Book Review: A Book Club to Die For by Dorothy St. James (Beloved Bookroom Mysteries #3)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Characters, mystery, laughs

Cons: A couple of things obvious early on

The Bottom Line:

A book club murder

Tru must find a new suspect

Entertaining, fun

Exclusive Book Clubs Lead to Murder

I have really fallen in love with the Beloved Bookroom Mysteries.  The characters are unique and charming and the set up is creative.  A Book Club to Die For is the third in the series and one fans of the series will love.

This series takes us to Cypress, South Carolina, which has recently embraced progress just a little too much.  They have removed anything and everything with the printed word from their library, including books and magazines, in favor of electronic media, including digital books and magazines, and community spaces.  Naturally, this didn’t sit well with librarian Tru Becket, who smuggled as many books into the basement as she could, setting up a secret library that she tries to keep from her boss.

Tru has been invited to speak at a meeting for the Arete Society, Cypress’s most exclusive book club.  With only ten members, those wanting to join could wait years to be invited.  That’s what has happened to Tru’s friend Flossie, who is tagging along with Tru in order to plead her case in person.

However, the meeting never happens.  Not too long after arriving, Tru and Flossie discover the body of the Arete’s president, Rebecca White, on the kitchen floor.  The police are quick to assume that this month’s hostess, Hazel Bailey, is the killer.  Just one problem for Tru – Hazel is the mother of her boyfriend, Jace.  Granted, it’s hard to come up with any other suspects, but Tru has to find a way to get the police to focus on someone else.  Can she do it?

This book is a variation on a locked room mystery, and every time I pick one up, I am reminded just how much I enjoy them.  They added something extra since we have to figure out how done it in addition to who done it.  This one pulls it off very well.  I did pick up on some things a little early on, but that didn’t dampen my enjoyment.

The characters are wonderful.  A couple of them can be annoying, but they are present enough in this book to be entertaining without crossing that threshold.  And the majority?  I would love to have people like them as friends.  The suspects are plentiful and entertaining as well.

I also feel like each book in the series gets funnier.  There is a sub-plot in this one that made me laugh each time it popped up on the page.  There are some other great moments of comedy from the characters and the situations Tru finds herself in.

A Book Club to Die For is fun from start to finish.  Sit back, relax, and enjoy this charming read.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.