What a way to start a marriage! Poor Lindsey and Sully, no minister, the wrong guest list, and a couple of murders. One of the best books in a great series. I really enjoy the "Library Lovers" and hope to read more.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

After ten previous books in the long running Library Lover’s Mystery series, Lindsey and Sully are finally going to tie the knot in One for the Books by Jenn McKinlay.  Series fans finally get their wish, but, of course, things do not go smoothly for the couple.  Facing the prospect of too many guests because of an invitation snafu, threatening winter weather, and a murder that directly affects the ceremony, Lindsey wonders if they will get married after all.  Everything is on the line as Lindsey investigates.

As with many long-running series, these characters have become good friends, and I so enjoy my time spent in their world.  Library director Lindsey is a practical sleuth with boat captain Sully as her steadfast love.  The main and supporting characters are well developed and fully represented here, and everyone is excited about the wedding.  Even sourpuss Ms. Cole has come around.  I adore all of these characters.  

We do not get to know the murder victim very well, but there are plenty of secrets revealed and readers will be invested in solving the crime.  There are a few viable suspects with good motives, and the mystery is fairly easy to figure out, but who cares when the writing is so entertaining.  Even though murder is front and center, there is a big emphasis on romance, which is no big surprise because of the wedding theme.  The holiday-ish atmosphere gives it an extra cozy vibe.

I love this series, and even though One for the Books is the eleventh installment, the characters, setting, humor, and style are as fresh as ever.  It can be read as a standalone mystery with great pleasure, but I suggest readers new to the series start at the beginning for maximum enjoyment.  Highly recommended.

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series and it didn't disappoint! Loved it!

One of my favorite cozy mystery couple is finally tying the knot and Briar Creek is abuzz with wedding plans. Things were going so well until Sully and Lindsay find the man who was going to marry them dead. To top it off he was one of Sully's good friends so it's a sad affair and Lindsay knows that Sully won't feel right about getting married until he knows what happened to his friend Steve. 

The only problem is it seems that maybe Steve wasn't as nice a guy as everyone thought. His marriage was very cold and you can tell his wife didn't care he was dead. His brother is having a hard time with his brothers death but it also seems that Nate and Steve were not very close and were dealing with some things. Steve recently kicked his partner out of their law firm so he has it in for Steve. There are plenty of promising suspects and a lot to do before the wedding. Lindsey is trying not to panic as the time for their nuptials grow near and they have no justice of the peace.

I just love all the characters in this series and there are some that have really grown on me and the author really has made some of them grow and be very likable. The main one for this would be Mrs. Cole aka Lemon! I really didn't like her at first, then she started growing on me a bit even though still a bit hateful but then you get to know her and some things about her and eventually you just start to really like her and now she is one of my favorites! Though Sully and Lindsay are tops as they are just such great characters! You can tell that the author is also a romance writer because Sully is such a swoonworthy character and their romance throughout all the books has been pretty great (though there was some hiccups along the way!). 

This is a cozy series that I think I wouldn't mind reading again just because I love the characters so much and well I haven't the greatest of memories so I probably forgot whodunit in most of them...lol. Speaking of whodunit, I pretty much had most of it figured out but there was a little bit of it that I didn't get, so I enjoyed that. 

If you love cozy mysteries then you really need to try this series but I do think you should start at the beginning for the full effect, especially since there are a couple of the books where there is a love triangle thing happening...blah...thankfully that didn't last long but it could be confusing if you start with it. Also, they are just great! It's a very binge worthy series!!

This is book 11 in the Library Lover's Mystery series and it looks like it might be the conclusion of the series. It can be read as a stand alone. Lindsey and Sully were planning their small wedding but it balloons as everyone in town assumes they are invited. When Lindsey and her wedding party discover the body of the Justice of the Peace that was going to officiate things start getting complicated. An exciting cozy to solve as the wedding teeters on disaster. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

One for the Books is the newest cozy mystery in the A Library Lover’s Mystery series from Jenn McKinlay. I binged-listened to this series last year, so I loved catching up with Lindsey and Sully and the rest of the Briar Creek residents. I’d highly recommend this cozy mystery series and the newest installment. ☺️

