"Libararian Tru Beckett, ardent defender of the printed word, is about to find out that keeping murder checked out of her beloved library is much harder than she thought... Tru Beckett succeeded in building a secret book room in her now bookless library, where book lovers from lovely Cypress, South Carolina, can rejoice in the printed word. Now she's working hard to maintain the little library downstairs while keeping her "real job" upstairs in the bookless technology center. The last thing she needs is a mysterious vandal ...
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"Libararian Tru Beckett, ardent defender of the printed word, is about to find out that keeping murder checked out of her beloved library is much harder than she thought... Tru Beckett succeeded in building a secret book room in her now bookless library, where book lovers from lovely Cypress, South Carolina, can rejoice in the printed word. Now she's working hard to maintain the little library downstairs while keeping her "real job" upstairs in the bookless technology center. The last thing she needs is a mysterious vandal who seems intent on breaking into her secret book-filled sanctuary and creating chaos. The nasty interloper doesn't steal anything, but brutalizes the books, damaging them and knocking them off shelves. A patron of the secret book room tells Tru that there have been creepy goings-on at the library for years, especially in the basement where the secret book room is located. He's heard rumors of a poltergeist that haunts the library, determined to scare off readers. Tru is certain it's hogwash, but she's at a loss to think of who might be vandalizing the beautiful books she fought so hard to protect. And when a dead body shows up right behind the library, Tru is certain that it's not a ghost but a cold-blooded killer that she and her trusty tabby Dewey Decimal will need to uncover"--
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Seller's Description:
New. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. 336 p. A Beloved Bookroom Mystery. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fine. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. 336 p. A Beloved Bookroom Mystery. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
The shock of a bookless library that held me captive in the first book, The Broken Spine is gone, but the disappointment of it still runs through my veins. All this new technology can co-exist with print versions of the books. I am happy Librarian Tru Becket was able to hide away several boxes of books meant for the dumpster and that she could set up the secret book room in the basement. Sadly that book room is in peril. The peril of being found out by Mrs. Farnsworth, the head librarian, and in peril of a vandal who is destroying the books and generally trashing the room. It has Tru and other patrons up in arms. One patron even believes it is a poltergeist that has been haunting the library for years. Tru believes it is someone looking for something and is getting angrier and angrier that they canÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢t find it.
To make matters worse someone has killed local car mechanic Owen Maynard. The drunkard has been a thorn in Mrs. FarnsworthÃ?Æ'Ã?¢Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¡Ã?¬Ã?¢ââ?¬Å¾Ã?¢s side for years. He would drink to excess and then park his truck in the alleyway behind the library to sleep it off. No one would ever think she would kill him. And he did upset a lot of people by fixing their cars and trucks with rebuilt parts and selling them as new only to have them break down again. But is that a reason to kill the man? Maybe his death is related to the person trashing the secret book room. Tru needs to get to the bottom of both mysteries fast or her secret will get out or worse the killer could come for her next.
I really have been looking forward to returning to Cypress and the bookless library and Ms. St. James sure didn't disappoint.
We get to know the core group of characters even better in this installment. There are some really strong women living within these pages. Starting with Mama Eddy and Aunt Sal, they have had to fight for a lot over their lifetimes. Then you have Tru, Tory, Flossie, Mrs. Farnsworth, and Anne. They are all ready to fight for their principles and the right thing for the library even when some things need to be kept under wraps. They strive to do the right thing.
Tru has a way about her that just allows people to open up and answer her questions. She does have a lot of layers and I do enjoy peeling those back a little more in each story. I love the romantic relationship blooming between Tru and Jace. It just feels really right. Her cat Dewey Decimal is quite a cat and I love that Tru brings him to work every day and he is allowed to roam the secret room or nap as he desires.
The mystery was very well written with two mysteries to solve. The author does an excellent job of placing the clues throughout the story. I had an inkling of part of what the vandal was looking for but was unsure of how that would be revealed. Well, let me tell you it was revealed in a fun, entertaining, and yes, a scary way until the culprit was in cuffs and taken away. I really enjoyed learning more about the history and of Cypress in general. It is things like that that really draw me into a story. It is also impressive that the room had a variety of secrets.
A Perfect Bind was a Perfect Escape. I enjoyed everything about this story. The Beloved Bookroom is still a secret from most of the residents of Cypress but I am concerned about how long it can be hidden from the powers that be. It seems that in every installment more people know about the special place in the basement. I am excited to see what Ms. St. James has planned for these wonderful characters next.
Kristina
Sep 27, 2021
A cute cozy mystery!
A Perfect Bind by Dorothy St. James has Tru Beckett discovering that someone has broken into the secret bookroom in the basement of the Cypress, South Carolina bookless library for the third time. Tru cannot figure out how someone is getting into the private space. A short time later, Owen Maynard is found dead behind the library. Tru wonders if the two incidents can be connected, but she cannot risk telling the police about the secret bookroom. Tru with Flossie and Tori work to find who is behind both crimes. A Perfect Bind is the 2nd A Beloved Bookroom Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those who have not read The Broken Spine. I like Tru Beckett with her passion for books. She has a sweet cat named Dewey Decimal. I do wish, though, that Tru would stand up to her mother. There is a cast of secondary characters that include Tru�s friends, Flossie, and Tori. There are two mysteries in the story. Someone is breaking into the secret bookroom in the basement of the library, and the murder of local mechanic, Owen. Tru hopes the two incidents are not connected. She is afraid if the police are told about the bookroom, it will get closed down. There are good clues to help readers figure out why the crime happened. The guilty party can be identified early on in the story. I would have liked it to be more of a challenge. I enjoyed the lively reveal. I like how Tru, and Dewey are together. She talks to Dewey who responds to her in his own way. It is cute. At the end of the book, I was left with a couple of questions. I am curious as to why this hi-tech library does not have a matching security system. I would think the door to the basement would have a lock (the type where you need to enter a code or have a card). Also, now that the town manager who forced the library to get rid of the books is gone, why have the books not returned. Those readers who enjoy lighthearted cozy mysteries with books, a sweet cat, and good friends will enjoy reading A Perfect Bind. A Perfect Bind is a cute cozy mystery with a murdered mechanic, a bothered bookroom, a prodding detective, apple pie problems, a meddlesome assistant librarian, and a fun Fall Festival.
