I think this series just isn’t for me. The first was okay, but this one lost me. Part of it is the writing, as the dialog consistently reads off to me. Rain’s a fine protagonist, but none of the rest of the cast pops. I’m more likely to be mildly annoyed by them rather than want to get to know them. I also managed to guess the murderer very early on which is a rarity for me.

📚I didn’t realise that this was the second part of a series until after I read it, but it didn’t make a difference as this works well as a stand alone. Clearly, reading the first book would help know the characters better, however it’s not essential.

📚Being the avid bookworm that I am, I was drawn to this for one reason only - the main character lives in a family library, a log cabin with open stove and lots and lots of books. The description of the setting was picturesque and I actually felt a little jealous of Rain. She is living my dream - well up until someone turns up dead of course!

This is a perfect cozy murder mystery, that will definitely appeal to many. There were a handful of characters that made my own suspect list, and I did manage to guess the conclusion but this didn’t dampen my enjoyment.

A tale of friendship and romance, this reminds me of an episode of “Murder She Wrote.” A thoroughly pleasant, entertaining story that made a perfect winter evening read.

The reason this isn’t a five star read for me is due to the lack of suspense and tension. My own personal preference is that I like a mystery to be exactly that. This was a tad too predictable for me, but not enough to avoid the next book of the series or any other work by this author.

Long Overdue At The Lakeside Library is the second book in the Lakeside Library Mystery series by Holly Danvers.

Rain Wilmont is enjoying her move back to Pine Lake and reconnecting with her neighbor Julia and her husband, Nick. In fact, she is enjoying the shift to the family’s cabin. Rain has decided to live there year-round and keep the family’s library next door to the house, feeling the year-round residents will enjoy getting books for the days they get snowed in.

Pine Lake is getting ready for their Ice Fishing Jamboree and Chili “dump.” Wallace Benson comes into the library, asking Rain if the library has chili recipes. He plans on winning the fishing contest and would like to add his chili to the “dump.” Rain shows him the cookbook section, and he selects a couple of books.

The next day Rain meets up with Julia on the lake, and Julia relates that Nick is upset that someone has taken his favorite fishing spot and moved his shanty there. Soon Nick arrives, and Julia notices his hand is cut, and he says he cut it on some hooks in his toolbox. Shortly after this, a lady comes running and yelling murderer, pointing at Nick. Folks start heading for the hut that she came from and soon find a man stabbed and dead. Rain identifies him as Wallace Benson. With Nick’s injury to his hand and the fact that police found a knife in Nick’s toolbox that would have made wounds similar to the wounds on Wallace’s body, they will arrest Nick for the murder of Wallace Benson.

Rain and Julia agree that Nick is not the murderer and will start their own investigation. Rain and Julia won’t access police information through Julia’s brother Jace, a police deputy in this investigation. He has been ordered off the case due to his relationship with Nick.

The book is well-written and plotted and reads at a good pace. There were enough red herrings that kept me guessing until the end. The characters are all well-developed and interesting.

I will be watching for the next book in this series.

I liked this very intriguing cozy mystery better than the first in series. Seeing the “three musketeers”, Rain, Julia, and Marge, together again was a delight. Marge handled library patrons while Rain and Julia followed clues. The author gives eloquently paints pictures of the snowy setting. Characters are defined primarily through realistic dialog and behaviors. The mystery was complex, and while I had a good idea whodunit, there were still questions in my mind of why it couldn’t be.

It is winter in the Northland of Wisconsin, with huge storms rushing to Lofty Pines. Rain decided to stay through the winter in this multigenerational cabin, built by her grandfather. The library in the original cabin is typically only open in the summer, but Rain will keep it open this season. She arrived earlier in the year and ran the library ever since. It has begun to feel like home. Best friend Julia and her husband Nick are year-round residents and live next door. Rain and Julia are as close as ever, as if Rain had never left. And Jace, Julia’s older brother, is now a police officer in Lofty Pines.

