I discovered this book series, The First Edition Library Mysteries, sometime last summer/early autumn. I love this series because not only is it a good mystery in each book, the character develops unfolds a bit more as each book takes off, and there's a lot of humor in the books. This one is the third book and I hope the author is working on a fourth.
STORY SUMMARY
Hayley Burke has now been the curator of the First Edition Library at Middlebank for one year. Her secretary, Mrs Woolgar and she are getting along well and after work they both disappear to their own flats (Hayley on the top floor, Glynis Woolgar on the first floor with the Library in between). She is the curator over Georgina Fowling's first editions of women mystery authors from the Golden Age of Mystery writers. (Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers to name two). She has learned a lot in her one year at Middlebank House.
She has learned to take the good with the bad. She has convinced Mrs Woolgar to open up the collection to the public one day a week, on Wednesday afternoons, so that they too can share in Lady Fowling's passion for mysteries and first editions. The part that's "bad" is Lady Fowling's nephew, Charles Henry Dill, who insists, as did the board of directors for the Library, on becoming Hayley's personal assistant. He now works part time at the library every Monday morning.
On one of the first days open to the public, a Mr John Aubrey shows up at Middlebank House and claims that Lady Fowling is his grandmother! Mrs Woolgar is absolutely shocked and scandalized by his claims....she says NO WAY did Georgiana have a child! Charles Henry now feels he has been cheated out of his rightful inheritance as Lady Fowling's heir and he is absolutely furious. Hayley isn't sure if she believes John Aubrey but he does have knowledge of the Lady Fowling, her life and her works/writings, that other people do not possess. Then there is the complication of an associate (Milo Overton) of John Aubrey's who intends to help Glynis and Hayley and the Middlebank lawyer, Duncan, uncover the truth of John's story. But.....before Milo can do that , he is found dead at the local park gate. He's been murdered and the two people who find him are Hayley and her boyfriend Val! So now they are drawn into the police investigation!
The police suspect Charles Henry.....but is Lady Fowling's nephew really capable of murder?? and just who IS John Aubrey?
Hayley will need to make sense of John's past by interviewing a close family friend of his, Ms Dolly Beckwith. Will she find out the truth??
MY THOUGHTS
This book moved along very quickly and of course the character development was well done and thorough. We see more of Hayley's relationship with Val and her daughter Dinah and her mum even make a brief appearance in this third book.
What bugs me about this series is that the characters imbibe in a lot of alchohol and sugary sweets throughout the day. As in before noon! This doesn't appeal to me. Perhaps it is a British thing?? Do they really eat that many sweets every time they sip a glass of sherry or tea?? It would seem like the characters would be obese yet that is not in the description of them. In fact, Mrs Woolgar is thin yet is constantly eating "creams" or "pastries" with her tea. Hm......
I loved how the author wrapped up this book and had Val and Hayley finally taking a vacation!
This is a very light hearted, humorous mystery series....just perfect for reading after a deeper novel.
In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 14 and older.
On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this an 8. 
3 comments:
I read the first book in this series after your recommendation so I may look for the other books when I feel good enough to get to the library. Thanks for the review.
Sounds like a cute book!
This sounds like a fun series.
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