Just finished reading...

Due or Die (Library Lover's Mystery #2) by Jenn McKinlay. Release date March 6, 2012. Lindsey Norris is settling in to her job as director of the Briar Creek Public Library on the coast of Connecticut. She's made a lot of changes, which almost everyone is pleased about, though there are a few hold-outs including the circulation supervisor, Ms. Cole.

Another big change, though Lindsey is not directly responsible, is the election of new Friends of the Library president, Carrie Rushton. Although Carrie is a very pleasant person with many friends, she is burdened with an extremely disagreeable husband. After Carrie's first meeting as president of the Friends, Lindsey and her friend Sully give her a ride home from the library. Thus, they are there when she discovers Markus' body, dead from a gunshot wound. It's apparent that the bullet came through the living room window, which has been shattered. As the spouse, Carrie is the main suspect, but her friends are certain that she's innocent and set out to help her prove it.

Briar Creek is an almost prototypical New England coastal town, with a restaurant called the Blue Anchor that serves wonderful clam chowder, and companies that provide boat excursions for tourists.

As a librarian, I enjoy reading well-written books with librarians as protagonists. I'm particulary impressed by McKinlay's depiction of the library and its staff, although the idea of a children's librarian who has the time and funds to dress up in costume for her storytimes is a little improbable in this time of staff- and budget-cutting.

At the end of the volume are recipes, a crochet pattern, a book club guide for Wuthering Heights, and a preview of the third book in the series, Book, Line and Sinker.


*FTC Full Disclosure: Many thanks to the publisher, who sent me a copy of the book for review purposes.