Bodie Island Lighthouse staff are preparing for their Lighthouse Library Young Adult Authors Festival, with the main attraction being bestselling fantasy writer Todd Harrison. Even though Lucy McNeil is a librarian and former resident of the apartment in the Lighthouse, she doesn’t expect to have Todd knocking on her door wanting her help. Before she can find out exactly why he’s come to her she finds Todd right after he had stepped back outside, shot dead with an arrow through the chest.

What Lucy quickly discovers is that her reputation as an amateur detective has spread, and for that reason Todd may have been wanting Lucy’s assistance in an investigation. She’s distracted when Todd’s wife arrives in the Outer Banks, accompanied by an assistant and her own cameraman. Heather Harrison returned to Bodie Island in anticipation of her run as state senator, and she intends to use accusations against Lucy as a launchpad for her campaign. Thrown into the mix are a group of teens who fall on the “fanatic” side of fandom, holding candlelight vigils outside of Lucy’s home. When they go even further it alarms Lucy enough to wonder if perhaps one of them may have learned the archery skills so prominent in Todd Harrison’s books. Rumors that Todd had been planning to end his book series had his readers stirred up and possibly furious, and while not rational their fury may have led to them lashing out at the person they held responsible. Complicating matters further is that one of the local authors is not only willing to step in as a featured presenter, she accuses Todd of having stolen her idea for his books.

The egos of authors and politicians collide in this 12th of the series, making it a combustible situation ready for murder. An added attraction for readers and writers will be the Bodie Lighthouse Library book festival, and bibliophiles will be envious of the planned panels, featured programs, and book celebrations. Fans of this long-running series will enjoy seeing the return of the library crew, especially now that the former jealous irritant Louise Jane is now a more helpful staff member now that she has finally attained her dream by living in the lighthouse apartment Lucy recently vacated. Lucy’s marriage to the town mayor is progressing nicely, and fans will especially enjoy seeing them happily forming a life together in this idyllic town. The mystery plays out in the background as the business side of the publishing world presents itself as being as lethal as the fictional books they promote. This is another witty, very entertaining entry in the series that explores local politics, toxic fandom, and the business side of writing.

Another awesome visit to the Lighthouse Library and surrounding area. I love this series of books because of the unique cast of characters throughout the library, the town and more. The author has created a core cast that you are absolutely intrigued and entertained by. I anxiously await the next book each time as I can't wait to see what is happening in the characters' lives, especially the main character, Lucy. However, I am also in love with the series because the library is set inside an old lighthouse which would be the epitome of cool for me. I absolutely love lighthouses and libraries are my favorite places to visit as they give you a true sense of a community. It is amazing to me how the author has captured that sense of community in her fictional world revolving around the lighthouse library. The author also weaves a compelling mystery in each book and this book was no exception. It was intriguing to see the method of murder used in this book and how she laid out the crime, the investigation and of course, the reveal of the culprit. Once again captivating me with a fantastic murder mystery, great character interactions and exciting life events coming for our favorite characters. I can't wait until the next book is ready to be devoured!!!

Book Review: Shot Through the Book by Eva Gates

Rating: 4 Stars

I recently dove into Shot Through the Book, the twelfth entry in the Lighthouse Library mystery series by Eva Gates, and I have to say, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read that earned a solid four stars from me.

This installment features Lucy McNeil, our ever-curious librarian sleuth, tackling a puzzling murder all on her own. The story kicks off with the much-anticipated YA book festival at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, drawing in famous authors from far and wide. Everything takes a dark turn when Todd Harrison, a bestselling author and virtual stranger to Lucy, shows up unexpectedly at her beach house. Before she knows it, Todd is found dead on her deck—murdered in the brief moments she stepped away.

What follows is a gripping mystery as Lucy tries to piece together why Todd wanted a private meeting and how someone managed to kill him so quickly. The arrival of Todd’s widow, Heather Harrison, adds another layer of complexity; rather than mourning, Heather seems driven by political ambition, setting her sights on a senate run and using Todd’s death as fuel—while also targeting the local police and Lucy herself.

Caught between grieving fans, rival authors jockeying for attention, and a widow with an agenda, Lucy is thrust into a web of intrigue she must unravel before justice slips through her fingers.

