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    By Book or by Crook
    By Book or by Crook
    By Book or by Crook
    Audiobook9 hours

    By Book or by Crook

    Written by Eva Gates

    Narrated by Elise Arsenault

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    For ten years Lucy has enjoyed her job poring over rare tomes of literature for the Harvard Library, but she has not enjoyed the demands of her family's social whorl or her sort-of-engagement to the staid son of her father's law partner. But when her ten-year relationship implodes, Lucy realizes that the plot of her life is in need of a serious rewrite.

    Calling on her Aunt Ellen, Lucy hopes that a little fun in the Outer Banks sun-and some confections from her cousin Josie's bakery-will help clear her head. But her retreat quickly turns into an unexpected opportunity when Aunt Ellen gets her involved in the lighthouse library tucked away on Bodie Island.

    Lucy is thrilled to land a librarian job in her favorite place in the world. But when a priceless first edition Jane Austen novel is stolen and the chair of the library board is murdered, Lucy suddenly finds herself ensnared in a real-life mystery-and she's not so sure there's going to be a happy ending . . .
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateJun 24, 2015
    ISBN9781494584665
    By Book or by Crook
    Author

    Eva Gates

    Eva Gates is a national bestselling author who began her writing career as a Sunday writer: a single mother of three high-spirited daughters with a full-time job as a computer programmer. Now she has more than twenty novels under her belt in the mystery genre, published under the name Vicki Delany. She lives in Ontario.

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    Reviews for By Book or by Crook

