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Blue Ridge Library Mysteries #6
Renewed for Murder
Librarian Amy Webber dances with death in critically acclaimed author Victoria Gilbert's sixth Blue Ridge Library mystery.
August in Taylorsford, Virginia finds library director Amy Webber and her new husband, dancer Richard Muir, settling into married life--and a new project. Richard and his dance partner, Karla, are choreographing a suite based on folk music and folk tales, while Amy scours the library's resources to supply background information on the dance's source material. But the mellifluous music comes to a jarring halt when an unknown woman's body turns up in Zelda Shoemaker's backyard gazebo.
Chief Deputy Brad Tucker puts Zelda at the top of his suspect list, thanks to a blackmail letter he finds in the dead woman's pocket. Zelda's best friend, Amy's aunt Lydia Talbot, begs Amy to use her research skills to clear Zelda's name. But the task is confounded by Zelda's very out-of-character refusal to reveal why the victim might have blackmailed her.
Complicating matters further, Amy unearths records of a long-ago tragedy that casts doubt on Zelda's innocence. She enlists hubby Richard, Aunt Lydia, art dealer Kurt Kendrick, Mayor Sunny Fields, and sundry other quirky townsfolk in a quest to exonerate Zelda. But will revealing the truth end up forcing Zelda to spend the rest of her life behind bars?
Meanwhile, the killer is still out there. Amy had better be fleet on her feet, because death is on her dance card, and her number may be up.
August in Taylorsford, Virginia finds library director Amy Webber and her new husband, dancer Richard Muir, settling into married life--and a new project. Richard and his dance partner, Karla, are choreographing a suite based on folk music and folk tales, while Amy scours the library's resources to supply background information on the dance's source material. But the mellifluous music comes to a jarring halt when an unknown woman's body turns up in Zelda Shoemaker's backyard gazebo.
Chief Deputy Brad Tucker puts Zelda at the top of his suspect list, thanks to a blackmail letter he finds in the dead woman's pocket. Zelda's best friend, Amy's aunt Lydia Talbot, begs Amy to use her research skills to clear Zelda's name. But the task is confounded by Zelda's very out-of-character refusal to reveal why the victim might have blackmailed her.
Complicating matters further, Amy unearths records of a long-ago tragedy that casts doubt on Zelda's innocence. She enlists hubby Richard, Aunt Lydia, art dealer Kurt Kendrick, Mayor Sunny Fields, and sundry other quirky townsfolk in a quest to exonerate Zelda. But will revealing the truth end up forcing Zelda to spend the rest of her life behind bars?
Meanwhile, the killer is still out there. Amy had better be fleet on her feet, because death is on her dance card, and her number may be up.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 7, 2021
About the author
Victoria Gilbert
19 books788 followersVictoria Gilbert, raised in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountain, turned her early obsession with reading into a dual career as an author and librarian.
When not writing or reading, she likes to spend her time watching films, gardening, or traveling. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, son, and some very spoiled cats.
Victoria is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, and is represented by Frances Black of Literary Counsel, NY, NY.
When not writing or reading, she likes to spend her time watching films, gardening, or traveling. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, son, and some very spoiled cats.
Victoria is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, and is represented by Frances Black of Literary Counsel, NY, NY.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
December 12, 2021
3.5★
Amy Webber (now Muir) had been married to Richard Muir for three months and she was happy. Her life in Taylorsford, Virginia had been fraught with danger as she came across dead bodies and set about finding murderers. But she was sure that was all changed – until her Aunt Lydia came into their house, pale and shaking, after a phone call from her good friend Zelda Shoemaker. As they all hurried over to her home, they were shocked to find a dead body in her backyard. Chief Deputy Brad Tucker arrived on the scene, and it wasn’t long before Zelda – distraught, pale, disoriented – was put on the Chief’s suspect list.
Would Amy, in her job as library director, be able to use her research skills to find answers to help Zelda? But Zelda wasn’t talking, which was making it much harder. As Amy discovered snippets of information, she filled Brad’s department in on what she found. But as usual, danger had its way of finding Amy. Blackmail, secrets, lies and revenge – what would be the outcome this time?
Renewed for Murder is the 6th in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries by Victoria Gilbert, and it wasn’t quite as entertaining as the previous. But I enjoyed the characters - Amy, Richard, Aunt Lydia, Sunny, Kurt and the others – and it’s always interesting to see what the mystery is and how they’ll all go about solving it. Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Amy Webber (now Muir) had been married to Richard Muir for three months and she was happy. Her life in Taylorsford, Virginia had been fraught with danger as she came across dead bodies and set about finding murderers. But she was sure that was all changed – until her Aunt Lydia came into their house, pale and shaking, after a phone call from her good friend Zelda Shoemaker. As they all hurried over to her home, they were shocked to find a dead body in her backyard. Chief Deputy Brad Tucker arrived on the scene, and it wasn’t long before Zelda – distraught, pale, disoriented – was put on the Chief’s suspect list.
Would Amy, in her job as library director, be able to use her research skills to find answers to help Zelda? But Zelda wasn’t talking, which was making it much harder. As Amy discovered snippets of information, she filled Brad’s department in on what she found. But as usual, danger had its way of finding Amy. Blackmail, secrets, lies and revenge – what would be the outcome this time?
Renewed for Murder is the 6th in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries by Victoria Gilbert, and it wasn’t quite as entertaining as the previous. But I enjoyed the characters - Amy, Richard, Aunt Lydia, Sunny, Kurt and the others – and it’s always interesting to see what the mystery is and how they’ll all go about solving it. Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
November 24, 2021
Book 6 in this series and once again Librarian Amy Webber finds herself in a life threatening situation after she attempts to clear a friend of accusations of murder.
All the gang is here from the earlier books - husband Richard, Aunt Lydia, Sunny, Kurt, two cunning cats and more. When a body is found in Lydia's friend Zelda's garden and Zelda is charged with the murder Amy is determined to find the real murderer and begins her investigations.
The mystery is extremely convoluted and maybe goes on a little too long. I know I eventually stopped trying to solve it myself and just went with the flow. The resolution was to my mind a little far fetched. However it was all well written, the characters are good and the relationship between Amy and Richard is sweet. I liked the cats too - a very smart pair of felines.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
All the gang is here from the earlier books - husband Richard, Aunt Lydia, Sunny, Kurt, two cunning cats and more. When a body is found in Lydia's friend Zelda's garden and Zelda is charged with the murder Amy is determined to find the real murderer and begins her investigations.
The mystery is extremely convoluted and maybe goes on a little too long. I know I eventually stopped trying to solve it myself and just went with the flow. The resolution was to my mind a little far fetched. However it was all well written, the characters are good and the relationship between Amy and Richard is sweet. I liked the cats too - a very smart pair of felines.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
December 6, 2021
In this new addition to the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries, newly married library director, Amy Webber Muir, puts on her sleuthing hat to help her Aunt Lydia's best friend Zelda when she finds herself in a bad spot. When Zelda calls Lydia in distress, Lydia, Amy, and hubby Richard rush to Zelda's home to find Zelda and the body of a woman, dead in her gazebo, apparently shot by her deceased husband's gun. Chief Deputy Brad Tucker and company decide that all clues point to Zelda as the killer, so Amy sets out to prove her innocent. All seems to stem from an incident or two from when the women were in high school chorus. Two high schools in neighboring counties tied for the state title fifty years ago and several girls had some tiffs that left bad feelings. But enough to kill over? The fifty anniversary is being celebrated in a festival in Taylorsford. Richard, a dance professor and professional, is helping with the judging. This story has all the features that I have come to expect in this series: danger, lots of clues and suspects, suspense, Amy sticking her neck out, frustrating Richard, and a surprise killer. There is that newlywed air in the Muir home that adds some romance to the story. A great new story for cozy mystery lovers with an interesting cast of recurring characters set in a lovely setting.
