What do you think?
Rate this book
Library Lover's Mystery #14
Fatal First Edition
People are dying to get their hands on a rare, valuable book in the newest Library Lover’s Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of The Plot and the Pendulum.
Briar Creek Library director Lindsey Norris and her husband, Sully, are at a popular library conference in Chicago to hear book restoration specialist Brooklyn Wainwright give a keynote address. After the lecture, Lindsey looks under her seat and finds a tote bag containing a first edition of Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, inscribed to Alfred Hitchcock. Brooklyn determines the novel is one of a kind and quite valuable, so Lindsey and Sully return the book to the conference director, not wanting to stir up any trouble.
But just hours after the pair boards the train back to Connecticut, rumors that the Highsmith novel has gone missing buzz amongst the passengers, and they soon find the conference director murdered in his private compartment. And worse—the murderer planted the book in Lindsey and Sully’s room next door, making them prime suspects. Now, they must uncover the murderer and bring them to the end of their line, before they find themselves booked for a crime they didn’t commit.
Featuring a cameo by a beloved character from the New York Times bestselling author Kate Carlisle's Bibliophile series!
Briar Creek Library director Lindsey Norris and her husband, Sully, are at a popular library conference in Chicago to hear book restoration specialist Brooklyn Wainwright give a keynote address. After the lecture, Lindsey looks under her seat and finds a tote bag containing a first edition of Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, inscribed to Alfred Hitchcock. Brooklyn determines the novel is one of a kind and quite valuable, so Lindsey and Sully return the book to the conference director, not wanting to stir up any trouble.
But just hours after the pair boards the train back to Connecticut, rumors that the Highsmith novel has gone missing buzz amongst the passengers, and they soon find the conference director murdered in his private compartment. And worse—the murderer planted the book in Lindsey and Sully’s room next door, making them prime suspects. Now, they must uncover the murderer and bring them to the end of their line, before they find themselves booked for a crime they didn’t commit.
Featuring a cameo by a beloved character from the New York Times bestselling author Kate Carlisle's Bibliophile series!
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 13, 2024
361 people are currently reading
1219 people want to read
About the author
Jenn McKinlay
74 books5,193 followersJenn is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. She is also the winner of the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for romantic comedy and the Fresh Fiction award for best cozy mystery. A TEDx speaker, she is always happy to talk books, writing, reading, and the creative process to anyone who cares to listen. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with books, pets, and her husband’s guitars.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 300 reviews
May 26, 2024
Crossover! Brooklyn Wainright from one of my other fave author’s mystery series briefly visits in Fatal First Edition, the latest Library Lover's Mystery book. What fun! A rare signed first edition of a Patricia Highsmith book (by none other than an uber famous director) shows up, then disappears, it's a sure sign of more trouble to come. While on a train ride home, Lindsey discovers the man in a nearby cabin dead. So many were annoyed by him, but which took it to permanent solution? I liked the train aspect, plus the focus on a popular movie/director people know about. Toss in Sully's almost-death, and you have a well-written installment from the series!
February 5, 2024
This is book 14 in the Library Lover’s Mystery series and I have to admit it is the first I’ve read, but I thought it worked well as a standalone. I’m sure I would have been more attached to the characters if I had read the prior books, but there was enough explanation that I understood them and it worked. Library Director Lindsey went to a book archivist convention in Chicago and her husband came too (this made sense, but why did he go with her to the sessions, that was weird). While there she finds a super rare book under her seat. Many of the convention attendees including the director of the convention Henry took the train home and unfortunately a murder was committed on the overnight train ride. Lindsey can’t help but ask some questions and the more she knows the more she needs to keep digging because this particular criminal is making it personal. Overall a good cozy mystery and this is a series I will read more of.
February 18, 2024
I love this series and always look forward to the next. This lastest in the series for me was a serious mixed bag. There were a lot of fun and clever things as there usually are from Ms McKinlay, an introduction of two of her main characters to two, from one of her good friends, well known series, main characters, the setting of a train, and a really clever way to foil the bad guy, but unfortunately there were so many things that were just not possible, that I could not suspend belief just that much. While the blizzard gave us a captive audience, no one could move around from place to place, including open sea, as the characters in this story! I am still trying to understand the route this train took from Chicago to Connecticut and ended up heading in that direction, and what happened to one of our favorite people just makes no sense. That aside, it was an interesting wromp. I loved the story of the famous book, the story revolves around and time with most of our favorite characters, but all in all, it is not a favorite in the series.
April 20, 2024
4.5 stars
I went into this audiobook thinking "it's a Jenn McKinlay book, it's going to be good" and it was! It was so much better than I thought it would be though. Lindsey attends a conference where freaking Brooklyn Wainwright is the speaker! Yeah! The one from the Kate Carliesle books. Lindsey finds a rare book during the conference and later finds herself involved in another murder investigation that involves the rare book. The book is absolutely phenomenal and is so cozy and good. I loved that we got a cameo from Brooklyn, that was so much fun. I really liked the way the investigation went and the choices that Lindsey makes, I wish I could describe it but I don't want to spoil it but the end is so good! I did figure out a little bit more of the plot than I wish I had but that's okay, it was still really great. I also want to give a special shoutout to the narrator, Allison Ryan, she did a great job as always. Allison always makes the listening experience so joyful. Overall great read, highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Jenn McKinlay for letting me listen to this ALC. All opinions are my own.
I went into this audiobook thinking "it's a Jenn McKinlay book, it's going to be good" and it was! It was so much better than I thought it would be though. Lindsey attends a conference where freaking Brooklyn Wainwright is the speaker! Yeah! The one from the Kate Carliesle books. Lindsey finds a rare book during the conference and later finds herself involved in another murder investigation that involves the rare book. The book is absolutely phenomenal and is so cozy and good. I loved that we got a cameo from Brooklyn, that was so much fun. I really liked the way the investigation went and the choices that Lindsey makes, I wish I could describe it but I don't want to spoil it but the end is so good! I did figure out a little bit more of the plot than I wish I had but that's okay, it was still really great. I also want to give a special shoutout to the narrator, Allison Ryan, she did a great job as always. Allison always makes the listening experience so joyful. Overall great read, highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Jenn McKinlay for letting me listen to this ALC. All opinions are my own.
April 3, 2024
It was a good mystery, but not as good as some in this series….
August 28, 2023
I enjoyed this series initially because it was set amongst the day-to-day goings on in a small public library (disclaimer: I work in a small public library). Lindsay the public library director is still the main character in this latest series title, but the storyline has little to do with the library. When a rare, signed-by-Hitchcock edition of Strangers on a Train turns up at a library conference, and later the conference director is murdered (on a train!), Lindsay finds herself at the center of the mystery: where did the book come from, and who murdered the conference director?
Frankly, I didn't much care. I get that this is fiction but the implausibility of everything had me rolling my eyes every few pages: all of the witnesses are snowed in very conveniently in the town *where Lindsay lives*, and despite it being a very small town, it has a train station that I'm not sure was ever mentioned in the 13 previous titles; multiple citizens of said town take on crazy risks driving around in a snowmaggedon-like storm; Lindsay, despite having been involved in thirteen(!) murders, leaves the back door of her house *unlocked*; and she and her friends, in the span of a couple of hours, do something so ridiculously impossible that it made me want to throw the book across the room.
