Jeanne Reviews: Past Due for Murder by Victoria Gilbert

Please welcome back Jeanne of the BPL with her latest review …

Past Due for Murder by Victoria Gilbert

As with many small towns, Taylorsford, Virginia is looking for a festival to act as a draw for tourists. The mayor thinks a revival of the traditional May Day festivities might be just the ticket, and a college professor and her class are gathering information on local folklore and customs to add weight. Things go awry when one of the students goes missing.  The search turns up the student, injured but alive.  Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the person found with her. . .  and just like that, librarian Amy Webber finds herself trying to solve a murder.

This is the third in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series, and it is an enjoyable entry. I confess I had my doubts early on, as Amy’s significant other Richard Muir is considered a suspect and Amy fears that Richard’s affections may be waning.  One thing I had particularly appreciated in the series was the relationship between the two characters which I found refreshing for the lack of drama.  I’m happy to say that issue was resolved relatively early on in the book, letting the mystery take over.

The small town Blue Ridge setting is well done, and I especially like the folklore aspect.  Since I live near the region depicted in the books, I found much that rang true:  the old May Day festivals, the ghosts, hidden treasure, etc. all sounded very familiar.

The plot featured some good twists and turns, red herrings, and an interesting solution.  Gilbert is good about playing fair with the clues, which I appreciate in an author.

In short, this is a solid mystery that will entertain the cozy aficionado. While reading the two prior books in the series would illuminate character, this can be read as a standalone.

The other books in the series are A Murder for the Books and Shelved Under Murder.  However, keep in mind that the solution to the first mystery spoiled in the second. The fourth book in the series, Bound for Murder, is due out in January 2020.