Title: Read and Gone

Author: Allison Brook

Series: The Haunted Library Mystery book 2

Chapters: 38

Pages: 320

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 3.5 stars

Read and Gone is the second book in The Haunted Library mysteries by Allison Brook. Carrie Singleton has settled into her job as the program librarian at her library; is dating a great guy. When her father whom she hasn't seen in years shows up needing her help to basically break the law.
I enjoyed this one more that the first book in the series. I think it would have been a better fit if I had read it in either November or December as it’s a Christmas cozy mysteries. But it's a great book to curl up with a cup of cocoa a blanket and a cat if you have one as the cat in this series plays a big roll or a dog and spend a cold winter's day reading. I loved that even though Carrie's toned down her look she's still not your typical librarian. As a library Assistant it’s nice to read books about libraries that don't show librarians in the typical skirt suit and tight bun. We dress in a variety of styles and we are different ages.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

The book takes place a few weeks after the first one and this time Carrie is helping her dad clear his name. From the moment Jim reenters Carrie's life it goes downhill for her happiness and well being.

There are many revelations that sent her on a roller coaster of emotions that makes you want to get in the book and smack her upside the head. I found myself engrossed into the story and wanting to know everything quickly. The speculations this lady comes up with have you mistrusting everyone and their cat but at the same time makes you wonder why she's working as head of P and E at the library and not as a detective.

I am intrigued by Evelyn and all her fashion stuff. I love uncle Bosco and aunt Harriet and Smokey Joe too! Such an adorable cat and smart to boot.

The only thing that I found not liking was the fact that at the end of book one Carrie and Dylan were starting to get involved and in this one, they are an item. I feel like I missed something (just the romantic reader in me I guess). Although I am happy that we get to learn a little bit more about Dylan and his work.

I am seriously falling in love with this characters. I can't wait to read more and get to know this characters better.

Credit the Cat!

I join the men in Carrie's life, feeling as if I'm watching a bad horror flick and shouting from the sidelines, "Don't go into the house." While she does seem to be coming to grips with some of her abandonment issues, Carrie tends to act without thinking through the consequences and, were she not narrating, you'd have expected her to be one of the first corpses. You can enjoy trying to solve the mystery (clues exist!) but the denouement is a result of . . . sorry--no spoilers! The series is sequential but this story stands alone.

I had the best time reading this book and I'm absolutely looking forward to more books in this series. the characters are so much fun and who wouldn't love a haunted library?! This is just a fun, well written mystery.

Christmas is right around the corner in Clover Ridge and Carrie and the library staff are busy decorating and having programs for the holiday season. Carrie's Dad, a thief that didn't spend much time with her during her childhood, shows up unexpectedly and her seemingly perfect life goes a little off course. He is in town looking for gems that he helped steal and is hoping to collect his share from his partner, a local businessman. When Carrie's Dad is accused of murder and ends up in the hospital, Carrie decides that she must find the gems and turn them over to the police to keep her Dad out of jail. The book had many suspects that kept it interesting and I loved reading about all of the events going on at the library and how Smoky Joe continues to have a role as the library cat. I really like the characters and enjoy seeing how Evelyn, the ghost, helps Carrie without giving her the answers. This was an entertaining mystery with a Christmas theme to get me in the mood for the holidays!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Allison Brook returns to her Haunted Library setting with Read and Gone. Carrie Singleton, librarian, faces an unexpected visit from her father, a repeat offender thief, who is seeking the jewels missing from a past heist. Unfortunately many are seeking these hidden gems and dead bodies start piling up. Smokey Joe, the resident library cat, has some ideas where the jewels might be. Should Carrie reconcile with her father and is he goiing straight? What has the library ghost to add to the search? Tune in and find out.

Carrie's dead beat dad shows up. Carrie admits that he is a flawed individual and that she is not happy he is there. Very mature and reasonable. Then she goes crazy and becomes incredibly stupid. Ultimately, she regains her sanity and the mystery is decent so I went from a mere ok to an almost like rating.

I liked the first book more and hope the next doesn't go over the top in order to accomplish something. Not sure why the author felt the character had to respond as she did to the situation.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.. 3.5/5.0

This is a solid second entry in the Haunted Library series. Though I am still sometimes skeptical about the need for the ghost character, I did enjoy learning more about Carrie's relationship with her jewel thief dad and following along as she tried to clear his name of murder charges. I also enjoyed all the little details about working in the library, and all the ups and downs of Carrie's romantic interest in her landlord. Carrie is a believable and sympathetic protagonist and I plan to stick with her into the next book!