    3.5/5

    159 ratings19 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I read "Booked for Trouble" not realizing that it wasn't the first book in the series. I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to read the "series opener" and it was definitely the anticipated delight.For all readers who love cozy mysteries and furry faces, this series is a charming new addition. Then add the magical appeal of library setting in a lighthouse, an apartment for the assistant librarian on one of the upper levels, and a "librarian sleuth" and you'll quickly add this series to your "reading series wish list and/or favorite cozy series list.The novel is receiving 4 out of 5 stars due to copy edits that I noticed in both novels which I always find distracting from my reading pleasure.
    • 3/5
      3 stars. Overall I enjoyed the book even though my copy was a misprint. Naturally the misprint was 20 pages at the climax of the book. Well at least I could glean what happened by reading the last chapter. The book had more romance than I like for a cozy with the I could smell the "male hormones" references.. really? and a love triangle set up within the first few pages. Ugggh. I may continue with the series.
    • 4/5
      The Bodie Island Lighthouse Library on the Outer Banks of North Carolina is celebrating the arrival of a complete set of first editions by Jane Austen with a small open house with library patrons and local dignitaries. It’s marred by the murder of the library board’s chair, Jonathan Uppiton, and the theft of one of the Jane Austen first editions. Our heroine, Lucy Richardson, newly named to the post of assistant librarian, is in the thick of it. By Book or by Crook is populated with all varieties of odd-ball book lovers, and a few folks who would like nothing better than having the library close – permanently. As usual, the lower the stakes, the more the venom. But Lucy is stunned when she learns that she herself is a suspect in Uppiton’s murder. She decides to do some not-so-subtle sleuthing to protect not only herself, but also the quirky library staff and her boss, who is from day one the police department’s number one suspect. By Book or by Crook is a lively mystery with a great setting, wonderful characters and a heroine readers of cozies readers will find delightful.
    • 3/5
      I hemmed and hawed about how to rate this book because it's a good story, with a fantastic setting (a library in a lighthouse!) and good characters. But it is the worst book I've ever read for editing by a major publisher ever. Quickly: Lucy moves away from her old-money family in Boston to live near her aunt on Bodie Island, North Carolina and gets a job as the Assistant Librarian at the Lighthouse Library. She finds herself surrounded by people who either wanted her job or wanted her job eliminated. During a reception celebrating a showing of Jane Austen first editions, the library board's chairman is killed. Then the Austen books start going missing... It's a really good story for a first in a series. The murder plotting is really great - I never even considered the guilty person once. Lots of potential here for a very smart, enjoyable series. But the editing!!! This is what I stumbled over that slipped past the Obsidian/Penguin staff: Lucy lives in a round lighthouse. She mentions specifically her apartment is round and has no corners. Then proceeds to describe the room as having corners ("the iron day bed... tucked in a corner"). The mayor tells Lucy he's going to bring his friend's daughter to one of her lectures. In the next paragraph, she's his niece (he also tells Lucy he's an only child). waived instead of wavedprovidence instead of provenance corner instead of countersetting instead of sellinginjunction instead of injection The icing on this particular cake is the acknowledgements at the end, where the author thanks "Laura Fazio, my marvellous editor at Obsidian". What is it, exactly, that she's thanking her for? Because it certainly isn't her fabulous editing.
    • 4/5
      My favorite genre books are either fantasy, mystery or SF. This book covers two, fantasy and mystery, there are no ghosts or other supernatural creatures the fantasy comes from the circumstances of a book loving librarian.
      Lucy the librarian in question, moves to the outer banks to work in a library and what a library it is, a working lighthouse and not only does she get to work in such a beautiful location, she actually lives in the lighthouse with the library cat. Now tell me is that not a single book loving persons best fantasy, it sure is mine!
      The book itself is a fun and fast read, perfect for the beach, as you can build that lighthouse in your head just feet from where you are tanning.
    • 5/5
      outer-banks, lawyers, law-enforcement, librarian, library, amateur-sleuth, family-dynamics, friendship, murder, murder-investigation, small-town*****I've read books 5-8 and was happy when I could get the very first one on sale and in audio. I would have been better off getting it in print or electronic as the narrator was a drama queen who didn't bother to research pronunciations. End of rant.I wanted to see how it all began as well as see how the characters developed. The quality of the plot has remained good as the whole thing developed and I am really pleased to recommend the author's work from beginning to current!
    • 4/5
      A proposal from her longtime boyfriend spurs Lucy to the realization that her life is not what she wants it to be. Needing a drastic change, she leaves her job and her boyfriend, says good-bye to her family, and heads out to visit her aunt. Lucy ends up in her dream job – working in a small library that is housed in a lighthouse. An added perk is that she gets to live there, too. But then, a murder and a theft of a rare book threatens to undo her perfect life. This series holds much promise. The setting, the characters, and the mystery are equally delightful. I listened to the audio, and my only objection is that the narrator, though quite clear in her diction, lacks some sparkle to her dreadfully slow reading. I liked it better after I increased the speed somewhat.
    • 3/5
      Digital audiobook read by Elise ArsenaultAfter her engagement is called off, Lucy Richardson leaves her position with the Harvard library and heads to Bodie Island in the Outer Banks, where her aunt Ellen and cousin, Josie, live. Her escape becomes an opportunity, however, when Aunt Ellen gets her involved in the lighthouse library. But when a priceless first edition Jane Austen novel is stolen, during a private party, and then a body is found, Lucy finds herself enmeshed in a mystery she hadn’t bargained for. Cozy mysteries are my go-to reading comfort food. This one has some things going for it – a decent premise, an eclectic cast of characters (including a cousin who “treats” all woes with freshly baked goods), a possible love interest, and a setting I love (a library … in a lighthouse!). Of course, we also have the obligatory “mean girl” in town; Louise Jane is rich, spoiled, and pushy. But I suppose every heroine needs a foil. However … Lucy rather got on my nerves. She jumped to so many conclusions without evidence that I quickly dismissed any person she suspected of being the culprit. Still, it held my interest and I’ll likely read more of this series.Elise Arsenault does a fine job narrating the audiobook. She sets a good pace and her diction is clear (even when listening at double speed).
    • 1/5
      I finished this back in June, so some details are fuzzy.

      Lucy previously worked at the Harvard Library and is now a new librarian at Bodie Island's public library, which is housed inside a lighthouse. There are a few folks who aren't thrilled that she got the job, but for the most part Lucy loves her new position. She's particularly excited about the Jane Austen first editions the library currently has on loan. That excitement turns to dismay and horror as one of the first editions goes missing and the chairman of the library board is found murdered.

      I tend to be drawn to book and library-themed cozy mysteries, so I snatched this one up when I spotted it in a used bookstore. Unfortunately, it turned out to be terrible.

      The author's bio doesn't mention any sort of library background, although she thanks a librarian in her acknowledgements, so I assume she spoke to that person as part of her research. Either her research wasn't very thorough or she didn't ask the right questions, because this book was filled with mistakes and difficult-to-believe details.

      Cozy mystery authors seem to be fond of 30-year-old librarians who somehow already have 10 years of librarian experience under their belts. Library experience would be believable, but becoming a librarian by age 20 would really be pushing it, particularly a librarian at the Harvard Library. You need a bachelor's degree first (approximately 4 years), and then a Master's in Library Science (or Library and Information Science, depending on the school), which can take 1-2 years depending on what sort of course load you can handle. Lucy would have had to graduate early in both high school and college early in order to be a librarian by age 20.

