This is a great entry for this series. There are a few subplots that really add to the story. I love the setting for this series.

This is the eighth book in the series of books centered on the Bodie ("Body") Island Lighthouse. I work at the lighthouse, and once I surrendered the disbelief that a library could fit in the lighthouse, I was in love with the series, so in love purchased the whole set not realizing I already had this one in my queue to read!

Lucy lives upstairs in the Bodie Island Lighthouse in her own studio apartment. That will soon change. She and her boyfriend Connor have become engaged. All her friends join the couple at her cousin's (husband's) restaurant, including two uninvited guests- her ex-almost fiancé and his mother. After their party has been ruined the group disperses only to hear someone screaming. A man's body has been found behind the restaurant, someone no one expected to be there- he wasn't invited either. . .

Lucy has the unfortunate knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. She has the police chief on speed dial and her fiancé, the mayor, can't seem to keep her out of trouble. Once again, Lucy is pulled into a case. This time she is trying to find out why the victim was in town and who the killer is.

I have recommended this series to guests who come to Bodie Lighthouse. I love these books and can't wait for the series to continue.

I was given the opportunity to read this by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery book. The story is about Lucy and her fiance Connor, who are getting married, and they have an engagement party on the beach. Lucy's ex Richard shows up with his Mother, wanting Lucy to get back with him. Later, Richard's Father's body is discovered near the local seafood bar. Who could have killed him?

This was my first book by this author, and I have since read another two of her books, and enjoyed them too. Highly recommended!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Deadly Ever After by Eva Gates is a very good cozy murder mystery in the lighthouse library series. I was fortunate enough to have read another book by Gates and got to see her amazing writing ability. Lucy Richardson and Connor McNeil have announced their engagement and friends throw them a party near the beautiful Bodie Island lighthouse, which is called that because of all of the bodies that have washed ashore there. It is also very close to where I live and I love to visit that particular lighthouse. But just as the festivities are wounding up, in arrives Richard, Lucy’s ex almost fiancé and his mother Evangeline. Their presence though is not to congratulate Lucy but to re connect Lucy and Richard. However, things do not go as Evangeline expected and they were to head back to Boston but not before she throws a dinner party.. But a mans body is found at the kitchen door and now it is time for some sleuthing. This is where the author really shows her ability to tell a story. The ending is not what you would expect and is not predictable at all. This is so good it’s worth a second read.

5 out of 5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley as well as the author/publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

I will have to admit really enjoying reading the Lighthouse Library series.
I did read them out of order though reading more current ones in the series before this one but now I have answers on a few things and how they happened from more current books.
One thing that really makes it in this book is it taking place in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. For those of you who've visited there you know what I'm talking about. It's such a beautiful, relaxing area. A lighthouse with offices, a living area and a library? Yes please! I actually visited the lighthouse portrayed in this story and it's still in operation though sad to say it's not large enough to house all the extras. It was worth climbing the over 200 stairs for the view though. In this one Lucy and Connor announce their engagement and get shown a house on the Outer Banks that they decide to buy. If you'll remember in a more current book I reviewed, they discover this house is haunted and the body of an unknown to them man is found in it.
After a celebratory night at a Seafood Bar a body is found at the restaurants' kitchen door. Lucy once again dons her sleuthing hat and gets to work. There are many references to The Hounds of Baskerville as this is what the classic book club is reading. When Lucy decides to temporarily watch a little yappy dog, well let's just say Charles the library cat makes a quick disappearance.
The dog does play an important role in the story though, it would probably surprise you how it does. The outcome surprised me. Quick paced, I read this in an afternoon, and I'll be looking forward to the upcoming release.

Pub Date 11 May 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I have loved the books in this series. I love the characters … even those who are a little irritating. The characters are well developed. The murder mystery leaves you guessing until the very end. The clues will have you guessing and you will be flipping through the pages as fast as possible. Between the setting of the Outer Banks, the lighthouse library, and the delightful characters, you will find yourself wanting to visit Nags Head, NC. I can’t wait for the next adventure with Lucy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

I'm sorry, I loved your book, I've tried, but I could not finish the review on time due to corona.
I hope to get another chance

This was my first book in this series. The book was a nice, light read. There were several likable and a few us likable characters which made the story interesting. That’s to NetGalley for the eARC.

Lucy and Connor are celebrating their engagement with a lovely party on the beach as it’s winding down some uninvited guests show up, Lucy’s ex Ricky and his mother. Ricky’s mother is determined to see Lucy back with her son and forces them, including Lucy’s parents out to dinner. Tempers flair and mother and son leave abruptly and the evening takes on a much more pleasant air until a scream is heard and a body is discovered. It turns out to be Ricky’s father who coincidentally is Lucy’s fathers law partner. What was he doing in Nags Head? Did Ricky or his mother know he was there? Could either one of them actually have done the deed? Lucy digs in with her usual investigative style to help discover who the culprit is.

Book 8 in the series. Lucy is marrying Connor, and things are going well until her ex and his mother crash the party. Sadly, first I read in the series, so struggled a bit to get the characters. Still though, a good cozy mystery and would recommend.