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.
March 7, 2022
⭐⭐
First off, this is the second book in a month I have read as an ARC where the formatting was all messed up and letter combinations were missing in my advance reading copy. For some strange reason, they always seem to be 'if', 'ff', and 'th'. 🤷🏻♀️ This made it difficult to get fully into this story.
As for the story itself, it was okay. This was the first time I read anything by Victoria Gilbert, and this held up well as a standalone. The mystery itself (when it was actually the focus) was engaging and kept me guessing until the end. My main issue with this one was Richard. I found the fact he was a dancer weird. Don't ask me why, I just did. 🤷🏻♀️ We spend way too much of this book focused on Richard's dancing, which was honestly a snoozefest. 🥱
So yeah, unfortunately not a series I am interested in continuing with.
**ARC Via NetGalley**
December 6, 2021
Renewed For Murder is the sixth book in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries series and the second one I have read. I started with this series by reading book five last year and I still have to read all the earlier books but what I have noticed reading the latest two books is that the author gives just the right amount of background information on all the characters to make it easy for a new reader to follow the storyline.
Librarian Amy Webber is settling into her newly married life with husband Richard Muir when she once again finds herself in the midst of researching/solving a murder. The victim's body is found in the garden of Zelda, best friend of Amy's aunt Lydia Talbot and the crime seems to have roots to certain events that happened fifty years ago at the local high school involving the school choir group of which Zelda and the victim were members. There is a lot happening in this book as well in terms of the mystery and its solution but it never gets confusing. All the characters involved are fleshed out well. I enjoyed it and hopefully I will get around to reading the previous books very soon.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author Victoria Gilbert for the e-Arc of the book.
Publication date is tomorrow, 7th December, 2021.
Librarian Amy Webber is settling into her newly married life with husband Richard Muir when she once again finds herself in the midst of researching/solving a murder. The victim's body is found in the garden of Zelda, best friend of Amy's aunt Lydia Talbot and the crime seems to have roots to certain events that happened fifty years ago at the local high school involving the school choir group of which Zelda and the victim were members. There is a lot happening in this book as well in terms of the mystery and its solution but it never gets confusing. All the characters involved are fleshed out well. I enjoyed it and hopefully I will get around to reading the previous books very soon.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author Victoria Gilbert for the e-Arc of the book.
Publication date is tomorrow, 7th December, 2021.
December 13, 2021
This is one of my favorite Cozy Mystery series that I have had the pleasure of reading. Victoria makes you fall in love with the characters, flaws and all. I loved diving into Zelda's past and seeing how she was when she was in high school. One of the things that Gilbert does so well is writing a duel timeline or diving into the past to help figure out the mystery in the present. I highly recommend this book.
June 22, 2021
I have read the other 5 books in this series. In this book the main character, Amy is now married to Richard Muir. who is a contemporary dancer and choreographer. The other main characters are all quite diverse. They live in the town of Taylorsford at the foot of the blue ridge mountains. Amy works in the town library. An art festival is bringing people in town for the choral demonstration. Three woman who sang in the chorus in high school years ago are all preforming in the event. A murder in a gazbo at her Aunt Lydia's friend, Zelda's garden. The other characters are all introduced throughout the story.. There is a mystery relating to the high school choral competition of two high school years ago which is throughout the story. There are many twists and turns in this story that brings a surprise ending. I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to the next one.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.
December 19, 2021
3.5 stars
Amy Webber or Amy Muir as she must remember to call herself now, is happily enjoying married life with her new husband Richard. While Amy is busy at the library, Richard is working with his dance partner on a folklore project and has other correography projects to work on before school starts again. Both are shocked when Aunt Lydia calls to say her best friend Zelda called and something bad seems to have happened. After racing over to Zelda's, she's nowhere to be found but there's a dead body lying in the gazebo who looks horrifyingly like Zelda. Fortunately, Aunt Lydia finds Zelda passed out under the bushes in shock. None of them have any idea who the dead woman is or why she was killed in Zelda's yard but she could have been the mysterious stranger seen lurking around Zelda's property. The police quickly come to suspect Zelda as the murder suspect and the town gossips are buzzing with the news. Amy is determined to help Zelda and see justice done but Zelda is unusually reticient about why a woman from her past could have been killed on her property. As Amy dives deeper into the news stories of 50 years ago, she discovers a high school choir championship, old rivalries between girls, a boy with a peanut allergy who almost died and a teenage girl killed in a one-car accident. Could there be a link between any of these news stories and the murder? Why would something that happened 50 years ago cause someone to commit murder today? Meanwhile, Richard is angry about one of his financial backers but thrilled to find a new one who is a strong advocate for the arts; Amy and Richard and the cats struggle to all live in harmony, and Sunny feels more strongly about her new beau that she'll let on. Will Zelda end up tried for murder or will Amy crack the case without Zelda's help?
I stayed up way too late reading this book that wasn't meant to be read in one night.
The mystery part was good. I never guessed whodunit or the entire motive. I did think it had vibes of so I did guess what it had to do with. I thought I knew who the murderer was for sure. I had bad vibes about another character and it turned out to be neither of them. I was surprised. I didn't like that Amy didn't crack the case first before she stumbled into danger. I guess it wouldn't be a cozy mystery but comparing this to the Library Lovers series (Jenn McKinlay) it seemed a little less plausible. The clues were repeated a couple times as Amy works through her theories. Some of the clues are a little too coincidental, based on people suddenly remembering things from 50 years ago!
I also found the library research part of the plot a little less plausible than it could be but I don't have experience researching in tiny town libraries. Amy's "research" in the archive is a waste of time. I cringed when she put on white gloves to look at crumbling newspaper articles. Fastest way to destroy the paper. I don't know why she didn't a)take digital pictures or b)make photocopies on acid free paper or c)contact a larger library to see if the paper had been microfilmed and if they had a digital microfilm reader or if they paper has been digitized by the Chronicling America Project. As library director that's the sort of thing she should be getting grant funding for and not spending her days opening the library, checking out books, and other menial tasks. She could also have summer interns working on digitizing and processing.
The cozy parts need trimming. There are too many descriptions about what people are wearing. In a contemporary novel that's unnecessary and gets dated. Amy dresses like a middle-aged to old lady anyway. I chose this series for the library/archive theme but this novel focuses way too much on dance/performing arts. As much as I love the performing arts, that's not the book I expected to read. I'm not a cat person and there were way too many cat antics for me. It was a romance novel focusing on Amy and Richard's married life. There's just too much going on for this one novel. The focus needs to be streamlined a bit more.
