Thank you NetGalley, Holly Danvers and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC of Crooked Lane Books. This is my personal review.
Rain has settled into her life in Lofty Pine, Wisconsin. She has wonderful friends and neighbors Julia and Nick.
The town is set for all the winter fun of by holding a fishing tournament. One of the contestants Wallace Benson was found dead in his fishing shanty.
Rain and Julia need to help find the murderer when Nick is considered the main suspect. They have lots of others helping solve this one.
I adore this series and can not wait to read the next one in this series.
Lakeside Library Mystery Series is one that all cozy mystery murder readers will enjoy.
Murder at the Lakeside Library in the first in this great series.

Rain and Julia are the kinds of women that make getting into mischief fun. I have heard stories about up north Wisconsin fishing that made me wonder. All the mention of snow and cold, made me want to bury under the blanket as I read. The whodunit kept me guessing as more characters were introduced, all with their own motive to cause havoc in an ice shanty. Now the bigger question remains...will it be Jace...or will it be Ryan with the flowers??



Thank you Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the advance read

I enjoyed this book. I really liked the characters and the story is interesting. I was not surprised by who the killer was, I just had a feeling. #LongOverdueattheLakesideLibrary #NetGalley

I was given a free e-copy of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A glowing wood stove, a cozy log cabin, and shelves full of books are all Rain Wilmot needs to ride out the Wisconsin winter, now that she's made her family's Lofty Pines library her year-round home. But the warm-hearted librarian's blood runs cold when local man, Wallace Benson, is found dead during the annual Ice Fishing Jamboree. After Benson's body is found in his ice shanty, Rain recalls that she recently saw the victim in her library, borrowing a few cookbooks to prepare for the fishing tournament's communal "chili dump." She later finds these same books returned to the library's drop box, with an enigmatic note from Benson to Rain. As Rain seeks to understand the message, the prime suspect becomes Rain's friend Nick, who was the last person to see Wallace alive and who returned to the Jamboree with a nasty cut on his hand. The knife found in his tackle box only makes Nick's troubles worse. But Rain keeps fishing for other suspects. Was the killer Danny, who lost his arm to a logging accident involving Wallace? Or Danny's bitter father, whose dreams of retirement were dashed by his son's accident? With the help of her friends Julia and Jace, Rain sets out to hook the real culprit and clear Nick's name. But can her sleuthing skills protect her from a killer who'd like to take her out of circulation? (Goodreads synopsis)

I love how everyone adores the library. I love how active the Lakers were about walking in and finding something to do in a winter storm. Basically, I love how the library is privately owned (no board to cause unnecessary migraines), and that it is becoming a huge part of the community. Its nice that the author includes lake events into the story alongside the library. It gives the story a complete and peaceful environment. The addition of the Franklin stove, and the bar made me envious for a cup of hot cocoa.

I have a worry for future books concerning Jace and his new “adversary”. I am begging the author, please please please do not create a rival character who is going to hate the amatuers and basically start ignoring everything they say and do. The biggest pet peeve I have with detective novels is the lack of cooperation and harmony between characters. (Father Brown is a prime example of lack of harmony between the amatuer and the authority.)

The ending made me cringe a bit. I could not believe that these two women would willing go to a potential murderer’s home, but one of them never has her cell phone. Neither women had their cell phones in the first book, and then Rain needed her cell phone in two life and death situations, and she didn’t have it? I found that extremely hard to believe. Especially in the 21st century when everyone is hooked to them. I also feel like Rain has no sense of self-preservation, especially when it came to Julia. Julia was obviously not thinking clearly, and yet Rain seemed to acquiesce to Julia’s mood swings. There were a couple of sections that I wish Rain had left Julia behind.

There are some repetitive dialogs that feel awkward, but it has improved from the first book. There are also some unnecessary descriptions, like hand gestures, that again don’t take anything away from the story, but just feel oddly out of place.

Overall I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

What an absolutely charming cozy! I enjoyed this book so much that I finished it in two days! I honestly wish that I had friends like Rain, Julia, and Marge. The world building was really well done. I could feel the cold as it was described. And the mystery? Completely original. I definitely have never read another cozy like this one.

I liked that it didn't follow the typical pattern that a lot of cozies fall into these days. It was refreshing and not just from all that snow! I love the library aspect, especially it being in a log cabin that the MC's great great grandpa built. I just love that. It gives the reader something to cling to, to feel the pride in and it enhances the experience that you have while reading this wonderful book.

