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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
This feels harsh. I'm sorry. But the truth is that a murder plot, and a thievery plot, and a "first novel in a series" world building, was just too much to cram in that book, especially since the mysteries featured a scary amount of red herrings that the characters chase because they are dumber than the audience. As a result, the pacing is messy and the characterization falls flat.
A cozy mystery that takes place in a library within a lighthouse....a no brainer I would love this. I've already placed a hold on book two at the library.
I enjoyed this book but the beginning was slow and take awhile for me to get into. I love Charles the cat!
I really enjoyed this new series. All the book references and descriptions of the outer banks kept me entertained throughout the story. And the mystery stayed mostly a mystery till the end. I had an idea who the killer was, but was wrong on the motive.
I finished this back in June, so some details are fuzzy.
Lucy previously worked at the Harvard Library and is now a new librarian at Bodie Island's public library, which is housed inside a lighthouse. There are a few folks who aren't thrilled that she got the job, but for the most part Lucy loves her new position. She's particularly excited about the Jane Austen first editions the library currently has on loan. That excitement turns to dismay and horror as one of the first editions goes missing and the chairman of the library board is found murdered.
I tend to be drawn to book and library-themed cozy mysteries, so I snatched this one up when I spotted it in a used bookstore. Unfortunately, it turned out to be terrible.
The author's bio doesn't mention any sort of library background, although she thanks a librarian in her acknowledgements, so I assume she spoke to that person as part of her research. Either her research wasn't very thorough or she didn't ask the right questions, because this book was filled with mistakes and difficult-to-believe details.
Cozy mystery authors seem to be fond of 30-year-old librarians who somehow already have 10 years of librarian experience under their belts. Library experience would be believable, but becoming a librarian by age 20 would really be pushing it, particularly a librarian at the Harvard Library. You need a bachelor's degree first (approximately 4 years), and then a Master's in Library Science (or Library and Information Science, depending on the school), which can take 1-2 years depending on what sort of course load you can handle. Lucy would have had to graduate early in both high school and college in order to be a librarian by age 20.
But what really bothered me was the author's glaring lack of knowledge about library security. On page 129, there was this discussion between one of the library's employees and a police officer:
There's so much wrong with this passage that it's hard to know where to start. Yes, there are lots of small libraries out there that don't have much in the way of security - but those libraries would never be loaned a collection of Jane Austen first editions for a temporary display. And libraries that don't have any sort of security systems in place likely don't have them because they can't afford them, not because they think they don't need them - all libraries, even ones in small towns, are better off with some sort of security system in place (alarms, security gates, panic buttons, etc.), for the safety of their users and staff as well as to reduce the likelihood of theft. Charlene saying that this was "the Bodie Island Lighthouse, not the Bronx" struck me as both naive and potentially racist. Also, library security gates are not called bar-code detectors - I'll forgive that one because it was the police officer character who said it.
If I remember right, the above passage occurred after the first book went missing. That left five books and a notebook that could still be stolen. In addition to keeping the books locked up and only removing them when a staff member could be on hand to make sure it stayed safe, I'd have bought a webcam or two off Amazon and set them up. Instead, library staff felt that keeping the books locked up as much as possible (with the key easily accessible in the head librarian's unlocked office) was good enough. Considering how the story progressed (more thefts!), the continued library security issues were maddening.
Although I was able to figure out the murderer's identity a little early, I did think the murder mystery aspect was decent. It's too bad that everything was overshadowed by the glaringly awful library security details. No one in their right mind would lend a library like this anything even remotely rare and valuable. I very much agreed with the cop who said this: "I wouldn't want y'all guarding my doghouse." (226)
Sometimes terrible cozy mysteries can be at least somewhat saved by their characters. That wasn't the case here. Lucy annoyed me. Her views on books and library struck me as being old-fashioned, and she seemed to be very judgmental of everything from other people's tastes in recreational reading to the kind of music they listened to. Her two potential love interests (yes, there's already a love triangle in the works) were both bland and uninteresting. I'm assuming Connor (the guy Lucy had a crush on as a teen, and who is now the mayor) is being set up as the guy who appears to have the best chance with Lucy, while Butch (a local cop) is the guy Lucy's actually going to end up with. If she ever ends up with anyone.
I don't plan on reading more of this series.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Lucy previously worked at the Harvard Library and is now a new librarian at Bodie Island's public library, which is housed inside a lighthouse. There are a few folks who aren't thrilled that she got the job, but for the most part Lucy loves her new position. She's particularly excited about the Jane Austen first editions the library currently has on loan. That excitement turns to dismay and horror as one of the first editions goes missing and the chairman of the library board is found murdered.
I tend to be drawn to book and library-themed cozy mysteries, so I snatched this one up when I spotted it in a used bookstore. Unfortunately, it turned out to be terrible.
The author's bio doesn't mention any sort of library background, although she thanks a librarian in her acknowledgements, so I assume she spoke to that person as part of her research. Either her research wasn't very thorough or she didn't ask the right questions, because this book was filled with mistakes and difficult-to-believe details.
Cozy mystery authors seem to be fond of 30-year-old librarians who somehow already have 10 years of librarian experience under their belts. Library experience would be believable, but becoming a librarian by age 20 would really be pushing it, particularly a librarian at the Harvard Library. You need a bachelor's degree first (approximately 4 years), and then a Master's in Library Science (or Library and Information Science, depending on the school), which can take 1-2 years depending on what sort of course load you can handle. Lucy would have had to graduate early in both high school and college in order to be a librarian by age 20.