*********
One chapter in and two things annoying me already. First is the archivist who uses white gloves to handle an antique book: they don't do that. See here https://twitter.com/_necronomitron_/s... and here https://twitter.com/DrOwenEmmerson/st... and many other sources.
The book opens with the main character, a public library director with a background in archival work, attending an archivists' conference. This is cool. Her husband has traveled with her to Chicago for the convention; this is also cool. But her husband is *going to all of the conference sessions with her*. This man does not work in libraries or museums or any related field. When my husband traveled with me to a library conference, he spent the day working remotely or exploring the city until I was done with my professional obligations and then we did things together. Are they so joined at the hip that she can't participate in her professional activities without him? This is just bizarre to me. Many conferences I've attended you were not permitted into the conference area without a conference badge. Either he paid his way and lied about his profession to gain admittance, or he sneaked in, or this is some fake conference that just lets anyone walk in. SO WEIRD.
Frankly, I didn't much care. I get that this is fiction but the implausibility of everything had me rolling my eyes every few pages: all of the witnesses are snowed in very conveniently in the town *where Lindsay lives*, and despite it being a very small town, it has a train station that I'm not sure was ever mentioned in the 13 previous titles; multiple citizens of said town take on crazy risks driving around in a snowmaggedon-like storm; Lindsay, despite having been involved in thirteen(!) murders, leaves the back door of her house *unlocked*; and she and her friends, in the span of a couple of hours, do something so ridiculously impossible that it made me want to throw the book across the room.
*********
One chapter in and two things annoying me already. First is the archivist who uses white gloves to handle an antique book: they don't do that. See here https://twitter.com/_necronomitron_/s... and here https://twitter.com/DrOwenEmmerson/st... and many other sources.
The book opens with the main character, a public library director with a background in archival work, attending an archivists' conference. This is cool. Her husband has traveled with her to Chicago for the convention; this is also cool. But her husband is *going to all of the conference sessions with her*. This man does not work in libraries or museums or any related field. When my husband traveled with me to a library conference, he spent the day working remotely or exploring the city until I was done with my professional obligations and then we did things together. Are they so joined at the hip that she can't participate in her professional activities without him? This is just bizarre to me. Many conferences I've attended you were not permitted into the conference area without a conference badge. Either he paid his way and lied about his profession to gain admittance, or he sneaked in, or this is some fake conference that just lets anyone walk in. SO WEIRD.
February 24, 2024
Fatal First Edition is the 14th book in the Library Lovers Mystery series. The book is about a murder on a train that is connected to the Patricia Highsmith's book Strangers on a Train. From the outset it might seem that Lindsey Norris and her husband Sully are in for a pleasant train ride home after a library conference. Curiously, as the conference was drawing to a close, Lindsey found a tote bag under her chair. The bag contained a rare first edition of the Highsmith Classic. Without hesitation, Lyndsay hands the book over.
Lindsey and Sully are tucked in for the night in their sleeper car. While both are sleeping soundly, Lindsey hears some thumping sounds from the compartment next door. She rushes out of their compartment, rousing Sully and others. She thinks she sees someone in a black coat, but otherwise everything seems fine.
The next morning the dining car is full almost to the point of overflowing, but the conference director Henry is the only person not present. Although a couple of people find this strange, breakfast continues. When Lindsey discovers that the conference director was assigned to the compartment next to hers and Sully's she raises an alarm. Before long, Henry's dead body is discovered and it is more than apparent that a murder has taken place.
While the chief of police detains the train's passenger when the train arrives in their small town of Briar Creek, Lindsey and Sully plan on getting back to their lives. The chief, Emma, is more than adequate for the job of identifying the killer. However, things go awry and with nail-biting tension, danger follows close on the heels of Lindsey and Sully.
Not only is the take on this book on the Hitchcock classic movie, but the age-old question is raised - "which is better, the movie or the book"? While I am one who usually thinks the book is better, little did I know that the movie Diehard is said to be better than the book. My personal comparison would be Jurassic Park, as I think the movie was far more entertaining than the book. However, I digress. I loved this book and have enjoyed every single book in the series thus far. I am very much looking forward to continuing with this series.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Lindsey and Sully are tucked in for the night in their sleeper car. While both are sleeping soundly, Lindsey hears some thumping sounds from the compartment next door. She rushes out of their compartment, rousing Sully and others. She thinks she sees someone in a black coat, but otherwise everything seems fine.
The next morning the dining car is full almost to the point of overflowing, but the conference director Henry is the only person not present. Although a couple of people find this strange, breakfast continues. When Lindsey discovers that the conference director was assigned to the compartment next to hers and Sully's she raises an alarm. Before long, Henry's dead body is discovered and it is more than apparent that a murder has taken place.
While the chief of police detains the train's passenger when the train arrives in their small town of Briar Creek, Lindsey and Sully plan on getting back to their lives. The chief, Emma, is more than adequate for the job of identifying the killer. However, things go awry and with nail-biting tension, danger follows close on the heels of Lindsey and Sully.
Not only is the take on this book on the Hitchcock classic movie, but the age-old question is raised - "which is better, the movie or the book"? While I am one who usually thinks the book is better, little did I know that the movie Diehard is said to be better than the book. My personal comparison would be Jurassic Park, as I think the movie was far more entertaining than the book. However, I digress. I loved this book and have enjoyed every single book in the series thus far. I am very much looking forward to continuing with this series.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
January 28, 2024
Jenn McKinlay’s Library Lovers series is one of my favorite Cozy Mysteries to read because it has a laidback feel to it and FATAL FIRST EDITION definitely gives me that impression. Easy-to-read, it flows effortlessly yet keeps readers on their toes.
I love that all the characters are quirky and unique but are not too over-the-top. It makes the mysteries feel more believable and relatable. I enjoy the humor and camaraderie that is present in these books as I feel like it gives reader’s better insight into the mind’s of the character as well as their personalities. Similarly, it enhances the mystery storyline as well, making it more gripping and exciting.
If you’re looking for a series that is fun yet exciting, then look no further. You won’t find anyone who can do it better than Jenn McKinlay. FATAL FIRST EDITION is a great addition to the series.
I love that all the characters are quirky and unique but are not too over-the-top. It makes the mysteries feel more believable and relatable. I enjoy the humor and camaraderie that is present in these books as I feel like it gives reader’s better insight into the mind’s of the character as well as their personalities. Similarly, it enhances the mystery storyline as well, making it more gripping and exciting.
If you’re looking for a series that is fun yet exciting, then look no further. You won’t find anyone who can do it better than Jenn McKinlay. FATAL FIRST EDITION is a great addition to the series.
November 9, 2023
McKinlay's newest Library Lovers series has Lindsey and friends trying to solve the mystery of a man who was in the train compartment next to she and Derek who was discovered shortly before they arrive back home. The investigation and the unexpected blizzard leaves the suspects all trapped in town as they solve the mystery. Fans of Kate Carlisle will be delighted by a cameo from another beloved character as well!
