What do you think?
Rate this book
The Haunted Library Mysteries #2
Read and Gone
Agatha Award NomineeRight in time for the holidays, comes Allison Brook’s second Haunted Library mystery, a perfect present for readers of Jenn McKinlay and Leslie Meier. Twenty million dollars’ worth of missing gems bring Carrie Singleton’s long-lost and larcenous dad back into her life and it’s up to Carrie to clear his name.A devoted dad is as precious as diamonds, but Carrie Singleton wouldn’t know since her dad Jim’s been on the lam most of her life. In an unusual family reunion, she finds Jim breaking into her cottage in the middle of the night. The fun really starts when he begs her to help him recover his half of a twenty-million-dollar gem heist he pulled off with the local jeweler, Benton Parr. When she refuses, Jim takes off again. Carrie finds her father again behind bars for the recent murder of Benton Parr. Who made the connection? Unbeknownst to her, Carrie’s boyfriend Dylan, an insurance investigator, has been searching for the gems. Determined to find the jewels herself, she starts examining every facet of Parr’s life. She turns up a treasure trove of suspects, one of whom bashes her on the head as she’s searching the victim’s country cabin. Retreating to the quiet confines of the library where she works, Carrie watches as Smokey Joe, the resident cat, paws at a hole in the wall. Is he after the library’s ghost Evelyn, or something shinier? The second charming Haunted Library mystery by Allison Brook, Read and Gone will be a delight for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Leslie Meier.
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 11, 2018
219 people are currently reading
1499 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 533 reviews
July 30, 2022
Even though I promised myself I wouldn't go on NetGalley, I did... then I requested a few books... then I was awarded said books... and now my 'ready to read on the shelf' TBR is back around 25! So... I started with NetGalley reads this weekend, choosing a new author and a book series I'd not read before: The Haunted Library Mysteries by Allison Brook. I even read the second book, Read and Gone, before the debut of the series since I don't have that one in my possession. I can safely say that I will go back to read the first book and continue reading the whole series.
In this cozy caper, Carrie Singleton is celebrating Christmas with her family and new boyfriend, Dylan. After everyone leaves, Carrie's thief father shows up asking for help. Before she knows it, a frustrated and angry Carrie agrees to help him in between her duties running one of the departments in the local library. As the story unfolds, her father Jim's former partner is found murdered, and Carrie is stuck trying to prove her father isn't a killer. Add in a few more bodies, and a second mystery at the local senior care facility, and Carrie is quite busy. It's all connected, but she's not sure how. In the end, she solves the crime and figures out how to move forward.
At first, the story felt a little too stiff and formulaic, but by 10% it settled in with a really positive and engaging flow. The ghost of a friend's dead aunt watches over the place, but really doesn't provide many clues thus far -- it's just an other-worldly presence for some humor. Carrie also struggles in her relationship with Dylan, whose job forces him to play on opposite sides for part of the story. There are lots of suspects, several side-stories, and a welcome amount of refreshing honesty about private citizens acting as detectives. Carrie pushes the limit, but she's also clearly showing us why she has to. It's believable.
All in all, I'm glad I downloaded this one, and it only took 3 hours to get thru... a strong start for me in the series pushing me to go back and read more.
In this cozy caper, Carrie Singleton is celebrating Christmas with her family and new boyfriend, Dylan. After everyone leaves, Carrie's thief father shows up asking for help. Before she knows it, a frustrated and angry Carrie agrees to help him in between her duties running one of the departments in the local library. As the story unfolds, her father Jim's former partner is found murdered, and Carrie is stuck trying to prove her father isn't a killer. Add in a few more bodies, and a second mystery at the local senior care facility, and Carrie is quite busy. It's all connected, but she's not sure how. In the end, she solves the crime and figures out how to move forward.
At first, the story felt a little too stiff and formulaic, but by 10% it settled in with a really positive and engaging flow. The ghost of a friend's dead aunt watches over the place, but really doesn't provide many clues thus far -- it's just an other-worldly presence for some humor. Carrie also struggles in her relationship with Dylan, whose job forces him to play on opposite sides for part of the story. There are lots of suspects, several side-stories, and a welcome amount of refreshing honesty about private citizens acting as detectives. Carrie pushes the limit, but she's also clearly showing us why she has to. It's believable.
All in all, I'm glad I downloaded this one, and it only took 3 hours to get thru... a strong start for me in the series pushing me to go back and read more.
September 17, 2018
Read and Gone by Allison Brook is the second book of the paranormal cozy The Haunted Library Mysteries series. Each book in the series contains it’s own mystery to be solved and could be read as a standalone. The series does however carry over character details from book to book so is best enjoyed as a whole.
Read and Gone begins with the main character, Carrie Singleton, celebrating the holidays with her new friends she’s made in her job as the library event coordinator. When the party is over however Carrie is awakened as her long lost felon of a father breaks into Carrie’s life again in more ways than one thus giving me the push to rename this one Daddy Issues.
Dear old dad, Jim, has returned to ask his daughter for her help in finding out what happened to his share of a former heist. Of course Carrie turns him away only to end up with her father in jail for suspicion of murder in which she’s certain he’s innocent of. Carrie ends up investigating the missing gems and trying to catch the murderer which brings turmoil into her new safe life.
With this second installment of the series my rating has slid back a little from 3.5 stars to only 3 this go round. I’m still a bit disappointed that the resident ghost doesn’t stand out more but rather just blends in with the other characters. And with this go round we had relationship angst that I’m not a fan of in romantic books where it belongs let alone a cozy. But really the story just seems a bit bland and lacking any cozy quirkiness that would make me really love them and instead are just OK reads to me instead.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Read and Gone begins with the main character, Carrie Singleton, celebrating the holidays with her new friends she’s made in her job as the library event coordinator. When the party is over however Carrie is awakened as her long lost felon of a father breaks into Carrie’s life again in more ways than one thus giving me the push to rename this one Daddy Issues.
Dear old dad, Jim, has returned to ask his daughter for her help in finding out what happened to his share of a former heist. Of course Carrie turns him away only to end up with her father in jail for suspicion of murder in which she’s certain he’s innocent of. Carrie ends up investigating the missing gems and trying to catch the murderer which brings turmoil into her new safe life.
With this second installment of the series my rating has slid back a little from 3.5 stars to only 3 this go round. I’m still a bit disappointed that the resident ghost doesn’t stand out more but rather just blends in with the other characters. And with this go round we had relationship angst that I’m not a fan of in romantic books where it belongs let alone a cozy. But really the story just seems a bit bland and lacking any cozy quirkiness that would make me really love them and instead are just OK reads to me instead.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
July 14, 2018
I tend to easily pick up any book that has the words book, read or library in the title. This one said haunted as well so it was a definite must read for me. Read and Gone turned out to be the second in a series but I did not find that a problem.
This is a cosy mystery and as such it is an easy, entertaining read. It stays true to the genre - there are a number of corpses, lots and lots of characters and the main character goes where she should not but always survives to tell the tale. There is also the requisite overly intelligent cat.
The story moves along well despite frequent descriptions of meals and bathroom breaks (both the MC's and the cat's). I actually started to worry about the amount the cat was eating. He will be a total fur ball by book 3. I was disappointed too by the haunting or rather the lack of it. There is a ghost but she is very tame and barely has a role in the book.
So just three stars I think. It was an entertaining book and a way to pass a few hours but I am not rushing out to find book 1.
This is a cosy mystery and as such it is an easy, entertaining read. It stays true to the genre - there are a number of corpses, lots and lots of characters and the main character goes where she should not but always survives to tell the tale. There is also the requisite overly intelligent cat.
The story moves along well despite frequent descriptions of meals and bathroom breaks (both the MC's and the cat's). I actually started to worry about the amount the cat was eating. He will be a total fur ball by book 3. I was disappointed too by the haunting or rather the lack of it. There is a ghost but she is very tame and barely has a role in the book.
