Lucy is thrilled to be starting her new life with her fiance Connor. McNeil. She enjoys her job as librarian at the Bodie Lighthouse library. In her off hours she spends her time and energy working with Connor to remodel and redecorate the old house they just purchased. Everything is going perfectly until the discovery of a dead body sends her life until disarray.

It seems their new home harbors some unpleasant memories for the former owners. An ever curious Lucy seeks to find the stories and the secrets behind those memories, sure they will provide answers to the murder. Only someone doesn't want those answers found and Lucy finds herself in the line of fire.

This is the ninth entry in the Lighthouse Library cozy mystery series. As I hadn't read the previous stories, I was pleased to find the early chapters not only offered background and hints that would later become important parts of the story, but, through dialogue and discussion, provided a nice introduction to the characters. A liberal sprinkling of eccentric small town characters, some more likable then others, add flavor and a touch of humor to the story.

The author's timing and use of irony is absolutely on-target. The discovery of the murder is as much of a shock to the reader as it is to Lucy. With a series of twists and turns and carefully placed distractions at the end of each chapter designed to keep the reader guessing until the end., this is a highly enjoyable story you won't want to put down until you're done.

Death By Beach Read is the 9th Lighthouse Library mystery by Eva Gates and centers around the history of Lucy’s newly purchased fixer-upper beach house. While Connor is away and Lucy is alone in the house, there are creaks and sounds of footsteps that are definitely unsettling. Then late one night they are awakened and discover a dead body in their kitchen. Now in the midst of planning her wedding, Josie must add “solve the murder” to her long to do list in order to live happily ever after in her new home.

It hardly seems possible but every book in this series is better than the last and I eagerly await each new release. Death by Beach Read is as charming as earlier books but ups the tension with a tightly written mystery. The characters have evolved and are so three dimensional that they have become old friends with whom I can’t wait to reconnect. Teddy, Louise Jane, Josie, Aunt Ellen, Charles the cat, and the library cast of characters are back. The library nemesis Diane Uppiton also returns but to what end remains to be see. We’re also introduced to Connor’s father and mother Fred and Marie McNeil and the previous owners of Lucy’s house, Ralph and Jo Harper.

I love the way that Louise Jane has matured and become more likable overtime but is no less interesting and quirky. Although knowing the back story of the characters by having read the earlier books in the series increased my reading pleasure, a reader new to the series would have no problem keeping up with the various characters and how they fit into the story. With a visually descriptive narrative and engaging characters, any cozy reader will enjoy their visit to the Lighthouse Library. (I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.)

Things are moving forward with Lucy and Connor. I missed spending time in the library, the mystery kept me guessing and I liked meeting the new quirky characters.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest reviwew.

This series is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. The characters are great and I love the way they are growing. I thought I would have been sad with Lucy moving out of the Lighthouse, but the new house/setting fit in well. Looking forward to the next book!

Death by Beach Read is the ninth book is the Lighthouse Library mystery series, but as always in this case, the book can easily be read as a standalone. It’s a well-paced investigation with twists and turns and credible characters. I thought it was an easy and interesting piece; not as riveting as my previous mystery read, but it holds its own and is worth a read for a good moment of escapism. I recommend it.

I received an ARC of this book. Thank you Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Eva Gates!

I only read the first book of this series, but I didn't feel I missed much jumping to book 9 to read the ARC. This book was as great as the first one. I feel this entire series is fantastic, so I am sure to be reading the books in between.

"Librarian Lucy’s new historic house comes with a lot of baggage and family secrets. Can she put them to rest or will a killer bring Lucy’s family to their downfall?"

This book had it all, a great mystery, a great personal story line, Charles the library cat and lots of excitement! I could NOT put the book down. I was so invested in the whole story! At one point even I was convinced the new house of Lucy and Connor was haunted. It was put so well together. But Eva Gates (a.k.a Vicki Delany) is a fantastic writer and I have read more series of her and they are all amazing. This book will not disappoint you, especially if you have read the whole series. Highly recommend it!

Lucy and Connor are busy renovating the house they recently purchased in Nags Head, along with planning their wedding. The house has been boarded up for quite sometime, and some believe it is haunted. One evening when returning to the house after dinner, they discover a dead man in the kitchen. It turns out that the man entered the house through an unknown trap door in the pantry and is a member of the family who were the previous owners. The dead man's brother and sister still live in the community but have not communicated with him once he left town. Why was he in the house and who has reason to want him dead? What bearing does the family's past have to do with what's happening in the present?
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy.

The lighthouse saga continues. Even though our lovely protagonist has moved out of the lighthouse, her life still revolves around it and the library co-workers. Her new home is an interesting part of this story. Interesting characters. Quite an enjoyable and entertaining series. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley.

Death by Beach Read is the ninth book in a cozy mystery series. Despite not having read the first eight, I was able to jump right in and didn’t feel lost at all. It is set in the lovely location of Nag’s Head Beach in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Lucy and Connor, a young engaged couple, have purchased an old house and are working on renovating it. While living there, it soon becomes clear that the house held some secrets that led to some scary situations. (No spoilers here!) This book has engaging characters and is well written with some delightful twists and turns! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the earlier books in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley for this early release copy.

