In this seventh installment of the Haunted Library series, Carrie Singleton certainly has a lot going on. She's working at the library, planning her upcoming wedding and, of course, attempting to solve murders. On top of all that, she's worrying about her uncle's health and the possibility of losing her assistant to a local art gallery.

There really is so much going on here that it sort of overshadows the murder mystery.
The mystery itself was interesting, but I think it would have been more enjoyable with a more streamlined plot.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Overdue Or Die
A Haunted Library Mystery, Book #7
Allison Brook
5 Stars

Synopsis:


Carrie Singleton has a wedding to plan, a killer to catch, and a conspiracy to uncover in this charming seventh novel of Agatha Award-nominee Allison Brook’s Haunted Library mysteries.

Carrie Singleton has more than her fair share on her plate: her job at the Clover Ridge Library, preparing for her wedding to Dylan Avery, and hoping that the local art gallery doesn’t steal away one of her part-time employees. Her fiancé Dylan accompanies her to the beautiful home of Victor Zalinka—art collector and successful businessman—to select paintings for an art show at the library. While Carrie muses that Victor's home would be the perfect wedding venue, Dylan spots a forgery among the paintings in Victor's collection.

Then Martha Mallory is found murdered in her art gallery. With the assistance of Evelyn, the library ghost; the resident cat, Smoky Joe; and the office manager of Dylan’s private investigation company, Carrie comes up with a suspect list long enough to rival the size of an encyclopedia. During her investigation, Carrie stumbles across a terrible truth: Martha’s murder was part of something far bigger and more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. And it all leads back to the art gallery.

How far will Carrie go to find the killer and uncover the truth? If the killer finds her first—will Carrie finally be taken out of circulation? (Amazon)

Review:

The characters are well developed and well rounded. Carrie has a lot of stuff on her plate, including her wedding. When someone is killed in an art gallery, Carrie knows she has to find the killer. But it will not be easy and she will need the help of the library ghost and the library cat to solve it.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. The mystery is well plotted and there were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through.

I would recommend the book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. The book and series are really good.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

Allison Brook continues the haunted library mysteries in Overdue or Die. Carrie is working in a haunted library and trying to plan her wedding when murders upset the community. Fake paintings, bad relations among the criminals and the heirs of the victims add fuel to the fire. Carrie sticks her nose into everything. Enjoy an artsy cozy.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

This author continues to amaze me with how her main characters grow and each mystery is fresh and unique. All are depicted beautifully through conversations, thoughts, and actions. This time, one of Carrie’s beloved family members suffered a heart attack, which adds to Carrie’s concerns and this reader’s vision of how very quickly life changes.

Carrie is head of programming and events at Clover Ridge Library, and being promoted to that position changed her life in ways nobody could have foreseen except perhaps for her beloved great-uncle Bosco and great-aunt, Harriet. She met the man of her dreams in one of her brother’s childhood friends when looking for a cottage to rent. Carrie saw Dylan for the first time in years, and the rest has been a sweet time of discovery and romance. She enjoys living in the cottage on the property of the estate he inherited. Smoky Joe is a handsome cat who adopted Carrie shortly after her move. He is also very popular with library patrons and is there most days that she is at work.

Carrie, her young cousin Tacey, and Smoky Joe are the only ones who can see Evelyn, the resident ghost of the library. Carrie, with help from her friends and Evelyn, helped solve several mysteries since living in Clover Ridge. Dylan is a private investigator specializing in locating stolen, high-end art and gems. As partner in the company, he and his boss hired Jim, Carrie’s father, who gave up a life of mostly unsuccessful crime and jail and used the tricks and schemes of his former life to catch other thieves.

Dylan’s late great-uncle had left a special painting to him that he went to Chicago to get from his uncle’s friend who had stored it. Before he could leave town, Dylan was attacked at a nearby mini-mart and the painting was stolen. Dylan and his boss are very knowledgeable in art forgery and since most of this artist’s work is privately owned, forgers have a huge market for good copies.

Carrie has been working with Victor, a local art collector and patron of the library and the local arts community. For the grand opening of the new wing of the library, he is sharing paintings from his personal collection for the new library gallery. She and Dylan went to Victor’s estate to help select the paintings he would loan them. Dylan saw a painting in a place of honor at Victor’s home and recognized it as a poor forgery of a work by the same artist whose painting was stolen from Dylan. He wondered if Victor is part of a ring selling forgeries, especially since he had an import – export business.

