Checked Out (The Village Library Mysteries)

Her date stood her up. Turns out, he had a good excuse.

Librarian Ann Beckett didn't expect much from her blind date. She just didn't expect to find him dead.

When a well-meaning patron sets Ann up with her great-nephew Roger Walton, Ann reluctantly agrees, figuring the worst that could happen is an awkward evening. But when she arrives at Roger's house and finds him beside a smoking grill with no pulse, the date gets a lot more complicated.

Since Ann is the one who discovered the body, the police are asking questions, and the small town of Whitby is buzzing with rumors. Roger had enemies: a bitter former coworker with a grudge, family tensions no one will talk about, and a past that keeps surfacing in unexpected places.

Between managing the library, fielding nosy questions from her patrons, and looking after a stray cat who's taken up residence in her life, Ann can't help but dig a little deeper. Because if she doesn't find out who killed Roger, someone else in Whitby might be next.

Checked Out is the first book in Elizabeth Craig's beloved Village Library Mystery series—a charming, character-rich cozy mystery perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Laura Childs.

Checked Out is the first book in the Village Library Mysteries.  It's easy to see where my inspiration for this series lies...I spend a good deal of my time writing books at my local library. 

I do write a lot at home, but sometimes the house can be distracting; the dishwasher stops, the dryer buzzer goes off, the cat walks across my keyboard, and I don't get quite as much done as I'd like. I hear a lot about people who work from home renting office space,  but I can't imagine doing that when the quiet area at the Matthews Library is available. 

I also spent a ton of time at the library, growing up. My father and I would go and spend hours there. I would look for a Nancy Drew I hadn't read and he'd read magazines and newspapers. We loved it there. 

I hope you'll enjoy this new adventure with sleuth Ann Beckett and a cuddly orange cat.