Death on the Shelf by Allison Brook

While this author is prolific in a number of genres, this is the first novel I have read by her. The heroine is Carrie, the head of programs and events at the local public library. While at the reception after the wedding of her best friend, a well liked local doctor falls over dead. Having previously solved mysteries, Carrie is on the case.

The narrative is a good balance of Carrie's personal life and the amateur sleuth investigation. We find there have been a number of affairs and hidden relationships between various people so there is a plethora of suspects. Carrie has to do lots of talking and thinking to narrow the field. There is not much suspense except at the very end. Brook's writing style is clear and entertaining.

I found this to be an enjoyable cozy mystery. It is definitely a woman's book as Carrie goes clothes shopping and does other activities of interest mostly to women. Carrie sort of stumbles into solving the crime so there is no great intellectual work involved. I found the ghost in the library amusing but did not feel it was an essential aspect to this murder mystery.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Allison Brook is the pen name of Marilyn Levinson. She is a former high school Spanish teacher. She grew up in New York and studied at Syracuse University, majoring in Spanish. She also studied in Mexico and Spain. She has written novels in a number of genres and currently lives in New York. You can find out more at https://www.marilynlevinson.com/.

Crooked Lane Books, 320 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)