DEWEY DECIMATED by Allison Brook
SERIES: Haunted Library Mysteries #6
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
PUBLISHER: Crooked Lane
RELEASE DATE: September 6, 2022
PAGES: 336
Librarian Carrie Singleton is back on the case, alongside library ghost Evelyn, in the sixth installment of Agatha Award nominee Allison Brook’s Haunted Library mysteries.
Carrie Singleton is just off a hot string of murder cases centered around the spooky local library in Clover Ridge, Connecticut. She could really use a break—but no such luck, as she; Smokey Joe, the resident cat; and Evelyn, the library’s ghost, are drawn into another tantalizing whodunit.
First, a dead body is found in the basement of the building attached to the library, and it turns out to be Carrie’s fiancé’s Uncle Alec, who Dylan hasn’t seen in years. But Alec has no intention of truly checking out, and his ghost makes itself at home in the library, greatly upsetting the patrons. Carrie and Evelyn work hard to keep Alec out of sight, but what was he doing in Clover Ridge to begin with? And why was he killed?
Meanwhile, the town council, of which Carrie is also a member, is embroiled in a hot-headed debate over the fate of the Seabrook Preserve, a lovely and valuable piece of property that runs along Long Island Sound. Turn it into an upscale park? Sell it to a condo developer? Or keep it as protected land?
As the dispute rages, there’s another murder, this time involving a council member. Could the two murders be connected? And could Carrie be next on the hit list?
Other Books In This Series
I have been with this series from book one, and it’s one of my fave cozy mystery series. I haven’t missed an installment yet, and I don’t plan to. I love everything about it – the characters, the setting, the plots, and of course Smokey Joe the library cat. But the highlight for me in every book is the interactions between Carrie the librarian (with the best name) and Evelyn the resident library ghost. Their friendship, unconventional though it may be, adds warmth as well as a unique twist to the mystery solving process.
In Dewey Decimated, Carrie and Evelyn receive some unexpected (and not necessarily welcome) additions to their sleuthing team – an overly eager investigative reporter who sees Carrie as her ticket to fame & a murder victim who’s still sticking around as a frustrated & amnesiac ghost. These new characters keep Carrie and Evelyn on their toes and I enjoyed watching them juggle the shifting dynamics – though I will also be happy when it’s back to just the two of them.
The juggling continues for Carrie with the pressure to start wedding plans, problems with the library renovations, and her new role on the city council. Each element fleshed out the characters even more and also filled in any down time where the dual murder mysteries were concerned. Clover Ridge is a charming small town that I’d love to visit in real life, and I laughed at one character’s comment that, with all the recent murders, they didn’t want to become known as the Cabot Cove of Connecticut. Loved that nod to the quintessential & fan favorite cozy mystery small town.
Bottom Line: I’ve come to expect smart plots, charming characters, and intriguing twists from this series, and Dewey Decimated fit right in. The author took all the things I’ve loved from the previous books and added some fresh layers to enhance the continued character development and give readers more insight into the characters’ lives. I once again thoroughly enjoyed my time in Clover Ridge, and I also appreciated the new dynamics that the author introduced. Already looking forward to my next visit with Carrie and Evelyn and Dylan and Smokey Joe – and all the regular supporting characters. A must-read for fans of cozy mysteries, libraries, and friendly ghosts.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 4 stars / loved it!
Reviewer’s Note: Readers may want to be aware that there is some scattered, mild cursing throughout this novel.
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A former Spanish teacher, Marilyn Levinson writes mysteries, romantic suspense, and novels for kids. Her books have received many accolades. As Allison Brook, she writes the Haunted Library series. DEATH OVERDUE, the first in the series, was an Agatha nominee for Best Contemporary Novel in 2018. Other mysteries include the Golden Age of Mystery Book Club series and the Twin Lakes series.
Her juvenile novel, Rufus and Magic Run Amok, was an International Reading Association-Children’s Book Council Children’s Choice. And Don’t Bring Jeremy was a nominee for six state awards.
Marilyn lives on Long Island, where many of her books take place. She loves traveling, reading, doing crossword puzzles and Sudoku, and chatting on FaceTime with her grandkids.
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What about you? What makes you want to read Dewey Decimated by Allison Brook? If your library was renovated, what is something you’d like to see them add?
I would love to add Dewey Decimated to my TBR stack. it sounds like a hauntingly good book.
🙂
Carrie,
Thank you for your wonderful review of DEWEY DECIMATED. So glad you enjoyed it.
my pleasure!
Thank you for sharing your review thoughts. I’m behind on this series and I REALLY need to catch up.
it’s SO good! Each book gets better and better 🙂