I've never really warmed up to Amy in spite of our shared profession and passion for research. I'm not really sure why. She acts a lot older than she really is. At 38 she sounds like an old lady. She's more playful with Richard and their banter is cute but tiring after awhile. We get it. They're a happy, healthy newlywedded couple. They love their cats. I get it. Richard is mostly charming but he has a darker side we haven't seen before. I know he loves Amy and wants her to be safe and that's why he doesn't want her investigating (and Sheriff Brad Tucker even later tells her they have some of the same people on their suspect list so her investigating isn't all that necessary). What I didn't like was seeing Richard so angry he was rude to party go-ers, mean to Amy and dragged her away and drove home tense. I didn't see what he was so angry about. When he explained himself I guess I can see his concerns but I think they're unfounded. I would be more upset about where the financial backing money came from or upset because I led everyone to believe I made it on my own merit without help and that would leave me questioning my talent. Did doors open because palms were greased or because people genuninely liked the production enough to hire me again? None of THAT comes up in conversation though. The cats, Loie and Fosse are cute I guess. They're mischievous cats who rule the household and seem very spoiled. I'm not a cat person. Less Loie and Fosse, more archives please!
Aunt Lydia has really come around. She's so much happier now and in love with Hugh. I think they might be headed down the aisle soon too. Aunt Lydia is a true friend and her no-nonsense personality helps Zelda in this situation. Aunt Lydia is keeping secrets from Amy but nothing harmful or anything Amy needs to know. Amy figures things out on her own. I admire Lydia's dedication to her friendship with Zelda. Zelda is so different in this story. She's no longer cheerful and put together. She seems scared and in shock. She seems to have heard the gunshot or something that made her come outside. I think she's also scared she's losing her memory and that's what allowed for the murder to occur in the first place. She's scared because the police are zeroing in on her when she knows she's not guilty of murder. The evidence does seem to point to her though even though we know she would never do it. Walt is such a nice man. He's trying hard to help Zelda, even rushing home from a visit with his family to help her. They're normally such a sweet couple but here Zelda needs Walt to be strong and supportive instead of an equal. And he is. He's wonderful and while not a lot may have changed since the early 70s, I'm happy they can feel free to be together now.
Kurt Kendrick is a mysterious man. I believe he truly does care for Paul Dassin's family and Andrew Talbot's extended family. His love for Andrew and feelings of guilt over Andrew's death, have led him to turn over a new leaf and help people. Yes he can be ruthless with his enemies but I don't think he is helping Amy to call in a favor when needed. I get the impression what he tells her is not all he knows. He seems to be feeding Amy bread crumbs and letting her put the pieces together. Sunny is sometimes her usual playful, teasing, sunny self but other times she's snippy and grumpy. Amy notices a correlation between Sunny's mood and Sunny's boyfriend, Frank's visits. When Frank is away, Sunny gets grumpy. Amy suspects Sunny feels more strongly for Frank than she lets on or will admit to herself. Why does she have to marry? Can't she just be happy as is? Amy's thought process about her friend's relationship is very old-fashioned for a millenial.
New characters are Gwen Ohlson, a woman Aunt Lydia's age who has come to Taylorsford for a high school choir reunion, part of an arts festival Richard is participating in as a judge. Gwen is very chic for an older lady. She maintains her looks and she sounds like she's a fancy person. Gwen is somehow connected to Kurt and Amy suspects Gwen knows more about Taylorsford history than she's letting on. When something strange and potential horrible happens to Gwen and Amy, Amy isn't sure she can trust the woman. I agree given the clues Amy uncovers that link Gwen to Zelda and some other girls back in their high school days. Gwen is staying with Olivia (Bell) Rader, an old friend from high school. The two don't seem like good friends and I get the impression Olivia was the Peter Pettigrew of the group. She sounds like she was the whiny one, the tattletale and the one who was desperate to be with with "in" crowd. Does that extend to today? Would she commit murder to cover up for something she witnessed back in school or something one of her friends did? She seems like the type to me. I hope it's not Gwen because I like her better.
While Sheriff Brad Tucker seems like a nice guy and good at his job, this case seems to involve his estranged uncle, Earl Blair. I think Brad should recuse himself from the investigation in that case! Earl Blair was the high school football star 50 years ago but after a traumatic incident, he was never the same. He's always displayed a nasty temper and is mostly estranged from his sister and nephew, the only family he has left. The incident and his personality give him a good motive for murder but did he have the means and opportunity? Why now 50 years later?
Marty and Evelyn Stover are patrons of the arts. He's interested in partnering with Richard and Karla to promote dance for local youth who may not have the opportunity for professional training or otherwise have exposure to professional dance shows. While this is admirable and an awesome idea, the conversation goes on WAY too long. I don't trust Marty. What does he get out of it? He seems a little too smooth. His wife is very clingy and timid. She gives me the willies and I suspect Marty is abusive behind closed doors. He's older and probably controlling. Evelyn's reaction to Amy's questioning makes me think she knows more about the murder than she's letting on but doesn't want to speak up for fear of her husband.
Claudia Everhart, the murder victim, sounds like she was a classic mean girl in high school and never really grew up. Everything seems to have centered around her, so which one of her high school aquaintances wanted her dead after 50 years of seething resentment?
Amy Webber or Amy Muir as she must remember to call herself now, is happily enjoying married life with her new husband Richard. While Amy is busy at the library, Richard is working with his dance partner on a folklore project and has other correography projects to work on before school starts again. Both are shocked when Aunt Lydia calls to say her best friend Zelda called and something bad seems to have happened. After racing over to Zelda's, she's nowhere to be found but there's a dead body lying in the gazebo who looks horrifyingly like Zelda. Fortunately, Aunt Lydia finds Zelda passed out under the bushes in shock. None of them have any idea who the dead woman is or why she was killed in Zelda's yard but she could have been the mysterious stranger seen lurking around Zelda's property. The police quickly come to suspect Zelda as the murder suspect and the town gossips are buzzing with the news. Amy is determined to help Zelda and see justice done but Zelda is unusually reticient about why a woman from her past could have been killed on her property. As Amy dives deeper into the news stories of 50 years ago, she discovers a high school choir championship, old rivalries between girls, a boy with a peanut allergy who almost died and a teenage girl killed in a one-car accident. Could there be a link between any of these news stories and the murder? Why would something that happened 50 years ago cause someone to commit murder today? Meanwhile, Richard is angry about one of his financial backers but thrilled to find a new one who is a strong advocate for the arts; Amy and Richard and the cats struggle to all live in harmony, and Sunny feels more strongly about her new beau that she'll let on. Will Zelda end up tried for murder or will Amy crack the case without Zelda's help?
I stayed up way too late reading this book that wasn't meant to be read in one night.
The mystery part was good. I never guessed whodunit or the entire motive. I did think it had vibes of so I did guess what it had to do with. I thought I knew who the murderer was for sure. I had bad vibes about another character and it turned out to be neither of them. I was surprised. I didn't like that Amy didn't crack the case first before she stumbled into danger. I guess it wouldn't be a cozy mystery but comparing this to the Library Lovers series (Jenn McKinlay) it seemed a little less plausible. The clues were repeated a couple times as Amy works through her theories. Some of the clues are a little too coincidental, based on people suddenly remembering things from 50 years ago!