This is the 8th book in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series. Lucy the librarian is getting married. Her old boyfriend Ricky and his mother Evangeline show up at the engagement party, Evangeline wants Ricky and Lucy (yikes, I know, the names) to get together again. When a dead body is found at a dinner party hosted by Evangeline, Lucy gets involved to protect her family and future.

If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, you know a good cozy has well-rounded characters and an intriguing plot. This book fits the bill, 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Lucy and Conner are happily celebrating their engagement when a few people from the past decide to drop in: Lucy’s ex Ricky along with his mother and her dog Fluffy. Between house hunting and nonexistent wedding plans, Lucy tries to go about her regular routine. After a family dinner Rick’s father, and Lucy’s father’s law partner, is found dead outside of Jake’s restaurant. Lucy is once again caught up in a murder investigation.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Librarian Lucy is marrying Connor, and their friends have thrown an engagement party. Unfortunately some uninvited guests show up. Lucy's ex-boyfriend Ricky and his mother arrive to crash the party. Ricky's mother is intent on getting Lucy and Ricky back together. Lucy thinks she will soon be rid of them, but the murder of Ricky's father in town ruins any chance of that. Lucy has to solve the mystery to save her engagement The setting was wonderful, and this particular book included some surprises. I am anxious to read the next installment.

This series is a cozy go-to for me. I fell in love with it and binged the majority of it in October 2020 and was anxiously awaiting this release. Fans of the series will be gratified to know that all of the familiar characters return. I particularly enjoyed getting to me Lucy's former beau, who has been much referenced in previous books. As the nuptials between Lucy and Connor draw closer, their friends throw them an engagement party that ends in the discovery of a body. There's no shortage of suspects and Lucy is completely drawn in to the investigation from the outset, since everyone in town assumes she'll be investigating, no matter how many times she tries to deny it. I love Connor and Lucy's relationship here and the emotional growth that we see from Lucy when she has her confrontations with Ricky and his mother Evangeline. This series is a consistent winner for me, with character growth and zany plots from book to book. I also really like that Lucy is contemplating what it will feel like to leave her beloved lighthouse library apartment, because if I'm honest, I'm not sure that I could leave if I were living in a cozy apartment in a lighthouse above a functioning library.

I adore this series. It is in my top ten of cozy mystery series. This one did not disappoint. I didn't guess the mystery, the setting and characters were wonderful. Always a treat for a new entry. Although I'm a bit sad to say goodbye to the lighthouse apartment!

My apologies for the long delay in finishing this very entertaining book by Eva Gates. Covid derailed all of my spring reading. Book 8 in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series is a must read for any cozy mystery fan! A crashed engagement party leads to an unexpected death, of course! Don’t they always? Lucy finds herself embroiled in solving the case even as she tried to avoid it at all costs before it almost costs her her life. Book 8 sets up a some interesting changes coming for our heroine and her friends in upcoming books and I can’t wait to go on the ride with her

I really enjoyed this one and it's a fun series. I really enjoy all the characters in this series. Loved the little dog that comes to the rescue at the end! Hope there will be more in this series!

After the proposal comes the engagement celebration for Lucy and Connor with family and friends gathering at the beach next to the celebrated lighthouse library, and almost all of the guests were actually invited. Nothing like having the almost mother-in-law show up with her son Rick aka Ricky, but Lucy is very gracious, it is the wife and son of her Dad’s business partner. I know, I was thinking the same thing, Lucy and Ricky, oh no…Suffice it to say that Evangeline is pushing pretty hard and for someone with a Northern Yankee background I would have expected better. The last person I expected to be the victim was the one person who wasn’t at the party or should have even been in the area. Only a cozy character would go out of their way to help someone who doesn’t really like them or anybody else for that matter. Lucy is a great character, fun to read and her feline roommate, Charles, is the quintessential cat and a great sounding board. There are actually quite a few mysterious things going on throughout the story that kept me distracted, like a good red herring! Looking forward to the wedding day book.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Deadly Ever After is the 8th installment from author Eva Gates in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series.

Lucy Richardson & Connor McNeil are engaged!!!! It took some time to get to that point, but they made it. Their wedding is threatening to be derailed when her almost fiancé, Ricky, shows up at the end of her engagement party with his mother. His mother is still trying to get them back together - they need her money. Shhhhh, there is not any!

At their family dinner prior to the parents and Ricky returning to Boston, there is a murder outside the restaurant they are eating at. There are a lot of suspects, but who really done it?

I have read this entire series over the course of a week and one-half. They are great books and who the killer is, is never obvious. I am looking forward to the next book!

Lucy and Connor finally decided to tie the knot, but first comes the engagement party thrown for them by their friends and families. As you would expect, not everyone was thrilled by this news. When Lucy thought finally everything was going so well, ups came a murder so surprising that it marred the whole episode of their engagement and wedding preparations. There were too many players in this murder mystery for Lucy’s peace of mind, and this was giving her the heebi-geebies.