One of Carrie’s part-time assistants is a talented young artist. The local gallery recently began selling her work. Martha, co-owner of the gallery, has been spending more time with Susan in recent weeks. Susan blossoms and has begun to dress as a successful young woman, but it seems the more time she spends with Martha, the more emotional she becomes. Then Martha was found dead in the back of the gallery.

Evelyn and Martha had been good friends when they were still alive. Before Evelyn’s death, Martha had shared a huge secret about her past, one that could cost her life if the wrong people knew. Among other possible motives, Evelyn was concerned about certain people from her past. Evelyn wants Carrie to find Martha’s killer even as others want to know what involvement Martha may have had with forged artwork.

This mystery goes down some of the most twisty, winding, curves, and I was totally surprised at the many layers of the crimes and murders. Within days of Martha’s death, an elderly lady was murdered at an office building, then one of Martha’s family members was killed. Forgeries, decades-old betrayals, and marital affairs were only a few possible motives for the murders. I was also shocked at who was behind the murders, as I couldn’t remember any clues that would give away the real mastermind. There were no open ends left behind, and even one of the couple’s personal challenges was resolved that they worked on throughout. I highly recommend this cozy mystery and series!

This is the seventh entry in Allison Brook’s Haunted Library series. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the free Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Our leading amateur detective, Carrie Singleton, has to deal with a family member’s illness, find her wedding venue, and find out who has been forging art in the neighborhood. In addition, a local member of the community who is connected to the art galley is murdered. Carrie has her hands full with all this plus hosting her first Thanksgiving meal.

I like Carrie and her fiancé Dylan a lot as characters. Her extended family is also one of my favorites of all the series I read. The Connecticut setting is well-developed. I gave this book four stars. I missed a bit of the interaction with the local ghost librarian.

"Overdue or Die" the 7th instalment in the A Haunted Library Mystery series by Allison Brook. Carrie Singleton has a wedding to plan, a killer to catch, and a conspiracy to uncover.

There are plenty of twists and turns in this story, and I kept guessing and second-guessing myself right to the very end. The story moves at a steady pace, and I had a hard time putting it down.

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Crooked Lane and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As I mentioned in my review for Dewey Decimated, I’ve been reading this series since the first book came out, and I look forward to each new installment. Carrie, Dylan, Smokey Joe, Uncle Bosco, Aunt Harriet, and all the members of Carrie’s close circle in Clover Ridge feel like dear friends. And of course, so does Evelyn Havers, the librarian’s resident ghost seen only by Carrie and her adorable little cousin Tacey. Carrie and Evelyn make a formidable team of amateur sleuths, and they’re at it again in Overdue or Die.

Carrie is juggling quite a few things in this book – her job at the library (and putting the finishing touches on the new addition there), the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, wedding plans with Dylan (at last!), and Uncle Bosco’s health scare. Not to mention the murder(s) she ends up investigating, a mob boss or two, and the danger that even Dylan gets into in this book. Isn’t that just like the holiday season though? One obligation after another until you don’t know whether you’re coming or going lol. Okay, so most of us don’t solve murders along with planning family dinners, shopping for Christmas gifts, and finding a wedding venue, but for Carrie it just fits. I loved seeing how happy she is and watching her feel more comfortable in her role as a bride-to-be.

The mysteries in Overdue or Die are layered to start with, and they only get more so as the story progresses. For one thing, Carrie (and local law enforcement, of course) must figure out if there’s one person or team behind all the various recent crimes or if there are multiple culprits to track down. I must confess that I kept changing my guess on that very thing right up until Carrie solves it for me, and while I wasn’t completely surprised I did not, in fact, have it all parsed out either. I enjoyed following the various red herrings and rabbit trails that Carrie explores, with some help from Evelyn, and the author’s writing style makes me feel like I really am tagging along for the ride.