I also found the library research part of the plot a little less plausible than it could be but I don't have experience researching in tiny town libraries. Amy's "research" in the archive is a waste of time. I cringed when she put on white gloves to look at crumbling newspaper articles. Fastest way to destroy the paper. I don't know why she didn't a)take digital pictures or b)make photocopies on acid free paper or c)contact a larger library to see if the paper had been microfilmed and if they had a digital microfilm reader or if they paper has been digitized by the Chronicling America Project. As library director that's the sort of thing she should be getting grant funding for and not spending her days opening the library, checking out books, and other menial tasks. She could also have summer interns working on digitizing and processing.
The cozy parts need trimming. There are too many descriptions about what people are wearing. In a contemporary novel that's unnecessary and gets dated. Amy dresses like a middle-aged to old lady anyway. I chose this series for the library/archive theme but this novel focuses way too much on dance/performing arts. As much as I love the performing arts, that's not the book I expected to read. I'm not a cat person and there were way too many cat antics for me. It was a romance novel focusing on Amy and Richard's married life. There's just too much going on for this one novel. The focus needs to be streamlined a bit more.
I've never really warmed up to Amy in spite of our shared profession and passion for research. I'm not really sure why. She acts a lot older than she really is. At 38 she sounds like an old lady. She's more playful with Richard and their banter is cute but tiring after awhile. We get it. They're a happy, healthy newlywedded couple. They love their cats. I get it. Richard is mostly charming but he has a darker side we haven't seen before. I know he loves Amy and wants her to be safe and that's why he doesn't want her investigating (and Sheriff Brad Tucker even later tells her they have some of the same people on their suspect list so her investigating isn't all that necessary). What I didn't like was seeing Richard so angry he was rude to party go-ers, mean to Amy and dragged her away and drove home tense. I didn't see what he was so angry about. When he explained himself I guess I can see his concerns but I think they're unfounded. I would be more upset about where the financial backing money came from or upset because I led everyone to believe I made it on my own merit without help and that would leave me questioning my talent. Did doors open because palms were greased or because people genuninely liked the production enough to hire me again? None of THAT comes up in conversation though. The cats, Loie and Fosse are cute I guess. They're mischievous cats who rule the household and seem very spoiled. I'm not a cat person. Less Loie and Fosse, more archives please!
Aunt Lydia has really come around. She's so much happier now and in love with Hugh. I think they might be headed down the aisle soon too. Aunt Lydia is a true friend and her no-nonsense personality helps Zelda in this situation. Aunt Lydia is keeping secrets from Amy but nothing harmful or anything Amy needs to know. Amy figures things out on her own. I admire Lydia's dedication to her friendship with Zelda. Zelda is so different in this story. She's no longer cheerful and put together. She seems scared and in shock. She seems to have heard the gunshot or something that made her come outside. I think she's also scared she's losing her memory and that's what allowed for the murder to occur in the first place. She's scared because the police are zeroing in on her when she knows she's not guilty of murder. The evidence does seem to point to her though even though we know she would never do it. Walt is such a nice man. He's trying hard to help Zelda, even rushing home from a visit with his family to help her. They're normally such a sweet couple but here Zelda needs Walt to be strong and supportive instead of an equal. And he is. He's wonderful and while not a lot may have changed since the early 70s, I'm happy they can feel free to be together now.
Kurt Kendrick is a mysterious man. I believe he truly does care for Paul Dassin's family and Andrew Talbot's extended family. His love for Andrew and feelings of guilt over Andrew's death, have led him to turn over a new leaf and help people. Yes he can be ruthless with his enemies but I don't think he is helping Amy to call in a favor when needed. I get the impression what he tells her is not all he knows. He seems to be feeding Amy bread crumbs and letting her put the pieces together. Sunny is sometimes her usual playful, teasing, sunny self but other times she's snippy and grumpy. Amy notices a correlation between Sunny's mood and Sunny's boyfriend, Frank's visits. When Frank is away, Sunny gets grumpy. Amy suspects Sunny feels more strongly for Frank than she lets on or will admit to herself. Why does she have to marry? Can't she just be happy as is? Amy's thought process about her friend's relationship is very old-fashioned for a millenial.
New characters are Gwen Ohlson, a woman Aunt Lydia's age who has come to Taylorsford for a high school choir reunion, part of an arts festival Richard is participating in as a judge. Gwen is very chic for an older lady. She maintains her looks and she sounds like she's a fancy person. Gwen is somehow connected to Kurt and Amy suspects Gwen knows more about Taylorsford history than she's letting on. When something strange and potential horrible happens to Gwen and Amy, Amy isn't sure she can trust the woman. I agree given the clues Amy uncovers that link Gwen to Zelda and some other girls back in their high school days. Gwen is staying with Olivia (Bell) Rader, an old friend from high school. The two don't seem like good friends and I get the impression Olivia was the Peter Pettigrew of the group. She sounds like she was the whiny one, the tattletale and the one who was desperate to be with with "in" crowd. Does that extend to today? Would she commit murder to cover up for something she witnessed back in school or something one of her friends did? She seems like the type to me. I hope it's not Gwen because I like her better.
While Sheriff Brad Tucker seems like a nice guy and good at his job, this case seems to involve his estranged uncle, Earl Blair. I think Brad should recuse himself from the investigation in that case! Earl Blair was the high school football star 50 years ago but after a traumatic incident, he was never the same. He's always displayed a nasty temper and is mostly estranged from his sister and nephew, the only family he has left. The incident and his personality give him a good motive for murder but did he have the means and opportunity? Why now 50 years later?
Marty and Evelyn Stover are patrons of the arts. He's interested in partnering with Richard and Karla to promote dance for local youth who may not have the opportunity for professional training or otherwise have exposure to professional dance shows. While this is admirable and an awesome idea, the conversation goes on WAY too long. I don't trust Marty. What does he get out of it? He seems a little too smooth. His wife is very clingy and timid. She gives me the willies and I suspect Marty is abusive behind closed doors. He's older and probably controlling. Evelyn's reaction to Amy's questioning makes me think she knows more about the murder than she's letting on but doesn't want to speak up for fear of her husband.
Claudia Everhart, the murder victim, sounds like she was a classic mean girl in high school and never really grew up. Everything seems to have centered around her, so which one of her high school aquaintances wanted her dead after 50 years of seething resentment?
February 23, 2022
The cover caught my eye immediately & I couldn't resist: A Blue Ridge Library Mystery at, of all places, the Blue Ridge Library! Alas, you really can't judge a book by its cover. Someone else might like it, but I simply detest mysteries that are solved via gossip. And for all the gossip I suffered thru, the protagonist never could figure out whodunnit. Well, duh.
August 5, 2021
The library crew are back in action trying to use their research skills to solve a murder before one of their own ends up on the hook for the dead body found in her own backyard, but the more they research the guiltier she looks and seems! Once again we see a strong female lead put her intelligence and library director skills to use by helping solve the mystery. The characters are so relatable that you forget that you are simply reading about them rather than actually being friends with them. You connect with their highs and lows as you continue to try to help them figure it all out! A plethora of potential suspects muddy the waters as you try to untangle who did it! Great plotting makes for an entertaining read and I can't wait to head back to the library to find out what happens next when the next book in the series comes out!
January 30, 2022
Another good read in this series. This time Amy and Richard are newlyweds but that doesn't stop Amy from getting involved when Aunt Lydia's best friend Zelda is arrested for murder. This is a mystery whose roots are founded at the time Lydia and Zelda were in high school. Was Zelda being blackmailed??? Why won't she come clean with her friends. An interesting and complicated tale.
