Murder at the 42nd Street Library

42nd Street Library Mystery #1

by Con Lehane

This first book in a series that introduces librarian and reluctant sleuth Raymond Ambler, a doggedly curious fellow who uncovers murderous secrets hidden behind the majestic marble façade of New York City’s landmark 42nd Street Library.

Murder at the 42nd Street Library follows Ambler and his partners in crime-solving as they track down a killer, shining a light on the dark deeds and secret relationships that are hidden deep inside the famous flagship building at the corner of 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue.

In their search for the reasons behind the murder, Ambler and his crew uncover sinister, and profoundly disturbing, relationships among the scholars studying in the iconic library. Included among the players are a celebrated mystery writer who has donated his papers to the library’s crime fiction collection; that writer’s long-missing daughter, a prominent New York society woman with a hidden past, and more than one of Ambler’s colleagues at the library. Shocking revelations lead to the traumatic events that follow―the reading room will never be the same.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Books About Books, Audiobook, New York, Crime

307 pages, Hardcover

First published April 26, 2016

About the author

aka Cornelius Lehane.

Con Lehane grew up in the suburbs of New York City and currently writes from just outside of Washington, DC. Once a college professor, union organizer, bartender, and editor at the National Education Association, he now writes full time and teaches at The Writer's Center. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in fiction writing from Columbia University School of the Arts. Death at the Old Hotel is his third novel in the Bartender Brian McNulty mystery series. His newest offering, the first book in a new series, is due from Minotaur-Thomas Dunne Books in 2014.

Series:
* Brian McNulty Mystery

Reviews

[Sara the Librarian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good god above what a mess this book is.

I'm sorry but sometimes I just don't know how else to start a review.

I'm a reference librarian at a public library and I assure you I was positively giddy with excitement when I started seeing this book pop up in the catalogs and I put it on hold right away so I'd get it as soon as it arrived.

I mean seriously it just sounded marvelous. A murder in the famed New York Public Library where a curator in the crime collection lends his librarian skills to solve the case!? That's like every reference librarians wet dream! And what better setting then this ancient, gorgeous landmark to the noble profession of library science. There's so much history in just the building itself and I could only imagine the great characters the author could come up with. I mean can you imagine the kind of odd ball awesome patrons that probably come in on a daily basis? And its got to be like right on the front lines of the ongoing librarian war between the old guard that longs for card catalogs and number 2 pencils and the younger generation out to digitize everything in sight! Could you seriously come up with a better setting for a good murder mystery!?

I was excited about this is what I'm trying to say. Which is probably why I found so damn disappointing.

I'll try to sum up the story but honestly? Between the large and largely unidentifiable cast of characters, constant and very jarring changes in narrator, random sex scenes straight out of a bad porn, an overwhelming number of dubious red herrings, and no clear ending (seriously I re-read the end like ten times and I'm STILL not sure who murdered who) I'm not sure I can give you an accurate account of anything.

So we're introduced to Raymond Ambler who's a librarian in charge of the "crime room" at the NYPL. It should be noted, and author Con Lehane does, that the flagship of the NYPL is primarily a research library. Scholars, authors, students etc can come here looking for specific research or like a collection of a particular authors papers and get access to them. This isn't the sort of library where you wander the stacks, take books out etc. So Ambler is in charge of anything to do with crimes. For this reason he fancies himself something of a detective. The example we're given of his sleuthing prowess is that he once figured out that a death the police had decided was an accident was really a murder because he realized that the dead guys wife had a weird look on her face so obviously she was in cahoots with the family attorney.

Clearly criminal investigation skills in the NYPD are at an all time low if they're tapping this guy as the next Sherlock.

Anyway one morning some writer is coming into Ambler's bosses office when he's suddenly shot to death. Harry, the boss, dives under his desk narrowly avoiding the murderer who runs off. The dead man in question is a writer who was doing research on another writer who's papers have just been purchased for the NYPL by an unknown donor. Lots of people, it turns out, want access to these papers or want to keep anyone else from getting them.

I know, I know you're already confused. So was I.

This book was just a mess. From the bizarre choice to have the main character go by Raymond, Ray or Ambler depending on who was talking to or thinking about him to the constant shift in narrators mid chapter to the endless cast of way too similar characters and just really bad writing I was constantly flipping back and forth trying to figure out who was talking and what the hell they were doing.

