Kate Carlisle

I began reading Kate Carlisle's Bibliophile mysteries when the series first began but stopped because I soon became consumed by an irrational loathing of one of the secondary characters. After being told that this character is no longer around, it didn't take any persuasion at all for me to begin reading once more.

I did find the mystery in Books of a Feather to be rather easy to solve, but that didn't bother me one little bit. Like all the best series, the mystery is important but the cast show more of characters and the setting are key. A beginning that has Brooklyn cataloging the books in an old shop and finding treasure after treasure immediately put me firmly in book lover's heaven.

With Brooklyn's personal and home security at risk, her friend Alex devises a series of self-defense exercises for her. I really liked this, since so many amateur sleuths in cozy series consistently put themselves (and others) at risk without doing a single thing about learning how to defend themselves. (I do appreciate common sense!) These self-defense exercises lead to my favorite line in the book, too-- "That's my mommy!"

After a long hiatus from the series, I loved catching up with what's been happening in Brooklyn's life as well as learning little tidbits. Did you know that the people living in San Francisco have given the omnipresent fog a name? Neither did I. But the absolute best thing about coming back to Carlisle's Bibliophile series is being able to watch Brooklyn work on old books. Watching her restore old treasures is sheer bliss and makes me feel that-- at that moment-- all is right in my world.

Now that I'm back in the fold, I'm looking forward to Brooklyn's next adventure. Bring it on! show less

Shannon Hammer is a contractor in a seaside town, a place where it’s hard to keep your private business private. When she goes on a blind date that ends badly - one where she is forced to knee her aggressive date to get him to back off - everyone knows it. When said bad date turns up dead a few days later, the new police chief zeros in on Shannon. Then, her obnoxious short-term boarder is also found murdered, with evidence leading back to Shannon. She is determined to clear her name and show more save her reputation and maybe even her life before the murderer strikes again. This tale has interesting and likable characters. Shannon runs her own construction business, not a common profession for a woman. It’s her pink tools that figure prominently in this story. The story has a hint of romance in the making, as she feels a connection for not one but two newcomers to the town. There is plenty of action and things move quickly in this well written cozy, the first in the series. show less

Ah, Brooklyn, for such a sweet woman, you sure have a way of making women homicidally angry at you. In this latest adventure, the newlyweds come back from their honeymoon with a treasure, a first edition of The Spy Who Loved Me. A friend of Derek's from his spy days, who now owns a security store, asks to borrow the book to display during the store's 1st anniversary celebration. Of course, someone tries to steal it. And, of course, a dangerous woman has Brooklyn in her sights. Thank God she show more met Alex and learned self-defense or she'd be dead by now. show less

Thirteenth in the series, it contains less of what I've always found irritating (overplayed moments of swooning on the part of women when in the presence of testosterone-drenched heroes needed to rescue them). The plot is subtle and understated, and I can't say I fully understand the motivations of the bad actors. For a change we have a mystery involving Derek more than Brooklyn or any of her friends and family, although it cuts against type to learn that Derek's background checks for his show more employees is pretty weak. Maybe next time Inspector Lee will take center stage.

The most interesting part of the story was the use of escape rooms. Although not rising to the level of a gimmick--the escape rooms play no real role in the mystery, but are only a background element--the description of the puzzles are just enough to remind anyone who has done some escapes the high pressure stakes of trying to beat the clock. show less