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Book Review of Something Read, Something Dead (Lighthouse Library, Bk 5)

Something Read, Something Dead (Lighthouse Library, Bk 5)
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Something Read, Something Dead is the fifth installment in the A Lighthouse Library Mystery series set in North Carolina's Outer Banks and featuring assistant librarian Lucy Richardson. Lucy is looking forward to her cousin Josie O'Malley's upcoming wedding to Chef Jake Greenblatt, and is excited to host the bridal shower at the Bodie Island Lighthouse/Library.

Josie and Jake have planned a simple affair, but all that changes when Josie's overbearing grandmother Gloria arrives in town from New Orleans with Josie's distant cousins and decides to take over all of the planning. Her cousin Florence has an event planning business but other cousin Mirabelle has bullied her way into the company and is running roughshod over Florence and is determined to make the fledgling business a household name. When Mirabelle starts changing all of Josie's plans and then has the audacity to start flirting with Jake, Josie is almost ready to call off the wedding.

Trying to keep things light and festive for the shower Lucy has invited all of Josie and her Aunt Ellen's friends as well as fellow library employees. Josie is supplying the desserts and Mirabelle is insistent that gluten free treats are provided. When Mirabelle drops dead after eating the desserts nobody is really heartbroken until Josie ends up being the prime suspect. Determined to clear her cousin's name Lucy sets out to track down a killer.

In addition to the murder the secondary story line involves the deteriorating foundation of the lighthouse and the fears that the library will be forced to close, meaning Lucy and Charles, the library cat may soon be out on the street.

This addition to the series was not my favorite although I really can't put my finger on why. Maybe because there was not much mention of the library employees who've always helped Lucy with her investigations in the past, there is not the usual banter between Lucy and her nemesis, Louise Jane or it could be that Lucy doesn't ever seem to pull a shift at the library but instead is always dashing off to follow a hunch making me wonder how she manages to hold on to her job. But, as a faithful reader of the series I will be looking forward to the next installment.