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Lighthouse Library Mystery #8
Deadly Ever After
Librarian Lucy's wedding is at stake when a murder interrupts her engagement celebrations. To make it down the aisle, she'll have to find the killer to save the date in the 8th book in the Lighthouse Library mysteries.
They're getting married! Lucy Richardson and Connor McNeil have announced their engagement. Their friends throw a party for the couple at Coquina Beach, close to Lucy's beloved Bodie Island Lighthouse Library.
As they're packing up the presents and the (few) leftovers from Josie's Cozy Bakery, who should arrive, but Richard Eric Lewiston III, Lucy's former almost-fiancé and his overbearing mother Evangeline. Push comes to love when Evangeline makes no secret of why she's here: to get Lucy and Ricky back together.
Lucy isn't tempted in the least, and Ricky is nothing but embarrassed at his mother's desperate ploy. Before returning to Boston Evangeline throws a dinner party at Jake's Seafood Bar for a reluctant Lucy and her family. Lucy hopes to get the dinner over with and see Evangeline and Ricky returning to Boson. But when a body is found at the restaurant's kitchen door, Lucy is again forced to unwillingly put on her detective's hat and do what she can to save her family and her engagement. Meanwhile, the classic novel reading club is reading The Hound of the Baskervilles, and open war breaks out in the Lighthouse Library when Lucy agrees to temporarily take care of a dog named Fluffy, but Charles the library cat has other ideas.
They're getting married! Lucy Richardson and Connor McNeil have announced their engagement. Their friends throw a party for the couple at Coquina Beach, close to Lucy's beloved Bodie Island Lighthouse Library.
As they're packing up the presents and the (few) leftovers from Josie's Cozy Bakery, who should arrive, but Richard Eric Lewiston III, Lucy's former almost-fiancé and his overbearing mother Evangeline. Push comes to love when Evangeline makes no secret of why she's here: to get Lucy and Ricky back together.
Lucy isn't tempted in the least, and Ricky is nothing but embarrassed at his mother's desperate ploy. Before returning to Boston Evangeline throws a dinner party at Jake's Seafood Bar for a reluctant Lucy and her family. Lucy hopes to get the dinner over with and see Evangeline and Ricky returning to Boson. But when a body is found at the restaurant's kitchen door, Lucy is again forced to unwillingly put on her detective's hat and do what she can to save her family and her engagement. Meanwhile, the classic novel reading club is reading The Hound of the Baskervilles, and open war breaks out in the Lighthouse Library when Lucy agrees to temporarily take care of a dog named Fluffy, but Charles the library cat has other ideas.
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 11, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 342 reviews
April 30, 2023
This is a Cozy Mystery, and this is the 8th book in A Lighthouse Library Mystery series. This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series, and this book I think is one of my favorite book in the series. I love the mystery of this book, and as always I love the characters of this book. Lucy Richardson and Connor McNeil is finally getting married, and in this book they had their engagement party...of course a dead body shows up. Lucy gets in the middle of it, but I love how Lucy tries to figures things out. I also loves the Outer Banks setting. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Crooked Lane Books) or author (Eva Gates) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
May 16, 2021
I just discovered that this author also writes as Vicki Delany and she has written a bucket full of books. This is a good thing because she writes really well so I have lots to look forward to.
Deadly Ever After is a pun on the phrase "Happily ever after" and is very apt as the two main characters, Lucy and Connor, are about to be married. The book opens at their engagement party which takes place on the beach and sounds wonderful, until Lucy's ex arrives and there seems to be trouble on the horizon. Of course, as in all cosies, there is a murder and Lucy has to do a little investigation herself.
There is a library in a lighthouse, a very intelligent cat and a fluffy dog who plays a very important role. As I said earlier, the author writes well which includes realistic dialogue and putting her main character in logical situations. Events never become silly.
This was a fast and very entertaining read. I hope there will be a book 9 for Lucy and Connor to make it to the altar.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book
Deadly Ever After is a pun on the phrase "Happily ever after" and is very apt as the two main characters, Lucy and Connor, are about to be married. The book opens at their engagement party which takes place on the beach and sounds wonderful, until Lucy's ex arrives and there seems to be trouble on the horizon. Of course, as in all cosies, there is a murder and Lucy has to do a little investigation herself.
There is a library in a lighthouse, a very intelligent cat and a fluffy dog who plays a very important role. As I said earlier, the author writes well which includes realistic dialogue and putting her main character in logical situations. Events never become silly.