Lehane seems to have cobbled together a multitude of different mystery genre's into one book that simply does not work. You're initially thinking that you're going to read a cozy with a neat setting about a clever librarian solving a case and then WHAM! people are having porn sex and KAPOW! a bunch of guys are molesting a teenager and ZING! there's a secret love child of an alcoholic and a drug addict murderer!!! and suddenly its trying to be some sort of hard boiled noir where the local bartender might know a guy who can hook Ray/Raymond/Ambler up with a clue see and then we're hanging out with Ray/Raymond/Ambler's co-worker who's totally in love with him!!! if only he'd look at her!!!!

And the writing...ugh...I'm sorry its just awful. Fragmented sentences that I'm guessing are meant to show how tough Ray/Raymond/Ambler is are just that, fragmented sentences that make no sense. The dialogue is totally wooden. Bad guys are all "you don't know who you're up against smart guy!" and the lead detective is perfectly happy to share confidential information with a librarian and use him to interrogate suspects!? Meanwhile Ray/Raymond/Ambler seems to have Aspergers between his total failure to get basic social cues and his ham handed (police authorized!) "interrogations" that generally boil down to "you're hiding something. tell me what it is."

Then we have the descriptions. Here's a sample. Ray/Raymond/Ambler is on the subway;

"Black and Latina women; many of them he'd seen often enough to nod hello to and receive a small indication of recognition."

That, apparently, is a sentence.

In this scene Ray/Raymond/Ambler is describing to someone his deep insight into why murderer's murder;

"Sometimes, it's being in the wrong place at the wrong time; other times, a split-second choice, an impulsive act followed by a lifetime of regret. There are calculated, cold murders-for benefit, financial or otherwise; murders from hatred or rage, for slights real or imagined; some people murder because it's their job. Others, I guess, are the sad ones, from pain...of betrayal, unrequited love, or love that's too intense to bear."

So to sum up; people murder other people for literally any reason you can think of. Deeply insightful right?

Oh and by the way!? Could we have spent some time in the titular library!? You've given yourself like the coolest setting ever and we get to spend like no time in it at all. I think the most description we get is in the prologue where the first murder victim walks up the grand staircase to his death. That's it! No time wandering in the collections or sitting with Ray/Raymond/Ambler while he admires some cool old texts or while someone archives some hundred year old papers. I was heartbroken. Seriously.

This book is a mess. In an effort to appeal to every mystery genre it appeals to none. Honestly? It made me angry because I was super excited about it and just the idea had so much potential.

Blech.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Con Lehane, and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this book, which allows me to provide you with this review.

In an interesting mystery premise, Lehane takes readers inside the famed 42 Street Library to discover that there is more than reading taking place. As the novel opens, a man is murdered for reasons unknown and the only witness, Director of the Library, Harry Larkin, is unable to identify the assailant. This does not stop Ray Ambler, curator of the crime fiction collection, from honing his amateur sleuth skills. When it becomes clear that there is some connection between the murder and a recently acquired collection of documents from famed author, Nelson Yates, the plot thickens a little more. Ambler tries piecing things together, but is cautioned by a friend serving as homicide detective on the case. With numerous potential suspects, all tied to the library in some way, the case takes many turns and leaves the reader to wonder who could have the ultimate motive. After a series of events finds Nelson Yates killed as well, the suspect list intensifies and there are deep secrets that come out, some of which have been simmering for decades. At the heart of it all is the director, whose past life as a Catholic priest serves to offer more mystery than answers in the story. As Ambler works to follow the clues, he, too, becomes trapped in a web that he did not see and could find himself in a situation that none of his fictional counterparts could have seen coming. An interesting premise tackled by Lehane, though delivery has its own pitfalls, which might leave readers feeling tepid.