Readers are thrown back into the world with Lindsey and Mike with ONE FOR THE BOOKS, the eleventh book in the Library Lover’s Mystery series. I feel like it’s been a while since the last book in the series, so it actually took me a bit to remember what happened. However, once I was all caught up again, I found that this book remained pretty light throughout the entire thing. Firstly, I will say that this book has more of a focus on the romance between Lindsey and Mike as their wedding approaches. Since I know that McKinlay is also a Romance author, I thought that this was a nice touch and it certainly shows off the development that both of these characters have shown over the course of the series. Lindsey is one of McKinlay’s more reserved characters, so I felt like her progress was a bit slower than others. However, I think it’s really cool that McKinlay can write such vastly different characters in her books. No matter who you are or what your personality is, she has a character for you.

There’s also a snowy vibe to the story, which I thought was really nice. So if you’re into the Hallmark type of stories, then this one might be a perfect match for you.

This was a 3.5 star read for me.  I have been reading this series since the beginning so it was nice to finally be invited to Sully and Lindsey's wedding. Just before the wedding the justice of the peace and Sully's friend is found dead. There are a lot wedding antics that were too over the top, esp the guest list.  The mystery was very easy to solve and it needed to be easy so it could be solved in a week and in between the wedding preparations.  I liked the visit to Briar Creek and the library. I like the characters esp the craftnooners.  The mystery however was a disappoint. Enjoy the visit and the wedding.

Lindsey Norris is marrying her true love, Captain Mike Scully. It is Christmas and snow is falling in the picturesque New England town of Bear Creek. Sully and Lindsey travel out to the island where Sully's parents live and the wedding ceremony will take place, only to discover the body of one of the town's leading citizens, dead on the beach. He was also scheduled to perform the wedding ceremony. As Lindsey and Sully investigate, it appears Scott Briggs was not all that he appeared to be on the surface. Now, they have to find a new officiant in time for the wedding as well as find out who might have murdered the justice of the peace. As always, a charming romantic read, perfect for a winter read, curled up with tea and biscuits.

This is a great book and a great continuation of the series. Love is in the air and I couldn't wait to read when the characters got married. All along the twist and turns of the murder that goes on around the wedding planning makes me turn the pages faster because I get so involved and want to know what's going on. A great Christmas cozy mystery.

One for the Books (A Books Lovers Mystery)
By Jenn McKinlay
Berkley
September 2020

Review by Cynthia Chow

Briar Creek Library Director Lindsey Norris prides herself on having a very well-organized, triple-checked, detailed plan for her life.  So that’s why she’s completely thrown by the discovery that she sent out the wrong invitation list for her own wedding, more than tripling the number of her guests who will be expecting to party in just one week.  Her placid fiancé Mike “Sully” Sullivan does his best to reassure Lindsey that his family’s historical home on Bell Island will easily accommodate the new size of their formerly intimate wedding, especially in comparison to the much more lavish and over-the-top annual Briggses’ Annual Christmas Bash.  Wealthy attorney Steve Briggs is coincidentally the officiant of their ceremony, but it looks as though he will definitely not be up to swearing in their vows.  For Lindsey and Sully discover Steve’s body washed up on the shore of Bell Island, still wearing the garish Elven tights he pranced around in at his party the night before.

For once, Lindsey would prefer to allow her friend Police Chief Emma Plewicki investigate the murder while the library director focuses on nailing down her evolving wedding details.  Emma’s own theatrical boyfriend Robbie Vine isn’t about to let that happen though, especially when it means that the ongoing investigation threatens to shut down the site of the entire event.  Trying to maintain control of the library, counsel her fiancé over the death of his friend, track down an officiant, and secure the site of her entire wedding with days to go will have the Master of the Dewey Decimal System at her wit’s end and willing to delve into the life of a well-liked Briar Creek resident.

A mysterious Woman in Black casts a haunting shade over this winter seasonal mystery, although the stress of wedding planning quickly overshadows the holiday influence.  A very Merry Widow and her admittedly adorable emotional support dog highlight the buoyancy of the tone and always keep the humor at the forefront.  This 11th in the series remains as ingenious as the first, delivering a heartwarming conclusion for Sully and Lindsey while promising more adventures for the future.  Beloved characters from the library and Briar Creek are on hand as supportive guests and assistants for Lindsey’s escapades, which take her on freezing boat trips to the secrets that have somehow remained hidden in this very close-knit town.  Crafternoon pinecones, mouthwatering winter meals, and of course the celebration of Christmas literature and Dickens’ classics make this the perfect mystery to start off the long holiday season.

