Book, Line, and Sinker
Jenn McKinlay


ISBN-10:
0425251764
ISBN-13: 978-0425251768
Publisher: Penguin Group
Line: Berkley
Release Date: Dec 4, 2012
Pages: 304
Retail Price: 7.99




Genre:
Mystery
Rating:

“Avast” in pirate speak means what?*

Answering tricky reference questions like this one provides plenty of excitement for library director Lindsey Norris. But when a shocking murder is committed in her cozy coastal town of Briar Creek, Connecticut, the question of who did it must be answered before an innocent man gets the book thrown at him...

Lindsey is enjoying her second year in Briar Creek as the library director, meeting with the crafternoon club, and happily dating tour boat captain Mike Sullivan. But when a salvage company arrives in town to dig up treasure buried on Pirate Island over three hundred years ago, the locals are torn between protecting the island and welcoming the publicity.

In spite of the squabbling, Charlie Peyton, Lindsey’s downstairs neighbor, takes a job with the salvage company. But when Trudi Hargrave, the local tourism director who hired the company, is found murdered at the excavation site, Charlie becomes the chief suspect. To help him, Lindsey must do some digging of her own before the real killer buries the truth for good…

Review

For fans of:  Sally Goldenbaum

When Sweet Briar Library director Lindsey Norris first hears the rumor that Captain Kidd buried treasure on one of the local islands, she can't believe her ears. But then she learns that a salvage company not only claims to have a map drawn by Kidd, but has made arrangements with the town to spend the summer digging for said treasure, and she – like the rest of the town – starts to get caught up in the excitement.

Not everyone in Sweet Briar is overjoyed at the prospect of the excavation, though; retiree Milton Duffy believes the project is not only bad for the environment, but is "a slap in the face of all that the historical society represents," and vows to stop the dig by all means necessary. So when one of the treasure hunt's biggest supporters, Trudi Hargrave, is found dead at the site and the treasure map goes missing, Milton automatically becomes the prime suspect.

Lindsey knows that Milton is innocent, but if he didn't kill Trudy and make off with the map, who did? She starts doing some digging of her own, but if she isn't careful, she may wind up buried out on the island, herself...

Book, Line, and Sinker is the third in author Jenn McKinlay’s Library Lover’s Mystery series. It’s a cozy little tale, light on the gore and chock full of small-town charm, but make no mistake – Book, Line, and Sinker is also a quickly paced, tightly plotted, intricately crafted mystery that is action-packed and will keep you guessing until you’ve reached the final chapters.

McKinlay’s character work is strong, as well.  Yes, Lindsey is a little naïve, she always leaps before she looks, and she’s so earnest it’s almost painful, but somehow, McKinlay manages to make these qualities endearing in Lindsey.  She’s sweet, she’s kind, and she’s full of happiness and light, but she’s also tenacious, brave, and unfailingly loyal, and for that reason, you can’t help but root for her.  Children’s librarian Beth is absolutely hilarious and brightens every scene in which she appears; she’s the George Fayne to Lindsey’s Nancy Drew, and she’s everything you could hope for in a sidekick and best friend.  Hunky boat captain Mike “Sully” Sullivan is a perfect love interest; his burgeoning relationship with Lindsey is so tender and innocent it reads like something out of a teenage romance novel, but it suits McKinlay’s heroine to a T.  And as usual, stodgy, judgmental librarian Mrs. Cole provides just the right amount of workplace conflict and snarky comic relief.

If you’re looking for a December release that isn’t Christmas-themed but still captures the spirit of the season, look no further than Jenn McKinlay’s Book, Line, and Sinker; it has all of the warmth, charm, and sense of community, but none of the snow.

Reviewed by Kat


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