Read and Buried (by Eva Gates)
You know how books are so amazing because they can transport you to another place? That’s what I love about the Lighthouse Library Mystery series by Eva Gates. The cozy mystery series is set in the Outer Banks, North Carolina, where I love to vacation. Not only that, the heart of the story takes place at the Bodie Island Lighthouse. Eva has created a fictional library inside the lighthouse with a tiny apartment. Lucy, the main character, works in the library and lives in the apartment, while also taking care of the library’s cat, Charles. It’s purely dreamy! When reading these books, my mind easily envisions the Outer Banks because my husband and I have vacationed there many times. Additionally, Eva’s writing makes it so easy for me to imagine a library inside the lighthouse. Even though I’ve been inside the lighthouse many times and I know it’s impossible in reality, it’s exciting how the imagination can run wild!
Bodie Island Lighthouse
I was more than happy to revisit my happy place with book #6 in the Library Lighthouse Mystery series, Read and Buried. The lighthouse’s foundation needs repair, and the construction crew finds a buried box containing a Civil War-era diary with a hand-drawn map and a message that appears to be written in code. Word spreads quickly, with locals spreading rumors of a treasure map. History experts and novices alike have a piqued interest in this unique discovery. While Lucy and her mayor-boyfriend, Connor, are out having dinner, Jeremy Hughes, a member of the historical society, is murdered during his library break-in.
Several suspects emerge quickly. Charlene, a library employee who has a past with Jeremy, is examined. Lucy’s nemesis, Louise Jane, admitted she entered the library after closing but denied seeing Jeremy or his killer. Additionally, everyone becomes obsessed with deciphering the coded message. Despite her word that she would not become involved in another police investigation, Lucy can’t help but put her sleuthing skills into action.
Each book in the series has a library book club that meets regularly. It’s a nice touch how each classic the book club is reading coincides with the theme of the mystery. In this installment, the book club is reading Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. I had no idea how these mysteries were going to be solved. I suspected there was going to be an interesting discovery regarding the diary and the map, but it remained a mystery until the very end. The same was true for who killed Jeremy and their motive. I couldn’t read the last few pages fast enough!
I enjoyed Read and Buried and am grateful for the setting that transported me back to the Outer Banks. It’s a place filled with so many happy memories!
My website includes an adventure section where I blog about places my husband and I visit. I’ve written about our two most recent adventures to the Outer Banks on my blog. You can see what we get up to in the OBX below.
While I’ve read all the books in the series up to #6, Read and Buried, I have only reviewed book #5, Something Read, Something Dead, on my blog. You can read that review below.
As a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, I earn from qualifying purchases linked back to Amazon. Every penny earned allows me to blog about books and keeps this site running.