Thank you for allowing me to review this book. I am giving my rating based on my own personal opinion and not that of any other party.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Victoria Gilbert for providing me with a complimentary digital audiobook ARC for Death and the Librarian coming out July 8, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really love this series! This is one of my favorite authors. I definitely love the library themed mystery books. Amy is a fun character. There were a couple times I had to just go with it, but overall I really enjoy this series!

I love this author and this series and this next installment did not disappoint! Thank you so much for this opportunity. Can’t wait to see what’s next for Amy.

I have really enjoyed the books I have read in the Blue Ridge Library series. The characters are well developed and, while you could read this as a standalone, it is worth going back to the earlier books to get to know Amy, Richard, and the other characters from Taylorsford, Virginia. The murder mystery will pull you in from the beginning and keep you invested in the story. The family relationships and friendships among the townspeople brings a warmth and cozy feeling. You will realize that you wish you could make a trip to the Virginia mountains to spend time with them. And when you get to spend time with Amy’s 6-year-old twins, Nicky and Ella, you will find yourself chuckling and imagining their precious faces. I am looking forward to the next adventure with the gang.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

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I have not read any other novels in this series, but I might have to add them to the growing list of series to start back at the beginning. (That list is now longer than my actual collection.) While the librarian part is not unique, her husband as a professional dancer is. Their children also implies that there is some kind of character growth through out the series.

The mystery and plot did not make me feel like I missed anything. There was an obvious background but it was more like a shadow. There but silent, not relevant to the matter at hand. While cold cases are not new to cozy mysteries, the ending for this one was new to me. I’m still not sure how I feel about it.

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

The cozy mystery is my favorite genre. I like engaging mysteries and fascinating characters. I will read more books by this autho

This is a solid entry in a long running series though this isn't the best book in the series by far. However, it does hit all the cozy feels: small town setting with companion animals, a personal relationship with law enforcement and a career that lends itself naturally to research (librarian). Amy agrees to use her librarian research skills to assist the local police but as always gets way more involved than she plans. For an amateur sleuth with some years of experience under her belt she makes some rookie mistakes that later lead to danger for herself, family and friends. We'd all like Amy to be more responsible since now she has little ones. Some hidden secrets regarding some characters are revealed which is what had me giving this 4 stars vs 3. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eArc.

Death and the Librarian by Victoria Gilbert is the ninth A Blue Ridge Library Mystery. The story can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. Amy is a woman who loves mysteries, and she is not going to let anything get in her way as we see in this story. Amy is not content doing research in the archives on a cold case for Sheriff Brad Tucker. Amy does not let threats against her family and friends stop her either (the woman is plain foolish). I know this is fiction, but it should be realistic. I cannot imagine doing something that would put my children, family, or friends in danger. I wish Amy’s motivation (something to explain her determination) had been explained (why she would put her twins, husband, family, and best friend at risk). The mysteries are a cinch to solve especially the cold case. Aunt Lydia is a unique character, and details about her past (behavior) come to light that do not give me a favorable impression of her. I found myself skimming through sections to reach the end. Death and the Librarian is my least favorite book in the series (I found myself tsking, rolling my eyes, and shaking my head multiple times). I am hoping that Amy will show better judgement in the next A Blue Ridge Library Mystery.

This cozy mystery series is on my list of library/book themed mysteries, and I’ve read all nine entries! They do not disappoint!

It’s summertime, and Co-Library Director Amy continues to have her hands full with her twins! But things get even more complicated when murder darkens the annual arts festival! Not one to sit by (and her help is even requested by the police), Amy dives into the investigation with gusto. (I’ll be honest, sometimes her bravery makes me nervous.)

What a strong mystery! I’ve always enjoyed reading about Amy’s adventures–she’s a strong woman, with wonderful research and people skills that make her a perfect sleuth. The addition of her kids still works for this reader, as they add humor and lightness to the story. I’m also glad that Amy makes sure the kiddos are always out of danger. Gilbert adds such great cozy details to her writing that I feel like I’m actually in Taylorsford. I’m here for more in this series and anything else Gilbert writes.

I love the main characters in this series. The entire series has been a solid four stars for me. The suspense is always intriguing and never what I suspect. It’s truly hard to put down.

“ Death and the Librarian” by Victoria Gilbert the 9th instalment in the "Blue Ridge Library Mystery" series. I really enjoyed it. It’s summertime in Virginia, but things are about to get out of hand when murder darkens the annual arts festival. With family and friends harboring suspicions about Kurt and Amy bedeviled by her own wavering trust in his innocence, she must fight to uncover the truth before a hidden killer strikes again.

I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it almost straight through. It was entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises.

