Review
The First Beloved Bookroom Mystery
Books mean the world to assistant librarian Trudell Becket, so when the city manager decides to make the Cypress Public Library a bookless library, she devises a plan. Sneaking her friends into the library after hours, they transport as many of the books headed for the landfill down to the basement as possible in order to create a secret library of real books. A loud crash makes Tru realized they've worked too far into the morning. Quickly telling her friends to leave the library Tru heads upstairs to find the reason for the crash. What she finds is a multimedia shelving unit that has toppled over-right onto the city manager. The very dead city manager. Soon becoming a prime suspect, Tru realizes that in order to protect the books and her secret library, she'll have to prove her innocence and find the real murderer.
Trudell Becket is a hero! The quiet reserved assistant librarian who has
been pretty invisible for most of her life has a mission. She will do
everything in her power to save the town's books. And when it comes to
her cat, Tru becomes a fierce momma bear! I love her transformation and
her inner fire. It goes to prove you should never underestimate the
quiet ones. I dislike her mother immensely and look forward to meeting
her father. Of course, I adore Dewey and would happily supply him with toys if I could!
The first Beloved Bookroom Mystery is a story about growth and quiet rebellion. It has you rooting for the underdogs, the book lovers, and stalwart friends while wondering who dun it. There are several twists and turns that had me unsure of who I could trust.
THE BROKEN SPINE is a charming novel that kept me engaged with its well plotted mystery and unique cast of characters.
****************************************************************************
The Broken Spine (A Beloved Bookroom Mystery) by Dorothy St. James
About The Broken Spine
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Publisher: Berkley (January 19, 2021)
Hardcover: 320 pages
The first in an exciting new series featuring Trudell Becket, a spunky librarian who will stop at nothing to save her beloved books and catch a killer!
Trudell Becket, book-loving librarian, finds herself in a bind when the library where she works is turned into a state-of-the-art bookless library. In a rare move of rebellion, Trudell rescues hundreds of her library's beloved books slated for the recycle center. She sets up a secret book room in the library's basement and opens it to anyone who shares her love of the printed book.
When the town councilman, who was the vocal proponent of the library's transformation into a "futuristic technological center," is crushed under an overturned shelf of DVDs, Trudell becomes the police's prime suspect for his murder. She was the only person in the library at the time of his death, or so the police believe. But that's not true. For the past month, Trudell had been letting a few dozen residents into the building through the basement entrance so they could read and check out the printed books.
But if she tells the police about the backdoor patrons who were in the library at the time of the murder, she'd have to explain about the secret book room and risk losing the books. In order to protect herself from being arrested for a murder she didn't commit, Trudell--with the help of a group of dedicated readers--decides to investigate. She quickly discovers you can't always judge a book by its cover.
About Dorothy St. James
Mystery author Dorothy St. James was born in New York but raised in South Carolina. She makes her home on an artsy island community in South Carolina with her husband, a crazy dog, and fluffy cat. Though writing has always been a passion for her, she pursued an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Biology and a graduate degree in Public Administration and Urban Planning. She put her educational experience to use, having worked in all branches and all levels of government including local, regional, state, and federal. She even spent time during college working for a non-profit environmental watchdog organization.
Switching from government service and community planning to fiction writing wasn't as big of a change as some might think. Her government work was all about the stories of the people and the places where they live. As an urban planner, Dorothy loved telling the stories of the people she met. And from that, her desire to tell the tales that were so alive in her heart grew until she could not ignore it any longer. In 2001, she took a leap of faith and pursued her dream of writing fiction full-time.
* Dorothy St. James is the alter-ego of award-winning multi-published author, Dorothy McFalls. She enjoys writing in several different genres. Her works have been nominated for many awards including: Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, Reviewers International Organization Award, National Reader's Choice Award, CataRomance Reviewers' Choice Award, and The Romance Reviews Today Perfect 10! Award. Reviewers have called her work: "amazing", "perfect", "filled with emotion", and "lined with danger."
Author Links:
Website: http://www.dorothystjames.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/dorothywrites
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dorothy.stjames
Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/profile/dorothy-st-james
Purchase Links - Amazon - IndieBound - Bookshop - B&N -
Thank you for the review! xoxo
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
DeleteSounds like a great book.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn
This book looks and sounds like a great read. I'm sure your other books are just as good. Love books like this. Would love to read and review ALL your books in print format.
ReplyDeleteThanks for chance to win.
Hope I Win.
I am so glad that you are on tour with this book. I am so excited to read and review on a few sites Thank you for the chance Peggy Clayton
ReplyDelete