Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!
I am excited to share my thoughts with
you about A Perfect Bind.
A Perfect Bind (A Beloved Bookroom Mystery)
by Dorothy St. James
About A Perfect Bind
A Perfect Bind (A Beloved Bookroom Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – South Carolina
Publisher : Berkley (September 28, 2021)
Hardcover : 304 pages
ISBN-10 : 0593098609
ISBN-13 : 978-0593098608
Digital ASIN : B08SJLRBJN
Librarian Tru Beckett, ardent defender of the printed word, is about to find out that keeping murder checked out of her beloved library is much harder than she thought…
Tru Beckett succeeded in building a secret book room in her now bookless library, where book lovers from lovely Cypress, South Carolina, can rejoice in the printed word. Now she’s working hard to maintain the little library downstairs while keeping her “real job” upstairs in the bookless technology center. The last thing she needs is a mysterious vandal who seems intent on breaking into her secret book-filled sanctuary and creating chaos. The nasty interloper doesn’t steal anything, but brutalizes the books, damaging them and knocking them off shelves.
A patron of the secret book room tells Tru that there have been creepy goings-on at the library for years, especially in the basement where the secret book room is located. He’s heard rumors of a poltergeist that haunts the library, determined to scare off readers. Tru is certain it’s hogwash, but she’s at a loss to think of who might be vandalizing the beautiful books she fought so hard to protect. And when a dead body shows up right behind the library, Tru is certain that it’s not a ghost but a cold-blooded killer that she and her trusty tabby Dewey Decimal will need to uncover.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
The shock of a bookless library that held me captive in the first book, The Broken Spine
To make matters worse someone has killed local car mechanic Owen Maynard. The drunkard has been a thorn in Mrs. Farnsworth’s side for years. He would drink to excess and then park his truck in the alleyway behind the library to sleep it off. No one would ever think she would kill him. And he did upset a lot of people by fixing their cars and trucks with rebuilt parts and selling them as new only to have them break down again. But is that a reason to kill the man? Maybe his death is related to the person trashing the secret book room. Tru needs to get to the bottom of both mysteries fast or her secret will get out or worse the killer could come for her next.
I really have been looking forward to returning to Cypress and the bookless library and Ms. St. James sure didn’t disappoint.
We get to know the core group of characters even better in this installment. There are some really strong women living within these pages. Starting with Mama Eddy and Aunt Sal, they have had to fight for a lot over their lifetimes. Then you have Tru, Tory, Flossie, Mrs. Farnsworth, and Anne. They are all ready to fight for their principles and the right thing for the library even when some things need to be kept under wraps. They strive to do the right thing.
Tru has a way about her that just allows people to open up and answer her questions. She does have a lot of layers and I do enjoy peeling those back a little more in each story. I love the romantic relationship blooming between Tru and Jace. It just feels really right. Her cat Dewey Decimal is quite a cat and I love that Tru brings him to work every day and he is allowed to roam the secret room or nap as he desires.
The mystery was very well written with two mysteries to solve. The author does an excellent job of placing the clues throughout the story. I had an inkling of part of what the vandal was looking for but was unsure of how that would be revealed. Well, let me tell you it was revealed in a fun, entertaining, and yes, a scary way until the culprit was in cuffs and taken away. I really enjoyed learning more about the history and of Cypress in general. It is things like that that really draw me into a story. It is also impressive that the room had a variety of secrets.
A Perfect Bind
Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent
About Dorothy St. James
Dorothy St. James is the author of the White House Gardener Mysteries and the Southern Chocolate Shop Mysteries. She lives in the Lowcountry of South Carolina with her sculptor husband. Dorothy is a member of Mystery Writers of America (MWA) and the International Thriller Writers (ITW) and Sister’s in Crime (SInC). This is her second Beloved Bookroom Mystery.
Follow Dorothy Online:
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Purchase Links – Amazon – Penguin Random House – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound
Also by Dorothy St. James
Great Escapes Praise for A Perfect Bind (A Beloved Bookroom Mystery)
by Dorothy St. James
A Perfect Bind is a cute cozy mystery with a murdered mechanic, a bothered bookroom, a prodding detective, apple pie problems, a meddlesome assistant librarian, and a fun Fall Festival.
~The Avid Reader
As someone interested in history and the past, I loved the town history and the story of the basement area of the library. Before it was a secret bookroom or a storage area, it was a bomb shelter, and long before that, it was an illegal speakeasy!
~View from the Birdhouse
I love everything about the Beloved Bookworm series by Dorothy St. James, and A Perfect Bind made me smile just as much as its predecessor.
~Reading Is My SuperPower
A PERFECT BIND is a perfect blend of books and murder. Local history and tradition add interest and fun and that dash of romance makes a great read even better.
~Cozy Up With Kathy
St. James’s cast of characters are high-spirited and create the perfect stage for madcap moments, outrageous behavior, and laugh-out loud situations–the very elements that draw cozy mystery fans into a series and leave them anticipating the next installment.
~Book Club Librarian
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September 29 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
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October 1 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – CHARACTER GUEST POST
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October 3 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
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October 6 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
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October 11 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT
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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.”
You are wearing some of my favorite colors in the author photo.
What an intriguing mystery! Great cover too. I enjoy mysteries featuring librarians and have added this book to my tbr.