This is my first experience with Lehane, so I am unable to judge this book against any of his other work. I am also not a professional writer or editor, so it is easy for me to toss out issues, having never fought the war to create a published work. However, as I have been asked for some honest sentiments about the piece, I would be remiss if I did not bring a few things to the reader's attention (as well as the author and editorial staff). While it is enriching to have a number of characters in a mystery novel, Lehane fails to compartmentalise them, which has them popping up here and there, albeit briefly, and had me reaching for a scratch pad to keep them all straight. While this may seem like a weak criticism, tied to the second issue I will raise below, it does prove onerous on the reader who seeks to push through the novel and get to the heart of the matter. Secondly, and tied to the first, is the scattered use of all the characters in vignettes through each chapter. Rather that focussing attention on a small collection, building the drama and character development, Lehane plunges readers into these small dialogues or narratives best suited for stage plays, and confuses the reader rather than providing a much needed flow. I will admit, the ever-alternating scenes does have its place and when Lehane uses them towards the end of the story, it does provide dramatic effect to build to the murder revelations. I was not able to feel any connection to the characters, other than Ray Ambler and perhaps one other, whose mention here would prove to be a spoiler. On the positive side, Lehane is able to utilise a wonderful setting (both the library and New York City) to keep the story moving ahead. I would have liked more of a sleuth-centric novel, with Ray using his day job to offset his personal passion, rather than have him offer less than 100%. Call it a desire to see more of a Jessica Fletcher character (for those old enough to remember Murder, She Wrote) whereby the character is completely involved and offering the police crumbs as needed. While I had some issues in the early stages of the book, I was able to find enjoyment as the mystery unfolded and enjoyed how it all came together in the end, even with that little twist to keep the reader curious. Would I rush back if this became a series? I think I would give it a second try to see if I could find comfort in more of Lehane's writing. As of now, I remain firmly rooted to the fence.

Kudos, Mr. Lehane for this interesting novel. While I can be a fickle reader, I do enjoy how you were able to present your story and think there is potential for more success.

Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book lost 2 full stars for being traditionally published by a wealthy corporation and yet skipping the final copy edit/proofreading stage.

As a librarian, I was excited to read a mystery with a librarian sleuth and a librarian protagonist. Only the librarians at the supposed NYPL Manhattan flagship - where I have been - seem to have very little to do and unlimited lunch hours, unlike actual librarians who get paid way too little and work way too much. On top of that, there are too many subplots and minor characters. A good mystery novel has a murder plot and the sleuth that solves it with maybe one subplot involving the sleuth and/or the victim. This has several subplots and a number of secondary characters who are supposed to be red herrings to the murderer but just clutter the story line.

The pacing is stop and go which is frustrating as well. Also, two plus two generally equals four - even in murder - so the fact that nobody in this book - the supposedly smart librarians, the homicide detective, the writer, etc. - figured out that certain people were THOSE people is ridiculous. All in all, I doubt I will read another book by this author and I certainly won't bother reading another mystery in the series that this launches.

[Lisa Ahlstedt · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm a librarian and bibliophile, but I've never heard of the 42nd Street Library in NYC, a fact that would surely shock and scandalize the author of this book. All throughout the story we get little asides along the lines of how even the most isolated tribes of the Amazon know about the 42nd Street library (eye roll). Aside from all the NYC locations, eateries and streets mentioned, the story is this: a murder is committed in the library, and librarian and amateur sleuth Raymond Ambler is determined to get to the bottom of it. The murder actually took place in the office of his boss, Harry Larkin, who was present but claims not to have seen anything (?). The murder seems to somehow revolve around the writing of a biography of author Nelson Yates. A whole crowd of people with various connections to Yates is currently parked in the library doing "research" for the biography. Yates himself is still alive (although not for long) and is apparently unhappy about the man who is writing the biography. There follows a long stretch of not much happening, other than Ambler and his co-worker Adele becoming involved with a young boy and his single mother. The story never did really drew me in, and there were absolutely too many characters to keep up with. The final "twist" at the end also seemed a little cutesy and contrived. All in all, I wouldn't recommend this book, even with its tenuous library connections.

I received a free download of this book from NetGalley in exchange for this review

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

A blurb on the front cover says, "Not to be missed." Well, I'm telling you -- you can miss it. If you're hankering for a story about a body in a library, try "The Paris Librarian" by Mark Pryor instead. The Pryor wasn't the most amazing book ever, but it was far better than the Lehane. I read both these titles back-to-back, which probably emphasized their differences.

[Steven Z. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A murder that takes place at the 42nd Street Public Library in Manhattan is an unusual venue for a mystery concept. However, this is exactly what Con Lehane has created in his new and very effective novel, MURDER AT THE 42ND STREET LIBRARY. One afternoon, Dr. James Donnelly enters the office of Harry Larkin, the Director of Special Collections at the library and is shot dead. Larkin, a medieval historian and former Jesuit priest becomes very defensive about the murder he has witnessed when questioned by his friend Raymond Ambler, the curator in the collection of crime fiction, and a Tai Chi aficionado. Ambler, who dabbles in solving real crimes is friends with Mike Cosgrove, the NYPD detective who is in charge of the new investigation. It seems that the elderly author, Nelson Yates, who suffers from dementia, has donated his papers to the library and a number of characters cross paths over the new collection. There is Donnelley’s ex-wife, Kay; biographer, Maximilian Wagner; Wagner’s wife, Laura Lee McGlynn; Adele Morgan, a colleague of Amblers at the library; Benny Barone, a library researcher; Yates’ young wife Mary, the elderly Yates, and Dominic Salerno, a mob type. All of these people are key to the web Lehane creates as he spins his tale, particularly when feelings are ruffled when Yates decided to give his collection to the library as opposed to other bidders.