This was fine. I didn't love it, but it was interesting enough. It didn't quite have the feel of the rest of the series and I'm not sure exactly why. TBH, it actually felt more like that Carlisle series. 🤷♀️
This was fine. I didn't love it, but it was interesting enough. It didn't quite have the feel of the rest of the series and I'm not sure exactly why. TBH, it actually felt more like that Carlisle series. 🤷♀️
February 15, 2024
I loved this book! I've been a huge fan since the very first book and I'm always excited to read a new addition to the series.
Lindsay and Sully find themselves wrapped up in another murder investigation, but when Sully suddenly disappears during a blizzard, Lindsay refuses to stop searching for her husband.
Her crafty friends have no problem getting involved, even if a little bit of forgery is involved.
Having another favorite character from a different series make an appearance made this book even better.
This is a fantastic game of cat and mouse, and all the characters played excellent roles.
Lindsay and Sully find themselves wrapped up in another murder investigation, but when Sully suddenly disappears during a blizzard, Lindsay refuses to stop searching for her husband.
Her crafty friends have no problem getting involved, even if a little bit of forgery is involved.
Having another favorite character from a different series make an appearance made this book even better.
This is a fantastic game of cat and mouse, and all the characters played excellent roles.
March 18, 2024
4.5 stars
While Lindsey and her husband Sully are attending an archives conference in Chicago, she discovers a rare book inside a conference tote bag under her seat. Brooklyn Wainwright, a rare book specialist (heroine of the Bibliophile mysteries Homicide in Hardcover) and speaker at the conference, declares that Strangers on a Train signed by the author to none other than Alfred Hitchcock must be worth a fortune! Lindsey is worried about the book getting back to its rightful owner. The conference organizer, Harry Standish, hastily hands it off to his assistant Penny to deal with. Lindsey and Sully return home on the sleeper train along with Harry and Penny when they discover Harry's longtime rival, Lydia Armand is on the train as well after attending the conference incognito. Harry is livid to discover Lydia is there and angry at Penny for flirting with wealthy noir book collector Kirk Duncan when Kirk surely must be after the book. Someone else wants the book as well, Andrew Shields, who represents the interests of a wealthy collector. Later that night, Lindsey can't sleep and startles at some loud thumping noises coming from the compartment next door. She worries about the ethics of checking it out but decides to open the passageway door and investigate. Lindsey spies a person in black running away. When Sully offers to check on the noise, the occupants of the neighboring compartments complain about the ruckus and Sully takes the blame for hearing the noises. The next morning Harry Standish fails to appear at breakfast and Lindsey is concerned. You can guess what she discovers when she has the steward check on Harry's compartment! Poor Harry Standish has fallen and broken his neck. Surely it's a tragic accident right? Lindsey isn't so sure. With a snowstorm brewing, everyone is eager to get home but Chief Emma Plewicki of Briar Creek and Detecive Trimble of the state police ground everyone in Briar Creek until they can figure out who killed Harry. When Sully goes missing while delivering supplies to the people snowbound on the islands, Lindsey is terrified. She fears someone took Sully because they believe he saw something tied to the murder that night on the train. Lindsey is determined to get her husband back and if it means solving the murder herself then so be it.
This mystery was sooo good! It might be my favorite or among my top favorites of the series. The mystery was very good even though I've never read or seen Strangers on the Train. I got a kick out of the archives conference because I was at one myself over the weekend. Lindsey's group of rare books people seems to be based on the ALA's Rare Books and Manuscripts group whereas my people work with paper records. No spouses are not allowed to come unless they're members. A member can buy a ticket for a guest to come to the reception. However, in this case, Sully is rather overprotective of Lindsey and I think he was worried something would happen to her while she was out of his sight. What I found implausible was the train situation. Yes there are train stations in small towns along the Connecticut shore but they're commuter train stations for people to go to New York. In New Haven you can switch to go to New York or switch to Amtrak. Lindsey would have to go to New York and leave from Penn Station on Amtrak in order to get to Chicago. I let that slide too but the weird thing was how the conference had events on the train. That's not the way it works. Why were so many archivists on the train to begin with? Why were so many collectors or those who work for private collectors at the conference to begin with? Real archivists don't like private collectors because collectors hoard their treasures and don't let the public see them. Why was Harry the conference organizer when his previous job was curator and not archivist? Why is there a blizzard in coastal Connecticut with snowmageddon? It hasn't snowed like that in years and it's just a day and then we're plowed out, repeat every week until summer when the ice finally melts. I wasn't born yet during the Blizzard of '78 but yes I know the stories. More realistic, people would be worried about power outages and water in their basements than how much snow they have. (My parents have a house in a town near where Jenn grew up, north of where Briar Creek is supposed to be). Yes what Lindsey and the Crafternooners do, especially in 2 hours, is absurd but Lindsey was clever to come up with that solution. (Yet I mentally yelled at her for NOT being my mental twin and going to Emma).
The details stopped mattering once the mystery got going. When Sully disappeared, I just had to keep reading until the situation was resolved. I was happy only part of the story takes place on the train and the rest is set in Briar Creek so I didn't have to miss anyone. Only Ms. Cole is left out of the action, for very good reason. Charlie returns to the plot to assist with snowplow duties and shuttling Lindsey around. Even Heathcliff has an important role to play. I simply couldn't put the book down. I had a theory about why Sully was taken and Lindsey had a different theory and then Sully came up with a third. I think we were all correct. The mystery is pretty complicated! The last minute reveals were a surprise but sometimes the plot suffered because Jenn is a plotter and didn't let the plot flow naturally. I don't hold that against her because this could have gotten way out of control. I still didn't know whodunit and not being familiar with the book was an asset because I wasn't trying to shoehorn this story into a parallel of the novel/Hitchcock film. I was able to step back and watch the action and try to figure out what had happened. Obviously Lindsey overhears the moment Harry dies but who the figure in black is is the real mystery and whether there was one murderer or a murderer and a thief or a murderer/thief and accomplice?
Lindsey is very strong and brave in this story. She goes through a lot from the minute she steps on that train to the end of the novel. Her intuition tells her when something is wrong and she's prepared to fight for the man she loves and do anything in her power to get him back. I rather think Sully can take care of himself and find his own way back but of course it's more suspenseful this way. I felt out of sync with Lindsey for the first time. She didn't make the decisions I would have made and that surprised me. Sully is tough and brave too. He made one stupid decision that he shouldn't have made. I wouldn't have expected him to be that careless. It was nice to see Mary and Ian and hear from Sully's parents. That family bond is lovely and shows how special Sully is. I liked seeing Charlie back in the plot. He, too, is worried about Sully, his honorary big brother, but trying to focus on plowing and helping Lindsey. He's confident Sully will be OK. I kept thinking about Nancy and would the pain of losing her husband come back to hurt her after she learned Sully is missing? She's made of stronger stuff than that and while she's concerned, she focuses on helping Lindsey and feeding everyone cookies.
Chief Emma is amazing as always. She's a tough cop but fair. She has a puzzle on her hands, a real locked room mystery plus a blizzard to deal with. Emma is worried about Sully too, as a friend and community member but she has to stay focused on finding the murderer who will hopefully then lead her to Sully. Dear Robbie sticks around to support her and Lindsey. He provides the comic relief. Sweet Heathcliff misses his Daddy Sully and Lindsey tries to get Heathcliff to search for the missing man. Riiigghht, a terrier, with no training, is actually going to find a missing human. He'll find the missing mice in the inn all right but humans? Terriers don't do that. Zelda is cool and aloof as cats are and could care less. Her new favorite human is Robbie who has spoiled her while Lindsey and Sully were away. Sully who? Meow!
