I don't know why I felt such a disconnect with this book. It could easily be that this is book 7 in a series and I've never read any of the other six, but for some reason it feels like it was the dance aspect. I could quibble at the fact that the title "Death in the Margins" has absolutely nothing to do with dance (hence the fact that I had to check the description just now to remind me that yes, this was that book), and in fact the title has nothing to do with anything in the book ...

I think it's partly to do with the fact that neither main character, Amy the librarian or Richard the dancer/choreographer, seemed all that well-formed. The scenes between them were well-written (the book itself is well-written), and their relationship is fun to read about. But when they're not at home together, it sort of felt vague, undetailed. The library Amy (occasionally) goes to might as well be a dental office for all the relevance it has to the story, or, it seemed, to Amy. There is a slightly clearer picture Richard's day-to-day, but I don't recall any actual discussion of the performances he was so invested in beyond "this is what it's called and he's really good". It may be that the author was assuming a familiarity with the series, but ... The characters could all be very easily transplanted into other settings: the victim a harridan whose attitude was dreaded at horticultural shows, but unavoidable because she grew the best rhododendrons, with the prime suspect a young and gifted gardener, say. Or they might have easily been equestrians, which would have made the grafting on of that world a little more natural. (That whole side of the story never quite seemed to connect.)

The writing was enough to make me interested in trying one of the earlier books ... but it's not a priority.

This is the first book in the series that I've read, but it won't be the last. I usually like to start at the beginning of a series, but it was easy enough to jump in at the middle. While to book dragged at some parts, it was highly enjoyable. I look forward to reading Ms. Gilberts other books in this series.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing an ARC for this book

Murder in the theatre? The ballerina wasn't anyone's favorite person, but who really wanted her dead? Amy and Richard hope the local police figure it out before the fund raiser weekend to support dancers in the town.

This is the 7th release in this charming cozy series set in Blue Ridge mountains . I have enjoyed the entire series and this new release is a exciting fun addition to the series. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity.

In this next in series our intripid protagnist Amy is working on a theater production for the town. When a murder occurs it halts the production as many are suspect especially friends of Amy. She must help to clear their name by investigating on her own. The clues abound and red herrings are many as Amy and friends discover the clues that may lead them into danger.

This was a fun read with a surprising conclusion. The sleiuth was well crafted and the supporting charachters all add to the fun. I look forward to the next in series by this favorite cozy author. ,

Richard Muir and his partner Karla are creating a new choreographic piece with Richard's wife Amy doing research into folktales and the music of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Richard and Karla are using professional dancers, college students, and young dancers from Kara's studio. All is going well until Amy finds Meredith Fox's dead body in a dressing room. Meredith was one of the main dancers in the program. She was very difficult to work with and caused problems everywhere she went, so there was no shortage of suspects in her murder.
Chief Deputy Brad Tucker asks Amy to keep her ear open for any information regarding the case. Someone is unhappy about this and lets Amy know it.

I like this series. The characters are great and it's fun to follow them through each book

I must have a habit of starting a book series in the middle! This is the first book I've read by Victoria Gilbert. I did savor it and honestly, I don't believe I was lost by not reading other books in the series.
Librarian Amy Muir is a "dance widow" as her husband Richard is assembling his new production, Folklore Suite. Despite her work and the long hours of prep for Folklore Suite, Amy is supportive and is at the dance studio as often as she can be. One of the dancers hired for the production also happens to be his ex-fiancée Meredith, who happens to be conceited (among other things). Meredith is found murdered and a boy holding the murder weapon....but did he kill her?
I thought this book was fast-paced and I enjoyed the characters a great deal. There were a lot of twists but I was able to guess the culprit before the aria.
I plan to go back and read the series from the beginning. #DeathintheMargins was quite good.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and #NetGalley for supplying this ARC. All opinions are mine.

