Road Trip Reads Giveaway (North Dakota): Murder at the Library by Ellen Jacobson

today’s book: Murder at the Library by Ellen Jacobson

We are moving right along on our summer-long Road Trip Reads Giveaway where we will be visiting all 50 states on the pages of recently released books. Because road trips are always better with friends – and books – right? So grab your fave snacks, a cold soda or bottled water, an upbeat playlist and let’s head back to the Plains!

today’s stop: North Dakota

MURDER AT THE LIBRARY by Ellen Jacobson
SERIES: North Dakota Library Mystery #1
GENRE: Cozy Mystery (Clean)
PUBLISHER: Ellen Jacobson
RELEASE DATE: August 15, 2023
PAGES: 247

Libraries are full of books . . . and deadly secrets.

When Thea Olson agreed to volunteer at her local library, she anticipated shelving books, not stumbling across a dead body.

Concerned her brother, the acting chief of police, is in over his head, Thea is determined to find out whodunit. She investigates the murder with the assistance of her grandmother and the handsome new library director.

Just when the trio of amateur sleuths hit a dead-end, a snarky chameleon appears in the library with cryptic clues for Thea. At first, she thinks she’s hallucinating. But once Thea accepts the fact that the obnoxious reptile is real, she realizes he might just help her crack the case.

Can Thea discover who the murderer is before someone else is taken out of circulation?

This is the first in a new library series set in the fictional town of Why, North Dakota. If you like quirky characters, chameleons, way too much coffee, and all things bookish, you’ll love Murder at the Library.

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Other Books in This Series

Hi Ellen! Welcome to the blog!

Ellen: Cats. I love being bossed around by furry animals who think humans were created to serve them.

Carrie: hahaha cats ARE pretty bossy

Ellen: Coffee. And keep it coming!

Carrie: LOL duly noted 🙂

Ellen: Audiobooks. When I’m busy (and it seems like I always am these days), audiobooks are a great way to “read” while doing chores etc.

Carrie: i so want to love audiobooks but I just can’t pay attention to them.

Ellen: Over. It just seems wrong when the toilet paper is under. This is something I have yet to convince my hubby of.

Carrie: haha!

Q: Around here I like to say that reading is my superpower. If YOU had a superpower, what would it be?

Ellen: Great question. I’ll probably have to go with the ability to eat large quantities of chocolate and not feel guilty about it.

Carrie: that would be an awesome superpower to have!

Q: Who is your favorite book character from childhood?

Ellen: It’s a tie between Laura Ingalls and Nancy Drew.

Carrie: They are very close for me, too, but I think Nancy ultimately wins for me.

Q: If I sneaked a peek in your purse right now (which I would never do, I promise!), what would it tell me about you?

Ellen: That I have a strange addiction to Hall’s mentholyptus cough drops.

Carrie: hahaha you do you 😉

Q: Which character in Murder at the Library was the most difficult to write?

Ellen: Hudson Carter, the new library director in my fictional town of Why, North Dakota. He has a tragic backstory which makes me teary-eyed.

Carrie: aww ♥ I look forward to finding out more as I read it!

Q: Do you have the whole plot outlined before you start writing, or do you let the characters dictate what comes next? 

Ellen: I’m very much a “panster” as in a write by the seat of my pants. Every time I start a new book, I tell myself this time it will be different. This time I’ll plot the whole thing in advance. Sometimes, I even plot the whole thing out. But my characters end up taking over and telling me what really happens in the story.

Carrie: lol that’s so fun to hear about, as a reader. Characters tend to take over our lives too 🙂

Q: What is one of your favorite quotes from Murder at the Library & why do you love it?

Ellen: “Of course, we’re going to help. That’s what librarians do—we help people.” Murder at the Library is basically my love letter to libraries and librarians. Librarians are some of the most helpful, supportive, kind people on the planet. They’re the best!

Carrie: i love this!

Thank you so much for taking time to talk with me! 🙂 Before we say goodbye for today, tell us what‘s coming up next for you.

Ellen: I’m busy working on the next book in the North Dakota Library series – Poisoned by the Book.

Ellen Jacobson is a chocolate obsessed cat lover who writes cozy mysteries and romantic comedies. After working in Scotland and New Zealand for several years, she returned to the States, lived aboard a sailboat, traveled around in a tiny camper, and is now settled in a small town in northern Oregon with her husband and an imaginary cat named Simon. Connect with Ellen at her website.

Ellen Jacobson is offering an ebook copy of her Mollie McGhie Cozy Mysteries boxset to one of my readers! (US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.) This giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower’s giveaway policies which can be found here. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.

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What about you? What makes you want to read Murder at the Library by Ellen Jacobson? Have you ever visited North Dakota?