Thursday, July 12, 2018

Shelved Under Murder: A Blue Ridge Library Mystery
by Victoria Gilbert

This is a mystery with lots of twists, turns, and secrets. It isn’t just a cut and dry mystery. . .
~Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews

About the Book


Shelved Under Murder: A Blue Ridge Library Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Crooked Lane Books (July 10, 2018)
Hardcover: 300 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1683315957
Digital: ASIN: B075QJHPR9
Autumn leaves aren’t the only things falling in the historic Virginia village of Taylorsford—so are some cherished memories, and a few bodies.
October in Taylorsford, Virginia means it’s leaf peeping season, with bright colorful foliage and a delightful fresh crew of tourists attending the annual Heritage Festival which celebrates local history and arts and crafts. Library director Amy Webber, though, is slightly dreading having to spend two days running a yard sale fundraiser for her library. But during these preparations, when she and her assistant Sunny stumble across a dead body, Amy finds a real reason to be worried.
The body belonged to a renowned artist who was murdered with her own pallet knife. A search of the artist’s studio uncovers a cache of forged paintings, and when the sheriff’s chief deputy Brad Tucker realizes Amy is skilled in art history research, she’s recruited to aid the investigation. It doesn’t seem to be an easy task, but when the state’s art expert uncovers a possible connection between Amy’s deceased uncle and F murder case, Amy must champion her Aunt Lydia to clear her late husband’s name.
That’s when another killing shakes the quiet town, and danger sweeps in like an autumn wind. Now, with her swoon-inducing neighbor Richard Muir, Amy must scour their resources to once again close the books on murder.

About the Author

Victoria Gilbert, raised in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, turned her early obsession with reading into a dual career as an author and librarian. She has worked as a reference librarian, research librarian, and library director.
When not writing or reading, Victoria likes to spend her time watching films, gardening, or traveling. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers, and is represented by Frances Black at Literary Council, NY, NY.
Victoria lives in North Carolina with her husband and some very spoiled cats. This is her first Blue Ridge Library mystery.
Author Links:

Purchase Links:
Amazon     B&N         Books-A-Million      Indie Bound


Review.jpg

I really enjoyed this book and was so impressed with the details the author uses about art. I learned a lot about the art world and how paintings are stored and valued. As I wander through art museums I always think about how much work goes into a painting. It was fascinating to read about how a painting can be a fake but look as real as the original.  

Amy is a wonderful character and I related to her very easily since I worked at a library for fifteen years. I loved reading about the every day chores and the patrons that frequent the library. The Friends of the Library is such an important part of libraries. It struck me as funny when a few of the ladies didn't seem to get along. We had the same problem at our library. There is always that one person who wants to be in charge and takes their authority to the extreme.

When Amy and two others discover the body of a well known artist will it be the end for the Heritage Festival?  One of the fascinating things in the book is the intricate knowledge that Amy picked up as she did research on paintings. I didn't know there was so much information to be found about the history of art. Forgeries are hard to spot in the art world unless you have a keen eye. Will Amy find something in her research that could cause her to be in danger? Amy has her hands full trying to help solve the murder while preparing for the festival. Her aunt is so funny and I would definitely hang out with her. She isn't afraid to share her opinions and is quite vocal about things in the picturesque town.

Amy and her friend Sandy find themselves deep in the investigation as danger lurks nearby. I loved the twists and turns and the author really surprised me when secrets about characters started to emerge. The writing is very good and there is not a moment where action doesn't play a key element in the story. I loved the intrigue and the story line that kept me guessing. It is a very well written mystery that shows how much research the author did about the art world. I loved the ending and was surprised at who was involved in the murder.

I received a copy of this book from The Great Escape Virtual Book Tour. The review is my own opinion.





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TOUR PARTICIPANTS
July 9 – The Ninja Librarian – GUEST POST
July 9 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – REVIEW
July 9 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 10 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW
July 10 – Curling Up by the Fire – REVIEW
July 10 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 11 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
July 11 – Jane Reads – GUEST POST
July 11 – Varietats – SPOTLIGHT
July 12 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
July 13 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 14 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
July 14 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
July 15 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
July 16 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW
July 16 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 16 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
July 17 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
July 17 – That’s What She’s Reading – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 17 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 18 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW
July 18 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 19 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
July 19 – The Montana Bookaholic – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 19 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 20 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
July 20 – Island Confidential – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 20 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST


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3 comments:

  1. Victoria GilbertJuly 12, 2018 at 7:34 AM

    Thanks so much for the review and for participating in my book's blog tour.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kay GarrettJuly 12, 2018 at 2:00 PM

    Thank you for your review on "Shelved Under Murder" by Victoria Gilbert and for being part of the Great Escapes book tour.

    I can't wait for the opportunity to read this book which is on my TBR list.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

    ReplyDelete
  3. diannekcJuly 12, 2018 at 7:10 PM

    I haven't started this series yet, but it's on my TBR list. Sounds like my kind of series.

    ReplyDelete