Yates is very concerned about his collection because there are letters he has written to his estranged daughter Emily who left home at fifteen. Yates fears that if Wagner, who is writing a new biography of him gets hold of the letters it will destroy any hope of a reconciliation with his daughter, as well as his literary reputation. The library staff has not followed library protocol and has allowed Wagner access to Yates’ papers before they were catalogued. The papers, the intermingling of a number of characters, and their personal secrets form the basis of an extremely well-conceived and entertaining plot, particularly when Yates is murdered outside the library.

It is extremely interesting as Lehane lays out the different characters and how their pasts intersect. It seems that at one time Yates was a visiting professor at Hudson Highlands University in Rockledge, at the same time Max Wagner was an assistant professor of English, as was James Donnelley. Further, Kay Donnelly was an English graduate student along with Laura Lee McGlynn who was married to an English professor whose death is linked to Yates’ daughter Emily. Just this brief snapshot in time raises some interesting questions about the two murders that have taken place and what these past relationships expose. By this juncture Lehane’s plot should captivate the reader and lead to a very satisfying murder mystery experience.

Lehane writes in a very smooth prose and has not created the overly sarcastic main characters that other mystery writers rely on. Ray Ambler is a sensitive and somewhat intellectual type, and Mike Cosgrove is career NYPD who is trying to get his private life in order. As the novel progresses Lehane has the ability to drop a number of bombshells in a very subtle manner that the reader would never expect, and this approach adds to the story. My only criticism of the novel is that the final ending is somewhat farfetched but it does lend itself to another installment of Ambler and Cosgrove’s approach to crime, which I look forward to.

[Bev · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay....Well. I can't say that this is "irresistible" as noted on the book's back cover. In fact, I pushed myself to finish the thing simply because I wanted to find out how many deaths I could rack up for Rick's Medical Examiner Challenge. Otherwise, I probably would have ditched it as a "Did Not Finish." I was extremely disappointed in what seemed to me to be a great-sounding story. Celebrated mystery writer. A research library with a crime fiction collection. People with hidden pasts. Shocking revelations and traumatic events. A nosy crime fiction research librarian to play amateur detective. What's not to like? Well...the nosy crime fiction research librarian for one. All the coincidences that happen for another. The messy plot. The REALLY big coincidence at the end. The endless side stories that seem to be intended as red herrings that somehow tie together because coincidences. (Did I mention there were all these coincidences?) An attempt by the author to combine all sorts of crime genres into one. We start out with what seems to be a cozy atmosphere and take a detour through an attempt at sleazy (near-porn) pulp. Then we wander around with a police procedural for a bit and throw in a bit of romantic mystery for good measure.

To say this was a disappointing read would be an understatement. It might have helped if we had spent any sort of time at the library mentioned in the title. All the people who work at said library? Well, they don't actually seem to--work, that is. They spend a great deal of time talking to one another when they are there and then spend the rest of the time taking lunch breaks or wandering off to have drinks. ★--maybe.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars. An ok mystery. I really liked the location of the research library on 42nd Street in New York City (and other places in New York). On the other side, there were a lot of characters who had a past with each other, some had been married to each other and then married others and some changed their names so it was difficult to keep straight everyone all the time. There were also some things that got kind of confusing at the end. Just don't go in thinking this is a cozy. You won't really get the fun, I would like to live there vibes at the end. But overall, I would call it a middle-of-the road mystery.

[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the plot engrossing and original. I was disappointed that much of the story was mixed and a lot of unnecessary verbiages. It was necessary to repeat the reading in order to know which character and location the words talking about. I found the characters one side.

Disclosure: I received a free copy from St Martin's Press through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions are my own.

[Carlos · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is as simple as it gets, the main characters are predictable, the mystery is simple , not a good book but not as bad as other librarians I work with led me to think. This is a beach read if there ever was one. Very easy read .

