In the twelfth installment of the Lighthouse Library mysteries, Lucy McNeil is back on the case, but this time she's on the case alone. The upcoming YA book festival at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library is bringing in renowned authors from all over the world. When best selling author Todd Harrison unexpectedly visits librarian Lucy McNeil at her Outer Banks beach house after a meeting, she is puzzled by his presence, since they're virtually strangers. After she steps inside to get him a drink, she's shocked to discover ...
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In the twelfth installment of the Lighthouse Library mysteries, Lucy McNeil is back on the case, but this time she's on the case alone. The upcoming YA book festival at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library is bringing in renowned authors from all over the world. When best selling author Todd Harrison unexpectedly visits librarian Lucy McNeil at her Outer Banks beach house after a meeting, she is puzzled by his presence, since they're virtually strangers. After she steps inside to get him a drink, she's shocked to discover that he's been murdered on her deck in the few minutes she left him alone. Not knowing why he wanted to meet with her in private, or how someone managed to kill him in the time it takes to make lemonade, Lucy is determined to help with the investigation and figure out what happened. WhenHeather Harrison, Todd's widow, shows up in town, her motivations aren't inspired by grief. She's intending to use her husband's tragic death to launch her candidacy for state senator and her first order of business is to go after the local police force-and Lucy herself. Caught between an intrusive fan club mourning Todd, squabbling authors fighting for prominence in his absence, and a politically ruthless widow, Lucy must roll up her sleeves and and catch the killer before the chapter closes on justice.
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Add this copy of Shot Through the Book: A Lighthouse Library Mystery to cart. $21.22, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2025 by Crooked Lane Books.
Shot Through the Book by Eva Gates has Lucy with an unusual mystery on her hands. I enjoy my visits to Bodie Island where I get to catch up with Lucy, Connor, and the library crew. Let us not forget Charles who is a great judge of character. I like the author�s writing style which makes the story easy to read. The mystery begins in the first chapter. Lucy, naturally, finds herself drawn into the crime. Unfortunately, a speed bump in the form of the victim�s wife put up a roadblock between the police department and Lucy. Lucy cannot help it if information comes her way and this information may lead her to ask a few questions. I liked the unique murder weapon. The victim�s wife and his fan club make life difficult for the mayor and wife until the case is resolved. The mystery has a good wrap up at the end. I had guessed what was going to be revealed at the end, but I still enjoyed the moment the news was announced. While Shot Through the Book is the twelfth A Lighthouse Library Mystery, it can be read on its own. It is Through sad that our favorite detective is retiring, and his replacement does not seem open to working with Lucy. Changes are ahead and I cannot wait to see what happens next. Shot Through the Book transports readers to the Outer Banks where there is a peculiar murder, dramatic teens, a mudslinging spouse, a problem with the police, naughty trespassers, unsettling tittle-tattle, and a surprise revelation.
Lori
May 31, 2025
A Wonderfully Entertaining Read
Dollycas�s Thoughts
We are back at the Outer Banks in North Carolina, where the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library is planning a young adult book festival that will host two local authors and bestselling author Todd Harrison, who has recently moved to the area. Children�s librarian Ronald Burkowski is in charge of booking the authors, with Louise Jane and Lucy in charge of logistics, promotion, and other details. All the people involved attended a meeting where everything was on track and ready for the event. This is why Lucy is confused when Todd Harrison knocks on the door of her newly remodeled Outer Banks beach house.
After Lucy invites the author in, directs him to the deck, and gets him a beverage, she returns to the deck to find him dead in his chair. How could a murder happen that fast with no one to be seen? Lucy needs to know. But then Heather Harrison, the victim�s widow, starts to cause chaos, even pointing to Lucy as the killer and needing to draw attention to herself, while accusing the police department as incompetent and showing favoritism. This forces the chief to order Detective Sam Watson to keep Lucy out of this case. It seems the widow plans to run for State Senate and intends to use cleaning up corruption and influence in local law enforcement as her campaign agenda, and he doesn�t want to give her any type of ammunition against his department.
While Lucy tries to deal with Todd Harrison�s fans turning her home and deck into a shrine, the victim�s widow taunting her at her home and the library, and two local authors ready to step in to take Todd�s place and arguing about it, she decides she needs to do her thing and investigate this murder. She just hopes Sam Watson will be receptive to her information so they can throw the book at the killer ASAP!
I am delighted to be back at my happy place â�" the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library. It is such a special place. I know I could easily spend every day there, so I didnâ��t miss a thing.
Ms. Gates has created true-to-life characters who have felt like friends from the start, and that feeling gets stronger with each new story. The library staff, Bertie, Denise, Ronald, and Louise Jane, all pitch in to make the YA book festival a success while Charles, the library cat, looks on or settles into his favorite chair for a nap. Now that Louise Jane has a man in her life, although it�s a long-distance relationship, she isn�t quite as annoying. She still likes to tell her stories. She even gets a small part in the festival. Connor and Lucy�s relationship is so sweet. They have settled into a comfortable routine as he handles his mayoral duties and a few dental appointments on the side, and she works her library hours with some amateur sleuthing to keep her busy. I love the way they enjoy the quiet times, together or separately. Those quiet times were few and far between this time as they dealt with some heavy things in this book.
The author introduced Heather Harrison, a woman on a mission, brash as could be, with a small entourage. We also have a character who has usually floated through scenes over the years but has now grown up to have a pivotal place in Shot Through the Book.
The murder in this story had a very unique weapon. The police even needed to bring in experts to help them with the case. Lucy really did try to stay out of the investigation at first, but with it happening at her house and her reputation for solving murders, it was too hard. We all knew she would be involved. Especially, with the victim�s crazy wife traveling around town with her cameraman and assistant, causing trouble. Bertie had a great moment when they came to the library. I always enjoy tagging around with Lucy as she follows clues and pieces the puzzle together. I was focused on the killer a bit before Lucy, but let me tell you the reveal and takedown were exciting and oh! so! satisfying. I loved it!
Marvelous characters wrapped up in a terrifically plotted mystery made Shot Through the Book a wonderfully entertaining read! There are some changes ahead. One will make fans very happy, and another sad, but I am so enthusiastic to return to the Outer Banks and my happy place to see what Ms. Gates has planned for her characters next!
