The Spook in the Stacks

First I have to say how happy I am that the “Lighthouse Library Mystery” series found a new home. I love this one. OK a library and home in a lighthouse may not be feasible at first glance, but that is why we read books isn’t it. To have the hard or impossible to attain be at our fingertips. The characters in this series are enjoyable and fun. The writing is stellar and lights up the page. “The Spook in the Stacks” is set at Halloween and boy is the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library getting into the spirit. Not only that, but a wealthy businessman that used to live in the area is thinking of donating his collection of North Carolina historical documents to the library. There is competition for that collection though, so who knows what is going to happen.

Librarian and lighthouse librarian Lucy Richardson does not believe in all the hocus pocus, but that does not stop her from enjoying the festivities and reading “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” with her book club. Unfortunately while everyone else is out being entertained by ghost stories, that businessman was in the library being killed. Lucy finds him and is knee deep in the murder mystery before she knows it. She has to get with her other librarians and find clues to who would do away with Jay Ruddle. Especially when he had not stated who would get his collection. At the same time, Lucy is noticing some weird things at the library, her home. Figurines are moving on the scary boat replica in the library and she sees a ghostly horse roaming the grounds. Could her nemesis, Louise Jane be correct, could the library be haunted?

Even though there has been quite a bit of time between books, “The Spook in the Stacks” really stacks up against the first three in this wonderful series. It almost seems to be even better, better writing, better character development and more fun. That is saying a lot since this has always been a super series. The relationships between characters is more in depth in this one. I love Lucy and her friends and her boyfriend Connor is realistic as well. Even if you did not read the other three, you can read this as a standalone, but go back and read the others. They are definitely worth the time. The mystery and side stories are entertaining and very intriguing. I am so happy to read the 4th installment in this fun series. Could not be happier that it is finally continuing.

I recommend this super read to any reader that enjoys a well written cozy mystery, with well developed and for the most part realistic characters. You can read it out of order or as a standalone. I do suggest you read the other books in this series as they are all wonderful. Author Eva Gates knows how to tell a page turning story even better than her character Louise Jane. This book pulls you in from the start and never lets you go.

I was given a copy by the author/publisher. The opinion is completely my own.

Lucy Richardson is a librarian at the Bodie House Lighthouse Library. She is a sweet girl who also lives in the lighthouse. When a wealthy man Jay Riddle dies I. The rare books room, Lucy finds herself in the middle of the investigation. When things go bump in the night and there are more suspects than trick or treaters, Lucy finds herself more determined to find out who done it. Can Lucy find the killer before the murder tarnishes the library’s good name?

I enjoyed this cozy read. When I read the blurb, I thought ohhh murder and things that go bump in the night. My kind of read. I did enjoy this read. It had the perfect little spooky vibe to it. But it felt a bit flat in some areas. It did not have as much action as I would have expected out of ghostly reads. I also felt that some things that went in bump in the night were not explored enough. I thought that some of those things, if explored more would have added some more excitement to the story.

I did find the characters cute and sweet. I especially loved the cat Charles. He was like a little person. He had such character. Conner and Lucy are a cute couple and I really would love to see their relationship blossom more in the future books. Theodore was a quirky man, who I thought was really sweet. I got a kick out of Louise Jane. She was a perfect storyteller and her little creepy boat. What is it about that boat?

Overall this book is a great cozy read that will keep you guessing till the end. A charming and entertaining read with a fun and wonderful set of characters. Wonder what else is in store for Lucy and the gang.

This is one of my favorite cozy series and I was so happy to visit the Lighthouse Library again. This one takes place during the Halloween and the Library is celebrating the Holiday with lots of ghost stories. The library is also competing with another library for a collection of important North Carolina papers. When the wealthy collector is found dead in the Library during a lecture Lucy sets out solve the murder. The author does a great job with the North Carolina background and the small town library setting. The mystery was good and the solution was surprising. This series does not need to read in order. Enjoy this return visit.