So just three stars I think. It was an entertaining book and a way to pass a few hours but I am not rushing out to find book 1.
January 3, 2025
View this and other reviews on my blog: www.diaryofdifference.com
This is the second book of the series, and even though I haven’t read the first part, I was able to follow this book quite easily. There are a few references to the past and you can quickly realise what happened. Though, if you wish to read the series, don’t start with #2, because there are a few spoilers here that you wish you hadn’t read if you read book #1. I won’t be reading #1 because the spoilers in this book ruined it for me. But I am sure it’s an amazing story as well.
Carrie works in a library and has a cat that brings with her at work. Her father is a famous bad guy, that spent all her childhood in jails. One day, he returns to town, trying to get his share of a box of jewellery that he stole with another man. But a murder changes everyone’s plans, and Carrie has to make some dangerous decisions. It is a wonderful story about family, love, Christmas and tragedy that ends well.
This is a book full of mystery and crime, but it also is warm and family-oriented. I loved the mystery - crime part of it, I loved the scenes where everyone, mostly Carrie plays out to be a detective, but there were also scenes where things were so obvious, and she made terrible choices that made me cringe.
I struggled a lot to understand and like Carrie - I didn’t like the way how she gets quiet and doesn’t talk and just cries, and suddenly when she leaves the situation, she bitches about everything and how things should've been done differently. WELL WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SOMETHING WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE, THEN? But then, there were also moments when she would come up with some interesting hypothesis and actually succeed into making a right choice, and I would think - YEAH, that’s my girl.
All in all, definitely a beautiful read, with a few tweaks here and there. I would love to read something similar to this, and for you that love chick-lit and detective stories, you would most probably enjoy this read :)
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Instagram | Pinterest |
This is the second book of the series, and even though I haven’t read the first part, I was able to follow this book quite easily. There are a few references to the past and you can quickly realise what happened. Though, if you wish to read the series, don’t start with #2, because there are a few spoilers here that you wish you hadn’t read if you read book #1. I won’t be reading #1 because the spoilers in this book ruined it for me. But I am sure it’s an amazing story as well.
Carrie works in a library and has a cat that brings with her at work. Her father is a famous bad guy, that spent all her childhood in jails. One day, he returns to town, trying to get his share of a box of jewellery that he stole with another man. But a murder changes everyone’s plans, and Carrie has to make some dangerous decisions. It is a wonderful story about family, love, Christmas and tragedy that ends well.
This is a book full of mystery and crime, but it also is warm and family-oriented. I loved the mystery - crime part of it, I loved the scenes where everyone, mostly Carrie plays out to be a detective, but there were also scenes where things were so obvious, and she made terrible choices that made me cringe.
I struggled a lot to understand and like Carrie - I didn’t like the way how she gets quiet and doesn’t talk and just cries, and suddenly when she leaves the situation, she bitches about everything and how things should've been done differently. WELL WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SOMETHING WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE, THEN? But then, there were also moments when she would come up with some interesting hypothesis and actually succeed into making a right choice, and I would think - YEAH, that’s my girl.
All in all, definitely a beautiful read, with a few tweaks here and there. I would love to read something similar to this, and for you that love chick-lit and detective stories, you would most probably enjoy this read :)
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Instagram | Pinterest |
March 29, 2021
love that we see Carrie's dad in this one...and the storyline was a fun one!
July 3, 2018
Smokey Joe awakens Carrie Singleton from sleep letting her know that there is an intruder in the house. The prowler turns out to be her Dad, Jim who has been missing most of Carrie's life. He tells her looking for a fortune diamonds that his partner jeweler, Benton has his share. Jim is found looking in the store where Benton lies murder and is arrested for the killing. The twist and turns the tale takes will hold you enthralled as Carrie works to find out who the murderer is while Smokey Joe's chases mice through the library in the 2nd installment of the haunted library series. The ending will surprise you. I highly recommend this book and series.
Disclosure: Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.
Disclosure: Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.
September 21, 2018
Dollycas’s Thoughts
The story starts out with a nice housewarming party with friends and lots of food, then everything goes crazy 🙂 Carrie wakes up to find an intruder in her house that turns out to be Jim, her father. He is only there for one thing, Carrie’s help to get back his share of gems from a heist from several years ago. His partner in crime, Benton Parr, a local jeweler, agreed to hide the loot until Jim came for it. Well, Jim wants it and hopes Carrie smooth the way. Carrie agrees to contact the man to get her dad out of her house.
But, the next time she hears from her dad it is to get him out of jail. Benton Parr was murdered and good ole’ dad was found standing over the body. If that isn’t enough, Carrie learns that the case her new boyfriend Dylan is working on is recovering the very same gems her father had stolen. Was he only leading her on to track down her father? Did he only rent to her in the hopes her dad would drop by? Bad enough, Dylan travels so much for his job, was he avoiding her or was he really working? Is anything about their relationship real?
Carrie’s whole life has been turned inside out. Thankfully she can escape to her job at the library with Smokey Joe. Maybe she will be able to track down the gems herself. What does that mean for her relationship with Dylan? What will that mean to the relationship with her dad? Does she want to have a relationship with her dad?
OMG! I started this book and I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up until early in the morning to finish it all in one sitting.
The first couple of chapters felt off, forced, not what I expected from this author. I was worried. But then the story started to flow and the author exceeded my expectations.
The characters in this series are so clearly written. Carrie, her aunt, and uncle are so genuine. They try to see the best in everyone and are truly there for each other. Her dad returning is quite a shock but his brother and his wife take him in for a while until he moves in with Carrie. Evelyn is a unique character in that, she is a ghost. A very well dressed and coiffed ghost, who appears in the most opportune moments and can only be seen by Carrie and one other person. She gives Carrie “food for thought” and adds a few laughs to the story. I had an aunt the was named Evelyn and the Evelyn in this story reminds me very much of her. She passed on several years ago and to my knowledge she doesn’t haunt anyone though. 🙂 Carrie’s cat Smokey Joe has become the library cat. The patrons love him. As for Dylan, he gets in some hot water with Carrie this time and in my mind, he deserves being there.
The author takes these wonderful characters and twists and turns them around in a marvelous mystery. There is a treasure trove of suspects, the man had enemies. His family and a few “friends” had means, motive, and opportunity. Carrie’s dad is the perfect suspect but she knows he is being set up. There is a very well embedded subplot to the story that adds interest too, how it ended both warmed and broke my heart.
Christmastime in Clover Ridge, Connecticut sounds absolutely delightful. There are plenty of programs at the library including carolers and choirs performing. Carrie is doing very well in her job as the head of programs and events and the town is very happy she decided to make her home in Clover Ridge.
This story reads very well on its own, but if you haven’t read Death Overdue, it has a Halloween theme and there is no time like the present to start this series from the beginning so you can get to know Carrie and the residents of Clover Ridge from the start.
I highly recommend this one. Be sure to plan accordingly, you may have a late night and a book hangover the next day, but it is so worth it!
The story starts out with a nice housewarming party with friends and lots of food, then everything goes crazy 🙂 Carrie wakes up to find an intruder in her house that turns out to be Jim, her father. He is only there for one thing, Carrie’s help to get back his share of gems from a heist from several years ago. His partner in crime, Benton Parr, a local jeweler, agreed to hide the loot until Jim came for it. Well, Jim wants it and hopes Carrie smooth the way. Carrie agrees to contact the man to get her dad out of her house.
But, the next time she hears from her dad it is to get him out of jail. Benton Parr was murdered and good ole’ dad was found standing over the body. If that isn’t enough, Carrie learns that the case her new boyfriend Dylan is working on is recovering the very same gems her father had stolen. Was he only leading her on to track down her father? Did he only rent to her in the hopes her dad would drop by? Bad enough, Dylan travels so much for his job, was he avoiding her or was he really working? Is anything about their relationship real?
Carrie’s whole life has been turned inside out. Thankfully she can escape to her job at the library with Smokey Joe. Maybe she will be able to track down the gems herself. What does that mean for her relationship with Dylan? What will that mean to the relationship with her dad? Does she want to have a relationship with her dad?
