I do love a cozy mystery but this wasn't my favorite. I'll probably read the next book in the series to see if it improves because there were things I liked such as the character of Greta and I am curious about her mysterious backstory. We'll see -- the setting is good and the library information is a definite plus!

Death Checked Out comes out next week on December 6, 2022 and you can purchase HERE.

Her formal education in Library Science was about the furthest thing from nursing or the medical field, which was how Greta liked it. She much preferred the happiness and fictional world of books to the blood and gore of real-life medical emergencies.

This was a very fun and entertaining cozy mystery and I really enjoyed it. I loved Greta, the main character and the descriptions of the small, idyllic town of Larkspur. This was the first book I've read by this author and I will definitely be checking out her others!

Thank you to the publisher and to netgalley for the e-ARC!

📚📚I loved this cozy mystery! Am I biased because the protagonist is a librarian and much of it is set in a library? Obviously. Should you still read it? Duh. 📚📚 Pub date: 12/6/22 (I got a copy of it from #netgalley because #librarianperks )Greta Plank is a small town library director who stumbles upon a dead body on her walk home from work one day. What seems like an accident turns out to be a murder and Greta quickly becomes one of the main suspects. She has to use all her librarian wiles (yes-those are a thing. It’s actually what they teach us in library school💁🏼‍♀️) to solve the case and clear her name before the new detective in town pins it on her. (Cute, right? It is. Super cute. You should read it.) #DeathCheckedOut #deathcheckedoutbook #deathcheckedoutreview #NetGalley #netgalleyreview #abookreviewnooneaskedfor

I received this as an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you're looking for a cozy mystery, a FMC who loves books, grumpy sunshine, and a small town, then Death Checked Out is for you!

The pacing is perfect, the mystery believable, and the characters relatable. I'd recommend it to any cozy mystery fan.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

Greta, Larkspur’s Librarian/Director, comes across a murder of a friend and soon becomes the main suspect for his murder.

A fun, cozy mystery read, while somewhat predictable, still a great fall read.

3.5 🌟| This book was a slow start for me. As someone who went to library school, the librarian/quirky girl stereotype combined with the picturesque/cutesy description of the town was a lot to take in at the jump. That all changes the second a body drops. Slowly the town grew on me to the point where I wanted to visit the fictional Larkspur, Wisconsin. I also adored Greta by the end, even if her instincts for self preservation were off (fyi if you are accused of murder don’t go investigate it in your own you only look worse). The only note I have is the villain, while I thought the twist was clever, the villain was a little too over the top with the speech. But I think that has more to do with me getting used to the cozy mystery genre. I also have to applaud the author for completely hooking me in not only to the mystery but to the community that by the time the book was over I was so relieved to see there were planned sequels. May have fully pushed me into a newfound appreciation of cozy mysteries!

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Level Best Books for the ARC*

This was a great start to a brand new cozy mystery series. I am a huge cozy fan and am very excited to see what comes next for Greta and the gang at the Larkspur Library. I see so much potential with this series!

I adore bookish related cozies. If there is a library or a bookstore, I want to read it! I think Leah did a great job at incorporating book related puns and references throughout.

The mystery itself was well done, I did not suspect the killer until right before the big reveal!

If you love small towns, libraries and Nancy Drew- definitely check this one out!

🍁BOOK REVIEW🍁

Death Checked Out by Leah Dobrinska
4.5/5

“When in doubt, go to the library…and solve the murder mystery!

Greta Plank, library director in the small, lakeside town of Larkspur, Wisconsin, prefers her rose-tinted glasses extra rosy, thank you very much. It’s how she copes with the hard stuff in life…like her sister’s death and her ex-boyfriend’s deception. But Greta’s cheery resolve takes a hit when she stumbles upon a dead body on her way home from work. What she assumes is a terrible accident Greta soon learns is something more sinister, and to make matters worse, a new-to-town detective cites her as not only his primary source for the case, but his top suspect.”

I found this quite an endearing read and was hooked from the first page. The pacing is a little slow, but I enjoyed that! It’s also the first cozy mystery I’ve read in quite awhile and has reminded me how much I LOVE the genre!

There were so many cute characters in this book and that definitely added to its charm!

Publish Date: December 6, 2022

Thanks to @netgalley, @levelbestbooks and the author for the chance to read this ARC!

#deathcheckedout #bookreview #netgalley #deathcheckedoutbook #cozymystery #cozyreading #cozyreads #fallreads #books #bookstagram #leahdobrinska #bookreviewer

I hate giving bad reviews but, for me, this book was practically unreadable. The pace is slow and the exposition is everywhere all the time and the dialogue is too detailed--I despise reading small talk and filler dialogue. I couldn't relate to the main character whose main personality trait seems to be cheerfulness and only character flaw is clumsiness (but the cute kind where she knocks over books, not the regular kind like walking into a door).

I can see this working for someone who maybe is new to reading for fun or hasn't read a lot of fiction books in their life (and I don't mean this condescendingly, I firmly believe that every book has an audience and every audience deserves books for their enjoyment). But this book was definitely not for me.

The cover was really pretty though.

This was a light and easy cozy mystery and a nice start to a new cozy series. I will definitely be coming back for more and looking forward to the next one.