December 11, 2021
Amy Webber Muir is the library director in Taylorsford, Virginia. She is enjoying married life with her husband, Richard who is being with the upcoming arts festival. Aunt Lydia stops by and mentions that her best friend, Zelda Shoemaker has not been herself. Aunt Lydia gets a call for help from Zelda, and they rush over. They find a woman dead in Zelda’s gazebo, and she looks eerily like Zelda. The evidence mounts up against Zelda putting her at the top of Chief Deputy Brad Tucker’s suspect list. Amy must use her skills to help clear Zelda’s name before she ends up in the hoosegow. Renewed for Murder by Victoria Gilbert is the sixth A Blue Ridge Library Mystery. It can easily be read as a standalone for those new to the series. There is a diverse cast of characters in this series. They are developed and relatable. I have enjoyed getting to know the people of Taylorsford. It is a charming Southern town that appreciates books and the arts. The mystery was well plotted. There are several suspects in this whodunit that could have committed the murder. Amy is busy researching the background of each suspect in the hopes of finding a clue. She enlists help from her friends in obtaining information since the case seems to tie back to the 1970s. The whodunit is a bit convoluted, and I thought the reveal dragged on a little too long. There seemed to be no urgency to solving the crime. The pace of the story was languid (it needed an injection of action). There are clues to help readers solve the crime. You just need to pay attention and piece it all together. The mystery is completely resolved at the end. There are plenty of cozy moments with relatives and loved ones. It is good to see Richard and Amy happy together. Aunt Lydia is enjoying time with her beau as is Sunny. There might even be a special someone for Zelda if they can clear her of this pesky murder charge. Renewed for Murder ends on a high note with a lovely ending. Renewed for Murder is a charming whodunit with a bothered best friend, a dead doppelganger, curious clues, a choir congregation, a lovey dovey duo, a fun festival, and a mysterious murderer.
December 7, 2021
Renewed For Murder is the sixth book in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series by Victoria Gilbert.
Amy and Richard Muir are settling into married life rather nicely. And Amy is looking forward to being at Richard’s side at an Arts Festival at a nearby school where he will be presenting a program he and his dance partner, Karla, have choreographed based on folk music and folk tales. But then Amy receives a call from her Aunt Lydia informing her that their friend Zelda Shoemaker has just found a dead body in her garden. Lydia asks Amy to meet her at Zelda’s house, as she’s not willing to discuss anything about the body of Claudia Everhart. Zelder refuses to acknowledge being aware of who the victim is: Zelda had been seen talking to her earlier in the week. When Chief Deputy Brad Tucker comes to interview her, she refuses to discuss anything. Lydia soon asks Amy to look into the murder and suggests it relates to an incident some fifty years prior.
That incident centered around some high school choirs performing in a competition. A young man from one choir nearly died from an allergic reaction to peanuts in a cupcake he had eaten. Amy will get busy researching the library’s archive and high school yearbooks to learn as much as she can about the interconnection of the choirs and their members. When she talks with 90-year-old Mary, she relates another teen’s death ruled an accident. With this information, Amy feels that this might be the missing link to tie it all together for her.
It’s always a joy to visit the town of Taylorsford, Virginia, located at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The book moves at a good pace. The story is well-written and plotted. There were plenty of red herrings, and I was kept guessing until the end. The characters are well-developed and entirely believable. I would love to meet the residents and become friends with them. Even with Kurt, as he does have some redeeming qualities.
I am looking forward to that next book in this lovely series.
Amy and Richard Muir are settling into married life rather nicely. And Amy is looking forward to being at Richard’s side at an Arts Festival at a nearby school where he will be presenting a program he and his dance partner, Karla, have choreographed based on folk music and folk tales. But then Amy receives a call from her Aunt Lydia informing her that their friend Zelda Shoemaker has just found a dead body in her garden. Lydia asks Amy to meet her at Zelda’s house, as she’s not willing to discuss anything about the body of Claudia Everhart. Zelder refuses to acknowledge being aware of who the victim is: Zelda had been seen talking to her earlier in the week. When Chief Deputy Brad Tucker comes to interview her, she refuses to discuss anything. Lydia soon asks Amy to look into the murder and suggests it relates to an incident some fifty years prior.
That incident centered around some high school choirs performing in a competition. A young man from one choir nearly died from an allergic reaction to peanuts in a cupcake he had eaten. Amy will get busy researching the library’s archive and high school yearbooks to learn as much as she can about the interconnection of the choirs and their members. When she talks with 90-year-old Mary, she relates another teen’s death ruled an accident. With this information, Amy feels that this might be the missing link to tie it all together for her.
It’s always a joy to visit the town of Taylorsford, Virginia, located at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The book moves at a good pace. The story is well-written and plotted. There were plenty of red herrings, and I was kept guessing until the end. The characters are well-developed and entirely believable. I would love to meet the residents and become friends with them. Even with Kurt, as he does have some redeeming qualities.
I am looking forward to that next book in this lovely series.
December 30, 2021
I always find that this series is well written and the story keeps you interested but there's just something missing. Amy seems nice enough and competent but I've never really warmed to her as much as I think I should have seeing as we shared a profession. This mystery in particular seemed to drag until the very end when the killer seems to come out of nowhere. When it did get going, it was very good but this probably is my least favorite in the series. As another review mentioned (and is completely accurate), Amy as a library director should know better how to handle archival materials and the old newspapers were likely digitized years ago so no need to go into the archives, which apparently are poorly maintained. Still, I will continue with the series as I do find the small town setting enjoyable and hope that I warm to Amy soon.
I received a copy from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 21, 2022
Renewed for Murder was another amazing addition to the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries series with an intriguing plot.
Taylorsford Public Library director Amy Webber is settling into married life with her new husband Richard Muir. With a local arts festival coming up, Richard is set to judge the dance portion of the festival while Amy has been providing background on the source material that inspired the dance. But when the body of an unknown woman turns up in Zelda Shoemaker's backyard, the celebrations ground to a halt. After Chief Deputy Brad Tucker places Zelda under arrest following the discovery of a blackmail note in the deceased's pocket, Amy decides to use her research skills to help clear Zelda's name. But after Amy finds a connection in the distant past between the dead woman and Zelda, she will have her work cut out for her to uncover the truth before Zelda spends the rest of her life behind bars.
A dead woman turning up in Zelda's yard made for an interesting plot. At first we don't know if there's any connection between the deceased and Zelda which leaves us wondering how the woman ended up in Zelda's garden. Then after Amy uncovers a connection between the two, it quickly becomes clear that not all is as it seemed. Add in the fact that their connection goes back fifty years and that made Amy's research a bit difficult. With so few avenues to explore, Amy has to work the investigation from a different angle. Her search is definitely more research heavy in the library as opposed to interviewing this time around although she does manage to track down a few people who were around back then. Ultimately I was surprised by the identity of the killer as I had a different suspect in mind. The ending was fantastically done with a great final showdown with killer.