Christmas. A library. And a main character named Carrie. Sign me up!!

When you add in the cute ghost of the former head librarian, plus a library cat with personality and a supporting cast of friends, family, and not-so-friends, you’ve got a great recipe for a cozy mystery.

In Read and Gone, the author takes us back to the Clover Ridge Public Library and this time we get even more insight into Carrie Singleton’s personal life. Particularly her relationship with her father Jim, a thief who shows up unexpectedly after years on the lam. There were a lot of dynamics going on with this part of the storyline – not the least of which was Carrie’s conflicting emotions around seeing her dad again (and being asked to help him recover his share of the gems he stole). I thought the author portrayed all of these dynamics really well – and authentically – while still in keeping with the tone of a cozy mystery. I didn’t care so much, however, for the up and down dramatics around Carrie’s relationship with Dylan. I understood her concerns the first time but after a bit I was just done with her fluctuating pity party about it lol.

The mystery itself kept me guessing, and while I had my suspicions I wasn’t completely right – and it didn’t play out like I thought it would (which is a good thing!). There were a lot of different facets to this mystery as well – from the original gem heist (and where are they now?) to the murders that keep piling up to what exactly is Carrie’s dad up to now? I wish Evelyn Havers (the friendly resident library ghost) had played more of a role in this book, as far as the mystery goes, but I enjoyed the glimpses of her nonetheless.

Bottom Line: A charming small town with a copious cast of characters, a small-town library with a surprisingly robust staff list, a feisty library cat with his own plans and plots, and the former head librarian who is haunting her old digs (whom only Carrie and her young cousin can see). Throw in a jewel heist, the missing gems, and a handful of murders and you’ve got yourself an entertaining cozy mystery! Brook’s library setting is every bibliophile’s dream, and Carrie is a very likable heroine. The mystery is well-plotted, and the characters are layered and intriguing. I’m already looking forward to book #3!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

I’m really loving Allison Brook’s A Haunted Library Mystery series. Read and Gone is the second book in the series, and is a standalone read. Taking place a few months after the end of Death Overdue, Read and Gone finds Carrie Singleton celebrating her birthday and preparing for Christmas.

After enjoying a successful birthday party at her small cottage and seeing everyone off, Carrie is awakened by her long lost father Jim, breaking into her house. Jim didn’t show up because he missed Carrie and wanted to reconnect with her after years of separation. He shows up because he wants her to help him get his half of stolen jewels he stole with local jeweler Benton Parr.

Things get even more complicated for Carrie when Benton is found dead inside of Parr’s Precious Pieces and Jim is seen running from the scene. While Jim may have been an absentee father, Carrie still loves him and vows to do everything she can to help him. This even includes breaking up with her boyfriend, insurance investigator Dylan Avery, after she learns he questioned her father regarding the missing jewels. With her life in upheaval, Carrie wonders if it is time for her to move on. After all, she truly isn’t used to staying in one place for long. While she doesn’t know what her future holds, Carrie knows that she must find the jewels and turn them in to prevent her father from going to prison. She’s just surprised to realize that so many people know about the stolen jewels and seem to be looking for them as well, even at the cost of their own lives.

Read and Gone was a good mystery. I found myself enjoying the story and not consciously trying to figure out what was going on. I loved that Allison kept me guessing as to who the killer(s) were up until the reveal. However, the location of the jewels was pretty easy to figure out. The secondary characters of Dylan, Uncle Bosco, and Aunt Harriet are all warm, caring, and supportive. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series. So far, Allison has covered Halloween and Christmas. I wonder what’s next.

Read and Gone is the second book in the Haunted Library Mysteries series by Allison Brook. I do recommend reading the series in order, to get the backstory of the characters and set up, but I think newcomers could catch on fairly quickly.