      But what really bothered me was the author's glaring lack of knowledge about library security. On page 129, there was this discussion between one of the library's employees and a police officer:

      "'I don't suppose y'all have security on the door?'

      'I do some crowd control,' Charlene said.

      'Stopping little old ladies from stepping on each other's sensible shoes. I meant like a bar-code detector. Alarm. Things like that.'

      'This is a library. Not a jewelry store. And we're in the Bodie Island Lighthouse, not the Bronx. No, we do not have alarms.'"

      There's so much wrong with this passage that it's hard to know where to start. Yes, there are lots of small libraries out there that don't have much in the way of security - but those libraries would never be loaned a collection of Jane Austen first editions for a temporary display. And libraries that don't have any sort of security systems in place likely don't have them because they can't afford them, not because they think they don't need them - all libraries, even ones in small towns, are better off with some sort of security system in place (alarms, security gates, panic buttons, etc.), for the safety of their users and staff as well as to reduce the likelihood of theft. Charlene saying that this was "the Bodie Island Lighthouse, not the Bronx" struck me as both naive and potentially racist. Also, library security gates are not called bar-code detectors - I'll forgive that one because it was the police officer character who said it.

      If I remember right, the above passage occurred after the first book went missing. That left five books and a notebook that could still be stolen. In addition to keeping the books locked up and only removing them when a staff member could be on hand to make sure it stayed safe, I'd have bought a webcam or two off Amazon and set them up. Instead, library staff felt that keeping the books locked up as much as possible (with the key easily accessible in the head librarian's unlocked office) was good enough. Considering how the story progressed (more thefts!), the continued library security issues were maddening.

      Although I was able to figure out the murderer's identity a little early, I did think the murder mystery aspect was decent. It's too bad that everything was overshadowed by the glaringly awful library security details. No one in their right mind would lend a library like this anything even remotely rare and valuable. I very much agreed with the cop who said this: "I wouldn't want y'all guarding my doghouse." (226)

      Sometimes terrible cozy mysteries can be at least somewhat saved by their characters. That wasn't the case here. Lucy annoyed me. Her views on books and library struck me as being old-fashioned, and she seemed to be very judgmental of everything from other people's tastes in recreational reading to the kind of music they listened to. Her two potential love interests (yes, there's already a love triangle in the works) were both bland and uninteresting. I'm assuming Connor (the guy Lucy had a crush on as a teen, and who is now the mayor) is being set up as the guy who appears to have the best chance with Lucy, while Butch (a local cop) is the guy Lucy's actually going to end up with. If she ever ends up with anyone.

      I don't plan on reading more of this series.(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
    • 4/5
      The first in The Lighthouse Library Mystery series. It has everything you would want in a cozy mystery: a library that is housed in a lighthouse, the protagonist living upstairs in the lighthouse, a small town, a murder, some thefts and a bit of a budding romance.
      Lucy has returned to her summer stomping grounds on Bodie Island on the Outer Banks. She has quit her job of 10 years in the library at Harvard and turned down her boyfriend’s proposal and wants to start a new life. She has been hired as Assistant Librarian and is busy with the borrowed Jane Austin books they are exhibiting. When a prominent member of the library board is found dead at the opening night for the exhibit, Birdie, the head librarian is the initial suspect. Lucy wants to help Birdie and does what she can to find the actual murderer. When books start disappearing from the locked library, everyone’s job is in jeopardy.

