"Shhhh…Murder!" Cozy Crimes in Libraries Edited by Andrew MacRae: Review/Giveaway

by Cynthia Chow

Details on how to win a copy of this book at the end of the review and a link to purchase it.

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that librarians love writers. They are the creators of the biggest loves of our lives, namely the tomes that often test the capacity of shelves in our buildings and homes. So it’s a delight to discover that that sentiment is returned in a manner that mystery writers and readers would appreciate. Gathered together in this delightful anthology are twenty-four tales of murder, all involving libraries and librarians.

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As anyone who peruses eBay and laments the Missing from Shelves item statuses might suspect, book thievery surfaces as prime motivators in many of these murderous tales. What may be more startling to readers – although less so to librarians – is that the professionals with Masters Degrees in Library Science are the ones driven to kill to when their precious books are defaced or stolen. Even more delightful are the stories of intrigue and espionage that occurs through messages hidden within books or enacted by those stealthy and quietly terrifying librarians sitting behind the Reference Desk.

Image Source Darkhnouse Books

As you may have noticed, I found endless amounts of entertainment through these short stories that twist and exploit the clichés of the librarian image. Many of the authors have reliable insider knowledge of the profession, some of which would appear on résumés, others which was acquired through marriage. Detailing the stories would ruin the surprises in store for the readers of these tales, but know that the librarians here often battle the need to protect knowledge and books over human lives, and it’s never certain which wins out in the end. The tale co-written by legendary author John Lutz and Josh Pachter is one of my personal favorites, having followed the Alo Nudger novels for decades. There is so much to like in all of delightful library-centric tales, every story simply perfect for a Bibliophile or anyone who grew up loving their local library.

Authors included are: Deborah Lacy & Pat Hernas, Michael Bracken, Warren Bull, Sharon Marchisello, Jacqueline Seewald, Anne-Marie Sutton, Aislinn Batstone, John Lutz & Josh Pachter, Jennie MacDonald, Gwenda R. Jensen, LD Masterson, Kate Fellowes, KM Rockwood, DG Crichley, Richard Lau, Janet Raye Stevens, Michael Brandon, Edward Ahern, Amy Ballard, Barbara Schlichting, M. M. Elmendorf, Nupur Tustin, Albert Tucher, and Michael Guillebeau.

To enter to win a copy of Shhhh…Murder!, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "shhh,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen December 8, 2018. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address (so if you win we can get the book sent right out to you), and if via comment please include your email address. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast featuring mystery short stories and first chapters read by actors!

You can use this link to purchase the book. If you have adblocker on you may not be able to see the Amazon link:

Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.