Librarian Lucy Richardson unearths a mysterious map dating back to the Civil War. But if she can’t crack its code, she may end up read and buried.The Bodie Island Lighthouse Library Classic Novel Book Club is reading Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne while workers dig into the earth to repair the Lighthouse Library’s foundations. The digging halts when Lucy pulls a battered tin … when Lucy pulls a battered tin box containing a Civil War-era diary from the pit. Tucked inside is a hand-drawn map of the Outer Banks accompanied by a page written in an indecipherable code.
The library is overrun by people clamoring to see the artifact. Later that night, Lucy and Connor McNeil find the body of historical society member Jeremy Hughes inside the library. Clearly Jeremy was not the only one who broke into the library–the map and the coded page are missing.
Lucy’s nemesis, Louise Jane McKaughnan, confesses to entering the library after closing to sneak a peek but denies seeing Jeremy–or his killer. When Lucy discovers that fellow-librarian Charlene had a past with Jeremy, she’s forced to do what she vowed not to do–get involved in the case. Meanwhile, the entire library staff and community become obsessed with trying to decode the page. But when the library has a second break in, it becomes clear that someone is determined to solve that code.
more
Read And Buried is the sixth book in the A Lighthouse Library Mystery series.
Repairs are progressing on the repairs to the lighthouse and even the children have their construction site so they can learn that anyone can work in construction. Repairs come to halt when an old tin box is found by the construction workers who turn it over to Lucy and Bertie. There is a meeting with the local historical society regarding the upcoming Settler’s Day program. When the box is opened all it contains is a diary that someone has recorded weather daily weather reports, an unidentified may and a paper that has most likely been written in some kind of code. Everyone wants to examine the find but puts them off until the next morning. Later that evening Lucy finds that someone has broken into the library and the map and the note have been stolen and the body of Jeremiah a member of the historical society and provided most of the funds for Settlers Day. Fortunately, Lucy had taken pictures of the map and note. Before long the rumors begin that the map is a treasure map.
Lucy with the help of the library staff set out to try and break the code of the note, hoping that it will also help identify the map and who might have written them. Lucy soon finds that there many suspects who might have wanted Jeremiah dead.
I always enjoy visiting the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library and this book was no exception. The story is well-written and moves at a steady pace. There are plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing till the end. The book also has a cast of interesting and believable characters.
I will be watching for the next book in this enjoyable series.
This is a perfect series for me! Lucy works in a library and lives on the 4th floor of a historic lighthouse on the ocean with a gorgeous, protective cat, nearby family, and friends. I can almost feel the warm ocean lapping around my feet, so well is it written! Major, required structural repairs are underway on the Bodie Island Lighthouse, and a mystery is unearthed that has been literally under their feet for nearly 150 years.
The contractors working on the lighthouse find a tin box buried deep at the lighthouse base. It contains an unusual diary of Mrs. Jeremiah Crawbingham that began in 1858. Tucked in the pages are a hand-drawn map and a sheet of letters that look like a coded message. Those who dream big think it is a treasure map and whoever breaks the code and map will be wealthy. Others wonder if it contains secrets from Civil War battles. Most agree there may be historical value, even if not monetary.
Within hours, the library is full of people trying to convince Bertie, Director of the Lighthouse Library, who should be allowed to take and authenticate the journal, including the board of the Historical Society, library board members, and professors of North Carolina history from Blacklock College. Bertie determines that for the time being, since the library belongs to Nag’s Head, it belongs to the town, so she locks up the diary. Members of the Historical Society can return when the library opens the next morning to view it.
Lucy, the assistant librarian, has a dinner date with Connor, the mayor. They return to the library after a heavy thunderstorm rocked the island and find a car parked outside and the door to the library open, the lock smashed. At first it doesn’t look as if anything is disturbed. Lucy panics, looking for Charles, the handsome cat who shares the library and her life. She follows his cry to the closed door of Bertie’s office, and is horrified to see the office has been trashed, and Jeremy, new head of the Historical Society, dead on the floor. The drawer to Bertie’s desk has been broken into, the tin box holding the diary open. The map and the coded paper that were on top when Bertie locked it up are both missing.
I have loved this series from the beginning, each novel better than the preceding. The characters are fresh and exciting; the mysteries are finely plotted and executed and a challenge to solve. The eccentric characters seem to stand out more because it is a small town; most are endearing in their own way. This is a complex mystery, including Jeremy’s murder and the origins and secrets behind the diary, code, and map. Lucy is determined to not get involved in another murder, yet people still try to involve her. There are several good suspects, as Jeremy was not well-liked except by the woman in the Historical Society who he promised a future together. At least until his wife finds out. Then there is Lucy’s nemesis, Louise Jane, who is the first police suspect due to the tire tracks of her van in the mud at the library. If only Charles could talk and tell them whodunit! I could not figure out who or why until only minutes before Lucy did, and oh, are there surprises at the end! I highly recommend this to those who love well-written cozy mysteries, libraries, lighthouses, and cats!
From a thankful heart: I received a digital copy of this from the publisher and NetGalley; a review was not required.
I absolutely love this series and every book is fantastic. I must admit; however, Read and Buried is now my favorite. I love the anticipation the author creates with the discovery of the metal box, journal, map, and handwritten code. Trying to figure out what the journal and additional documentation mean kept me intrigued. The history of the Civil War-era documents, along with the history of the Outer Banks and the emancipated slaves was quite interesting especially when paired with a modern-day treasure hunt. The mystery of the death of Jeremy Hughes just added another layer to the story. There are so many potential suspects it becomes hard to narrow the list down to any one person. Means, motive, opportunity, lack of alibi all plague those who made it to the list.
