Lori C. (dollycas) reviewed Past Due for Murder (Blue Ridge Library, Bk 3) on + 648 more book reviews
Dollycas's Thoughts
Past Due for Murder takes us to Taylorsford, Virginia just in time for Spring and the town's May Day celebration. Our protagonist Amy Webber has opened up the library archives for a professor and her students to research the local folklore. The will be making a presentation at the celebration. One of these students disappears during a bonfire event and police have organized a search. They also question the man in Amy's life, Richard Muir. He was the woman's dance instructor and may have been the last person to see her before she went missing. The student is later found, next to a dead body. She is dazed and confused. Amy has been trying to use her talents first to find the student and now the murderer. She meets an elderly woman with stories to tell of the area that just may point her in the direction of the killer. It also could make her their next victim.
Ms. Gilbert has written a story that links the present to the past in a very interesting way. The area folklore includes a story of two missing women, but what parts of the story are true and which are pure fabrication and how does it pertain to the current event of a missing woman and a murder? It is a twisted journey that captivated me right away.
I loved the way the author brought in a woman who is basically a hermit now. I found this woman to be genuine and heartwarming. Having Amy visit to record her stories for the library's archives was a brilliant idea. Many towns and libraries are doing this now. It makes me wish I had done the same with my parents and grandparents. Our history, our stories, fade due to poor memories and these records would be priceless. If these options are available to you jump on them while you can.
The author also brings a man into the story, a neighbor to the woman, also someone who shuns society for his own reasons. He has a wonderful gift that he has mostly kept to himself but could he be a murderer?
Sticking with new characters, Richard's parents come to visit and it was quite the experience. No spoiler here, but answers to some of the questions I had about the man are answered.
With great characters and plenty of twists and turns, this story takes us on quite a ride. The blend of folklore with a smidgen of fairies and magic was a delight. The ending was an ultimate surprise. This story is a wonderful addition to this series!
Past Due for Murder takes us to Taylorsford, Virginia just in time for Spring and the town's May Day celebration. Our protagonist Amy Webber has opened up the library archives for a professor and her students to research the local folklore. The will be making a presentation at the celebration. One of these students disappears during a bonfire event and police have organized a search. They also question the man in Amy's life, Richard Muir. He was the woman's dance instructor and may have been the last person to see her before she went missing. The student is later found, next to a dead body. She is dazed and confused. Amy has been trying to use her talents first to find the student and now the murderer. She meets an elderly woman with stories to tell of the area that just may point her in the direction of the killer. It also could make her their next victim.
Ms. Gilbert has written a story that links the present to the past in a very interesting way. The area folklore includes a story of two missing women, but what parts of the story are true and which are pure fabrication and how does it pertain to the current event of a missing woman and a murder? It is a twisted journey that captivated me right away.
I loved the way the author brought in a woman who is basically a hermit now. I found this woman to be genuine and heartwarming. Having Amy visit to record her stories for the library's archives was a brilliant idea. Many towns and libraries are doing this now. It makes me wish I had done the same with my parents and grandparents. Our history, our stories, fade due to poor memories and these records would be priceless. If these options are available to you jump on them while you can.
The author also brings a man into the story, a neighbor to the woman, also someone who shuns society for his own reasons. He has a wonderful gift that he has mostly kept to himself but could he be a murderer?
Sticking with new characters, Richard's parents come to visit and it was quite the experience. No spoiler here, but answers to some of the questions I had about the man are answered.
With great characters and plenty of twists and turns, this story takes us on quite a ride. The blend of folklore with a smidgen of fairies and magic was a delight. The ending was an ultimate surprise. This story is a wonderful addition to this series!
Taylorsford is all atwitter as they prepare for the newly reinstated May Day festivities. Past Due For Murder begins by delving into the folk stories and legends of the area. There are a variety of tales that include the disappearance of two women over a century ago, the strange lights that arise from the forest floor that are attributed to fairies, and missing gold. Professor Raymond has spent the last few months in the library's archives doing research with Amy's assistance. Past Due for Murder is the third book in The Blue Ridge Library Mystery series, and I recommend reading the series in order. Past Due for Murder begins with a relaxed pace as we are eased into the multifaceted cozy mystery. In Past Due for Murder, there is the missing Lacey Jacobs, the murdered Mona Raymond, Amy worried about her relationship with Richard, the old tale of the two missing women and gold that vanished around the same time. The book starts off with the disappearance of Lacey and the murder then occurs a third of the way in. Amy uses her skills to investigate Mona's death. She has several viable suspects and tension builds as Amy's deductions lead her to the guilty party. The storylines all come together for a satisfying conclusion. I wish, though, that the whodunit had been harder to solve. Amy's relationship with Richard is prominent throughout Past Due for Murder along with her past association with musician, Charles Bartos. There is a cute kitten, Loie in the story that has a perilous introduction. I especially enjoy the time spent at the Taylorsford library and their amazing archive room. The romantics will especially love the ending in Past Due for Murder. Past Due for Murder has fairies, May Day festivities, a cuddly kitten, a missing coed, romantic entanglements and a slain professor. Join Amy Webber on her latest adventure in Past Due for Murder.
