Lindsey
Norris is the library director in Briar Creek. She loves her
job and finds satisfaction in helping patrons to find what
they need be it books or information. A newcomer to town wants
to learn how to maintain his rose garden during the drought.
Lindsey helps the man find the appropriate books, then heads
back to work at the reference desk and perform her other duties.
She doesn’t realize it yet but the newcomer, Aaron Grady
has become fixated on her and that spells trouble.
Lindsey and her fiancé Sully
are to be married in about five months and she is busily planning
and making preparations. Aaron begins to stalk Lindsey to
the point that she called Emma Plewicki, the local chief of
police.
When Lindsey and Sully go to The Blue
Anchor for dinner and Aaron shows up, Sully confronts him
and the owner of the restaurant insists that Aaron leave and
never return.
Aaron is soon found dead outside of
the library and because of the public scene at The Blue Anchor,
Sully is a prime suspect. Having solved several murders in
the recent past Lindsey puts her sleuthing skills to the test
and vows to clear Sully and find the real killer.
What a compelling read this was. It
is very much a cozy mystery, but McKinley manages to address
a concern of great importance. The harassment and stalking
of women are often ignored or not taken seriously enough.
Well done, Ms. McKinley. Well done.
Although this is the eleventh book
in the series, it is fine as a stand-alone read. If you enjoy
it as much as I did, you’ll find yourself wanting to
read the previous ten. I’ve read every book to date
and continue to remain impressed with the quality writing
and the fresh and current themes in each.
I highly recommend “Word to the
Wise.”
Reviews
to previous titles in this series:
Books
can be Deceiving
Due or
Die
Better
Late Than Never
Hitting
the Books
Reviewers
Notes: The author also writes the Hat Shop Mysteries and the
Cupcake Bakery Mysteries
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