OMG! I started this book and I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up until early in the morning to finish it all in one sitting.
The first couple of chapters felt off, forced, not what I expected from this author. I was worried. But then the story started to flow and the author exceeded my expectations.
The characters in this series are so clearly written. Carrie, her aunt, and uncle are so genuine. They try to see the best in everyone and are truly there for each other. Her dad returning is quite a shock but his brother and his wife take him in for a while until he moves in with Carrie. Evelyn is a unique character in that, she is a ghost. A very well dressed and coiffed ghost, who appears in the most opportune moments and can only be seen by Carrie and one other person. She gives Carrie “food for thought” and adds a few laughs to the story. I had an aunt the was named Evelyn and the Evelyn in this story reminds me very much of her. She passed on several years ago and to my knowledge she doesn’t haunt anyone though. 🙂 Carrie’s cat Smokey Joe has become the library cat. The patrons love him. As for Dylan, he gets in some hot water with Carrie this time and in my mind, he deserves being there.
The author takes these wonderful characters and twists and turns them around in a marvelous mystery. There is a treasure trove of suspects, the man had enemies. His family and a few “friends” had means, motive, and opportunity. Carrie’s dad is the perfect suspect but she knows he is being set up. There is a very well embedded subplot to the story that adds interest too, how it ended both warmed and broke my heart.
Christmastime in Clover Ridge, Connecticut sounds absolutely delightful. There are plenty of programs at the library including carolers and choirs performing. Carrie is doing very well in her job as the head of programs and events and the town is very happy she decided to make her home in Clover Ridge.
This story reads very well on its own, but if you haven’t read Death Overdue, it has a Halloween theme and there is no time like the present to start this series from the beginning so you can get to know Carrie and the residents of Clover Ridge from the start.
I highly recommend this one. Be sure to plan accordingly, you may have a late night and a book hangover the next day, but it is so worth it!
March 29, 2019
I like the library atmosphere setting, and the ghost. I, personally, would have enjoyed the story more if the protagonist hadn’t allowed herself to be manipulated by her father and a couple other people suspected of murder, but other aspects of the story made it an appealing read.
August 18, 2018
Release Date: September 11, 2018
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Actual Rating: 4 stars
This is such a fun cozy series! I was looking forward to this one almost immediately after I read Death Overdue (which happens to be the first in the series) and I wasn't disappointed at all! Allison Brook has a knack for these stories and I gobbled this one up quickly. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a hint of paranormal and romance, then I recommend this series to you. I can't wait to see what happens with Carrie next.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Actual Rating: 4 stars
This is such a fun cozy series! I was looking forward to this one almost immediately after I read Death Overdue (which happens to be the first in the series) and I wasn't disappointed at all! Allison Brook has a knack for these stories and I gobbled this one up quickly. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a hint of paranormal and romance, then I recommend this series to you. I can't wait to see what happens with Carrie next.
September 15, 2018
As a book lover, how could I not enjoy a series that is set in a library and is haunted too?! Ok, so the haunting isn't a scary haunting, but that is ok because Evelyn, the ghost, is caring and comical at the same time.
Family means a lot to Carrie and she was quite surprised when her father, Jim, showed up. Who could blame her since he wasn't around much and he is a thief? I could see where it might be hard to have him around but at the same time want him around because he is family. I did like watching the progression of their relationship in this book.
So the big mystery is what happened to $7+ million in gems that were stolen by Jim and the local jeweler, Benton. Of course being a mystery somebody has to end of dead and Benton is the victim. But where are the gemstones? Carrie, of course, gets involved in this case. I'm not sure she would have if her dad wasn't involved and wanting to find the gems, but not to turn them in and collect the reward but to fence them. The author throws quite a few characters into the mix as suspects and when the real killer is revealed I was surprised. This person wasn't really on my radar! I thought this character could be the culprit but they were near the bottom of the list. I thought the mystery was well written.
Then there is the romance part of the story. Here is where Carrie got on my nerves a little bit. She started thinking different things about Dylan and why he was involved with her and perhaps he only wanted to use her to get to her dad. I thought it was kind of crazy for her to think this and why didn't she talk to him about her thoughts? I didn't remember that Dylan was in the insurance business but it has been a bit since I had read the first book.
Overall very enjoyable and can't wait to see what happens in the next book.
Family means a lot to Carrie and she was quite surprised when her father, Jim, showed up. Who could blame her since he wasn't around much and he is a thief? I could see where it might be hard to have him around but at the same time want him around because he is family. I did like watching the progression of their relationship in this book.
So the big mystery is what happened to $7+ million in gems that were stolen by Jim and the local jeweler, Benton. Of course being a mystery somebody has to end of dead and Benton is the victim. But where are the gemstones? Carrie, of course, gets involved in this case. I'm not sure she would have if her dad wasn't involved and wanting to find the gems, but not to turn them in and collect the reward but to fence them. The author throws quite a few characters into the mix as suspects and when the real killer is revealed I was surprised. This person wasn't really on my radar! I thought this character could be the culprit but they were near the bottom of the list. I thought the mystery was well written.
Then there is the romance part of the story. Here is where Carrie got on my nerves a little bit. She started thinking different things about Dylan and why he was involved with her and perhaps he only wanted to use her to get to her dad. I thought it was kind of crazy for her to think this and why didn't she talk to him about her thoughts? I didn't remember that Dylan was in the insurance business but it has been a bit since I had read the first book.
Overall very enjoyable and can't wait to see what happens in the next book.
May 12, 2018
I love fun mysteries that I can snuggle in with. That is what drew me to reading Read and Gone by Allison Brook. Unfortunately, that is not what I got. Less than a quarter of the way through the book I was completely annoyed with the main character, Carrie. Her actions were childish and irrational, swinging from functional adult to petulant child. Carrie has some very real “daddy issues” that were quite off-putting. The reconciliation with her father was unbelievable. That her “boyfriend” would put up with her revolving door accusations and apologies made that character look foolish as well. The “ghost” in the library was just odd. The suggestion that a woman having an affair with a man who was murdered, an argument with her husband and being banned from her boyfriend’s funeral would result in PTSD clearly illustrated Ms. Brook’s lack of understanding of that condition suggesting a lack of research on top of subject ignorance.
Despite the off-putting character development, I did make it to the end of the book. I’m sad to say that while the story improved somewhat, the characters did not. They seem a largely co-dependent, needy group who are not people one would wish to spend time with.
In all, the story was OK. I could not recommend it and would not choose to read another story from Ms. Brook.
Despite the off-putting character development, I did make it to the end of the book. I’m sad to say that while the story improved somewhat, the characters did not. They seem a largely co-dependent, needy group who are not people one would wish to spend time with.
In all, the story was OK. I could not recommend it and would not choose to read another story from Ms. Brook.
July 19, 2018
Carrie Singleton is settling into her life in Clover Ridge with her library friends and her relationship with Dylan. But then her thieving con-artist father, Jim appears on her doorstep and she finds herself in the awkward position of defending her father while trying to hold onto another precious relationship. Meanwhile, most of the characters in the book are searching for the missing valuable gems they all think were in the possession of the late jeweler, Benton Parr when he was murdered.
I really enjoyed this book. The pace was just right; just when I thought I knew who had the gems and might be the killer, the chase was on again. There were multiple viable suspects, each having plausible motives. Carrie's cat, Smoky Joe, plays a special role in the book, and instinctively knows how to provide comfort to people of all ages. However, the book lacks the haunted element in that Evelyn the apparition makes few appearances. Overall, this is a really fun and engaging read.
*** Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary ARC of this book. My review is voluntary.
I really enjoyed this book. The pace was just right; just when I thought I knew who had the gems and might be the killer, the chase was on again. There were multiple viable suspects, each having plausible motives. Carrie's cat, Smoky Joe, plays a special role in the book, and instinctively knows how to provide comfort to people of all ages. However, the book lacks the haunted element in that Evelyn the apparition makes few appearances. Overall, this is a really fun and engaging read.
*** Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary ARC of this book. My review is voluntary.
November 24, 2019
Read and Gone was another enjoyable cozy from Allison Brooks and the perfect book to get you into the holiday spirit.
After a joint celebration for her birthday and housewarming, Carrie Singleton hopes to get a good night’s rest before she needs to gear up for all of the holiday programming at the library. To her dismay, her thief father appears in the middle of the night asking for Carrie’s help in locating his share of seven-million dollars’ worth of missing gems. When she refuses, he takes off only to call her when he’s accused of murdering Benton Parr, his accomplice in the gem theft. Determined to find the missing gems herself and clear her father’s name, Carrie begins her investigation only to find herself in the path of a killer who will do anything to find the gems first.
I enjoyed the mystery plot in Read and Gone quite a bit and think it was the best aspect of the book. The mystery surrounding the missing gems was interesting and millions of dollars worth of stolen gems certainly tempted a lot of people to get involved in finding them. I do wish we had learned more about how the gems were stolen though as that bit was never actually covered. Once we learn the killer’s motive, it made sense who the person was even if they weren’t at the top of my list of suspects.
Carrie did a bit of backsliding in terms of character development compared to the last book but she eventually got back on track towards the final third of the book. I think my issue with her was that she was a bit wishy-washy this time around and would sometimes change her mind three or four times on the same page. There was also a decent amount of relationship drama with her boyfriend Dylan, an insurance investigator looking for the gems, that I wasn’t expecting in a cozy.
One of the great things about the books in this series is the large cast of enjoyable side characters. I was happy to see more of Carrie’s aunt and uncle as she has a great parent-child relationship with them. Carrie’s friends at the library continue to provide a lot of entertainment and I enjoyed their helping Carrie solve the mystery. Evelyn, the library’s resident ghost returns to provide some Carrie with some great advice as well as some cryptic comments regarding the case. Smokey Joe, the library cat, makes quite a few appearances and continues to be as adorable as ever.
Overall Read and Gone was a fun, quick read and it’s clear The Haunted Library Mysteries books are shaping up to be a solid cozy mystery series. I definitely recommend these books for fans of book-centric cozies.
**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
After a joint celebration for her birthday and housewarming, Carrie Singleton hopes to get a good night’s rest before she needs to gear up for all of the holiday programming at the library. To her dismay, her thief father appears in the middle of the night asking for Carrie’s help in locating his share of seven-million dollars’ worth of missing gems. When she refuses, he takes off only to call her when he’s accused of murdering Benton Parr, his accomplice in the gem theft. Determined to find the missing gems herself and clear her father’s name, Carrie begins her investigation only to find herself in the path of a killer who will do anything to find the gems first.
I enjoyed the mystery plot in Read and Gone quite a bit and think it was the best aspect of the book. The mystery surrounding the missing gems was interesting and millions of dollars worth of stolen gems certainly tempted a lot of people to get involved in finding them. I do wish we had learned more about how the gems were stolen though as that bit was never actually covered. Once we learn the killer’s motive, it made sense who the person was even if they weren’t at the top of my list of suspects.
Carrie did a bit of backsliding in terms of character development compared to the last book but she eventually got back on track towards the final third of the book. I think my issue with her was that she was a bit wishy-washy this time around and would sometimes change her mind three or four times on the same page. There was also a decent amount of relationship drama with her boyfriend Dylan, an insurance investigator looking for the gems, that I wasn’t expecting in a cozy.
One of the great things about the books in this series is the large cast of enjoyable side characters. I was happy to see more of Carrie’s aunt and uncle as she has a great parent-child relationship with them. Carrie’s friends at the library continue to provide a lot of entertainment and I enjoyed their helping Carrie solve the mystery. Evelyn, the library’s resident ghost returns to provide some Carrie with some great advice as well as some cryptic comments regarding the case. Smokey Joe, the library cat, makes quite a few appearances and continues to be as adorable as ever.
Overall Read and Gone was a fun, quick read and it’s clear The Haunted Library Mysteries books are shaping up to be a solid cozy mystery series. I definitely recommend these books for fans of book-centric cozies.
**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
September 13, 2018
Things are finally going well for Carrie Singleton. She has a new job at the library, a new boyfriend, Dylan, and even a devoted cat named Smokey Joe. Smokey Joe has become the resident library cat and is a hit with all the local patrons in the small town of Clover Ridge, Connecticut. In fact, for the first time in her life, she feels a part of a family.
It’s Christmas time in Clover Ridge when someone breaks into Carrie’s house. Suddenly she’s not feeling so safe anymore. She’s even more stunned when she learns the man who broke in is her estranged father. A man who has shown no interest in her life since she was a child. Now he’s back and asking for a favor. Not a small favor, but a huge one. He had been involved in a gem heist, worth in the multi-million dollar range, and his heist partner is hiding the gems. He wants Carrie to help find the stolen goods.
Then, her father’s partner turns up murdered and her father is the prime suspect. He may not be perfect but Carrie doesn’t believe he’s a killer. She’s determined to find the real killer and the gems as well. When she learns her new boyfriend is actually an investigator hired to find the gems, she’s hurt and confused. She vows to prove her father’s innocence and make everything right.
Read and Gone is the second book in the Haunted Library series. If you haven’t read the first one, there’s plenty of background information throughout this one.
The characters are well rounded - both the main and secondary characters are vividly portrayed. I found myself really caring about Carrie and her family, especially Smokey Joe - cat lover that I am :) There’s a resident ghost in attendance but she’s not a huge part of the story. She does add a bit of charm to the series, though.
The author does an amazing job of bringing this small town to life. It was a quick read for me. The storyline is filled with mystery, adventure and romance mixed into one captivating read. The ending took me by surprise. I hope there will be more books in this series.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
It’s Christmas time in Clover Ridge when someone breaks into Carrie’s house. Suddenly she’s not feeling so safe anymore. She’s even more stunned when she learns the man who broke in is her estranged father. A man who has shown no interest in her life since she was a child. Now he’s back and asking for a favor. Not a small favor, but a huge one. He had been involved in a gem heist, worth in the multi-million dollar range, and his heist partner is hiding the gems. He wants Carrie to help find the stolen goods.
Then, her father’s partner turns up murdered and her father is the prime suspect. He may not be perfect but Carrie doesn’t believe he’s a killer. She’s determined to find the real killer and the gems as well. When she learns her new boyfriend is actually an investigator hired to find the gems, she’s hurt and confused. She vows to prove her father’s innocence and make everything right.
Read and Gone is the second book in the Haunted Library series. If you haven’t read the first one, there’s plenty of background information throughout this one.
The characters are well rounded - both the main and secondary characters are vividly portrayed. I found myself really caring about Carrie and her family, especially Smokey Joe - cat lover that I am :) There’s a resident ghost in attendance but she’s not a huge part of the story. She does add a bit of charm to the series, though.
The author does an amazing job of bringing this small town to life. It was a quick read for me. The storyline is filled with mystery, adventure and romance mixed into one captivating read. The ending took me by surprise. I hope there will be more books in this series.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
October 5, 2018
Read and Gone is the second book in the Haunted Library Mystery series and it was a just as wonderfully told story as the first book. Again, Evelyn, the library ghost, has only a small part in it. I do like that since I am not big on paranormal stuff but it is definitely a fun element here and I don't mind it.
I loved the Christmas feel of the story and it went very well with other elements in this book like the newly developing relationship between Carrie and her Dad.
It was great to meet Carrie's father Jim, the professional thief, who is coming to town to hook up with a fellow criminal to pick up his share of stolen diamonds. When this man is killed in his store Jim becomes the main suspect and a lot of people are trying to find the missing diamonds....or are they just a myth?
I very much enjoyed this fast paced mystery and the cozy library setting. Can't wait to read more in this series.....
