The book started kinda slow for me, but it did turn out to be an enjoyable read. I do however feel like I was missing something from it. I can’t figure out what, but I just feel like something was missing. I would happily recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery, although I did kinda figure out the who done it towards the end.

A good book. Well written with great characters and a good plot. The storyline flows and the mystery is enjoyable. I highly recommend.,

eighbor, writer Zoe Zola, and all of their adventures. This is an interesting community with many reoccurring characters but not so many that it gets overwhelming or hard to keep up with. This mystery involves a dead girl found in odd circumstances, a missing girl and a group of newcomers throwing money around and causing quite a stir. Zoe is front and center in this mystery which I enjoyed as I like seeing how her mind works. The mystery was intriguing and while I did figure out kind of what was going on about halfway through the book I was holding my breath to find out just how it was going to all unravel at the end. This ended up being a thoroughly enjoyable mystery with good level of suspense and nice pacing.

In this third book in the A Little Library Mystery series, librarian turned amateur sleuth Jenny Wilson and her next-door neighbour, author Zoe Zola, investigate the hit-and-run-related death of one young girl and the disappearance of another. The arrival of three newcomers to town interrupts their investigation though, as Jenny and Zoe are roped in to greeting the newly arrived Wickley siblings and their friend Fitzwilliam Dillon. Could the three have something to do with their case?

It proved to be a little hard to warm to the central characters in In Want of a Knife, although that might be due to me not having read the first two books in the series. The alternating perspectives did help to flesh them out, but they didn’t end up being as appealing as other sleuths in the cosy crime genre. The general tone of the book was a bit darker and more depressing than I was expecting, which might also have had an impact on the likeability of the characters.

Saying that, the murder mystery at the heart of the story was interesting and well plotted. There were a good number of suspects and the ultimate motivation behind the crimes, when finally discovered, did make sense. It all makes for a pretty entertaining read.

Side note: Fans of Pride and Prejudice will be able to spot a few Easter eggs throughout the book.

I really struggled to get into this book. I almost gave up in the opening chapter when she held an arm across her face to hold herself down ... but I persevered, hoping it would get better. But I'm afraid it didn't.

By the end of chapter 1, this opening character still hadn't even got out of bed, and when the second chapter opened, her friend was only just getting out of bed. And they were both so ... depressed.

I'm afraid I gave up, thinking life was too short and I still have so many more books to read.

However, I won't give one-star rating to a book I haven't even read, but as I tried several times to get going with this one and didn't, I'm afraid it's only 3 stars this time. Sorry! Thanks for giving me the opportunity, though.

Not your typical cozy mystery. Definitely a mystery and there is definitely a murder and a variety of interesting characters, but this story has a cast of sad and depressed characters which is unlike any other cozy that I have come across. The story was engaging and the characters were each very different and very small town, with the feeling of community. Dora stood out the most to me because she seemed the most level headed. That is not to say that Zoe isn't level headed and certainly stands out for a variety of big and little reasons. Very good plot twists and while I was able to figure out the who I did not know the why until the author began the slow reveal.

The story opens with the death of a teenage girl from the area wearing a very strange white lace dress with pearl buttons. What originally looks like a hit and run actually turns into a murder investigation and into areas far more sinister than just a hit and run. Soon another girl goes missing, will she face the same fate? Jenny and her friend Zoe assist the police department in unraveling this mystery.

Those this is categorized as a cozy Mystery, I found it anything but. The story is very dark, the characters are immature and boorish, there are parts of the story that really are extemporaneous and boring and add absolutely nothing to the storyline.

As much as I love cozy mysteries, I could not bring myself to like this one at all. I struggled terribly getting through this book and probably will not read any more. I truly wanted to like this book but could not.

Jenny Weston and her friend and neighbor, Zoe Zola, are drawn into the search for Cammy Otis who has disappeared. Recently Janice Root, a young woman, was found dead on the side of rode and now the town of Bear Falls thinks there may be a serial killer on the loose. Just as these tragedies are enveloping the town, they are informed that a new resident wants to gift $2 million to the town but wants to get to know the people as well.

The introduction of the new residents automatically points to them as the villains but the twists and turns of how Zoe and Jenny eventually solve these crimes kept this reader on the edge of her seat wondering if they would get there in time.

Definitely a winner!

