Brenda H. (booksinvt) -
Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library is the second installment in the Lakeside Library Mystery series set in Lofty Pines, Wisconsin and featuring Rain Wilmot. Rain has decided to stay in Lofty Pines for the Winter and keep her family's cozy, cabin library open for the locals - now she just needs to adjust to the brutal Wisconsin winters.
Rain's childhood best friend, neighbor and library employee, Julia and her husband Nick have also decided to spend the winter at the lake and she is happy to have someone nearby. As she works to overcome a recent tragedy Rain is looking forward to the town's popular winter event - the ice fishing derby and Chili Dump. Competition runs high between the fishermen as they fight over the most popular fishing spots and when Wallace Benson is found murdered in his shanty all fingers seem to point to Nick. Nick had been the most vocal about Wallace moving in on his turf, was the last person seen entering Wallace's shanty and has a suspicious cut on his hand. Julia's brother Jace, the local police detective, has been removed from the case due to conflict of interest and as Nick is hauled off to jail, Rain and Julia must work quickly to find a killer.
A great locale and an intriguing mystery make for a quick afternoon read. The only thing lacking in the series, as silly as it sounds, is people. This installment revolves around the same handful of characters and while patrons do visit the library daily, you really don't meet anyone or get to know any of the locals. Rain sticks primarily to her cabin and the library with limited community interaction. The introduction of one new character seems to be leading to the development of the dreaded love triangle, which I for one hope the author doesn't pursue.
Rain's childhood best friend, neighbor and library employee, Julia and her husband Nick have also decided to spend the winter at the lake and she is happy to have someone nearby. As she works to overcome a recent tragedy Rain is looking forward to the town's popular winter event - the ice fishing derby and Chili Dump. Competition runs high between the fishermen as they fight over the most popular fishing spots and when Wallace Benson is found murdered in his shanty all fingers seem to point to Nick. Nick had been the most vocal about Wallace moving in on his turf, was the last person seen entering Wallace's shanty and has a suspicious cut on his hand. Julia's brother Jace, the local police detective, has been removed from the case due to conflict of interest and as Nick is hauled off to jail, Rain and Julia must work quickly to find a killer.
A great locale and an intriguing mystery make for a quick afternoon read. The only thing lacking in the series, as silly as it sounds, is people. This installment revolves around the same handful of characters and while patrons do visit the library daily, you really don't meet anyone or get to know any of the locals. Rain sticks primarily to her cabin and the library with limited community interaction. The introduction of one new character seems to be leading to the development of the dreaded love triangle, which I for one hope the author doesn't pursue.
