Murder Checks Out - (Blue Ridge Library Mystery) by Victoria Gilbert (Hardcover)

About the Book

"It's not all snowflakes and sugarplums when murder crashes Taylorsford's first Winterfest ... Returning to her role as an amateur detective is the last thing library director Amy Muir wants. She's already buried under an avalanche of responsibilities, including sharing the directorship of the local public library, parenting her holiday-obsessed five-year-old twins, and helping her choreographer husband, Richard, present The Nutcracker as part of the town's festivities. With her frosty mother-in-law, Fiona, visiting for the holidays, Amy definitely has enough on her Christmas cookie plate. But when the chair of the festival committee is found as dead as Dickens's proverbial doornail at the town's ice rink, Amy is determined to uncover the real perpetrator to protect her brother-in-law, Ethan Payne, who was placed at the scene. The clock is ticking down as Sheriff Brad Tucker is equally sure that Ethan is guilty. It's beginning to look a lot like the murderer hasn't wrapped up his killing spree, and now, it might just be 'lights out' on the holiday festivities--and on Amy's life"--

Book Synopsis

It's not all snowflakes and sugarplums when murder crashes Taylorsford's first Winterfest in the eighth installment of the Blue Ridge Library series, perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Ellery Adams.

Returning to her role as an amateur detective is the last thing library director Amy Muir wants. She's already buried under an avalanche of responsibilities, including sharing the directorship of the local public library, parenting her holiday-obsessed five-year-old twins, and helping her choreographer husband, Richard, present The Nutcracker as part of the town's festivities. With her frosty mother-in-law, Fiona, visiting for the holidays, Amy definitely has enough on her Christmas cookie plate.

But when the chair of the festival committee is found as dead as Dickens's proverbial doornail at the town's ice rink, Amy is determined to uncover the real perpetrator to protect her brother-in-law, Ethan Payne, who was placed at the scene. The clock is ticking down as Sheriff Brad Tucker is equally sure that Ethan is guilty.

It's beginning to look a lot like the murderer hasn't wrapped up his killing spree, and now, it might just be "lights out" on the holiday festivities--and on Amy's life.

Review Quotes

Praise for Murder Checks Out
"[For] fans of Jenn McKinlay's "Library Lover's Mysteries" . . . The charming story balances Christmas and family with a mystery."
--Library Journal

"[A] well-paced story with strong characters and lots of clues for the reader to follow . . . Fans will enjoy this entry in her series."
--New York Journal of Books

"A cozy mystery at its very best."
--Midwest Book Review

"Fans of small town murder mysteries will like the eighth book in the series, as will fans of this series."
--Red Carpet Crash

Praise for Death in the Margins
"Pleasant . . . for fans who have become enamored of a town that evokes Disney's Main Street, U.S.A."
--Publishers Weekly

"Believable characters and a thorny mystery."
--Kirkus Reviews

"Everything you love about the series, delivering charm, humor, lighthearted romance, and mystery."
--Seattle Book Review

"[An] entertaining cozy mystery by an expert in the genre."
--Midwest Book Review

Praise for A Deadly Edition
"Endearing characters are further fleshed out in the library director's fifth mystery."
--Kirkus Reviews

"Lively small-town characters, a well-paced plot, and dollops of fascinating art history help make this a winner."
--Publishers Weekly

"The well plotted and character driven story moves quickly and has something for everyone...Highly recommended."
--Fresh Fiction

"Interesting characters and an easy to read story."
--Red Carpet Crash

"Gilbert skillfully weaves a rich tapestry of suspense, suggested guilt, and motive."
--Midwest Book Review

"Another win for the series...layered characters [and] a solid mystery."
--San Francisco Book Review

"Packed with enough twists and turns to keep even the most avid cozy mystery reader guessing."
--MyShelf

"Fun characters, a mystery that makes you think, and a beautiful wedding make A Deadly Edition a very solid addition to the series."
--Escape with Dollycas

"What a great cast of characters."
--Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

Praise for Bound for Murder:
"Pleasant."
--Kirkus Reviews

"The plot builds to a complex but satisfying conclusion. Cozy fans will hope Amy will return soon."
--Publishers Weekly

"Series fans will enjoy the ongoing shenangians...Newbies with an appreciation for small town politics (and an interlibrary loan mulligan) will have no trouble starting here."
--Booklist

"A mystery that has suspense, surprises, and humor which makes for an addicting and delightful cozy read from beginning to end."
--Manhattan Book Review

About the Author

Raised in a historic small town at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Victoria Gilbert turned her early obsession with books into a dual career as an author and librarian. Now retired after over 30 years in the library field, she's worked as a reference librarian, research librarian, and university library director.

Victoria writes the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series, the Booklover's B&B Mystery series, and the Hunter and Clewe traditional mystery series for Crooked Lane Books. A member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers, Victoria lives in North Carolina.

Linktree:
https: //linktr.ee/victoriagilbertauthor