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

This is the 9th book in the Blue Ridge Library series. Amy and Richard are one of my favorite couples. Having said that Richard is occupied for most of the book off page.
A true crime author is found dead after an event at the library. There are several suspects in town, including two who are very close to Amy. The police ask Amy to use library resources to help with the investigation.
One thing that I really love about this series is how it shows how important librarians are in our day to day lives.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the free Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review. I gave this book 4 stars. There are a couple of issues about it that the more I think about it, the more they bother me. I will continue to pick up this series.

For the arts festival in Taylorsford, Virginia, the Friends of the Library have hired famous true crime author Maureen Dryden to be a featured speaker. Six years ago she wrote a bestseller incriminating Allen Cardullo for the murder of Beverly Bardon, and although he committed suicide soon after he never admitted any guilt. Now Maureen is also in town researching an anthology of unsolved cold cases, one of which involves the missing person case Edward Jaffe. Cashing in on the popular trend of crime podcasts, Maureen has a podcaster following her to document her case and help promote her book. One of the main suspects Maureen identifies happens to be Karl Klassen, who has since changed his name to Kurt Kendrick and is the godfather of Amy’s 6-year-old twins. Amy may still harbor suspicions of the reformed Kurt, but she refuses to believe that he could have been involved in Edward’s presumed death. When Maureen is murdered after publicly implicating Karl, Amy worries that her “Kurt” will find himself persecuted for past and present crimes – some that may even involve those closest to her own family.

Despite numerous notes threatening her family and even an attack on her best friend, Amy refuses to give up her investigation. Her adorable husband Richard Muir is himself occupied with his new dance company’s upcoming premiere performance, but he continues to support Amy’s endeavors while also wrangling in their precocious twins. Fortunately, they are able to leave town with Amy’s parents, allowing Amy and library co-director Sunny Fields to more safely look into the town’s secrets.

This 9th in the series revisits all of the favorite residents of the Blue Ridge town, who include Aunt Lydia Talbot and the friendly Sheriff Brad Tucker. Aunt Lydia’s art specialist boyfriend Hugh Chen and Sunny’s P.I. boyfriend are away conducting their own art crime investigations, but Amy has enough experience with crimes to attract the attention of a killer wary of her ability to solve a mystery. Her relationship with Kurt continues to be a fascinating one, as the man with a murky past and criminal background has now become part of her family. The enchanting Blue Ridge Library takes a backseat to the spotlight on the public’s fascination with True Crime podcasts, which often play fast and loose with conclusions and are often more intrigued by promotional opportunities than the truth. Bibliophiles will enjoy Amy’s research skills, while contemporary crime fans will have fun with the depiction of true crime podcasters. This is another very enjoyable return to the Blue Ridge Library, the new local dance company, and the rest of the Taylorsford rural community.

Sometimes I think Amy Muir just needs to give up her day job and join the police force. No matter what else is going on, she will always be there when a dead body turns up. This time it is a writer who specializes in turning cold cases into novels. The author points the finger at Kurt, the godfather of Amy's children, then turns up dead. Of course the rumor mill links Kurt to her death, speculating that he wanted to silence her before she could turn up details linking him to an unsolved death in Taylorsford years ago. But Kurt wasn't the only one who was unhappy with author Maureen Dryden. The wife of the local sheriff had a confrontation with her, the podcast team she had been working with aren't pleased with how she was treating them, her assistant is acting a bit odd, and if someone in Taylorsford is responsible for that cold case they certainly don't want Dryden to expose the truth.

As usual in this series, Amy does some sleuthing. Part of her research is at the request of Sheriff Tucker, digging into the town archives stored at the library to find any relevant facts about the cold case Dryden was basing her next book on. But Amy never leaves it at that, so she also questions those who worked with Dryden, as well as various town residents about their memories of the past crime. Despite receiving threatening notes telling her to drop her investigation, she continues on with her search for the facts. In the meantime her husband Richard's dance troupe is having its debut performance at the local arts festival, Amy's parents have come to town for the show and to spend time with the grandkids, and Amy still needs to run the library. I don't know where she would find the energy if she were doing all this IRL rather than in a cozy mystery.

For fans of the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries, this ninth installment contains all the usual characters we have come to expect. It also mixes in the world of true crime podcasts and novels, as well as the small town festival scene.

I have read several of Victoria Gilbert's books and was happy to pick this one up. She writes mysteries, mostly cozies, and is a local North Carolina author (and I enjoy finding good authors from my home state).

Description:
Library director Amy Muir has always been suspicious of wealthy art dealer Kurt Kendrick. As a close family friend, the ties that bind them are strong, but his murky past is concerning, especially since he is the godfather to Amy and her husband Richard’s six-year-old twins. When a visitor to their small, historic Virginia town is found dead after publicly accusing Kurt of committing a decades-old murder, Amy is determined to prove that Kurt didn’t kill anyone, in the past or the present. But the evidence Kurt’s accuser sent to Sheriff Brad Tucker before her untimely demise indicates otherwise.