Amy is an excellent main character who has grown a lot throughout the series. Amy's research skills are an incredible asset as she manages to track down leads the cops may have overlooked. I like that she verifies all information she learns and doesn't take things at face value. One thing that's nice about this series is that Amy actively keeps the sheriff informed of her leads and avoids going off on her own as much as possible. A lot of cozy mystery leads are reckless, so it's a nice change of pace to have a lead who knows when to involve the authorities. Amy and Richard's relationship continues to be fantastic and I like that he trusts Amy to know where her limit is in investigations. While he expresses worry, he's supportive of what she does.
Overall Renewed for Murder was a great read and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Death in the Margins, when it releases later this year.
Taylorsford Public Library director Amy Webber is settling into married life with her new husband Richard Muir. With a local arts festival coming up, Richard is set to judge the dance portion of the festival while Amy has been providing background on the source material that inspired the dance. But when the body of an unknown woman turns up in Zelda Shoemaker's backyard, the celebrations ground to a halt. After Chief Deputy Brad Tucker places Zelda under arrest following the discovery of a blackmail note in the deceased's pocket, Amy decides to use her research skills to help clear Zelda's name. But after Amy finds a connection in the distant past between the dead woman and Zelda, she will have her work cut out for her to uncover the truth before Zelda spends the rest of her life behind bars.
A dead woman turning up in Zelda's yard made for an interesting plot. At first we don't know if there's any connection between the deceased and Zelda which leaves us wondering how the woman ended up in Zelda's garden. Then after Amy uncovers a connection between the two, it quickly becomes clear that not all is as it seemed. Add in the fact that their connection goes back fifty years and that made Amy's research a bit difficult. With so few avenues to explore, Amy has to work the investigation from a different angle. Her search is definitely more research heavy in the library as opposed to interviewing this time around although she does manage to track down a few people who were around back then. Ultimately I was surprised by the identity of the killer as I had a different suspect in mind. The ending was fantastically done with a great final showdown with killer.
Amy is an excellent main character who has grown a lot throughout the series. Amy's research skills are an incredible asset as she manages to track down leads the cops may have overlooked. I like that she verifies all information she learns and doesn't take things at face value. One thing that's nice about this series is that Amy actively keeps the sheriff informed of her leads and avoids going off on her own as much as possible. A lot of cozy mystery leads are reckless, so it's a nice change of pace to have a lead who knows when to involve the authorities. Amy and Richard's relationship continues to be fantastic and I like that he trusts Amy to know where her limit is in investigations. While he expresses worry, he's supportive of what she does.
Overall Renewed for Murder was a great read and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Death in the Margins, when it releases later this year.
December 8, 2021
Renewed for Murder by Victoria Gilbert is the sixth book in the 'Blue Ridge Library Mystery' series. I wanted to read this because the cover was very inviting and I have a fancy for cozies about librarians, bookshops and other book-related things.
Centred around a library director in the Blue Ridge mountains, Taylorsford, Virginia, I thought this was a very good story. Protagonist Amy Muir (Webber) is smart and savvy as well as being personable, friendly, and loyal. She is enjoying married life with her dancer hubby, Richard. The mystery itself strikes the right chord of possible motives and there is an excellent balance between the mystery and the occurrences going on in Amy's personal life. I haven't read all of the books in the series and although this can be an individual read I occasionally felt a little lost with some of the references to events mentioned from past instalments. The descriptions of small-town life with all its complicated relationships and traditions were very believable and I enjoyed Victoria Gilbert's engaging, alluring style of writing. The characters were distinct and entertaining and I felt as though I had made some new friends by the end. This was a quick read that kept me guessing with well placed red herrings. I intend to continue the series but hope to read the books I've missed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley and this is my own unbiased opinion.
Centred around a library director in the Blue Ridge mountains, Taylorsford, Virginia, I thought this was a very good story. Protagonist Amy Muir (Webber) is smart and savvy as well as being personable, friendly, and loyal. She is enjoying married life with her dancer hubby, Richard. The mystery itself strikes the right chord of possible motives and there is an excellent balance between the mystery and the occurrences going on in Amy's personal life. I haven't read all of the books in the series and although this can be an individual read I occasionally felt a little lost with some of the references to events mentioned from past instalments. The descriptions of small-town life with all its complicated relationships and traditions were very believable and I enjoyed Victoria Gilbert's engaging, alluring style of writing. The characters were distinct and entertaining and I felt as though I had made some new friends by the end. This was a quick read that kept me guessing with well placed red herrings. I intend to continue the series but hope to read the books I've missed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley and this is my own unbiased opinion.
November 18, 2021
I'm always ready for a visit with librarian Amy Webber and her friends. When Zelda, Amy's hard-working library volunteer is accused of murder, the whole town is shocked and Amy is determined to prove her innocence.
I love cozies that have several mysteries in them and not only does Amy have to solve Zelda's situation, but an earlier event , which took place 50 years ago, is also a mystery - with so many secrets to be be uncovered. It's also fun to see Amy and Richard married, her Aunt's romance, the mysterious Kurt and Amy's best friend Sunny , help to solve the mystery.
An enjoyable mystery you'll want to make sure you plan time to read because you won't want to put it down!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I love cozies that have several mysteries in them and not only does Amy have to solve Zelda's situation, but an earlier event , which took place 50 years ago, is also a mystery - with so many secrets to be be uncovered. It's also fun to see Amy and Richard married, her Aunt's romance, the mysterious Kurt and Amy's best friend Sunny , help to solve the mystery.
An enjoyable mystery you'll want to make sure you plan time to read because you won't want to put it down!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
December 3, 2022
I was lucky to win this book in last year’s 12 Days of Cozies! Thank you so much to @victoriagilbertauthor for sending me a signed hardcover of this book!
For those who like some serious romance in your cozies, this series is perfect for you. Newly married Amy and Richard are adorable and very in love. Richard supports her need to sleuth, so you know it’s meant to be. I’m pretty sure he is the ultimate book boyfriend! Amy also has the help of her Aunt Lydia and Lydia’s friends, as well as mayor/library employee Sunny and family friend Kurt/Karl. Additionally, Amy has a good relationship with Brad, a deputy in the police force. The lovely group of recurring characters is what makes this series so fun to read.
I think this particular mystery will appeal to many because it requires Amy to dig into past events. I like how this book incorporates realistic research that librarians can do. Many former scandals are revealed, and the reader must try to sift through them to discover how they all connect. I thought I had it all figured out, but I ended up being shocked by whodunit. The final showdown scene is really exciting and had me frantically turning pages!
For those who like some serious romance in your cozies, this series is perfect for you. Newly married Amy and Richard are adorable and very in love. Richard supports her need to sleuth, so you know it’s meant to be. I’m pretty sure he is the ultimate book boyfriend! Amy also has the help of her Aunt Lydia and Lydia’s friends, as well as mayor/library employee Sunny and family friend Kurt/Karl. Additionally, Amy has a good relationship with Brad, a deputy in the police force. The lovely group of recurring characters is what makes this series so fun to read.
I think this particular mystery will appeal to many because it requires Amy to dig into past events. I like how this book incorporates realistic research that librarians can do. Many former scandals are revealed, and the reader must try to sift through them to discover how they all connect. I thought I had it all figured out, but I ended up being shocked by whodunit. The final showdown scene is really exciting and had me frantically turning pages!
