Lori C. (dollycas) reviewed Read to Death at the Lakeside Library (A Lakeside Library Mystery) on + 642 more book reviews
Dollycas's Thoughts
What happens when the book your book club just read and discussed looks to have been the inspiration for the murder of one of the club's members? Well, the members of the Lakeside Library Book Club are about to find out.
Rain's mother hosted a summer book club for years and Rain thought it was time to bring that back. Their first read was Sparkling Cyanide by Agathe Christie. A lively discussion was had but Rain never imagined one of the members would be found dead in their new lakeside cabin the next day.
Rain and her BFF Julia, try to do some investigating on their own, much to the despair of their significant others. Was the woman killed for something that happened in her past? Or did she really have a priceless manuscript someone was willing to kill her for? Or was it an unknown relative mentioned in a letter she had just received the thing that led to her death?
In their quest to find the truth Rain and Julia realize it all comes back to the book club. Well since Agatha Christie's book set up the means for the killing they decide to use Dame Agatha's way to expose the killer. Will it work? Or will the tables be turned on Rain and Julia and conclude with their and the book club's demise?
______
With every book in this series, the core characters become nearer and dearer. Rain and Julia truly are best friends who have each other's backs come hell or high water and water was definitely an issue in this story. They are also there for their friend Marge who is starting to have some age-related issues. Julia's husband Nick is a great handyman to have around and her brother, police officer, Jace Lowe is on the case while he and Rain start to talk about their feelings for each other. I am loving the way these characters continue to evolve in realistic ways and at a comfortable pace. All the dialogues ring true to this Wisconsinite too.
Speaking of Wisconsin, Ms. Danvers's descriptions of Lofty Pines in the Northwoods, really take her readers to the lake, on the lake, and the whole surrounding area so well. The sights, sounds, and even smells help bring this story to life. Books like this one help everyone see why vacationing in the area is so appealing, sans the murder, of course.
The murder mystery was very complicated due to the unclear motives. The victim's history was very interesting as is her other house. She was a real bookworm who was very serious about her books. All these "clues" send Rain and Julia in many directions and even Marge helps out. I really enjoy following along with all the clues. The real guilty party was on my suspect list along with a couple of others. The author placed some nice twists that really keep me guessing the whole way. I did like the way the reveal played out as well as the links to the book club book in the mystery. You can't go wrong with Agatha Christie.
Read to Death at the Lakeside Library was a Perfect Escape to the Wisconsin Northwoods with fun and engaging characters and a very well-plotted mystery. The Lakeside Library has become one of my favorite literary libraries especially now with its new four-legged resident. I can't wait to visit again soon.
What happens when the book your book club just read and discussed looks to have been the inspiration for the murder of one of the club's members? Well, the members of the Lakeside Library Book Club are about to find out.
Rain's mother hosted a summer book club for years and Rain thought it was time to bring that back. Their first read was Sparkling Cyanide by Agathe Christie. A lively discussion was had but Rain never imagined one of the members would be found dead in their new lakeside cabin the next day.
Rain and her BFF Julia, try to do some investigating on their own, much to the despair of their significant others. Was the woman killed for something that happened in her past? Or did she really have a priceless manuscript someone was willing to kill her for? Or was it an unknown relative mentioned in a letter she had just received the thing that led to her death?
In their quest to find the truth Rain and Julia realize it all comes back to the book club. Well since Agatha Christie's book set up the means for the killing they decide to use Dame Agatha's way to expose the killer. Will it work? Or will the tables be turned on Rain and Julia and conclude with their and the book club's demise?
______
With every book in this series, the core characters become nearer and dearer. Rain and Julia truly are best friends who have each other's backs come hell or high water and water was definitely an issue in this story. They are also there for their friend Marge who is starting to have some age-related issues. Julia's husband Nick is a great handyman to have around and her brother, police officer, Jace Lowe is on the case while he and Rain start to talk about their feelings for each other. I am loving the way these characters continue to evolve in realistic ways and at a comfortable pace. All the dialogues ring true to this Wisconsinite too.
Speaking of Wisconsin, Ms. Danvers's descriptions of Lofty Pines in the Northwoods, really take her readers to the lake, on the lake, and the whole surrounding area so well. The sights, sounds, and even smells help bring this story to life. Books like this one help everyone see why vacationing in the area is so appealing, sans the murder, of course.
The murder mystery was very complicated due to the unclear motives. The victim's history was very interesting as is her other house. She was a real bookworm who was very serious about her books. All these "clues" send Rain and Julia in many directions and even Marge helps out. I really enjoy following along with all the clues. The real guilty party was on my suspect list along with a couple of others. The author placed some nice twists that really keep me guessing the whole way. I did like the way the reveal played out as well as the links to the book club book in the mystery. You can't go wrong with Agatha Christie.
Read to Death at the Lakeside Library was a Perfect Escape to the Wisconsin Northwoods with fun and engaging characters and a very well-plotted mystery. The Lakeside Library has become one of my favorite literary libraries especially now with its new four-legged resident. I can't wait to visit again soon.
Brenda H. (booksinvt) -
Read to Death at the Lakeside Library is the third installment in the A Lakeside Library Mystery series set in Lofty Pines, Wisconsin and featuring Rain Wilmot owner of the Lakeside Library and her best friend Julia Reynolds. Summer has come to the lakeside community and Rain is looking forward to spending time boating and swimming in addition to her library duties. Rain has decided to bring back her mother's summer book club and the first book up for discussion is A Sparkling Cyanide by Agatha Christie.
The first club meeting doesn't go exactly as planned with some of the ladies drinking a little too much and others getting into a squabble about a drowning years earlier and Lily Redlin ends up leaving early. The next day Rain and Julia feel bad about the way the evening ended so they decide to go down the lake to visit Lily's new home. Unfortunately, when they arrive they find Lily dead and further investigation reveals she was killed by Visine in her drink, the same way the character in the Christie book was killed.
As Rain and Julia set out to find a killer they are faced with figuring out if Lily was killed because she knew too much about the decades old drowning or did she in fact have a long lost manuscript written by Laura Ingalls Wilder as she claimed. The ladies discover that Lily had been raised in a foster home but had recently been contacted by an attorney who states that a long lost relative had left her his estate. Did this sudden windfall have anything to do with her death?
A great setting, a fun cast of characters and the addition of a rescue canine make for a wonderful read. In solving one murder the ladies also find the answer to the earlier drowning. Plus, things are definitely heating up between Rain and Jace, Julia's brother and readers will be touched with the care and concern the ladies show towards Marge as her memory begins to decline.
The first club meeting doesn't go exactly as planned with some of the ladies drinking a little too much and others getting into a squabble about a drowning years earlier and Lily Redlin ends up leaving early. The next day Rain and Julia feel bad about the way the evening ended so they decide to go down the lake to visit Lily's new home. Unfortunately, when they arrive they find Lily dead and further investigation reveals she was killed by Visine in her drink, the same way the character in the Christie book was killed.
As Rain and Julia set out to find a killer they are faced with figuring out if Lily was killed because she knew too much about the decades old drowning or did she in fact have a long lost manuscript written by Laura Ingalls Wilder as she claimed. The ladies discover that Lily had been raised in a foster home but had recently been contacted by an attorney who states that a long lost relative had left her his estate. Did this sudden windfall have anything to do with her death?
A great setting, a fun cast of characters and the addition of a rescue canine make for a wonderful read. In solving one murder the ladies also find the answer to the earlier drowning. Plus, things are definitely heating up between Rain and Jace, Julia's brother and readers will be touched with the care and concern the ladies show towards Marge as her memory begins to decline.
