Shot Through the Book: A Lighthouse Library Mystery by Eva Gates #Review / #Giveaway @crookedlanebks @evagatesauthor

Shot Through the Book: A Lighthouse Library Mystery
Cozy Mystery
12th in Series
Setting – North Carolina
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 6, 2025
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892420440
Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DCFLVP6W
Audio ASIN B0DSXZX2CN

In the twelfth installment of the Lighthouse Library mysteries, Lucy McNeil is back on the case, but this time she’s on the case alone.

The upcoming YA book festival at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library is bringing in renowned authors from all over the world. When best selling author Todd Harrison unexpectedly visits librarian Lucy McNeil at her Outer Banks beach house after a meeting, she is puzzled by his presence, since they’re virtually strangers. After she steps inside to get him a drink, she’s shocked to discover that he’s been murdered on her deck in the few minutes she left him alone.

Not knowing why he wanted to meet with her in private, or how someone managed to kill him in the time it takes to make lemonade, Lucy is determined to help with the investigation and figure out what happened. When Heather Harrison, Todd’s widow, shows up in town, her motivations aren’t inspired by grief. She’s intending to use her husband’s tragic death to launch her candidacy for state senator and her first order of business is to go after the local police force–and Lucy herself.

Caught between an intrusive fan club mourning Todd, squabbling authors fighting for prominence in his absence, and a politically ruthless widow, Lucy must roll up her sleeves and and catch the killer before the chapter closes on justice.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

We are back at the Outer Banks in North Carolina, where the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library is planning a young adult book festival that will host two local authors and bestselling author Todd Harrison, who has recently moved to the area. Children’s librarian Ronald Burkowski is in charge of booking the authors, with Louise Jane and Lucy in charge of logistics, promotion, and other details. All the people involved attended a meeting where everything was on track and ready for the event. This is why Lucy is confused when Todd Harrison knocks on the door of her newly remodeled Outer Banks beach house.

After Lucy invites the author in, directs him to the deck, and gets him a beverage, she returns to the deck to find him dead in his chair. How could a murder happen that fast with no one to be seen? Lucy needs to know. But then Heather Harrison, the victim’s widow, starts to cause chaos, even pointing to Lucy as the killer and needing to draw attention to herself, while accusing the police department as incompetent and showing favoritism. This forces the chief to order Detective Sam Watson to keep Lucy out of this case. It seems the widow plans to run for State Senate and intends to use cleaning up corruption and influence in local law enforcement as her campaign agenda, and he doesn’t want to give her any type of ammunition against his department.

While Lucy tries to deal with Todd Harrison’s fans turning her home and deck into a shrine, the victim’s widow taunting her at her home and the library, and two local authors ready to step in to take Todd’s place and arguing about it, she decides she needs to do her thing and investigate this murder. She just hopes Sam Watson will be receptive to her information so they can throw the book at the killer ASAP!

I am delighted to be back at my happy place – the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library. It is such a special place. I know I could easily spend every day there, so I didn’t miss a thing.

Ms. Gates has created true-to-life characters who have felt like friends from the start, and that feeling gets stronger with each new story. The library staff, Bertie, Denise, Ronald, and Louise Jane, all pitch in to make the YA book festival a success while Charles, the library cat,  looks on or settles into his favorite chair for a nap. Now that Louise Jane has a man in her life, although it’s a long-distance relationship, she isn’t quite as annoying. She still likes to tell her stories. She even gets a small part in the festival. Connor and Lucy’s relationship is so sweet. They have settled into a comfortable routine as he handles his mayoral duties and a few dental appointments on the side, and she works her library hours with some amateur sleuthing to keep her busy. I love the way they enjoy the quiet times, together or separately. Those quiet times were few and far between this time as they dealt with some heavy things in this book.

The author introduced Heather Harrison, a woman on a mission, brash as could be, with a small entourage. We also have a character who has usually floated through scenes over the years but has now grown up to have a pivotal place in Shot Through the Book.

The murder in this story had a very unique weapon. The police even needed to bring in experts to help them with the case. Lucy really did try to stay out of the investigation at first, but with it happening at her house and her reputation for solving murders, it was too hard. We all knew she would be involved. Especially, with the victim’s crazy wife traveling around town with her cameraman and assistant, causing trouble. Bertie had a great moment when they came to the library. I always enjoy tagging around with Lucy as she follows clues and pieces the puzzle together. I was focused on the killer a bit before Lucy, but let me tell you the reveal and takedown were exciting and oh! so! satisfying. I loved it!

Marvelous characters wrapped up in a terrifically plotted mystery made Shot Through the Book a wonderfully entertaining read! There are some changes ahead. One will make fans very happy, and another sad, but I am so enthusiastic to return to the Outer Banks and my happy place to see what Ms. Gates has planned for her characters next!

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 Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

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 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 for Kensington, the Year Round Christmas mysteries for Penguin Random House, the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series, and, as Eva Gates, the Lighthouse Library books for Crooked Lane.

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. 

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas.

Thanks to the publisher, I have 1 hardcover copy to give away!

The contest is open to anyone over 18 years old
with a US or Canadian mailing address.

Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.

You do not have to be a follower to enter, but I hope you will find
something you like here and become a follower.

Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow.
Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Following My Facebook Fan Page.

Add this book to your WANT TO READ shelf on GoodReads
for 3 Bonus Entries.

Follow Crooked Lane Books on Facebook for 3 Bonus Entries 

Follow Crooked Lane Books on Instagram for 3 Bonus Entries

Pin this giveaway to Pinterest for 3 Bonus Entries.

If you share the giveaway on Threads, Facebook, or anywhere, you will receive 5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.

The  Contest Will End on June 12, 2025, at 11:59 PM CST
The Winner Will Be Chosen Using Random.org
The Winner will be notified by email and posted here in the sidebar.

Click Here For Entry Form

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.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.”