Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library

Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers has Rain trying to prove her best friend’s husband did not kill a fellow competitor at the fishing competition. Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library is the second A Lakeside Library Mystery. I suggest reading Murder at the Lakeside Library before embarking on Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library. I like the premise of this series. A cozy cabin that has been turned into a library on the shore of Pine Lake in Lofty Pines, Wisconsin. The author brought the scenery to life with her vivid word imagery. I could see the cabin by the lake with the snow falling and inside it is cozy with books and a new Franklin stove. Rain is a likeable and relatable main character. I like her friends, Julia and Marge as well. Julia was a little off in this book. Her husband is accused of murder which I can understand would make her a little touchy, but she goes off on people (Rain should have known better than to bring her along). The ladies spend their time at the cozy library helping people find the right book as well as chatting with their friends. I liked how the murder took place in an ice shanty. I thought this was unique for a cozy mystery. There are limited suspects, though, and the investigation plods along slowly. For the first third of the book, there is little to no sleuthing. Rain’s snooping is mixed in with spending time with Julia, taking care of the library, and flirting with Ryan, the stove guy. I would like to see Rain and Julia be more responsible when investigating. I know cozy sleuths skirt the law on occasion, but most of them try to stay on the right side of it. You do need to suspend your disbelief at times at things that Rain and Julia do. There are limited suspects so solving this whodunit is a cinch. I did not appreciate a love triangle being thrown into the mix. I am not a fan of them (as you can tell). Rain finds herself torn between Jace and Ryan, the wood stove installer. I was glad to see less repetition in this book. Readers who enjoy charming cozy mysteries set in picturesque settings with friendly characters will enjoy Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library. Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library is a cute cozy with a welcoming library, a friend from Florida, a fish shack clash, a chili cookoff, and a bothersome blizzard.

Long Overdue at Lakeside was an entertaining female amateur detective novel. I had not read the first book in the series but I have read books under Holly Danvers other name, Holly Quinn, and have always enjoyed them. For the most part, the book was captivating and had what I consider an essential element, strong character interrelationships. Rain and Julie really feel like almost-sister best friends and others fit right in. I can forgive Julie for her almost-too-dumb-to-live moments since she was worried that her husband had been accused of murder and both her brother and best friend tried to talk her out of making bad choices. As long as those decisions are not continued into the next book, I will be reading that and the first book as soon as I can. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC for what to me was a new series, not five stars, but not a disappointment by any means. Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers provided several hours of fun reading for this amateur and cozy mystery fan #NetGalley #CrookedLane #HollyDanvers #LongOverdueattheLakesideLibrary.

I liked this very intriguing cozy mystery better than the first in series. Seeing the “three musketeers”, Rain, Julia, and Marge, together again was a delight. Marge handled library patrons while Rain and Julia followed clues. The author gives eloquently paints pictures of the snowy setting. Characters are defined primarily through realistic dialog and behaviors. The mystery was complex, and while I had a good idea whodunit, there were still questions in my mind of why it couldn’t be. It is winter in the Northland of Wisconsin, with huge storms rushing to Lofty Pines. Rain decided to stay through the winter in this multigenerational cabin, built by her grandfather. The library in the original cabin is typically only open in the summer, but Rain will keep it open this season. She arrived earlier in the year and ran the library ever since. It has begun to feel like home. Best friend Julia and her husband Nick are year-round residents and live next door. Rain and Julia are as close as ever, as if Rain had never left. And Jace, Julia’s older brother, is now a police officer in Lofty Pines. The annual ice fishing tournament is the next day, with prizes the envy of all the area fishermen. There will also be a chili dump, as well as a contest for the best-tasting chili before it is dumped into one huge caldron. A man Rain hasn’t seen before came into the library to look at cookbooks for a chili recipe for the next day. His eyes, however, are on the big tournament prize, and his ice shanty is already set up on the lake in front of Rain’s family’s cabin. It is thought to be the best spot on the lake. They chatted for a bit, and Rain got the impression that either his wife left him or passed away. She had almost forgotten about him by the time the festival started the next day. At least, until Julia’s hubby Nick is upset that somebody took his favorite shanty spot. A short time after Nick went to give Wallace a piece of his mind, a woman came screaming from his shanty. Wallace, her beloved husband, had been murdered. She pointed the finger at Nick, and evidence planted in their home led to Nick’s arrest. Julia is adamant – they must find who killed Wallace and get Nick out of jail. After finding a killer earlier this year, she was sure they could do so again. Because of his relationship with Nick and Julia, Jace cannot be on the case, and the rest of the police force thinks they have their man. There is an excellent balance between the mystery and the friendships and relationships. I very much enjoyed catching up with Julia, Rain, and Marge. I understand, for different reasons, Rain’s FOGO – fear of going out, and am happy to watch her heal from events that led her back to Lofty Pines. One thing that hasn’t changed is their love of this library and of reading, especially Rain: “Any chance to escape in an author’s words, for just a moment, was pure joy.” Oh, yes. Absolutely! This mystery kept me guessing throughout, even though I did have a couple pet suspects. I was very satisfied with the resolution, and all loose ends were tied up. I highly recommend this to those who enjoy well-written cozy mysteries, libraries, and stormy winter settings that make for perfect reading weather. From a thankful heart: I received an eARC of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.