Overdue or Die

by Allison Brook

Overview

Carrie Singleton has a wedding to plan, a killer to catch, and a conspiracy to uncover in this charming seventh novel of Agatha Award-nominee Allison Brook’s Haunted Library mysteries.

Carrie Singleton has more than her fair share on her plate: her job at the Clover Ridge Library, preparing for her wedding to Dylan Avery, and hoping that the local art gallery doesn’t steal away one of her part-time employees. Her fiancé Dylan accompanies her to the beautiful home of Victor Zalinka—art collector and successful businessman—to select paintings for an art show at the library. While Carrie muses that Victor's home would be the perfect wedding venue, Dylan spots a forgery among the paintings in Victor's collection.

Then Martha Mallory is found murdered in her art gallery. With the assistance of Evelyn, the library ghost; the resident cat, Smoky Joe; and the office manager of Dylan’s private investigation company, Carrie comes up with a suspect list long enough to rival the size of an encyclopedia. During her investigation, Carrie stumbles across a terrible truth: Martha’s murder was part of something far bigger and more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. And it all leads back to the art gallery.

How far will Carrie go to find the killer and uncover the truth? If the killer finds her first—will Carrie finally be taken out of circulation?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781639104833
Publisher:	CROOKED LANE BOOKS
Publication date:	10/10/2023
Series:	Haunted Library Mystery Series , #7
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	189,694
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

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

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Overdue or Die:
“A complex mystery.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Overdue or Die is a charming mystery that blends art forgery, wedding planning, and murder to create the right amount of chaos and fun.”
—Manhattan Book Review

“Yet another carefully crafted and fun read with all the elements her fans have come to expect.”
—Midwest Book Review

“It just keeps getting better.”
—Red Carpet Crash

“[A] quick, pleasant read.”
—The Nameless Zine

Praise for the Haunted Library Mysteries:
"Brook weaves together a spunky protagonist, a quaint setting, and a ghost with a mind of her own to create a book that cozy readers will be dying to check out."
—Lucy Arlington, New York Times bestselling author

"A charming cozy town, a spunky heroine and a mystery that grabs you from page one.”
—Peg Cochran, national bestselling author of Dead and Berried

"The perfect combination that keeps readers turning pages."
—Kylie Logan, national bestselling author of Gone with the Twins

"Readers of Miranda James, Jenn McKinlay, Carolyn Hart, Nancy Atherton, and Carolyn Haines will be delighted.”
―Library Journal, starred review

“Charming characters, an idealistic setting, and a killer reveal.”
—Manhattan Book Review, 5-star review

“Brook has a talent for weaving a charming mystery.”
—San Francisco Book Review, 5-star review

“Captivating."
—Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

2023-08-23
A Connecticut librarian, her fiance, and a ghostly friend solve a series of crimes.

Clover Ridge librarian Carrie Singleton’s beloved Great-Aunt Harriet and Great-Uncle Bosco stand in for her distant parents, so she’s anxious when Bosco suffers a heart attack. Her cat, Smoky Joe, and Dylan Avery, her fiance, do their best to cheer her up, but they’re soon overwhelmed by art forgeries, murder, and wedding plans. Dylan, an investigator who recovers stolen art, is off to Chicago to clear out his late great-great-uncle’s apartment and pick up a valuable Terrance Haggerty painting left to him. As the library prepares to open a new wing, Carrie is involved in festivities involving the library board, the staff, council members, and wealthy donors, all of whom often have differing views. The first event in the new wing is interrupted by a septuagenarian named Emily Pierce Fielding, who claims that the building belongs to her. Carrie’s awful night is capped by a call that Dylan’s been attacked and his painting stolen. The evidence leads to a ring of art forgers Dylan and his partner plan to track down. When local businessman Victor Zalinka invites Carrie and Dylan to his magnificent house to pick out artworks from his collection to lend to the library gallery, Dylan immediately recognizes that Victor’s Haggerty is a forgery. The murder of local gallery owner Martha Mallory raises the stakes. Carrie’s friend Evelyn Havers, the ghost who haunts the library, wants Carrie to find the killer of her old friend Martha, who harbored many secrets.

A complex mystery whose many pieces eventually snap into shape.

Kirkus Reviews