Murder at the Lakeside Library Review & Recipe

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Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Murder at the Lakeside Library: A Lakeside Library Mystery by Holly Danvers. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!

In this series debut perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Miranda James, Rain Wilmot must discover the killer, before the book closes on her life.

Murder at the Lakeside Library: A Lakeside Library Mystery

by Holly Danvers

I received this book free; however, all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive compensation at no cost to you.

Murder at the Lakeside Library: A Lakeside Library Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (July 13, 2021)
Hardcover: 336 pages

Rain Wilmot has just returned to her family’s waterfront log cabin in Lofty Pines, Wisconsin after the untimely death of her husband. The cabin is peaceful compared to Rain’s corporate job and comes with an informal library that Rain’s mother, Willow, used to run. But as Rain prepares for the re-opening of the library, all hopes for a peaceful life are shattered when she discovers the body of Thornton Hughes, a real estate buyer, on the premises.

The community of Lofty Pines starts pointing fingers at Willow, since she has been unusually absent from the library this summer. A fishy rumor surfaces when Rain learns that Willow had been spending a lot of time with Thornton. The town even thought they were having an affair.

While theories swirl about Thornton’s death, Rain takes it upon herself to solve the case to exonerate her mother. As more clues surface, Rain will have to piece together the mystery. But if she isn’t careful, she may be the next to end up dead in the water in Murder at the Lakeside Library, the first in Holly Danvers’ new Lakeside Library mysteries.

Book Review

I really love the premise of the new Lakeside Library Mystery series. If you’re here reading this review, I’m sure you’re a book lover, and as a book lover, you love libraries. I’ve loved libraries since my early grade school days, and reading this book reminds me that I need to make going to the actual library a priority. It seems as if many of us read on our ereaders and borrow our books online. Murder at the Lakeside Library includes a very small library that’s open seasonally, and from its description, it’s a place I’d love to be!

When Rain heads to her family’s log cabin for some peace and alone time to grieve and contemplate her new normal, she doesn’t expect to be opening the library. Her mom is usually in charge of that job, and she didn’t mention that she would expect Rain to open it during her absence. However, Rain’s plans to isolate herself are quickly thwarted. An old friend convinces her that not opening the library would hurt the small summer community who love and use the library. She thinks it would help Rain too. So, together, along with another woman, they get the library ready to open. Their plans are thwarted when a body is discovered on the property.

I think that Murder at the Lakeside Library is a very good beginning to this new series. The main characters’ introductions are very thorough, so you get a good feel for their personalities. I hope that the following books add more side characters with some quirky ones thrown in. Like I said, I love the beautiful setting and think it seems very homey and cozy. The mystery is very well-plotted and was fun to try to solve. Cozy mystery lovers will definitely enjoy this fun book.

Recipe: Rain’s Pesto Chicken Marinade for the perfect summer bbq

1 cup loosely packed FRESH basil (Rain suggests if you have access to a local farmers market, that’s a great place to find some!)

1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano (ditto on the farmers market!)

4 garlic cloves

½ cup Parmesan cheese

¼ cup lemon juice

¼ cup olive oil

1 TBS Dijon mustard

4-6 chicken breast fillets pounded thin

*skip the pine nuts (can’t find them at the local market in the Northwoods of WI anyway)

Fresh pasta noodles or serve with roasted vegetables on the grill

Directions:

Pound the chicken with a mallet within ½ inch thickness (then set aside)
Place the basil, chopped oregano, Parmesan, lemon juice, and Dijon in the food processor, and process until combined.
Gradually add the olive oil, with the processor running, until smooth.
Reserve ½ cup pesto
Coat the chicken fillets with the remaining pesto and marinate at least an hour or overnight if time permits. (If marinating overnight be sure the chicken is in a sealed tight container, freezer bag, or plastic wrap, so that basil doesn’t turn brown.)
Place chicken on a disposable pan and cook under a medium grill for 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through, brushing with a any remaining marinade during the cooking process. * Can throw on the grates at the end to sear lines.
Serve over buttered noodles with remaining pesto OR with roasted root vegetables, or roasted Yukon gold potatoes.

About Holly Danvers

Holly Danvers grew up devouring every mystery novel on the shelf of her local library. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and 3 chickens, where she’s already plotting her next novel.

Author Links
Website – www.authorhollydanvers.com
GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20823355.Holly_Danvers
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/HollyDanversBooks/

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – IndieBound