BETTER LATE THAN NEVER by Jenn McKinlay

Publisher:   Berkley  
Published:  November 1, 2016
ISBN:        978-0399583735
Genre:       Cozy Mystery
Format:     Print
Obtained via:  Publisher  
Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com

 

FOUR HEARTS

 

Much to the chagrin of Mrs. Cole, aka, the Lemon, librarian Lindsey Norris has proclaimed Briar Creek’s first fine amnesty day. As the books pour in they realize some have been missing for quite sometime, including one from twenty years before. Curious, Lindsey asks Mrs. Cole to check out the last person to borrow the book. It give the staff a shock when they realize that the book, Catcher in the Rye, was checked out by the murdered woman, beloved teacher Candice Whitley, on the day she died. Unable to help herself, Lindsey starts digging into the murdered woman’s past and what led up to her murder.  Unrequited love, adoring students and close friends all grieved her loss.  Who would kill such a truly good and kind person?  That’s something Lindsey wants to know.  Along with her friend Robbie Vine and new employee, Paula, Lindsey sets out to find the killer. Can they find him or her before the culprit finds them?

It was great to finally see this series back on track with Jenn McKinlay’s BETTER LATE THA NEVER.  Gone is the annoying love triangle – McKinlay does tie it up and there are a couple of pages dedicated to it – but it is GONE! Hopefully the author will leave it gone (in this and her other three series).

McKinlay also does a fabulous job of using her own library science skills in having Lindsey methodically finding the killer. She knows how to use her resources and if the reader is paying attention, he or she can put those skills to good use…not that I’d advocate getting into crime solving.

I loved the story taking off based on a fine amnesty day.  The way McKinlay takes Lindsey step by step from finding the book and it leading her to the killer, is well done. The end sounds a bit like the series is ending but good news for fans – there is at least one more in the series.
 
This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.