This is my first book by Holly Danvers and it was a home run. I will definitely be back for more adventures for sure. You can really feel how close all of the characters are to each other. And how like a typical small town it is to, where you have all the gossips and the ones who try to stir up as much trouble as possible. However, it did a wonderful job of showing how people look after one another as well. It really showcases what there is to love about a small town.

I really like the "peek" at a possibly brewing romance as well. It certainly peaked my interest and I already cannot wait for the next book to be able to know who was there at the end! I hope it's who I am guessing, but if not then I am happy for that to. Just a charming cozy to cuddle up and read by. Heartwarming, completely endearing, and dare I say it? Crave-able. I am already missing the book as I am writing this and I only just finished it a few minutes ago. I cannot wait to see where this goes next. This is the best kind of book. The kind of book that you cuddle up with a blanket, a warm drink, turn your phone off and completely shut the world out for. It transported me to a place where my problems and worries do not exist and the only thing that matters is what happens in the story. I completely adore that. I highly highly highly highly recommend this book. Especially for the coming holidays!!

Thank you to Netgalley, publishers, and Holly Danvers for the ability to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are honest and mine alone.

The 2nd in the series picks up right with the main character Rain and her friends and neighbors Julia and Nick. They live in a picturesque town called Lofty Pine. There is a fishing tournament to start the winter season happening. At the fishing tournament Wallace Benson, who had just visited Rain’s little library, is found in his fishing shanty. With all the twists and turns and Nick being arrested as the main suspect, it takes Rain and Julia to find out what really happened. All the other characters added to the suspense and kept me trying to figure our who did it. I certainly enjoyed this book am so look forward to the next in the series.

I loved this charming book! I need to track down the first in the series. Characters and story were grand and relatable. The story was well written and well plotted. I easily lost myself in the Lakeside Library.

Standard cosy mystery. I guessed who had done it pretty much at the start but it was still an enjoyable read.

Murder happens even closer to home in this second book of the Lakeside Library Mystery series. Rain has decided to keep the library open throughout the long, hard, Wisconsin winter and it's not without its difficulties. On top of the hard work of keeping up the library, Rain now has to deal with the fact that her best friend's (and neighbor) husband has been implicated in a murder. All fingers point to Nick but surely he couldn't be the culprit. Thanks to some drama at the police department, and the fact that Jace is Nick's brother-in-law, it looks like it's up to Rain and Julia to solve the mystery again.

I finished the book in one sitting and immediately wanted more (Hello cliffhanger!). Holly Danvers has a talent for writing the small-town Wisconsin life and more and more it makes me want that life for myself.

5/5 Stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rain Wilmer decides to keep the small library in Lofty Pines, Wisconsin open through the winter. It doesn’t take long for her to become embroiled in community affairs-the local ice fishing tournament, a man murdered in his fishing shack outside her library, her best friend Julia’s husband named number one suspect.

Rain and Julia pursue leads through ice, snow, and other setbacks, with significant risk taking and diligent sleuthing.

This was my first Lakeside Library Mystery. I think it was a good, light read with constant action but probably more repetition in the dialogue than needed.

The book is a very light read and the mystery wasn't too hard to solve, even when they threw some red herrings. Overall a fun read, but the bestie took way too many stupid risks for me to fully enjoy the book; I understand that it was her husband, but everything she did could possibly make it worse for him if they were caught. And it really irked me that there was no consequence to what they did.

Fun cozy mystery…two best friends are on the case. When Julia’s husband is accused of murder, Julia and Rain are determined to prove his innocence as a snowstorm threatens the area. This will probably be a series for light reading.

In the middle of an intercontinental move, I just needed something entertaining to keep my mind off the move for some hours.
That is what this little mystery has done perfectly.
Rain has moved recently to Wisconsin and she is managing a lending library there. The tranquil life of the province is upset by winter coming hard but, more than that, by a homicide which is pinned on Rain's best-friend Julia's husband, Nick.
The two girlfriends take it upon themselves to investigate and find the real murderer.
Between suspects, police, snow (a lot of it) and books they will bring it home...

Even though the real culprit is easy to spot, the narrative is fast paced. And after a while, you do feel like you belong to the group of friends. Booklovers will especially appreciate the wood cabin hosting the library, with its smells of pages, wood burning in the stove, coffee... and the sprinkle of romance is always welcome.