This was a fast and very entertaining read. I hope there will be a book 9 for Lucy and Connor to make it to the altar.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book
May 6, 2022
Loved it! The 8th Lighthouse Library Mystery, Deadly Ever After, written by Eva Gates was terrific. We finally got to meet the ex-boyfriend, Ricky, whose proposal Lucy turned down two years earlier, sparking her arrival in the Outer Banks. The mystery is all about the games being played at her father's and his father's family law firm, and when someone ends up dead, there's lots of guesses who might be responsible. Plus interesting news about unknown children, and Connor and Lucy are searching for a house to buy once they're married. So much going on, but it was a fantastic trip into a lovely book setting. The surprises were quite strong in this one, and I was 'pleasantly' surprised with Louise Jane's news in this book's ending. I could see it coming for a while, and I was a little concerned about what it meant for another character, but it will move the series forward, which is a nice transition. I'm thrilled that this makes me current in the series, and now I can seek out a copy of the newest release when it comes out this spring.
May 11, 2021
This series is one that I always enjoy reading. It is such a fun premise of a library in a lighthouse on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Lucy Richardson, formerly of Boston, is a librarian living in an apartment upstairs in the lighthouse with Charles, the library cat. A party was thrown for Lucy and her fiancé Connor McNeil so her parents are in town. But, an unexpected duo arrives from Boston, her former boyfriend and his mother. Later, the father/husband is found dead at a local restaurant where the couple, friends, and family are dining. The victim is actually a founding law partner along with Lucy's dad. Lucy has been known to help the police solve murder mysteries and since she knows the victim and his wife and son, she is working with Detective Sam Watson. Her mom is staying with the wife to help her deal with the situation. This is a great mystery to unravel as there a few obvious suspects but nothing is clear cut. No one knew the victim would be in town so who would have killed him? This is one that I definitely had not figured out. Another fun mystery to add to the series. Great setting and characters.
I received a complimentary ARC from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.
I received a complimentary ARC from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.
April 8, 2021
Ms. Gates once again returns readers to Nags Head in the Outer Banks in this eighth installment of the Lighthouse Library mystery series, Deadly Ever After. I love this series and every book allows me to return to the Bodie Lighthouse library and visit with old friends.
The plot moves quickly as this murder mystery hits close to home for Lucy as the victim is her father's partner at the law firm in Boston. There are only a few suspects as Detective Sam Watson and Lucy sift through the clues. Ms. Gates' writing flows smoothly and the descriptions of the scenes is vivid and I feel like I am with Lucy and her friends on each page. The dramatic reveal had me on the edge of my seat. I can hardly wait to return to Nags Head and the Bodie Lighthouse Library.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
The plot moves quickly as this murder mystery hits close to home for Lucy as the victim is her father's partner at the law firm in Boston. There are only a few suspects as Detective Sam Watson and Lucy sift through the clues. Ms. Gates' writing flows smoothly and the descriptions of the scenes is vivid and I feel like I am with Lucy and her friends on each page. The dramatic reveal had me on the edge of my seat. I can hardly wait to return to Nags Head and the Bodie Lighthouse Library.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
May 15, 2021
Dollycas’s Thoughts
The last book, A Death Long Overdue ended with Lucy Richardson and Connor McNeil getting engaged. This book opens with an engagement party thrown by their friends and family. Right as the party is wrapping up Lucy’s former boyfriend, Richard Eric Lewiston III, his mother and her dog, Fluffy, come walking down the beach full of explanations for their late arrival to a party they were not invited to. Evangeline Lewiston is a woman on a mission. A mission to get Lucy to cast Connor aside and get back together with her son Ricky. Lucy has no interest in the woman’s plans or her son.
In a last-ditch effort, Evangeline invites Lucy and her family to a dinner party at Jake’s Seafood Bar. She isn’t put off at all that Connor arrives with Lucy. Lucy just wants to get the evening over with and the Lewiston’s back on the road home to Boston. Instead, the dinner ends when a dead body is found just outside the restaurant’s kitchen door. The victim’s identity is quickly revealed and it means no one will be heading back to Boston anytime soon. Lucy knows if she wants to get on with her life with Connor she needs to emulate Sherlock Holmes and catch the killer as quickly as possible. Oh, the library’s classic reading group is reading The Hound of the Baskervilles too, maybe Mr. Holmes will have some insight to help Lucy solve the case.
This truly is one of my favorite cozy series because it takes place in my favorite fictional library. the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library is a magnificent place that can only exist if you let your imagination take over and enjoy the unique library to its fullest. I would give anything for it to be a real place because I would pack my bags to visit it today. The best vacation our family ever had was to the Brunswick Islands, specifically Caswell Beach in North Carolina. We traveled quite a bit of the coast visiting the lighthouses and would love to return and maybe stay in Nags Head.
