A Deadly Edition: A Blue Ridge Library Mystery

by Victoria Gilbert

Overview

"'Til death do us part" could be closer than the bride realizes in Victoria Gilbert's tantalizing fifth Blue Ridge Library mystery.

The pursuit to acquire a rare illustrated book turns deadly, and on the eve of her upcoming wedding, library director Amy Webber is drawn into a web of treachery and betrayal that could derail her happy day—and maybe just claim her life.

Planning a wedding can be murder—sometimes literally. At a party celebrating their upcoming nuptials, Taylorsford, Virginia library director Amy Webber and her fiancé Richard Muir discover the body of art dealer Oscar Selvaggio—a bitter rival of their host, Kurt Kendrick.

Both had been in a heated battle to purchase a rare illustrated volume created by William Morris's Kelmscott Press, so suspicion immediately falls upon Kurt. Amy knows that Kurt has a closet-full of skeletons from his past—but she can't believe he's guilty of murder.

Amidst an avalanche of wedding preparations, Amy begins an investigation with the help of her aunt Lydia Talbot and the new mayor of Taylorsford, Sunshine "Sunny" Fields. Much to Lydia's dismay, her boyfriend, art expert Hugh Chen, becomes convinced of Kurt's guilt and launches an investigation of his own. As the case hits painfully close to home, the stakes become impossibly high—and the danger all too real.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781643854762
Publisher:	CROOKED LANE BOOKS
Publication date:	12/08/2020
Series:	A Blue Ridge Library Mystery , #5
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	232,360
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

Raised in a historic small town in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Victoria Gilbert turned her early obsession with books into a dual career as an author and librarian. She holds a B.A. in Theatre, a Masters in Library Science, and a M.A. in Liberal Studies, and has worked as a reference librarian and library director for public, museum, and academic libraries. An avid reader who appreciates good writing in all genres, Victoria has been known to read seven books in as many days. When not writing or reading, she likes to watch films, listen to music, garden, or travel. Victoria is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, son, and some very spoiled cats.

Editorial Reviews

10/26/2020

In Gilbert’s entertaining fifth Blue Ridge Library mystery (after Bound for Murder), Amy Webber, director of the Taylorsford, Va., public library, and her fiancé, choreographer Richard Muir, are looking forward to getting married, but the couple run into a snag. At a pre-wedding party hosted by well-to-do Kurt Kendrick at his elegant historic home, an unexpected guest shows up—art dealer Oscar Selvaggio, who’s in a battle with Kurt over which of them is going to obtain a Kelmscott illustrated Chaucer edition. When Amy and Richard later come across Oscar’s dead body on Kurt’s property, suspicion immediately falls on Kurt. However, the conniving Oscar made a lot of enemies over the years, so any number of others could have had a motive. Amy has her work cut out for her to catch the culprit before her nuptials. Lively small-town characters, a well-paced plot, and dollops of fascinating art history help make this a winner. Cozy fans will be eager to come back for more. Agent: Frances Black, Literary Counsel. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for A Deadly Edition:
“Endearing characters are further fleshed out in the library director's fifth mystery.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Lively small-town characters, a well-paced plot, and dollops of fascinating art history help make this a winner.”
—Publishers Weekly

“The well plotted and character driven story moves quickly  and has something for everyone...Highly recommended.”
—Fresh Fiction

“Interesting characters and an easy to read story.”
—Red Carpet Crash

“Gilbert skillfully weaves a rich tapestry of suspense, suggested guilt, and motive.”
—Midwest Book Review


"Another win for the series...layered characters [and] a solid mystery."
—San Francisco Book Review


"Packed with enough twists and turns to keep even the most avid cozy mystery reader guessing."—MyShelf

"Fun characters, a mystery that makes you think, and a beautiful wedding make A Deadly Edition a very solid addition to the series."
—Escape with Dollycas

“What a great cast of characters.”
—Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

Praise for Bound for Murder:
"Pleasant."
—Kirkus Reviews

“The plot builds to a complex but satisfying conclusion. Cozy fans will hope Amy will return soon.”
—Publishers Weekly

"Series fans will enjoy the ongoing shenangians...Newbies with an appreciation for small town politics (and an interlibrary loan mulligan) will have no trouble starting here."
—Booklist

“Another deftly crafted mystery buff's delight by a true master of the genre.”
—Midwest Book Review

“The murder mystery is both well plotted and clever enough to keep the most seasoned of mystery readers guessing.”
—MyShelf
 
“A mystery that has suspense, surprises, and humor which makes for an addicting and delightful cozy read from beginning to end.”
—Manhattan Book Review

Praise for Past Due for Murder:
"A fun tale of books and crooks!"
—Woman's World

“Gilbert weaves a well-paced, engaging story with strong characters… Blue Ridge Mystery fans will love reconnecting with Amy and her Taylorsford compatriots.”
—NY Journal of Books

“What more could we want than to have our murder mysteries solved by an endearing librarian?”
—Appalachian Mountain Books

Praise for Shelved Under Murder:
“The arts are well represented by the painters and Richard’s work as a choreographer, adding a new level of interest to this small-town cozy series.”
—Booklist
 
 “Cozy fans will have fun.”
—Publishers Weekly
 
“Amy turns out to be as apt a student of art forgery as she is of everything book-related. Just the thing for readers whose pulses quicken when they read: ‘The way he looks at you sometimes…deserves an R-rating.’”
—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2020-09-16
A long-planned wedding is threatened by murder.

Blue Ridge Library director Amy Webber is about to marry the love of her life, dancer Richard Muir, when she becomes involved in yet another mysterious death, this time at a party Kurt Kendrick is hosting to celebrate the upcoming nuptials. Although Kurt's been a good friend to Amy, his activities have frequently skirted the law. Among the guests is art dealer Oscar Selvaggio, who’s vying with Kurt for a rare William Morris handmade volume of Chaucer’s poetry. When Oscar is fatally poisoned, Kurt is a suspect, but there are plenty of others who might have wanted Oscar dead. Amy’s brother, Scott, is on hand to provide computer expertise, but she suspects he also does field work for a government agency and that her wedding is only part of the reason he's in town. Throw in a private detective who romances Amy’s bestie, an inquisitive stranger who gives a large donation to the library, and members of Amy's own family with secrets to hide, and Amy soon finds herself struggling to find answers. Her research skills are certainly up to the task, but will they keep her alive long enough to say “I do”?

Endearing characters are further fleshed out in the library director's fifth mystery.

Kirkus Reviews