So, I am a sucker for cozy mysteries, and I loved this one! This is the first from this series I have read, but I will change this because I enjoyed this author's writing. It was witty and original and a hoot!
The two MCs are working together to try to find out who killed a member of their book club. I really love their relationship, where it is like they are working together instead of competing with each other. This series is cute and exciting. I do enjoy that there is a love interest with the officer that is interesting. This is a short enjoyable read! Thank you Netgally and Crooked Lane Books for the extraordinary opportunity to read and review this one!

Read to Death at the Lakeside Library is the third book in the Lakeside Library Mystery series. It was my favorite, so far, in the series. The main character, Rain, runs a lakeside library at her house. She has a best friend (Julia) who lives next door, who helps at the library. The two of them seem to feed off each other and end up getting into mischief. They have another friend, Kim, who is around at times; she’s a lot of fun! Rain and Julia like to investigate mysteries and are good at it. There is a little romance and a couple cute dogs. The book is definitely a good cozy mystery. There are many suspects and clues to follow. The main ladies are both fun and smart. I enjoy reading about life on the lake and hearing about the small-town community. I’m looking forward to the next in the series.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC. I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I will post this review to my blog, Goodreads, Bookbub, & Amazon accounts.

This latest in the Lakeside Library series features a re-enactment of a mystery scene from Sparkling Cyanide by Dame Agatha Christie. When a member of the Lakeside book club dies in mysterious circumstances, librarian Rain and sidekick Julia suspect foul play. The involve themselves in trying to solve the crime.

There are a lot of characters in this novel, and I had to make a list to keep up with them. Some of the things they did seemed silly to me. Although it is part of a series, I read it as a standalone. It would have helped if I read the previous ones in order though. In addition to the mystery and the hair raising ending, there is a lot of description and romance and other adventures. I wondered if this librarian ever worked at the library! For me, these other sidebars got in the way of the mystery, which was solved rapidly at the end of the book. I would prefer more mystery and less other stuff. It is not a difficult read, maybe a good beach read.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I had not read either of the first two books in this series, but lakeside seemed like a great place to be in our summer heat, and this book tied in to the recent theme of Midwestern mysteries of a few months ago. Rain Wilmot has found Lofty Pines, Wisconsin, and the Lakeside Library the perfect balm to recover from her tragic past, and as summer gets underway, she's ready to move on with her life, including, perhaps, romance. One of the new activities she's excited about is the new book club the library is sponsoring and which she is hosting in her home. No one expects one of the book club attendees to be murdered, and in a manner shockingly similar to the first book the group is reading. Rain and her best friend, Julia, begin their own investigation, despite the warnings of Julia's brother, Jace, a policeman working the case. And despite Rain and Jace'sgrowing attraction to each other. My verdict: meh. Rain and Julia are investigating for no good reason other than curiosity, they contaminate the murder scene by walking around it (potentially jeopardizing any court case, I would think, or at the very least, compromising the investigation and potentially leaving evidence at the scene). When Rain and Jace's relationship heats up, and he says"Don't ever lie to me again. Do you understand?... Can you promise me that?" she does, and then immediately lies to him. I left a note to myself that I wished he dump her when he found out she lied to him after promising not to do that, but it's a romantic mystery, so naturally he doesn't. And she convinces Julia to lie to her brother to keep their investigation and what they think they've discovered to themselves. They uncover a crucial bit of evidence and keep that from the police. There is a weird instance with a boat owner being friendly and leaving them alone to snoop around his boat for no reason (would anyone do that?), but then the boat owner does a 360-degree about face in his behavior for no reason. At first I thought midwesterners were too nice and naive, then I thought they were too weird, and then I decided the author was at fault. The book was mediocre; it's squeaky clean, but everybody seems to punch each other in the arm (Rain and Jace do that, something I can see a 13-year-old boy doing to a girl her likes, but not a grown man), Rain and Julia slap and tap and punch each other, Julia and her husband do this--I started tracking how many times characters do this to each other because it was that common. If I were a drinking game kind of person, this would be a great action to track, but you'd be drunk by the middle of the book. All in all, I found the mystery a little too uninteresting, the relationships a little too juvenile, the writing a little too inconsistent. It's not bad, it's just not good. And not promising enough that I'll read any more in the series.