As per my reviews of the other books in the series, I love the setting, the characters, and the mysteries in each. Lucy is a wonderful character. She may come from money, but she doesn’t act like it or flaunt her family’s riches. Her character is down-to-earth and likeable. I love Charlene’s obsession of rap music and her passion for wanting to share. I enjoy her slow and chaste relationship with Connor. They are sweet together, yet you can definite feel their chemistry. The secondary characters are unique in their own way and believable. Oh, and how could I forget about Charles?! The library cat is a delightful addition to the cast.
The story is well paced, enjoyable, and full of suspense, anticipation, joy, and redemption. The author did a wonderful job describing the characters and scenery within the book. I was able to visualize the story as it played out. Read and Buried is a fantastic cozy mystery and addition to the Lighthouse Library series.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I think this is one of the best mystery series out there and I would recommend it to all readers. This book is well written, very entertaining, fun, and you will beat your brains out trying to figure out the culprit. Enjoy!
Read and Buried by Eva Gates is an entertaining cozy mystery that blends appealing characters, atmospheric setting, and historical detail. The combination of a lighthouse and a library makes for a great setting for any story. But a library in a lighthouse? Even better! Whether writing as Eva Gates or Vicki Delany, this author delivers wonderful cozy mysteries.
I love how creative license comes into play, as the author shares that the actual lighthouse on North Carolina’s Outer Banks barely contains room for stairs, much less a library and living quarters. How wonderfully creative is the lighthouse library, Lucy’s living quarters, a children’s playground outside that mimics the repair work being done on the base of the lighthouse. And it is in the midst of these repairs that a case containing historical documents dating back to the Civil War is discovered. Unforeseen events are set into motion as a myriad of people want to be involved. And this assortment of often quirky people – city officials, police officers, library staff, historians, educators, construction workers, and Charlie, the library cat – provides some hilarious scenes.
Readers of this series will enjoy reconnecting with the characters and there are plenty of suspects with possible motives for the body discovered in the library. Lucy is an appealing protagonist and I enjoyed the first-person voice of her step-by-step investigation, as well as her romantic relationship with the mayor. The writing flows smoothly and is completely clean. The mystery itself is well crafted and the various methods of code breaking are fascinating. I especially enjoyed the historical detail, family history dating back 150 years, and the secondary theme of the Freedman’s Colony. This story stands alone, but reading the series in order will give a much better sense of the recurring characters.
Read and Buried thoroughly entertains and I recommend it to all cozy mystery fans.
I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
This is the 6th book in this series and poor Lucy is drawn into the thick of things again! This time she is trying to solve a code that has been found on an old civil war diary with a map in it and discover where it leads while people in the library are droping like flies as break ins occur and people are trying to beat each other to the solution. Plenty of action and adventure with a good dose of who dunit thrown in! A fun read really enjoyed it.
This is the best book of the series so far! The mystery was intriguing and entertaining with a well thought out plot with plenty of twists and turns to keep you engaged. The characters were well developed with interesting personalities with auxiliary characters becoming even more fleshed out. The relationships between the main character and the auxiliary characters also went a step deeper in this book keeping the reader engaged and interested to see what happens next in the lives of the characters. If you haven’t read the series, you don’t have to in order to enjoy this book. However, your enjoyment will be enhanced if you do take the time to enjoy the entire series. I look forward to reading what happens next in these characters lives, especially with Lucy (the main character) and her beau, Connor.
During construction on the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, the construction crew finds a mysterious box. Librarian Lucy Richardson opens the box and finds a diary of what seems to be entries of weather and a hand-drawn map. Once the book was found the library was overrun by people wanting to see the book. They finally get everyone to leave the library and close up, Lucy leaves on a date with Connor. When Lucy and Connor return they find that the library has been broken into. When they go into to see if anything has been stolen they find a body and the map missing. Does the fact the map missing have something to do with the murder?
This is one of my favorite series, I mean come on it takes place in a library. The book is very entertaining and the characters are interesting. My favorite characters are Lucy and her cat Charles, they have a wonderful relationship. The setting of a library in a lighthouse is very unique. The mystery is well plotted and has several twists and turns to keep the readers guessing. The books can be enjoyed as stand-alone mysteries and I recommend the book to cozy mystery fans.
I voluntarily agreed to read a copy of this book supplied by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced.
librarian, library, amateur-sleuth, law-enforcement, murder, theft, greed, Outer-Banks, library-cat, cozy-mystery, friendship
What do you know about the Freedman colony in the Outer Banks? That’s your free history lesson in this fun mystery at the most marvelous lighthouse library anywhere. The characters certainly are and the plot is ingenious! It’s a very good mystery with murder, theft, greed, and even a wonderful plan to keep kids safe while construction workers do their job! I loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
Read and Buried by Eva Gates is another outstanding addition to this series. I was so excited to see this book was going to be available in October since I really love visiting the Outer Banks and the Bodie Island Lighthouse.
Ms. Gates has again written a complex mystery with a quickly paced plot, several suspects and plenty of twists. Lucy swears she’s not going to be involved this time but she can’t resist when another library co-worker has old ties to the victim. All of the characters have been developed so well over the last five books and yet Ms. Gates has allowed us to see a little more into Charlene’s past in this one. The secondary mystery of the map and coded message had me completely baffled until Lucy and the gang finally found the key for the code. I enjoyed every minute of reading this book and managed to finish it in an afternoon.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.