What is the original meaning of the word clue?*
Answering tricky reference questions like this one is more than enough excitement for library director Lindsey Norris. That is, until another murder is committed in her cozy hometown of Briar Creek, Connecticut, and the question of who did it must be answered before someone else is checked out—for good.
Carrie Rushton, the president of the Friends of the Library, has been accused of murdering her husband. The evidence is stacking up against Carrie, but neither Lindsey nor the Briar Creek crafternoon club is buying it.
When a nor’easter buries the small coastal town, the police are too busy digging out the locals to investigate the murder. With the help of her crafternoon friends and an abandoned puppy they name Heathcliff, Lindsey has to solve the question of who murdered Mr. Rushton before the killer closes the book on Carrie…
*a ball of yarn or thread
Due or Die by Jenn McKinlay. A Library Lover’s Mystery, book 2. Published by Penguin Group March 2012, 293 pages.
A Library Lover’s Mystery series has been on my TBR pile for a few years now. I read the first book last year and for some reason I just never got around to catching up with the rest of the series. Book 2, Due or Die, did a great job of re-introducing you to the main characters as well as fun side characters that make up the community. The author briefly mentions things about the first book without giving away any spoilers just in case you haven’t read it yet. If you had read it, it was enough info to jog your memory. I’m always grateful when a series author will refresh your memory on who is who and what is what, just in case it’s been a while since you last visited.
I was a little bit surprised at the slow start of the book. I mean, slow as in cozy mystery standards… the murder didn’t happen until several chapters passed by. Normally the murder happens right away. It isn’t too bothersome that it builds up to the murder, but it did start to feel like it was taking a little bit too long to get to the heart of the plot. Once we got to the point, it was a pretty entertaining story. Though, this story felt a little too predictable. I still was entertained, but you could see the killer coming a mile away.
My main problem with Due or Die is that there are some spots that get a little bit too repetitive. Mainly, the main character, Lindsey, has two guys who are clearly interested in her. Lindsey just keeps saying nah, that can’t be true because she’s unattractive. She says this a LOT. I get not knowing if someone is interested in you or not, but the way she kept talking herself out of it got old. And her excuse of going out with someone else because Sully didn’t ask her out…. well…. why didn’t she just as Sully out instead? 
She states she likes him a lot but then goes out with someone else because she doesn’t want to wait on Sully. Ooookay. A little annoying.
I really liked the addition of a new dog. I’m a big fan of pets /wildlife in a story, so I was pretty happy to see the pup get introduced. He is a very fun character and I look forward to seeing more of him. I was just a little confused about why the dog breed in the story looks more like a Scottie then a pit bull / schnauzer mix, but whatever… still a cute dog!
Due or Die was a entertaining story, even though it was a little bit predictable. A lovely setting and an amusing cast of characters. The new pup is a great addition to the series. My only problem with the book is how repetitive and annoying the love angle gets. Even with that problem, and the predictable plot, I still had a lot of fun revisiting this series and look forward to reading more of it.
Creature From The Book Lagoon 