The genuine characters are another reason this is a favorite series. They are caring individuals who not only care about each other but the Outer Banks, Bodie Island, and its Lighthouse Library. Lucy and her mom bend over backward to help and support Ricky and Evangeline throughout the entire course of the investigation. Heck, Lucy even takes Evangeline’s dog Fluffy home to her Aerie after the pup is kicked out of the hotel, much to the library cat’s Charles’ ire, at first.
Ms. Gates always delivers a top-notch mystery too. She knows how to set the scene and drops clues in a way that keeps her readers on their toes. She sets up some epic twists that can turn most theories inside out, Her stories are a real treat to read. The pace is quick and the subplots always add so much to the story. Right now, Lucy and Connor are looking for a home to share their lives in before they really make any concrete plans for their wedding. and it is not an easy task. This subplot has an excellent twist of its own that I really enjoyed.
Each new book in this series becomes my new favorite as Deadly Ever After is now. I am sad when I read the final page because each visit to the Outer Banks ends much too soon. Until next time . . .
The last book, A Death Long Overdue ended with Lucy Richardson and Connor McNeil getting engaged. This book opens with an engagement party thrown by their friends and family. Right as the party is wrapping up Lucy’s former boyfriend, Richard Eric Lewiston III, his mother and her dog, Fluffy, come walking down the beach full of explanations for their late arrival to a party they were not invited to. Evangeline Lewiston is a woman on a mission. A mission to get Lucy to cast Connor aside and get back together with her son Ricky. Lucy has no interest in the woman’s plans or her son.
In a last-ditch effort, Evangeline invites Lucy and her family to a dinner party at Jake’s Seafood Bar. She isn’t put off at all that Connor arrives with Lucy. Lucy just wants to get the evening over with and the Lewiston’s back on the road home to Boston. Instead, the dinner ends when a dead body is found just outside the restaurant’s kitchen door. The victim’s identity is quickly revealed and it means no one will be heading back to Boston anytime soon. Lucy knows if she wants to get on with her life with Connor she needs to emulate Sherlock Holmes and catch the killer as quickly as possible. Oh, the library’s classic reading group is reading The Hound of the Baskervilles too, maybe Mr. Holmes will have some insight to help Lucy solve the case.
This truly is one of my favorite cozy series because it takes place in my favorite fictional library. the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library is a magnificent place that can only exist if you let your imagination take over and enjoy the unique library to its fullest. I would give anything for it to be a real place because I would pack my bags to visit it today. The best vacation our family ever had was to the Brunswick Islands, specifically Caswell Beach in North Carolina. We traveled quite a bit of the coast visiting the lighthouses and would love to return and maybe stay in Nags Head.
The genuine characters are another reason this is a favorite series. They are caring individuals who not only care about each other but the Outer Banks, Bodie Island, and its Lighthouse Library. Lucy and her mom bend over backward to help and support Ricky and Evangeline throughout the entire course of the investigation. Heck, Lucy even takes Evangeline’s dog Fluffy home to her Aerie after the pup is kicked out of the hotel, much to the library cat’s Charles’ ire, at first.
Ms. Gates always delivers a top-notch mystery too. She knows how to set the scene and drops clues in a way that keeps her readers on their toes. She sets up some epic twists that can turn most theories inside out, Her stories are a real treat to read. The pace is quick and the subplots always add so much to the story. Right now, Lucy and Connor are looking for a home to share their lives in before they really make any concrete plans for their wedding. and it is not an easy task. This subplot has an excellent twist of its own that I really enjoyed.
Each new book in this series becomes my new favorite as Deadly Ever After is now. I am sad when I read the final page because each visit to the Outer Banks ends much too soon. Until next time . . .
February 2, 2021
I really love this cozy mystery series, it is one of my absolute favorites. This upcoming volume lived up to the quality I expect from this series. There is something magical about the idea of a library being inside of a lighthouse and who doesn’t love a library cat. The book starts with Connor and Lucy having an engagement party and as things are wrapping up her ex-boyfriend Ricky and his mother show up officially to congratulate her on her engagement and unofficially to break her and Connor up so Lucy can marry Ricky. Of course the whole group gets caught up when someone is murdered outside the restaurant they are having dinner in. The main mystery of the murder was well-written. There were a couple of other twists that were a bit more predictable, but overall this book was very enjoyable. I appreciate the publisher and Netgalley for providing me an advanced electronic copy so I could provide this honest review.
November 5, 2020
So much went on in this book and I loved it! Lucy and Connor are engaged and when an old boyfriend and his mother crash the engagement party, sparks fly and so does murder!
