Read and Gone - (A Haunted Library Mystery) by Allison Brook (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Twenty million dollars' worth of missing gems bring Carrie Singleton's long-lost and larcenous dad back into her life, and it's up to Carrie to clear his name"--Book jacket.

Book Synopsis

Agatha Award Nominee: A cache of missing gems brings Carrie Singleton's larcenous dad back into her life--and only she can clear his name

A devoted dad is as precious as diamonds, but Carrie Singleton wouldn't know since her dad Jim's been on the lam most of her life. In an unusual family reunion, she finds Jim breaking into her cottage in the middle of the night. The fun really starts when he begs her to help him recover his half of a twenty-million-dollar gem heist he pulled off with the local jeweler, Benton Parr. When she refuses, Jim takes off again.

Carrie finds her father again behind bars for the recent murder of Benton Parr. Who made the connection? Unbeknownst to her, Carrie's boyfriend Dylan, an insurance investigator, has been searching for the gems. Determined to find the jewels herself, she starts examining every facet of Parr's life. She turns up a treasure trove of suspects, one of whom bashes her on the head as she's searching the victim's country cabin.

Retreating to the quiet confines of the library where she works, Carrie watches as Smokey Joe, the resident cat, paws at a hole in the wall. Is he after the library's ghost Evelyn, or something shinier? The second charming Haunted Library mystery by Allison Brook, Read and Gone will be a delight for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Leslie Meier.

Review Quotes

Praise for Read and Gone
"Brook takes the Lincoln's doctor's dog approach to the genre, piling cat on ghost on is-he-is-or-is-he-ain't-her-boyfriend to provide a cornucopia of coziness."
--Kirkus Reviews

"The library frame, plot twists, a library cat, a ghost (former library aide Evelyn), a romance, and, of course, the principled Carrie in the lead make this cozy, set during the December holiday season, a delight. Readers may also enjoy Nancy Atherton and Carolyn Haines, whose books also include helpful, opinionated ghosts."
--Booklist

"A real page turner. I can't wait for number three!"
--Suspense Magazine

"Another superbly crafted novel by a master of the mystery and suspense genre."
--Midwest Book Review

Praise for Death Overdue
"A spirited cozy series with two plucky and engaging protagonists and a well-drawn, small town library setting. Readers of Miranda James, Jenn McKinlay, Carolyn Hart, Nancy Atherton, and Carolyn Haines will be delighted with this paranormal debut."
--Library Journal starred review, Pick of the Month

"A 'spirited' start to a fun new mystery series that kept me guessing to the end. Ghosts, libraries, and cats--all my favorite cozy things fill the pages of Death Overdue."
--Diane A. S. Stuckart, New York Times bestselling author of the Black Cat Bookshop mysteries (written as Ali Brandon)

"Brook weaves together a spunky protagonist, a quaint setting, and a ghost with a mind of her own to create a book that cozy readers will be dying to check out."
--Lucy Arlington, New York Times bestselling author of the Novel Idea mysteries

"Books and ghosts...what could be more fun! Add two plucky librarians (one who just happens to be dead), throw in a baffling murder, and you've got the perfect combination that keeps readers turning pages."
--Kylie Logan, national bestselling author of Gone with the Twins

"A grabs you from page one. Death Overdue is a delight!"
--Peg Cochran, national bestselling author of Dead and Berried"

Whimsical...Fans of Jenn McKinlay will enjoy this series. And never fear: there is a cat."
--Publishers Weekly

"From the first page to last, I was entranced by the characters and setting, and highly recommend it to all mystery lovers--especially if you have a penchant for libraries and ghosts!"
--MyShelf.com

About the Author

A former Spanish teacher, Allison Brook writes mysteries, romantic suspense, and novels for young readers. She loves traveling, reading, knitting, doing Sudoku, and visiting with her grandchildren, Olivia and Jack, on FaceTime. She lives with her feisty red cat, Sammy, on Long Island, where she writes her charming Haunted Library mysteries.