Bottom Line: Overdue or Die by Allison Brook is another delightful read in the Haunted Library Mystery series, and readers will love spending time with all the familiar faces of Clover Ridge. The murders in town keep piling up, and I’m pretty sure it would give Jessica Fletcher’s Cabot Cove a run for its money when it comes to the most dangerous Northeastern small town in which to live lol! The author has crafted a clever plot that held my attention and kept me guessing, and it was fun to watch Carrie’s sleuthing and Dylan’s job intersect once again in this book. Already looking forward to their next adventures!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

Really enjoy this series and this book was no exception. Always fun reading about Carrie and Dylan and their group. Look forward to seeing what's next for this duo.

Overdue or Die (Haunted Library 7)
Allison Brook


While this book seems to start a bit slower than the previous stories, it is fraught with turmoil and intrigue along with wedding planning shenanigans..and of course Murder!


Carrie has changed a lot in the 18 months she’s been in Clover Ridge. She is a director, solves crime, has healed family rifts, and is even now engaged to the love of her life Dylan.

Now they just have to plan a wedding. This is proving to be more problematic than either believed. Especially when other life issues began to intrude.

Carrie’s library has finally finished with the expansion and renovation. They have an interrupted grand opening. Uncle Bosco has suffered a heart attack. Aunt Harriet is understandably not handling it well.
Dylan’s uncle passes away leaving Dylan as his heir. Due to the cost, he must travel to Chicago to finalize his inheritance and pick up a Terrance Haggerty painting in person. He is subsequently assaulted! Upon his return, life with Carrie quickly gains steam. They meet Mr. Victor Zelinka at his home to evaluate his paintings for the show. Carrie manages to gain the attention of a mobster! He asks for her help. Oh, Carrie!!!

I truly enjoyed this addition to the Haunted Library’s catalog. There just wasn’t anything “haunted” about it except for the bad guys. Still a wonderful book on its own!

Advice for new readers, please read the prior book for a better understanding of the characters and the connections.



Thank you to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.
#OverdueorDie #HauntedLibrary #AllisonBrook #cozy #mystery #artforgery #mob

Carrie Singleton is working at the small town library she loves in Clover Ridge, Connecticut, planning her wedding to Dylan Avery, and helping her uncle recover from a heart attack. Then she suddenly becomes involved in two cases - counterfeit art, and a murder at the local art gallery. She works to solve them with the help of her ghostly friend, Evelyn.

I wanted to read Overdue or Die because I love the Haunted Library mystery series. I have enjoyed the other books in this series and always await the next in the series!

This was a wonderful read. Carrie is always a smart, intuitive detective, and I love the way Evelyn helps her with clues in the cases. The mystery is well paced with several plausible suspects. It was fun detecting along with Carrie.

I also enjoy Carrie's relationships with Dylan, her aunt and uncle, her friends - and her kitty Smokey Joe! I always especially enjoy cozy mysteries with lovable cats or dogs.

I recommend Overdue or Die - and the whole Haunted Library series - to fans of cozy mysteries, and especially to anyone who enjoys a library setting or small town atmosphere.

Quick, satisfying read. I like the setting of the cute Connecticut town and the various patrons at the library. The mystery with the artwork was interesting. I think Evelyn, the library ghost, has overstayed her welcome and should maybe move on. I found that while the mystery interested me, it did move a little slowly and there was so much other stuff thrown in – wedding planning, constant description of what and where they are eating, everyone ending up in the hospital – that it ended up dragging on longer than it should have. Hoping the wedding planning is wrapped up in the next one; it feels like the last few have been focused on wedding planning and while I don’t mind it occasionally, it’s gone on so long in this series.

One of the best surprise endings revealing the killer I read this year. Author did excellent job incorporating potential killers in the story. I understand why the character Evelyn was included, but she was annoying and did nothing for the storyline.. And the book title was lame. The editors had so many plot points that could have led to a cleverer title (forgery, art, paintings).
Thanks to #NetGalley and #Overdueordie for advanced digital copy.

Overdue or Die is #7 in the Haunted Library series. It is another enjoyable read with plenty of mystery and murders to be solved.

Carrie and Dylan are now engaged and while there are murders to be solved, wakes to attend and a lot of head scratching done wondering exactly what is going on, Carrie and Dylan are making important decisions about when and where they will be married.  Of course Smoky Joe the cat, Evelyn the ghost all play their small parts int he story.  Along with them Carrie makes some new friends, looks at another acquaintance in a totally different light, and possibly will earn praise for her sleuthing skills from someone from the underworld.