I requested this book from NetGalley and am thankful that Crooked Lane Books and the author provided me with an advance copy.
I loved the Christmas feel of the story and it went very well with other elements in this book like the newly developing relationship between Carrie and her Dad.
It was great to meet Carrie's father Jim, the professional thief, who is coming to town to hook up with a fellow criminal to pick up his share of stolen diamonds. When this man is killed in his store Jim becomes the main suspect and a lot of people are trying to find the missing diamonds....or are they just a myth?
I very much enjoyed this fast paced mystery and the cozy library setting. Can't wait to read more in this series.....
I requested this book from NetGalley and am thankful that Crooked Lane Books and the author provided me with an advance copy.
May 18, 2018
Carrie's father is a thief. He shows up in the middle of the night, and wants her to help him recover his portion of the gems from a heist he did with a local jeweler. She refuses to help, but when the jeweler is murdered, and her dad is arrested, Carrie gets involved. She knows her father to be a thief, but not a killer, so she wants to clear his name. To complicate matters, it turns out Carrie's boyfriend is an insurance investigator, and he's looking for the stolen gems, too.
The 2nd book in The Haunted Library mystery series. This book doesn't have much about the haunted library. I haven't read the first book in the series, so I'm guessing that one features more of the library ghost. This 2nd book was good as a standalone.
A sweet and fun cozy mystery. Charming setting and, mostly, likable characters. Quick and easy read, good for fans of cozies that involve libraries and bookish characters.
I received a digital copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The 2nd book in The Haunted Library mystery series. This book doesn't have much about the haunted library. I haven't read the first book in the series, so I'm guessing that one features more of the library ghost. This 2nd book was good as a standalone.
A sweet and fun cozy mystery. Charming setting and, mostly, likable characters. Quick and easy read, good for fans of cozies that involve libraries and bookish characters.
I received a digital copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 10, 2018
This is a Cozy Mystery, with way too many employees in a Library in a small city of twenty thousand. Doesn't anyone own a Tablet? It is slow going, a lot of self pity on the part of Carrie. Her father shows up after years of being gone, to jail, was one of the places. He is looking for a fortune of lost gems, he stole with a friend, who still lives in town, and owns of all things, a jewelry store! Her Aunt, and Uncle are precious, and deserve better from her. There is not enough romance between her boyfriend Dylan, and herself. I have no clue, what either one looks like? This could have been a really good book, however, the ball was dropped somewhere.
Thanks!
carolintallahassee👒
Thanks!
carolintallahassee👒
November 28, 2020
The main character behaves like a child throwing tantrums. I could understand why she would be angry but not her motivations because they were insane. Her entire thing about the cottage is so frustrating, since leases and rental agreements exist. I enjoyed the first book but I doubt I’ll read it if there is a next one. Also I don’t understand her entire relationship with her father, because she is both too trusting and not trusting enough. This comes back to the childish tantrums. For a 30 year old she was quite unstable for my taste.
March 30, 2022
It's almost Christmas and Carrie Singleton has been busy with holiday programs at Clover Ridge (CT) library. Her father Jim who's been gone most of her life came to town to claim his share from a gem heist. To top it off Carry's boyfriend, Dylan, an insurance investigator has been working to recover the gems. Rocky relationship, three murders and missing gems made this a fun cozy mystery. 3.5✩
November 15, 2018
After reading the first book in the Haunted Library Mysteries, DEATH OVERDUE, I was ready to move on to the next book in the series. Well, it took a year of waiting, but finally I got to read, READ AND GONE. And once I started reading, it was no time at all before is was read and gone 😉. It so was completely worth the wait.
It was great to be back in Clover Ridge with protagonist, Carrie Singleton, her aunt and uncle (I adore them), and of course Smokey Joe, and resident library ghost, Evelyn. Author Allison Brook brings such life to her characters, that I feel like a truly know them.
As for the story, mystery, mayhem, and murders (yes, plural!), as well as family drama is what you’ll find between the covers of READ AND GONE. A wonderful whodunit with so many surprises I found myself catching my breath on more than one occasion. Ms. Brook had me on the edge of my recliner by the last couple of chapters.
READ AND GONE has something for everyone who loves a good mystery. Why not check it out for yourself?
It was great to be back in Clover Ridge with protagonist, Carrie Singleton, her aunt and uncle (I adore them), and of course Smokey Joe, and resident library ghost, Evelyn. Author Allison Brook brings such life to her characters, that I feel like a truly know them.
As for the story, mystery, mayhem, and murders (yes, plural!), as well as family drama is what you’ll find between the covers of READ AND GONE. A wonderful whodunit with so many surprises I found myself catching my breath on more than one occasion. Ms. Brook had me on the edge of my recliner by the last couple of chapters.
READ AND GONE has something for everyone who loves a good mystery. Why not check it out for yourself?
January 7, 2023
Read and Gone (The Haunted Library Mysteries, #2) CD by Allison Brook.
Carrie Singleton has settled into her new prestigious job at the local public library. This library is equipped with more than just books. It comes with its own ghost. there's only two people who can see this ghost and Carrie is one of them.
This was an enjoyable read with many interesting characters including Carrie's Dad, Jim. Jim has quite a colorful background, but can he change that around in a positive direction?
Mia Gaskin was the voice of Carrie and she offered a marvelous performance.
Carrie Singleton has settled into her new prestigious job at the local public library. This library is equipped with more than just books. It comes with its own ghost. there's only two people who can see this ghost and Carrie is one of them.
This was an enjoyable read with many interesting characters including Carrie's Dad, Jim. Jim has quite a colorful background, but can he change that around in a positive direction?
Mia Gaskin was the voice of Carrie and she offered a marvelous performance.
November 29, 2020
When Carrie Singleton's long lost father is arrested for the murder of a local jeweller, she suspects he was set up and decides to investigate.
Allison Brook gives us a strong, intelligent protagonist with a kind streak. The secondary characters are believable, and I could relate to them. The plot is nicely paced and laced with plenty of suspects and twists.
This marvellous holiday read was just my cup of tea.
Allison Brook gives us a strong, intelligent protagonist with a kind streak. The secondary characters are believable, and I could relate to them. The plot is nicely paced and laced with plenty of suspects and twists.
This marvellous holiday read was just my cup of tea.
March 11, 2021
A cozy mystery set in a library, a ghost who pops in and out, missing gems, a long lost father and a dead body or two...what else could you want? Well buckle up as there is so much more to this book so you'll be in for an enjoyable read or listen if you like audio. The characters are interesting, although I keep confusing this series with the Aurora Teagarden series as so many of the characters names are similar and both are set in a library. I will say if you like the Teagarden series then you will probably like this one too! The plot was interesting and keeps you guessing! I'm looking forward to see where the next book goes as I feel like the characters are really starting to come to life more! The audio is quite good as the narrator brings the characters more fully to life!
September 11, 2018
Read and Gone by Allison Brook is the second book in Ms. Brook's Haunted Library series. This book can easily stand alone as most of the characters are re-introduced in this book.
The plot is smoothly paced with a few twists to keep the reader guessing as the murder victims begin to increase as the hunt for several million dollars in stolen jewels becomes more well known throughout the town. The relationships in this one was very complex as Carrie's estranged father returns and causes rifts between her and her boyfriend, Dylan. Then there are the relationships between the Parr family members which show the family to be equally dysfunctional as Carrie's family. There was a scene in the book in which I thought Carrie went off the rails while talking to a couple of suspects which I didn't think really added anything to the plot. It seemed like it was there more to add drama than to move the story along.
I was disappointed that the ghost, Evelyn, was only in a couple of scenes in this book. She added so much insight into the first book in this series and I had hoped she would be there for Carrie in this one, too. All in all, it was an easy cozy mystery to read 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.
