Buried in Books
Bibliophile Mystery, Book #12
By Kate Carlisle
ISBN: 9780451477743
Author Website: katecarlisle(.)com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
In the latest in this New York Times bestselling series, matrimony and murder collide as San Francisco book-restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright walks down the aisle. . .
Brooklyn has done everything she can to prepare for her nuptials with Derek and simply can’t wait to start her new life with him. But things don’t go as planned when Brooklyn’s college frenemies, Heather and Sara, surprise her with a last-minute bridal shower. However, Brooklyn is touched when the women gift her rare copies of The Three Musketeers and The Red Fairy Book.
When one frenemy is found murdered and one of the rare books is deemed a forgery, Brooklyn can’t help but wonder if the victim played a part in this fraud or if a murderer is still out there scamming and killing. Wedding jitters, counterfeit books, and a killer on the loose could ruin Brooklyn and Derek’s big day. Can they make it down the aisle before more bodies start stacking up? (Goodreads)
Review:
This fabulous, fresh mystery reminds me of everything I have liked about this series over the years. It was so good to “visit” Brooklyn and Derek again, especially as their big day nears. Seeing her future mother-in-law, Meg get along so well with her mother is heartwarming. Vivid descriptions of the city Brooklyn loves, and the location chosen for their wedding, make me want to go there. Most of the characters are so familiar, it is like being amongst old friends. Eerie plot twists have frightening results, including on “their” day … if they make it through the ceremony.
Every last thing on Brooklyn’s wedding list has been taken care of, some designated to family and friends. She sees no problem attending and taking part in the annual National Librarians Association conference just before the wedding. She is leading a workshop in book binding and repairs, and she is also leading twenty raffle winners on a 3-hour tour of library and book hot spots in San Francisco. After all, why should she sit around fretting the last couple days before the wedding when she can be part of this conference for the 5th year? Famous last words.
Brooklyn’s mother and Meg jump into the bus tour, entertaining the winners with stories about how Brooklyn has come across a few bodies in various locations and helped solve the murders. They have another surprise, a shower for Brooklyn. Her mom invited her best friends in college, not realizing there was a reason she had not been in contact with them since. Things begin to get ugly when Heather and Sara see each other for the first time since college. Brooklyn tries to settle the waters. Each of the two former best friends brought her a rare book, one that would remind her of their time together. One is outrageously valuable…but giving away that book might be the reason why that friend was later found dead – by Brooklyn – in the basement of the hotel garage, buried under crates of books. There are two primary suspects, but the reason for her death has far more sinister aspects. Brooklyn races against the clock to find her friend’s killer before she and Derek take their vows, then her life is suddenly at risk, also. A couple unsavory-looking gents are following her around at the conference, and her murdered friend’s husband is suddenly trying to be her friend, as well as spend time with the surviving best friend.
Brooklyn and Derek are the most adorable, well-matched couple! They and their closest relatives and friends are defined primarily through rich, realistic dialog and determined actions. I am looking forward to learning more in upcoming mysteries about Derek’s parents, their siblings and their families. It sounds like the family who fights crime together, laughs together! Dharma sounds like a respite from the city, and is demonstrated by how family members love it there.
There are fun times ahead for this family! I really enjoyed seeing Brooklyn and Derek’s moms on the bus tour and how they entertained some of the librarians on board with some of Brooklyn’s past escapades. Learning more about her college days and friends was also interesting, and seeing who Heather and Sara had become over the years. The murder and race to solve it keep the pages turning; I was drawn in from the first page and thoroughly enjoyed the novel. While I had my suspicions of who the bad guy(s) might really be, I still was surprised and at moments entertained with some of the outcome. I highly recommend this delightful and spine-tingling story to those who enjoy well-written cozy mysteries that include the fascinating world of bookbinding and repair, books, and libraries. It can be read as a standalone, and I think that new readers will want to go back and read earlier mysteries afterwards. This is a not-to-be-missed offering in this exciting series!
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
