I think this is the best one in the series yet, especially for giving you the feels, although not necessarily positive ones.

When a popular YA author stops to visit Lucy McNeil and is murdered on her balcony, his fans rally and become a bother to her and her husband. While they insist they are paying tribute, in the form of mourning in the book series, Lucy is at the very nearly end of her patience. Unfortunately, the author's widow has political ambitions and is now stirring up trouble in the small town of Nags Head, both for the local police and for Lucy herself. Lucy really wants to stay out of it this time but the investigation pieces keep coming, sometimes literally, to her and she just wants her life to go back to normal.

It is rare to really despise a character, since often they are words on a page with some depth. However, Heather, the author's widow, is a terrible, cruel human being. I have not been so infuriated by a villain in a long time. I found myself actually yelling at the book at one point at how unreasonable she is. ARGH!

The plot here is top notch. I read a lot of cozies and I rarely get stumped with the whodunit. I see those that fail me as the best kind. What a rush.

I highly recommend this cozy series if you love books, mysteries, lighthouses or any other books by Ms. Delaney.

My thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for this ARC.

I never thought I’d see the day when Louise Jane’s character actually didn’t get on my nerves. In some ways, she’s pretty helpful and fiercely loyal to Lucy and the library. I guess all it took was Lucy getting married so Louise Jane could live in the lighthouse apartment and work there.

One of the characters who’s always been on the sidelines with a few mentions actually got a bigger part in this book during the showdown that Lucy never saw coming. Someone else did a good job controlling the perp and was gonna have one crazy story to tell friends after it was over. There’d been a little side thing going on all along which I totally guessed. A few things happened toward the end of the book that really makes me eager to read the next book!

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

This is the twelfth installment of the Lighthouse Library mystery series by Eva Gates. I liked the book except for Lucy allows the widow to badger her. I felt Lucy should have stood up for herself. No amount of grief excused the widows’ remarks.

I felt the fan club was over the top but unfortunately, it happens in real life. Some people don’t know boundaries and they can make others uneasy.

I found the reveal interesting. I recommend this book and it can be read as a standalone.

I received an advanced reader copy from Netgalley and these are my own opinions.

Welcome back to the OBX with Lucy and all the Lighthouse Library folks, Love this series, with all its quirky characters and a wonderful cozy mystery with a few surprised thrown in to keep the reader guessing. I didn't figuire it out till the reveal. A great vacation read.

When an author is murdered on Lucy‘s deck, she’s left, wondering who killed the man and why as well as what he wanted to talk to her about in the first place. Can she figure out either of them or will she be the murderer’s next target?

This is a really great series. From the location, to the cute kitty, to the solid mystery and every entry it just makes it a series that is on my must-read list. If you haven’t read a book in the series, each one reads fine as a standalone, but knowing that you’ll have a large selection of books to go back and binge on? That’s the best part!

Shot Through the Book is the twelfth book in the lighthouse library mystery series & focuses on librarian Lucy McNeil who finds herself in the center of yet another murder. Todd Harrison is the local YA author set to be the headliner for an upcoming festival when he ends up dead on Lucy’s deck. Todd’s death sets off a chain of crazy events that threaten Lucy’s day to day life & even her friendship with the local detective, Sam Watson. This series is my absolute favorite cozy mystery. I never get tired of the eccentric cast of characters & seeing how their lives play out. Some of the events in this book had my jaw on the floor. There is no way I’d be as kind as Lucy in some of these situations. It’s a fun read though & I really hope this series continues for a long time because I absolutely love all of it.
Thank you to NetGalley & Crooked Lane Books for the advance copy.

No matter how much Lucy tries to stay out of local investigations, always seems to happen to drawn her in. Like finding a body on her own back porch. Lucy will have her work cut out for her trying to solve this one.

I enjoy this series so much. Great characters and plenty of twists and turns and interesting investigations by Lucy and her crew. There's also a few surprises at the end...
Highly recommend!

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

First, I need to confess that I love murder novels—both thrillers and cozy mysteries. Long sagas too, where character development is so important and the connection to them is an evolving, lasting sentiment.