The Spook in the Stacks by Eva Gates(Vicki Delany)is the fourth book in the Lighthouse Library series and was the most intriguing one to date. I was thrilled when this series found a new home at Crooked Lane Books.

Ms. Gates has penned a fast paced plot with plenty of twists that kept me turning the pages. The characters have become well developed over the last three books; and I felt like I was on vacation visiting with old friends when I started reading this book. Ms. Gates’ descriptive writing of the Outer Banks and the North Carolina coastline makes we want to visit each time I read one of these books. The murder turned out to be quite complex and the resolution was very satisfying. I look forward to reading many more in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.

Louise Jane needs to disappear and become one of those spirits she is so find of making up. Teddy is becoming a favorite of mine even if he has sticky fingers. And Lucy, oh Lucy, not sure if sleuthing is really a good job for her (she asked Charles to phone 911, eye roll here) but she seems to be pretty good at the library stuff. I wasn’t to sure about Connor at times but fingers crossed it works out. Not sure what can happen next but I will definitely be finding out.

I really enjoyed this reading this book. It has great atmosphere, puts you in the mood for Halloween. The description are so well written I feel like I’ve just returned from Nags Head.

I love this series and I was so happy to find out that it was continued with a new publisher.

The library in the lighthouse never fails to get me dreaming. I wish there was such a thing but I have yet to see a lighthouse that would actually be big enough to accomodate a library and an appartment. But hey, this is fiction so let’s dream and enjoy.

Spook in the Stacks can be read as a stand alone but I thoroughly enjoyed knowing and remembering the characters and their strengths and flaws.

This is a fast moving mystery with some interesting and some excentric, colourful characters that provided for an interesting reading time. I was sad to finish the story and find myself back at home on my couch. It was written so well that I felt at home in the story.

It is a fun and easy Halloween read.

I requested this book on Netgalley and would like to thank Crooked Lane Books and the author for providing me a copy.

I am ecstatic that the Lighthouse Library Mystery Series is continuing with Cooked Lane Books. THE SPOOK IN THE STACKS is a terrific addition to the series, a wonderful homage to THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN, and can easily be read as a standalone book (but…for those of you new to the series, trust me, you will want to read assistant librarian Lucy’s entire adventures).

Halloween festivities are in full force at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library in North Carolina as the story opens. Even the library book club has the holiday spirit reading Washington Irving’s works. To add to the excitement, former resident Jay Ruddle has returned to his hometown looking for the perfect organization to receive his collection of North Carolina centric historical maps and books. It is down to two choices, with the lighthouse library in the lead, when Lucy discovers Ruddle dead in the rare books room of the lighthouse. Ruddle is known as a ruthless businessman, even as an octogenarian, and does have some enemies. There are plenty of suspects for Lucy to consider, all with good motive, and she definitely has her work cut out for her.

I really enjoyed THE SPOOK IN THE STACKS. I am a sucker for fall/harvest/Halloween cozy mysteries so this book is right up my alley. I am overjoyed to be back on Bodie Island and spend some time with Lucy, the other librarians, and, of course, Charlie the library cat. Though Gates’ lighthouse setting is a bit of a stretch of the imagination, it is just perfect for Lucy’s exploits. I love everything about the lighthouse, and how cool would it be to actually live in the top of a lighthouse (other than all those stairs)? Lucy is an intelligent, likable protagonist who is inquisitive by nature. It is not too far of a leap to see her involved in the murder investigation. I also really like her boyfriend/town mayor Connor. It is refreshing to have a love interest not in law enforcement. All of the characters are well developed and interesting, including Louise Jane who is so annoying and fun to dislike. We get to see a different side of book collector Theodore, which is nice.

There is more going on in the book than Ruddle’s murder, but his storyline is prominent. The mystery surrounding his death drew me in, and there are several red herrings to keep readers guessing along the way. The killer is someone who I dismissed as a suspect so their identity came as a complete surprise. The mystery of Lucy’s horse sightings, lights on the beach, and moving model figures is intriguing and fitting for the Halloween theme. Are they are real or imagined? Connor’s mayoral race provides some comic relief (how many teas and luncheons with senior citizens can one person attend?) and allows the romantic subplot to progress a bit.