This was a great book- well-written and fast-paced - that I hated to see end. The setting, in the Outer Banks, in North Carolina was wonderfully wild and elegant. I enjoyed the conversations between Lucy and her mother as well as getting to know her mother's background a little better. The library staff was funny, sweet and a little bit annoying (Louise Jane) and I got caught up in the library backstory as much as the mystery. Charles, the library cat, gains a friend (whether he wants one or not) and is his usual charming self.
Another lovely visit to the Outer Banks!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This was a great book- well-written and fast-paced - that I hated to see end. The setting, in the Outer Banks, in North Carolina was wonderfully wild and elegant. I enjoyed the conversations between Lucy and her mother as well as getting to know her mother's background a little better. The library staff was funny, sweet and a little bit annoying (Louise Jane) and I got caught up in the library backstory as much as the mystery. Charles, the library cat, gains a friend (whether he wants one or not) and is his usual charming self.
Another lovely visit to the Outer Banks!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
July 1, 2021
I have truly enjoyed getting to know the amazing characters in this series! Each book in the series adds more knowledge for the reader and lots of character development. This book gave us additional insight into Lucy's family. All the characters are amazing! This particular book was full of wedding plans and murder, of course!
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.
November 11, 2020
Just when Lucy thinks things at the Library are settling down and she can get on with planning her future, she stumbles across another body and this one hits close to home as it involves her old Boston life. I love that the main character is an intelligent and capable young woman who uses rational thought as well as a bit of luck to solve problems that cross her path. I might also be a bit jealous that she not only gets to live in a lighthouse, but that it is also a public library with books galore at her fingertips! The characters have so much personality and are brought fully to life, even the cat! The plot is excellent with a field of suspects to keep you guessing and a few surprises along the way to keep you intrigued!
November 11, 2020
Just when Lucy thinks things at the Library are settling down and she can get on with planning her future, she stumbles across another body and this one hits close to home as it involves her old Boston life. I love that the main character is an intelligent and capable young woman who uses rational thought as well as a bit of luck to solve problems that cross her path. I might also be a bit jealous that she not only gets to live in a lighthouse, but that it is also a public library with books galore at her fingertips! The characters have so much personality and are brought fully to life, even the cat! The plot is excellent with a field of suspects to keep you guessing and a few surprises along the way to keep you intrigued!
February 27, 2021
Lucy's parents visit the Outer Banks in preparation for Lucy and Connor's upcoming wedding. Evangeline and Ricky, the wife and son of her father's business partner, also visit Nags Head. When the business partner everyone thought remained in Boston turns up dead outside Jake's restaurant, the investigation extends beyond Nags Head to Boston in search of a motive. In other story lines, a couple of British researchers keep Charlene busy in the rare books room, and Connor and Lucy search for a home they can call their own. I fear including more summarization would reveal spoilers. This installment marks some changes that will occur in the lighthouse library's story. The reader can't help but wonder how these changes may affect the series' charm, but it still shows promise to remain an outstanding series. I received an an advance electronic copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 15, 2020
This is a really fun cozy mystery, set in a quaint town, and the library is in the lighthouse.
While librarian Lucy and her fiancé Connor are enjoying their engagement party, until her ex boyfriend and his mother crash the party.
While Lucy is frustrated at his arrival, it’s his mother she’s angry at, she’s hoping to change Lucy’s mind in her choice of husbands.
Unfortunately, tragedy strikes and Lucy finds herself wrapped up in another murder investigation.
This is the 8th book in the series by the talented Eva Gates.
While librarian Lucy and her fiancé Connor are enjoying their engagement party, until her ex boyfriend and his mother crash the party.
While Lucy is frustrated at his arrival, it’s his mother she’s angry at, she’s hoping to change Lucy’s mind in her choice of husbands.
Unfortunately, tragedy strikes and Lucy finds herself wrapped up in another murder investigation.
This is the 8th book in the series by the talented Eva Gates.
June 13, 2021
Loved it! Love this series. Eva Gates never disappoints.
November 6, 2020
Local librarian Lucy is living in a lighthouse in the Outer Banks and making wedding plans with her dentist/mayor/fiance Connor and going to an engagement dinner with friends and family sounds wonderful. Until it isn't. First problem is the uninvited and unwanted appearance of an old boyfriend with his mother. Then there's the unpleasant man who is a part-time resident as well as a client of the law firm operated by her father, the old boyfriend and his father. And then there's the dead body in the restaurant parking lot who turns out to be said boyfriend's father. At least the local police detective is friendly. And so the sleuthing begins, complete with awful situations and red herrings. A fast-paced, easy read.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
March 7, 2024
The hound of the Lewistons.