We meet a few new community members here. Michelle at the inn seems nice. She's gone through hard times and a cancelled wedding could have financially ruined her. Having the suspects stay is a nice bonus but will it affect business in the long run if people find out a murderer stayed there? She's super dumb when it comes to power outages though. HELLO! There's a murderer on the loose and someone obviously cut the lights. The first thing you do is check to see if power lines are down and neighbors have power (they probably have generators and the inn should have one too) and not go down to the basement let alone bring murder magnet Lindsey with her. I guess she'll know better next time. Molly at the police station is a dear. She's like a mom, ready to comfort everyone with bear hugs and sympathy.
The victim, Harry Standish, was not a nice man. He didn't deserve to be killed but he wasn't pleasant or easy to work with. He ran the conference like it was his own kingdom. That's implausible. There's usually multiple organizers and I've never seen an archivist come with an entourage that needs to get them stage ready. Are rare books people divas? Records and manuscripts people are pretty low-key. Harry seems like he had a short fuse and was constantly berating or pushing more work on his assistant, Penny Minton. His previous job was curator of a private collection for the mysterious Mr. Belknap in New York. Henry was accused of buying forgeries and lost his job. Lydia Armand was the one who performed the independent audit and accused Harry of fraud. Conveniently, she's the one who got his job. It was just handed to her. Collectors are weird people and not always ethical. Some don't ask questions and it sounds like this Belknap person didn't ask Harry to look at provenance too closely or cared much where his collection came from.
Lydia is a total *itch. She's high maintaintence, enjoys drama and annoying Harry. She enjoyed coming to the conference incognito just BECAUSE it would annoy Harry if he found out and it was sadistic fun to go behind his back. I don't trust her at all. She's awful! Harry's assistant, Penny, is the stereotypical assistant. She's mousy, plain, older and put upon. Harry was horrible to her and said some very cruel words. It's always the assistants who snap and kill their horrible bosses but Penny speaks up and defends herself when necessary. She is quick to point fingers though which makes me suspicious. If it wasn't her it was Kirk defending Penny's honor. He claims he is interested in her for her own sake and tries to get back in her good graces even threatening Harry's job because Kirk's grandmother is the wealthy, influential president of the Archivist Society. Uh oh!
What about the mysterious Andrew Shields. On the train he says he works for a private collector and at the inn he says he works for the Library of Congress which is obviously a lie. Who does he work for and how far would that person ask him to go to get a rare book? He seems bemused by the Harry-Lydia rivalry and is friendly enough to Lindsey and Sully but he should go on the suspect list. Other people were after Harry's job as conference organizer. Scott Westinghouse, director of the rbms library at the Cross Foundation. Since he's mostly known for being a womanizer and alcoholic, I'd say he's too lazy to murder anyone but there's an off chance it was an accident and this Mr. Westinghouse argued with Harry and drunkenly fell into the other man. Sally Kirkpatrick works for a private women's college (Swarthmore?) and seems to have the skills to be a good conference organizer. I don't think she would stoop to murder just to get the job. I don't think any of them would. A smear campaign made people feel sorry for him but it could work the other way too.
While I enjoyed this adventure, I would like to return to normalcy in Briar Creek and see the regular gang in more of the book. That includes Ms. Cole and especially Milton. I do think Heathcliff needs to keep his sleuthing role though.
While Lindsey and her husband Sully are attending an archives conference in Chicago, she discovers a rare book inside a conference tote bag under her seat. Brooklyn Wainwright, a rare book specialist (heroine of the Bibliophile mysteries Homicide in Hardcover) and speaker at the conference, declares that Strangers on a Train signed by the author to none other than Alfred Hitchcock must be worth a fortune! Lindsey is worried about the book getting back to its rightful owner. The conference organizer, Harry Standish, hastily hands it off to his assistant Penny to deal with. Lindsey and Sully return home on the sleeper train along with Harry and Penny when they discover Harry's longtime rival, Lydia Armand is on the train as well after attending the conference incognito. Harry is livid to discover Lydia is there and angry at Penny for flirting with wealthy noir book collector Kirk Duncan when Kirk surely must be after the book. Someone else wants the book as well, Andrew Shields, who represents the interests of a wealthy collector. Later that night, Lindsey can't sleep and startles at some loud thumping noises coming from the compartment next door. She worries about the ethics of checking it out but decides to open the passageway door and investigate. Lindsey spies a person in black running away. When Sully offers to check on the noise, the occupants of the neighboring compartments complain about the ruckus and Sully takes the blame for hearing the noises. The next morning Harry Standish fails to appear at breakfast and Lindsey is concerned. You can guess what she discovers when she has the steward check on Harry's compartment! Poor Harry Standish has fallen and broken his neck. Surely it's a tragic accident right? Lindsey isn't so sure. With a snowstorm brewing, everyone is eager to get home but Chief Emma Plewicki of Briar Creek and Detecive Trimble of the state police ground everyone in Briar Creek until they can figure out who killed Harry. When Sully goes missing while delivering supplies to the people snowbound on the islands, Lindsey is terrified. She fears someone took Sully because they believe he saw something tied to the murder that night on the train. Lindsey is determined to get her husband back and if it means solving the murder herself then so be it.
This mystery was sooo good! It might be my favorite or among my top favorites of the series. The mystery was very good even though I've never read or seen Strangers on the Train. I got a kick out of the archives conference because I was at one myself over the weekend. Lindsey's group of rare books people seems to be based on the ALA's Rare Books and Manuscripts group whereas my people work with paper records. No spouses are not allowed to come unless they're members. A member can buy a ticket for a guest to come to the reception. However, in this case, Sully is rather overprotective of Lindsey and I think he was worried something would happen to her while she was out of his sight. What I found implausible was the train situation. Yes there are train stations in small towns along the Connecticut shore but they're commuter train stations for people to go to New York. In New Haven you can switch to go to New York or switch to Amtrak. Lindsey would have to go to New York and leave from Penn Station on Amtrak in order to get to Chicago. I let that slide too but the weird thing was how the conference had events on the train. That's not the way it works. Why were so many archivists on the train to begin with? Why were so many collectors or those who work for private collectors at the conference to begin with? Real archivists don't like private collectors because collectors hoard their treasures and don't let the public see them. Why was Harry the conference organizer when his previous job was curator and not archivist? Why is there a blizzard in coastal Connecticut with snowmageddon? It hasn't snowed like that in years and it's just a day and then we're plowed out, repeat every week until summer when the ice finally melts. I wasn't born yet during the Blizzard of '78 but yes I know the stories. More realistic, people would be worried about power outages and water in their basements than how much snow they have. (My parents have a house in a town near where Jenn grew up, north of where Briar Creek is supposed to be). Yes what Lindsey and the Crafternooners do, especially in 2 hours, is absurd but Lindsey was clever to come up with that solution. (Yet I mentally yelled at her for NOT being my mental twin and going to Emma).