What really stood out to me was how well this book worked as a standalone, so even if you haven’t read the earlier books in the series, you won’t feel lost. The writing is sharp and well-paced, keeping me hooked from start to finish. The setting—the Outer Banks with its charming lighthouse library—really adds atmosphere and character to the story. Plus, I found the cast of characters genuinely likable and well-drawn, which made the mystery all the more engaging.

And I have to mention the cover—absolutely delightful and eye-catching!

All in all, Shot Through the Book was a solid mystery that kept me guessing without overwhelming me. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a smart, resourceful protagonist and a seaside vibe, this one’s definitely worth picking up.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

In “Shot Through the Book” the twelfth book in Eva Gates Lighthouse Library Cozy Mystery Series, librarian Lucy McNeil finds herself in the middle of another murder investigation when an author, whom she barely knows, visits her at home and is murdered while there. Lucy is determined to investigate the case – not only is she one of the suspects, but the victim’s wife’s has political ambitions and doesn’t care who she ruins along the way, and her house and yard are full of mourning teenagers.

I really like this series and this book is another great entry in the series. I love the Lighthouse Library Setting, Lucy and her husband, and Lucy’s coworkers. The mystery has a nice set up – an upcoming Young Adult Book Festival – which provides plenty of suspects and the murder weapon is unique. Truthfully, I did figure out about halfway through who the killer was but I still enjoyed reading along to make sure that I was right and the scene where all was revealed was done just right. All in all am enjoyable book.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

I enjoy this series and this book as no exception. While I did think the ending was a bit rushed overall I found this to be a fun cozy mystery. Lucy and her colleagues at the library are planning a young adult book festival. Their headliner author Todd surprises Lucy asking if he can talk to her one evening before the festival. Unfortunately he is shot and killed with a bow and arrow. His widow breezes into town in an abrasive way and Todd’s biggest fans keep coming back to Lucy’s home to honor the deceased author as the characters in his books would have. Lucy tries not to investigate this one but she can’t help but pulled in no matter how hard she tries to stay away. I’m not sure how I feel about the two big shocks at the very end of the book, but I’m still looking forward to reading more of this series when it next comes out.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

We are back at the Outer Banks in North Carolina, where the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library is planning a young adult book festival that will host two local authors and bestselling author Todd Harrison, who has recently moved to the area. Children’s librarian Ronald Burkowski is in charge of booking the authors, with Louise Jane and Lucy in charge of logistics, promotion, and other details. All the people involved attended a meeting where everything was on track and ready for the event. This is why Lucy is confused when Todd Harrison knocks on the door of her newly remodeled Outer Banks beach house.

After Lucy invites the author in, directs him to the deck, and gets him a beverage, she returns to the deck to find him dead in his chair. How could a murder happen that fast with no one to be seen? Lucy needs to know. But then Heather Harrison, the victim’s widow, starts to cause chaos, even pointing to Lucy as the killer and needing to draw attention to herself, while accusing the police department as incompetent and showing favoritism. This forces the chief to order Detective Sam Watson to keep Lucy out of this case. It seems the widow plans to run for State Senate and intends to use cleaning up corruption and influence in local law enforcement as her campaign agenda, and he doesn’t want to give her any type of ammunition against his department.

While Lucy tries to deal with Todd Harrison’s fans turning her home and deck into a shrine, the victim’s widow taunting her at her home and the library, and two local authors ready to step in to take Todd’s place and arguing about it, she decides she needs to do her thing and investigate this murder. She just hopes Sam Watson will be receptive to her information so they can throw the book at the killer ASAP!

I am delighted to be back at my happy place – the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library. It is such a special place. I know I could easily spend every day there, so I didn’t miss a thing.

Ms. Gates has created true-to-life characters who have felt like friends from the start, and that feeling gets stronger with each new story. The library staff, Bertie, Denise, Ronald, and Louise Jane, all pitch in to make the YA book festival a success while Charles, the library cat, looks on or settles into his favorite chair for a nap. Now that Louise Jane has a man in her life, although it’s a long-distance relationship, she isn’t quite as annoying. She still likes to tell her stories. She even gets a small part in the festival. Connor and Lucy’s relationship is so sweet. They have settled into a comfortable routine as he handles his mayoral duties and a few dental appointments on the side, and she works her library hours with some amateur sleuthing to keep her busy. I love the way they enjoy the quiet times, together or separately. Those quiet times were few and far between this time as they dealt with some heavy things in this book.