#goodreads

Death By Beach Read is the latest installment of the Lighthouse Library Mystery series by Eva Gates. Lucy has moved out of her lighthouse apartment and into the house that she and her fiance, Conner have bought and are fixing up. The first night that Lucy sleeps alone in the house, she hears some very strange sounds. Upon investigating, she sees signs that someone has been there. She then recalls a story about how a teenage girl who lived there fled from the house one night and never came back to her family home. Since then, there have been rumors that the house may be haunted. Then one evening, they find a stranger dead in their kitchen. They realize that his death may be connected to what happened years ago at the house. So now Lucy and her friends begin investigating a new mystery.

While I did not enjoy Death by Beach Read, as much as I did the previous books in the series, I still feel that it is differently worth reading. I think that it is because this book focuses more on Lucy and Conner. Therefore, we do not get to read about Lucy’s interesting coworkers as much as with the previous books.

This was another wild adventure for Lucy. I am glad she has moved into a house, but I am concerned about the Lighthouse aerie and the hands in which it has been left. I wonder what will happen with them next.

The Lighthouse Library series is one of the most consistent cozy mystery series I have ever read, not to mention its longevity! Most series are not able to keep my attention through so many instalments, but the Lighthouse Library never disappoints.
Death by Beach Read is an intriguing novel because Lucy has left her studio in the lighthouse and is moving in with her fiance - Charles the library cat has moved with her (but still goes to work!). They purchased an older home full of mysteries and potential treasures, which leads to some odd occurrences and a murder. This is a well crafted mystery that held my attention - I read half of it in one sitting, and I did not figure out the whodunit. Despite less time at the lighthouse library, this was still a great read. I highly highly recommend this cozy mystery series to all mystery lovers!
Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC in exchange for review.

Death by Beach Read is the ninth book in Eva Gates's Lighthouse Library Mystery series. In this installment, Lucy Richardson (a librarian at the Bodie Island Lighthouse) and her fiancé Connor McNeil (the mayor of Nag's Head) are in the process of renovating their new home when they discover a dead body on their kitchen floor. The novel has a lot of interesting information about the Outer Banks of North Carolina, including its distinctive architecture, and is a light, comforting read in troubled times. Although I have not yet read the other books in the series, prior knowledge of the characters would have been helpful but not mandatory. Book lovers will particularly like the way in which the author draws parallels between the book which is being read by the Lighthouse Library's Classic Book Club (in this case, Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables), and the underlying mystery. 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a complimentary advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for giving me a complimentary copy of DEATH BY BEACH READ.

This is one of my favorite series. The amateur sleuth< Lucy, is a librarian working at the Lighthouse Library in North Carolina. She is romantically involved with the Mayor of the town where the library is.

Again, she gets involved in a mystery and this is a cozy mystery. The book meets all of the requirements of a cozy mystery novel.

In this novel, Lucy's new historical house comes with a lot of baggage and family secrets. Can she put them to rest or will a killer bring Lucy's family to their downfall? It's Spring in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

I would highly recommend this mystery for fans of books about books and mystery!

Lucy, the local librarian, and Connor have finally moved into their new old home and have begun the repairs when strange things start to happen. Lucy and Charles, the library cat, awake to noises that sound like someone else is inside their home when Connor is away for the night and then the following night a dead body appears in their kitchen. What they uncover next is that old houses have their secrets and the previous homeowners have their fair share of secrets as well.

This is the 9th book in the series and although I haven’t read the first 8 books yet, the big things were referenced back to in some detail so I was aware of what previously happened. I really like Lucy, Connor and Charles and town of Nags Head. This cozy mystery series is a great easy to read prefect for snuggling up on the couch to enjoy!


Thank you @netgalley and publishers for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

I love this series! It was a pleasure ring back in Nag’s Head with the library family. I truly enjoyed getting to know Harper siblings and more history of the Outer Banks. A great addition to the series!
Lucy and Connor have moved into their dream home and are fixing it up. Lucy begins hearing and seeing things that make her wonder if the house is haunted (as rumored), or if there is something sinister going on. After finding a dead body in the kitchen they know someone very real has been in their home. Lucy sets out to solve the case, meeting new friends along the way.

This was a pleasant, easy reading book, a good holiday read with a good cast of believable characters and was nicely plotted.

Enjoyable continuation of one of my favorite cozy mysteries! Lucy and Connor are busy renovating their new home and planning for their upcoming nuptials. Their new beach home, rumored (at least by Louise Jane) to be haunted becomes the site of not only break-ins, but murder. I enjoyed the return of minor characters from former books, giving us the opportunity to learn more about them. Rcommend.

Death By Beach Read by Eva Gates (Lighthouse Library Mystery #9) 4 stars

Lucy and Connor are now married after the events of "Deadly Ever After" (2021). They are now living in their historic cottage on Nags Head Beach. The renovation work is ongoing - there is a lot to fix up since it has been empty for quite awhile. When Lucy is alone in the house she wakes up hearing sounds of movement in the living room. She investigates and finds footprints in the dust around her living room. On another evening, Lucy and Connor hear more sounds in the house; they start searching and find a dead body in their kitchen. The victim used to live in the house. Why was he in their home and who killed him? Lucy needs to find out, otherwise there maybe unpleasant surprises in store for their home renovations and newly married life.

This was a fairly good mystery with plenty of red herrings. It was a little slow in parts, but the identity of the criminal surprised me. I look forward to the next book in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Land Books for this ARC.

I received an advanced copy via Netgalley. A nice addition to the series, which is probably best read in order. A new reader may not understand the relationships and references to past investigations. A light, quick read with some interesting historical details about Nags Head and Prohibition.