That being said, I admit that this is the first time I heard of this saga and the first of its novels that I read. It's the 12th installment, so I felt a bit lost—not much, it explains who everyone is and also a tiny bit about previous books' connections and a hint of their plots. However, I couldn't help but feel that there was much to be liked about some characters because of prior relationships that I should but didn't care about. I kind of felt out—a bit between wanting to read those previous books to know what happened and being upset because it made me feel left out

About the murder plot, I liked it, it took me a while to know who the killer was going to be. It's well-woven and interesting. But most of all, I enjoyed the cozy moments: the glass of wine on the deck, observing the sea. Those moments that didn't carry previous books' luggage made me feel at peace.

Even having not read the rest of the saga, I loved the idea that Lucy was separated from her police contacts and had to work on her own, she didn't have official resources and had to find other ways to get information (I don't know how it happened in other books, but I liked that in this one).

Character development is quite flat in this installment, though, as I said before, because, I think, it relies too much on having read the previous stories first. I found Connor (the husband) extremely dull and unpleasant, not the good husband Lucy wanted to sell to us. As per the police, I sensed they did absolutely nothing (Watson is referred as a very good detective, but...). The only character I enjoyed was Heather—she is strong and her appearances are stressful; she is the one that gives the book the vibrant push it needs. She is a good antagonist and, as it's her first and only appearance, she's well described and well-developed as a character.

There are also many edit mistakes that need to be corrected, both in plot and in grammar.

Overall, it's OK as a cozy mystery but I would polish it some more in order to hook new readers so they'd read the rest of the saga.

The Bodie Island library is holding a YA book festival. Lucy is of course working on it, but YA isn’t her thing. She’s not familiar with the headliner. Much to her surprise when she ends the day at her newly remodeled beach house, the author shows up at her door only to be murdered on the deck while she’s fixing tea. Why was he there, who killed him, and how could Lucy be a suspect when she didn’t even know him?

Being back at the library is a welcome breath of fresh air. The great story and wonderful characters lend to an exciting summer beach read. #netgalley

Shot Through the Book is book #12 in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series by Eva Gates.

Lucy didn’t have to go far to find the latest body. An author unexpectedly shows up at her beach house. When she goes back outside from getting refreshments, he is dead which makes her a suspect. She tries to stay out of the investigation, but circumstances keep that from happening. I love the Outer Banks/Bodie Island Lighthouse setting. As much as I enjoy the mysteries, my favorite part is the characters and seeing how they grow throughout the series. I recommend this book.

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.

Once again, Lucy discovers a dead body, but this time, he was killed right under her nose. Now, Lucy’s got to plan a festival, while also navigating the deceased’s rabid fanbase, a grieving widow with an agenda, and maybe find a murderer before they strike again. That was so much fun. And I am both pleased and shocked to report that I did not have the correct villain or motive identified before the end of this book. I thought it was fun that even when Lucy was trying to stay out of it, she kept getting dragged back into the middle of the investigation. I enjoyed the time spent with our favorite members of the supporting cast, and it sounds like there are a bunch of changes coming in the near future that I can’t wait to read more about.
I received a complimentary advance copy of this book through NetGalley.

In this twelfth episode of the Lighthouse Library series, the library is organising a YA book festival with three local authors when unfortunately, their headline author, Todd Harrison, is killed. He had called in to see librarian Lucy McNeil at her home to talk about something bothering him and was sitting on her deck when she discovered him dead.

Fans of this series will know that Lucy has been close to other murders in the past and has helped the local detective solve cases with the things she has been able to find out through her contacts with the local community. However, in this case, she is regarded as a possible suspect and warned to stay away from the case, which she finds hard to do with Todd’s fan club viewing her house as a shrine to Todd and his politically ambitious wife making life difficult for her.

Another enjoyable episode as it’s always fun to visit the library and the library cat, Charles. Some changes are in the air for the next episode so it will be interesting to see how Lucy adapts to the changes in stall for her.

Shot Through the Book is a trip back to Nags Head and the Outer Banks of North Carolina where librarian Lucy McNeil gets involved in another murder mystery. This time a YA author participating in the library's book festival shows up announced at her home and gets killed on her deck. Crazy situation! Why was he there? She had only met him that afternoon. This mystery has some wacky characters, including the victim's wife, and a pool of suspects. Lucy wants answers and does her usual sleuthing. This is a nice addition to the series with a surprise killer and ending. We see interesting recurring characters and a fun beach setting.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts.