It's almost time for Lindsey and Sully's wedding. The whole town of Briar Creek is as excited as the happy couple. This is going to be the wedding of the century except the size continues to grow. When Lindsey realizes she gave the incorrect guest list to the stationer, she and Sully must go out to the location of the nuptials and make sure it can accommodate the increase in guests. What they weren't expecting to find is the body of the man slated to perform the wedding ceremony. 

One for the Books is another great book in the series. I enjoyed the book so much I devoured it as fast as I could. Every character is great. I found myself able to connect with Lindsey and Beth, not because they are similar to me or we've been down the same roads, but because they are fun, interesting, and nice. I love the author's writing style, the pacing was good, and the story compelling. The continual character development allows for me to get to know Lindsey, Beth, Sully, and everyone else. The author created a wonderful town, with wonderful characters, and I was able to visualize the entire story.

This might be book 11 but the author does a spectacular job keeping the mystery, characters, and story fresh. 

I was provided a copy of this book to review.

I thoughly enjoyed this installment of the series. This is the book we've been waiting for.
EXCELLENT read!

If you've been following the Library Lovers series since the beginning, you will be overjoyed because we finally have a wedding!! Sully and Lindsey are cozy couple goals. But it wouldn't be a cozy without a little murder and mayhem around their big day! I have loved how this series has evolved in the last 11 books. It is my absolute favorite. The secondary characters draw you into the picturesque Briar Creek and you never want to leave. I can't wait for the next one!

Changes are in the cards for Briar Creek Library director Lindsay Norris and boat captain Mike (Sully) Sullivan. Literally. One week before their wedding, Lindsay realizes that their plans for a small, cozy wedding on Bell Island have gone awry when friendly townspeople who had not been invited ask about her registry and say how they are looking forward to the event, and her baker tells her that the wedding cake she ordered is way too small. Did Lindsay give the stationer who printed and mailed the invitations the wrong list? Yup. Of course, she was dealing with a homicidal stalker at the time...

Throughout this episode, in the days leading up to the greatly-expanded wedding, Lindsay has to navigate amongst various tangles. For one thing, who will perform the ceremony now that the justice of the peace has been murdered? Will it be the ordained pagan who grumbles at having to miss college football? The rude man who refuses to take "obey" out of the vows? The wanna-be musician?

Ah yes, the murder. After the entire town attends the annual Christmas Gala at the glass house of Steve Briggs and his high-maintenance wife, he is found dead, still in his elf-costume. I will say that there were few suspects, and the culprit is not hard to guess, but that does not detract from the fun of learning about the others, with their intertwining secrets and backstories, not to mention an adorable emotional-support animal and Lindsay's own darling Heathcliff.

It's always a treat to visit this town, to catch up with the Crafternooners and the other librarians. (Beth is pregnant! Ms. Cole is running for office and hasn't shushed anyone in months!) Mystery-lovers can catch up on what the very literate townspeople are reading, including mysteries by Ann Cleves and Deborah Crombie, magical realism by Sarah Addison Allen, and Jenn McKinlay's own, delightful new novel, Paris Is Always a Good Idea ! McKinlay's villains are always believable people, whose lives have gone awry, and the townspeople are like family.

Highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC to review in exchange for a fair review.

This was another fun, fast-paced book in this cozy mystery series. We’ve waited a long time to celebrate Lindsey and Sully’s wedding, but of course murder gets in the way!

Another solid entry in the series. I love that this is a fairly well written cozy, I feel an affinity for the book recs dropped into the dialogue, and the library itself. A library cozy isn’t all that rare but one in which the library, it’s patrons and staff are believable? So rare. This author gets it. Thankful for a light and engaging read - I look forward to the next!