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A witnessed murder with subsequent attempt start this off with, excuse me, a bang. Enter Raymond Ambler, who heads up the crime fiction section at the New York 42nd Street Library, where the aforementioned murder took place. The witness and near miss was the luck, bad and good, of Harry Larkin, director of the Special Collections, also housed therein. But why does he downplay the attempt? Claim to not know the suspect or why the victim was coming to visit him in his office? Just the first two quirky questions that part time sleuth, Ambler is perplexed by.

Buddies with the detective in charge of the investigation, Ambler does a bit of inside digging, having ins with most of the players, some he didn’t even know were in the game, gives him an edge, but both he and Cosgrove seem to have the same hand.

There are way too many connections for my taste as exes and currents, secrets and denials come to be known and kept track of. It all centers around a then 13 year old girl, now adult with a son of her own. The bad guys are almost good and the good wind up the worst. The women are all mostly monster wives, the families are dysfunctional, the men, of course, given the author, the solvers. Tsk! But the shining star, for me, is Adele, a savvy library worker with a heart of gold and nearly fearless desire to protect.

The bartender, McNulty, is also a shine in his bravery and compassion. The “surprise” ending was no surprise, but I won’t divulge. Still, I liked the characters enough to want to visit them again. Thankfully, this is a series and I am off to do so after this period.

[Lizabeth Tucker · Rating 3 out of 5]

When there's a murder at the New York Public Library, Raymond Ambler, curator of their crime fiction collection, finds himself involved in finding out who was responsible. He uncovers a festering cesspool of secrets in the process.

A good start that soon becomes bogged down by too many coincidences. A reader who isn't bothered by them will probably enjoy this book. Sadly I'm not that reader. Even the name of the main character, Raymond Abler, was a bit too "cute" for my tastes. For those unaware, it appears to be the combination of Raymond Chandler and Eric Ambler, two noir style mystery writers. Chandler was prolific in the 1930s-50s with hardboiled-style books. Ambler was more spy and thriller style in the 1930s-70s.

Ruined lives, sick love, pedophilia, child abuse and neglect, adultery, murder, all packed into 307 pages. The best thing about this book? The setting. Which is also why I picked this book up. However, I don't believe that I'll be reading the rest of the series or trying the McNulty series by this same author. It gained a .5 simply due to the cover and the location. Which we barely got to see. 3.5 out of 5.

[BookBrowse · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Oh that 42nd Street Library! Even after the immense pleasure of knowing many of these people, the descriptions of the library, its stacks, and its offices are even more reason to read this mystery. There are continuous sighs of envy as more and more of it is revealed, imagining oneself there, and realizing that Lehane got to essentially live in this library twice – once for research, and then again in the writing of the novel. This will certainly happen a third time when the second book comes out, and there’s no doubt that Lehane has a lot more to mine, both in the library and in mysteries to come. Library lovers are welcome here." - Rory Aronsky, BookBrowse.com. Full review at: https://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/in...

[Michelle Palmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had really high hopes for this book. I love books set in libraries and book stores but some of the characters in the book felt very 2-dimensional. The plot seemed quite slow. I realize that many mystery novels contain a lot of coincidences but the number of coincidences in this book defied any semblance of believability.

I enjoyed some of the characters but most of the female characters felt flat. I felt that the organization of the library system was not very believable. I don't know about in NY but librarians in Texas don't have times for the places the protagonist would go for lunch. Also, at least one time he drank alcohol during his lunch hour. I know this is common in Europe but in the US that is generally frowned upon. The book just felt wrong somehow.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. juvenile heavy handed writing. Sentences that make no sense. Characters that make a mockery of every mystery genre I’ve ever read. And the library, that wonderful library, is treated like an aged and unloved relative - ignored unless you need something. 25% of the way in I realized I was hoping everyone would wind up murdered and put it down.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Torn between a 2 or 3 star rating on this one. I initially read it for the NYC history, specifically around the iconic 42nd Street Library. But I am generally not a fan of contemporary mysteries (leaning more towards the GA period), finding them more graphic and dark than is enjoyable to read. I suppose the book cannot be dinged for being just what it is, as its not trying to pretend to be something else. It did take about halfway through this book for me to develop interest in the story and its characters, but eventually you get sucked into it. While it is depressing that you have no truly happy people in this narrative, perhaps that is a rather realistic take on modern New Yorkers. However, I tend to reserve 2 star ratings for books I struggle to finish, so I will round up my 2.5 to 3 stars.

**A warning for those of you who are faint of heart--this book delves into child abuse and neglect, so if that is something you don't wish to read about, stay away from this one.**

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a book set in a library, we spend no time in the actual library, looking at books. Which is very sad because I imagine the title has attracted all the readers. The writing isn't great and two main characters have letters A starting their first names; one of them also is called by his surname and short form of his surname.

