The Librarians

Thomas, Sherry. The Librarians
September 30, 2025 by Berkley

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

I'm never surprised when the demographic for whom I usually review (middle graders, age 10-14) want murder  mysteries, because there are so many adult novels in this category. And what better mystery than one set in my own profession? I've enjoyed a fair amount of cozy mysteries set in libraries, so The Librarians looked like fun.

Hazel, whose husband has passed away, has lived abroad for many years but comes home to Austin, Texas to take care of her NaiNai. Her grandmother doesn't want her underfoot, so lets her know about a clerk job at the local library. It's a good fit, and Hazel impresses the other staff members. Someone from her past shows up, there's an altercation between patrons, and before she knows it, two people are dead. The ensuing investigations uncovers secrets that nearly everyone on staff has, especially Hazel. 

This was an interesting story, but had a lot of coincidental international connections that seemed a bit implausible to me. I guess I was hoping for something a bit more boring and midwestern. If you're a fan of book related murder mysteries for adults, though, you'll want to check this one out!