A review by dukefn99
Mayhem in Circulation by Leah Dobrinska, Leah Dobrinska

medium-paced

4.5

 

I really enjoyed Death Checked Out by Leah Dobrinska, so I couldn’t wait to dive into Mayhem in Circulation, the second book in the Larkspur Library Mysteries series. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait long to get my fix of the small town of Larkspur, Wisconsin, and its citizens.

Mayhem in Circulation takes place a few weeks following Death Checked Out. The town is preparing to host their annual Fall Festival with the added pressure of a popular Midwest magazine sending a writer to do a feature on the town. But there are a few acts of vandalism, and the mayor turns up dead. Greta and her library co-workers can’t help but want to do their own investigation to save the town’s reputation.

I’ll state up front that I figured out who the murderer was much sooner than Greta, but that didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the mystery. I appreciated all the twists and turns thrown into the story to make it more complex. The author brings in multiple possible villains. Seeing how much dirt was dug up during the investigation was amazing, and I was enjoying the ride.

I really like Greta, the lead of this series, and her two best friends, who are also co-workers at the library. They bring a Nancy Drew, Bess and George vibe that I love. Even their descriptions bring this trio to mind. They’re all smart and bring something different to the table to aid in the sleuthing. And then there’s the emerging romance between Greta and McHenry, the new-to-town detective. It’s fun to watch the two of them circle each other, not sure who should make the first move.

I devoured Mayhem in Circulation in one sitting. The mystery drew me in, and the development of the plot and characters kept me turning the pages. Honestly, if I hadn’t figured out the mystery so easily, this would have been a 5-star read for me—it was that good. I can’t wait to revisit this series in the future.