The plot is smoothly paced with a few twists to keep the reader guessing as the murder victims begin to increase as the hunt for several million dollars in stolen jewels becomes more well known throughout the town. The relationships in this one was very complex as Carrie's estranged father returns and causes rifts between her and her boyfriend, Dylan. Then there are the relationships between the Parr family members which show the family to be equally dysfunctional as Carrie's family. There was a scene in the book in which I thought Carrie went off the rails while talking to a couple of suspects which I didn't think really added anything to the plot. It seemed like it was there more to add drama than to move the story along.
I was disappointed that the ghost, Evelyn, was only in a couple of scenes in this book. She added so much insight into the first book in this series and I had hoped she would be there for Carrie in this one, too. All in all, it was an easy cozy mystery to read 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.
September 2, 2018
Another fun Haunted Library Mystery! I read this book quickly and it was as enjoyable as the first in the series.
The main character, Carrie, has such a fun job! She gets to oversee events at the library, take her adorable cat with her to work, and now and then hangs out with a ghost! The ghost is Evelyn, a former library staff member, who gives her advice and is just someone really nice to talk to. I thought she played a bigger role in the last book but she was still a great addition to the story, especially when she gives advice on how to handle Carrie's nemesis (who happens to be Evelyn's crotchety niece)!
All in all it was a well planned mystery and it will appeal to anyone who loves cozy mysteries set a Christmas time. I am eager to read the next in the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book via NetGalley.
The main character, Carrie, has such a fun job! She gets to oversee events at the library, take her adorable cat with her to work, and now and then hangs out with a ghost! The ghost is Evelyn, a former library staff member, who gives her advice and is just someone really nice to talk to. I thought she played a bigger role in the last book but she was still a great addition to the story, especially when she gives advice on how to handle Carrie's nemesis (who happens to be Evelyn's crotchety niece)!
All in all it was a well planned mystery and it will appeal to anyone who loves cozy mysteries set a Christmas time. I am eager to read the next in the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book via NetGalley.
September 21, 2018
Read and Gone
The Haunted Library Mysteries, Book #2
Allison Brook
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Seven-million dollars' worth of missing gems bring Carrie Singleton's long-lost and larcenous dad back into her life and it's up to Carrie to clear his name.
A devoted dad is as precious as diamonds, but Carrie Singleton wouldn't know since her dad Jim's been on the lam most of her life. In an unusual family reunion, she finds Jim breaking into her cottage in the middle of the night. The fun really starts when he begs her to help him recover his half of a seven-million-dollar gem heist he pulled off with the local jeweler, Benton Parr. When she refuses, Jim takes off again.
Carrie finds her father again behind bars for the recent murder of Benton Parr. Who made the connection? Unbeknownst to her, Carrie's boyfriend Dylan, an insurance investigator, has been searching for the gems. Determined to find the jewels herself, she starts examining every facet of Parr's life. She turns up a treasure trove of suspects, one of whom bashes her on the head as she's searching the victim's country cabin.
Retreating to the quiet confines of the library where she works, Carrie watches as Smokey Joe, the resident cat, paws at a hole in the wall. Is he after the library's ghost Evelyn, or something shinier? (Goodreads)
Review:
Carrie has a wonderful job as head of Programs and Events at her local library. She has a loving and caring aunt and uncle and an adorable cat. She also has a absent father who has returned home to ask Carrie for help locating stolen gems (he had a big part in the gems being stolen). Just what every daughter wants, to help her dad finish pulling off his crime, especially when she has not seen him in a long time. She will have to decide if she wants to help him or not, and also figure out who has gone a a killing spree.
The characters are well rounded and well developed. The relationship between her and her aunt and uncle is special and you can tell how much they love each other. She has some good friends that she works with and she has a resident library ghost, Evelyn, that she talks to whenever the ghost appears. I do wish that Evelyn would have had a bigger part in this book, like she did in book one. Hopefully she will be more active in the next book.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing without getting to wordy. The mystery was well plotted and was carried on well throughout the entire book. With numerous killings and twists and turns, it was not an easy mystery to solve.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I have read both books in this series and I enjoyed both of them.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
The Haunted Library Mysteries, Book #2
Allison Brook
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Seven-million dollars' worth of missing gems bring Carrie Singleton's long-lost and larcenous dad back into her life and it's up to Carrie to clear his name.
A devoted dad is as precious as diamonds, but Carrie Singleton wouldn't know since her dad Jim's been on the lam most of her life. In an unusual family reunion, she finds Jim breaking into her cottage in the middle of the night. The fun really starts when he begs her to help him recover his half of a seven-million-dollar gem heist he pulled off with the local jeweler, Benton Parr. When she refuses, Jim takes off again.
Carrie finds her father again behind bars for the recent murder of Benton Parr. Who made the connection? Unbeknownst to her, Carrie's boyfriend Dylan, an insurance investigator, has been searching for the gems. Determined to find the jewels herself, she starts examining every facet of Parr's life. She turns up a treasure trove of suspects, one of whom bashes her on the head as she's searching the victim's country cabin.
Retreating to the quiet confines of the library where she works, Carrie watches as Smokey Joe, the resident cat, paws at a hole in the wall. Is he after the library's ghost Evelyn, or something shinier? (Goodreads)
Review:
Carrie has a wonderful job as head of Programs and Events at her local library. She has a loving and caring aunt and uncle and an adorable cat. She also has a absent father who has returned home to ask Carrie for help locating stolen gems (he had a big part in the gems being stolen). Just what every daughter wants, to help her dad finish pulling off his crime, especially when she has not seen him in a long time. She will have to decide if she wants to help him or not, and also figure out who has gone a a killing spree.
The characters are well rounded and well developed. The relationship between her and her aunt and uncle is special and you can tell how much they love each other. She has some good friends that she works with and she has a resident library ghost, Evelyn, that she talks to whenever the ghost appears. I do wish that Evelyn would have had a bigger part in this book, like she did in book one. Hopefully she will be more active in the next book.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing without getting to wordy. The mystery was well plotted and was carried on well throughout the entire book. With numerous killings and twists and turns, it was not an easy mystery to solve.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I have read both books in this series and I enjoyed both of them.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
November 3, 2020
If you liked the writing style and mystery in Death Overdue, Read and Gone is for you. Brooks is consistent in her tone, characterizations, and mystery reveal in book two of the series.
Read and Gone picks up right where Death Overdue left off. Allison Brooks didn’t move ahead/fast forward at all. The reader learned of Carrie wanting to have a house warming and birthday party hybrid in the first book. Book two opens with the party. All of the library staff (minus one character I’m pretty sure you can guess...Dorothy) were there to celebrate Carrie, along with her cousins, aunt, uncle, Jared and his new girlfriend Jillian, and Dylan (Carrie’s sort of boyfriend). I was happy to see Jillian left Ryan (Jared’s rude older brother), but I think she can still do better than Jared. Slowly moving up the boyfriend later. Jared is an okay guy, I did appreciate the fact that he promised Carrie he would help with decorations and even though she dumped him (right after they were almost murdered by Helena in book one, talk about bad timing) he kept his promise.
Dylan and Carrie are on good footing at the beginning of the story. Carrie is super happy with how her life is going. Alert. Alert. That is the moment in any story in which things then go horribly wrong. Enter, Carrie’s estranged father, Jim.
Carrie’s father shows up in the middle of the night. (And I do mean the middle of the night, he lets himself into her cabin, while Carrie is sound asleep, and enters like he has every right to. Talk about strange and inappropriate.) He stole rare and expensive gems with a partner, Benton Parr. Apparently, the pair decided that Benton should keep the gems for a little while to ensure their safety, except he never gave Jim his half of the heist. Jim wants Carrie to help him find the gems so he can get his fortune and leave for South America. The next thing we know, Benton is dead and Carrie’s father is the prime murder suspect. Dun. Dun. DUN!
Carrie finds out that her lovely boyfriend Dylan was investigating her father and the gems. Dylan is an insurance investigator and one of his clients were the gem’s owners. Carrie loses it. She gets so mad at Dylan. She thinks he was using her and never really cared about her. This causes a huge rift in their relationship.