Just the right book if you are looking for evasion.

I just knew who did it the moment the culprit appeared! The book needed subtlety and a tighter plot.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers in exchange for an honest review. Rain Wilmot lives in Lofty Pines, Wisconsin on Pine Lake. She is determined to keep the library open throughout the winter. Then a fisherman is found dead in an ice fishing shanty. This was a very exciting story. I hated to stop to do anything else. Holly Danvers is a great writer.

🎣 Rain has returned to the Northwoods of Wisconsin, deciding to keep her family's library open during winter as well. Her little log cabin is cosier than ever, thanks to the new wood stove and the coffee bar. Unfortunately, though, during the local ice fishing tournament, a man is found dead in his fishing shack, and Julia's husband (Rain's BFF) is the number one suspect.⁠
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❤️ I liked:⁠
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🔥 The cabin. A glowing wood stove, a cosy blanket, hot coffee and shelves full of books... I mean, what else can any bookworm desire to survive winter? I would move there immediately! ⁠
✍️ The style. It's entertaining and engaging. It can easily be read in one day... the only issue is that it will leave you wanting more.⁠
🔍 The whodunit. The story was quite clever, the murder weapon intriguing... but I won't say more!⁠
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⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 The perfect cosy mystery to transit from Summer to Autumn. It will remind you that colder days are as nice as warm ones, if spent by a fireplace, drinking something hot and reading a good book. Thanks to #netgalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for the ARC.

3 1/2 stars This was my first read in this series and I really enjoyed the mystery and storylines throughout this book. The characters and interactions between each were interesting, a good fun, fast read.
This is a series that would be easy to keep reading when after a good mystery.

When winter hits in Lofty Pines you know about it! Having decided to make her family's log cabin her permanent home, Rain Wilmot is gradually being reminded just how harsh the weather can be. With the library attached to her home now open all year round Rain is delighted at how busy it is with new and old patrons.

Rain is looking forward to watching the annual ice fishing competition and taking part in the communal chilli dump until one of her patrons is found dead in his temporary ice shanty on the frozen lake just outside Rain's home. Things get even worse when her best friend's husband is identified as the main suspect and she knows it's up to her to try and find the real killer so her new life doesn't end before it even starts.

This is the second in the Lakeside Library mystery series and is just as enjoyable as the first. Rain is a good main protagonist who lives in an ideal location to run a library with close friends nearby and an almost secret crush on the local cop. There were a few surprises in this story which were very enjoyable along with a couple which I wasn't so sure about. There was also a cliffhanger which is always a very good thing as I know there is more to come.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this book it's a good one to snuggle up with when it is cold outside!

I am getting right into these cosy mystery books as they are a little different from the other books I read.

This is about a girl and a library but it is also about the murder of a local man. And Rain goes all out to find the killer. It is a story that is easy to read but full of suspense, has an array of great characters but not too many that you get confused. The story flows well and is set up so that you can get a handle on it without it giving away too much.

I really enjoyed this book and have seen that there is a #1 book so now J have to go read that one, then maybe this one again so it is all in order.

Highly recommend and it is a fun book to read.

Rain has returned to the Northwoods of Wisconsin, starting her life over again. She's decided to keep her family's library open during the long, cold winter and she's ready to make the little log library the favorite winter hot spot of Lofty Pines. In addition to a new wood stove, they've got a coffee bar and they're all set for the local ice fishing tournament. Unfortunately their best-laid plans have gone awry and when Wallace Benson is found dead in his fishing shack, Rain's BFF Julia's husband finds himself the number one suspect.

There is a lot to love in this series. The setting is wonderful. I love the lake, the library, Rain's cabin, I would go live in Lofty Pines if I could. The main characters are very nice and the relationship between them is fun, two young women who've been friends since childhood.

There were also some speed bumps. The dialogue was really awkward in some places. There was a lot of repetition, where people say the same things over and over again or say things that don't need to be said. The descriptions were like that in some places as well, though I felt like it was improved from the first book. In the first book I noticed the author had a tendency to always describe what the characters were doing with their hands and that continued here as well. Everything seemed padded, as though it needed a good, hardy edit. Another theme through the story was that Jace is facing some struggles with a new coworker who seems to be gunning for his job and we don't get a resolution or update for that at the end.

On the whole I enjoyed this book but I think a solid edit would have made this book really excellent.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.