“Buried In The Stacks” by Allison Brook It's an absolute delight-a captivating mystery that had me hooked from start to finish. The combination of an enchanting library setting, a cleverly crafted plot, and a relatable protagonist made for an immersive reading experience. Brook’s Storytelling prowess shines through as she weaves together suspense, romance, and a perfectly paced narrative, keeping me guessing until the very end. This book is a true gem in the mystery genre, deserving of all five stars and having me eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series.

I love this series. What is a better setting than a Library that has an amateur sleuth, ghost and a cat??

The setting and cast of characters are very welcoming and fun. The books and story line is very well written and while fun and quirky, the suspense of the who dunnit keeps you guessing.

Carrie Singleton works at the library with her library cat that she ferries back and forth from her home. There a ghost in residence at the library named Evelyn. Only she can speak with her and help her solve a few mysteries. Someone kills a very unpopular person in the library and Carrie thinks it has something to do with Evelyn's murder as well.

Even though I jumped into the series at number 3 I still understood what was going on in this world. I really enjoyed the story and will look for number 1 to read.

A fast, light read. This cozy mystery was a lot of fun. The story and characters were both enjoyable. I love cozy mysteries set in a bookstore/library and the addition of a paranormal element made for an engaging storyline.

As always i will always like reading a cozy mystery set in a library or book store, but mix in some paranormal stuff and i'm all here for it! First i love that they let the homeless stay at the library in the winter, that is just so nice and i wish more real world places did this! Dorothy was a crazy character in this book, first she falls in a super market and when she is visited by her colleague, she just blurts out that her husband is trying to kill her oh and he killed her Aunt (who just happens to be a ghost in the library). side note i haven't read the first few books in this series so i'm not 100% sure how the ghost work, but wouldn't the ghost tell someone about that before this all happened?! or maybe they did but no one can hear them?! either way i need to read the other books because i'm too invested in finding this out!

Once I started this book, I remembered having read one of this series before. These are light, fast, easy reads with mostly relatable characters living in a small, old-fashioned town on the East Coast. The ‘good’ and ‘bad’ guys are very obvious. The pace is a little uneven—often bogging down in drawn-out detailed descriptions of the protagonist’s daily activities; and other times whisking the reader along in increasingly tense situations. The writing is a little pedantic; occasionally repetitive (Carrie describes an upcoming cooking demonstration again, and again, and AGAIN—three separate times); and there were a couple of jarring scenes where it is obvious that the author must be much older than her heroine. Overall ok - I might read the next in the series just to see how the characters’ (esp. the cute boyfriend’s) relationships develop.

I still love the world created but this one just didn’t grab me like the last one did. I loved the way issues like the homeless, neurodivergence, aging, and mental illness were addressed but it was almost too much to do the topics true justice. I would give it 3.5* but I have to round. Still, this book is definitely worthy of being read and would make an excellent book club book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Allison Brook for allowing me the chance to read this book and share my honest thoughts and opinions with others.

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. The word building was phenomenal in this book. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

Princess Fuzzypants here: How it happens I do not know. Have you ever been reading a series and realized after the fact that somehow you missed a book? The thunderbolt hit me this week and I pulled up this book. I am so glad I did. I enjoy Carrie’s adventures in her haunted library where only she can see Evelyn. Evelyn’s helpfulness can be called into question as Carrie tries to unravel a mystery. She is known for keeping information from Carrie. But this time, she has skin in the game. Literally.

Her niece, a thoroughly unpleasant woman, is murdered. It is the second attempt at her life. She confides to Carrie that she thinks her husband is trying to kill her. Carrie feels guilty she didn’t take Dorothy’s suspicions more seriously although she quickly finds a number of possible suspects even more likely. Before she knows it, almost without meaning to, she is right in the midst. It doesn’t help that Evelyn asks her to help as they discover the perp may have been responsible for her death too.

At the same time, Carrie is involved with trying to find resources for the homeless people who flock to the library for somewhere warm to go. A proposed centre for them seems like a wonderful solution but soon she realizes there are dark doings behind the scenes and what seems altruistic may be corrupt and evil. At the same time as providing a great story with good characters and a strong mystery, there is also a very empathetic story about homelessness and those people who are trapped in it. It makes the reader realize there are no simple solutions.

Five purrs and two paws up.