      I enjoyed this book, the plot moved relatively quickly and the characters were fun. I loved the quirkiness of Birdie, the head librarian who also teaches yoga. Some of the patrons were annoying and that gave us insight into some of the other characters. Lucy is a bit of a wimp when the story begins, but she develops a backbone as the story progresses and I loved seeing that. Charles the cat stole many of the scenes he was in. He definitely has a personality all his own and it seems he can read Lucy's mind at times. I definitely will continue with this series. I listened to the audio version of this book. The narrator was okay, but I did feel her attempts at changing her voice for different characters was not successful. I will probably listen to the next one though as it was still not a bad narration.
    • 4/5
      New to her job at the Lighthouse Library, Lucy sets in as Assistant Librarian, much to the chagrin of its stingy board and a certain local who feels that job should be hers. Located in the Outer Banks of NC, it’s a quirky set up, utilizing all floors, with one being residential and where Lucy resides.A rare complete set of Jane Austen first editions is on loaned display, which brings in fans, en masse, and sets the scene for murder and pilfering of several of the books.The malapropisms of the Library Chair, John Uppington, had me missing Norm Crosby and highly regretting that he happened to be the murder victim. Would have loved him being a regular character.A full cast of library crew, locals and the investigative team keep you guessing right along with Lucy as she tries to prove her boss (who found the body, happened to be holding the weapon, and had plenty to gain through circumstances entwined) innocent and regain custody of the invaluable books.
    • 2/5
      Lucy Richardson has moved to the Outer Banks from her comfortable home in Boston, ostensibly to escape an unwanted marriage proposal. She's been lucky enough to find a job working for a library in a renovated lighthouse, her last library job was at Harvard.This library has been able to secure a set of first edition Jane Austen books, and a notebook written by the lady herself. On opening night, the library chair makes a few choice remarks about Lucy receiving her job over a local resident - even though Lucy has a degree and the local, Louise Jane, does not. Mr. Uppiton, the chair, also gets into an argument with the head of the library, Bertie, very loudly, with Bertie making a threat toward him.Later on that evening, Mr. Uppiton is found dead, Bertie is in the room with a broken bottle in her hand (most likely the murder weapon, but we are never told so), and Lucy, along with the rest of their friends, is convinced she's innocent of the crime.But finding the killer isn't going to be easy when you're the 'new kid in town'. Especially since Lucy is still on the suspect list herself. All she knows is that in order to keep the library alive she needs to keep Bertie out of jail, and she'll do whatever it takes, even if it nearly kills her...I really wanted to like this book. It's got books, a cat named Charles, and Jane Austen. What could be better? Unfortunately, there's so much wrong with it. With Lucy living in the lighthouse on the fourth floor, she has to climb 100 steps (she said herself). Can you imaging climbing that several times a day? How did they get plumbing all the way up there? I wouldn't think it would be feasible. Louise Jane was just a nasty piece of work. There wasn't a single redeemable quality about her that I can think of. As for Lucy, she's dumber than a box of rocks. She lives alone in a lighthouse but is afraid of ghost stories? She knows Louise Jane baits her and takes it every time instead of walking away? She says she's never had a date, but recounts a story about an evening out with an ex-boyfriend - an ex-boyfriend she's slept with, no less. What does she consider dating? Also, there are two men chasing her practically right from the first pages of the book. I can see this turning into a love triangle - and that's never good in the long run. Really, how happy would you be if the situation were reversed and it was a guy and he was dating two women at the same time? Unfortunately, the library in a lighthouse just didn't make sense, and all the to-do about people visiting merely because of the Jane Austen collection - and Jane Austen did not live by sea. She lived in Chawton, Hampshire, which is inland; and this is a big deal if you're speaking of Jane Austen.I felt the mystery wasn't given as much attention as it should have, with more being paid to what people were wearing and what they ate, so when we finally figure out who the murderer is I really didn't care; and the reason why didn't seem believable. Sorry, but this book just wasn't my cup of tea; hopefully the series will improve with the next book.
    • 3/5
      Lucy Richardson quit her Harvard library job, leaving behind Boston and rejecting the marriage offer from the man her family wanted her to marry. She went to visit the relatives on the Outer Banks. After being introduced to the head librarian, she received an offer to become assistant librarian. The library is hosting an exhibit of first editions of Jane Austen's works. At an event to celebrate the exhibit, the library board chair is murdered and the head librarian is found with the likely murder weapon in her hand. Then the first editions begin disappearing in publication order. As in most cozy mysteries, some circumstances stretch the reader's imagination. The main one for the duration of the series will be the suitability of a lighthouse as a library. The main one for this installment concerns the security over the exhibit. As far as characterization, the author created some likable and some despicable ones. I really wish a few more of the despicable ones could have been guilty this time so we don't need to deal with them in the next installment. Several contradictions were in this book -- all minor -- but things a good editor should have noticed and corrected. Despite the problems, it was a fun "listen" (audiobook). I would probably prefer a different audiobook narrator. I found her voice annoying at times, and characters were not always distinguishable.
    • 4/5