With Amy’s own aunt and other older town residents corroborating some of the details related to the first murder, and a witness placing Kurt near the scene of the second crime, it seems Kurt is doomed to swift, and severe, justice. Amidst the fun and excitement of an arts festival that features the premiere of Richard’s new dance company, Amy faces her own challenging performance—balancing her work and family life while dancing on the edge of danger.

With family and friends harboring suspicions about Kurt, and Amy bedeviled by her own wavering trust in his innocence, she must fight to uncover the truth before a hidden killer strikes again.

My Thoughts:
It was fun to kick back and enjoy this cozy mystery. It is the newest book and number 9 in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries. In this one a speaker at a library event is murdered and Amy Muir was requested by the local police to assist with some research (since she is a librarian). Amy's involvement turns dangerous when it puts her and her family at risk. The investigation was fun and delving into Kurt's accusations was interesting, since he was Amy's child's godfather. I enjoyed the read and recommend this series for cozy readers.


Thanks to Crooked Lane Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

I love the main characters in this series. The entire series has been a solid four stars for me. It’s also a series I will eventually re read. The suspense is always intriguing and never what I suspect. It’s truly hard to put down. Highly recommend.

I was blessed with an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.

“Death and the Librarian” is the well done ninth book in Victoria Gilbert’s Blue Ridge Library Cozy Mystery series. In this one, Library Director Amy Muir finds herself involved in a murder mystery when not only a guest at a library event is murdered but a family friend is a chief suspect in not only that murder but a murder that took place years ago. Amy would like to clear his name – but she’s not sure if she can trust him. This is a very nicely done mystery as Amy tries to find out the truth about both mysteries while struggling with the realization that someone close to her might be a killer. There are just the right number of suspects with quite a few red herrings and surprises – I was totally taken off-guard by one revelation at the end of the book. There is also just the right amount of suspense and feeling of danger in the book – if I have one complaint about the book it is the way the Sheriff kept asking Amy to do research even after it was clear someone did not want her to do so. That aside, this was a very enjoyable mystery.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

As I have come tLibrary director and mother of 6-year-old twins, Amy Muir, has always had her doubts about family friend Kurt Kendrick. But when someone dies shortly after accusing Kurt of murder, Amy becomes determined to prove his innocence—no matter the risk.

I've always enjoyed this series, but I’m beginning to think it may have run its course for me. Unfortunately, I find myself no longer liking or respecting Amy. Her “background research” never stays in the background. Even after receiving direct threats to herself and her family, she refuses to back off and continues making dangerously reckless choices—completely disregarding her husband’s concerns.

For someone supposedly investigating a murder, Amy is far from discreet. Her behavior often feels impulsive and unrealistic, which made it hard for me to stay engaged with the story. I also struggled with the subplot involving Aunt Lydia, where we learn some disturbing facts that didn’t feel well-integrated.

Overall, this installment just didn’t work for me. The suspense was overshadowed by poor decision-making, and the characters I once enjoyed now leave me more frustrated than intrigued.

o expect from any book by Victoria Gilbert this book

Thank you Victoria Gilbert ( @victoriagilbertauthor ), Crooked Lane Books ( @crookedlanebooks ), and NetGalley ( @netgalley ) for allowing me to read Death and the Librarian (out now).

In the ninth installment of the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series, librarian Amy finds herself in the middle of two murder investigations—one, a cold case from the 1960s, and the other, a present day of the author researching the other case.

Are the two murders connected, and are Amy’s friends and family connected to the cold case?

I have loved watching this series grow and the relationships between characters evolve. There is always such a clever twist in the stories and the ending is never quite what you think.

#DeathandtheLibrarian #NetGalley #VictoriaGilbert #CrookedLaneBooks

Victoria Gilbert's Blue Ridge Library series is one of the cozy mystery series that I dip in and out of. Death and the Librarian is the ninth book in the series. While I did read book 8, Murder Checks Out, I didn't read the two before that. It doesn't matter if you have read the whole series or are just starting with this book. It is easy to just pop into the series.

The cast is small enough that you can easily figure out who is who. Plus, the mystery in this one digs into the past of a couple of the characters.

Death and the Librarian has two mysteries. A true crime writer is part of the events of the arts festival. She has a new book coming out, and one of the crimes she is investigating happened right there in Taylorsford decades ago. She calls out two people whom she is interested in talking with about the crime. Hours later, she is dead. Of course, Amy gets involved. She's just doing "research," but when the death threats start arriving, will she step away from the investigation?

This is a cozy mystery in every sense of the genre. It is silly, and things that happen wouldn't happen in real life, but all that makes it an entertaining read. If you are looking for a good escapism novel, then pick this one up.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Wednesday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2025/07/death-and-librarian-by-victoria-gilbert.html