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Checked Out For Murder by Allison Brook
Series: The Haunted Library Mysteries #4
Genres: Cozy Mystery
Archetype: [archetype]

Carrie Singleton and Evelyn the ghost sleuth the slayings of a starlet and a star-crossed psychic in Agatha Award nominee Allison Brook's fourth Haunted Library mystery.

Daphne Marriott strolls into Clover Ridge and informs librarian Carrie Singleton that she's a psychic. But had she foreseen what fate awaited her, Daphne would have steered clear of the quaint Connecticut town. Evelyn, the library ghost, tells Carrie that there's more to Daphne than she lets on.

The mysterious woman grew up in Clover Ridge with her no-good dad, who apparently met his end at the hands of Daphne's brother, Billy. Still, Daphne proves a welcome distraction when Carrie's overbearing mother hits town. Mom's much younger husband, Tom, is in a movie that's lensing locally, and she's there to keep an eye on him: Tom's costar, sultry Ilana Reingold, is also his ex-fianc�e, and there's no denying the chemistry is still there. Soon after mingling with the moviemakers at a meet-and-greet, Daphne is found dead.

Carrie and Evelyn investigate, assisted by bushy-tailed library cat Smoky Joe. But the suspect list could overflow the library shelves. Has Billy killed another relative? Is their long-missing mother involved? Or Daphne's mean ex-husband? Carrie's sure she knows who committed the crime, but can she bind together the clues before the culprit Dewey-decimates the town?

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My Review

Carrie is a rather unique sleuth in that she has a ghost who helps her solve crime. It is a cute take on the cozy mysteries. Carrie’s mother and her younger second husband, Tom, are in town for the film he is staring in. Right away you know something is off between the couple. This makes an already strained relationship between Carrie and her mother even more strained. If all of that isn’t enough Carrie’s own boyfriend needs to go out of town and there’s a murder to solve! I mean what’s a crime solving librarian to do?

This was one of those feel good cozy mysteries (for everyone except the dead physic of course) where you will fall in love with the characters and the town. I really enjoyed that I couldn’t figure out who had done until the very end. There are plenty of clues but there are plenty of false leads as well. All in all this was a good read and a series I wouldn’t find visiting again.