Shot through the book

An Outer Banks librarian must deal with a murder whose scene is the deck of her home. Lucy McNeil works at North Carolina's Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, where she and her colleagues are planning a young adult author's festival with a few local writers. The headliner will be Todd Harrison, a well-known YA author who's just moved back to the area. Lucy is surprised when Todd turns up at the beach home she shares with her husband, Connor, the mayor of Nags Head, asking for a few minutes of her time. Leaving her visitor on the back deck while she goes inside to get tea, she returns to find him dead, an arrow in his chest. Lucy's been involved in solving murders before, and she has a good relationship with the police. But Det. Sam Watson, her closest contact, distances himself when Harrison's wife, aspiring politician Heather Harrison, starts spreading rumors about Lucy that might further her political ambitions. Lucy has no idea why Todd wanted to see her, and the library staff decides to go on with the festival. Since the two participating local authors hate each other, and each thinks she should be the leading light, the staff hopes to find a new headliner. Not only does Lucy have her hands full trying to solve the crime, but her home has become a shrine for Todd's adoring teen fans, who leave flowers and invade the deck and house with candlelight ceremonies. There seem to be a number of people who might have hated Todd, but without a clear motive, it's hard to pick out the killer. The librarian and her quirky friends are always a hoot as they track down mysterious murderers in a charming locale. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.