This is the second book in the Haunted Library Mystery series. I read the first book, but I found this one a little harder to get into for some reason. Maybe because the book read slowly, I kept putting it down and found it hard to restart.

Carrie Singleton works in the library, and things are going well for her until her father Jim reappears. He's been in jail for theft and has never been much of a father to her, and she'd rather he go away. When his former partner is found murdered in the library, Carrie is put in a very difficult position. She doesn't think he killed anyone and wants to clear him, but on the other side is her investigator boyfriend Dylan.

Carrie is in a tough position but knows that until she finds the murderer neither relationship can move forward.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this second addition to the series. Carrie's father makes an appearance in her life. Breaking into her home in the middle of the night. Then has the nerve to ask her to help him find the jewels he had stolen previously and are now being held by a local jeweler. Things soon unravel and murder and heartbreak ensue.

I wish Evelyn had made more appearances in this book, but she did play a supporting role of sorts and I enjoyed her dialogue. Smokey Joe is becoming a more central character, as cats tend to do!

Its my first book of this author. Her writing style is really cozy, took me back on my early reading days, when it was summer vacation, and I would spent all of it relaxing with a cozy mystery book like Nancy Drew or Tin Goyenda (Three Detectives).
Its quite an easy read with a lot of loving characters. Though all the characters are adults, the young readers can easily read the series cause the language is decent and easy to follow.

A spirited cozy series with two plucky and engaging protagonists and a well-drawn, small town library setting. Great series the Haunted Library Mysteries by new-to-me author, Allison Brook with a great cast of characters, well-crafted and fast-paced plot in a charming small town setting. I knew as soon as I started reading that I wouldn't be able to put this book down until I read the last word.

I really liked Carrie Singleton, head of programs and events at the local library and her dynamic with the other residents of Clover Ridge, Connecticut, especially the ghost librarian, Evelyn Havers.

This story is set at Christmas time and it’s hard to read about the holidays when its 100 degrees outside. But I did enjoy this book overall. I was first drawn to the cover of the book and it reminded me of an Agatha Christie novel and it didn’t disappoint. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Great story set at Christmas time. Quick, fun read. Delightful cozy mystery.
Thank you netgalley, the publisher and Allison Brook.

This is a twisty plot that is just a tiny bit edgy for a "cozy mystery" genre, not unlike the librarian, Carrie Singleton, the narrator and main character. Having a quick-paced, slightly implausible plot gave me a slight thrill and escape from the deeper genres. I am curious to see if the next book will go any deeper into the characters' development. As I am a Catholic reviewer, I will say this has some issues with clearly showing the consequences of one's actions, whether the heroine or villain. Does Carrie realize that some of her decisions are rather similar to her parents' own failings? Time will tell.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a free copy of this book in turn for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. At first, it seemed like too much going on but after about the first 3 chapters, it kept me on my toes and left me wanting to know who did it and what was going to happen

The characters really shine in this mystery-- I loved Carrie, and the supporting cast. Her dad is one you're not really sure about, and adds some realistic nuance. The library ghost is a nice touch.

The mystery was a bit more far-fetched, but I could overlook that part since the characters kept the pages turning. Slightly less traditional than your typical cozy mystery with more flair in the writing (including a bit more romance), I would recommend this book to someone looking for a fresh read in the cozy genre.

I haven't read the first yet but it's going on my list...

Carrie is settling in to her new job as the program director of the town library, then her father shows up looking for some missing stolen jewels and people start dying.

This is the second "Haunted Library" series. The plot is pleasant enough and quick paced with quirky and likeable characters. It's a pleasant "summer read" for those who like rather predictable and formulaic mysteries. Nothing shocking here, but that's just fine. After a steady diet of thrillers with twists and turns that cause whiplash, this is a very nice diversion. This is not Pulitzer Prize winning fiction, but who cares? For fans of Earl Emerson or Mary Daheim or any of the others that write readable mystery fiction. Enjoyable, entertaining, and even sweet with a bit of romance thrown in. Just fun to read -- what's wrong with that?

Another delightful cozy mystery filled with suspense and plenty of twists and turns along the way. An amazing book to get lost in.

I loved this second offering in Allison Brook's series. Carrie is an intriguing character with a complex past that has come back to haunt her in the form of her estranged jewel thief father. She is also haunted I the library where she works by a charming ghost. Somehow this all works, as does the sharp mystery in which her father is implicated and the romance with the insurance agent who is investigating him. Add in a library cat and you have a fun time! I recommend the series.

A fantastic example of the cosy mystery genre (one of may favourites!) fun and easy to read, loved it!

3.5 stars.

Small hometown.
Pretty neat cottage.
Winter Season.
Absent Parent apparates into existence.
A body is found soon after.
And so is the rat race for some stolen gems...those whose location are a mysteriously a mystery and if thats not enough for our main character...almost every person that has had the inkling of the gems whereabouts is turning up death.

