Devi Nair
š§ Listened in audio š¢ Narrated by: Mia Chiaromonte ā± Duration: 9 hours š·ļø Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Look, I came for the ghost librarian and stayed for... actually, I'm not sure I ever fully stayed. The premise of Death Overdue is genuinely charming. A haunted small-town library, a fifteen-year-old cold case, and a protagonist who stumbles into mystery like it's a full-time job. Evelyn the ghost is hands down the most interesting character in this audiobook, and I would read an entire series about her without blinking. Mia Chiaromonte's narration is pleasant and easy to follow, which helped, because I needed something to keep me anchored.
Here's where I struggled: Carrie Singleton and I simply did not get along. Every time a moderately attractive man smiled in her direction, the internal monologue derailed into maybe he likes me? territory, and I found myself staring at the ceiling. I get it! She's nearly 30, she's rebuilding her life, a little romanticism is understandable. But it happened so often it started pulling me out of the actual mystery. And then there's Dorothy, the workplace nemesis who felt more like a distraction subplot than a story driver. The friction never went anywhere meaningful.
What also tripped me up was the disconnect between Carrie's stated situation, almost broke, fresh start, counting pennies, and her actual behavior. Girl is "restricting herself" from artisanal cheese and good wine at the grocery store. If I had a few hundred dollars to my name, my cart would look very different. These details stacked up across 9 hours of listening and kept nudging me out of my willingness to believe in her. The ending, too, felt a little too convenient, a classic cozy wrap-up that required just a bit too much suspension of disbelief even for a story with an actual ghost in it. I'm tapping out on this series, but I can absolutely see why others love it.
Would I recommend it? If you like your cozy mysteries heavy on domestic detail and light on realism, you might still enjoy Death Overdue. But if you need a grounded plot and a sleuth who feels relatable, this one might test your patience. I wanted to love this one. We just weren't meant to be.
š§ Listened in audio š¢ Narrated by: Mia Chiaromonte ā± Duration: 9 hours š·ļø Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Look, I came for the ghost librarian and stayed for... actually, I'm not sure I ever fully stayed. The premise of Death Overdue is genuinely charming. A haunted small-town library, a fifteen-year-old cold case, and a protagonist who stumbles into mystery like it's a full-time job. Evelyn the ghost is hands down the most interesting character in this audiobook, and I would read an entire series about her without blinking. Mia Chiaromonte's narration is pleasant and easy to follow, which helped, because I needed something to keep me anchored.
Here's where I struggled: Carrie Singleton and I simply did not get along. Every time a moderately attractive man smiled in her direction, the internal monologue derailed into maybe he likes me? territory, and I found myself staring at the ceiling. I get it! She's nearly 30, she's rebuilding her life, a little romanticism is understandable. But it happened so often it started pulling me out of the actual mystery. And then there's Dorothy, the workplace nemesis who felt more like a distraction subplot than a story driver. The friction never went anywhere meaningful.
What also tripped me up was the disconnect between Carrie's stated situation, almost broke, fresh start, counting pennies, and her actual behavior. Girl is "restricting herself" from artisanal cheese and good wine at the grocery store. If I had a few hundred dollars to my name, my cart would look very different. These details stacked up across 9 hours of listening and kept nudging me out of my willingness to believe in her. The ending, too, felt a little too convenient, a classic cozy wrap-up that required just a bit too much suspension of disbelief even for a story with an actual ghost in it. I'm tapping out on this series, but I can absolutely see why others love it.
Would I recommend it? If you like your cozy mysteries heavy on domestic detail and light on realism, you might still enjoy Death Overdue. But if you need a grounded plot and a sleuth who feels relatable, this one might test your patience. I wanted to love this one. We just weren't meant to be.