Another great installment in the Lakeside Library mystery series. I love Rain and Julia's friendship, they will literally do anything for each other. I like how Holly Danvers tied this mystery into a classic from Agatha Christie. Looking forward to the next book to see what happens in Rain's love life.

Rain and Julia once again team up together and drive Jace crazy as they "help" the police in their investigation.

This time the murder happens after a book club meeting at the Lakeside Library. The group of ladies meets on the deck beside the lake to discuss an Agatha Christi mystery. When heated discussion erupts, the meeting ends with some hurt feelings and Rain and Julia are concerned about some of the members. The following morning, they want to visit one of the ladies to try to smooth ruffled feathers, but find her dead.

While at first suicide seems to be the logical reason for her death. Happily Rain and Julia behave perfectly at this point. But when some facts don't add up, Rain and Julia begin to feel that the police won't be able to find the killer without their help and go about their amateur sleuthing without sharing what they find with the police.

I loved the references to the Christie mystery and even stopped reading this to reread it so that I could better understand some of what was going on in this particular book.

I've read the others in this series and none disappoint. I am grateful that the author's biography at the end of the book states, "She lives with her husband..., where she's already plotting her next novel." I will be looking forward to its publication.

*I want to preface this by thanking NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the chance to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!*

NOTE: Due to the star rating not allowing decimals, know that my actual rating is a 2.5/5 stars.

Finding this book, I found the premise to be very promising and I was looking forward to reading a good mystery thriller - especially with it involving a book club and the special appearance of Rex the dog.

I have to be honest, it took me very long to get into the murder mystery and I found myself more invested in Rex than I did the human members of the book club or the victim.

The writing style was short, but sweet. The setting felt familiar and kept my attention. For me, what was lacking was the characters: I couldn't find myself connected with the main characters, their relationships with one another, the twists and turns or even the outcome. I couldn't even find myself caring much for the glimpse of romance. However, in the end it can simply be a thing of me not being the target audience for this novel, and it did have its highlights!

Shoutout to Rex, you're a good dog.

Rain and Julia couldn’t resist getting involved in the investigations relating to the death of one of their club members. What their search revealed surpasses what they had expected. Their curiosity placed them right in the killer’s hands. This book was captivating, intriguing, and exciting. I love it.

Rain is starting a book club at the Lakeside Library, and they’re starting with an Agatha Christie mystery. But then real life imitates the book when one of the members is found dead. Rain and Julia are determined to figure out what happened to Lily. Literature, friendship, haunts from the past, and a little romance all blend in this fun cozy murder mystery.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. This is the second book in the series that I have read.

The Lakeside Library Book Club is meeting for its inaugural book discussion, Sparkling Cyanide by Agatha Christie. All is going well until one of the members, Lily Redlin, is found dead in her home shortly after the meeting.

Rain, our protagonist and the town libriarian, finds herself compelled to investigate because everyone at the book club meeting is a suspect. She is assisted by her best friend, Julia, the sister of local police officer, Jace. The investigation opens up secrets from the past.

The story is engaging, and the characters are likeable. I like the feel of the town, the sense of community. There's definitely a coziness to this one. I look forward to more from this series.

This was a cute cozy mystery. I enjoyed the best friends aspect and that this was set in a library.

I have enjoyed the first two books in the Lakeside Library Mystery series by author Holly Danvers, so I was excited to jump into Read to Death at the Lakeside Library. And I must say, I ended up with a pretty solid story.

Rain is finding her place in the community of Lofty Pines, Wisconsin, by reviving the book club her mother used to run. But when one of the book club members turns up dead shortly after their inaugural meeting, Rain and her friends decide to investigate.

