I absolutely love this series, but it is even better in audio as the narrator does an outstanding job of bringing my favorite characters to life! This cozy mystery series is the perfect mystery series to lose yourself into and enjoy as it wraps you into the life of the local librarian and her friends. The entire series is well plotted and developed in manner that you feel you are visiting old friends rather than just reading another book. This one is my favorite to date, but to be fair and offer full disclosure I am completely biased! The author and publisher opened up requests for book title submissions and the title they selected, Killer Research, was my suggestion. As a reward the author wrote me into the book as a background character and I absolutely love what she has done with me. Make sure you look for the character Micky Cox as you read so you can find me too! That bit of braggery aside, I really did enjoy the book and anyone who likes cozy mysteries will love it too! If you haven't started the series you absolutely should as you now have 12 books to read or listen to (seriously the audios are awesome) in the series to keep you entertained for hours upon hours! I know that I'll be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series so I can visit my favorite characters again soon!! #Dreamscapemediallc #Iloveaudiobooks #JennMckinlaybooks #LibraryLoversSeries #NetgalleyReviewer

Jenn McKinlay has cemented herself as my favorite cozy mystery author. I believe she's my most-read author this year, and I haven't run across a cozy of hers I hadn't loved. Partial to her hat shoppe series, I was nervous to jump into the middle of her Library Lover's series--and book twelve to boot. But it wasn't a problem at all! I had no issues picking up the story and learning about the characters.

This book has a great cast of characters--a pleasantly neutral heroine, quirky friends, the guy you love to hate, a no nonsense cop. It was easy to follow and I didn't find myself asking why in the world the heroine was involving herself. I will say that I predicted the killer extremely early (about halfway), so I can't call this a mystery that kept me guessing, but sometimes that doesn't matter. What matters is that I enjoyed the story, and that's more important!

I listened to this book on audio, which is my preferred format for McKinlay's books. There's just something about them that really lends themselves to this format. Likely because they're on the shorter side (typically under 8 hours) and I have no patience for twelve-hour audiobooks. But also because she snags fabulous narrators. Cozies are generally great on audio because they keep you interested but aren't too scary to listen to alone!

I will say, I do not understand the title of the book--I don't see any connection to the story. I assume they were just running out of book puns.

Thanks to Dreamscape Media for my ALC of this title! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

Killer Research is AWESOME! I have enjoyed all of the books in the Library Lover’s Mystery but book #12 Killer Research is definitely one of the best! Lindsey Norris Sullivan is the Library Director in Briar Creek. She is married to Sully, who owns a water taxi service. Lindsey’s coworker, Ms. Cole, is running for Mayor. Ms. Cole is turning out to be a very interesting character. Ms. Cole finds a dead body in her car trunk and it is a man she dated 40 years ago. Rumors begin to circulate which causes problems for Ms. Cole, her job and her mayoral campaign. Lindsey and friends need to find out who is the murderer to clear Ms. Cole’s name. This book was hard to put down! The characters are wonderful and interesting. The cozy mystery is intriguing and kept me guessing until the reveal. There is humor and friendship and everything I love about cozy mysteries! I had the audiobook which really brings the characters to life! It is well done and very enjoyable! #NetGalley #KillerResearch #DreamscapeMedia #JennMcKinlay

I received a review copy of the audiobook from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. The story was easy, but not too easy, to follow along. I thought the narrator did a good job, especially with the many female character voices.

The story was fine and wrapped up with a rather hammy, old school pronouncement of the killer by Lindsey. It was different. As someone who's read the series from the beginning, I enjoyed seeing how a couple of the characters' relationships have changed and grown.

Killer Research is book #12 of this cozy mystery series but can be read as a stand-alone. Crafternooners they are called and they have a fun book club that meets at the local library and they love Jane Austen. This is a dream come true for me. A fireplace in the library? Yes please! How to I get to Briar Creek?
Briar Creek is a small, charming, historical town that has a murder to solve and it’s going to take everyone to figure it out. Likable characters with a hallmark feel. I highly recommend listening to this if you love cozy mysteries. This was 6 hours and 45 minutes of easy listening.
Thanks Dreamscape Media via Netgalley.

This just felt very shallow.


Review copy provided by publisher.



(Short reviews are my thing.)

Killer Research by Jenn McKinlay

It’s Spring in Briar Creek! The upcoming mayoral election is getting heated!!

Ms. Cole, a librarian and current candidate for mayor, is shocked to find a dead body in her trunk! A guy she dated over 40 years ago!?!

The town is gossiping! Rumors are stirring!

Will her political career be at an end before it even begins? Is someone setting her up? Who did it and why?

An enjoyable listen! #12 in the Library Lover’s Mystery series! I’ve only read the one before and now this one, and once again feel you can read as a stand alone. I was interested the entire time!

Thank you Jenn McKinlay, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the audio to listen to this book in return for my honest review!

I wanted to like this one. I like mysteries and this seemed like a cozy mystery, but it didn't do it for me. It moved too slow, I didn't get excited to pick it up.

Welcome back to Briar Creek and it is now Spring. The mayoral election is starting to heat up and Ms Cole from the library is running against the incumbent mayor who is a slimy piece of work. When a body is found in Ms Cole's trunk the suspicion is turned on her as the killer, with some help from the mayor. This one was fun to listen to and as all the clues came to light Ms Cole has a remarkable past. This one had my guessing and smiling my way through it and even though Chief Emma kept telling Lindsey to leave the investigating to her, Lindsey was the one to figure it out.

**Received this ARC for review in audio from the publisher via NetGalley**

This is my favorite in the series so far because we finally really get to know Ms. Cole! I loved finding out about her past and what she stands for. Her views on issues related to the mayoral campaign were exactly what I thought they would be except I had no idea she was an environmentalist. The mystery was well paced and full of the dirty politics you would expect: mudslinging, accusations, and trickery. The reveal was well done, if a little Perry Mason-ish, and all loose ends (except election results) were tied up in the end. I did figure out who the killer was, which never happens, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book.

The narration was excellent - clear, easy to understand, with tone changes at the appropriate times.