The Stranger in the Library (Lighthouse Library Mystery, #11)

by Eva Gates

Outer Banks librarian Lucy is working on an art show at the library when paintings–and people–start to go missing, in this 11th Lighthouse Library mystery from national bestselling author Eva Gates.

When a traveling show of impressionist art comes to Nags Head, North Carolina, librarian Lucy and the staff at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library are inspired to create an educational display about art history. Their launch of the display is a huge success, but the morning after, they discover that a reproduction of a famous painting has gone missing.

No one knows why anyone would bother stealing it: the picture is of no value–the real, priceless painting is under lock and key at the art show itself. Lucy gets an invite to the glitzy opening night for the real show, where she notices unusual tension among the show’s organizers. Then, the man scheduled to give the welcoming speech fails to arrive, and a party-goer is discovered drowned in a fish pond.

Meanwhile, Louise Jane is totally captivated by Tom Reilly, a handsome, charming art dealer lurking at the edges of the receptions on both nights. Tom slipped away from the party early, and he cannot be located by the police. Who, Lucy asks, is Tom Reilly, the shadowy figure threatening to break Louise Jane’s heart?

Something is afoot in Nags Head, and it’s up to Lucy and her friends to get to the bottom of it before it’s not just paintings being framed.

• ISBN10: 163910660X
• ISBN13: 9781639106608
• Publish Date: 4 June 2024
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Crooked Lane Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 304
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9781639106608

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

The Stranger in the Library is the 11th Lighthouse library mystery by Eva Gates. Released 4th June 2024 by Crooked Lane, it's 304 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback due out first quarter 2025 from the same publisher. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a clean cozy mystery with book recommendations in the text throughout, cat (a Himalayan called Charles), an appealingly intelligent MC who's a librarian, a library in a lighthouse, and an interesting and well crafted mystery. Although it's part of a series, there's enough backstory woven into the plot that it works fine as a standalone. Since there is already so much history with marriages and interrelationships, spoilers should be expected if read out of order. The ensemble cast is full of eccentric small town characters, but the author is skillful enough and the writing technically adept enough that the whole works well enough. The plotting proceeds at a good clip, and although the dialogue is a bit trope-y in some places, it's not intrusive enough to yank readers out of their suspension of disbelief.

The language is squeaky clean, no cursing whatsoever. The denouement and resolution were satisfying and there were some last minute twists which added a nice coda to the ending. Since there are 11 books extant in the series, it would make a good candidate for a long light binge/buddy read. 

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. I also liked that the author highlights the fun and social aspects of book clubs. Talking about books with other book lovers adds another whole level of enjoyment. 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.