
A Big THANK YOU to Crooked Lane Books for picking up this wonderful series!
About the Book
The Spook in the Stacks: A Lighthouse Library Mystery
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – North Carolina
Crooked Lane Books (June 12, 2018)
Hardcover: 250 Pages
ISBN-13: 978-1683315803
Digital ASIN: B075QJ59PX
Halloween in North Carolina’s Outer Banks becomes seriously tricky when librarian Lucy Richardson stumbles across something extra unusual in the rare books section: a dead body.
Wealthy businessman Jay Ruddle is considering donating his extensive collection of North Carolina historical documents to the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, but the competition for the collection is fierce. Unfortunately, while the library is hosting a lecture on ghostly legends, Jay becomes one of the dearly departed in the rare books section. Now, it’s up to Lucy Richardson and her fellow librarians to bone up on their detective skills and discover who is responsible for this wicked Halloween homicide.
Meanwhile, very strange things are happening at the library―haunted horses are materializing in the marsh, the lights seem to have an eerie life of their own, and the tiny crew of a model ship appears to move around when no one is watching. Is Lucy at her wit’s end? Or can it be that the Bodie Island Lighthouse really is haunted?
With The Legend of Sleepy Hollow on everyone’s minds and ghoulish gossip on everyone’s lips, Lucy will need to separate the clues from the boos if she wants to crack this case without losing her head in The Spook in the Stacks, the delightful fourth in national bestseller Eva Gates’ Lighthouse Library mysteries.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
I admit I was late to the party on this series. I started reading it in April and was so taken by the premise of a library in a lighthouse I read all three looking forward to this new release. I could have started with this one because with the publisher change the author wrote this so it could stand on its own but the first three were great stories and I was able to enjoy all the prior character development.
In this story, Lucy’s book group is reading Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Louise Jane’s Halloween Ghost Story Lecture Series is in full swing. The library is also being considered to house a collection of North Carolina historical documents and the owner, Jay Ruddle, has come to town to see the library for himself with his granddaughter and his private curator. While the granddaughter is excited to listen to the ghost stories, he would rather spend his time in the rare books section of the library. Lucy finds him there after the lecture is over. . . dead in the chair. The murderer has used the outside event as a cover for their crime. Anyone in attendance could have killed Mr. Ruddle and slipped back out without anyone even noticing. That coupled with some unusual sighting around the library makes Lucy think the stories of the lighthouse being haunted may be true. But she knows there is no way a ghost killed Mr. Ruddle.
This is an excellent story, just as I have come to expect from this author.
The characters really come alive within these pages. I enjoyed that Theodore “Teddy” Kowalski was featured more this time and that both Lucy and us readers got to see a different side to this man. He was much more likable and not quite as creepy. I hope we continue to see this side. We get to know the library staff, Lucy, Bertie, Ronald, and Charlene better in each installment of this series. I absolutely love Charlie, named for Charles Dickens, the library cat. He really is a special animal.
I was pulled into this mystery by many elements. The murder itself was very intriguing. It couldn’t have been planned so it happened in the heat of the moment? or was it just because the opportunity arose? Was it someone close to him? or someone from his past? As Lucy tried to pull the clues together I was right there with her. There were plenty of red herrings in this Outer Banks tale. I was astonished when the real killer was revealed.
I was also drawn by the observations Lucy made in the fog outside of the library. Was she dreaming? Was her imagination out of control? Was someone pulling a prank? Or were her visions real?
I also found Lucy and her friends helping out Connor’s mayoral campaign added an interesting element. Connor busy with senior citizen lunches throughout the whole story was funny too. To find out if he won, you are going to have to read the book. 🙂
I am always drawn in by the setting. The library in the lighthouse that stretches to meet the author’s imagination and my default ours. The author’s descriptive talents make it so easy to follow her into the wonderful world of the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library including Lucy’s Aerie, on the 4th floor. Such a wonderful place.
Eva Gates has given us a story that is fun and unique, with charming characters, realistic dialogue, and a marvelous mystery. I am so happy that I found this series and hope there will be many more virtual vacations to the Outer Banks and the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library!

About the Author
Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most prolific and varied crime writers and a national bestseller in the U.S. She has written more than twenty-five books: clever cozies to Gothic thrillers to gritty police procedurals, to historical fiction and novellas for adult literacy. She is currently writing three cozy mystery series: the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series for Crooked Lane, the Year Round Christmas mysteries for Penguin Random House and, under the pen name of Eva Gates, the Lighthouse Library series, for Crooked Lane Books.
