Lucy's mother, Suzanne, has come to visit and appears to be in some distress as she attempts to convince her daughter to return home to Boston. It's not long before a childhood friend of Suzanne's turns up murdered and Suzanne is the police's prime suspect. Lucy is now on the case to clear her mother's name.

Booked for Trouble is the second in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series by Eva Gates. The mystery was a fun one with a couple of obvious suspects for Lucy to sort out. The characters continue to be enjoyable and I liked getting to know Lucy's mom. The setting of the lighthouse library just can't be beat. I'm liking this cozy mystery series. Hopefully I can find the third book soon. ( )

A fine mystery with interesting characters, but for me the real draw is the setting. I just love the idea that Lucy can work all day at the library, walk up to the the 4th floor and be home in the same lighthouse with a window seat to read in facing the ocean. Finish a book in the middle of the night, walk down to the library and take your pick. What a dream! ( )

Digital audiobook read by Elisa Arsenault

Book two in the Lighthouse Library mystery series focuses on Lucy Richardson’s socialite mother, Suzanne, who has come for a visit and is behaving in a very unlikely manner. Suzanne is intent on getting Lucy back to Boston and properly married. But when a library book-club attendee is found murdered in the marsh near the Lighthouse, the police suspect Suzanne, and Lucy begins to investigate on her own to clear her mother.

I like this cozy mystery series, even if Lucy does go above and beyond inserting herself into the investigation. Gates seems to be taking a page from Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, as well – giving Lucy two likely suitors in Mayor Connor McNeil and police officer Butch Greenblatt. How will she choose between these two gorgeous hunks?!

Gates fills out the cast with an assortment of charming library workers, book club enthusiasts, and Lucy’s cousin Josie (who runs a very successful bakery). The author includes many literary references to the delight of this bookworm. And the resident cat, Charles (Dickens), is a nice addition.

An enjoyable cozy mystery series, that I’ll continue reading.

Elisa Arsenault does a fine job of reading the audio version. She sets a good pace and has clear diction, so even when listening at a faster speed I could easily understand her. ( )

This second book picks up right where the first one left off. The Austin collection is still on display, but the frenzy over it has died down. Lucy’s socialite mother, Suzanne, has come for a visit, but seems to be distressed. Suzanne has a very public and loud argument with a former friend, which is very out of character for her. When that friend is murdered, she is the prime suspect. This novel has much to commend it. The lighthouse setting is lovely, the mystery is captivating, and the characters are diverse and likable. The novel ends with a bit of problem concerning Lucy, which will cause readers to reach for that next book. ( )

great fast read, comfort read. ( )

great fast read, comfort read. ( )

Lucy's mother Suzanne, visiting from Boston, becomes a suspect when Karen Kivas dies on lighthouse property following a book group both attended. Suzanne and Karen exchanged heated words in the presence of most of the club, but only Lucy witnessed them making up. A stolen neckless, found in Suzanne's bag, adds to the drama. Lucy remains in a love triangle with the police officer Butch and mayor Connor. A mysterious "gray woman" keeps turning up in the library. Other returning characters includes Lucy's aunt, uncle, cousins, the library staff, library board members, and Charles the library cat. I find the series light and enjoyable for audio book listening while driving. The mystery itself was not all that complicated to figure out, but Lucy followed other hunches as well. ( )

When Lucy's mother Suzanne comes for a visit, Lucy is sure that she's there to take her back to Boston to marry her childhood friend Ricky. Shortly after arriving at her hotel, Suzanne encounters Karen, a friend from school she'd rather not see, and makes a snarky remark to her about being a hotel maid. The next evening, the two meet again at Lucy's book club, and the morning after that, Lucy finds Karen's body outside of the lighthouse.

It also turns out that a valuable necklace is missing from the hotel, and due to a suspected theft over thirty years ago, Suzanne is considered the likely culprit. Lucy, of course, refuses to see her mother unjustly accused, and decides to find the killer herself. But she also has to convince Suzanne she's not returning home and juggle two potential suitors in the process (and I can do without love triangles, thank you very much).

