Read and Buried: A Lighthouse Library Mystery (Lighthouse Library Mystery, #6)

by Eva Gates

Librarian Lucy Richardson unearths a mysterious map dating back to the Civil War. But if she can't crack its code, she may end up read and buried.

The Bodie Island Lighthouse Library Classic Novel Book Club is reading Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne while workers dig into the earth to repair the Lighthouse Library's foundations. The digging halts when Lucy pulls a battered tin box containing a Civil War-era diary from the pit. Tucked inside is a hand-drawn map of the Outer Banks accompanied by a page written in an indecipherable code.

The library is overrun by people clamoring to see the artifact. Later that night, Lucy and Connor McNeil find the body of historical society member Jeremy Hughes inside the library. Clearly Jeremy was not the only one who broke into the library--the map and the coded page are missing.

Lucy's nemesis, Louise Jane McKaughnan, confesses to entering the library after closing to sneak a peek but denies seeing Jeremy--or his killer. When Lucy discovers that fellow-librarian Charlene had a past with Jeremy, she's forced to do what she vowed not to do--get involved in the case. Meanwhile, the entire library staff and community become obsessed with trying to decode the page. But when the library has a second break in, it becomes clear that someone is determined to solve that code.

• ISBN10: 1643852337
• ISBN13: 9781643852331
• Publish Date: 15 October 2019
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Crooked Lane Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 320
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9781643852331

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Read and Buried is the 6th Lighthouse library mystery by Eva Gates. Released 15th Oct 2019 by Crooked Lane, it's available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

This is a clean cozy mystery with books, cat (a Himalayan called Charles), a librarian, and a library in a lighthouse. Although it's part of a series, there's enough backstory woven into the plot that it works fine as a standalone. The ensemble cast is full of archetypal characters, but the author is skillful enough and the writing technically adept enough that the whole works very well. The plotting proceeds at a good clip, the murder (which happens off scene) is relatively gore-less and couldn't have happened to a more deserving scoundrel. (Even his wife hated him).

Despite her protestations to the contrary, main character Lucy gets drawn into solving the mystery. There's a coded cipher, a Civil War era map and journal and hints of a buried treasure. The language is very clean, nary a sh*t or d*mn to be seen. There is no sexual content (some chaste kisses, in context, but nothing racier).

This is, simply, a well written, readable, and enjoyable library cozy (with cat). There are also a number of fun bonus reading prompts referenced in the book which will lead the reader to other books and series. It's well worth a look for fans of the genre.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.