March 25, 2022
Deadly Ever After by Eva Gates is the 8th book in the Lighthouse Library Mystery Series. I give it ⚓️⚓️⚓️⚓️⚓️!
We return to Nags Head, NC, Lucy Richardson and her family, co-workers, friends and newly engaged fiancé Connor McNeil. Lucy’s parents are in town to celebrate Lucy and Connor’s engagement party. At the end of the evening the engagement party is crashed by non other than Evangeline and Ricky Lewiston. Ricky is Lucy’s ex-boyfriend and part of the reason she left Boston. Evangeline is the wife of Rich Lewiston, Lucy’s father’s partner in Richardson Lewiston Law. Evangeline is still desperate for Lucy to marry Ricky. After a family dinner at Jake’s Seafood Bar, including drama involving Ricky III, Evangeline and a client of Rich Lewiston Jr. who happens to live in Nags Head, Richard Lewiston Jr. is found stabbed to death at the back kitchen door to the restaurant. No one, not even Evangeline or Ricky knew he was in Nags Head. There are a slew of suspects. Rich Lewiston has been involved in some shady dealings with his clients. What was he doing in Nags Head? Who knew he was in Nags Head and why was he murdered?
Lucy has her hands full fending off pressure from Evangeline to reconnect with Ricky, planning her wedding to Connor and searching for the right house where Connor and she can start their new life together.
I love this series and am so happy that the 9th book, Death By Beach Read, book 9 will be released in June of 2022.
We return to Nags Head, NC, Lucy Richardson and her family, co-workers, friends and newly engaged fiancé Connor McNeil. Lucy’s parents are in town to celebrate Lucy and Connor’s engagement party. At the end of the evening the engagement party is crashed by non other than Evangeline and Ricky Lewiston. Ricky is Lucy’s ex-boyfriend and part of the reason she left Boston. Evangeline is the wife of Rich Lewiston, Lucy’s father’s partner in Richardson Lewiston Law. Evangeline is still desperate for Lucy to marry Ricky. After a family dinner at Jake’s Seafood Bar, including drama involving Ricky III, Evangeline and a client of Rich Lewiston Jr. who happens to live in Nags Head, Richard Lewiston Jr. is found stabbed to death at the back kitchen door to the restaurant. No one, not even Evangeline or Ricky knew he was in Nags Head. There are a slew of suspects. Rich Lewiston has been involved in some shady dealings with his clients. What was he doing in Nags Head? Who knew he was in Nags Head and why was he murdered?
Lucy has her hands full fending off pressure from Evangeline to reconnect with Ricky, planning her wedding to Connor and searching for the right house where Connor and she can start their new life together.
I love this series and am so happy that the 9th book, Death By Beach Read, book 9 will be released in June of 2022.
October 19, 2020
Another entertaining addition to this series. It is always fun to visit with the regulars in this series and a happy reasons indeed: the engagement of Lucy and Connor. But, of course, it is marred by murder.
The mystery isn't super complicated but there are some surprise twists. It is nice to see Lucy and her mother continuing to change their relationship into something better. Things are changing at the library but plenty of fun and mystery is sure still on the menu. A good summer read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a free copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The mystery isn't super complicated but there are some surprise twists. It is nice to see Lucy and her mother continuing to change their relationship into something better. Things are changing at the library but plenty of fun and mystery is sure still on the menu. A good summer read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a free copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 8, 2021
This is part of an ongoing series that I hadn’t had the opportunity to read from the beginning. I was pleased to find that it easily can be read as a standalone. After reading this book, I now want to go back and read the series from the beginning so I can see how it all began. The characters are well developed and engaging. The setting of having a library located in a functioning lighthouse is so unique and just what a book lover would find enchanting.
July 18, 2022
This was good. I did like Lucy’s mom better in this book than in the last book we met her. Evangeline would have been a nightmare MIL 😮 had Lucy married Roger, thank goodness she ran away to the Outer Banks and met Conner 😁😂. There’s many changes occurring in the library so it will be interesting to see how it shakes out for future books.
The mystery was good, I did guess the killer 3/4 way through but overall it had enough twists and turns and surprises to keep it interesting.
The mystery was good, I did guess the killer 3/4 way through but overall it had enough twists and turns and surprises to keep it interesting.
June 7, 2021
Lucy and Connor's relationship continues in this one. They have their engagement party and her ex shows up. After his dad is found dead, Lucy tries to help figure out what happened. I enjoyed the story and love the main characters. We get another animal friend in this one so that was a bonus plus! The ending made me happy and sad but I can't wait to see how the next one goes!