A devoted dad is as precious as diamonds, but Carrie Singleton wouldn't know since her dad Jim's been on the lam most of her life. In an unusual family reunion, she finds Jim breaking into her cottage in the middle of the night. The fun really starts when he begs her to help him recover his half of a seven-million-dollar gem heist he pulled off with the local jeweler, Benton Parr. When she refuses, Jim takes off again. Carrie finds her father again behind bars for the recent murder of Benton Parr. Who made the connection? Unbeknownst to her, Carrie's boyfriend Dylan, an insurance investigator, has been searching for the gems. Determined to find the jewels herself, she starts examining every facet of Parr's life. She turns up a treasure trove of suspects, one of whom bashes her on the head as she's searching the victim's country cabin. Retreating to the quiet confines of the library where she works, Carrie watches as Smokey Joe, the resident cat, paws at a hole in the wall. Is he after the library's ghost Evelyn, or something shinier?

Read and Gone is a solid continuation to this series. I enjoyed that Carrie and the secondary characters continue to grow, and that I am still learning new things about them even though they feel like old friends. The addition of her father and the mystery and murder that follow in his wake was well done. I found the mystery to be multi layered and well handled, and even with the amount of suspects and twists I never felt like there was so much going on that I could not keep track of it all. I will admit that I had my suspicions about who might be involved in the big reveal, and I was mostly right. However, I really enjoyed the journey to get to those answers. While I enjoyed Jim, Carrie's dad, and his role in the action and felt that the emotional rollercoaster Carrie was dealing with were well written, I have to admit that I got frustrated with her on occasion. She seems a little quick to cut people out, and them gets upset when they take her at her word. However, as annoyed as I was I felt both sides were completely realistic and in character for them. It felt like giving advice to a friend who then ignores your coaching and does something completely different, normal but still bothersome.

Read and Gone is an engaging read with plenty of twists and turns to keep mystery readers happy and enough character development and emotion to keep everyone turning those pages.

Read and Gone is the second cozy mystery in the Haunted Library Mystery series. Carrie Singleton is the head of programs and events at the Clover Ridge, CT library. She loves her job, even though the library comes with a special guest...the ghost of a former librarian, Evelyn. In this second mystery, Carrie is gearing up for the holiday season at the library, when her long-lost father shows up, begging her to help him. Jim Singleton is a crook and Carrie hasn't seen him in years. He tells a tale of a jewelry heist gone wrong and the local jeweler who refuses to give him his share of the take. Soon after, the jeweler is found murdered. Is her father a crook and a murderer? Or....is a dangerous criminal hanging around hoping to get the jewels they stole?

Read and Gone is an entertaining continuation of this new cozy series. I like the background theme of a haunted library. Evelyn is a hoot and a very helpful ghost when it comes to sleuthing. Smokey Joe is awesome as the designated library cat, of course. I like the characters in this series. Carrie is intelligent, creative and feisty when necessary. She is also kind -- she agreed to help her horrid father, even though he pretty much abandoned her in childhood. The mystery and sleuthing moved along at a nice pace, with plenty of investigation, suspects and twists. With Fall coming on, I really enjoyed reading a cozy with a ghostly element to it. :)

I will definitely be reading more of this series. It always provides a cozy, entertaining reading experience. Allison Brook is a pen-name of Author Marilyn Levinson. Levinson has published several books including A Murderer Among Us and Giving up the Ghost. I will be reading some of her other books while waiting for book 3 in this series! :)

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, then you are fully aware of the fact that I absolutely love cozy mysteries involving books. Having read and reviewed the first book in this series, I was anticipating the growth and development that occurs as these types of stories continue.

Once again, there is just a hint of the paranormal, which works fittingly as a way to ease into the Halloween spirit as well as the overall holiday mood in general with the community gearing up for Christmas festivities. Evelyn, the ghost, acts largely as a mentor to Carrie rather than a haunting presence in the library, imparting incredible wisdom and advice. Though I would have enjoyed seeing her play a larger role, I greatly appreciated her ability to guide and mentor Carrie in not just Carrie's job, but in her personal relationships as well.

While this can definitely be read as a standalone, the pacing greatly improved as there was a much better balance between description and action. Everyday minutiae added context instead of what often felt like filler when reading the first book. Carrie has much more motivation to get involved in this investigation and it provided ample opportunities for her spunkiness to shine!

With multiple mysteries to solve and a shady cast of secondary characters, this installment continues to showcase the upbeat and lighthearted nature of cozies. Even with an insightful ghost lurking around, very few clues are made available within this multilayered and well plotted mystery. I was also pleasantly surprised by the discussions the story encourages regarding family dynamics.

While I hope that the series embraces more of the paranormal as it goes on, I will continue to return to Clover Ridge to find out what shenanigans Carrie has gotten herself into this time around as well as the interesting programs she designs for the library.

