Killer Librarian

October 29, 2012
Near the start of Kirwin’s captivating debut, smalltown Minnesota librarian Karen Nash is looking forward to her first holiday in England. When Karen’s plumber boyfriend, Dave, dumps her and cancels the trip just hours before departure, the undaunted Karen manages to secure a plane ticket on her own dime. Soon after, she spots none other than the newly dubbed “Mr. Toad” and a skinny blonde boarding the same plane. Dave and his new honey are too absorbed in each other to notice Karen on the transatlantic flight. Once in London, while on a pub night out with the owner of the B&B where she’s staying, a heartbroken Karen confides in a mysterious man that she fantasizes about murdering her scoundrel of an ex-boyfriend. A whopping headache later, Karen discovers a fellow B&B guest dead. Signs suggest that Dave and his honey could be next. Literary allusions, from Winnie the Pooh to Ian McEwan, distinguish this from the common run of cozies.

November 1, 2012

Librarian Karen Nash was all set for the romantic trip of a lifetime to London, when her partner had the gall to break up with her just hours before their departure. The intrepid Karen refuses to give up her cherished plans, despite the fact that the now ex-boyfriend, Dave, is going too--with a new hottie at his side. Karen finds she's more than capable of finding the local action when a fellow guest at her B&B dies under suspicious circumstances. She also meets a potential hit man at the local pub, and her B&B host makes it easy to start dating again. VERDICT How can you not buy this cozy debut with its catchy title? Kirwin succeeds at creating a winning heroine whose amateur sleuthing efforts make for a fun, gentle puzzler with a touch of love.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2012
Planned for months, librarian Karen Nash's vacation to London doesn't even start as it should. She is packed and waiting for the taxi when her traveling companion, boyfriend Dave, calls to cancel. She goes anyway, only to find Dave and his new girlfriend on the same plane. Once in London, she checks into the originally booked bed-and-breakfast, where the other guests are in town for the flower show. That night Karen goes to the local pub with the B&B owner and drunkenly tells a stranger, Guy, about being dumped by Dave and how she could just kill him. Later that night, unable to sleep, she goes to the sitting room only to find another guest dead. It's ruled an accidental death, but enmities and past connections among the other guests cause some doubts in Karen's mind. Meanwhile, a cryptic message from Guy makes her wonder if he took her words too literally. This engaging cozy has it allEnglish bookshops, flower shows, dotty sisters, plenty of surprisesalong with an engaging premise for a continuing series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)