May 6, 2022
Librarian Amy and her husband, dancer/choreographer Richard are shocked when Amy's beloved Aunt Lydia tells them her best friend Zelda is in trouble. Zelda has found a body in her back yard and--uncharacteristically for the chatty Zelda--refuses to talk about her relationship with the dead woman or why she's in Zelda's garden. As Amy researches the past relationships among a number of women back in town for a fiftieth anniversary of an arts competition, she discovers secrets that many people, including Zelda, hoped would never be revealed.
June 29, 2021
Once again I am in Taylorsford, Virginia visiting with Amy, Richard and Aunt Lydia as Amy once again must do research into a murder that may have resulted from an incident that happened fifty years ago.
A quickly paced plot with limited suspects and enough twists and turns that I was completely engaged from page one to the end. These characters are so well developed now that I feel like I could be friends with all of them as I visit Taylorsford. Even Kurt has become a more engaging character and less mysterious as he has grown through each book. This was simply a delight to read from beginning to end.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
A quickly paced plot with limited suspects and enough twists and turns that I was completely engaged from page one to the end. These characters are so well developed now that I feel like I could be friends with all of them as I visit Taylorsford. Even Kurt has become a more engaging character and less mysterious as he has grown through each book. This was simply a delight to read from beginning to end.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
December 20, 2021
Amy Muir (nee Webber) is settling into new married life with her husband, dancer Richard Muir. Things seem to finally be going smoothly, and she's happy and content. But then she finds out from her aunt Lydia, who lives next door, that Lydia's friend Zelda is in trouble, and insists that Amy and her husband take her to Zelda's instead of calling the police. When they arrive, there is a dead body in Zelda's gazebo, and Zelda is nowhere to be found. But when the woman is identified, it appears she may have been blackmailing Zelda. But the only connection the two women have is a long-ago choir they were both in; one that Zelda dropped out of soon after winning the finals against a neighboring group. To complicate things, it appears that a teenaged girl was killed in a car accident not long after, and Amy wants to know if this had anything to do with the competition.
Once found, Zelda won't talk about it and Lydia wants Amy to research who the woman was and why she was there. But Amy soon finds herself in trouble, but refuses to quit. Will she find a killer who seems to be targeting both Zelda and her? Or will this be her final trip to the library?
Let me first say that I love Victoria Gilbert's books. I have read all of them so far. But this one sorely disappointed me, and I found it to be the weakest in the series. Also, the formatting left out characters, so it was more difficult to read. There were 'if', 'ff', and 'th' missing from many of the words in the Kindle edition. I do not know if this has been fixed or not, but hopefully it has.
Also, while others might not have mentioned it, no one really cares about Richard's dance troupe or his choreography. Dance is something that is visual, and it is no different than a film. Yes, you can read a screenplay, but it won't have the same effect as seeing the film on screen. Dance really needs to be viewed in the same manner. I found it tedious and it took away from the mystery and there was far too much of it. It was almost as if we were reading about Richard's career instead of a murder.
As to the mystery itself, it suffered because of all the talk about Richard's dancing. Where was Zelda in the beginning of the book? We read about her, but didn't learn anything until the latter half of the book. By then, it didn't matter. I had already lost interest because of what I mentioned above. I also didn't care for the author subtly throwing in her personal views, as this is supposed to be a novel, not a book on political science. I read to relax and unwind from the world, not have it follow me in my leisure time.
What I would like to have seen is Richard actually helping Amy in her investigations. Yes, I realize he thinks his dancing is so important, but it would be nice to see him be the one to rescue her once in a while. My favorite character is still Kurt; he's mysterious and has a dark past, but is there when you need him.
In the end, there was quite a bit going on in the climax, and yes, it was filled with action, so it had that redeeming quality going for it. But it was not tension-filled nor too exciting, although it did make sense of everything coming before it. Ms. Gilbert is a very talented author and I have always enjoyed her books, and the fact that she can bring words to life. Unfortunately, that didn't occur in this latest mystery.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
Once found, Zelda won't talk about it and Lydia wants Amy to research who the woman was and why she was there. But Amy soon finds herself in trouble, but refuses to quit. Will she find a killer who seems to be targeting both Zelda and her? Or will this be her final trip to the library?
Let me first say that I love Victoria Gilbert's books. I have read all of them so far. But this one sorely disappointed me, and I found it to be the weakest in the series. Also, the formatting left out characters, so it was more difficult to read. There were 'if', 'ff', and 'th' missing from many of the words in the Kindle edition. I do not know if this has been fixed or not, but hopefully it has.
Also, while others might not have mentioned it, no one really cares about Richard's dance troupe or his choreography. Dance is something that is visual, and it is no different than a film. Yes, you can read a screenplay, but it won't have the same effect as seeing the film on screen. Dance really needs to be viewed in the same manner. I found it tedious and it took away from the mystery and there was far too much of it. It was almost as if we were reading about Richard's career instead of a murder.
As to the mystery itself, it suffered because of all the talk about Richard's dancing. Where was Zelda in the beginning of the book? We read about her, but didn't learn anything until the latter half of the book. By then, it didn't matter. I had already lost interest because of what I mentioned above. I also didn't care for the author subtly throwing in her personal views, as this is supposed to be a novel, not a book on political science. I read to relax and unwind from the world, not have it follow me in my leisure time.
What I would like to have seen is Richard actually helping Amy in her investigations. Yes, I realize he thinks his dancing is so important, but it would be nice to see him be the one to rescue her once in a while. My favorite character is still Kurt; he's mysterious and has a dark past, but is there when you need him.
In the end, there was quite a bit going on in the climax, and yes, it was filled with action, so it had that redeeming quality going for it. But it was not tension-filled nor too exciting, although it did make sense of everything coming before it. Ms. Gilbert is a very talented author and I have always enjoyed her books, and the fact that she can bring words to life. Unfortunately, that didn't occur in this latest mystery.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
December 12, 2021
Sadly, this is the first Victoria Gilbert book that I didn't enjoy. Amy Webber/Muir's investigation is mostly conducted through mundane conversation and small talk rather than action. Worse, most of the conversations fail to forward the plot...and, hence, there is no suspense. At one point, Amy chases after a possible suspect, but then stops to admire her surroundings. She can't even maintain the suspense for herself. The murderer is presented as a thin caricature of a person, and the entire book felt underdeveloped.
June 14, 2021
Although this is book #6 in the series, it can be read as a stand alone easily.
Local library director Amy Webber Muir and her new husband Richard Muir are settling into newlywed life when Amy's Aunt Lydia, who is also their next door neighbor, comes to Amy for help with her best friend Zelda who has found a dead body in her garden gazebo.
Fifty year old secrets, reunions, artistic temperaments and a cast of colorful characters and suspects make this fast moving mystery very entertaining.
They mystery part of the story had me guessing to the end.
I was given of copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Local library director Amy Webber Muir and her new husband Richard Muir are settling into newlywed life when Amy's Aunt Lydia, who is also their next door neighbor, comes to Amy for help with her best friend Zelda who has found a dead body in her garden gazebo.
Fifty year old secrets, reunions, artistic temperaments and a cast of colorful characters and suspects make this fast moving mystery very entertaining.
They mystery part of the story had me guessing to the end.
I was given of copy of this book in return for an honest review.
