Death Checked Out

A Larkspur Library Mystery

by Leah Dobrinska

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Pub Date Dec 06 2022 | Archive Date Jan 24 2023

Level Best Books | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles

General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers | Women's Fiction

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Description

When in doubt, go to the library…and solve the murder mystery!

Greta Plank, library director in the small, lakeside town of Larkspur, Wisconsin, prefers her rose-tinted glasses extra rosy, thank you very much. It’s how she copes with the hard stuff in life…like her sister’s death and her ex-boyfriend’s deception. But Greta’s cheery resolve takes a hit when she stumbles upon a dead body on her way home from work. What she assumes is a terrible accident Greta soon learns is something more sinister, and to make matters worse, a new-to-town detective cites her as not only his primary source for the case, but his top suspect.

To clear her name and save her reputation, Greta decides to do some off-the-books clue cataloging of her own. After all, asking questions is what she does best. With the help of her fellow librarians and her lawyer mom, Greta flips through the pages of the murder, uncovering details about Larkspur’s real estate market and the deceased’s rare book collection as she tries to understand why anyone would have authored his death.

With friends and neighbors stacking up as both victims and suspects, Greta must cross reference the facts and put a hold on her idyllic worldview if she wants to get the full story without paying the fine of her life.

When in doubt, go to the library…and solve the murder mystery!

Greta Plank, library director in the small, lakeside town of Larkspur, Wisconsin, prefers her rose-tinted glasses extra rosy, thank you...

A Note From the Publisher

Also available as an Ebook

Advance Praise

“Death Checked Out is one for the books! Leah Dobrinska’s charming cozy debut expertly binds a library theme with a clever mystery and picturesque setting. You’ll root for amateur sleuth Greta Plank as she wields her bookish knowhow both on and off the shelf!”
— Kate Lansing, author of the Colorado Wine Mystery Series

“Death Checked Out by Leah Dobrinska welcomes cozy mystery readers to Larkspur, Wisconsin with open arms. Full of characters you can’t help but love, Death Checked Out launches what is sure to be a memorable mystery series.

Greta Plank, Larkspur’s perennially optimistic librarian, is a charming, modern-day Nancy Drew in Leah Dobrinska’s cozy mystery debut. From the moment she ushers the reader through the doors of her Wisconsin library domain, Greta commands your attention and keeps it as she dives headfirst into solving her next-door neighbor’s murder.

The town of Larkspur serves as the perfect cozy backdrop with a supporting cast of spirited characters that are all heroes in their own right. I didn’t want any of them to be the killer because I enjoyed them all so much. But, oh, the mystery! So tricky and twisty—I found myself racing to the end to discover the big reveal.

Death Checked Out is a must for cozy mystery lovers; a true celebration of the determined amateur sleuth.”
— Sarah E. Burr, author of the Trending Topic Mysteries & Glenmyre Whim Mysteries

“Librarians Rock! Dobrinska’s three dedicated and daring book protectors know how to ferret out clues and catch a killer. Leah Dobrinska’s mystery, full of twists and turns in a lakefront Wisconsin town, is the perfect beginning to a new cozy series!”
— Heather Weidner, author of the Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries and the Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries

“A fabulous series debut, this fun mystery has it all—twists and turns, a library, a charming small town, great BFFs, and a hint of romance. Death Checked Out will keep you guessing until the very end!”
— Christina Romeril, author of the Killer Chocolate Mystery series

“Cozy mystery fans will definitely want to check out this debut cozy mystery by Leah Dobrinska. Death Checked Out is a page turner full of intriguing characters and twists and turns.”
— Jackie Layton, author of the Low Country Dog Walker Mystery series