Although Carrie isn’t her dad’s biggest fan, she doesn’t think he’s capable of murder. To help clear his name, she decides to find out who killed Benton. As it turns out, that is no short list. Benton was a longtime womanizer, having numerous affairs. His daughter and wife are not pleased with his behavior. The most recent lover (who happens to work at the library’s cafe) becomes a suspect on Carrie’s list. Then there are the people who want the gems, which is somehow an even longer list. Brooks did not hold back on creating an intricate suspect pool. Man.
Just like Helena killing Laura, her husband, Al, and attempting to run Jared an Carrie off the road at the end of Death Overdue, the killer in Read and Gone doesn’t hold back from violence. Soon after Benton dies, the creepy investigator is killed, Benton’s wife is murdered, and Carrie is attacked (she gets hit in the back of the head twice). Carrie’s father, Jim, is attacked but that was by the creepy investigator who dies soon after (if Jim wasn’t in the hospital for that murder, he would have been a suspect). This cozy mystery is cozy, but also a little dark (luckily, all the attacks take place off the page with the exception of Carrie’s since the book is told from her perspective).
I was happy to see Carrie making friends and a life. Her aunt and uncle wanted her close by and Carrie is making the best of things. Her life at the library is going well. She has close friends in Angela and Sally as well as an adorable cat, Smokey Joe. Her drifter ways are behind her. I thought it was a nice touch to see Carrie wanting her father to put roots down, too. She wanted him in her life and hoped to create a closer family dynamic.
I will admit I was annoyed at Carrie a few times throughout the book. The library is doing a secret Santa and she is super ridiculously annoyed that Dorothy is her person. This is brought up a lot throughout the novel. At one point I was like, just buy her a candle and call it a day. But Carrie got Dorothy a thoughtful gift, a silk scarf in her favorite colors. When Dorothy opens the gift, you can tell she appreciates it which is nice. The other annoying moments involved Carrie and Dylan. He clearly looks at Carrie with hearts in his eyes. I think Carrie was looking for a reason to push him way more so than actually believing he was using her to get closer to her father. He asked about her father once. That was it! As her boyfriend that isn’t exactly atypical, wanting to know about your significant other’s family. In my reader opinion, Carrie got scared at their closeness and used this as her reason to push Dylan away. Being the good guy that he is, Dylan doesn’t let Carrie get away with that. They resolve their relationship drama. But I could have done without the prolonged nature of the drama. It felt angsty to me.
I was happy that Dylan told Carrie he loved her. By the end of the novel, their relationship was on super solid ground. SPOILER Dylan spent the night at Carrie’s, with it being a small town, every finds out about them taking their relationship to the next level the very next day. Small town gossip mills at their finest.
MINOR SPOILER
Carrie sort of confronts the killer at the end. (It wasn’t planned. Carrie wanted to keep an eye on him and keep him from getting away.) This is a person killed **three** people. This is not someone to trivial with. Carrie steps in to prevent him from attacking someone else, but, my goodness, not smart. Luckily, Dylan and the cops are on their way and help her out. Carrie was smart enough to call them before intercepting the bad guy.
RANDOM COZY THOUGHT
Smokey Joe is the best library cat ever. There are mice in the library and Sally tasks Smokey Joe with getting rid of them. While on his hunt, he learns how to manipulate the library cafe patrons into giving him food, having his cute routine down pat. Carrie didn’t want anyone feeding Smokey Joe, but he had other ideas. During his cuteness shakedown for food, Smokey Joe leads Carrie to the gems; they were hidden behind the cafe counter under a grate. Technically, Smokey Joe moved the mystery along. Evelyn might be Carrie’s sounding board for solving things, but Smokey Joe knows how to move the mystery along. He is a sleuther in his own right. #smokeyjoeforthewin
Cozy Mystery Book Club Twitter & Instagram: @cozymysteryclub
https://twitter.com/cozymysteryclub
Website: http://thecozymysterybookclub.com/
My Website: http://angelamariahart.com/
My Twitter & Instagram: @writerahart
https://twitter.com/writerahart
Read and Gone picks up right where Death Overdue left off. Allison Brooks didn’t move ahead/fast forward at all. The reader learned of Carrie wanting to have a house warming and birthday party hybrid in the first book. Book two opens with the party. All of the library staff (minus one character I’m pretty sure you can guess...Dorothy) were there to celebrate Carrie, along with her cousins, aunt, uncle, Jared and his new girlfriend Jillian, and Dylan (Carrie’s sort of boyfriend). I was happy to see Jillian left Ryan (Jared’s rude older brother), but I think she can still do better than Jared. Slowly moving up the boyfriend later. Jared is an okay guy, I did appreciate the fact that he promised Carrie he would help with decorations and even though she dumped him (right after they were almost murdered by Helena in book one, talk about bad timing) he kept his promise.
Dylan and Carrie are on good footing at the beginning of the story. Carrie is super happy with how her life is going. Alert. Alert. That is the moment in any story in which things then go horribly wrong. Enter, Carrie’s estranged father, Jim.
Carrie’s father shows up in the middle of the night. (And I do mean the middle of the night, he lets himself into her cabin, while Carrie is sound asleep, and enters like he has every right to. Talk about strange and inappropriate.) He stole rare and expensive gems with a partner, Benton Parr. Apparently, the pair decided that Benton should keep the gems for a little while to ensure their safety, except he never gave Jim his half of the heist. Jim wants Carrie to help him find the gems so he can get his fortune and leave for South America. The next thing we know, Benton is dead and Carrie’s father is the prime murder suspect. Dun. Dun. DUN!
Carrie finds out that her lovely boyfriend Dylan was investigating her father and the gems. Dylan is an insurance investigator and one of his clients were the gem’s owners. Carrie loses it. She gets so mad at Dylan. She thinks he was using her and never really cared about her. This causes a huge rift in their relationship.
Although Carrie isn’t her dad’s biggest fan, she doesn’t think he’s capable of murder. To help clear his name, she decides to find out who killed Benton. As it turns out, that is no short list. Benton was a longtime womanizer, having numerous affairs. His daughter and wife are not pleased with his behavior. The most recent lover (who happens to work at the library’s cafe) becomes a suspect on Carrie’s list. Then there are the people who want the gems, which is somehow an even longer list. Brooks did not hold back on creating an intricate suspect pool. Man.
Just like Helena killing Laura, her husband, Al, and attempting to run Jared an Carrie off the road at the end of Death Overdue, the killer in Read and Gone doesn’t hold back from violence. Soon after Benton dies, the creepy investigator is killed, Benton’s wife is murdered, and Carrie is attacked (she gets hit in the back of the head twice). Carrie’s father, Jim, is attacked but that was by the creepy investigator who dies soon after (if Jim wasn’t in the hospital for that murder, he would have been a suspect). This cozy mystery is cozy, but also a little dark (luckily, all the attacks take place off the page with the exception of Carrie’s since the book is told from her perspective).
I was happy to see Carrie making friends and a life. Her aunt and uncle wanted her close by and Carrie is making the best of things. Her life at the library is going well. She has close friends in Angela and Sally as well as an adorable cat, Smokey Joe. Her drifter ways are behind her. I thought it was a nice touch to see Carrie wanting her father to put roots down, too. She wanted him in her life and hoped to create a closer family dynamic.
I will admit I was annoyed at Carrie a few times throughout the book. The library is doing a secret Santa and she is super ridiculously annoyed that Dorothy is her person. This is brought up a lot throughout the novel. At one point I was like, just buy her a candle and call it a day. But Carrie got Dorothy a thoughtful gift, a silk scarf in her favorite colors. When Dorothy opens the gift, you can tell she appreciates it which is nice. The other annoying moments involved Carrie and Dylan. He clearly looks at Carrie with hearts in his eyes. I think Carrie was looking for a reason to push him way more so than actually believing he was using her to get closer to her father. He asked about her father once. That was it! As her boyfriend that isn’t exactly atypical, wanting to know about your significant other’s family. In my reader opinion, Carrie got scared at their closeness and used this as her reason to push Dylan away. Being the good guy that he is, Dylan doesn’t let Carrie get away with that. They resolve their relationship drama. But I could have done without the prolonged nature of the drama. It felt angsty to me.