I wasn't quite sure what to make of this book. On the one hand, it was a nice easy read and enjoyable enough. On the other, I think it was 90% chick-lit relationship (boyfriend and daddy) issues, and the whole library ghost side that gives the series its name was sidelined and almost pointless, which was a disappointment. Hopefully the balance is redressed if/when a third in the series appears.

Twenty million dollars’ worth of missing gems bring Carrie Singleton’s long-lost and larcenous dad, Jim, back into her life and it’s up to Carrie to clear his name. Jim has been out of her life more than he has been in due to his life as a cat burglar specializing in gems.

Although this is book 2 in this series, I had no difficulty reading it as a stand alone. Carrie is a single 30 year old and is head of the Programs and Events Department of her local library. I would sure love to live near this library with all the wonderful programs Carrie planned for the holiday season. Carrie has a very quiet ghostly helper, Evelyn, who used to work in the library before she died. Also her cat, Smokey Joe, plays a cute role as he is adopted by all the library patrons when she brings him each day. A few mice also help solve the mystery. With plenty of twists and turns, lots of red herrings, a few murders and plenty of suspects, this book kept me guessing until the very end.

I liked how Carrie and her father worked on rebuilding their broken relationship. It will be interesting to see if it continues to develop as he finds a new line of work as the series continues. A cute, cozy that I would definitely recommend.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

After a joint birthday/housewarming party, Carrie Singleton is happy and settling into her new job as programs and events librarian in small-town Clover Ridge. Then Carrie is awoken in the middle of the night by her estranged thief father Jim who asks for her help to get his share of $7 million of stolen gems from his partner, jeweler Benton Parr. Carrie refuses to help and things go awry when Parr is stabbed to death at his jewelry business and Jim is found at the scene. Jim claims he is innocent of the murder and again asks Carrie for help. Then Jim is attacked and a strange man is watching Carrie's house. Carrie reluctantly gets involved and starts asking questions. More murders occur and Carrie's hopes of a happy Christmas holiday with Jim and the rest of her family almost ruined. This was a fun quick read in the Haunted Library Mystery series. The library's ghost Evelyn only appears briefly in this story.

I received an eARC via Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

I really love this series. The library setting, the ghost, missing gems, estranged dad - all add up to a great mystery! I highly recommend this book and series to all! I recieved a copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

The story starts out with a nice housewarming party with friends and lots of food, then everything goes crazy 🙂 Carrie wakes up to find an intruder in her house that turns out to be Jim, her father. He is only there for one thing, Carrie’s help to get back his share of gems from a heist from several years ago. His partner in crime, Benton Parr, a local jeweler, agreed to hide the loot until Jim came for it. Well, Jim wants it and hopes Carrie smooth the way. Carrie agrees to contact the man to get her dad out of her house.

But, the next time she hears from her dad it is to get him out of jail. Benton Parr was murdered and good ole’ dad was found standing over the body. If that isn’t enough, Carrie learns that the case her new boyfriend Dylan is working on is recovering the very same gems her father had stolen. Was he only leading her on to track down her father? Did he only rent to her in the hopes her dad would drop by? Bad enough, Dylan travels so much for his job, was he avoiding her or was he really working? Is anything about their relationship real?

Carrie’s whole life has been turned inside out. Thankfully she can escape to her job at the library with Smokey Joe. Maybe she will be able to track down the gems herself. What does that mean for her relationship with Dylan? What will that mean to the relationship with her dad? Does she want to have a relationship with her dad?

OMG! I started this book and I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up until early in the morning to finish it all in one sitting.

The first couple of chapters felt off, forced, not what I expected from this author. I was worried. But then the story started to flow and the author exceeded my expectations.

The characters in this series are so clearly written. Carrie, her aunt, and uncle are so genuine. They try to see the best in everyone and are truly there for each other. Her dad returning is quite a shock but his brother and his wife take him in for a while until he moves in with Carrie. Evelyn is a unique character in that, she is a ghost. A very well dressed and coiffed ghost, who appears in the most opportune moments and can only be seen by Carrie and one other person. She gives Carrie “food for thought” and adds a few laughs to the story. I had an aunt the was named Evelyn and the Evelyn in this story reminds me very much of her. She passed on several years ago and to my knowledge she doesn’t haunt anyone though. 🙂 Carrie’s cat Smokey Joe has become the library cat. The patrons love him. As for Dylan, he gets in some hot water with Carrie this time and in my mind, he deserves being there.

