Poisoned by the Book: A North Dakota Library Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – North Dakota
Publisher : Independently Published
Publication date : August 10, 2024
Paperback
Print length : 301 pages
ISBN-10 : 195149556X
ISBN-13 : 978-1951495565
Kindle
ISBN-13 : 978-1951495534
ASIN : B0CCB8T99L
Murder was never on the reading list.
Thea Olson loves her small North Dakota town, especially the library that’s at the heart of it. She’s happy to volunteer at the annual book fair, but when a prominent citizen is poisoned, the planning for this cozy event takes a chilling turn.
Armed with the sharp eye of her feisty grandmother, the reluctant help of the nerdy (and distractingly handsome) library director, and the sarcastic advice from an invisible chameleon only she can see, Thea sets out to prove it wasn’t an accident.
The police chief might not believe in foul play, but Thea’s gut says otherwise. The more suspects she interviews, the more secrets she uncovers—and someone will do anything to keep those secrets buried.
Can Thea solve the case before the killer writes a deadly final chapter?
Murder, mayhem, and a touch of magic in the heart of North Dakota.
Poisoned by the Book is the second book in a humorous cozy mystery series full of eccentric characters, North Dakota charm, and a pinch of paranormal mischief. Perfect for fans of bookish whodunits and critters with attitude.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
We are back in Why, North Dakota, where the community is preparing for the annual book fair. Thea Olson and her grandmother, retired library director Rose, are happy to help organize the event. But they learn that some of the donated books came from Martha Lund; they know there must be a huge mistake. Martha is an “avid collector” of books and has never offered to give any of them away. In fact, she shops the book fair to add more to her collection. Rose decides to make some calls. Thea and the cute, nerdy, new library director, Hudson, plan to visit Martha at her home to confirm her wishes regarding her donations to the library. While there, she confides to Thea that someone is trying to kill her, and Thea needs to find out who.
Just a few hours after Hudson and Thea’s visit, they received the unbelievable news that Martha was dead. Even after Thea conveys that Martha was concerned someone was trying to kill her to the chief of police, she believes the woman died of natural causes. That calls for a meeting of the Three Investigators – Thea, Rose, and Hudson.
Can the Three Investigators get to the truth regarding Martha’s death? Will one of their “Scenarios” be right and enable them to throw the book at the killer? Or will a 2nd death mess up all their theories and put all their lives in danger? And just what does Edgar the chameleon know that’s so darn important?
I was happy to return to the quirky town of Why with its eclectic residents, its big, beautiful buffalo, now officially named, and Edgar, whom only Thea has the honor of seeing. Rose continues to be my fave. Her huge heart and positive outlook are very uplifting. Thea is unsure about what’s going on with her relationship with Hudson, but by the end of the book, it is clear that Hudson is not confused at all. I love how the Three Investigators work together to follow clues, ferret out secrets, and ask some hard questions, all while trying to avoid the wrath of Police Chief Jeong. These characters are well-crafted and easy to root for. They are joined by a supporting cast of friends and neighbors, many of whom could be viable suspects.
While there are a variety of suspects, the method of Martha’s murder is evident to readers early in the story. Thea and Hudson talked to Martha and learned about her concerns a few hours before her death, so working out a timeline was their first idea, but new information changed the direction of the investigation. I appreciated that the Three Investigators tried to share everything with the police, but the new chief was not very receptive. The author added some nice twists and turns, and a couple of red herrings to keep everyone on their toes. Thea and Hudson’s attempt at “Good Cop/Bad Cap” cracked me up, as did their stakeout, until it became much more dangerous. The reveal and takedown were exciting, and I learned how I was so wrong about WhoDunIt.
In Poisoned by the Book, Ms. Jacobson has written an entertaining mystery, laced with an abundance of humor, with characters who are genuine and feel like old friends, plus just a touch of magic. I really enjoyed my second visit to Why and hope to return soon. A Death for the Records was recently released and is high on my wish list.
*This book is from my private collection. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
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About the Author
Ellen Jacobson is a chocolate fanatic and cat lover who writes cozy mysteries and romantic comedies. After working in Scotland and New Zealand for several years, she returned to the States, lived aboard a sailboat, traveled around in a tiny camper, and is now settled in a small town in northern Oregon with her husband and an imaginary cat named Simon. Find out more about Ellen and her books on her website HERE.
Also written by Ellen Jacobson
Find all of Ellen’s Books HERE.
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is a lighthearted read with intriguing characters, a unique setting, and a little bit of magic sprinkled here and there. My interest is piqued to find out what happens next with these characters in 
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ABOUT LYNN CAHOON
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