I found the whole murder within the new book club plot very interesting. And the twist that the first book that the club read, an Agatha Christie novel, seems to parallel the murder was quite intriguing. Ms. Danvers had enough suspects and even motives to keep me on my toes and turning the pages to see how it all worked out in the end. And speaking of the end, while I wasn’t surprised by whodunit, I found the conclusion satisfying.

What I loved about the book was the addition of a new character, Benzo the Dog. I’m a sucker for dogs in stories, as they tend to make it all a little more real to me. I also like that Rain is starting to develop a romance with Jace, a local cop and the brother of her best friend. They’ve been circling around each other in the previous books but make some headway in this installment.

What I didn’t love? Julia, the best friend, tends to get on my nerves a little bit. She’s Rain’s opposite and gets Rain into more trouble than is probably necessary. While I can relate to Rain, Julia confuses me. And as with most cozy mysteries, I wish the mystery was purposely solved rather than oddly stumbled upon the resolution. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the conclusion, but the big reveal seemed rather abrupt and jarring. At least it was tempered by an epilogue where everything was explained in better detail.

Read to Death at the Lakeside Library is a solid addition to this series. It has a well-developed plot and good character growth. As with most series, the book can be read on its own, but it is better if you’ve read prior books. I recommend it for fans of cozy mysteries set in small towns.

Read to Death at the Lakeside Library is book #3 in the Lakeside Library Mystery series by Holly Danvers.

Rain hosts her first book club meeting and it is a bit contentious. Then a member is found dead soon after.

Escape the summer heat by heading to the lake. Rain and Julia investigate the murder which is challenging because of the unclear motive. The twists kept me guessing. I like the addition of Benzo!

Thank you to the author, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Dollycas's Thoughts

What happens when the book your book club just read and discussed looks to have been the inspiration for the murder of one of the club's members? Well, the members of the Lakeside Library Book Club are about to find out.

Rain's mother hosted a summer book club for years and Rain thought it was time to bring that back. Their first read was Sparkling Cyanide by Agathe Christie. A lively discussion was had but Rain never imagined one of the members would be found dead in their new lakeside cabin the next day.

Rain and her BFF Julia, try to do some investigating on their own, much to the despair of their significant others. Was the woman killed for something that happened in her past? Or did she really have a priceless manuscript someone was willing to kill her for? Or was it an unknown relative mentioned in a letter she had just received the thing that led to her death?

In their quest to find the truth Rain and Julia realize it all comes back to the book club. Well since Agatha Christie's book set up the means for the killing they decide to use Dame Agatha's way to expose the killer. Will it work? Or will the tables be turned on Rain and Julia and conclude with their and the book club's demise?

______

With every book in this series, the core characters become nearer and dearer. Rain and Julia truly are best friends who have each other's backs come hell or high water and water was definitely an issue in this story. They are also there for their friend Marge who is starting to have some age-related issues. Julia's husband Nick is a great handyman to have around and her brother, police officer, Jace Lowe is on the case while he and Rain start to talk about their feelings for each other. I am loving the way these characters continue to evolve in realistic ways and at a comfortable pace. All the dialogues ring true to this Wisconsinite too.

Speaking of Wisconsin, Ms. Danvers's descriptions of Lofty Pines in the Northwoods, really take her readers to the lake, on the lake, and the whole surrounding area so well. The sights, sounds, and even smells help bring this story to life. Books like this one help everyone see why vacationing in the area is so appealing, sans the murder, of course.

The murder mystery was very complicated due to the unclear motives. The victim's history was very interesting as is her other house. She was a real bookworm who was very serious about her books. All these "clues" send Rain and Julia in many directions and even Marge helps out. I really enjoy following along with all the clues. The real guilty party was on my suspect list along with a couple of others. The author placed some nice twists that really keep me guessing the whole way. I did like the way the reveal played out as well as the links to the book club book in the mystery. You can't go wrong with Agatha Christie.

Read to Death at the Lakeside Library was a Perfect Escape to the Wisconsin Northwoods with fun and engaging characters and a very well-plotted mystery.  The Lakeside Library has become one of my favorite literary libraries especially now with its new four-legged resident. I can't wait to visit again soon.