The story starts of a bit rocky, I felta little lost in the first 2 chapters (probabaly becasuen I'm reading the 2nd book first).
This is quite perfect mystery for holidays, its not too submerged in crime solving nor is it too absorbed about relationships.
Despite having not read book 1, I caught up with characters pretty well. I loved to see the balance of her work life and family life and also seeing her struggle with insecurities and self doubt made the MC even more likable and so so did her interactions with others.

Overall the story was quite decent noting over the top but very enjoyable and as much as it had me guessing it was a cozy read as well.

On the the down side I had a hard time to be hooked into the story telling style, and some characters felt flat and almost interchangeable with others.

I'm picky about cozy mysteries and their quality because it is my favorite genre. I absolutely LOVED "Read And Gone" and cannot wait to get my hands on paperbacks of any book by Allison Brook.

Carrie is startled when an intruder breaks into her cottage and she discovers it is her Dad, he has spent all of her life in various scams (and occasionally being jailed for them) this time though it is happening closer to home. Jim Singleton has arrived in the town to connect with a local jeweler, Benton Parr, Jim's accomplice in a gem heist a few years back, Jim wants his half of the proceeds but when he goes to collect Benton can't help, mainly because he is lying dead on the floor of the jewelry shop. Jim was found there with the body and so is arrested, but then released, only to end up in hospital, then there is another death, and another and it looks as though Christmas will be cancelled. Oh and add in the fact that Dylan (Carrie's boyfriend and an insurance investigator) is looking for the jewel (and therefore at Jim), there are mice in the library (Smokey Joe the library cat it doing his best there) and Carrie needs to buy a Secret Santa gift for her Nemesis Dorothy and things are not looking good in Carrie's life, thankfully she has Evelyn (the ghost) and her relatives to help keep her sane.

Carrie's father is a thief. He shows up in the middle of the night, and wants her to help him recover his portion of the gems from a heist he did with a local jeweler. She refuses to help, but when the jeweler is murdered, and her dad is arrested, Carrie gets involved. She knows her father to be a thief, but not a killer, so she wants to clear his name. To complicate matters, it turns out Carrie's boyfriend is an insurance investigator, and he's looking for the stolen gems, too.

The 2nd book in The Haunted Library mystery series. This book doesn't have much about the haunted library. I haven't read the first book in the series, so I'm guessing that one features more of the library ghost. This 2nd book was good as a standalone.

A sweet and fun cozy mystery. Charming setting and, mostly, likable characters. Quick and easy read, good for fans of cozies that involve libraries and bookish characters.

This was a fun, easy to read cozy. Although, if you add a library and a library cat into your story, I’m going to think it’s fun automatically. However, this really WAS an enjoyable read and it was a little more in depth than your everyday cozy. Don’t get me wrong, I like everyday cozies but this had some relationships that don’t normally come up in a story like this. Relationships that make us think about how we would handle things if they happened to us. Relationships that show how much one wrong step can hurt many people in a family all of their lives. So…sounds serious doesn’t it? Well, it is a little but right in the middle of these intricate events up pops a ghost, one with a sense of humor which is the only kind I can imagine wanting to see.

This cozy also had all of the parts it should have…good friends, dinner nights, a boyfriend, a delightful little town, your one extremely judgmental librarian and of course, a delightful small town. The characters and the scene of the town were so well-defined I felt as if I could picture them.

Hope I have given you the impression that I really enjoyed this book. It is Book 2 in a series titled “A Haunted Library Mystery”. Looks like Book 1 got good reviews and I see no reason that Book 2 can’t stand alone as a story so…since I enjoyed this one, I think I’ll go back and try the first one.

***This book was provided to me free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 2nd book in this series by Allison Brook.

This is a fun, light cozy mystery, with just the right touch of romance.
Carrie is the main character, she works in her local library in the charge of Programs and Events.

Her dad has been absent most of her life, so when he makes a sudden appearance in her life, Carrie isn't sure how to handle her emotions.
Anyone who is a fan of cozy mysteries will certainly enjoy this book.

I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

I love fun mysteries that I can snuggle in with. That is what drew me to reading Read and Gone by Allison Brook. Unfortunately, that is not what I got. Less than a quarter of the way through the book I was completely annoyed with the main character, Carrie. Her actions were childish and irrational, swinging from functional adult to petulant child. Carrie has some very real “daddy issues” that were quite off-putting. The reconciliation with her father was unbelievable. That her “boyfriend” would put up with her revolving door accusations and apologies made that character look foolish as well. The “ghost” in the library was just odd. The suggestion that a woman having an affair with a man who was murdered, an argument with her husband and being banned from her boyfriend’s funeral would result in PTSD clearly illustrated Ms. Brook’s lack of understanding of that condition suggesting a lack of research on top of subject ignorance.
Despite the off-putting character development, I did make it to the end of the book. I’m sad to say that while the story improved somewhat, the characters did not. They seem a largely co-dependent, needy group who are not people one would wish to spend time with.
In all, the story was OK. I could not recommend it and would not choose to read another story from Ms. Brook.