One for the Books is the eleventh installment in Jenn McKinlay's Library Lover's series.  This is the first one I read and while I intend to go back and read the first 10, I had no trouble catching up and figuring out what was going on.  Library Director Lindsay Norris and her fiance Mike Sullivan, affectionately know as Sully, are finally getting married.  They have a lovely small wedding planned at Mike's parents' place on Bell Island.  Unfortunately the townsfolk have other plans.  More and more people share their excited plans to attend the wedding.  Lindsay and Sully become concerned at the ability of the island to accommodate all the well-wishers.  Lindsay and her friends head out to the island to see if they will be able to fit ALL the guest when they come upon a body washed up on shore.  Lindsay recognizes the Justice of the Peace who was going to perform their wedding.  To make matters worse, he was obviously murdered.  Now she has to solve the murder so her wedding can go on as planned.

This was a fun, easy read with great characters and setting.  The plot moved along quickly.  Anyone who enjoys a good mystery will love this book.  I can't wait to read the rest of the series.  Thanks so much for the opportunity to read an ARC.

4.5 stars - Loved it! Would re-read.
Terrific addition to this great series. Loved the wedding pieces. The "question" of an officiant for the wedding dragged on quite awhile, even though the solution was pretty obvious from the beginning. The questioning, though, did lead them to an interesting character I'd love to see in a future story.

The mystery was excellent. It twisted in on itself multiple times which kept me guessing to the end. The author does a fantastic job of keeping the mystery and the larger context - the characters, the wedding, the town stuff - in balance. So many long-running series can get go heavy on the characters/setting and light on the mystery which is frustrating for me, personally, as a mystery reader. I'm eager to see what happens for Lindsey and Sully and the rest (especially Ms. Cole's run for mayor) next!

I love this series and this might just be one of my favorite entries in it.  I feel like I've read several wedding type cozies this year and all of them confirm for me that I just don't understand wedding fever.  And to be fair I don't think Lindsey really gets it either.  Her wedding is supposed to be super tiny and through an unfortunate event spirals out of her control.  Throw in a dead justice of the peace and Lindsey's wedding day is very much not going to plan.

I love the community that McKinlay has built here with the crafternoon friends, Miss Lemon, Sully's family, and the rest of the townspeople in Briar Creek.  The library is a good stage for people to come in and out of and also gives plenty of space for some bookish talk which I always love.  

With all the wedding going ons the murder does get swept a bit to the side occasionally but it is still lots of fun.   I can't say I was shocked by the reveal but this is very much one of those cases that I was enjoying the journey so much that it didn't matter that I could see the end already.

The wedding of library director Lindsey Norris and boat captain Mike “Sully” Sullivan is turning into the event of the year for Briar Creek, Connecticut. Lindsey and Sully had hoped to keep things small, but the guest list is becoming out of control. Lindsey and her friends go to check out a potential wedding venue but instead find a dead body – of the man who was supposed to officiate Lindsey’s wedding! Sully and Lindsey want to put all of this behind them before their wedding, so they work together to try to find out who would want to kill Sully’s old friend justice of the peace, Steve Briggs.

This is the eleventh book in the Library Lover’s series. I have read quite a few of the prior books, but I think new readers would be able to enjoy this book even if it’s the first they’ve read in the series. Lindsey is a likable character and she and Sully are a great couple. It is so refreshing to have the couple working together to solve the mystery instead of having the main female character sneaking around behind her boyfriend’s back to investigate. Sully thought he knew Steve, but learned there was more to the man that he realized, opening up the possibility of several suspects. Lindsey also finds out that someone can be a good person, but still make mistakes in their lives, which again increases the number of suspects in the murder. Plenty of red herrings are provided, but most readers won’t find it too hard to figure out the real killer, although the motive is more complicated than it first seems. Even after a long investigation, the solution seems rushed and I wish the drama would have been extended a bit longer.

The most obvious “mystery” in the book is who will be able to stand in at the last minute and officiate Lindsey and Sully’s wedding. It starts out amusing, but becomes silly when the joke goes on too long. As expected, there is a satisfying solution to the obstacles Lindsey and Sully were having when finalizing their wedding plans. Readers who have been following the series will be especially pleased with how everything turns out in the end. In addition to Lindsey and Sully’s love for each other, I like Lindsey’s friendship with her co-workers, too. I enjoy the discussions they have about books, although there was less of that in this installment due to the wedding. There are several references to different books as Lindsey helps library patrons or talks about books she likes. I like the authenticity that gives the story since books are so important to Lindsey. This is an evenly paced, light mystery that fans of this author or of Lynn Cahoon will enjoy.

~ Christine