Thank you so much to NetGalley and Leah Dobrinska for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Killer Hold coming out December 3, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I really love cozy mysteries, especially if they’re bookish. I need to read the other books in the series. I thought it was a really interesting plot. I enjoy secrets solved through mysteries. I enjoyed the characters. Greta was a strong character. I would’ve liked a little more romance, but sounds like there will be more books in the series. I would definitely check out more books by this author!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy bookish mysteries!

This is the 3rd book in the series but works as an interconnected standalone (I haven’t read either of the first 2). “A Killer Hold” is a cute mix of cozy murder mystery and romance. I really struggled to get through this one due to how MANY characters there were—it made it difficult to follow. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book!

Great genre blend!
A little bit cozy mystery a little but historical mystery with dash of romance. Was entertaining all the twists and turns will keep you guessing. Characters to love and characters to hate. Even when you think you know you are probably wrong. My first book by this Author didn't realize this is book 3 in a series but it read fine as a stand alone. I will probably go back and check out the other books in the series.

Who doesn't love our librarian amateur sleuths?? There's something so incredibly cozy and comforting about Greta and Larkspur as a whole. I love watching the pieces come together.

It helps, I'm not the type of reader who needs to figure out the murderer and I'm simply along for the ride. Definitely some moments where I could have wanted more from the characters, but overall, I enjoyed it!

A small town librarian with a nose for murder can't help but keep finding bodies!

A bookish amateur sleuth gets called in to assist when a treasure-hunting club member ends up dead.

We're knee deep in code-breaking, gangster lore, modern day homicide and greed with this mystery. Greta and her gang of librarians not only have to solve a murder but also keep their librarian convention on an even keel. Oh...and there's the small matter of Greta's narcissistic and very married ex sauntering into town.

There are plenty of twists and red herrings to keep you occupied as the mystery unfolds. All our main protagonists are charming, likeable and involved in the story. I felt that McHenry, Greta's detective boyfriend, had a very real fear of her being hurt during her investigations and handled it pretty well. I did have to suspend my grip on reality when the Chief of Police asked her to step in, my police staff brain just fried at that point lol! But hey ho that might be a very real thing in the USA!

Well worth a read and a great way to brush up on your prohibition era history!

This book series is absolutely fantastic. The librarian references and the whole storyline is just enjoyable. The mystery and the story are very well done, and I feel like the stories keep getting stronger with each book. I love the characters and the many librarian and Wisconsin references. It's delightful, cozy, and just a wonderful read! I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a cozy mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

This was such a cozy read with a fun library setting and some really likable characters, especially Greta, the small-town librarian turned detective. The mystery kept me hooked, though it got a bit predictable at times, and the ending left me wanting just a little more, but overall, it’s a solid, enjoyable read for fans of cozy mysteries!

I really got invested in the community and the mystery in this book, it kept my attention all the way through, I loved it.

Greta, girl… the whiplash I now have from this wild ride you put us on.. whew.

From the very beginning I had no idea how this was going to end. The who done it, WOW. Didn’t see that coming at all. I was just as confused as Greta was trying to figure out the mystery of the murder.

It’s no secret at this point that I love Leah’s writing and her excellent story telling. I haven’t read a book of hers that didn’t grab me from the first page. I loved how she tied true history into this story. It was interesting seeing the whole thing come together.

Greta & McHenry are probably my favorite MCs of hers. The simplicity of their relationship and the way they piece together their jobs and what’s going on in Larkspur. Love them.

I hope there’s more to this series but if not, I’ll be happy with how it ended.

I didn’t realize A Killer Hold was the third book in a series when I picked it up, but it works well enough as a standalone. The premise of libraries, librarians, and a mystery immediately drew me in. Greta Plank, a small-town library director, is preparing to host a library conference while overseeing a treasure-hunting club researching a 1930s gangster trail. When a body is discovered outside the local pub, Greta gets pulled into solving the crime, uncovering unexpected connections along the way.

