Book Review: Better Late Than Never by Jenn McKinlay (Library Lover's Mysteries #7)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Intriguing premise executed well

Cons: None for me

The Bottom Line:

Twenty-year late book

A connection to murder?

Fun on ev’ry page

A Late Clue

Sometimes, the premise of a mystery grabs me.  That was certainly the case with Better Late Than Never, the seventh Library Lover’s Mystery from Jenn McKinlay.

Lindsay Norris has decided that the Briar Creek Public Library is going to hold an amnesty day for overdue books.  They will take back all overdue books no matter how old or in what condition with no fines and no questions asked.  However, even Lindsay is surprised when an old copy of The Catcher in the Rye is returned.  Despite the fact that it is 20 years overdue, it looks to be in fantastic shape.

Intrigued by the item, Lindsay does a little poking around in the library’s records and discovers that this book was last checked out by Candice Whitley, who was killed on the high school’s football field twenty years ago.  In fact, it appears that checking out the book was one of the last things she did before she died.  The crime remains unsolved.  Who returned the book after all this time?  Is it a clue that will lead to the killer?

See what I mean?  I couldn’t wait to find out how this overdue book was going to tie in to the unsolved murder.  Not surprisingly, the story moves along at a brisk pace with plenty of clues and revelations to keep us guessing until the suspenseful climax.

Fans who have been reading this series know that we’ve had a bit of a love triangle in the last few books.  Yes, I used “a bit” on purpose because the love triangle has not been a traditional love triangle.  It is completely resolved here, and I’m happy to see that it appears all the characters will stay involved in the series.  While I was definitely rooting for one of the guys, I really like the other guy, too.  I want both of them to be part of the series going forward.

Anyway, the romance did take over a bit, but since I was so invested in it and the characters, I didn’t mind, and it was never for too long.  Some of those scenes?  Let’s just say it is obvious why Jenn McKinlay has branched out to romantic comedies.  She is good at writing hot scenes that make you swoon while keeping things PG.

All the characters we know and love are back, and it’s wonderful to spend time with them yet again.  There aren’t very many new characters in this book, but they are strong as well.  A couple are obviously going to become new regulars, so I look forward to getting to know them better as the series progresses.

Once again, this book made me laugh several times as I was reading it.  Honestly, that’s one reason I’m glad it looks like all the characters are sticking around because they are wonderful at making me grin even when I’m not laughing.  While the mystery is taken seriously, you’ll still laugh and find your mood lightened as you read.

This is definitely a case where a great premise translates to a great book.  I enjoyed every page of Better Late Than Never, so if you are looking for a fun mystery, this is the book to check out.  Just make sure you return it on time.

Then check out the rest of the Library Lover’s Mysteries.