This is the second book in the Lighthouse Library Mysteries, and I really wanted to like it. Sadly, I like Lucy less than I did in the first book. She seems superficial - obsessed with everyone's looks and what they're wearing. She even mentions how she's a "winter" (do we care?) but we've never gotten a clear view of what she looks like except for her curly black hair. There is more than enough descriptions of clothing but not enough of people themselves. We really never get to know much of anything about anyone; there's no character development. And Lucy, the woman who lives alone in a lighthouse, is (still) afraid of ghosts. Really?

The plot itself is decent in the beginning, but we never learn much about Karen except that she was a habitual complainer and no one cared for her. Still, Lucy thinks she needs to find the killer and goes about trying to do so; but honestly, her thoughts wander and she sort of bumbles her way through things. She doesn't seem very intelligent, which is unfortunate; because she's really bad at managing her own life, even if she's good at being a librarian. I honestly would have liked to see her develop a backbone along the way.

I just didn't feel this book 'grab' me in any sense of the word. The murder seemed to take second place to Suzanne trying to get Lucy to come home with her; she didn't seem to care that Lucy didn't want to marry Ricky. Mothers like that I can do without. There was so much focused on this subject that I lost interest in the murder.

In the end, finding out the killer and the reason why seemed rather weak to me. It just didn't appear to be too realistic. I never felt Lucy (or her mother's) life was truly in any danger, and there was no leading up to the climax. Suzanne seemed just as gullible as Lucy, so at least I know who she gained her lack of intelligence from.

All in all, an okay read for an evening, and since I've already bought the third book in the series I will read it, but unless it seriously improves I probably won't follow it past that point. For the record, I do like this author; I just don't care for this series. ( )

I have not read the first book in this series, but I didn't have too much trouble figuring out the characters etc. or following along. I liked the idea of a library in a lighthouse but do think it would be rather cramped. I'm not sure I could live in the small apartment in it like Lucy does though it does sound cozy and I like the idea of having lots of books around if I wanted something to read. It was a little confusing to me that no one at the library seemed to use the internet--probably a good thing since much is made of the lighthouse walls blocking cell phone signals.

Lucy seems to think her mom is intent on getting her back to Boston and seems to see many conspiracies where I'm not sure there are any. She also seems to like to float motive theories, apparently not taking note that this behavior often gets people into trouble in the books that she reads.

I did not guess who the killer was until it was revealed, but that is not unusual for me ( )

I enjoyed this cozy. A library in a lighthouse, a "studio" apartment for the assistant librarian Lucy in the lighthouse too complete with a reading nook with bench seat and ocean view at the window, and a handsome cat named "Charles" to prowl the library and provide purrs and company during apartment time. What could be better?

Plus, a mother under suspicion of murder. Plus, a daughter learning that her mother's past might not be perfect but that the mother's experience in her youth also gave her a life lesson. I also liked the fact that as the story evolved that Lucy's daily life continued in a natural way without merely turning her into private detective or sleuth at the total expense of her other roles (e.g. librarian, daughter, niece, cousin) in the story. ( )

I'm still enjoying both the popularity of this fictional lighthouse library and its setting, but I have to be honest and admit that I picked up Booked for Trouble with a bit of trepidation. It's a quirk of mine, but I do not care for high maintenance parents in the cozies that I read, and that's exactly what Lucy's mother is. I am happy to report that although Suzanne is not the type of person to ever become my BFF, that angle of the book was not as bad as I'd anticipated. Whew!

Lucy continues to be an interesting main character, but too many of the secondary characters are two-dimensional. Take Charlene for example. It would appear that her sole reason for existence is to annoy everyone with her passion for rap music-- and she's the only one who really stands out in my mind. The rest are a kind of blur, and I hope book three is the "breakout" book for them. Speaking of breaking out, Lucy's two love interests need to stop spinning their wheels and start making some moves.