As always it was a delight to be back with the lighthouse library crew, including the cat. An unusual cozy murder mystery. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

I’ve been a fan of the Lighthouse Library mystery series from the beginning. Shot Through the Book is a great addition to the series.
The library is set to hold a YA book festival. A fairly well known author is participating, but he dies before it occurs. Lucy tries to stay uninvolved but her mind has a talent for unraveling puzzles.
I really like the characters in this series - Lucy, Connor, Bertie, Ronald, and Charles, the cat. Also important are Sam Watson and Lucy’s family in the Outer Banks.
The library in a lighthouse and Lucy and Connor’s home are part of what makes this series so cozy and welcoming. Those places are threatened in the book. It leaves the reader feeling protective of this place and its people.
I enjoy how the author takes beyond solving the mystery to the festival and the further life of the characters.
I recommend Shot Through the Book.
Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane for the opportunity to read this book.

It always makes me happy to read this series! I love the characters, the setting, the mysteries, and all of the books! (Considering that much of it is set in a library.) This was especially fun, as it revolved around a literary festival and the authors invited to speak at it. The mystery was interesting, and it kept me guessing all the way to the end. I can't wait for the next one, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the changes mentioned at the end of the book will start to play out in the next installment. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advance digital copy!

Thank you Eva Gates ( @vicki.delany ), Crooked Lane Books ( @crookedlanebooks ), and NetGalley ( @netgalley ) for allowing me to read Shot Through the Book early (out May 6, 2025).

If you are a fan of Gates’ Lighthouse Mystery series, you will not be disappointed.

The action begins in the first chapter, when a local artist shows up to Lucy’s house to have a private conversation, but ends up murdered.

Lucy feels invested and wants to help, but the author’s widow suggests that Lucy works too closely with the police department. In addition, Lucy’s house becomes a destination for the author’s zealous teenage fans to pay their respects.

#ShotThroughtheBook #NetGalley #EvaGates #CrookedLaneBooks

Book 12 in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series begins with a very unexpected death when a visitor to Lucy's home is shot in another room while Lucy is making tea. Poor Lucy finds herself a suspect and as such does not have her usual links with the police. Then the victim's wife arrives and proves herself a very unpleasant person to deal with. A great beginning to an interesting mystery!

I was happy to be visiting Bodie Island again. Lucy's husband Connor is very supportive and they have a great relationship. The library characters are all present and fun to read about, especially Charles the library cat! An enjoyable read.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of Shot Through the Book (Lighthouse Library Mystery #12) by Eva Gates from Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books in order to read and give an honest review.  

…Overall, Shot Through the Book is an intriguing , cleverly crafted cozy, with an intricate plot that will keep you guessing to the end, a well rounded cast of quirky characters, humour, and just a touch of romance. …  

A fan of The Lighthouse Library Mysteries, having read them all , this twelfth entry, Shot Through the Book is yet again another amazing addition to the series. 

Our protagonist, Lucy McNeil, assistant director at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library always seems to find trouble and in Shot Through the Book, it hits too close to home, literally. When well-known and beloved YA author, Todd Harrison, in town for the library's conference, arrives unannounced at her front door asking for her help, although she is concerned by his odd behaviour. She seats him on their deck and when she returns with refreshments she finds his lifeless body with an arrow in his chest.

With the motive unclear, Lucy is throwned into the middle of the investigation and becomes a target for his widow using her husband's murder to boost her political agenda. Being shut out of the investigation doesn't stop Lucy from digging to find out the who and why of the murder. Plagued with ambushes from the widow and grieving, crazed, teenage fans setting vigils at her home, Lucy won't back down even when it is suggested that she is involved.

Overall, Shot Through the Book is an intriguing , cleverly crafted cozy, with an intricate plot that will keep you guessing to the end, a well rounded cast of quirky characters, humour, and just a touch of romance. I highly recommend.

4.5 stars rounded up

This series has gotten stronger as it has gone along. I really love the character redemption of Louise Jane. At the beginning of the series the less Louise Jane the better but as she has become a bigger part of Lucy's life and Lucy has gotten to know her more the more I enjoy her page time. She hasn't changed but I understand her motivations now and she never fails to make me laugh. She and library cat with attitude, Charles are probably my favorite side characters.

The mystery was a good one. A popular YA author has been murdered and at first glance no one really has motive to kill me. However, as Lucy investigates, she begins to see that all might not be as it seems. The author's wife is awful and their marriage was far from happy. As well, his next book is going to be a direction change that might not have left all his fans happy. The solution fit together nicely and tackled some issues that are important to be addressed. With the way it wrapped up it wouldn't shock me if this was the last in the series and if that is the case I found it to be a satisfying ending.