The details stopped mattering once the mystery got going. When Sully disappeared, I just had to keep reading until the situation was resolved. I was happy only part of the story takes place on the train and the rest is set in Briar Creek so I didn't have to miss anyone. Only Ms. Cole is left out of the action, for very good reason. Charlie returns to the plot to assist with snowplow duties and shuttling Lindsey around. Even Heathcliff has an important role to play. I simply couldn't put the book down. I had a theory about why Sully was taken and Lindsey had a different theory and then Sully came up with a third. I think we were all correct. The mystery is pretty complicated! The last minute reveals were a surprise but sometimes the plot suffered because Jenn is a plotter and didn't let the plot flow naturally. I don't hold that against her because this could have gotten way out of control. I still didn't know whodunit and not being familiar with the book was an asset because I wasn't trying to shoehorn this story into a parallel of the novel/Hitchcock film. I was able to step back and watch the action and try to figure out what had happened. Obviously Lindsey overhears the moment Harry dies but who the figure in black is is the real mystery and whether there was one murderer or a murderer and a thief or a murderer/thief and accomplice?
Lindsey is very strong and brave in this story. She goes through a lot from the minute she steps on that train to the end of the novel. Her intuition tells her when something is wrong and she's prepared to fight for the man she loves and do anything in her power to get him back. I rather think Sully can take care of himself and find his own way back but of course it's more suspenseful this way. I felt out of sync with Lindsey for the first time. She didn't make the decisions I would have made and that surprised me. Sully is tough and brave too. He made one stupid decision that he shouldn't have made. I wouldn't have expected him to be that careless. It was nice to see Mary and Ian and hear from Sully's parents. That family bond is lovely and shows how special Sully is. I liked seeing Charlie back in the plot. He, too, is worried about Sully, his honorary big brother, but trying to focus on plowing and helping Lindsey. He's confident Sully will be OK. I kept thinking about Nancy and would the pain of losing her husband come back to hurt her after she learned Sully is missing? She's made of stronger stuff than that and while she's concerned, she focuses on helping Lindsey and feeding everyone cookies.
Chief Emma is amazing as always. She's a tough cop but fair. She has a puzzle on her hands, a real locked room mystery plus a blizzard to deal with. Emma is worried about Sully too, as a friend and community member but she has to stay focused on finding the murderer who will hopefully then lead her to Sully. Dear Robbie sticks around to support her and Lindsey. He provides the comic relief. Sweet Heathcliff misses his Daddy Sully and Lindsey tries to get Heathcliff to search for the missing man. Riiigghht, a terrier, with no training, is actually going to find a missing human. He'll find the missing mice in the inn all right but humans? Terriers don't do that. Zelda is cool and aloof as cats are and could care less. Her new favorite human is Robbie who has spoiled her while Lindsey and Sully were away. Sully who? Meow!
We meet a few new community members here. Michelle at the inn seems nice. She's gone through hard times and a cancelled wedding could have financially ruined her. Having the suspects stay is a nice bonus but will it affect business in the long run if people find out a murderer stayed there? She's super dumb when it comes to power outages though. HELLO! There's a murderer on the loose and someone obviously cut the lights. The first thing you do is check to see if power lines are down and neighbors have power (they probably have generators and the inn should have one too) and not go down to the basement let alone bring murder magnet Lindsey with her. I guess she'll know better next time. Molly at the police station is a dear. She's like a mom, ready to comfort everyone with bear hugs and sympathy.
The victim, Harry Standish, was not a nice man. He didn't deserve to be killed but he wasn't pleasant or easy to work with. He ran the conference like it was his own kingdom. That's implausible. There's usually multiple organizers and I've never seen an archivist come with an entourage that needs to get them stage ready. Are rare books people divas? Records and manuscripts people are pretty low-key. Harry seems like he had a short fuse and was constantly berating or pushing more work on his assistant, Penny Minton. His previous job was curator of a private collection for the mysterious Mr. Belknap in New York. Henry was accused of buying forgeries and lost his job. Lydia Armand was the one who performed the independent audit and accused Harry of fraud. Conveniently, she's the one who got his job. It was just handed to her. Collectors are weird people and not always ethical. Some don't ask questions and it sounds like this Belknap person didn't ask Harry to look at provenance too closely or cared much where his collection came from.
Lydia is a total *itch. She's high maintaintence, enjoys drama and annoying Harry. She enjoyed coming to the conference incognito just BECAUSE it would annoy Harry if he found out and it was sadistic fun to go behind his back. I don't trust her at all. She's awful! Harry's assistant, Penny, is the stereotypical assistant. She's mousy, plain, older and put upon. Harry was horrible to her and said some very cruel words. It's always the assistants who snap and kill their horrible bosses but Penny speaks up and defends herself when necessary. She is quick to point fingers though which makes me suspicious. If it wasn't her it was Kirk defending Penny's honor. He claims he is interested in her for her own sake and tries to get back in her good graces even threatening Harry's job because Kirk's grandmother is the wealthy, influential president of the Archivist Society. Uh oh!
What about the mysterious Andrew Shields. On the train he says he works for a private collector and at the inn he says he works for the Library of Congress which is obviously a lie. Who does he work for and how far would that person ask him to go to get a rare book? He seems bemused by the Harry-Lydia rivalry and is friendly enough to Lindsey and Sully but he should go on the suspect list. Other people were after Harry's job as conference organizer. Scott Westinghouse, director of the rbms library at the Cross Foundation. Since he's mostly known for being a womanizer and alcoholic, I'd say he's too lazy to murder anyone but there's an off chance it was an accident and this Mr. Westinghouse argued with Harry and drunkenly fell into the other man. Sally Kirkpatrick works for a private women's college (Swarthmore?) and seems to have the skills to be a good conference organizer. I don't think she would stoop to murder just to get the job. I don't think any of them would. A smear campaign made people feel sorry for him but it could work the other way too.
While I enjoyed this adventure, I would like to return to normalcy in Briar Creek and see the regular gang in more of the book. That includes Ms. Cole and especially Milton. I do think Heathcliff needs to keep his sleuthing role though.
July 17, 2024
As always, a top-notch cozy mystery! Lots of action, a kidnapped hubby, and cute pets! I highly recommend this story and the entire series!
February 10, 2024
If you're in the mood for a book that's just plain fun to read, pick up Jenn McKinlay's Fatal First Edition. Although this is one of my favorite series and I would love you to read all fourteen books in it, I think you could pick this one up and not feel confused about the characters and their lives if you don't have the time to invest in the entire series. (But don't blame me if you read it and find yourself looking up all the others.)
There are so many elements that make Fatal First Edition a winner. There's the cameo appearance by book restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright, the main character in Kate Carlisle's excellent Bibliophile series. There are ties to master mystery writer Patricia Highsmith and master filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock through Highsmith's Strangers on a Train. There's train travel for those of you who haven't had the pleasure (and those of us who have). Even the weather cooperates by providing a blizzard during the hunt for the killer.
With all these elements comes a first-rate cast that I consider part of my fictional family. When a character's life is in danger, I was reminded of how I think McKinlay could be an extremely talented thriller writer. She definitely had me turning the pages as fast as I could.
After this thrill ride of a mystery, I can't wait to see what is next in store for intrepid librarian Lindsey Norris. Hurry up with the next book, Jenn!
(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)
There are so many elements that make Fatal First Edition a winner. There's the cameo appearance by book restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright, the main character in Kate Carlisle's excellent Bibliophile series. There are ties to master mystery writer Patricia Highsmith and master filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock through Highsmith's Strangers on a Train. There's train travel for those of you who haven't had the pleasure (and those of us who have). Even the weather cooperates by providing a blizzard during the hunt for the killer.
With all these elements comes a first-rate cast that I consider part of my fictional family. When a character's life is in danger, I was reminded of how I think McKinlay could be an extremely talented thriller writer. She definitely had me turning the pages as fast as I could.
After this thrill ride of a mystery, I can't wait to see what is next in store for intrepid librarian Lindsey Norris. Hurry up with the next book, Jenn!
(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)
April 16, 2024
The gold standard of cozy mysteries! You have a cameo appearance from another amazing character from an equally amazing series from a different author which makes my heart so very happy! You have a detailed plot with ample twists and turns with just enough hints to lead you to or away from the actual culprit! You have red herrings to throw you off the path of the correct suspect! You have fabulously written characters that absolutely come to life on the page and draw you even deeper into the story! Which means you have an absolutely excellent story to cuddle in and read the day away with! Add in great narration to the audio book and the book literally burst to life in your brain! Add in the convenience of being able to move and do other things while listening to the audio book and you have the perfect solution to reading and accomplishing tasks! I will say that I do highly recommend that you read the entire series in order so that you get to know the town, the characters and all the landmarks mentioned in the book as that will deepen your enjoyment of this book tenfold plus you get hours and hours more of entertainment by reading the entire series!!!
May 6, 2024
Book Antiquarian meets Murder on the Oriental Express!
On a visit to a rare bookish auction, the protagonist discovers an unexpected book that was a last-minute pullout of the auction. And while it all went pretty smoothly, a few dramas aside, on their way back - the man who kept the book with him for safekeeping is dead. And everyone on the train is a suspect 🫢.
The book is a light-hearted murder mystery and glides like butter if you are a true antiquarian at heart. The way the story discusses those rare books is infectious. I wasn't really a fan of the characters, but the mystery was enough to keep me hooked and booked.
I am glad it wasn't bloody and gruesome as I have a low tolerance for such scenes when described in a thriller. But the climax was well crafted with a few twists and undeniable lore for book lovers. Lastly, the book left me with a cozy feeling of a fond family with people so willing to help each other ( I would love to have such people in my life). The book leaves you with a tingling warmth and you should read it if you like the concept of books about books with a breezy mystery.
Thank you @netgalley @dreamscape_media @mckinlayjenn for the ARC.
Genre: #murdermystery #booksaboutbooks
#FatalFirstEdition
On a visit to a rare bookish auction, the protagonist discovers an unexpected book that was a last-minute pullout of the auction. And while it all went pretty smoothly, a few dramas aside, on their way back - the man who kept the book with him for safekeeping is dead. And everyone on the train is a suspect 🫢.
The book is a light-hearted murder mystery and glides like butter if you are a true antiquarian at heart. The way the story discusses those rare books is infectious. I wasn't really a fan of the characters, but the mystery was enough to keep me hooked and booked.
I am glad it wasn't bloody and gruesome as I have a low tolerance for such scenes when described in a thriller. But the climax was well crafted with a few twists and undeniable lore for book lovers. Lastly, the book left me with a cozy feeling of a fond family with people so willing to help each other ( I would love to have such people in my life). The book leaves you with a tingling warmth and you should read it if you like the concept of books about books with a breezy mystery.
Thank you @netgalley @dreamscape_media @mckinlayjenn for the ARC.
Genre: #murdermystery #booksaboutbooks
#FatalFirstEdition
April 25, 2024
I am SUCKER for any mystery on a train. I have been influenced as a child by Murder on the Orient Express and so this is giving a major nod to that which I LOVE. Also it is my dream to go on a sleeper train journey one day so I loved every single aspect about that. I also SQUEALED aloud when Brooklyn Wainwright was introduced because she is another character I absolutely adore! This book made me me all kinds of happy. I love Briar Creek and this community so much and loved how every character played important roles in unraveling the mystery. This book had me stressed and many gasp worthy moments. I already miss this series and cannot wait for more!
Note: I listened to the audiobook and as usual, I loved it. Allyson Ryan is one of my favorite narrator and she does such a lovely job with this series.
Note: I listened to the audiobook and as usual, I loved it. Allyson Ryan is one of my favorite narrator and she does such a lovely job with this series.
April 22, 2025
Fatal First Edition
3.5 Stars
While at a book archivist convention, Briar Creek librarian Lindsey Norris and her husband, Mike "Sully" Sullivan discover a rare first edition of Patricia Highsmith's Strangers on a Train with notes by Alfred Hitchcock. When the convention director is found dead on a train with several convention attendees, Lindsey, Sully, and the familiar residents of Briar Creek become embroiled in the investigation that may have deadly consequences for someone Lindsey loves.
Series note: This book contains a crossover with Kate Carlisle's Bibliophile Mystery series. That said, the cameo appearances by book restorer Brooklyn Wainwright and her husband, Derek Stone, are minor and play no role in the plot.
While the book has its moments, McKinlay misses an opportunity to incorporate themes from other classic train mysteries, including Highsmith's story and Agatha Christie's Murder on the Blue Train or Murder on the Orient Express. In fact, the train plays such a small part that it might have been removed altogether.
The mystery itself begins well but becomes too convoluted, and some of the situations defy belief, such as the crafternooners creating not to mention, Sully, a former Navy SEAL, being . Yeah . . . I don't think so . . .
Nevertheless, it is fun to visit Briar Creek again and to see the townsfolk rally together to help Lindsay. I must say that Chief Emma Plewicki has the patience of a saint.
Overall, a quick and entertaining read.
3.5 Stars
While at a book archivist convention, Briar Creek librarian Lindsey Norris and her husband, Mike "Sully" Sullivan discover a rare first edition of Patricia Highsmith's Strangers on a Train with notes by Alfred Hitchcock. When the convention director is found dead on a train with several convention attendees, Lindsey, Sully, and the familiar residents of Briar Creek become embroiled in the investigation that may have deadly consequences for someone Lindsey loves.
Series note: This book contains a crossover with Kate Carlisle's Bibliophile Mystery series. That said, the cameo appearances by book restorer Brooklyn Wainwright and her husband, Derek Stone, are minor and play no role in the plot.
While the book has its moments, McKinlay misses an opportunity to incorporate themes from other classic train mysteries, including Highsmith's story and Agatha Christie's Murder on the Blue Train or Murder on the Orient Express. In fact, the train plays such a small part that it might have been removed altogether.
The mystery itself begins well but becomes too convoluted, and some of the situations defy belief, such as the crafternooners creating not to mention, Sully, a former Navy SEAL, being . Yeah . . . I don't think so . . .
Nevertheless, it is fun to visit Briar Creek again and to see the townsfolk rally together to help Lindsay. I must say that Chief Emma Plewicki has the patience of a saint.
Overall, a quick and entertaining read.
February 20, 2024
Lindsay and Sully have taken the train to Chicago for a conference, where they meet Brooklyn and Derek from Kate Carlisle's books. But also a first edition of Strangers on a Train is found by Lindsay. Returning it to the conference coordinator, Lindsay wonders about it, but soon they are on their way back to Connecticut. On the train, there is a murder and all the suspects, who were all at the conference are now stranded in Briar Creek because of a blizzard. Lindsay jumps into help when Sully goes missing and the first edition is found in her luggage. I enjoyed this story, but at times it felt like the author was pushing the plot rather than letting it unfold. Love these characters so much! A good read overall.
March 12, 2024
It seemed so unlikely.
May 19, 2024
"Fatal First Edition" by Jenn McKinlay is a cozy mystery. It's her 14th in the Library Lover's Mystery Series, and it's my first time reading one of them, or, in fact, any of her books. It worked well as a stand-alone, and I found it quite entertaining. I'd gladly read any of the others in this series.
The only thing I noticed coming in late as a newbie in this series was the camaraderie between some of the characters that I was just meeting, but who clearly knew each other well.
The story starts at a Book Archivist Convention in Chicago on January, current time. Lindsey is a librarian. Her husband, Sully, has joined her in this trip. After one lecture, she finds a convention bag under her chair with a book on it. It's a signed first edition of Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith. She turns it in.
On the train ride home, we meet several of the archivists from the convention like arrogant Lydia. Later, the director of the convention, Harold, is found dead in his sleeping compartment. All the train passengers have to be held and questioned at the nearest train depot. They are in Connecticut, and a big blizzard is happening.
Sully disappears. It's a big mystery to find him.
Lindsey and Sully have a rambunctious dog named Heathcliff and a laid-back cat named Zelda. There are also the CrAfternoon friends who like to get together to make crafts and be social.
There is death, but not too bloody or gory. It's a good mystery.
Characters - 5/5
Writing - 5/5
Plot - 4/5
Pacing - 4/5
Unputdownability 4/5
Enjoyment - 5/5
Narration - 5/5 by Allyson Ryan
Cover - 5/5
Overall - 4.6 rounded up to 5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Jenn McKinlay for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
The only thing I noticed coming in late as a newbie in this series was the camaraderie between some of the characters that I was just meeting, but who clearly knew each other well.
The story starts at a Book Archivist Convention in Chicago on January, current time. Lindsey is a librarian. Her husband, Sully, has joined her in this trip. After one lecture, she finds a convention bag under her chair with a book on it. It's a signed first edition of Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith. She turns it in.
On the train ride home, we meet several of the archivists from the convention like arrogant Lydia. Later, the director of the convention, Harold, is found dead in his sleeping compartment. All the train passengers have to be held and questioned at the nearest train depot. They are in Connecticut, and a big blizzard is happening.
Sully disappears. It's a big mystery to find him.
Lindsey and Sully have a rambunctious dog named Heathcliff and a laid-back cat named Zelda. There are also the CrAfternoon friends who like to get together to make crafts and be social.
There is death, but not too bloody or gory. It's a good mystery.
Characters - 5/5
Writing - 5/5
Plot - 4/5
Pacing - 4/5
Unputdownability 4/5
Enjoyment - 5/5
Narration - 5/5 by Allyson Ryan
Cover - 5/5
Overall - 4.6 rounded up to 5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Jenn McKinlay for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
May 9, 2024
Library director Lindsey Norris and her husband, Sully, are attending an archivists' conference in Chicago. Lindsey finds a book under her seat that appears to be a first edition of Strangers on a Train signed from Patricia Highsmith to Alfred Hitchcock. Upon closer inspection, there were notes from Uncle Alfie for the screenplay. Honestly?! That is why I grabbed this book. Can you imagine...? Just thinking about that book, fictional or not, gave me goosebumps.
Anyway, the book seemingly disappears when the conference director is murdered on the train after the conference. Yes, a bunch of the east coast conference attendees road the train to and from Chicago. Why? Just go with it.
I actually was reminded of Dame Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. A bunch of people on a train where one passenger is murdered and a LOT of people had a motive. All the passengers are offloaded in Briar Creek and sent to the inn while the police investigated. Simultaneously, a blizzard shuts down the eastern US. And Sully is kidnapped. And Lindsey & Sully's house is burgled. Yep, there was lots going on here.
While the train ride was a bit... unrealistic in a current setting, the story was incredibly engaging. Every time poor Lindsey turned around, something else was happening. Believable or not, it made the book fly by. A quick, interesting albeit unrealistic read.
Anyway, the book seemingly disappears when the conference director is murdered on the train after the conference. Yes, a bunch of the east coast conference attendees road the train to and from Chicago. Why? Just go with it.
I actually was reminded of Dame Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. A bunch of people on a train where one passenger is murdered and a LOT of people had a motive. All the passengers are offloaded in Briar Creek and sent to the inn while the police investigated. Simultaneously, a blizzard shuts down the eastern US. And Sully is kidnapped. And Lindsey & Sully's house is burgled. Yep, there was lots going on here.
While the train ride was a bit... unrealistic in a current setting, the story was incredibly engaging. Every time poor Lindsey turned around, something else was happening. Believable or not, it made the book fly by. A quick, interesting albeit unrealistic read.
May 10, 2024
What I liked:
* Some of my favorite characters
* The use of a classic book and author and film director
* A huge blizzard for distraction
* A VERY interesting twist [occam's razor indeed; much like Lyndsey, I too was fooled]
What didn't [unfortunately] work for me:
* Having lived in NW PA for most of my life and having experienced blizzards such as what happens in the book, MUCH of what happens while the blizzard is raging, is completely unbelievable. Add in the ice issue and no one would be riding a bike [amongst other things] thats for sure.
* The way the baddie is trapped had me stalking around hurrumphing - Lyndsey is usually smarter than this and it was off-putting and very annoying.
* While the first part of the reveal was excellent [and unexpected, as I never saw that coming], the second half, even with the twist, fell a little flat for me.
Overall, it was a decent read and it was fun to visit with some of my favorite characters again.
I was granted an audiobook ARC for this book and it was lovely to listen to Allyson Ryan narrate this book; she is one of my absolute favorites and I always look forward to listening to her narration.
Thank you to NetGalley, Jenn McKinlay, Allyson Ryan - Narrator, and Dreamscape Media for providing the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
* Some of my favorite characters
* The use of a classic book and author and film director
* A huge blizzard for distraction
* A VERY interesting twist [occam's razor indeed; much like Lyndsey, I too was fooled]
What didn't [unfortunately] work for me:
* Having lived in NW PA for most of my life and having experienced blizzards such as what happens in the book, MUCH of what happens while the blizzard is raging, is completely unbelievable. Add in the ice issue and no one would be riding a bike [amongst other things] thats for sure.
* The way the baddie is trapped had me stalking around hurrumphing - Lyndsey is usually smarter than this and it was off-putting and very annoying.
* While the first part of the reveal was excellent [and unexpected, as I never saw that coming], the second half, even with the twist, fell a little flat for me.
Overall, it was a decent read and it was fun to visit with some of my favorite characters again.
I was granted an audiobook ARC for this book and it was lovely to listen to Allyson Ryan narrate this book; she is one of my absolute favorites and I always look forward to listening to her narration.
Thank you to NetGalley, Jenn McKinlay, Allyson Ryan - Narrator, and Dreamscape Media for providing the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Read
August 28, 2024Librarian Lindsey & husband Sully attend a library conference in Chicago to hear a specialist on book restoration. At the end of the conference, Lindsey finds a rare first edition book under her seat, which is determined to be quite valuable. It's returned to the conference director. A few hours later, they and many of the conference goers board a train back to Connecticut. Later, it's discovered that the conference director has been murdered and the book is missing. There is a train full of suspects! And of course, the next stop is their hometown, where our familiar police chief and friends from this series get involved in solving the crime.
Many familiar faces are in this book, both human and beloved Heathcliff (dog) and cat (sorry, can't remember her name). Due to a snowstorm, there is less interaction than most of these books though. And while I enjoyed this book, it was perhaps a slight step below some of the others. Still a fun book/audiobook with crime solving and friendship.
3-1/2 stars rounded up to 4
Many familiar faces are in this book, both human and beloved Heathcliff (dog) and cat (sorry, can't remember her name). Due to a snowstorm, there is less interaction than most of these books though. And while I enjoyed this book, it was perhaps a slight step below some of the others. Still a fun book/audiobook with crime solving and friendship.
3-1/2 stars rounded up to 4
April 23, 2024
Fun little cozy bibliomystery I listened to via NetGalley.
Engaging characters with some odd callouts to other mystery series and writers. Few true surprises but an entertaining read with enough to amuse and attract book lovers and librarians and mystery fans too
Engaging characters with some odd callouts to other mystery series and writers. Few true surprises but an entertaining read with enough to amuse and attract book lovers and librarians and mystery fans too
March 17, 2024
Wonderful book in this fun cozy mystery series! Loved it. I can't wait to read the next one when it comes out.
October 1, 2024
Lindsey gets to meet the best people since this series has the best cameos in it. Loved Brooklyn and Derek stopping by. This was a really fun story and in some ways drove me crazy as I wasn’t quite sure how the culprit kept pulling things off in a blizzard. Quality writing as well and I can’t wait for the next adventure.
January 14, 2025
3.5 stars.
March 8, 2024
I have been reading Jenn McKinlay’s Library Lover's Mystery series since it was first published in 2011. I was a newish library director at the time and I fell totally in love with this series. Now we are on book #14, Fatal First Edition, and I am still in love. And maybe this one is my favorite yet?!? It’s hard to say as they are all so great, but this one earned shiny five stars when I closed the book with a sigh. I loved that the book kicked off at a conference in Chicago (having been to many library conferences in Chicago myself) and then to have the murder happen on a snowy train ride home was genius. The descriptions of the blizzard made me feel cold as I read and added to the suspense of the mystery. I love everything about this series – characters, setting, pets. It’s like visiting with old friends.
May 6, 2025
Fatal First Edition was another fantastic installment in the Library Lover’s Mystery series following Lindsey as she finds herself caught up in a murder on a train.
Briar Creek Library director Lindsey Norris is excited to attend a library conference in Chicago with her husband Sully. When Lindsey finds a rare, valuable book under her seat after one of the lectures, she turns it over to the conference director hoping it will find its' way back to the rightful owner. But after Lindsey and Sully board the train back to Connecticut, they hear rumors from fellow passengers that the book has gone missing. And after the conference director is found murdered in his private compartment next to Lindsey's, Lindsey and Sully find themselves caught up in another murder.
Fatal First Edition opens with Lindsey and Sully at the conference and Lindsey discovering the rare book under her seat after a lecture presented by Brooklyn Wainwright (a character from Kate Carlisle's Bibliophile series which was a fun crossover). We then jump ahead to Lindsey and Sully boarding the train to head home along with a number of other attendees from the conference. Initially I thought this book wouldn't feature most of the usual side characters but after the discovery of the body, the train stops in Briar Creek as it was the next stop on the line. The train arrives in the midst of a blizzard so the passengers are put up in the local inn while Emma begins her investigation. Going into the investigation in this one, we knew the pool of suspects as it had to be someone else on the train from the conference. I liked seeing the characters narrow down the list of suspects to find out who was behind everything and there were some great surprises along the way. The confrontation with the killer was well done and I was happy with how the case was wrapped up.
The characters in this series are amazing and I'm always happy to return to these books as I've come to really enjoy the characters after so long. Lindsey and Sully's relationship is fantastic and I love how much they've settled in to married life. Sully wasn't actually present for most of the book which was a shame as I've come to enjoy the little ways he helps Lindsey with her investigations. The crafternooners once again help Lindsey with the case and I love the dynamic of the group. Everyone assists in their own way and I like that they don't even question that they'll be involved, they just start helping.
Overall Fatal First Edition was a great read and I'm looking forward to picking up the next book in the series, A Merry Little Murder Plot, soon.
Briar Creek Library director Lindsey Norris is excited to attend a library conference in Chicago with her husband Sully. When Lindsey finds a rare, valuable book under her seat after one of the lectures, she turns it over to the conference director hoping it will find its' way back to the rightful owner. But after Lindsey and Sully board the train back to Connecticut, they hear rumors from fellow passengers that the book has gone missing. And after the conference director is found murdered in his private compartment next to Lindsey's, Lindsey and Sully find themselves caught up in another murder.
Fatal First Edition opens with Lindsey and Sully at the conference and Lindsey discovering the rare book under her seat after a lecture presented by Brooklyn Wainwright (a character from Kate Carlisle's Bibliophile series which was a fun crossover). We then jump ahead to Lindsey and Sully boarding the train to head home along with a number of other attendees from the conference. Initially I thought this book wouldn't feature most of the usual side characters but after the discovery of the body, the train stops in Briar Creek as it was the next stop on the line. The train arrives in the midst of a blizzard so the passengers are put up in the local inn while Emma begins her investigation. Going into the investigation in this one, we knew the pool of suspects as it had to be someone else on the train from the conference. I liked seeing the characters narrow down the list of suspects to find out who was behind everything and there were some great surprises along the way. The confrontation with the killer was well done and I was happy with how the case was wrapped up.
The characters in this series are amazing and I'm always happy to return to these books as I've come to really enjoy the characters after so long. Lindsey and Sully's relationship is fantastic and I love how much they've settled in to married life. Sully wasn't actually present for most of the book which was a shame as I've come to enjoy the little ways he helps Lindsey with her investigations. The crafternooners once again help Lindsey with the case and I love the dynamic of the group. Everyone assists in their own way and I like that they don't even question that they'll be involved, they just start helping.
Overall Fatal First Edition was a great read and I'm looking forward to picking up the next book in the series, A Merry Little Murder Plot, soon.
April 30, 2024
I love this series! As a librarian, I appreciate Jenn's details without alienating readers who aren't familiar with library experiences. Fun storyline, I liked the fact it changed locations but still came home to Briar Creek so we could enjoy all our favorite characters. Well done and thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to the book before the release date. Listening to this series is like visiting with friends.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 300 reviews