December 30, 2020
A Lighthouse Library Mystery #8
This is the 8th book in the Lighthouse Library Series. Lucy the Librarian and Conner the Mayor are finally getting married!
The book begins with their friends throwing them a party at the beach, close to the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library where Lucy lives and works.
But just as things are winding down and they are packing up with Josie, Lucy’s almost-fiance’ Richard Lewiston the third and his bull of a mother arrives. Mother makes no apologies for coming uninvited to Lucy’s party. She does, however, state her intentions to have Lucy marry her son. Almost desperately so.
Lucy and Richard aren’t interested in the least. As they agree to have dinner with the two as Lucy’s father and Richard’s father are law partners back in Boston. The dinner is awkward and they all head in different directions. Until a dead body is found at the back door of Jake’s Seafood Bar. The body of Richard the 2nd. What in the world is he doing here?
Lucy knows she will need to put on her detective hat in order to clear up the death and get rid of the grieving widow and her son before she can even think about walking down the aisle.
As for Charles, let’s just say he isn’t very happy with what she brings home. Charles is one of my favorite characters. Very discerning cat.
I enjoy this series so much. It’s a library. In a Lighthouse. Living in a lighthouse, be still my heart! So ready for the next book!
NetGalley Reviews/ May 11,2021
This is the 8th book in the Lighthouse Library Series. Lucy the Librarian and Conner the Mayor are finally getting married!
The book begins with their friends throwing them a party at the beach, close to the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library where Lucy lives and works.
But just as things are winding down and they are packing up with Josie, Lucy’s almost-fiance’ Richard Lewiston the third and his bull of a mother arrives. Mother makes no apologies for coming uninvited to Lucy’s party. She does, however, state her intentions to have Lucy marry her son. Almost desperately so.
Lucy and Richard aren’t interested in the least. As they agree to have dinner with the two as Lucy’s father and Richard’s father are law partners back in Boston. The dinner is awkward and they all head in different directions. Until a dead body is found at the back door of Jake’s Seafood Bar. The body of Richard the 2nd. What in the world is he doing here?
Lucy knows she will need to put on her detective hat in order to clear up the death and get rid of the grieving widow and her son before she can even think about walking down the aisle.
As for Charles, let’s just say he isn’t very happy with what she brings home. Charles is one of my favorite characters. Very discerning cat.
I enjoy this series so much. It’s a library. In a Lighthouse. Living in a lighthouse, be still my heart! So ready for the next book!
NetGalley Reviews/ May 11,2021
April 30, 2021
Sigh. I liked this book. A lot [it still amazes me how this series went from being completely yuck to totally awesome. I am not sure what happened, but I am so glad it did and that I kept reading]. And then the end happened, in which a book [The Hound of the Baskervilles] I have not yet read [but plan to] is majorly spoilered for me [THEY ACTUALLY TELL THE END OF THE BOOK!!!!!!] and also in which the most annoying, least qualified character in these books gets a HEAD POSITION in the freaking library []. But because the mystery was soo good [and it REALLY was - I never saw that killer coming. SO. MANY. RED. HERRINGS], I couldn't take points off for the stuff that bugged me. Though I will never stop hoping that one day the dead body will be Louise Jane.
SO, my suggestion to you is this; if you ever plan on reading The Hound of the Baskervilles, do it before reading this book or it will totally be spoiled for you [I am V E R Y disappointed in this]. Otherwise, this is a really good cozy read and I recommend it to anyone who loves books, lighthouses and life on the beach/Outer Banks.
Thank you to NetGalley, Eva Gates, and Crooked Lane Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
SO, my suggestion to you is this; if you ever plan on reading The Hound of the Baskervilles, do it before reading this book or it will totally be spoiled for you [I am V E R Y disappointed in this]. Otherwise, this is a really good cozy read and I recommend it to anyone who loves books, lighthouses and life on the beach/Outer Banks.
Thank you to NetGalley, Eva Gates, and Crooked Lane Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2020
Love the atmospheric settings in this book; it indeed is cozy in the Outer Banks, around a library lighthouse, various beach type bars and restaurants, lonely roads and marshes, and a cat and dog, Oh, and of course a dead body, obviously murdered, and no one knows why or who murdered him, but there is a link to the families!
That certainly rains upon the engagement party that Lucy and Connor are having., but even before that headache, uninvited guests, Richard (Ricky) Eric Lewiston III (Lucy's former almost-fiancé), and his overbearing mother, Evangeline, crash the party. Evangeline makes no secret of why she's here: to get Lucy and Ricky back together. Lucy isn't temped in the least, and Ricky is nothing but embarrassed at his mother's desperate ploy.