The annual ice fishing tournament is the next day, with prizes the envy of all the area fishermen. There will also be a chili dump, as well as a contest for the best-tasting chili before it is dumped into one huge caldron. A man Rain hasn’t seen before came into the library to look at cookbooks for a chili recipe for the next day. His eyes, however, are on the big tournament prize, and his ice shanty is already set up on the lake in front of Rain’s family’s cabin. It is thought to be the best spot on the lake. They chatted for a bit, and Rain got the impression that either his wife left him or passed away. She had almost forgotten about him by the time the festival started the next day. At least, until Julia’s hubby Nick is upset that somebody took his favorite shanty spot. A short time after Nick went to give Wallace a piece of his mind, a woman came screaming from his shanty. Wallace, her beloved husband, had been murdered. She pointed the finger at Nick, and evidence planted in their home led to Nick’s arrest.

Julia is adamant – they must find who killed Wallace and get Nick out of jail. After finding a killer earlier this year, she was sure they could do so again. Because of his relationship with Nick and Julia, Jace cannot be on the case, and the rest of the police force thinks they have their man.

There is an excellent balance between the mystery and the friendships and relationships. I very much enjoyed catching up with Julia, Rain, and Marge. I understand, for different reasons, Rain’s FOGO – fear of going out, and am happy to watch her heal from events that led her back to Lofty Pines. One thing that hasn’t changed is their love of this library and of reading, especially Rain: “Any chance to escape in an author’s words, for just a moment, was pure joy.” Oh, yes. Absolutely!

This mystery kept me guessing throughout, even though I did have a couple pet suspects. I was very satisfied with the resolution, and all loose ends were tied up. I highly recommend this to those who enjoy well-written cozy mysteries, libraries, and stormy winter settings that make for perfect reading weather.

From a thankful heart: I received an eARC of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

I enjoyed book 1 in this series, but this installment was a bit of a disappointment. The mystery and characters were fun. However, the dialogue was unrealistic and a bit cringey at times. The library and discussions on grief were wonderful, but the dialogue made this one hard to get through.

Rain returns as winter sets in at the Lakeside Library. The town appreciates the library being open especially with the addition of a coffee/cocoa bar. An ice fishing tournament provides weekend festivities until a resident is found dead is his ice hut. When Rain’s friend Julia’s husband is the main suspect, how can they not become involved in the investigation. Even Marge flies in from her Florida retirement to join in the icy investigation. I enjoyed this story and love the characters.

Strong story and characters elevate this to a recommended read. Winter Wisconsin setting is well woven into the plot and adds an interesting element to the mystery.Thanks to #NetGalley and #LongOverdueAtTheLakesideLibrary for advanced digital copy.

Rain Wilmot was pleased she’d decided to stay permanently in Lofty Pines, Wisconsin with her library now opening all year round instead of just the warmer months. She, her friend Julie who was also her neighbour and Marge with her dog Rex, made a good team at the library and when the annual Ice Fishing Jamboree was coming up, the weather was also getting colder with storms threatening massive snow dumps. But it was the death of local man Wallace Benson, whom Rain had talked to just the day before, that shattered the community. And when Julie’s husband Nick was arrested for the murder, Rain and Julie, along with Jace, Julie’s brother and local cop, decided to work on the investigation themselves.

Jace had been taken off the case as he was too close to Nick, so he was able to help the women. But the dogged questioning by Rain and Julie ruffled some feathers, and danger came knocking. Could they discover who the killer was before someone else died? Or before Nick was locked up for good?

Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library is the 2nd in the Lakeside Library Mystery series by Holly Danvers and I enjoyed it much more than the first one. I picked the murderer at the beginning, straight after the murder, but it was entertaining to see how the author came to the same conclusion 😉 An enjoyable cozy mystery which I recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers has Rain trying to prove her best friend’s husband did not kill a fellow competitor at the fishing competition. Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library is the second A Lakeside Library Mystery. I suggest reading Murder at the Lakeside Library before embarking on Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library. I like the premise of this series. A cozy cabin that has been turned into a library on the shore of Pine Lake in Lofty Pines, Wisconsin. The author brought the scenery to life with her vivid word imagery. I could see the cabin by the lake with the snow falling and inside it is cozy with books and a new Franklin stove. Rain is a likeable and relatable main character. I like her friends, Julia and Marge as well. Julia was a little off in this book. Her husband is accused of murder which I can understand would make her a little touchy, but she goes off on people (Rain should have known better than to bring her along). The ladies spend their time at the cozy library helping people find the right book as well as chatting with their friends. I liked how the murder took place in an ice shanty. I thought this was unique for a cozy mystery. There are limited suspects, though, and the investigation plods along slowly. For the first third of the book, there is little to no sleuthing. Rain’s snooping is mixed in with spending time with Julia, taking care of the library, and flirting with Ryan, the stove guy. I would like to see Rain and Julia be more responsible when investigating. I know cozy sleuths skirt the law on occasion, but most of them try to stay on the right side of it. You do need to suspend your disbelief at times at things that Rain and Julia do. There are limited suspects so solving this whodunit is a cinch. I did not appreciate a love triangle being thrown into the mix. I am not a fan of them (as you can tell). Rain finds herself torn between Jace and Ryan, the wood stove installer. I was glad to see less repetition in this book. Readers who enjoy charming cozy mysteries set in picturesque settings with friendly characters will enjoy Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library. Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library is a cute cozy with a welcoming library, a friend from Florida, a fish shack clash, a chili cookoff, and a bothersome blizzard.

Give me a cozy mystery that involves a library and a lake and I am hooked. So I decided to give the Lakeside Library series a second chance. The main characters, Rain and Julia, have an endearing friendship. They have a fun relationship that adds to the story. The conversations were a little stilted which took away from the book. However, the mystery is well done and has you guessing until the end. This is a good book to curl up with as you snuggle under a blanket on a cold winter day.

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

Come into the warmth from the Northern Wisconsin snow to Librarian Rain’s family library overlooking a frozen lake where ice fishing reigns.
But, wait, before all is calm in this cozy atmosphere, Rain has to concentrate on another task. It appears that her best friend, Julie’s, husband is being accused of murdering a fellow fisherman found in his fishing shanty shortly before the start of the big fishing tournament. Rain recognizes the victim as a new patron who checked out some cooking books only the day before. Join Rain and Julie on their pursuit to prove Nick’s innocence through snow and sleet. I loved the way these gals minds whether updating the library or sleuthing. 2nd in a series but can be read alone. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing an ARC of this book; this is my honest review..

Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library is a wonderful book to help shut out the dreariness of winter and relax under a warm blanket.

When a man is murdered during a major ice fishing tournament in Lofty Pines, Wisconsin, suspicion naturally falls on the last man who saw him alive, particularly since the two were having a loud argument. Amateur detective Rain Wilmot is determined to find the real murderer before her best friend’s husband Nick is convicted of the crime. Add in an impending snow storm that will cripple the town, especially since the man who runs the town’s snowplow is in jail.

During the previous summer, Rain and her BFF Julia were able to solve a local murder. Julia’s brother Jace is a cop who was able to share valuable clues. Julia frantically wants to solve it herself since she fears the police aren’t looking for other suspects since they have Nick in custody. Jace’s conflict of interest means he has little to share with Rain and Julia, and he struggles to prove Nick’s innocence.

Rain struggles to solve the murder while facing personal and weather challenges. Before the crime is solved, the murderer and weather create life-or-death situation for multiple characters. The characters would love to settle in front of a warm fireplace with blankets and hot tea during the storm, if they can stay alive until the mystery is solved.

I quickly figured out the murderer’s identity and motive. I also suspected how. That didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the book. The setting and characters made it enjoyable. The worsening weather added to the desperation, since it limited movement and forced quick, often impulsive actions before the storm made leaving their houses impossible. Characters were on edge because a member of their small community was a murderer. Suspicions, accusations, fear, anger, frustration, and desperation were palpable and completely fit the situation.