The author introduced Heather Harrison, a woman on a mission, brash as could be, with a small entourage. We also have a character who has usually floated through scenes over the years but has now grown up to have a pivotal place in Shot Through the Book.

The murder in this story had a very unique weapon. The police even needed to bring in experts to help them with the case. Lucy really did try to stay out of the investigation at first, but with it happening at her house and her reputation for solving murders, it was too hard. We all knew she would be involved. Especially, with the victim’s crazy wife traveling around town with her cameraman and assistant, causing trouble. Bertie had a great moment when they came to the library. I always enjoy tagging around with Lucy as she follows clues and pieces the puzzle together. I was focused on the killer a bit before Lucy, but let me tell you the reveal and takedown were exciting and oh! so! satisfying. I loved it!

Marvelous characters wrapped up in a terrifically plotted mystery made Shot Through the Book a wonderfully entertaining read! There are some changes ahead. One will make fans very happy, and another sad, but I am so enthusiastic to return to the Outer Banks and my happy place to see what Ms. Gates has planned for her characters next!

It was an entertaining book, I wanted to keep reading. The action was early in the book which I liked, it didn’t drag. I had a great time.

Shot Through the Book is the twelfth installment of the Lighthouse Library Mysteries.

Lucy McNeil is very involved in the Brody Island Lighthouse Library YA book festival. Many authors will be attending, but the best selling is Todd Harrison. Lucy and Todd attended the same planning meeting, but were never introduced so she found it odd to find him on her porch one evening. She had him relax on her back porch overlooking the beach while she made him a lemonade, still not knowing the reason for his visit. When she went out on the porch with their drinks, she found that he had been murdered.

Lucy's next unexpected visitor was Todd's widow, Heather Harrison. She was not the typical grieving widow and clearly had motivations of her own.

Lucy has her hands full with this investigation, but is determined to identify the killer.

This is one of my favorite series by one of my favorite authors, and it comes with recipes! Enjoy!

One of my all time favorite series, this installment had Lucy and the gang right in the middle of the drama. A man Lucy is barely acquainted with is murdered on her deck. She becomes the immediate suspect which causes some tension with the local PD. Of course she and Conner and the rest of the gang figure things out. The book ends with a set up of some big changes to come—so I really hope the series continues!! An absolute recommendation.

I'm always on the lookout for the next in this series, and this was worth the wait! The Lighthouse Library Mysteries just keep getting better with new mysteries, more suspense, and plenty of charm. I highly recommend checking the series out from the beginning and binge-reading until you reach this one. You won't regret it!

3.5 stars

Cozy in the true sense. The library, the characters, the relationships, and, of course, Charles, all deliver. The mystery is engaging and contemporary. Gates got me with a red herring, and I was genuinely surprised by the reveal, even if I shouldn’t have been. It was all in fair play.

I received an advance review copy of this title from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This mystery is so cleverly plotted and executed.
And with the well-developed characters I was eagerly turning the pages. The character development is on point.. the way the story unravels is effortlessly gripping.
I loved the plot, story, characters and writing and the whole set up and idea of it was just so clever. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a murder mystery this much and I’m honestly incredibly excited to read what else this author will produce.

Shot Through the Book by Eva Gates has Lucy with an unusual mystery on her hands. I enjoy my visits to Bodie Island where I get to catch up with Lucy, Connor, and the library crew. Let us not forget Charles who is a great judge of character. I like the author’s writing style which makes the story easy to read. The mystery begins in the first chapter. Lucy, naturally, finds herself drawn into the crime. Unfortunately, a speed bump in the form of the victim’s wife put up a roadblock between the police department and Lucy. Lucy cannot help it if information comes her way and this information may lead her to ask a few questions. I liked the unique murder weapon. The victim’s wife and his fan club make life difficult for the mayor and wife until the case is resolved. The mystery has a good wrap up at the end. I had guessed what was going to be revealed at the end, but I still enjoyed the moment the news was announced. While Shot Through the Book is the twelfth A Lighthouse Library Mystery, it can be read on its own. It is Through sad that our favorite detective is retiring, and his replacement does not seem open to working with Lucy. Changes are ahead and I cannot wait to see what happens next. Shot Through the Book transports readers to the Outer Banks where there is a peculiar murder, dramatic teens, a mudslinging spouse, a problem with the police, naughty trespassers, unsettling tittle-tattle, and a surprise revelation.