Main characters Jenny Wilson and Zoe Zola attempt to find the murderer of a young girl. They live in a small town where everyone knows everyone. An added component is a rich new neighbor that comes to town and wants to be accepted.
This is the first book I've read by this author. I think I would have enjoyed it more had I read previous books that included these characters. It took quite awhile for me to really understand their relationships, friendships ect. But once I got them all figured out, I enjoyed the book.

This is the third book in the series but my first book. Zoe Zola is a unique protagonist for a cozy mystery. She is intelligent, independent, and strong-willed. Zoe is not the only interesting character in this book Jenny and the other residents of Bear Falls are entertaining and full of personality. The mysteries are engaging and well-paced to keep the reader involved in the story until the end.

I recommend this book to cozy mystery lovers. I plan on check out other books in this series. I was given an ARC of this book in hopes I would supply a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced.

Although Jenny Weston and Zoe Zola are little people, they play a big part in solving mysteries in Bear Falls. This is third book in the “Little Library” series.
Jenny is a librarian and amateur detective. Zoe is a writer. A young woman who helped her family at their fruit stand is found dead wearing an old-fashioned dress. And when another young woman disappears, the two step in to help find out what’s going on, with the help of Jenny’s mother, Dora.
New neighbors have recently moved to town from Chicago: siblings Nathan and Delia Wickley, and Fitzwilliam Dillon, who has offered the town of Bear Falls 2 million dollars to do with as they please for the community, thus causing strife as everyone has a “great” idea for the cash.
An intriguing story with a couple of twists and turns.

In Want of a Knife by Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli, a small bundle is found on the side of the road, which turns out to be a murdered young girl. During the investigation, another local girl from town disappears. Jenny, the town little librarian and her next door neighbor, author and little person Zoe, are determined to find the killer before any other little girls are taken. This is the third of the Little Library mysteries which surround the stories of Little people. The plot was good but not enough sustenance. The series discusses life of Little people and how they cope. The characters were very interesting, but this is a slow moving cozy. Thanks to Net Galley for an advanced reader’s copy.

This was the first in the series I had a chance to read, thanks to NetGalley.
Set in northern Michigan with a vivid cast of characters, I could picture for the most part, where the story took place, since I am from that area. The protags Jenny and Zoe are full of energy and headstrong, and they try to solve the mystery of a dead girl and another who is missing under very similar circumstances. Enter in three curious strangers from out of town, among whom one who is very affluent and wants to gift the town $2 million dollars for ambiguous reasons and there is no shortage of intrigue in this book. It was very entertaining.

This is the third book in the Little Library Series. Having read the first two books, I was not disappointed with In Want of a Knife. It is a cozy mystery set in Michigan. I would recommend reading the series in order. The first book really does a nice job introducing you to the characters. If this was the first book in the series that you read, I could see the reader being very confused as not much back story (if at all) was provided about the main characters.

In Want of a Knife is the third book in the Little Library Mysteries series. While delivering newspapers, Harold Roach finds the body of a woman on the side of the road outside Bear Falls, MI. Janice Root, a 17 year old local, was apparently killed by a hit and run driver. But soon, another local girl, Camille Otis, disappears. Are the two incidents related? Where is Camille? Local Librarian Jenny Weston and author Zoe Zola team up to investigate.

This is the first book in this series that I've read. I had a bit of trouble connecting with the characters. I found the three main female characters to be a bit bitter, whiney and annoying... But that could be because I jumped into this series on book 3. I have the first two books on my TBR shelf and I'm going to read them....then return to this book and re-read it. I might change my opinions a bit once I have the full background and knowledge of the prior two books. As it stands, this cozy was an ok read, but nothing outstanding. It seemed a bit trope-y to me with its Pride and Prejudice references (two characters named Charles Bingman and Fitzwilliam Dillon, for example...and one character writing a book about the crappy treatment of women in Austen's time.) and predictable plot. It might be a case of this series just not being my cup of tea. Not every book will engage every reader. I love the Little Library concept...great background theme for a cozy series. I just didn't like the characters or the P&P references. Fell flat for me.

I will go back and read from book 1 and see if that improves my opinion. I will edit this review if it does.

Just an ok read for me. Entertaining enough as cozies are light reads....but not enjoyable enough for me to continue with this series.