I enjoyed the Wisconsin setting for this book because I know so little about this state... And how charming is that lakeside library set in the cabin that once belonged to main character’s grandfather? .But the story stands alone for its well developed characters and twisty storyline. Good choice to include an Agatha Christie novel to provide inspiration to storyline.
Loved the husky rescue dog! Wish the recipes at the end were simpler to prepare.
Looking forward to next in series. Thanks to #NetGalley and #ReadtoDeathattheLakesudeLibrary for advanced digital copy.

Read to Death at the Lakeside Library has to be my favorite book by far. I’m still obsessed with Rain and Julia. The series continues with Rain in her current position in running the Lakeside Library. Julia host a book club and there’s a few confrontations with the book club members that lead to a murder. Rain and Julia begin their investigation and they are invested to solve the murder mystery. I enjoyed the characters and the stunning setting. I loved the romance with Julia and Jace. They were absolutely adorable and I wish we can have more to their relationship. Thank you so much NetGalley for giving me this amazing opportunity.

It was so nice to return to Lofty Pines with Rain, Julia, and the rest of the Lakers.

This installment features the start of a bookclub at the Lakeside Library and the group’s reading of Sparkling Cyanide by Agatha Christi.

When one is the book club members is found dead by Rain and Julia, they will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of this mystery.

I felt like this one was a little predictable, but honestly, I read this series for the characters and setting. I love catching up with the events in Lofty Pines and watching the friendships grow as Rain settles into life as a laker. This is a great series for some light reading and entertainment.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for the copy of this book. All views are my honest opinion.

Rain and Julia start a book club at the Lakeside Library, but what happens when one member dies and it appears another member may be a killer! Fabulous twists and turns make this plot a fun one to unravel while following the carefully crafted clues. It is a fun read that ties into an Agatha Christie book that was the chosen read for the club. The characters are so relatable that they feel like old friends that you have gathered to talk books with rather than characters on a page. I have fallen in love with this series and can't wait to see what comes next both in mystery and in the characters personal lives! I do highly recommend starting with book one of the series so that you get both more enjoyment and the full backstory as each book builds a bit more upon the last.

This third outing in the series has Rain Wilmot, the main character, is running the library this summer with the help of a small staff. The library is a family legacy that they offer to the town. I had not read the two prior books, but that didn't cause any issues in enjoying this book.

BFF Julia Reynolds is a perfect sidekick and even maybe a bit of a bad influence encouraging Rain to take some risks. Marge is a mature library volunteer with some spunk that I enjoyed. Jace Lowe, Julia's brother and a cop, is the romantic interest just getting traction.

I had hoped for more of the lake setting to be pervasive, but it was only a backdrop in a few scenes. It was just my hope to get more of a lake culture and feel, but it wasn't imperative. The town of Lofty Pines seems delightful and the library is a dream.

I enjoyed the premise of the book club reading Agatha Christie's Sparkling Cyanide book as a theme of sorts. I will have to read that book now (how did I miss it all these years?)

The mystery had plenty of suspects and aspects so that the killer wasn't easily figured out. It delivered a tense and dramatic killer reveal and confrontation. The climax left Rain and Julia in a tight spot and I would have liked to see the ladies step up a little better, but it was realistic overall. I can't say more without serious spoilers.

Rating: Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list

This is another fun cozy mystery centered around a private library and a newly formed book discussion group. I like the setting on a Wisconsin lake and the community involved. Rain is a good amateur sleuth, getting her friends to help her. The plot is fun in that a murder happens after reading an Agatha Christie mystery. Part of the book discussion points to the manner the contemporary murder was committed. There is a historical aspect too as a possible murder from years ago seems to have a part in the current one. Rain and her friend Julia are tenacious on solving both cases, getting them into a bit of trouble near the end of the book.

This is the third book in the series but reads well on its own. It's a fun cozy mystery for book lovers. A little romance, lots of friendship and an intriguing murder make for a fun read.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.