I was happy that Dylan told Carrie he loved her. By the end of the novel, their relationship was on super solid ground. SPOILER Dylan spent the night at Carrie’s, with it being a small town, every finds out about them taking their relationship to the next level the very next day. Small town gossip mills at their finest.
MINOR SPOILER
Carrie sort of confronts the killer at the end. (It wasn’t planned. Carrie wanted to keep an eye on him and keep him from getting away.) This is a person killed **three** people. This is not someone to trivial with. Carrie steps in to prevent him from attacking someone else, but, my goodness, not smart. Luckily, Dylan and the cops are on their way and help her out. Carrie was smart enough to call them before intercepting the bad guy.
RANDOM COZY THOUGHT
Smokey Joe is the best library cat ever. There are mice in the library and Sally tasks Smokey Joe with getting rid of them. While on his hunt, he learns how to manipulate the library cafe patrons into giving him food, having his cute routine down pat. Carrie didn’t want anyone feeding Smokey Joe, but he had other ideas. During his cuteness shakedown for food, Smokey Joe leads Carrie to the gems; they were hidden behind the cafe counter under a grate. Technically, Smokey Joe moved the mystery along. Evelyn might be Carrie’s sounding board for solving things, but Smokey Joe knows how to move the mystery along. He is a sleuther in his own right. #smokeyjoeforthewin
Cozy Mystery Book Club Twitter & Instagram: @cozymysteryclub
https://twitter.com/cozymysteryclub
Website: http://thecozymysterybookclub.com/
My Website: http://angelamariahart.com/
My Twitter & Instagram: @writerahart
https://twitter.com/writerahart
October 26, 2020
3.5 stars. This is book 2 of the Haunted Library series. The library's ghost, Evelyn, doesn't play a big part in this one.
Carrie's father, Jim, who hasn't been around for much of her life, shows up asking Carrie to help him locate some gemstones he and a partner stole. His partner, the local jeweler, has hidden the gems and is refusing to talk to Jim. Soon after Jim's return to town, the jeweler is murdered.
Eventually, the whole town seems to have learned about the missing stones and everyone is looking for them, for various reasons, including the half-million dollar reward.
Carrie's cat, Smoky Joe, is a fun character, but Carrie seems to always be feeding him. If she keeps it up, he'll be rolling around instead of running.
Carrie's father, Jim, who hasn't been around for much of her life, shows up asking Carrie to help him locate some gemstones he and a partner stole. His partner, the local jeweler, has hidden the gems and is refusing to talk to Jim. Soon after Jim's return to town, the jeweler is murdered.
Eventually, the whole town seems to have learned about the missing stones and everyone is looking for them, for various reasons, including the half-million dollar reward.
Carrie's cat, Smoky Joe, is a fun character, but Carrie seems to always be feeding him. If she keeps it up, he'll be rolling around instead of running.
October 2, 2018
Christmas. A library. And a main character named Carrie. Sign me up!!
When you add in the cute ghost of the former head librarian, plus a library cat with personality and a supporting cast of friends, family, and not-so-friends, you’ve got a great recipe for a cozy mystery.
In Read and Gone, the author takes us back to the Clover Ridge Public Library and this time we get even more insight into Carrie Singleton’s personal life. Particularly her relationship with her father Jim, a thief who shows up unexpectedly after years on the lam. There were a lot of dynamics going on with this part of the storyline – not the least of which was Carrie’s conflicting emotions around seeing her dad again (and being asked to help him recover his share of the gems he stole). I thought the author portrayed all of these dynamics really well – and authentically – while still in keeping with the tone of a cozy mystery. I didn’t care so much, however, for the up and down dramatics around Carrie’s relationship with Dylan. I understood her concerns the first time but after a bit I was just done with her fluctuating pity party about it lol.
The mystery itself kept me guessing, and while I had my suspicions I wasn’t completely right – and it didn’t play out like I thought it would (which is a good thing!). There were a lot of different facets to this mystery as well – from the original gem heist (and where are they now?) to the murders that keep piling up to what exactly is Carrie’s dad up to now? I wish Evelyn Havers (the friendly resident library ghost) had played more of a role in this book, as far as the mystery goes, but I enjoyed the glimpses of her nonetheless.
Bottom Line: A charming small town with a copious cast of characters, a small-town library with a surprisingly robust staff list, a feisty library cat with his own plans and plots, and the former head librarian who is haunting her old digs (whom only Carrie and her young cousin can see). Throw in a jewel heist, the missing gems, and a handful of murders and you’ve got yourself an entertaining cozy mystery! Brook’s library setting is every bibliophile’s dream, and Carrie is a very likable heroine. The mystery is well-plotted, and the characters are layered and intriguing. I’m already looking forward to book #3!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower
Reviewer’s Note: Readers may want to be aware that there is some scattered cursing throughout this novel.
When you add in the cute ghost of the former head librarian, plus a library cat with personality and a supporting cast of friends, family, and not-so-friends, you’ve got a great recipe for a cozy mystery.
In Read and Gone, the author takes us back to the Clover Ridge Public Library and this time we get even more insight into Carrie Singleton’s personal life. Particularly her relationship with her father Jim, a thief who shows up unexpectedly after years on the lam. There were a lot of dynamics going on with this part of the storyline – not the least of which was Carrie’s conflicting emotions around seeing her dad again (and being asked to help him recover his share of the gems he stole). I thought the author portrayed all of these dynamics really well – and authentically – while still in keeping with the tone of a cozy mystery. I didn’t care so much, however, for the up and down dramatics around Carrie’s relationship with Dylan. I understood her concerns the first time but after a bit I was just done with her fluctuating pity party about it lol.
The mystery itself kept me guessing, and while I had my suspicions I wasn’t completely right – and it didn’t play out like I thought it would (which is a good thing!). There were a lot of different facets to this mystery as well – from the original gem heist (and where are they now?) to the murders that keep piling up to what exactly is Carrie’s dad up to now? I wish Evelyn Havers (the friendly resident library ghost) had played more of a role in this book, as far as the mystery goes, but I enjoyed the glimpses of her nonetheless.
Bottom Line: A charming small town with a copious cast of characters, a small-town library with a surprisingly robust staff list, a feisty library cat with his own plans and plots, and the former head librarian who is haunting her old digs (whom only Carrie and her young cousin can see). Throw in a jewel heist, the missing gems, and a handful of murders and you’ve got yourself an entertaining cozy mystery! Brook’s library setting is every bibliophile’s dream, and Carrie is a very likable heroine. The mystery is well-plotted, and the characters are layered and intriguing. I’m already looking forward to book #3!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower
Reviewer’s Note: Readers may want to be aware that there is some scattered cursing throughout this novel.
May 20, 2018
Carrie is startled when an intruder breaks into her cottage and she discovers it is her Dad, he has spent all of her life in various scams (and occasionally being jailed for them) this time though it is happening closer to home. Jim Singleton has arrived in the town to connect with a local jeweler, Benton Parr, Jim's accomplice in a gem heist a few years back, Jim wants his half of the proceeds but when he goes to collect Benton can't help, mainly because he is lying dead on the floor of the jewelry shop. Jim was found there with the body and so is arrested, but then released, only to end up in hospital, then there is another death, and another and it looks as though Christmas will be cancelled. Oh and add in the fact that Dylan (Carrie's boyfriend and an insurance investigator) is looking for the jewel (and therefore at Jim), there are mice in the library (Smokey Joe the library cat it doing his best there) and Carrie needs to buy a Secret Santa gift for her Nemesis Dorothy and things are not looking good in Carrie's life, thankfully she has Evelyn (the ghost) and her relatives to help keep her sane.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 533 reviews