Mission accomplished, Holly Danvers. Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library is an excellent reason to grab a warm beverage, bundle up, and enjoy a cozy mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing an Advanced Review Copy of the book.

It's Winter in Lofty Pine, Wisconsin. Time for the local ice fishing competition. What nobody saw coming was the murder of contestant Wallace Benson. In the first book of the series it was Rain's mother in the spot of prime murder suspect. This time it's Nick in the hot seat and he's married to Rain's BFF Julia. With one solved murder under their belt, Rain and Julia turn investigators again to catch the real killer. This is, after all, a cozy and the local police usually don't have enough smarts to do the job right.
Life in a small Wisconsin town in the dead of winter isn't a place I want to spend much time. Too cold, too much snow but it sure does make for a lovely backdrop for homicide. Add a bit of romance in the form of a developing love triangle and a well constructed mystery that kept me guessing and I was a happy reader. I hope there is a third book in the series or even more.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed the first book in the Lakeside Library series, Murder at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers. So, when I came across Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library, I did not hesitate to pick it up. I was happy to revisit Lofty Pines, Wisconsin, and reconnect with Rain and her friends.

Rain finds herself drawn into another murder mystery when a library patron is killed in a fishing shack on the lake outside her home. And her best friend, Julia’s husband, is fingered as the killer. Rain and Julia team up to clear Nick’s name and find the real murderer. Many of the supporting characters from the first book, namely Jace, Kim, Seth, and Marge, make return appearances, and it was nice to catch up with everyone.

The murder mystery itself was relatively well constructed. I could have used a little more misdirection and perhaps one more suspect to confuse things even further. I also could have used more hints along the way pointing to the murderer. While it wrapped up fine, the reveal of the culprit rather came out of left field.

The strength of this book is the community and friendships. And there was even a little romance starting to bud. I find Rain a very likable character, someone I’d love to be friends with. And the setting of the book a little community library owned and run by Rain and her friends. It’s an interesting and fun way to introduce new characters and a place to plot out how they will solve the mystery in front of them.

Ms. Danvers has written another page-turner. It was a solid mystery with likable characters. I look forward to my next visit to this small community in Wisconsin.

This love triangle needs to resolve itself quickly! Not a fan of them. Other than that, and the fact that I will never understand why people live in places where it snows so much, this was a fun book. I love the library and all the people in it. I love the Laker community. Seems like such a great place...except for the snow.

Rain is quite content with her new life in Wisconsin, living in a cabin in the woods and running the Lofty Pines Library which is attached to her house. She also loves that her best friend Julia and husband Nick live right next door. She is cuddled up for winter and could not be any happier. She even met a new friend, Wallace Benson who came to borrow a cookbook. Little did she know what would happen next.

The local fishing jamboree is under way in Lofty Pines with big prizes to be won. When Wallace is found dead in his fishing tent, it looks like the prime suspect is Nick. Can Rain and Julia put their sleuthing skills to work once again and clear his name? Nick certainly could not have done this, but could they be wrong?

I have thoroughly enjoyed coming back to Lofty Pines to see what Rain is up to in this cozy mystery series by Holly Danvers. The characters are well written and the description of the scenery along the lake make you want to pack your bags and head to Wisconsin. It is a cozy mystery, but one that will keep you glued to the pages trying to figure out who the killer is. Thank you so much to Crooked Lane Books and Holly Danvers for my advanced readers copy. This was gifted to me in exchange of my honest review. Grab yourself a copy friends, this is one fabulous novel.

Murder at the Lakeside Library is the first book in the Lakeside Library Mystery series by Holly Danvers.

Rain has decided to live at the lake full time and keep the library open in the winter. There’s a fishing contest and chili dump taking place on the lake. A man is found dead and her best friend’s husband is a suspect.