      I read "Booked for Trouble" not realizing that it wasn't the first book in the series. I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to read the "series opener" and it was definitely the anticipated delight.For all readers who love cozy mysteries and furry faces, this series is a charming new addition. Then add the magical appeal of library setting in a lighthouse, an apartment for the assistant librarian on one of the upper levels, and a "librarian sleuth" and you'll quickly add this series to your "reading series wish list and/or favorite cozy series list.The novel is receiving 4 out of 5 stars due to copy edits that I noticed in both novels which I always find distracting from my reading pleasure.
    • 4/5
      A nice start to the series. Cozy, not too hard to figure out, likable characters, super-smart cat. Makes me want to live in a light house that is also (seemingly) a tesaract. Are most of them this large inside?
    • 5/5
      Great new series from author Vickie Delany. Lucy is just settling into a new job at the Lighthouse Library along the Outer Banks of North Carolina. At her party to introduce her to the Library Board, murder strikes the head of the board and Lucy's new boss is the prime suspect.Since Lucy is living in the apartment at the top of the Lighthouse, she is dragged into middle of the investigation and even is considered a possible suspect.Lucy's introduction was only part of the reason for the party, the library has a rare exhibit of five original Jane Austen titles on display. The next disaster to hit is when one of the precious Austen titles is stolen.There is a lot of Austen lore, some great history of the Outer Bank area of North Carolina, and a pretty puzzling mystery. I thought I knew who the killer was, but I was wrong, as usual.I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
    • 5/5
      I love libraries. I love lighthouses. When I came across this first book in the Lighthouse Library cozy series, my eyes lit up, and when I discovered that "Eva Gates" is the pen name of one of my favorite authors, Vicky Delany, that was the icing on the cake. North Carolina's Outer Banks seems to be one of the hot settings for cozies, and By Book or by Crook fits right in with its neighbors.I liked Lucy Richardson, even though she didn't win any points by staying in a relationship for ten years just to keep her parents off her back. Grow a spine, girl, because I have a feeling that those parents of yours won't be able to leave you alone in your new home! Lucy is surrounded by an excellent cast of secondary characters who are a good mix of supportive and irritating. Fellow librarian Charlene's passion for rap music is a running joke throughout the book, and it's a joke I enjoyed since I personally didn't have to listen to the music. I did find it a tad worrying that Lucy has two prospective beaus. She may not be ready for them yet, but I've learned to treat romantic triangles with a great deal of suspicion, thanks to Janet Evanovich. Lucy's fellow librarians are just the sort of people you'd want to work with, and here's hoping that Louise Jane never ever gets a permanent job in the lighthouse library. Louise Jane is the sort of person you'd just love to slap, and I figure the main reason why she so desperately wants to work in the library is that no one wants her there. (As you can see, this is a wonderful cast of characters because I seem to have gotten emotionally involved with them!)Another perk of the book is that you really get a feel for what libraries have to deal with in this age of constant budget cuts. The author makes it clear that keeping libraries alive depends on the librarians, the patrons, and members of the library board and city government who all realize how vital these places are to communities.The mystery in By Book or by Crook provides both the high and the low points of the book. The high point? The killer is hiding in the best place of all-- right out in plain sight, and I cannot believe I didn't figure out the person's identity. The low point? I had a very difficult time suspending my disbelief when it came to the lack of security in place at the library for the exhibit of priceless first editions of all of Jane Austen's novels as well as one of Austen's notebooks. I could easily go on in more depth about this, but I don't want to slip and give away too much of the story.Lack of security aside, I really enjoyed this book. The author took the rather unfeasible idea of putting a library in a lighthouse and made it work with wonderful descriptive passages, an excellent cast, and an intriguing mystery. I'm looking forward to heading back to the Outer Banks for the next book in the series!
    • 4/5
      This is the first book in the Lighthouse Library Mystery Series. This series shows a lot of promise. It has a likeable heroine who isn't afraid to laugh at herself. It has strong supporting characters and a tight-knit community. The location is the Outer Banks area off the coast of North Carolina, and the setting is an old restored lighthouse that has been converted into a library. What more could a cozy mystery lover want? A tricky little mystery, that's what. This book has all of this. Lucy is a librarian who has left her job at the Harvard library after ten years. She leaves her Boston life and high profile family, and moves to the islands where she spent time as a child with her favourite aunt and her family. She has just gotten the job of Assistant Librarian at the Lighthouse Library on Bodie Island. She loves her new job and her new life as well as her small apartment on the fourth floor of the lighthouse where she works, but she hardly has time to get settled in, when a murder occurs in her library - just two floors below her little apartment. Can Lucy and her new friends uncover the killer, and figure out what has happened to some rare books that seem to have gone missing from the library? You have to read to find out.
    • 4/5
      With BY BOOK OR BY CROOK, the first book in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series, author Eva Gates is off to a great start to what will be a wonderful series.The setting is this story is stellar. A library in a lighthouse on the Outer Banks? Yes! More please. Protagonist Lucy Richardson is smart and plucky. She, as well as the cast of supporting characters are sure to be favorites to readers. With a suspenseful plot and unexpected twists that kept me guessing until the reveal, this book was hard to put down. I eagerly await the next installment in this series. Ms. Gates has found a true fan in me.