This is a research library which means the building hosts collections of material either bought or donated and we get examples of both. The main character has a (fictionalised) section of crime books to organise but is not expecting a man to be shot dead as he enters the office. We spend a lot of time in that office, also in the park, the neighbourhood, the subway.

The main people we meet seem asexual and soft around the edges, which might happen if you spend your days sorting papers and filing on computer. So don't expect any kind of action scenes. The police detective sharing confidential information with a librarian and asking him to assist in enquiries is ludicrous. Police want the public not to interfere. I thought another reason should have been provided for the man continuing to be nosey. Or the author could just say he was nosey, or concerned in case a serial killer was going to kill library visitors at random. Actually, that's the strangest point. Nobody saw who did it, so no cameras protecting all this valuable material, and nobody even wonders if the rest of them are in danger. If someone gets shot in a public place with tourists outside, this isn't your average domestic dispute or drug deal, more like a madman.

Anyway there are some good points and we can learn about what a research library does.
I downloaded an e-ARC from Fresh Fiction. This is an unbiased review.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, that was a twisty little pile of plot. Good book, great twists.

[Judy Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I get set to read a novel written by an author I'm unfamiliar with I try to find some biographical information that makes me "see" that person. One of the uh-oh moments for me was when I read that author Con Lehane teaches fiction and mystery writing. I'm about 50/50 in my enjoyment ratio of novels when I've found that information about an author. But, after all, this was a mystery novel about the 42nd Street library where those iconic lions help ground photographic evidence of New York City. So I began to read. Actually, except for some problems (mainly caused by his choice of such an iconic location) with pacing, it wasn't a bad read at all.

This library is for research only, it isn't a circulating library so anybody wanting to do research has to stay there and work in the various reading rooms devoted to specific subjects. That fact alone guaranteed that the characters in the novel would be present on the premises of the library for the greater part of the book. If they weren't actually inside, they were sitting on the front steps, sitting in the park adjoining the library, or walking around the library to hold private conversations. It got to be rather heavy one the "location" side of the novel after some time. It was also necessary for characters such as Ray Ambler - main character - to leave his job at all times of the day to pursue the mystery of the man murdered in the office of his boss. Obviously nobody is on the time clock at that job site. This man is so devoted to his job he even worked Saturday and Sunday. Hmm. So, as the story goes, there is a mystery novelist who has donated all his private papers to the crime fiction department of the 42nd Street library. Trouble is, now he doesn't want a famous biographer to have access to the papers because he expects a hatchet job revealing all his secrets. (So why did he give those specific papers to the library in the first place?) As the story begins a man enters the office of a library employee, the door opens, the man is shot twice and two shots are fired at the employee seated at his desk and yet he doesn't identify the shooter? There is history connecting everybody in this story going back to the 1970s at least and it all gets very twisty and turny as the investigation proceeds.

I liked the book, even though what I've already written may make you question that, but it made me wonder about some aspects of it. There is no way to specifically date when the story takes place, I think in modern day, but then why refer to one character as Mrs. and do it every time she's mentioned? It made me wonder. Do New Yorkers not eat at home? Never just pick up a sandwich from a deli on the way home and eat it in front of the television? You couldn't prove it by this novel with the exception of maybe once or twice so restaurant name dropping happens a lot. There is a tavern close to the library where some of the employees go after work and .....guess what.....the bartender is the main character in another series of mystery novels by this author. Maybe that's when Ray solved the mysteries in the past which are mentioned in passing in this story? As I said, I liked this one and would be willing to read a second, but I'm not interested enough to check out the three books in the bartender, Brian McNulty, series.

I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 2 out of 5]

What dedicated crime fiction lover can resist a murder in a library? I certainly couldn't, but as I read this book, I found a collection of mixed blessings.

The descriptions of the library are absolutely delicious. They made me want to hop a plane and go there immediately. Another thing I savored was Lehane's skill with characterization; the interactions between characters and the observations they make about each other are excellent. In particular the budding relationship between Ambler's fellow amateur sleuth Adele and Johnny, a young boy she at first believes to be homeless, is touching and makes these two come to life.

I wish I could say I had the same warm fuzzies about the main character, Raymond Ambler, but I'm afraid he put me off when he felt it was only fair to withhold evidence from Cosgrove, his friend in the police force, because Cosgrove didn't give him each and every detail of the murder investigation. To be honest, it made me wonder what the name of Ambler's home planet was.

