THE LIAR IN THE LIBRARY

3.5 stars out of 5


If it involves a library, it's likely to get my attention; holding that attention is another matter entirely. Clearly, it's a solid series - this is the 18th in the Fethering Mystery books, so just as clearly, plenty of readers are enthusiastic. And fact is, I can't say I didn't enjoy it - I did, and I'd definitely say yes to reading the next one. But for whatever reason, I just didn't feel much snap, crackle or pop.

The story begins at the Fethering Library in West Sussex, where reasonably successful author Burton St. Clair has been invited to speak and promote his popular book. A long-ago friend of Jude Nicholls, who lives in the area, he invites her to attend (part of their long-ago friendship includes a brief affair, but that's not something on which Jude wishes to dwell). She's long since moved on, both figuratively and literally, and she's now a "healer" who uses potions and a touch of psychology to make her clients feel better.

The meet-and-greet session has its ups and downs, the latter of which include a couple of gropes by the not-so-honorary guest; he also manages to antagonize a few others in attendance. That's all well and good and everyone goes home to forgive and forget - all, that is, except one: St. Clair makes it out of the building to his car, but that's as far as he gets before getting very dead.

Needless to say, several people at the library event are not inclined to mourn his demise, including Jude. In fact, once her prior relationship to St. Clair comes to light, she ends up the primary suspect. That, of course, is not okay with Jude; to help ferret out the truth, she enlists the help of her neighbor, Carole Seddon. Apparently, the two women have a history of solving crimes, but their strange, sometimes adversarial relationship was more than a little off-putting to me. Maybe it's because Carole seemed, well, stuffy, while Jude leaned more toward the flower child personality with which it's much easier for me to identify.

The police don't charge Jude with the crime, but they threaten to lock her up if she doesn't back off the investigation (warning the heroine to mind her own business seems to be a staple of the cozy mystery genre). Unlike most of those heroines, though, Jude pays attention; but that warning doesn't apply to Carole, who keeps on digging around. Nor does it stop Jude from investigating the mystery of a missing Polish uncle (a diversion I took to be a clue that the disappearance and St. Clair's murder just might somehow be connected).

Any more details and I'll be in danger of tripping over the spoiler line, so I'll just leave it at that. I will add that while this book stands alone well, I'm pretty sure reading previous books in the series would have added to my enjoyment. And of course, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy. 

The Liar in the Library by Simon Brett (Black Thorn, June 2019); 192 pp.