March 14, 2022
Amy and Richard are settling into married life, he working on a new dance project, she helping with background research. When Aunt Lydia calls to ask them to go with her to check on her friend, Zelda Shoemaker, who called her for help. When they arrive they find Zelda lying in a bush very disoriented and a dead woman in her gazebo. Zelda claims she doesn't know what happened, but Chief Deputy Brad Tucker puts Zelda at the top of his suspect list, thanks to a blackmail letter he finds in the dead woman's pocket. Aunt Lydia asks Amy to use her research skills to clear Zelda, but they are hampered in their investigation by Zelda's refusal to tell them why she might be being blackmailed. Amy enlists hubby Richard, Aunt Lydia, art dealer Kurt Kendrick, Mayor Sunny Fields, and other quirky townsfolk in a quest to exonerate Zelda, but might it do the opposite and end up putting Zelda behind bars??
Renewed for Murder is the 6th in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries by Victoria Gilbert, and although a bit slower, I loved that it was definitely the research that solved this one. This is a case that had it's beginnings back when Aunt Lydia, Zelda and their friends were in high school. This added a lot of suspects to the pool as there was a reunion of musical groups from high school in town. I enjoy the characters - Amy, Richard, Aunt Lydia, Sunny, Kurt and the others – and it’s always interesting to see what the mystery is and how they’ll all go about solving it. Because things were a bit convoluted with all the characters and their secrets, I stopped making guesses, and just let Amy solve the mystery. Once again, she finds herself in danger as her and Zelda run from the culprit. Although it was not the person I originally thought it was, the murderer made sense. This story has all the features that I have come to expect in this series: danger, lots of clues and suspects, suspense, Amy sticking her neck out, frustrating Richard, and a surprise killer. I also enjoy that there is always a storyline about life in Taylorsford, Virginia and the festival and life as newlyweds bookends the story well.
Renewed for Murder is the 6th in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries by Victoria Gilbert, and although a bit slower, I loved that it was definitely the research that solved this one. This is a case that had it's beginnings back when Aunt Lydia, Zelda and their friends were in high school. This added a lot of suspects to the pool as there was a reunion of musical groups from high school in town. I enjoy the characters - Amy, Richard, Aunt Lydia, Sunny, Kurt and the others – and it’s always interesting to see what the mystery is and how they’ll all go about solving it. Because things were a bit convoluted with all the characters and their secrets, I stopped making guesses, and just let Amy solve the mystery. Once again, she finds herself in danger as her and Zelda run from the culprit. Although it was not the person I originally thought it was, the murderer made sense. This story has all the features that I have come to expect in this series: danger, lots of clues and suspects, suspense, Amy sticking her neck out, frustrating Richard, and a surprise killer. I also enjoy that there is always a storyline about life in Taylorsford, Virginia and the festival and life as newlyweds bookends the story well.
November 7, 2021
Amy Webber is settling into married life with dancer Richard Muir and hoping to be out of the detective business. But when her most consistent volunteer, who is also her Aunt Lydia's best friend, is accused of murder, Amy has to get involved.
Zelda seems like an unlikely murderer but circumstantial evidence and Zelda's reluctance to answer questions, leads to her arrest. Amy has to use all of her skills as a librarian to find out who murdered Claudia Everhart and clear Zelda.
Amy's research leads to a choir festival fifty years earlier. Zelda, Claudia, and some others were all participants. Their competing choirs are reprising their roles at an Arts Festival hosted by Marty Stover who is the current Arts Director at Leeland High School. Amy's husband Richard is also involved in the Arts Festival since he's judging some of the dancing.
With Zelda refusing to talk, Amy falls back on old newspaper clippings from the Library's archives, old yearbooks kept at the High School, and interviews with those who are old enough to remember to events around that long-ago choir contest. She uncovers all sorts of things from a quarterback with a peanut allergy who was dating Zelda and Claudia at the same time to a car accident that claimed the life of another of the choir members.
This was an entertaining cozy mystery. I liked Amy and Richard's relationship. I also liked the way Amy tries to keep out of danger while still helping the Sheriff's Department with their investigations.
This is the sixth in a series but stands alone quite well.
Zelda seems like an unlikely murderer but circumstantial evidence and Zelda's reluctance to answer questions, leads to her arrest. Amy has to use all of her skills as a librarian to find out who murdered Claudia Everhart and clear Zelda.
Amy's research leads to a choir festival fifty years earlier. Zelda, Claudia, and some others were all participants. Their competing choirs are reprising their roles at an Arts Festival hosted by Marty Stover who is the current Arts Director at Leeland High School. Amy's husband Richard is also involved in the Arts Festival since he's judging some of the dancing.
With Zelda refusing to talk, Amy falls back on old newspaper clippings from the Library's archives, old yearbooks kept at the High School, and interviews with those who are old enough to remember to events around that long-ago choir contest. She uncovers all sorts of things from a quarterback with a peanut allergy who was dating Zelda and Claudia at the same time to a car accident that claimed the life of another of the choir members.
This was an entertaining cozy mystery. I liked Amy and Richard's relationship. I also liked the way Amy tries to keep out of danger while still helping the Sheriff's Department with their investigations.
This is the sixth in a series but stands alone quite well.
December 7, 2021
I follow a few different cosy mystery series that have librarians as sleuths. This is the sixth in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries series and it's a good one. These can be read as a stand alone but reading in order lets you follow the ongoing lives of the main characters. Library director Amy Muir is happily settling into her new married life. Zelda, her aunts best friend, calls in distress. Upon arriving at the her house there is a dead body in her private garden. As unlikely as it seems the police focus on Zelda as the prime suspect. And it all has ties to a choir festival that happen fifty years ago.
Amy's main sleuthing skills seem to be her knack for research and her easygoing manner that allows people to tell her things. She also has a good relationships the mayor (her friend) and local police. This includes following lots of clues, suspects and some suspense. And of course new hubby Richard doesn't want her in risky situations. Cosy mysteries are great for an afternoon read. There is some danger and nothing is overly graphic. I get to reconnect with familiar characters and setting for a period and when it's done I will wait patiently for the next adventure. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Amy's main sleuthing skills seem to be her knack for research and her easygoing manner that allows people to tell her things. She also has a good relationships the mayor (her friend) and local police. This includes following lots of clues, suspects and some suspense. And of course new hubby Richard doesn't want her in risky situations. Cosy mysteries are great for an afternoon read. There is some danger and nothing is overly graphic. I get to reconnect with familiar characters and setting for a period and when it's done I will wait patiently for the next adventure. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 2, 2022
Another solid installment in the Blue Ridge library mysteries cozy series. This mystery was fun for me because it’s got a current day murder that possibly connects to events that happened 50 years ago and that made it really interesting for me because it was kind of like a cold case mystery-cold case mysteries are my favorite! Can’t wait for the next one in the series!
March 17, 2022
I've really enjoyed this series and this book is no exception. The book was well-written with wonderful characters and believable relationships. I was drawn into this engaging story and kept hooked from beginning to end. The mystery kept me guessing and on my toes. The killer was certainly a surprise. I'm looking forward to more from this series. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order.
March 27, 2023
It’s wedded bliss for Amy and Richard until Zelda gets arrested for murder and Amy gets drawn back in to another mystery. Lots of senior suspects keeps everyone on their toes figuring out who did it.
December 28, 2021
3.5 fun librarian cozy
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