I still like the premise of this series. There were a lot of suspects to keep you guessing who the guilty party was. In the first book, I really liked Rain and Julia. In this book, even if Rain knew something was a bad idea, she went ahead with it because Julia said to. I realize Julia was worried about Nick, but she was out of control when talking to people. I really dislike it when the amateur sleuths commit crimes to solve other ones, especially when they are not held accountable at all and have a cavalier attitude about getting away with it.

I will give book #3 a try sine I liked the first book so much, but book #2 was just an OK read for me.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the free copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

While Rain tries to prepare the library -- and herself! -- for winter in Wisconsin, the town of Lofty Pines is preparing for its annual Ice Fishing Jamboree. When the body of one of the contestants is found inside his shanty, and one of Rain's friends is at the top of the list of suspects, Rain set out to find the real culprit and clear her friend's name.

This is the second book in this series, and I enjoyed it just as much as the first. I've been having fun getting to know the recurring characters, and watching relationships start to form. While the setting of this book is the same as the first in the series, the author did a great job at depicting winter in the Great Lakes area. The mystery was well-written, although I suspected the actual guilty party early in the book. I look forward to reading the next book in the series, but I hope the author isn't introducing the dreaded love triangle. There are enough of those in other books, I really don't want to read a series with another one!

🌟🌟🌟🌟 (3.5 Rounded up)

I received a complimentary ARC copy of Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library (Lakeside Library Mystery #2) by Holly Danvers from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in order to read and give an honest review.

"… overall, a fun cozy mystery featuring a good plot and touch of romance. Having read the first book, I enjoy the way this series is developing… "

In the second book in the series, Rain Wilmot has settled into her new life back in Lofty Pines Wisconsin and finally feels at home. In book one she moves there after the death of her husband and reconnects with the friends she grew up with. Back in the swing of things with her best friends, Julia, Nick and Jace by her side, life seems almost perfect. The family’s log cabin library has opened for the winter for the first time and the community couldn’t be happier. Winters in Lofty Pines can be dark, stormy, and dismal so reading materials are at a premium, especially since there are no other libraries in the area. When a patron Wallace Benson comes in for some cookbooks hoping to win the chili cook-off at the annual ice-fishing tournament, Rain comes to his rescue. The next morning tensions flare when Wallace gets to the lake early and steals Rain’s friend Nick’s prized fishing spot. A few hours in when Wallace’s body is found in his shanty, his distraught wife begins calling Nick a murderer. Things deteriorate when a knife believed to be the weapon is found in Nick’s tackle box and he is arrested for the murder. With Julia’s police officer brother Jace removed from the case, Rain and Julia decide to take it upon themselves to prove Nick’s innocence. The two of them begin digging where they shouldn’t and when Rain is driven off the road and another victim barely escapes with their life it is up to Rain and Julie to find the culprit before someone else dies.

Overall, a fun cozy mystery featuring a good plot and touch of romance. Having read the first book, I enjoy the way this series is developing. I love the protagonist Rain but if I was being honest Julia isn’t a character, I have warmed up to yet. Julia is somewhat abrasive, and a tad irritating, for reasons I can’t put my finger on, but hopefully as the series progresses, she’ll develop into someone I can tolerate. If you are looking for a quick fun read set in snowy Wisconsin this is a great read for you.

It was a more enjoyable book than the first one was, and I wasn't nearly as confused with the mystery like last time. I do like Marge and her dog a lot and wished they'd been in this book a little more. I don't know why, but I just can't get into the key characters. While I love how the author writes very realistically worded dialogue, I feel like these characters aren't people in their thirties but much, much younger by some of the stuff they say to each other. Sometimes Jace doesn't come off quite as professional-sounding as he should. Maybe it's just me.

The mystery was good, and I didn't quite guess whodunit. The showdown was exciting. There was a slight possibility of a new man in Rain's life, and I hope I guessed right at the very end! #TeamJace

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.