Book Review: Death by Beach Read ( Lighthouse Library Mystery #9 ) by Eva Gates

 GOODREADS SUMMARY:

It’s spring in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and Lucy and Connor have moved into their new home at last, a historic cottage on the Nags Head Beach. The house needs a lot of renovations, but they worked hard over the winter to get it ready. Lucy is now happily immersed in her work at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, planning her wedding, and decorating the house. That is, until a dead body disrupts their peaceful new abode.   
 
The first night Lucy’s alone in the house, with the company of Charles the library cat, she hears sounds. Investigating they see footsteps in the dust of the unfinished living room, and the door to the outside is open. Lucy's reminded that the house is said to be haunted: forty years ago the teenage daughter of the owners fled in the night, and never again stepped foot inside her family home.
 
But the sounds have an all-too-human origin and one evening Lucy and Connor find the dead body of a man they don’t even recognize in their kitchen. They soon realize he has a long-time connection to their house. Lucy's forced to find out what happened all those years ago and why it’s threatening her happiness today.
 
Meanwhile, the Classic Novel Reading Club is reading The House of the Seven Gables by Nathanial Hawthorne, a book about another old house full of secrets. Can Lucy find parallels to her own situation in Hawthorne’s fiction before the killer strikes again?

TEE'S THOUGHTS:

Death by Beach read attracted me for two reasons...

First- I love beach reads. I look forward to each Spring when they start hitting the shelves of my local bookstore. There is something cozy about a beach cottage, which most have, or a vacation spot in a tropical locale. I also love the covers, the blue of the water and the sky, and the sandy beaches. Blame it on an idyllic childhood spent living in those types of places and now being stuck smack in the middle of the states with no ocean near me.

Secondly- There is a library in an old lighthouse ...I want one of those!

I noticed after I started the audio that this was the ninth book in a series called Lighthouse Library Mystery. It scared me just a bit...I mean nine books in...what have I missed and what would I not understand ?

There were slight mentions of other cases, but it did not interfere or hinder my reading in any way, it just kind of let me know that she had been involved in case solving in the past.

The setting of the book was one of my favorite parts of the story, Gates writes descriptions of the Nag Head and Outer Banks that will immediately transport you to the area. Imagine a quaint charming beach town in a Hallmark movie. Or..maybe it is just me and I have spent too much time watching movies!

The story itself is simple and charming. Lucy, who is the librarian in the lighthouse, and her fiance Conner have finally bought their dream house, a cute beach cottage that they have begun to renovate. But they find someone murdered in their house and it also appears to be haunted. Lucy sets out with her cat sidekick Charlie to solve the crime.

Death by Beach Read is a quick read, the mystery felt well planned, and the author wrote a fun story. It is cozy of course so do not expect any shock and awe here.

I listened to this on audio and for the most part, enjoyed the narration, but I found after a while that the narrator overdone southern accent became a bit irritating like your memaw had put way too much sugar in that pitcher of tea, it was a bit thick and syrupy. I moved past it however and finished the book in a day while tidying up my yard.

Throw this one in your beach bag if you enjoy haunted houses, cats, coastal locations, and just simple entertaining reads.