was found murdered. But, Bertie isn't the only person who had a motive to murder Mr. Uppiton, and Lucy sets out to clear her friends name and to save her new job at the library.
Things go from bad to worse however, when the Jane Austen books begin disappearing one by one. Are the thefts for personal gain or is someone trying to distract the police from finding the murderer? Lucy soon finds herself in the midst of a romantic triangle with Mayor Connor MacNeil (whom Josie fondly remembers kissing back when she was 14) and Butch Greenblatt, the hunky police detective. With the help of these two and fellow library employees, Ronald and Charlene, Lucy begins her quest for justice.
I couldn't think of a better location for a library or an apartment than a lighthouse. The author does a terrific job with the descriptions of the scenery and the characters. I could picture myself sitting in the sunny alcove in Lucy's apartment devouring the latest cozy mystery to hit the shelves. Plus, the mouthwatering descriptions of the pastries that Cousin Josie offers up in her Bakery will leave you drooling. Oh, and I can't forget to mention the lighthouse mascot - Charlie (Charles Dickens) a giant 30 pound Himalayan cat who features prominently in the killer's capture.
A great fun read and I can't wait for the next installment "Booked for Trouble" to find out what Lucy and the Lighthouse Library gang will be up to next.
SUSAN S. (susieqmillsacoustics) -
I do not read many cozies unless there are things that stand out to pique my interest (like a lighthouse library). I enjoyed this and liked the library staff characters. I loved the library cat, Charles. There were a few poor decisions, but I will be interested in the possibility of where this series may lead.
Cathy C. (cathyskye) -
I love libraries. I love lighthouses. When I came across this first book in the Lighthouse Library cozy series, my eyes lit up, and when I discovered that "Eva Gates" is the pen name of one of my favorite authors, Vicky Delany, that was the icing on the cake. North Carolina's Outer Banks seems to be one of the hot settings for cozies, and By Book or by Crook fits right in with its neighbors.
I liked Lucy Richardson, even though she didn't win any points by staying in a relationship for ten years just to keep her parents off her back. Grow a spine, girl, because I have a feeling that those parents of yours won't be able to leave you alone in your new home!
Lucy is surrounded by an excellent cast of secondary characters who are a good mix of supportive and irritating. Fellow librarian Charlene's passion for rap music is a running joke throughout the book, and it's a joke I enjoyed since I personally didn't have to listen to the music. I did find it a tad worrying that Lucy has two prospective beaus. She may not be ready for them yet, but I've learned to treat romantic triangles with a great deal of suspicion, thanks to Janet Evanovich.
Lucy's fellow librarians are just the sort of people you'd want to work with, and here's hoping that Louise Jane never ever gets a permanent job in the lighthouse library. Louise Jane is the sort of person you'd just love to slap, and I figure the main reason why she so desperately wants to work in the library is that no one wants her there. (As you can see, this is a wonderful cast of characters because I seem to have gotten emotionally involved with them!)
Another perk of the book is that you really get a feel for what libraries have to deal with in this age of constant budget cuts. The author makes it clear that keeping libraries alive depends on the librarians, the patrons, and members of the library board and city government who all realize how vital these places are to communities.
The mystery in By Book or by Crook provides both the high and the low points of the book. The high point? The killer is hiding in the best place of all-- right out in plain sight, and I cannot believe I didn't figure out the person's identity. The low point? I had a very difficult time suspending my disbelief when it came to the lack of security in place at the library for the exhibit of priceless first editions of all of Jane Austen's novels as well as one of Austen's notebooks. I could easily go on in more depth about this, but I don't want to slip and give away too much of the story.
Lack of security aside, I really enjoyed this book. The author took the rather unfeasible idea of putting a library in a lighthouse and made it work with wonderful descriptive passages, an excellent cast, and an intriguing mystery. I'm looking forward to heading back to the Outer Banks for the next book in the series!
I liked Lucy Richardson, even though she didn't win any points by staying in a relationship for ten years just to keep her parents off her back. Grow a spine, girl, because I have a feeling that those parents of yours won't be able to leave you alone in your new home!
Lucy is surrounded by an excellent cast of secondary characters who are a good mix of supportive and irritating. Fellow librarian Charlene's passion for rap music is a running joke throughout the book, and it's a joke I enjoyed since I personally didn't have to listen to the music. I did find it a tad worrying that Lucy has two prospective beaus. She may not be ready for them yet, but I've learned to treat romantic triangles with a great deal of suspicion, thanks to Janet Evanovich.
Lucy's fellow librarians are just the sort of people you'd want to work with, and here's hoping that Louise Jane never ever gets a permanent job in the lighthouse library. Louise Jane is the sort of person you'd just love to slap, and I figure the main reason why she so desperately wants to work in the library is that no one wants her there. (As you can see, this is a wonderful cast of characters because I seem to have gotten emotionally involved with them!)
Another perk of the book is that you really get a feel for what libraries have to deal with in this age of constant budget cuts. The author makes it clear that keeping libraries alive depends on the librarians, the patrons, and members of the library board and city government who all realize how vital these places are to communities.
The mystery in By Book or by Crook provides both the high and the low points of the book. The high point? The killer is hiding in the best place of all-- right out in plain sight, and I cannot believe I didn't figure out the person's identity. The low point? I had a very difficult time suspending my disbelief when it came to the lack of security in place at the library for the exhibit of priceless first editions of all of Jane Austen's novels as well as one of Austen's notebooks. I could easily go on in more depth about this, but I don't want to slip and give away too much of the story.
Lack of security aside, I really enjoyed this book. The author took the rather unfeasible idea of putting a library in a lighthouse and made it work with wonderful descriptive passages, an excellent cast, and an intriguing mystery. I'm looking forward to heading back to the Outer Banks for the next book in the series!