THE SPOOK IN THE STACKS is delightfully entertaining, and I highly recommend it to cozy readers looking for a tale that is a step above the average cozy. I cannot wait for the next book.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

I admit I was late to the party on this series. I started reading it in April and was so taken by the premise of a library in a lighthouse I read all three looking forward to this new release. I could have started with this one because with the publisher change the author wrote this so it could stand on its own but the first three were great stories and I was able to enjoy all the prior character development.

In this story, Lucy’s book group is reading Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Louise Jane’s Halloween Ghost Story Lecture Series is in full swing. The library is also being considered to house a collection of North Carolina historical documents and the owner, Jay Ruddle, has come to town to see the library for himself with his granddaughter and his private curator. While the granddaughter is excited to listen to the ghost stories, he would rather spend his time in the rare books section of the library. Lucy finds him there after the lecture is over. . . dead in the chair. The murderer has used the outside event as a cover for their crime. Anyone in attendance could have killed Mr. Ruddle and slipped back out without anyone even noticing. That coupled with some unusual sighting around the library makes Lucy think the stories of the lighthouse being haunted may be true. But she knows there is no way a ghost killed Mr. Ruddle.

This is an excellent story, just as I have come to expect from this author.

The characters really come alive within these pages. I enjoyed that Theodore “Teddy” Kowalski was featured more this time and that both Lucy and us readers got to see a different side to this man. He was much more likable and not quite as creepy. I hope we continue to see this side. We get to know the library staff, Lucy, Bertie, Ronald, and Charlene better in each installment of this series. I absolutely love Charlie, named for Charles Dickens, the library cat. He really is a special animal.

I was pulled into this mystery by many elements. The murder itself was very intriguing. It couldn’t have been planned so it happened in the heat of the moment? or was it just because the opportunity arose? Was it someone close to him? or someone from his past? As Lucy tried to pull the clues together I was right there with her. There were plenty of red herrings in this Outer Banks tale. I was astonished when the real killer was revealed.

I was also drawn by the observations Lucy made in the fog outside of the library. Was she dreaming? Was her imagination out of control? Was someone pulling a prank? Or were her visions real?

I also found Lucy and her friends helping out Connor’s mayoral campaign added an interesting element. Connor busy with senior citizen lunches throughout the whole story was funny too. To find out if he won, you are going to have to read the book.

I am always drawn in by the setting. The library in the lighthouse that stretches to meet the author’s imagination and my default ours. The author’s descriptive talents make it so easy to follow her into the wonderful world of the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library including Lucy’s Aerie, on the 4th floor. Such a wonderful place.

Eva Gates has given us a story that is fun and unique, with charming characters, realistic dialogue, and a marvelous mystery. I am so happy that I found this series and hope there will be many more virtual vacations to the Outer Banks and the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library!

I am incredibly happy that there is a 4th book in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series by Eva Gates. Thank you so much to the author for finding a different publisher. Thank you also to Crooked Lane for scooping up the next book in the series for publication.

This book features a wealthy gentleman shopping for the best library to house his extensive collection of documents featuring the history of North Carolina. When he is found dead in the Lighthouse Library during a ghostly lecture, Lucy and the rest of the librarians must find a killer. A wonderful book full of twists turns and red herrings. There are a number of potential suspects and the race to figure out who did it is on.

I love the setting, the characters, and the mysteries in each book in the series and The Spook in the Stacks just adds another wonder book to my shelf. Lucy is a wonderful character. She may come from money but she doesn’t act like it or flaunt her family’s riches. She’s pretty down-to-earth and likeable. I love Charlene’s obsession of rap music and her passion for wanting to share. The love triangle is still present throughout most of the book but it doesn’t overstep the death of Jay Ruddle. All of 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. 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. A fantastic cozy mystery and addition to the Lighthouse Library series, The Spook in the Stacks is engaging, doesn’t divulge the suspect right away, and keeps the reader guessing. I certainly hope there is a book 5.