The pace of Murder at the 42nd Street Library was slow at times, and at others, it bounced around so much that I felt as though I was inside a pinball machine. Another thing I didn't care for was the deus ex machina concerning a child's parentage provided at the end by Lehane.

You could almost call this book a cozy, but it's meatier than that, and although I loved Lehane's powers of description and characterization, Ambler didn't quite win me over. But that doesn't mean he won't be able to charm you.

[Doward Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meet Ray Ambler and Adele Morgan. Both work in the library's Special Collections division under former priest, Harry Larkin. When a visitor is murdered in Harry's office, they all become involved in solving the crime. This was an engrossing mystery which exposed the secrets of a famous mystery writer, a well known biographer, the ex-priest, children, ex-wives and lovers. I found the characters engaging and want to know more about them in the next book. The murder plot was superb. Twisted, tangled and so many red herrings that what you thought you knew, you didn't. This was a more traditional mystery than the cozy mysteries that I usually read. There is a little language and a couple of sex scenes. It was not gory but it did explore the darker side of human behavior. I am anxious to see where the next books in this series takes us. I am also going back to read three previous books by this author.

[Melissapalmer404 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book #89 Read in 2016
Murder at the 42nd Library by Con Lehane

This was a more gritty mystery than my usual cozy mysteries, but I enjoyed it. Ray Ambler is the Crime Fiction Librarian and he begins an investigation of his own when someone is murder at the 42nd Street Library where he works. As he investigates, he realizes that this is more complicated than he thought. Many people are involved and many things that occurred in the past are mitigating factors in these murders. This was a good mystery, with good twists and turns. The characters were interesting. I enjoyed it.

[Lia Marcoux · Rating 1 out of 5]

This has all the hallmarks of a mystery starring a middle-aged man written by a middle-aged man - beautiful women ranging from young to still-pretty-young, all of whom are feeling the hero, adjudications on whether pain and grief make those women more beautiful (conclusion: it does! Thanks, pain and grief!), the Respect of Bartenders, and the word pair "slim thighs" every 15 or so pages. Slim thighs. Slim thighs. Slim thighs. There, I just saved you some time.

[Jill Laker · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a misogynistic load of crap. I love a good hard boiled mystery, but dear lord this was overly worked and so very campy. And it wasn't even funny campy. I couldn't place the time period and was shocked when they started talking about cell phones. All the women were either sex vixens who used their bodies to manipulate or not taken seriously and regarded as stupid. The plot was thin and the language dated. It is wise guys in the a library. I was so disappointed.

[Peggy300 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so excited to dig into a mystery set in a library. However, there was nothing in this book that compelled me. It soon became clear that the interesting setting was just a back drop for an ordinary story with completely unbelievable characters.

[Susan Rubinstein]

I am so in love with libraries that I explore local branches when on vacation in other towns/cities....So, I eagerly downloaded this mystery. The first warning should have been the title. I'm originally from Long Island, and I visited the NY Public Library whenever I was in the vicinity. That's how it is known. The NY Public Library. Not the 42nd st library. But, if the book was halfway decent, I would have overlooked this minor detail.

The book started out fine, with what looked to be a juicy mystery revolving around two bios of a noted mystery writer...but it then went off the rails. I won't spoil it for you, but let's just say it's a far from a cozy mystery as you can get. I guess I was fooled by the title.

There were multiple typos and errors in the ebook, plus I found myself having to reread sentences multiple times to break through the awkward sentence structure.

The POV changes multiple times, and the author can't decide what to call her main character...Ray? Raymond? his last name? The characters come right out of central casting...the stereotypical bartender, the cop, the young, enthusiastic and naive female librarian, who for some reason is in love with the main character, Ray, a man probably 30 to 40 years her senior. The murder victim had no redeeming qualities whatsoever, and that paired with my dislike of every character...it made the book harder to like.

The plot became so convoluted that I am having trouble recalling who was responsible for the multiple murders.

The book makes multiple mentions of other cases Ray has helped solve. So I figured I had a later volume in the series. I was incorrect.

The young librarian, Adele, recently lost her mother to cancer. She couldn't bear to remain alone in the house in Queens, and within days, she manages to somehow find an affordable apartment (just for her) in a safe neighborhood within walking distance of the library...Hahaha! .I assume she must have saved up a fortune while living with her mother.