With the weather getting warmer in Taylorsford, library director Amy Muir is busy but nowhere near as busy as husband, Richard. A successful dancer and choreographer his new show, the Folklore Suite, is due to open at the recently renovated art deco movie theatre in the next town over and rehearsals are in full swing. Kind hearted and generous Richard has invited his ex-fiancee, Meredith Fox, to be a lead dancer in the show. He may however be starting to regret his offer as her reputation for being difficult to work with is proving to be all too accurate and she hasn't endeared herself to anyone.

As opening night gets closer Amy is spending more of her downtime at the theatre so she at least sees her husband, if only from a distance! After she, once again, stumbles across a dead body everything connected to the production has to stop, but with the Sheriff's Department convinced someone closely linked to the show is responsible Amy knows she has to step in and help. With no shortage of suspects she soon finds herself in the killer’s sights, and as opening night draws ever closer Amy realises it isn't only the show that needs saving.

In the seventh book in this series Amy is helping Richard with his show which gives a good variety of scenes for them to share. The main protagonists are once again all present to varying degrees and new characters are easily absorbed into an exciting storyline which, in part, kept me guessing until the end. There are a few obvious solutions to the extra interwoven mysteries but the identity of the killer was far harder to work out.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. This is a good extension to a popular series which I very much enjoyed and happily recommend.

Death in the Margins is the seventh book in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series. The main character, Amy, is a library director and is married to a dancer named Richard. Richard has a performance at the local theatre that was once an old cinema. It is interesting hearing about the changes to the old cinema and about the dancing company. Richard’s ex is murdered at a rehearsal and Amy gets involved in the mystery of who murdered her.

Amy is a very relatable and likeable character. Richard is a great husband who is usually supportive of her searching for clues. They have two cute cats and the author definitely describes the cats’ antics and their humans’ responses to them perfectly. Amy’s friends and her Aunt Lydia are great characters. It’s a relaxing read with a good mystery. Well written, as always. I hope there will be more books in this series, it’s a good one.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this wonderful ARC. I will post this review to my blog, Goodreads, Bookbub, & Amazon accounts on the publication date, 12/6/22.

This is a good series. I've enjoyed experiencing these characters' growth and changing relationships throughout the years. I like that Amy is a librarian. I know nothing about dance, but I enjoy reading about the dances that Richard creates and performs. This mystery had plenty of suspects and clues that kept me guessing. This may be my favorite book in this series.
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

The theater is no place for murder—but a case of backstage betrayal drags library director Amy Webber into a case that could mean curtains in critically acclaimed author Victoria Gilbert’s Blue Ridge Library mystery.

It’s early summer, and while Richard Muir and his dance partner, Karla, are preparing their new choreographic piece, Richard’s wife, Amy, is gathering the dance’s source materials. Based on folktales and the music of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the production is set to premiere at an old cinema that has been converted to a theater. But when dancer Meredith Fox—Richard’s former fiancé—is found dead backstage, Amy is once again propelled into a murder case that threatens the careers and lives of those she loves.

After Amy teams up with Chief Deputy Brad Tucker and the sheriff’s department to discover the killer, they find that there’s no shortage of suspects: Meredith’s wealthy ex-husband, several fellow dancers, a romantically spurned accompanist, and others whom the talented but haughty dancer dismissed or betrayed over the years.

With Richard and Karla's help, and information gleaned from locals who know a wealth of small-town secrets, Amy desperately tries to unveil the killer before the premiere. But she’s pursuing a ruthless murderer who’s willing to kill again—and who might just be waiting for Amy in the wings.

I don't know anything about theater or dance so this central topic wasn't familiar to me the way some other cozies interest me. That said, the story was interesting and I enjoyed the book and characters.

The seventh novel in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries revolves around Amy's husband's latest dance production. Richard Muir is a professional dancer, choreographer, and instructor at the local college. For a summer production based on folklore of the Blue Ridge Mountains, he puts together a crew of professional dancers, his college students, and some local children who are part of his friend's dance studio. Richard's ex-fiancé, Meredith Fox, is one of the professional dancers taking part in the performance. Meredith is not the easiest person to get along with and, long before opening night, she has made an enemy out of just about everyone connected to the production. It's not much of a surprise when Amy finds Meredith's dead body in the basement in the theater. What is surprising is that Amy finds a sixteen-year-old boy standing over the body with the murder weapon in hand. The local law enforcement is convinced the teenager is guilty, and they don't bother looking into any other suspects. Believing that the boy is innocent, Amy begins questioning other suspects—including the other dancers, the kids' parents, a spurned ex-boyfriend, a wealthy ex-husband, and the ex-husband's sketchy family. As Amy gets closer to uncovering the truth, she finds herself in danger. Amy needs to figure out the killer's identity before she becomes the next victim.