However, before returning to Boston, Evangeline insists on throwing a dinner party at Jake's Seafood Bar for a reluctant Lucy and her family (super uncomfortable situation!). Lucy wants to get the dinner over with as soon as possible so that Evangeline and Ricky leave and return to Boston. But when a body is found at the restaurant's kitchen outside door, Lucy is forced to put on her detective's hat and find some answers. Who is this man? Why was he killed? And most importantly, by whom? Will she somehow be more involved in this than she realizes?
This is a fun cozy mystery. If you've been reading the series (this is the 8th installment), you are sure to enjoy this one as well. Recommended.
My thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher, for providing a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
That certainly rains upon the engagement party that Lucy and Connor are having., but even before that headache, uninvited guests, Richard (Ricky) Eric Lewiston III (Lucy's former almost-fiancé), and his overbearing mother, Evangeline, crash the party. Evangeline makes no secret of why she's here: to get Lucy and Ricky back together. Lucy isn't temped in the least, and Ricky is nothing but embarrassed at his mother's desperate ploy.
However, before returning to Boston, Evangeline insists on throwing a dinner party at Jake's Seafood Bar for a reluctant Lucy and her family (super uncomfortable situation!). Lucy wants to get the dinner over with as soon as possible so that Evangeline and Ricky leave and return to Boston. But when a body is found at the restaurant's kitchen outside door, Lucy is forced to put on her detective's hat and find some answers. Who is this man? Why was he killed? And most importantly, by whom? Will she somehow be more involved in this than she realizes?
This is a fun cozy mystery. If you've been reading the series (this is the 8th installment), you are sure to enjoy this one as well. Recommended.
My thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher, for providing a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 31, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -Audiobook
June 6, 2021
As a lover of cozy mysteries, I knew I would be on to a winner with this 8th book in ‘A Lighthouse Library Mystery’ series! Deadly Ever After ticked all the right boxes before I had even started reading.
The setting of a library in a lighthouse on Bodie Island meant it had all the makings of a great read for me. The concept of a library in a lighthouse is incredibly alluring and the thought of living and working there even more so. This location is particularly enticing for me as I live on the coast near a lighthouse!
Eva Gates has drawn a lot of fun characters in this fabulous cozy mystery. Likeable Lucy Richardson is a librarian who moved to the Outer Banks, North Carolina and she has a lot going on in this book. She has recently got engaged to Connor McNeil and the story opens with a party for the happy couple on Coquina beach thrown by their families and friends. It was great to be back with protagonist Lucy who possesses the necessary attributes of any great sleuth – intelligence, curiosity and keenness. There was a good number of characters in Deadly Ever After but though I wasn’t especially fond of one or two of them this only made a fabulous story even greater. Charles the library cat was, of course, an ever-present favourite.
There aren’t many settings as perfect as a library located within a lighthouse and Eva Gates made great use of this. Outer Banks is a fine, beautiful coastal town with a real sense of community and a general feeling of nostalgia and it's a brilliant backdrop for a murder investigation.
Another of my favourite aspects of this story and series is the fluidity of the author's writing. The details of the plot were very well executed and every chapter left me with a compelling need to read on. The author did a brilliant job of setting the scene and dropping clues whilst still making identifying the perpetrator challenging.
I very much look forward to returning to the Outer Banks with Lucy in book #9 and reading the earlier books in the series that I've missed, too! So entertaining and engaging, Deadly Ever After is definitely well worth the time invested.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
The setting of a library in a lighthouse on Bodie Island meant it had all the makings of a great read for me. The concept of a library in a lighthouse is incredibly alluring and the thought of living and working there even more so. This location is particularly enticing for me as I live on the coast near a lighthouse!
Eva Gates has drawn a lot of fun characters in this fabulous cozy mystery. Likeable Lucy Richardson is a librarian who moved to the Outer Banks, North Carolina and she has a lot going on in this book. She has recently got engaged to Connor McNeil and the story opens with a party for the happy couple on Coquina beach thrown by their families and friends. It was great to be back with protagonist Lucy who possesses the necessary attributes of any great sleuth – intelligence, curiosity and keenness. There was a good number of characters in Deadly Ever After but though I wasn’t especially fond of one or two of them this only made a fabulous story even greater. Charles the library cat was, of course, an ever-present favourite.
There aren’t many settings as perfect as a library located within a lighthouse and Eva Gates made great use of this. Outer Banks is a fine, beautiful coastal town with a real sense of community and a general feeling of nostalgia and it's a brilliant backdrop for a murder investigation.