Although I enjoyed reading how Lucy finally found the killer, I knew the person's identity early on due to a certain peculiarity in the dialogue. I can be strange that way sometimes. And have any of you noticed that the latest thing in cozies seems to be cross-marketing-- that is, mentioning books by other cozy writers? At least it fits in here because Lucy is a librarian, but I've been noticing it in several books lately. I realize that things like this place a book clearly within its timeframe, but I prefer my books without branding, marketing, or suggestive selling.

Booked for Trouble is a good solid mystery with a winning main character and a perfect setting; however, it needs some of its other components to be fleshed out more so this series can shine the way I know that it can. ( )

http://www.girllostinabook.com/2015/10/review-booked-for-trouble-by-eva-gates.ht... ( )

This is the second book in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series. I enjoyed it as much as the first one. I enjoy cozy mysteries and am always happy to find a new series that looks promising. I like the setting (the Grand Banks off the Carolina coastline). I like the library that Lucy works at and lives in. It's the Bodie Island Lighthouse that has been converted to a library. Lucy's apartment is on the top floor of the lighthouse which is pleasing. I like the characters as well. After all, that is what a cozy series is all about is fun, eccentric and unique characters. Lucy loves her life but is dismayed when her mother pays a surprise visit. Her mother is still trying to get her reunited with her ex-fiance from Boston, and Lucy wants nothing to do with Boston or with her old life there. It's summertime and Lucy is loving her life in her new home. Things start to go south when a member of Lucy's book club is found dead outside the lighthouse. Even Lucy's mother is a suspect as the police try to piece together what happened. All is revealed, and as Lucy knew, her mother had nothing to do with what happened to Karen Kivas. This is a fun, quick read and a very promising series for those who like their mysteries in the cozy genre. ( )

At least Lucy doesn't pretend to be a detective, just nosy. Want to visit the library though. ( )

I enjoyed my return visit to the Outer Banks and The Lighthouse Library so much I didn’t want it to end!

Author Eva Gates has written a wonderful second installment in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series. Book one, BY BOOK OR BY CROOK, was absolutely delightful, but Ms. Gates has kicked the mystery and entertainment up a few notches with, BOOKED FOR TROUBLE.

From the moment I opened this book I was drawn in and didn’t want to be disturbed until I had finished. The setting, the people, everything about this book was well written. A library in a lighthouse? Does it get much cozier than that?

Perfectly paced and well plotted, BOOKED FOR TROUBLE was excellent from cover to over. It you are limited on the books you can, make sure this wonderful mystery is one of them!

Don’t miss the excerpt for READING UP A STORM, found at the back of the book ( )

This is the second book in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series, but you can jump right in without feeling like you have missed anything. I loved the lighthouse / library setting – it feels cozy and calm, at least until a murder takes place right outside. I also liked the cast of characters in this one. Lucy has believable problems, and the supporting cast are a likable bunch. The mystery itself was fast paced and not too obvious. I will definitely go back and read number one in the series.

With a home perched above a library full of books, a lighthouse, a murder, and a library cat – this was a perfect cozy read!

***NOTE: I received an advanced review copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*** ( )

Booked For Trouble is the second book in A Lighthouse Library Mystery series.

Lucy Richardson, head librarian at the Lighthouse Library, really does love her mother, but mostly when mom is home in Boston. Totally unannounced Suzanne Richardson arrives at the Lighthouse Library. Lucy is certain that mom will try to convince her to return to Boston and marry, Richard Lewiston III , her former fiance. Lucy has gone with her mother to the hotel where Suzanne will be staying, when Suzanne sees Karen Kivas who she knew from her school days. They have a verbal confrontation and Kivas ends it by calling Suzanne a thief. Then when the lifeless body of Kivas is found in the parking lot of the library and the next day a valuable necklace that was stolen from the from someone staying at the hotel is found in Suzanne's bag, she immediately becomes a person of interest.

Lucy needs to get busy and find the killer before her mother is locked in jail and the key thrown away.

An exciting story with a wonderful cast of characters. Lucy has a fun staff to cover for her at the library. She also has two men, Detective Butch Greenblatt and Mayor Connor McNeal vying for her romantic attention, but that might have to wait until she clears her mother of any wrong doing.

Will definitely be watching for the next books in the series. ( )