This book was a really cute little cozy mystery. The characters were likable and funny. The story was engaging and entertaining with the usual little mystery tidbits. I did discover this was the third book in a series so I felt a little lost at parts of the book.

This was just your average cozy mystery. I had hoped to enjoy it more than I did. I found the characters to be pretty forgettable and without much personality. Smokey Joe was the best part of the book. There were characters that appears we only met in this book to set up for future books, because they didn't have any real purpose. The culprit was easy to figure out from the first time we met them.

I was also under the impression that this was the first book in the series, not the third book so I was confused for a good part of it when it referenced things that happened previously. This also had an impact on my enjoyment of the book, although, I don't think it would have made that much of a difference. That, of course, was no fault of the book itself. I wish it was listed the order of the books of series in the listing.

Overall, if someone is an avid cozy mystery reader and has run out of all the other ones written, then this is probably a series they will pick up. If you haven't read all the other series, then there are better ones to read. I don't think I'll be continuing on with this one myself.

I love this series. The characters beomr like friends that you just love to drop on and visit. The plot has twists and turns that keep you diverted. I could not put this book down!

As a library employee I can tell you that most libraries don't have a charge card that they use for the sole purpose of buying gifts for employees, usually the employees would take up a collection to pay for any employee gifts. Another issue is how the author deals with the issue of the homeless coming into the library, just because the well to do patrons want the homeless kicked out just because the are homeless is wrong. Most libraries will only kick out a homeless person for trying to panhandle from people inside the library or who are going in or out, trying to steal library materials or property so they can resell them, and for destroying library materials and property. There really wasn't enough of the books plot spent on the actual murder mystery a lot of the book is taken up with reading about Dylan's business, the homeless, library programs, Carrie's issues, looking for the Smokey Joe, all of Carrie's different meals, and the wedding.

Carrie is a character I related with. She is settling in and loves her job, reasonable and smart. She sees and talks to the library's resident ghost, Evelyn Havers, who had worked at the library and died in the parking lot. Evelyn is a nice lady but has all the same personality and opinions as when she was alive. Dylan Avery is her boyfriend and a private investigator away working a case. I don't have much to go on since it was mostly phone calls with him and never a description. Smoky Joe is Carrie's cat but he roams the library whenever she is at work and gets fat off all the food patrons slip him. He steps up to protect Carrie in the climax! BFF Evelyn is getting married and preoccupied so Carrie is facing the sleuthing by herself. Sally the Library Director brings in a touch of the political side of running the library.

The plot moves along and reveals in bits and pieces as you read. The pace keeps moving with the subplots of the homeless in the library and solving the bigger problem of suspected illegal activity at Haven House meant to help the homeless.

The climax springs forward as the killer reveals him/her self to Carrie and provides a nicely done climax where even Smokey Joe gets his claws out.

This is a classic cozy with plenty of local color and town characters with a good mystery to figure out. I like Carrie and will likely back and start from the beginning just to see how Carrie and Dylan got together. Highly recommended for cozy fans. It reminded me of a younger take on the Cat Who mysteries with the town and characters. I am pleased to have discovered it. I would have liked a description of Dylan to get an image of what he was like, though.

Rating: Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list

Buried in the Stacks is the third book in the Haunted Library Mystery series by Allison Brook. Allison does a good job of mentioning past events that allow this to be a standalone read for new readers of the series.

Buried in the Stacks deals with two seemingly separate issues. Homeless people are invading the Clover Ridge Public Library during daytime hours, in order to keep warm. While many are respectful and keep to themselves, there are some who relish in causing problems. And, the library's reference librarian Dorothy Hawkins is killed after a series of misfortunate events.

When Dorothy’s aunt Evelyn, the resident library ghost asks Carrie Singleton, Head of Programs and Events for the library, to find out who killed Dorothy, Carrie can’t refuse. Dorothy was disliked by almost everyone who knew her because of her not so secret hobby of digging up dirt and blackmailing people. For Carrie, this makes her suspect list very long. Slowly but surely, Carrie is able to piece together what happened to Dorothy and why.

I enjoyed this installment of the series. I just wished the story moved a little faster. My review is based on an ARC of the story. I don’t know if this was the final copy of the book or not. I found there to be redundancy in talking about and/or discussing several items over the course of the story. Overall, Buried in the Stacks, was a good mystery. I was surprised to discover who the killer was and what they were actually capable of. I’m disappointed in the romance of the book. Carrie and her boyfriend Dylan Avery’s relationship seemed to be getting stronger and indicating that things were going well for them. I’m not totally sure if that’s really the case, at least on the pages.