I enjoyed the cozy library setting and Greta’s likable personality, but the story didn’t fully hold my attention. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, and the character development felt thin, possibly due to skipping the earlier books. The mystery offered a few twists but felt predictable at times. I also would’ve liked more small-town drama to liven up the pacing. The romance was wholesome, but the ending felt rushed, leaving me wanting more closure.

Overall, this was an enjoyable cozy mystery with a charming premise, but it didn’t quite stand out for me. A solid 3 stars.

This was such a cosy mystery! I loved the three main characters, Greta, Iris, and Josie, librarians and detectives all in one. Their friendship was wonderful to read about, supporting each other and cheering each other on, celebrating each others wins and holding each other up when they needed a hand. I hadn't read the previous two books, and I felt that although it it a series, I could comfortably read A Killer Hold without reading the first two before hand. However, I will definitely be going back now and reading them. Loved, loved, loved.

I liked the idea of this storyline but just think it waste for me. The storyline felt implausible and the characters shallow, Im sure there are many who will feel quite differently.

It was 2/5 for me

Thanks to Level Best Books, Netgalley and the author for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review

I give A Killer Hold 3 stars. While the mystery was enjoyable and the library setting was charming, I found the story to be a bit predictable at times. Greta Plank is a likable protagonist, and I appreciated the cozy atmosphere of the book, but the plot didn’t offer many surprises or moments of intense suspense. It was a solid, entertaining read, but it didn’t quite stand out as much as I hoped. Overall, it was a decent addition to the series, but not as gripping or unique as I would have liked for a 4-star rating.

This a very cute cozy mystery with a little bit of romance. The characters are great and overall, the plotting is perfect. What an enjoyable read!

This was an enjoyable mystery and I loved librarians being at the core of the story. The premise is interesting and the main character is likable, but I found some parts of the plot to be predictable and the pacing dragged at some points. The mystery did have enough to keep me engaged though, and I wanted to find out more about the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this book.

10/10 would recommend and would love to be part of the Greta's Larkspur Crew! I didn't realize this was 3rd in a series and am kicking myself for not finding it sooner! Having no prior experience with the first two, I was still able to fully enjoy this book. I would have thought it was a stand-alone if I didn't find out it was the latest installment of a series!

Plot, length, characters, atmosphere were all satisfying and I really loved and appreciated the aspects of librarianship that were included throughout. The mystery aspect was delightful, there was a tiny bit of suspense toward the reveal, but not too much. I have to be honest -- I was so blindsided by the plot twist/murderer reveal! Pacing was also 10/10. I thoroughly enjoyed this from beginning to end and devoured it in like 2 days. On my way to secure the first two because I need more ASAP!

Will be recommending this to all my bookish and librarian friends as well as my library customers who want a cozy but well-developed mystery.

Another cozy mystery featuring some of my fav, smart sleuthing librarians. The Larkspur Library Mystery series is so enjoyable and I loved the premise of this latest book set in the Spring that involves a Library conference and a local group of treasure hunters plus insights into a group set on tracking down notorious gangster hideouts. Clever, entertaining and just pure bookish fun. This is sure to delight librarians and cozy mystery lovers alike. Part three in the series but it can be read as a standalone. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

I wasn't the biggest fan of this one. The idea was great, but the plot felt slow-moving and guessable as we learned more about the situation. I would have liked to see a little bit more small town drama added to this, just because it needed some more bite to keep everything moving along.
Also the sub plot with the boyfriend's brother in Chicago felt odd and unnecessary for the purpose of the story. I'm assuming there will be another book in which that gets brought up, but otherwise it felt off.
Great concept and plot, just too slow moving for me personally.

This was such a fun continuation for the series. I loved all the gangster references and the progression of this murder mystery. I do wish we had more of McHenry in this one; I feel like he didn't have as much page time as he has in the past two books and I've really enjoyed their relationship too. Overall, another good mystery from our librarian sleuth!

A cute, cozy mix of mystery and romance, with a bit of a thriller and history element as well. The main character is likable and interesting enough to make you want to stick around for the end of the novel.