Death Checked Out: A Larkspur Library Mystery
Ratings4
Average rating3.5
15
Ratings4
Average rating3.5
When in doubt, go to the library...and solve the murder mystery!
Greta Plank, library director in the small, lakeside town of Larkspur, Wisconsin, prefers her rose-tinted glasses extra rosy, thank you very much. It’s how she copes with the hard stuff in life…like her sister’s death and her ex-boyfriend’s deception. But Greta’s cheery resolve takes a hit when she stumbles upon a dead body on her way home from work. What she assumes is a terrible accident Greta soon learns is something more sinister, and to make matters worse, a new-to-town detective cites her as not only his primary source for the case, but his top suspect.
To clear her name and save her reputation, Greta decides to do some off-the-books clue cataloging of her own. After all, asking questions is what she does best. With the help of her fellow librarians and her lawyer mom, Greta flips through the pages of the murder, uncovering details about Larkspur’s real estate market and the deceased’s rare book collection as she tries to understand why anyone would have authored his death.
With friends and neighbors stacking up as both victims and suspects, Greta must cross reference the facts and put a hold on her idyllic worldview if she wants to get the full story without paying the fine of her life.
Featured Series
2 primary booksLarkspur Library Mysteries is a 2-book series with 2 primary works first released in 2022 with contributions by Leah Dobrinska. The next book is scheduled for release on 12/3/2024.
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Disclosure: I received a free arc through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
“There's no way there could have been a murder in this idyllic little town. Right?”
Wrong.
After a bit of a rocky start, I enjoyed Death Checked Out. It sure hit a lot of the cozy mystery marks – murder, a small town, a job involving books, and a cat. Oh, a main character who likes to snoop in ways I don't have the courage to emulate.
I have to say the start of the Death Checked out concerned me. The writing seemed stilted, and everything was told and over-explained. I wasn't really enthused with the first chapter, but it felt like the author really got her feet underneath her, and everything flowed better.
I could nitpick word usage now and again. The quote I began with is not something I see anyone saying non–ironically, but it turned out to be a small issue as I got into the story.
Greta was a quite likeable main character, and I found her to be really sympathetic, especially when encountering friends in peril. Being a mystery, this happened a fair amount. I felt sadness about the murder victim, as well as a potential romance that was nipped in the bud as a result.
The small town midwest setting on a lake is pretty spot on. My credentials are I live in a small town where you can't throw a rock without hearing a splash a state over from the setting off this book. Greta explains quite convincingly and accurately how nothing is a secret, although she has a more benevolent outlook on her neighbors, at least for a while, than I do mine. Well, some of them.
Greta does tend to tell everyone everything anyhow. Everyone. Everything.
The detective investigating the case is set up to be a love interest, and I'm sorta here for it. They have nice chemistry, and I'd like to know more of his back story in future books, which I'm planning to read.
I figured out who done it instantly, as well as who else not to trust. I might be a genius. No, seriously, I think I've just read enough books that it popped out for me.
The book definitely ticks off the “sweet” or “clean” box. I don't like those terms, and it's not something I particularly seek out, but if that's what you like, here is a book for you. What I mean is that I think there's 0 swearing, and the potential romance isn't spicy not even in thought, let alone deed.
This is probably a 3.5 read for me that I'm rounding up to 4 because I can't deny I'm looking forward to the next installment. I can't give it higher because of that rocky beginning and a few small issues with the prose. And the title doesn't thrill me. Cover's cute!
If you are looking to spend time with the start of a very nice cozy series with a likeable heroine, a peaceful setting – when the bodies aren't racking up – a cat named Biff, and a stoic detective/cutie, I can recommend this.
When I agreed to review Mayhem in Circulation, the second book in the Larkspur Library series, I knew I needed to read Death Checked Out first to get the lay of the land. What I got was a bunch of interesting characters, an idyllic small-town setting and a library! Ok, and a pretty darn well-crafted mystery.
I found Greta quite likeable and a pretty capable amateur sleuth. Yes, she bumbled around a little, but as it was her first foray into sleuthing, I wasn't too bothered by it. As a librarian, she has a pretty organized mind and loved flexing her researching muscles. I liked her interactions with her co-workers and friends, and I'm interested to see if anything comes of the sparks between her and the new detective in town.
The mystery was pretty solid. I figured it out before the reveal, but only in general terms, I didn't get the whole why of the situation. That said, as I often complain in cozy mysteries, I wasn't a fan of the reveal. Greta was close to solving it and then is being confronted by the murderer. I just wish she figured it out first. But in the end, it didn't matter since it still made for a good mystery.
This is my first book by Leah Dobrinska, but it won't be my last. I enjoyed the characters, setting and mystery. There was just enough world building, but the murder plot wasn't lost in the shuffle and for that I was thankful. I'm looking forward to reading Mayhem in Circulation.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Cute cover on this book!
I thought this was a thoroughly entertaining cozy. Lovely small town setting. Engaging plot that kept me guessing. It had a great cast of characters. I loved that the main characters were librarians and that the library is heavily featured in the story. I though Greta was very likable. I even liked the “smidge” of romance tension between Greta and the new sheriff. Was it perfect, no? But first books in series usually have some growing pains. I am definitely excited to see what this author has in store for us in the next installment.