I’m excited that there is another book in this series. I’m looking forward to seeing how Carrie, Dylan, and Evelyn progress in their relationships after the events of Buried in the Stacks.

**Received a copy of the book from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed.**

I struggled to get into this one. I seem to be in the minority, so if you liked the first 2 in the series, you should give it a try!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book, which I voluntarily chose to review.

I enjoy this series and the characters. Carrie has been selected to be the new Sunshine Delegate and her first assignment is to visit Dorothy in the hospital. Carrie is reluctant since she and Dorothy have had problems in the past, but agrees to go and is glad that she did. Unfortunately, Carrie gets involved in another murder in Clover Ridge. A group has formed to rehab a house near the town green as a place for the homeless population to spend time during the day when they cannot be at the shelter. Carrie volunteers to be on the committee, partly because some homeless people have been spending time at the library and a few of them are causing problems with the regular library patrons. There is also a lot going on in Carrie's personal life. Carrie has become a real part of the community even though she has only lived there permanently for a short time. I enjoyed the mystery and like the direction that the characters are going in.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Buried in the Stacks by Allison Brook is the third installment of the paranormal cozy The Haunted Library Mysteries series. As with most cozy mysteries each book of The Haunted Library Mysteries contain their own mystery solved within the book so they all could be read as a standalone or in any order if choosing to do so. However, for those following along from the beginning there will be character development carried over from book to book.

Carrie Singleton had returned to Clover Ridge, Connecticut to stay with her aunt and uncle for a while but when she was just about to move on she was given the opportunity to become the head of programs and events at the local library. When she was offered the job Carrie was almost ready to turn it down when she heard a strange voice telling her to think on it. Thinking it was her own mind telling her not to pass up the offer quite so quickly she did just that. Carrie found the job was more than she could have wanted so she stayed and then found out the voice that convinced her to stay was not her conscience but a friendly ghost of a former employee that helps Carrie in her new position.

Now that it’s winter in Clover Ridge the local homeless have begun to spend their time at the library during it’s opening hours to keep warm which leads to a bit of trouble sending everyone scrabbling for an alternative. Just as Carrie is organizing meetings for a new project to help the homeless one of her co-workers suffers an accident which she confesses to Carrie may have been an attempt on her life. A few days later though someone succeeds in killing Carrie’s co-worker in a hit and run leaving Carrie looking for a killer while still keeping track of the libraries events.

Following this series from the beginning I always think to myself with each book that it’s a shame that real public libraries couldn’t be as nice as the one Carrie works in since it seems to have an endless amount of funds for all kinds of things but while unrealistic it does make a lovely book setting. Also the library coming with it’s own resident ghost in Evelyn that can help spy on patrons to help solve murders makes for fun reading as she and Carrie investigate. This latest read also to me was a step up from the last book keeping me more entertained in the mystery and characters this time around feeling as if this series is now coming into it’s own.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I first discovered this series when Death Overdue was nominated for an Agatha award. I was skeptical at first, as I'd not read any cozies with ghosts before --- I am very glad that I read the book and this has quickly become one of my favorite series!

Buried in the Stacks continues with the story of Carrie Singleton and Evelyn, the library ghost. Add to this delightful relationship the library cat Smokey Joe, Carrie's boyfriend Dylan, Carrie's aunt and uncle and the life of the library and you have an engrossing mystery that you want to read from start to finish in one setting!

In this book, Carrie takes on more responsibility at the library and quickly becomes involved in the investigation of a mysterious death of a character in prior books in this series. Carrie's involvement in the homeless situation in her town and effectively lifts up the many issues faced by the homeless population as well as those trying to help them. The numerous details around Angela's wedding became a bit tiresome, but very accurately reflects the enthusiasm of brides in planning weddings!

The story moves quickly, characters continue to develop and the perpetrator of the crime was not apparent -- there were many possibilities. The humor in the book is subtle and there are several simultaneous story lines that keep the reader very much engaged..

I highly recommend the series and eagerly await the next entry in th series.

This book was fast paced. Hard to put down. It flowed well and it was very well written. It caught hold of me and had me hooked from the start . I was literally on the edge of my seat reading this book.