Another interesting diversion. I like the occasional bit of the unexplained that occurs. Because, as she vaguely hints, those mountains are very, very old and there are older beings there than we modern interlopers understand. Too bad that’s not the main focus, but I do appreciate the occasional seasoning of it. ( )

It seems that the stories in the series keep going downhill. This one is so slow that there isn't much regarding the mystery until the second half of the book. There is plenty of relationship, romance and same-sex relationship affirmation but for a mystery story it is very slow and not very fully developed. ( )

So much goes on in this book! The mystery itself is solid. Seeds planted in the first book in the series bloom here, moving some important things forward for Richard. Amy also gets to resolve her previous relationship here and move forward more confident. I love that the last few chapters just breathed, giving us time to just spend time with the characters, as well as giving the library a big bequest. The next book is going to be starting in a very different place and I'm here for it. ( )

Past Due for Murder is the third book in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries series. I have not read the first two in the series, and did have some trouble understanding the relationships between the characters and what actually happened in the first two books. Amy Webber, the Taylorsford Library director, and our main character, just keeps saying versions of "the events that happened last summer" or "the events of the past summer", and I found this disconcerting.

Basically, Amy's boyfriend, Richard, is a person of interest in a missing girl case, and Amy has to help clear his name and get to the bottom of the mystery. There is also a side story of a mystery from 1879 when 2 girls went missing, and there's gold involved in that one. And then there's another side story that involves Amy's ex and the hit and run of his girlfriend. This was all a bit much for me. The writing was fine, and the characters were likeable enough, I just spent too much time trying to follow all the different stories and just ended up confused more often than not. As this could in part be due to the fact that I hadn't read the first 2 books in the series, I will be giving this book 3/5 stars. I love cozy mysteries but I don't think I'll be continuing on with this series.

3/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Victoria Gilbert for the opportunity to read and review this book. ( )

This was an okay story and the mystery, too convenient. Too bad I love the setting of this book. I wouldn't go out of my way to read the next. ( )