Get your thrills with mysteries available at the library
By NewsPress Now
Jenny Ellis, branch manager of the Carnegie Library, is sharing some of her favorite recent reads. The books are available at the St. Joseph Public Library, at other Missouri Evergreen libraries, or from one of the SJPL eContent vendors. Visit the library’s catalog at sjpl.missourievergreen.org to find these or other great books to enjoy.
“The Book of Doors” by Gareth Brown. I must admit at first I didn’t think I’d like this book. Within the first 100 pages so many characters are introduced I thought I’d need to start writing them down. It would have been helpful if the blurb for the book had warned there’s a large cast of characters. I’m not a big fantasy reader but I love books about books … especially if they’re magical books. I did have a few moments when I was left scratching my head but I’m happy to report all mysteries were solved by the end of the book.
“Enemies Don’t” by Leah Dobrinska. Oh everyone’s favorite enemies-to-lovers trope. Technically there’s another theme, but I can’t mention it without spoiling it. I love Cashmere Cove, the town that is the setting for the “Fall in Love” series. The first book was “Friends Don’t.” I’m not sure I believe Collin really gave up his playboy tendencies that easily. I found him almost unlikable even though he did do something that made me swoon. While reading the first book, I could tell what book 2 was probably going to be about and the same goes while reading this book. I know what book 3 is going to be about. I’m even more excited about book 3 after the way this book ended. You’re killing me, Leah. I want book 3 NOW.
“Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder” by Gracie Ruth Mitchell. This might be the first “killer romantic comedy” that I’ve read. I must admit I had a rough start with this book. I think it was because at first, I didn’t realize there were two different points of view. The chapters don’t have the name of the character, they have a sentence. I didn’t realize the name in the sentence represented the chapter’s point of view. But before I knew it, I was texting a co-worker witty lines from the book. I am eagerly awaiting book 2 in this new series, “Happily Ever Homicide.”
“A Pie to Die For” by Gretchen Rue. I love the idea of living on an island that doesn’t allow cars. I’m not sure I would be a fan of being cut off from the mainland for so many months in the winter, though. I want to eat at the Lucky Pie Diner, everything Este makes sounds so good. I also love that cats roam free on the island. It feels wrong but when the murder victim was introduced, I secretly hoped he was the one who got killed. I wasn’t quite sure who the killer was, but the culprit was on my list of suspects. The book left me wondering, does the island have a public library?
“The Killer’s Daughter” by Kate Wiley. I don’t read a lot of thrillers, but I do when I know the author is a pseudonym for an author I like. The whole premise of this book is very familiar to me since we live not too far from where the BTK killer lived. I must admit it is very interesting to think about someone who grows up not realizing their dad is a serial killer. The author got pretty descriptive, unlike the cozy mysteries that I normally read, but not over the top where I had to close to the book. I laughed at a couple of the creepy parts. Not sure what that says about me. I think fans of her other books will enjoy this and at the same time, I think it will draw in new fans.
