Taylorsford Public Library director Amy Webber's friend "Sunny" Fields is running for mayor. But nothing puts a damper on a campaign like an actual skeleton in a candidate's closet. Sunny's grandparents ran a commune back in the 1960s on their organic farm. But these former hippies face criminal charges when human remains are found in their fields--and a forensic examination reveals that the death was neither natural nor accidental.
With Sunny's mayoral hopes fading, Amy sets her wedding plans aside, says "not yet" to the dress, and uses her research skills to clear her best friend's family. Any of the now-elderly commune members could have been the culprit. As former hippies perish one by one, Amy and her friends Richard, Aunt Lydia, and Hugh Chen pursue every lead. But if Amy can't find whoever killed these "flower children," someone may soon be placing flowers on her grave.[summary via Amazon]
Anyone that knows me knows that I love "books about books" the best. My favourite cozy sub-genre is the mysteries set in bookstores and libraries. The bibliophile in me just loves to get an extra dose of biblio goodness within my cozy mystery!! One of my favourites in this sub-genre is the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries by Victoria Gilbert. In her latest mystery she packs a lot into 311 pages: a buried body (dating back to the 60s), a recent dead body and a mystery that even the greatest sleuths will have trouble untangling!!
Firstly, I loved that the mystery surrounded a cold case, that led to other unexplained deaths. As a long-time mystery reader I love to follow the threads between cases and hunt for clues, right alongside the sleuths and the police. Bound for Murder kept me on the edge of my seat as I tried to untangle the mystery. I wasn't able to untangle it before Amy was, and this increased my enjoyment immensely. I love when I'm stumped!!! This is the mark of an extremely good mystery writer!
Secondly, I have nothing but praise for Victoria Gilbert stepping away from the usual cozy mystery trope of romantically pairing the sleuth with the police chief. In this case Amy is engaged to neighbour and dancer, Richard. I've really enjoyed watching their growing romance and now their wedding is almost upon us. They make such a beautiful couple, and I'm looking forward to many more adventures with them.
Bound for Murder is the fourth instalment in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries and is one not to be missed. Victoria Gilbert delivers a intriguing mystery, that even the most experienced sleuths will have trouble untangling. More than just a mystery, Bound for Murder is another enjoyable trip to Taylorsford, catching up with all my favourite characters and activities, including Sunny and her bid to be Mayor of Taylorsford.
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