A Book Club to Die for (Large type / large print)

A PERFECT ESCAPE

Dollycas's Thoughts

Assistant librarian Trudell Becket has been asked to speak at the Cypress Arete Society one of the town's oldest and most exclusive book clubs about the library including the modernization that removed all the print books and how she is trying to bring print materials back to readers. Her friend Flossie tags along to see if she can figure out why she has not been admitted to the club.

The meeting is being hosted by Hazel Bailey. Hazel has a reputation for hosting elegant dinners so she is taken aback when the president of the group, Rebecca White, a former actress and local celebrity, goes on a tirade about everything she has prepared especially after she followed all the preferences requested. She also pushes Tru to help her rearrange all the furniture in the living room, one chair several times until she went back to the kitchen to be sure Hazel had come up with a more appropriate menu. Just a few minutes later Tru and Flossie hear a loud crash. Flossie heads to the kitchen to see what happened while Tru moves to answer the door as guests have started to arrive including her boss, Mrs. Farnsworth. A second crash leaves the guests on the doorstep while Tru rushes to the kitchen. Hazel is nowhere to be seen but there is a huge food mess on the floor and Rebecca White's dead body not far away.

The evidence points to Hazel or Flossie. Tru knows both have to be innocent but when her boyfriend/Hazel's son Detective Jace Bailey is unable to work the case she has no choice. She needs to investigate the death herself before the wrong person is booked for the crime.

There is never a dull moment at the Cypress library and this time the excitement goes on the road to Hazel Bailey's house but that doesn't mean there isn't craziness happening at the library too. As part of the continued madness to modernize, the library is now testing out a robot librarian who is definitely not ready to be out in the public. With plenty of bugs to work out, it needs to back to his barn before someone gets hurt. Robots in libraries just makes me sad.

Tru is an excellent protagonist. She is smart and methodical. People just open up to her and give her information to keep moving her investigation along. The relationship with Jace is moving at a perfect pace and I loved the way she supported him as he was quite upset to be taken off the case that could send his mother to jail.

Ms. St James has surrounded Tru will a wonderful supporting cast of characters. Mrs. Farnsworth speaks volumes all with a whisper. Flossie is like me. While I am not totally wheelchair ridden, I do have to use one when I leave the house. It makes me so happy to see a disabled person featured in a story. A person that doesn't let her disability control her life. She does some amazing things that I envy. IT Tech Anne who is heading up the modernization of the library. She and Tru have an understanding and are getting close to actually being friends. Anne has an experience that was just one instance of me laughing out loud while reading this story. Tori, Tru's best friend since Kindergarten, brews the best coffee in the state and is always there when Tru needs her, and Mama Eddy who is a hoot. An opinionated Southern woman famous for the "hissy-fits" she is apt to throw. I can't forget Tru's cat, Dewey Decimal. She sneaks him into the library every day and he hangs out amongst the books in the Beloved Bookroom. He is also good at helping Tru with her investigations.

The mystery is basically a closed-room mystery. The victim was not well-liked by the Cypress Arete Society members so there is a houseful of suspects. Tru had her work cut out for her. The clues were dropped at a pretty quick pace intermixed with the subplot of Tru's missing father. I did deduce the killer before the reveal but I was delighted to follow along with Tru as she put everything together. I was surprised by what Tru's eccentric father was involved in but was happy with the way the plotline played out in this story.

A Book Club To Die For was another Perfect Escape from Dorothy St. James. I am still at odds about a library without books but another surprise was revealed in this book that may shake things up a lot so I am beyond excited to see what the future holds for Cypress and its residents.

To really understand the theme of this series I believe the books should be read in order.