Vicki lives and writes in bucolic Prince Edward County, Ontario. She is the past president of the Crime Writers of Canada. Her work has been nominated for the Derringer, the Bony Blithe, the Ontario Library Association Golden Oak, and the Arthur Ellis Awards.
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com. On Facebook at www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor. Twitter @vickidelany @evagatesauthor
Praise for The Spook in the Stacks: A Lighthouse Library Mystery
by Eva Gates
Readers get ready for spooks, creaks, and goosebumps as you read this perfectly blended mystery. It is full of all the little details that make a cozy worth loving.
~Bibliophile Reviews
I admire lighthouses, and I adore libraries, so the combination of these is a delight.
~Mallory Heart’s Cozies
I adored the Halloween atmosphere, filled with ghostly legends and mysterious apparitions. Parallels to The Legend of Sleepy Hollow are in abundance. Loved it!
~Melissa’a Mochas, Mysteries, and Meows
From the moment Lucy discovered a body in the library right up to the end I was engrossed.
~The Book’s the Thing
This installment of the Lighthouse Library Mystery series was worth the wait! It was wonderful.
~Valerie’s Musings
This story not only has a mystery but some love and some “strange” appearances… Is Lucy really seeing ghosts or someone is trying to play with her?
~Varietats
A fantastic cozy mystery and addition to the Lighthouse Library series, The Spook in the Stacks is engaging, doesn’t divulge the suspect right away, and keeps the reader guessing.
~Sapphyria’s Books
The story moved along at a quick pace with unexpected moments throughout. Anyone who loves a good character driven cozy and the Halloween season will enjoy this book.
~Laura’s Interests
The Spook in the Stacks is everything that a cozy mystery should be; I was hooked from the first page and its steady pace never let up.
~The Power of Words
Characters are always such a driving force in a book for me. Gates has really created some great characters who have many levels. I admire the relationship they all have with one another, especially Lucy and her friends. Oh, I loved Charles, the library cat! He was the best!!!!
~ Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews
The Spook in the Stacks is a lively, airy cozy mystery that you will keep you engaged and ordering takeout for dinner.
~The Avid Reader
The Spook in the Stacks by Eva Gates is enjoyable and entertaining with a fun cast of characters and a to-die-for setting (quite literally for our poor murder victim).
~Reading Is My SuperPower
Through the words of author Eva Gates, it was incredibly easy to picture the library and surrounding area, as well as hear the characters voices as I read their written words.
~Lisa Ks Book Reviews
Note to self (re: bucket list) – find and visit a library housed in a lighthouse, even if I have to make one myself!
~Back Porchervations
This was a fun and enjoyable read and my first visit to the lighthouse.
~My Reading Journeys
Purchase Links
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TOUR PARTICIPANTS
June 10 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW
June 10 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW
June 10 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
June 11 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW, GUEST POST
June 11 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 12 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW
June 12 – Varietats – REVIEW, GUEST POST
June 12 – Rosepoint Publishing – SPOTLIGHT
June 13 – Sapphyria’s Books – REVIEW
June 13 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
June 13 – The Power of Words – REVIEW
June 14 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 14 – Readeropolis – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 15 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
June 15 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – SPOTLIGHT
June 15 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 16 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
June 16 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
June 17 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 17 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
June 18 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
June 18 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 18 – The Book Diva’s Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 19 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
June 19 – Curling up by the Fire – REVIEW
June 19 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 20 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW
June 20 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 20 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 21 – That’s What She’s Reading – REVIEW, GUEST POST
June 21 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
June 21 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 22 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 22 – The Montana Bookaholic – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 22 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 23 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 23 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Love this series. Thanks for the chance to win.
Sounds interesting.
Love this series & I hope I’m lucky enough to win this book, I love lighthouses. Thanks for your generosity.
Congrats on the new release! It sounds like a perfect Halloween read. Great cover too.
Love these giveaways…I couldn’t follow moonlight one on Twitter because it just wouldn’t load…
Thank you for your review on “The Spook in the Stacks” by Eva Gates. I love this author and her books. Just a wonderful cover on this book. I’d love the opportunity to read this book.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Love this series. So glad it’s continuing.
Love a Halloween themed Cozy
Love the Halloween theme, works so well with a good mystery.
Enjoy reading those cozies. Thanks for this opportunity.
I hope the book is an amazing success!
Thank you for the giveaway contest.