Of course Carrie can't resist poking her nose in things, chatting people up, even following suspects when she thinks something is going down. However she is reasonably sensible and Dylan always has his eye on her.

The murders had a number of possible suspects and I didn't really guess who it was although when it is revealed it was not surprising.

This is a series I enjoy and I look forward to the next one.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Overdue or Die is the seventh book in the Haunted Library series. Once again, the main character, Carrie Singleton, finds herself investigating a murder that took place in her small town. Evelyn, the resident ghost at the library, shares information with Carrie, which helps her in her investigation.

This new book in the series is as good as the previous entries. It is nicely written and the mystery is well built. Carrie is a nice main character and it's interesting to see her evolution throughout the series. New readers won't feel confused if starting with this book as the author takes care to describe many things and set the story into place at a nice pace, not rushing anything. Overdue or Die is a fun cozy mystery. Highly recommended!

Overdue or Die by Allison Brook has readers journeying to Clover Ridge, Connecticut where Carrie Singleton is busy scheduling events for the library and making decisions about her wedding. Carrie is particularly excited about the opening of the new addition at the Clover Ridge Library. In Overdue or Die we get to follow Carrie as she goes about her day-to-day activities. This does lead to some tedium and repetition (she puts Smoky Joe in his carrier each day and transports him to the library, details about food shopping and their meals). I did not understand why we needed to know the details about each of Susan’s new ensembles (very detailed). Carrie gets her nose out of joint when she learns that her boss and the children’s librarian have planned for an animal circus to be hosted in the new event space (can you imagine the mess). Carrie is protective of the new event space, and she can be a touch self-centered. The murder of the local gallery owner has Carrie perplexed. When a local art collector, Victor becomes the prime suspect, he asks Carrie for her assistance. There are several suspects along with a red herring or two. There is an incident or three to keep things interesting. The case is neatly wrapped up at the end. Evelyn makes a couple of appearances, but I did not feel she was part of the investigation (we do get to hear about her ensembles). Overdue or Die is the seventh A Haunted Library Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. I felt that the author jammed too much into one book (wedding planning, uncle’s illness, engagement party, house hunting, Susan’s artwork, wedding registry, library events, and more). The ending will leave readers smiling. Overdue or Die is an eventful tale with a celebration crasher, a bludgeoned gallery owner, designer duds, interesting artwork, house hunting, Mick the mobster, and engagement party planning.

Overdue Or Die is the seventh book in The Haunted Library Mystery series by Allison Brook.

Carrie and Dylan have been busy working on their plans for their wedding. They’ve been researching various venues but haven’t found one they can agree on. They put the search on hold as Dylan had to go to Chicago to settle his late great-uncle’s estate and pick up a valuable Terrance Haggerty painting. While Dylan is on his way to Chicago, Carrie learns that her Great-Uncle Bosco has been admitted to the hospital after suffering a heart attack.

At the library, the staff is getting ready for the opening of the recently completed renovation of the building next to the library. This addition will provide more meeting rooms, an auditorium, and a room to display artworks that will be loaned to the library. Also of concern to Carrie is that the owner of an art gallery in town, Martha Mallory, is trying to hire away Carrie’s valuable employee, Susan. The opening of a new addition doesn’t go off without a hitch, though. An elderly lady later learned to be suffering from dementia, stands at the beginning of the celebration and claims she owns the building. A quick investigation proves her to be wrong.

After Dylan returns, they visit Victor Zelinka’s beautiful estate to select artwork from his collection, which will be displayed at the library. Carrie thinks his home is gorgeous and would be perfect for their wedding. After leaving, Dylan confides with Carrie that some paintings are forgeries, particularly a Terrence Haggerty painting. When Martha is found murdered in her art gallery and some mobsters arrive in town, Dylan believes there may be an art forgery ring at work in Clover Ridge. Martha had worked at the library with the library’s resident ghost, Evelyn, who asked Carrie to look into the death of Martha.

As Carrie and Dylan begin investigating, they find an art forgery ring working in Clover Ridge, but it’s unclear who it is or how widespread it is. They will soon find no shortage of suspects.