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Crooked Lane via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

This is the 3rd Little Library mystery. I have not read the first two in this series and I think that hurt my enjoyment of this book. It is set place in Bear Falls, Michigan and the main characters are Dora, her daughter Jenny and their neighbor Zoe. A teenager is found at the side of the road and at first it is believed to be a hit and run but then it is determined to be murder. Another teenager Cammie goes missing and she is feared to be dead. Jenny and Zoe (a little person) are determined to find her and they work well together as they are racing against the clock. There are also some newcomers to the area which causes some controversy among the residents of the area. This was a good suspenseful story. Will go back and check out the first 2 in the series. I would give this 3.5 stars

I found this to be a good mystery but a bit hard to follow in the beginning as it was the first book in the series I have read. The characters were quirky and the setting was well described. I recieved a copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

Bear Falls residents are on edge when a deliveryman finds the body of teenaged girl Janice Root, dressed in an old-fashioned white lace dress on the road. Then teenager Cammie Otis goes missing and people worry she may also be dead. Local author Zoe Zola, her neighbours Dora Weston and her daughter Jenny and Jenny’s sometime boyfriend Tony Ralenti join forces to follow Cammy’s trail and to learn whether her disappearance and Janice’s death are connected. Meanwhile, Fitzwilliam Dillon has moved into a huge mansion on Lake Michigan and is offering to give Bear Falls $2 million to endow the town. This sets off a frenzy among the town’s residents.

Although I enjoyed the first two books in the Little Library mystery series, this one did not work for me. The two storylines did not work well together and there was a lot of time spent dealing with the local characters. The only highlight was the portrayal of Cammy as she struggles to survive and deal with her abduction.

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.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Dora’s daughter Jenny and famous author, Zoe team up in this story after one young girl is found dead on the side of the road and another girl goes missing. The police are doing a huge search and as soon as the amateur sleuths meet their new neighbors they will join the search and meet with the girl’s mother and her friend to see if they can get more insight as to where the girl may have gone.

The new neighbors, wealthy people from Chicago, are not very well received. The owner of the new mansion on the lake, Fitzwilliam Dillon, is a Little Person like Zoe and treats her horribly. His two friends aren’t much better, but this group is offering the town two million dollars to invest in something that all residents will benefit from, so the Zoe and the rest of the greeting committee try to bite their tongues until they leave the mansion. Dora agrees to take on Fitz and his friends while Jenny and Zoe do all they can to save the girl who is missing.

Little Librarian Dora takes a bit of a backseat in this story. Jenny and Zoe shine as the trek through the woods searching for any clue that may lead them to the missing girl. They think her friend may have information but he is out of town with his father. The police want all the help they can get and encourage Jenny and Zoe to reach out to this young man as soon as he gets home. I missed the way Jenny and Dora worked together, but really enjoyed the way Zoe cast everything aside, okay, she really doesn’t like the topic of her new book, but she really stepped up this time especially when she has to take 2 steps to everyone else’s 1 and traveling through that woods was hard. The author did an excellent job of making me feel like I was there every step of the way.

Readers were also treated to a complex mystery. First, they had to decide if and how the two teenagers were connected and that wasn’t easy. Suspects were determined by the result. Truthfully the whole thing came down to Zoe and Jenny’s determination that the woods was key. The story is broken into eight parts. I love this author’s writing style. The story had a slow build, each section got a little more intense. By the time I reached Part 8, my heart was beating fast and I could not read the pages fast enough. Like in the last book a psychological element is brought to light as the mystery is solved.

The subplot of Zoe’s book brought the necessary humor to the story. Her take Pride and Prejudice and the women Jane Austen had created crack me up time and time again. I agreed with her but I do enjoy the escape I get when reading an Austen book.

Jenny’s romantic life is in flux in this book but by the end, things take a turn. No spoilers, you have to read the book.

This is another wonderful book from Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli. Her lead characters are genuine and women whose lives I have become invested in. Each stop to Bear Falls has been very interesting and entertaining. I am excited for more books in this series.

This is the first of the (so far) three-book series that I've read and I struggled through it. Possibly because I'm not familiar with the characters, but it didn't fully capture my attention until I was more or less finished with it. I found it a bit difficult to connect to the characters - there were quite a few of them - and although it started out with Jenny as the main character, it shifted quickly to Zoe and then became mostly about her role in the book. Perhaps this discrepancy is more fleshed out in the first two.

There was some mention of little libraries, but not much, so while I got the gist of the fact that it's Dora who created and maintains the ones around town, it would have been nice to have had a bit more of them in the story (although it wasn't technically about that).

I didn't overtly dislike it, I just struggled with it as I tried to connect the dots over who was who and doing what and connected to who. I believe I have the first in the series on my Kindle, so I will probably get to it at some point, although I'm not in a particular rush.