Richard's career as a dancer has played a role in the previous novels, but it takes center stage in DEATH IN THE MARGINS. Amy's job at the library doesn't play a significant role in the story, but there are several scenes set in the library. Some of the major reoccurring characters also take a backseat in this novel. While I missed their involvement, it did make for a nice change. Overall, I enjoyed the novel. There were plenty of suspects and red herrings to keep me guessing until the end.

This is my first introduction to Amy and the other characters in the Blue Ridge Library mystery series. And although I found the characters likeable, I thought it was just ok. The writing was a bit flat to me. I did enjoy the overall setting. I'd give the series another try as some of my issues may be because I haven't read any of the earlier books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

It was such a pleasure to return to Victoria Gilbert’s Blue Ridge Library Mystery world in Death in the Margins, the 7th book in the series.

Amy Muir’s dancer/choreographer husband Richard is hard at work with partner Karla preparing for their new choreographic program when the lead dancer–and mean girl–Meredith Fox, is murdered in the basement of the theater. Meredith and Richard shared a past as they were dance partners and also engaged, but thank goodness Richard has a clear alibi as he was on stage with multiple people when the murder occurred. Chief among the suspects are a 16 year old boy Meredith had just that day berated, as well as two other dancers, a musician, and a dance mom. Amy sets out to find who the true murderer is before anyone else falls prey to the killer.

While Amy’s life as library director has normally been the focus of this series, this book brings the world of dance more to the forefront. The author has a talent for writing believable characters, and with knowledge of the world of libraries, and now the world of dance.

This series is one that I definitely recommend for Cozy Mystery lovers, and I can’t wait to read the next in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane books for allowing me to read the ARC. I’m happy to leave my thoughts on this newest story.

Amy’s curiosity helped in the investigation and freeing the young man, one of her husband’s young dance students, from a murder charge. Amy‘s skill at detecting and puzzle solving has landed her too close to the murderer. Now the very same skill set looks to be the final curtain call for her and Richard.

I’m a huge fan of this series, and I really liked this book. It was a quick and easy read—perfect for an afternoon. I’d recommend this book if you like a good cozy mystery.

Immersive and transportive which is exactly what I was expecting and wanting. Amazing characters growth, great plotting, grand story, and as always left me wanting more.

Cute cozy bookish mystery. It's not going to revolutionize the genre, but it's a fun read. Would definitely recommend to others and read more in the series.

Thank you for the arc

Ms. Gilbert has written another winner in her Blue Ridge Library cozy mystery series.

Amy has become a dance widow as Richard and Karla are in rehearsals for a new choreography piece that includes all levels of dancers - professional, university students and young students from Karla's dance studio. While visiting Richard and Karla at the theater, Amy finds the body of Richard's ex with a young dancer standing over it. Amy begins to assist Chief Deputy Brad Tucker in ferreting out the clues of who would want to kill the woman.

A fast paced well-crafted plot, a victim who was one of those characters who I loved to hate, multiple suspects who had strong motives, plenty of twists and red herrings and a gripping reveal confrontation kept me glued to the pages until I reached the end. The final chapter was sweet.

I enjoyed the read because the characters are likable. But I'm going with just OK since this book was not that memorable to me. I read it a week ago and nothing stood out to me other than the very ending which attentive readers would have been expecting given the clues.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this new novel.

I've read the first four books in the series and was in the mood for another one cozy mystery. It didn't disappoint with the atmosphere, quick dialogue and fast tempo. It felt like I read about old friends :)

3,5 stars