My thanks to Netgalley and Level Best Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Death Checked Out by Leah Dobrinska

Greta Plank transplanted herself on a small lakeside town of Larkspur. Escaping from a bad relationship and mourning her sister, she thought Larkspur would be the perfect safe, storybook place to live. When her neighbor is found dead in his home, Greta and her fellow librarians must try to figure out who the murderer is before they find themselves in danger.

If you liked Gilmore Girls, the town of Stars Hallow and Fall vibes, you will love this book! It truly is a cozy mystery. I loved Greta and her gentle soul. She created a really sweet life around her and I wish I got to know her in real life. There is romance in this book (or the start of one) however it is very sweet and clean. I’m hoping to get to know the characters and the town more in the future series!

I received a free copy of Death Checked Out, by Leah Dobrinska, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Greta, the librarian of Larkspur, Wisconsin, found her friend Franklin dead in his own home. Of course, this he died of sinister means and somehow, I haven’t figured out how, Greta finds herself the prime suspect in the case of Franklins murder. Greta and her friends decide to clear her good name and solve the crime.

The writing of this book was awful. The over explaining and simpleness of the writing was hard to read. There was no character development, no chemistry, nothing but 1 dimensional people. I realize that not every book is for every reader and this one is obviously not for me.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Death Checked Out is a cozy mystery truly perfect for the fall season! Highly recommended if you love muredr mystery, strong and independent female MC and c0sy books to read under warm blankets!
I loved the mystery and it kept me in suspense until the end! Well structured and never predictable. I also loved the writing style, very immersive and light.
I can't wait to read the other books in this promising new series!

Death Checked Out is out everywhere on December 6, 2022! Don't miss it!

A great quirky, cosy, murder, mystery. A book to devour with a hot cuppa. A book that you can immerse yourself into and enjoy for the fact it is fun and entertaining, enjoyable and a great read.

I love the library theme, the characters, the setting and the mystery. It is everything you want from a good cosy book to cosy up with! Great is great and she really made this story more enjoyable. It is well written and it gets you involved but you don't feel worn out by the time you finish it.

A good book that I highly recommend.

Death checked out by Leah Dobrinska
Earc:NetGalley
Publisher:
Level Best Books, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles
Publication Date:6th December 2022
Genre:General Fiction Adult, Mystery and Thriller, Women's Fiction

Greta is working in the bookstore discovers Franklin the owner partially covered by the wheelchair at the bottom of the garden. She can believe Franklin's dead. First let me say that the book is very well written and the story is easy to follow. MC (Greta)'s point of view is everywhere, and it was easy to understand, so it was very easy to read.

Descriptions of the city, characters, and setting made it easy to visualize the story as I read on. I love this. This town reminded me of Gilmore Girls' Stars in His Hollow. It's a small town that everyone knows.

I loved how Greta was willing to do whatever it took to do justice to her friends. The connection between the three main female characters was another aspect I loved. They had each other's backs and remained loyal to each other.

I thought I got things figured out, but then there would be a twist... until the end. Speaking of the ending... Very heartwarming. I would love to know more about Greta's life in Larkspur and the detectives.

Definitely worth reading. I strongly recommend it.

#NetGalley #bookstagram #bookreview #goodreads #generalfiction #mysteryandthriller #booktok #DeathCheckedout

I've read a lot of cozy mysteries and this is definitely a gem. The characters are lovable and the storyline is intriguing. I slightly guessed the culprit part way through but it didn't take away from the story at all! This book reminded me a little of Aurora Teagarden movie on Hallmark. I am definitely going to keep an eye out for more in the series.

I would like to start by thanking NetGalley and everyone involved in allowing me early access to this ebook.

“Death Checked out” is the story if librarian Greta, who is accused of the murder of a friend and will then try to solve the case herself. It’s a cosy mystery and reading it I conclude it might not be my go to jam. I mean, the story is overall sweet, and doesn’t have the craziness and violence of thrillers, but, for me, it also lacked the suspense of thrillers. It was, overall, too predictive and slow paced. The main events only take place in the last 50 pages, what made me lose a little bit of interest in the narrative. Still, as I like to end on a positive note, I must say I loved the small town vibes, reminded me of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, which I love.

This review will also be available on my Goodreads account, and later, on my Instagram profile - @cat.literary.world

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for making this eARC available in exchange for an honest rewiew.

I enjoyed this cozy, small-town mistery; I think it's the perfect read during autumn/winter time.
I sometimes felt like the story dragged a bit, and I wished there was more action spread throughout the story rather than just in the end. The writing flowed nicely and the relationships between the characters were compelling.

A bonus for the absolutely gorgeous cover! I would recommend Death Checked out to someone looking for a more tranquil mystery read.

The first in a new cozy mystery series! Greta moved to Larkspur, a small Wisconsin town, a few months ago to work as the library director. Things have been going well until she finds her neighbor, Franklin, dead. Under suspicion by the new detective in town, Greta decides to investigate to clear her name and get justice for her friend.

I thought the first half of this debut was a little slow, but it definitely picked up after the Will reading! I think part of that is the reader was not given a town of background into Greta. We didn’t have as much connection to her as in some other series’ protagonists. It definitely picked up though, and I can see future books having more of this later book energy!

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

I was drawn to this book after reading the blurb and was excited to read it. Sadly, it just didn't work for me. I'm not sure what it was but I really struggled to get into it.