Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay

Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay is what many would call a "cozy mystery." I'm somewhat on the fence about this term because in most of these books, this one included, someone dies because of foul play. I get that the "cozy" part is the scene setting and how everyone rallies together to solve the crime and that you don't read this book and then check all the locks on the doors and windows because you're frightened, but it's not really "cozy" to think someone out there is plotting murder in every adorable small town.  Anyway, this is the first novel in a series of ten (so far) with book pun titles, all of which please me.

The book starts by introducing us to a zillion characters in the first scene. We learn that Lindsey has recently been hired as the director for a local public library in a quaint coastal town in Connecticut.  She and her fellow friends have a craft/book club and soon enough one of her fellow club members is a legitimate suspect in a murder.  We follow the trials and tribulations of office politics when the old crusty librarian doesn't like how newfangled Lindsey is running the library and actual politics when the police chief butts heads with a detective from the state and we meet a cast of quirky townies, including the octogenarian yogi who happens to sit on the library board, the obligatory helicoptering mother, and the chef who cooks delicious food in her amazing restaurant.

The writing is adequate. The dialogue is so stilted it's actually hilarious. Lindsey's inner monologue is so awkward I started to wonder if I'm the only one on the planet who tries to corral my thoughts into a linear fashion.  But I was able to follow the plot and I was never confused as to what was happening, so I call it a win.  The actual mystery is not very mysterious, but that's actually okay, of course. If only all our villains should be easily recognizable in real life. The characters are pretty stock.  I mean, you can't read any of The Cat Who...series and not immediately make comparisons. The setting is charming - I really do want to go to New Berlin and visit the adorable sounding library, ride by bike everywhere, and take a water taxi to hang out on one of the islands for a day.  The low-key romance plot gives me some hope for the Lindsey's love life in future books.

So of course I thought this was a pleasant way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon during social distancing.  It's certainly not great literature, but if your standards aren't too high, this will get you transported to another place with different worries.