Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!
I am happy to share my thoughts about
The Stranger in the Library by Eva Gates today!
The Stranger in the Library (A Lighthouse Library Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
11th in Series
Setting – North Carolina
Publisher : Crooked Lane Books (June 4, 2024)
Hardcover : 304 pages
ISBN-10 : 163910660X
ISBN-13 : 978-1639106608
Kindle ASIN : B0CH9J39DV
Audiobook ASIN B0CVSB1N36
When a traveling show of impressionist art comes to Nags Head, North Carolina, librarian Lucy and the staff at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library are inspired to create an educational display about art history. Their launch of the display is a huge success, but the morning after, they discover that a reproduction of a famous painting has gone missing.
No one knows why anyone would bother stealing it: the picture is of no value–the real, priceless painting is under lock and key at the art show itself. Lucy gets an invite to the glitzy opening night for the real show, where she notices unusual tension among the show’s organizers. Then, the man scheduled to give the welcoming speech fails to arrive, and a party-goer is discovered drowned in a fish pond.
Meanwhile, Louise Jane is totally captivated by Tom Reilly, a handsome, charming art dealer lurking at the edges of the receptions on both nights. Tom slipped away from the party early, and he cannot be located by the police. Who, Lucy asks, is Tom Reilly, the shadowy figure threatening to break Louise Jane’s heart?
Something is afoot in Nags Head, and it’s up to Lucy and her friends to get to the bottom of it before it’s not just paintings being framed.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
The Bodie Island Lighthouse Library has created an educational display about art history to coincide with an impressionist art traveling show coming to Nags Head. Several residents have loaned their personal impressionist reproductions or imitations to display in addition to all the books Lucy and the staff are featuring for the event. The display’s launch was very well attended but when Lucy arrives the next morning she notices one of the reproductions was missing. Yes, it was a reproduction of a famous painting by an Outer Banks artist but it was a reproduction. Who would want to steal it?
Lucy and other members of the library staff were invited to the opening night of the traveling show. She attends with her new husband, the mayor, Connor. They both notice the show’s organizers are upset that the man pegged to give the welcome speech is late. Another steps in to welcome the guests but as the event is winding down the tardy organizer is found murdered on the grounds floating in a fish pond.
Does the missing painting have anything to do with the murder? Or is there a thief and a killer on the Outer Banks? With some assistance from her friends, Lucy intends to paint one or both into a corner.
I love this series and Ms. Gates never disappoints. She makes it so easy to escape to my fictional happy place, The Bodie Island Lighthouse Library. It is a special place that amazingly contains everything a library needs and more.
Newlyweds Lucy and Connor are settling into married life after honeymooning in France. Their jobs keep both of them very busy but they always make time for and support each other. The author has surrounded them with great people. The library staff, Bertie, Denise, Ronald, and Louise Jane, all helped with the library’s art event. Louise Jane played a larger role in this story. Charles the library cat was on hand to greet the guests. Lucy’s cousin Josie, catered both of the events. All are available to help Lucy sleuth, either by her side or covering for her at the library. All these characters are genuine and are developing at a realistic pace. Each book feels like I am catching up with my fun literary friends.
Ms. Gates introduces several new characters in the traveling tour organizers and their entourages. All had a purpose in the story and were each interesting in their own way.
The author plotted out a complicated mystery. Lucy did what she does best, research. She delved into all the suspect’s lives to get answers. She meets face-to-face with them as well. I was happy to see they met in public places, but she and Louise Jane took a huge risk that definitely had chilling consequences. I wasn’t sure they were going to get out of this one. Would the series end after 11 installments? I trusted that Eva Gates would get our heroine out of the mess she got herself into but I had no idea how she was going to do it. My Kindle was steaming as the pages were flying.
The Stranger in the Library is a brilliant addition to this series. I loved everything about it. From the wonderful lighthouse library to Connor and Lucy’s home on the beach, to the Granger House where the real art was displayed. Each place was easily envisioned. Add to that delightful characters and an outstanding mystery with an edge-of-my-seat ending and you have a story worth more than 5 stars. This book receives my Paradise Rating and a spot on my Best Reads List for 2024.
Until next year, Ms. Gates . . .
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent
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 thirty books: clever cozies to Gothic thrillers to gritty police procedurals, to historical fiction and novellas for adult literacy. She is currently writing four cozy mystery series: the Tea By The Sea mysteries
Vicki is a past president of the Crime Writers of Canada and co-founder and organizer of the Women Killing It crime writing festival. She lives in Prince Edward County, Ontario.
Author Links –
Visit Vicki at www.vickidelany.com.
On Facebook at www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor.
Twitter @vickidelany@evagatesauthor
Instagram: vickidelany
The Rest of the Series
Find books written as Vicki Delany here.
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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.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.”
love this series and have read all of the previous books. Looking forward to this one.