The author takes these wonderful characters and twists and turns them around in a marvelous mystery. There is a treasure trove of suspects, the man had enemies. His family and a few “friends” had means, motive, and opportunity. Carrie’s dad is the perfect suspect but she knows he is being set up. There is a very well embedded subplot to the story that adds interest too, how it ended both warmed and broke my heart.

Christmastime in Clover Ridge, Connecticut sounds absolutely delightful. There are plenty of programs at the library including carolers and choirs performing. Carrie is doing very well in her job as the head of programs and events and the town is very happy she decided to make her home in Clover Ridge.

This story reads very well on its own, but if you haven’t read Death Overdue, it has a Halloween theme and there is no time like the present to start this series from the beginning so you can get to know Carrie and the residents of Clover Ridge from the start.

I highly recommend this one. Be sure to plan accordingly, you may have a late night and a book hangover the next day, but it is so worth it!

Read and Gone
The Haunted Library Mysteries, Book #2
Allison Brook
5 Stars

Synopsis:

Seven-million dollars' worth of missing gems bring Carrie Singleton's long-lost and larcenous dad back into her life and it's up to Carrie to clear his name.

A devoted dad is as precious as diamonds, but Carrie Singleton wouldn't know since her dad Jim's been on the lam most of her life. In an unusual family reunion, she finds Jim breaking into her cottage in the middle of the night. The fun really starts when he begs her to help him recover his half of a seven-million-dollar gem heist he pulled off with the local jeweler, Benton Parr. When she refuses, Jim takes off again.

Carrie finds her father again behind bars for the recent murder of Benton Parr. Who made the connection? Unbeknownst to her, Carrie's boyfriend Dylan, an insurance investigator, has been searching for the gems. Determined to find the jewels herself, she starts examining every facet of Parr's life. She turns up a treasure trove of suspects, one of whom bashes her on the head as she's searching the victim's country cabin.

Retreating to the quiet confines of the library where she works, Carrie watches as Smokey Joe, the resident cat, paws at a hole in the wall. Is he after the library's ghost Evelyn, or something shinier? (Goodreads)


Review:

Carrie has a wonderful job as head of Programs and Events at her local library. She has a loving and caring aunt and uncle and an adorable cat. She also has a absent father who has returned home to ask Carrie for help locating stolen gems (he had a big part in the gems being stolen). Just what every daughter wants, to help her dad finish pulling off his crime, especially when she has not seen him in a long time. She will have to decide if she wants to help him or not, and also figure out who has gone a a killing spree.

The characters are well rounded and well developed. The relationship between her and her aunt and uncle is special and you can tell how much they love each other. She has some good friends that she works with and she has a resident library ghost, Evelyn, that she talks to whenever the ghost appears. I do wish that Evelyn would have had a bigger part in this book, like she did in book one. Hopefully she will be more active in the next book.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing without getting to wordy. The mystery was well plotted and was carried on well throughout the entire book. With numerous killings and twists and turns, it was not an easy mystery to solve.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I have read both books in this series and I enjoyed both of them.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novella provided by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

Allison Brook has one of the most innovative new mystery series out!

In Read & Gone (Haunted Library Book 2), the book begins with Carrie (ghost seeing librarian) having a birthday/housewarming party. Carrie is in charge of Programs & Events for the Clover Ridge Library. I'm going to pause for a minute to acknowledge the awesome job Ms. Brook, did in catching any new readers up to date without annoying those of us that read the first book. Carrie with her boyfriend Dylan Avery who plays a heavier role in this book in his role as an investigator. Carrie's great-aunt Harriet and most of the original cast of characters are at the party. After the party, she's awakened by a noise in her house! Turns out it's her neglectful father Jim, who's broken in after not having seen him for years. From here the story progresses quickly through lies, assaults, robbery, and murder! This is set during the holiday rush which for me made it even better when you see the realistic running around and planning that Carrie has to do. I'm quickly coming to love little Tacey! Her question and the remark at the end was utterly adorable.
All in all, I can't wait to read book three! I give this book 5 stars character and setting, This series would be enjoyed by anyone who loves a good solid character-driven mystery, Jenn McKinlay, Dorothy St James or Leslie Langtry.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy.