Bookmarked for Murder

Scrappy Librarian #1

by Marion Moore Hill

Bookmarked for Murder features Juanita Wills, intrepid (aka nosy) public librarian in the small town of Wyndham, Oklahoma. In this first book in the Scrappy Librarian series, Juanita takes on a dangerous mix of murder, local militias, and deep-seated racism, as she tries to get to the bottom of a hate crime that takes place in a local church. Juanita is nothing if not stubborn, whether she is pestering suspects, trying to keep a book club on track, or playing referee to the "quote wars" that inspire her staff to their own version of literary mayhem. The small-town setting is pleasantly familiar, and the story a satisfying tale of secrets unraveled and justice sought. Marion Moore Hill is the author of the Scrappy Librarian mystery series and the Deadly Past mysteries. She lives in Durant, Oklahoma.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Murder Mystery

218 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2001

About the author

(from author's website: abbreviated)

Marion Moore Hill was born in Oklahoma and grew up primarily in Illinois and Kansas. She holds the A.A. degree from El Dorado (Kansas) Junior College (now Butler County Community College), the B.S. in journalism from Oklahoma Baptist University and the M.A. in communications from Stanford University. Hill has worked as a newspaper reporter, college English and journalism teacher, legal secretary, and ad copywriter. For several years, she and husband Elbert owned and operated a small ethnic/gourmet grocery in Durant.

She writes two series of mystery novels: the Scrappy Librarian Mysteries and the Deadly Past Mysteries. In the former series, tough, funny Oklahoma librarian Juanita Wills solves mysteries using her research skills and knowledge of fellow townspeople in small-town Wyndham, Oklahoma. In BOOKMARKED FOR MURDER, published in 2003, Juanita runs afoul of a secret hate group operating in her community. In DEATH BOOKS A RETURN, published in 2008, she searches for the truth about an unsolved 50-year-old racist murder.

Hill loves animals and gave her librarian heroine a canine sidekick, Rip, whom Juanita has ironically named for Jack the Ripper because he's timid around strangers. Juanita's significant other, Wyndham Police Lieutenant Wayne Cleary, tries to dissuade her from snooping into possibly dangerous situations, but her nosy nature sends her sleuthing anyway. Her reporter friend, Vivian Mathiesen, aids and abets.

Reviews

[Kay (Brigidsmomma) Compton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This says it is the first book in the series, but there appears to be a lot of stuff that has happened in the past that it might be helpful to know... like why she has a track record already for investigating stuff, and the relationship she has with the cop that seems like there should be some explanations for some of the comments between them. Still, it's a decent read, and I am interested enough to try a second book in the series.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love librarians in books and Juanita is an interesting librarian with interesting staff. Since her boyfriend is a policeman it is inevitable that she end up involved in murder. Throw in some secret militia, a cast of possible suspects and the nosy nature of Juanita and you have a complicated mystery with a lot of interesting twists and turns. I had a bit of trouble with some of Juanita's decisions and where she put herself in dire situations but all in all it is a good mystery.

[Judy Gehman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I thought I was reading a cozy. But cozy it was not. The story is about a hate crime. A local minister is beaten, and eventually dies. A hate message is scrawled on one wall. Juanita, the town librarian goes about very logically trying to solve the crime. But she is more than a little stupid in the precarious position she puts herself in, time after time. Not an enjoyable read.

[Adriane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and enjoyed how the story developed and grew through out the book. Even if sometimes it seemed a little bit slow to get going.

The characters aren't bad at all, but I might describe them more as a good start. Because I feel that the characters need more development, such as back stories, character traits, personalities etc. But I would like to think this may be something that happens gradually as the series progresses.

The story was good and the topic although somewhat controversial never went deep enough to cause outrage so the book stayed as some have described it a cosy mystery. The only thing that kind of bothered me was I wanted more investigation, a bit like a detective book. But maybe that's because I read a lot of detective stories. But some of the investigation tacts were a bit silly!

Overall it was a good start to a series and i'll definitely give the next one a go!

I received this title for free in exchange for an honest review.

[Marilyn Fontane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bookmarked for Murder by Marion Moore Hill first came out in 2001, and I read it then and liked it (enough to get every subsequent book in the series), and decided to reread it and see how the series progressed (Scrappy Librarian # 4 recently came out). I still love the story. Set in a small Oklahoma town, Ferris Asher, the minister of the Wyndham United Methodist Church, was beaten in his own church (and eventually dies). Seeing and hearing the commotion at the church, Juanita Wills, the scrappy librarian, finds his body. She is horrified and thus begins her career of snoopy detective. However, this plot is more serious than that found in many cozy detective novels. It involves the paramilitary hate group, G. O. L. (Guardians of Liberty), who not only get together and practice for eventual mayhem, but some of whose members threaten immigrants, attempt to influence elections, beat up the people whose ideas oppose theirs, attempt to sway teenagers to their own perverted ends, and provide a cover for murder.
If anything the story is more relevant today than when it was written. Probably Spanish-Americans, rather than Vietnamese immigrants would be more appropriate, but the spirit and ideas shown are the same. In an essentially good community, a few people cause fear and anxiety. Threatening phone calls and a snake on her porch make even poor Juanita suspect some of her friends and employees.
But it is cozy and an enjoyable one at that. Juanita's book club discusses Walden and later The Prince (both of which provide insights to the town's own situation). Meador and Mavis, Juanita's two opposite and hostile-to-one-another staff members have a long lasting quotation war, which is enjoyable in itself in addition to providing clues (unknown to the two authors) for the mystery. Although two people are murdered, others, like teenage Eddie, gain from the experience. And Juanita's romance with policeman Wayne Cleary, while on the rocks when she insists in investigating where she shouldn't, is finally put back to normal. And of course, there are scenes where you are in suspense as to whether Juanita will survive, the most exciting being when a G. O. L. member plans to kill her and Eddie.
Adrenaline and humor, and interesting plot (I did not figure out the murderer until he actually threatened Juanita) as well as a serious social issue to consider make this an excellent novel--not just a good first novel. Definitely a good read!

[Trish · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a pretty bog standard cozy, without much really original in it to grab my attention, except maybe the underlying threat from the local militia. The main character is the standard amateur sleuth with the inevitable relationship with someone in law enforcement who tells her to butt out, and but she carries on regardless, apparently leaving both her brain and her common sense behind her in the process (getting a letter on the strength of which she went out on her own to the HQ of a militia which had already warned her off? it was so obviously a trap).

At least, on the bright side, it was handy (if coincidental!) having just read Walden & Civil Disobedience, as they were discussed in the Book group in this book, so I knew what they were talking about.

[Gail · Rating 2 out of 5]

Juanita is a small town librarian, returning home to Oklahoma. She runs the library with two assistants and goes to a book club meeting and generally knows everyone in town. While walking home one night, she surprises a group of thugs beating up a gentle minister. Curiosity aroused, she starts asking questions uncovering a lot of undercurrents, racial unrest, and rural militia.

THis was offered free via Kindle. It is okay. One of the enjoyable features was the ongoing quotation wars between her two very different assistants. Each posts insults to each other on post it notes, using quotes from famous thinkers of the past. This is a sort of elegant and funny take on the passive aggressive notes of room mates and co workers.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this gentle mystery fairly well, but it was a little slow at times.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had my doubts about this book from the low reviews it has received here, but it was much better than expected! The story kept me interested and attentive throughout, especially near the end.

[Cindi · Rating 2 out of 5]

the racism & violence was a bit heavy for a cozy. the "quote war" was distracting & annoying. she needed to quite trying to be best friends with her employees & be the boss.