Death by Beach Read

Lucy Richardson and Connor McNeil have settled into married life in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where they live in a historic lighthouse and work as librarian and police detective respectively. Their plans to renovate their home are interrupted when a skeleton is discovered in the walls during construction, along with evidence linking the remains to Lucy's grandmother's friend group from decades ago. Lucy finds herself drawn into investigating the cold case, especially after learning more about her grandmother's past connections to the lighthouse and its previous occupants. The search for answers leads her through old records, local history, and conversations with longtime residents who remember the era when the victim disappeared. The investigation forces Lucy to balance her normal library duties and home renovation plans with amateur sleuthing, while also navigating the complexities of working alongside her detective husband on a case that hits close to home. Death by Beach Read combines elements of cold case investigation and small-town secrets while exploring themes of family history, generational connections, and the ways the past can resurface to affect the present. The lighthouse setting serves as both backdrop and metaphor for illuminating long-buried truths.

Readers describe Death by Beach Read as a cozy mystery that delivers expected elements of the Lighthouse Library series while adding paranormal touches. Many note it works as a standalone despite being book 9. Liked: - Romance development between Lucy and Connor - Historical elements and ghost story integration - Setting details of the Outer Banks - Clean content without graphic violence - Fast-paced final chapters Disliked: - Slow first half with limited mystery progression - Too much focus on house renovation details - Some found the ghost storyline unconvincing - Several readers wanted more scenes in the library Ratings: Goodreads: 4.19/5 (1,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (570+ ratings) "The mystery takes a backseat to home renovation for too long" - Goodreads reviewer "Perfect blend of history, romance and suspense" - Amazon reviewer "Ghost story felt forced compared to earlier books" - Barnes & Noble reviewer

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Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay The head of a small-town library turns sleuth when her friend becomes a murder suspect after confronting a famous author.

The Plot Is Murder by V.M. Burns A mystery bookstore owner writes cozy mysteries while solving a real murder connected to her new shop's property.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman Four retirees meet in their retirement village library to investigate cold cases until a local developer's murder presents them with a live case.

🏖️ Death by Beach Read is the 9th book in Eva Gates' Lighthouse Library Mystery series, which takes place in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. 📚 Eva Gates is actually a pen name for Canadian mystery author Vicki Delany, who writes multiple cozy mystery series under different names. 🏛️ The historic Bodie Island lighthouse, which serves as the central setting for the series, is a real lighthouse that still operates today and is open for public tours. 🏡 The plot revolves around librarian Lucy Richardson and her boyfriend Connor McNeil renovating a historic home, which was inspired by actual Victorian-era houses in Nags Head's Historic District. 🔍 The book combines elements of both a traditional mystery and a ghost story, as Lucy must determine if the strange occurrences in her new home are supernatural or the work of a very human criminal.