Another great mystery in the A Lighthouse Library Mystery series. Lucy has become one of my favorite sleuths. She gives me a slight Nancy Drew vibes. And I love reading about a library in a lighthouse

I received a copy of this book from the author as part of a blog tour I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

This is an example of a good cozy mystery. It has a great setting, and an engaging cast of characters. The mystery was strong, and kept me guessing up until the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book and read it in one day. I had to know what was going to happen! I loved the characters and the storyline. I thought the characters had great growth. I would definitely recommend this book.

Shot through the Book is the twelfth cozy mystery in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series. Todd Harrison, bestselling YA fantasy author, is set to be a speaker at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library’s literary festival, but when he turns up murdered Lucy McNeil is pulled into the search for answers. Why was Todd visiting Lucy and who killed him on her de k? There are too many questions and not enough answers. Lucy is trying to stay out of it this time, but it doesn’t work. Even when she’s not searching for clues she ends up right in the thick of things.

I really enjoy this series and like visiting Lucy and her friends in each new mystery. This mystery pulled me in and kept my attention as I followed along as Lucy solved the case. I was guessing at the killer until the very end and enjoyed the twists and turns. The cast of characters and the setting in this series are great and add a lot to the story. This is a great cozy mystery series and I can’t wait to see what comes next for Lucy!

SHOT THROUGH THE BOOK is the twelfth book in the Lighthouse Library Mysteries by Eva Gates. It’s always a pleasure visiting the Outer Banks and catching up with protagonist Lucy McNeil and her friends at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library. The author makes the locale so inviting that it’s hard to not pack a suitcase and head out for a visit right away. Lucy is also one of those endearing characters you’d love to spend time with and experience her kindness and open friendliness, which is on full display.

In this newest release the action and shocking murder takes place right away, happening mere steps from Lucy’s kitchen, where she was preparing drinks. Was it an accident that killed the best-selling YA author, or had someone been stalking him and followed him to Lucy’s house? There are lots of suspects along with red herrings to lead the reader astray. Ms. Gates knows how to spin a twisty mystery to entertain while keeping readers coming back for the delightful characters!

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Shot Through the Book is the twelfth entry in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series. In Shot Through the Book, Lucy, the main character, investigates the death of an YA author that took place on the deck of her house. Once again, things are not always as they appear to be, and there are surprising and interesting elements to be found in the investigation. Familiar characters from the series are present in Shot Through the Book, which is great in terms of side stories progress. There is also nice character development, which helps keeping the reader interested throughout both the book and the series. The Lighthouse Library Mystery series has never disappointed me. It keeps getting better, and it's always a pleasure to read the latest book.

Shot Through the Book by Eva Gates is a cozy mystery taking place on the Outer Banks. The lead sleuth is Lucy, a young librarian who has recently married a dentist, who is also mayor of the small town. The library is unique in that it is housed in what used to be a light house. The staff is busy planning a young adult authors’ festival and she is meeting the draw, Todd Harrison, for the first time, but barely speaks to him. He appears at her house at nine o’clock that evening but before he can tell her the reason he is shot through the heart by an arrow. Connor, her husband, arrived home to police cars with lights blazing. This was compounded by his widow visiting the next evening with a photographer and some accusations. Turns out she was running for state senate and was hoping to find some corruption in the local police department. It was a curious investigation with groups of teens haunting her house with candles in their attempts to show respect to their dead idol.

Lucy is a good characters. She vows to stay away from this investigation, for several reasons, but it came to her. She just has a knack for seeing solutions. The solution came out of the blue, even for Lucy, but she was just glad to get back to normal. This is a terrific series, the perfect cozy with Charles, the library cat, and the general population and adjacent cast. Good read.

I was invited to read Shot Through the Book by Crooked Lane Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #CrookedLaneBooks #EvaGates #ShotThroughTheBook