Michigan, small-town, murder, murder-investigation, greed, family, family-dynamics, friendship, rivalry, malice, vandalism.

The mystery was witty and entertaining. Hoping the next will be even better.

The narrator was a great disappointment who couldn't manage to pronounce Zoe correctly. ( )

I picked up this book because the series is called Little Library Mysteries. There is references to Little Libraries, but there is more to the story than that. Jenny Weston has returned home to Bear Falls, Michigan for the first time in five years. She has come home to lick her wounds after a bitter divorce and the loss of her job. When she arrives home, she sees her mother's little library, the one her father made for her before his death, broken to pieces and all the books destroyed. Jenny tries to clean up the mess before her mother sees it. Her mother's neighbour, "little person" Zoe Zola, interrupts her job. Jenny is not impressed by this strange person who quotes Lewis Carroll and is rather rude to her. Zoe still helps to clean up the mess and offers to break the news to Jenny's mom, Dora. Trying to figure out what happened, due to the police thinking it was probably just an accident, Zoe and Jenny end up finding dead bodies instead. Zoe is the main suspect in the first murder, as the body was found in her fairy garden. When Zoe's dog is found with the second body that turns up, it seems that no one else is being considered. There are a lot of questions that Jenny and Zoe have to sort out such as: Why the two murdered brothers were living in poverty while their sister lives in a luxurious mansion? Who would want the two lonely men dead and why did they try to frame Zoe? What does the antique key taped to Fida's collar open?

To be honest, I almost didn't finish this book as I didn’t like protagonist, Jenny Weston at the beginning. She was abrasive, rude, short tempered and whiny. I kept reading because I really liked the quirky Zoe and wanted to find out more about her. I also enjoyed the writing and the plot. I had to find out what was going to happen. I am glad I stuck with it because I did like Jenny by the end. This was a well thought-out mystery that kept adding more bad situations along the way. I couldn't believe so much bad luck could strike one family. As the story came together at the end, I couldn't stop listening. It was tied together nicely and the culprit, although he had a good motive, was a surprise to me. That makes for a good mystery in my books. I listened to the audio book and must say that the narrator did a wonderful job with the voices. I loved listening to this story and as soon as it ended, I borrowed the next one. If you are an Alice in Wonderland fan, you will find an added dimension to enjoy. ( )

Good story enjoyed this. ( )

Good story enjoyed this. ( )

A kitschy read with too much emphasis on being kitschy.. Still, I was engaged enough to read it through. Enjoyed the literary references (though Zoe's unending Alice in Wonderland quotes got trite real quick!) A bashed in Little Free Library, 2 murders and one attempt. Most of which can be figured out within the first character introduction paragraph. I am delighted, just the same, to see a series started where a Little Free Library plays an important part.

Redeemer for me? Jenny reading M Train! ( )