Another of my favourite aspects of this story and series is the fluidity of the author's writing. The details of the plot were very well executed and every chapter left me with a compelling need to read on. The author did a brilliant job of setting the scene and dropping clues whilst still making identifying the perpetrator challenging.
I very much look forward to returning to the Outer Banks with Lucy in book #9 and reading the earlier books in the series that I've missed, too! So entertaining and engaging, Deadly Ever After is definitely well worth the time invested.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
May 15, 2021
Deadly Ever After by Eva Gates is the 8th A Lighthouse Library Mystery. I thought this story was well-written with developed characters. The story moved along at a quick pace with vivid descriptions. It is always a pleasure to visit the Outer Banks where Lucy Richardson works at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library. She lives in her Lighthouse Aerie and will miss it when she marries. Connor McNeil and Lucy are engaged with plans to wed the following year in August. They have been searching for a home to purchase with no success. I love the characters in this charming series. They are a friendly bunch who care for one another. I like how the library staff are there for one another. The descriptions of the library are delightful. I would love to live in an apartment above the library. I, like Lucy, imagine the characters come alive at night when the library is empty. Lucy will miss her cozy abode. The whodunit was a fun one to solve. There are several people who could have offed the victim. The clues are subtle and can easily be missed. There is humor scattered throughout the story. Lucy manages to get herself into sticky situations plus doing things she does not want to do. There are subplots that enrich this book. Charlene is smitten with a visiting researcher, but Lucy fears she will get her heart broken. Bertie and Louise Jane are spending quite a bit of time behind closed doors. Connor and Lucy are trying to find a home to purchase. Lucy’s mother was very gracious. She is a kinder soul than I. I cannot imagine looking after Evangeline. Deadly Ever After can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading all the books in this engaging series. It will allow you to get to know the characters and see how far they have come since By Book or By Crook. I look forward to my next visit to the Outer Banks. Deadly Ever After is an entertaining cozy mystery with engagement party poopers, house hunting hardships, book club conversation, a misty marsh, flashing lights, a terrible threat, and an affectionate fiancé.
January 20, 2021
“Deadly Ever After” the 8th instalment in the "Lighthouse Library" Mystery series by Eva Gates. This is the 3rd book I have read in the series but I had no trouble following along. I really enjoyed this story, and it has made me want to catch up on the series. I have several books in my TBR pile. In fact I am now a huge fan girl for Vicki Delany/Eva Gates and bought a a lot of paperbacks in her other series too.
The setting of the Bodie Island Lighthouse library in the Outer Banks of N.C. is a dream location that my friends all know is my dream place to live if I ever moved to the States. I could picture it in my mind from the descriptions which really helps make it come to life in your mind.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters which are well developed. Lucy, her mum, and her adorable cat Charles and Fluffy the dog set out to solve the crime. I enjoyed seeing Lucy with her mum too and hope her parents come to visit again. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end. I enjoyed the sub-story with Evangeline as well as Charlene too.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The setting of the Bodie Island Lighthouse library in the Outer Banks of N.C. is a dream location that my friends all know is my dream place to live if I ever moved to the States. I could picture it in my mind from the descriptions which really helps make it come to life in your mind.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters which are well developed. Lucy, her mum, and her adorable cat Charles and Fluffy the dog set out to solve the crime. I enjoyed seeing Lucy with her mum too and hope her parents come to visit again. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end. I enjoyed the sub-story with Evangeline as well as Charlene too.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 26, 2021
DEADLY EVER AFTER, the eighth book in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series, by Eva Gates, is another delightful addition to an engaging (pun intended) series! Protagonist, Lucy Richardson, is celebrating her engagement to Mayor Connor McNeil when who should show up, but her ex-almost- fiancé, who wants to reconnect. Making matters worse is Lucy’s ex-almost-mother-in-law, Evangeline, and her own mother wanting the union to happen between their two children. The author builds tension in each scene and uses it to move toward the murder of Evangeline’s husband. The creative twists in setting the mystery up and then planting clues for the sharp reader to follow is the hallmark of Ms. Gates’ strong writing style. Her descriptive voice in bringing the characters and setting to life, makes each book feel like visiting old friends!
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 5, 2021
Deadly Ever After by Eva Gates is the 8th book in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series, and another great addition. Lucy Richardson is a librarian on the outer banks of North Caroline. The library is in a lighthouse, and Lucy lives above the library. I found this book to be awesome, the clever mystery and the romance with Lucy and Conner, yay they are engaged. I can't wait for the next book in the series, Ms. Gates never lets me down. I have never been to North Caroline, but the descriptions of the area and light house makes me want to travel there. I strongly recommend this book/series for any cozy mystery lovers.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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