The book is an exciting addition to this wonderful series. I found the book to be well-written and plotted. There is a wonderful cast of very believable and well-developed characters. I particularly like Evelyn, the library’s resident ghost. Evelyn’s appearance was a bit light in this book, but she still brought a smile to my face.

I’m anxiously awaiting the next book in this great series.

The newest and seventh book in The Haunted Library Mysteries, Allison Brooks' fantastic cozy mystery series with a librarian-haunting ghost, Overdue or Die, is as awesome as I expected. I love this series and it just keeps getting better. For this fan, the search for a wedding venue is as fun as the intriguing mystery that has wider implications than Carrie ever imagined. There is a lot behind the mystery and our favorite librarian feels compelled to help figure it all out. Dylan may have discovered a clue when he recognizes a fake painting at the home of a new friend who may be a bit shady or may even be a killer. Or could murderer be the husband who seems to be a pretty nice guy, or is he? Nothing is quite as it seems, not even the victim. Too many questionable characters are making the search for the true villain difficult.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane, I got to read an ARC of Overdue or Die and I loved it. The characters are as amazing as ever and the mystery is a real puzzler. My friends have already been hearing about this one.
#NetGalley #CrookedLaneBooks #AllisonBrook #TheHauntedLibraryMysteries

The perfect mystery for the Thanksgiving/Christmas season! Carrie is once again put to the test of assisting the police with solving a series of murders that are uncomfortably close to her friends, but which friends might be in danger and which might be the cause of the danger are too closely tied to be able to clearly see the difference! Once again Allison Brook has crafted a wonderfully twisted plot with layers that intertwine to make a more fulfilling read! The characters, the town, the interactions all bring the story more fully to life since everything is sculpted to be realistic and believable. Now if only Carrie can solve these murders and pick a wedding venue, life might get back to normal for them, but only if she can survive another investigation! I absolutely can't wait for the next book to come out in this series! This book is not a cliffhanger by any means, but we are so close to the next big life event that I feel like I am standing on a cliff waiting for the next book!

This was definitely a case with a ton of different connections and crazy stuff happening all the time. Even Dylan got pulled into it from an artwork detective standpoint. Who was leaving this pile of bodies and serving as the brains behind a sophisticated forgery operation? Well, if anyone could ferret all that information out, we know our pal Carrie’s the sleuth for the job. She even had two different people asking her to find killers…well three since Evelyn counts as part of ghost people.

Only our Carrie could manage to pull off all the above along with getting ready to be married in around six months. That showdown was pretty exciting and more than one person was proud of how Carrie handled everything and ended up not almost getting killed. The ending was so cool when a new friend had an incredible surprise for Carrie and Dylan. I can’t wait for the next book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

I loved Overdue or Die by Allison Brook. It’s the seventh book in the Haunted Library Mystery series. I started reading this series with the fourth book, so this is the third book I’ve read in this series. (I missed the fifth somehow!) I’ve loved each one, and I also love that they can each be read as a standalone. If you’ve not read any of the books in this delightful series, jump in now with Overdue or Die!

In Overdue or Die, Carrie Singleton, the main character of the series, is finally ready to set a date and find a venue for her wedding to Dylan Avery. Carrie is one of the librarians in her small town in Connecticut, and Dylan is a private investigator who specializes in finding art forgeries. And as this is a cozy mystery, Carrie is always finding herself in the middle of a murder investigation! Her family and friends have come to accept this, and they usually end up helping her in some way. I really love the characters in Overdue or Die. They’re so well-written that you end up wanting at least one or two of them to be your friend! There’s also a character who’s a ghost, hence the Haunted Library. She “helps” Carrie with her investigations by telling her anything they knew about the victim or the suspects.

I really enjoyed the mystery in Overdue or Die. More than one murder takes place which leads to multiple suspects. Did one person murder all of the victims or are there lots of murderers in town?! Even with the clues, I still changed my mind multiple times as I tried to solve the mystery. I think you’ll eventually come to the same conclusion that I did and solve the case!

I highly recommend this entertaining cozy mystery. Its well-written characters, charming small town setting, and complicated mystery make Overdue or Die a must read!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.