Devi Nair
š±š Read on Kindle | š 304 pages ā± Approx. 4 hours reading time š·ļø Publisher: Crooked Lane Books š Release Date: June 9, 2026 š ARC provided by NetGalley š Genre: Cozy Mystery
Eva Gates shakes things up in Whose Body in the Library, and longtime fans like me definitely feel it. Swapping out Lucyās familiar first-person narration for a dual POV approach, mostly following newcomer Nichelle, makes this entry feel like walking through your own house but finding the furniture rearranged. Everythingās recognizable, yet slightly off-kilter. Lucyās still around, juggling motherhood and library management, but the emotional center shifts to Nichelleās family drama and her rocky first week surrounded by suspicious small-town secrets.
For longtime readers, that shift is jarring. We know the town, the people, and their secrets, but Nichelle doesnāt, and those gaps arenāt filled in. Familiar characters feel oddly distant, and the emotional shorthand that usually makes this series so cozy just isnāt there. Nichelleās arc is intriguing. A woman confronting a past she thought was buried thirty-eight years ago, but the pacing and investigative beats donāt quite land with the same cozy confidence as previous installments. The addition of Detective Rhonda Thomas, who is rigid and rule-bound in contrast to the easygoing Sam Watson, further unsettles the balance. Her treatment of Lucy, in particular, left me uneasy and not especially excited to see her stick around.
The mystery itself, centered on Nichelleās long-estranged father and the unsettling legacy he left behind, has solid bones, but the execution felt rough. Nichelleās lack of sleuthing experience is understandable, yet the investigation and resolution never fully clicked. Itās like driving a familiar road and suddenly realizing the seatās been adjusted just enough to throw everything off. I wanted to love this one more than I did, but it didnāt quite settle into place. Still, Eva Gatesā atmospheric details and character warmth shine through. Even when the mystery falters, the Outer Banks charm and community affection keep you turning pages. And one slightly off installment in a long-running series as consistent as this? Hardly a dealbreaker.
Would I recommend it? A solid, if uneven, addition to the Lighthouse Library Mysteries. As a standalone or a transitional book, it works, but as a longtime fan of this series, it felt off in ways I couldnāt ignore. That said, one uneven entry wonāt shake my loyalty to Eva Gates (aka Vicki Delany). Iāll absolutely be back for the next installment, hopeful that Lucy returns to center stage and the series finds its familiar rhythm again. If youāre curious to see life at the library through fresh eyes, add this to your TBR. Longtime fans may feel conflicted, but Iām not giving up on this lighthouse just yet.
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.com.
š±š Read on Kindle | š 304 pages ā± Approx. 4 hours reading time š·ļø Publisher: Crooked Lane Books š Release Date: June 9, 2026 š ARC provided by NetGalley š Genre: Cozy Mystery
Eva Gates shakes things up in Whose Body in the Library, and longtime fans like me definitely feel it. Swapping out Lucyās familiar first-person narration for a dual POV approach, mostly following newcomer Nichelle, makes this entry feel like walking through your own house but finding the furniture rearranged. Everythingās recognizable, yet slightly off-kilter. Lucyās still around, juggling motherhood and library management, but the emotional center shifts to Nichelleās family drama and her rocky first week surrounded by suspicious small-town secrets.
For longtime readers, that shift is jarring. We know the town, the people, and their secrets, but Nichelle doesnāt, and those gaps arenāt filled in. Familiar characters feel oddly distant, and the emotional shorthand that usually makes this series so cozy just isnāt there. Nichelleās arc is intriguing. A woman confronting a past she thought was buried thirty-eight years ago, but the pacing and investigative beats donāt quite land with the same cozy confidence as previous installments. The addition of Detective Rhonda Thomas, who is rigid and rule-bound in contrast to the easygoing Sam Watson, further unsettles the balance. Her treatment of Lucy, in particular, left me uneasy and not especially excited to see her stick around.
The mystery itself, centered on Nichelleās long-estranged father and the unsettling legacy he left behind, has solid bones, but the execution felt rough. Nichelleās lack of sleuthing experience is understandable, yet the investigation and resolution never fully clicked. Itās like driving a familiar road and suddenly realizing the seatās been adjusted just enough to throw everything off. I wanted to love this one more than I did, but it didnāt quite settle into place. Still, Eva Gatesā atmospheric details and character warmth shine through. Even when the mystery falters, the Outer Banks charm and community affection keep you turning pages. And one slightly off installment in a long-running series as consistent as this? Hardly a dealbreaker.
Would I recommend it? A solid, if uneven, addition to the Lighthouse Library Mysteries. As a standalone or a transitional book, it works, but as a longtime fan of this series, it felt off in ways I couldnāt ignore. That said, one uneven entry wonāt shake my loyalty to Eva Gates (aka Vicki Delany). Iāll absolutely be back for the next installment, hopeful that Lucy returns to center stage and the series finds its familiar rhythm again. If youāre curious to see life at the library through fresh eyes, add this to your TBR. Longtime fans may feel conflicted, but Iām not giving up on this lighthouse just yet.
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.com.