But what really bothered me was the author's glaring lack of knowledge about library security. On page 129, there was this discussion between one of the library's employees and a police officer:
"'I don't suppose y'all have security on the door?'
'I do some crowd control,' Charlene said.
'Stopping little old ladies from stepping on each other's sensible shoes. I meant like a bar-code detector. Alarm. Things like that.'
'This is a library. Not a jewelry store. And we're in the Bodie Island Lighthouse, not the Bronx. No, we do not have alarms.'"
There's so much wrong with this passage that it's hard to know where to start. Yes, there are lots of small libraries out there that don't have much in the way of security - but those libraries would never be loaned a collection of Jane Austen first editions for a temporary display. And libraries that don't have any sort of security systems in place likely don't have them because they can't afford them, not because they think they don't need them - all libraries, even ones in small towns, are better off with some sort of security system in place (alarms, security gates, panic buttons, etc.), for the safety of their users and staff as well as to reduce the likelihood of theft. Charlene saying that this was "the Bodie Island Lighthouse, not the Bronx" struck me as both naive and potentially racist. Also, library security gates are not called bar-code detectors - I'll forgive that one because it was the police officer character who said it.
If I remember right, the above passage occurred after the first book went missing. That left five books and a notebook that could still be stolen. In addition to keeping the books locked up and only removing them when a staff member could be on hand to make sure it stayed safe, I'd have bought a webcam or two off Amazon and set them up. Instead, library staff felt that keeping the books locked up as much as possible (with the key easily accessible in the head librarian's unlocked office) was good enough. Considering how the story progressed (more thefts!), the continued library security issues were maddening.
Although I was able to figure out the murderer's identity a little early, I did think the murder mystery aspect was decent. It's too bad that everything was overshadowed by the glaringly awful library security details. No one in their right mind would lend a library like this anything even remotely rare and valuable. I very much agreed with the cop who said this: "I wouldn't want y'all guarding my doghouse." (226)
Sometimes terrible cozy mysteries can be at least somewhat saved by their characters. That wasn't the case here. Lucy annoyed me. Her views on books and library struck me as being old-fashioned, and she seemed to be very judgmental of everything from other people's tastes in recreational reading to the kind of music they listened to. Her two potential love interests (yes, there's already a love triangle in the works) were both bland and uninteresting. I'm assuming Connor (the guy Lucy had a crush on as a teen, and who is now the mayor) is being set up as the guy who appears to have the best chance with Lucy, while Butch (a local cop) is the guy Lucy's actually going to end up with. If she ever ends up with anyone.
I don't plan on reading more of this series.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
What can I say? Oh yes....I love this first in a new series!
1. I love when I can connect with a character right off the bat, especially in a new series. Lucy somehow just sucked me in and held on the whole book. Her courgeous attitude, venturing out on her own and breaking away from the life she is "suppose" to live, really stood out to me. I felt that if a character can be that courageous, then she was not going to be a wimp when it came to any trouble that arose.
2. I am a sucker for cats in mysteries, and Charles made me smile numerous times. I have 2 Himalayans and the author captures the characteristics of the breed 100%. I think the author really caputures the attitude of cats very well. Some authors have the cats in their books be involved with everything in their book, but more people know that the majority of cats do things on their own time and how they want. Charles was captured exactly that way, and when he was needed the most he came through.
3. Jane Austen....that's all I can say about that, as I love her more than anything and anything involving her it wonderful!
4.Eva Gates takes you to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and you feel like you are there the whole time. The description of the weather and setting, kept me in the moment the whole book....I could literally smell Josie's bakery while Lucy was there.
Looking forward to reading the next in the series!
1. I love when I can connect with a character right off the bat, especially in a new series. Lucy somehow just sucked me in and held on the whole book. Her courgeous attitude, venturing out on her own and breaking away from the life she is "suppose" to live, really stood out to me. I felt that if a character can be that courageous, then she was not going to be a wimp when it came to any trouble that arose.
2. I am a sucker for cats in mysteries, and Charles made me smile numerous times. I have 2 Himalayans and the author captures the characteristics of the breed 100%. I think the author really caputures the attitude of cats very well. Some authors have the cats in their books be involved with everything in their book, but more people know that the majority of cats do things on their own time and how they want. Charles was captured exactly that way, and when he was needed the most he came through.
3. Jane Austen....that's all I can say about that, as I love her more than anything and anything involving her it wonderful!
4.Eva Gates takes you to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and you feel like you are there the whole time. The description of the weather and setting, kept me in the moment the whole book....I could literally smell Josie's bakery while Lucy was there.
Looking forward to reading the next in the series!
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
GR deleted my last review to uphold the delicate sensibilities of white supremacy so I’ll write another one. This book represents an incredibly homogenous cultural point of view (read: white) that is not reflective of the real diverse life of the area it purports to be about. It’s full of “nice” casual racism and poorly written characters. I did not like it.
I had this book on my list for a while and am I ever glad I finally got to it. Such a cute idea having a library inside of a lighthouse in a small town. Classic cozy mystery. I loved everything about this book. The setting, the characters, the plot! I’ll start the next one ASAP
One of the best 1st books in a series that I've read in a long time.