The coincidences were utterly absurd and ridiculous, and I was able to guess the ending twist long before everything came to a conclusion.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a person who spent 40 years in various aspects of bookselling, I have a natural affinity to books about books. MURDER AT THE 42nd STREET LIBRARY by CON LEHANE is one of those books.
It is the first in a series of mysteries surrounding people associated with one of the great research libraries in the world – the 42nd Street branch of the New York City library system. I have used it myself for academic research. The facility is awesome.

It is the fourth book involving New York City bartender Brian McNulty. It is book one a series featuring Crime Fiction Curator/Librarian Ray Ambler. In the previous three books, bartender Brian McNulty is the featured character. Since I have not read them, I do not know if Ray Ambler is a secondary player in them. I do not feel that I have missed anything important by not having read them. Except, of course, the entertainment.

Playing important roles are a mystery writer whose documents have just been acquired by the library, his estranged daughter and grandson, the high society woman who provided the funds anonymously for the acquisition, two brothers who share one wife and a homicide detective who has been involved in previous investigations with Ray Ambler.

There are wives and ex-wives married to the many suspects. One character is the victim of sexual abuse and a witness to a murder or suicide. Present also is the world of literary rivalries that could potentially lead to violence. At least three murders do occur, one in the library, one on the library grounds and one elsewhere.

I really wanted to give the book five stars but the plot line/character relationships are hard to keep track of. I felt like I needed to have a spreadsheet or family tree to keep track of the characters’ relationships.

The writing is really good. The inner workings of a library was interesting. As were the descriptions of the library’s physical layout. I do recommend this book to mystery fans. I really liked the good guys and gals. The bad guys are really, really bad.

GO! BUY! READ!

[Debbie · Rating 1 out of 5]

well this was a disappointment. I was looking forward to a librarian sleuth at an iconic library but to me this was a hot mess. I was a bit confused with this one in the beginning. I kept looking the title up to confirm that this was the first in a series. I haven't read the author before so maybe Ray Ambler is a character for some of his other books? But in this one this mystery solving skills are mentioned more than once and always in the past tense. I kept thinking - did I miss something? I felt like I dropped in on a later book in a series.

Ray Ambler our main character/sleuth really didn't figure much out even though he had a past with one of the main characters. It was Adele who figured out who Emily was - which began to tie everything together. Aside from Emily, none of the other characters who were murdered were in any way sympathetic. The back story to all of them was upsetting. I can't believe that Benny, when the truth comes out, wants anything to do with Kay - who maintained a relationship for years with a man she knew was, essentially, a pedophile.

And it is inconceivable to me that of all the street kids in Manhattan, Adele becomes attached to the one who turns out to not only be Emily's son but Ambler's grandson. Then there is Mike Cosgrove's side story which adds nothing to the main mystery.

This just didn't work for me.

[Joseph Cognard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two books ago I read a book about a murder at a bookstore. I mentioned that unlike many here I do not have some deep love of bookstores but two of my top favorite books deeply revolve around them.
I also do not have a love of libraries that is except this particular one.
This building is one of my all time favorite spots. I cannot fully express how much this building means to me but for example two of my next books are about topics I learned about in this very building. This building and a few other like it was the internet before existed and still have many secrets that have not made it to some site or another.
I am not sure if I would ever feel that any book does this building justice but have no problem saying this came up very short.
Jumbled narration and unrelatable characters as well as many referenced yet unexplained back stories that you never fully understand. I did enjoy some of the descrpition of the building itself , though a big part of the building in the book a non real Mystery collection room, which does not really seem to jive with most of the rooms that I have been inside at the library.
I have researched topics in a couple of the private rooms and it is exciting. There was dialog at some points about material that really hadn't been catalog, and that experiance was very similar to some stuff that I had looked through once.
There were other NY landmarks mentioned in the book, oddly enough I have a strong connection to a few of those as well, Though they felt more thrown in for effect then really used as part of the story. All in all to me this was more a murder of the 42nd street library then it was a murder at it.

[Tobi · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 and a half stars, enjoyable because of the library setting but not great writing, it took me forever to finish and I had to write down all the characters because I kept getting them confused, which I think was another weakness of the book. A lot of Ross Macdonald references and bad dads or struggling dads....a mystery motif I find kind of tedious...who cares? That person is not me I guess. I also don't get why so many modern male mystery writers tend to be so creepy in their depictions of victimization and women in general but it seems like a consistent thing that writers replicate to sound authentic or something, like sexism=noir! Oh well, it was fairly entertaining at times despite all my annoyance, I would only recommend it to someone who likes mediocre mystery writing and/ or libraries.