Murder of a Stacked Librarian
Read Murder of a Stacked Librarian Online
Authors: Denise Swanson
PRAISE FOR THE
NEW YORK TIMES
BESTSELLING
SCUMBLE RIVER SERIES
Murder of the Cat’s Meow
“Swanson serves up another romance-sweetened tale of murder in the endearingly zany town of Scumble River.”
—
Chicago Tribune
“Well-crafted. . . . From normal to nutty, the folks of Scumble River will tickle the fancy of cozy fans.”
—
Publishers Weekly
Murder of a Creped Suzette
“Another great book by this master of the small-town mystery.”
—
CrimeSpree Magazine
“A Swanson novel is always going to have tongue-in-cheek humor, complex motives, and unique murders. The latest cleverly crafted tale is another entertaining mystery.”
—
Romantic Times
Murder of a Bookstore Babe
“In the latest installment in her cozy Scumble River series, Swanson serves up another irresistible slice of romance-spiced mystery.”
—
Chicago Tribune
“As always, Skye Denison and Scumble River provide a reliable, enjoyable mystery. Reading about Scumble River is as comfortable as being in your own hometown.”
—The Mystery Reader
Murder of a Wedding Belle
“The latest carefully crafted installment in Swanson’s Scumble River series features a charming heroine who is equally skilled at juggling detection and romance.”
—
Chicago Tribune
“As always . . . Swanson combines humor and romance within an intriguing homicide investigation while the support cast feels like friends.”
—
Midwest Book Review
Murder of a Royal Pain
“The series remains fresh and dramatic; a great combination, which translates to an enjoyable and intriguing reading experience.”
—Once Upon a Romance
“A trip to Scumble River is like visiting with old friends . . . another entry into a fine series that is sure to be on most must-read lists.”
—The Mystery Reader
Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry
“[A] cleverly crafted plot . . . with a generous dash of romance.”
—
Chicago Tribune
“Top-notch storytelling with truly unique and wonderful characters.”
—
CrimeSpree Magazine
Murder of Botoxed Blonde
“Endearing . . . quirky . . . a delight.”
—
Chicago Tribune
“Tight plotting and plenty of surprises keep this series on my must-read list.”
—
CrimeSpree Magazine
Murder of a Real Bad Boy
“Swanson is a born storyteller.”
—
CrimeSpree Magazine
“Another knee-slapping adventure in Scumble River.”
—
The Amplifier
(KY)
Murder of a Smart Cookie
“Smartly spins on a solid plot and likable characters.”
—
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Murder of a Pink Elephant
“The must-read book of the summer.”
—
Butler County Post
(KY)
Murder of a Barbie and Ken
“Another sidesplitting visit to Scumble River . . . with some of the quirkiest and most eccentric characters we ever have met.”
—
Butler County Post
(KY)
Murder of a Snake in the Grass
“An endearing and realistic character . . . a fast-paced, enjoyable read.”
—
The Herald News
(MA)
Murder of a Sleeping Beauty
“Another delightful and intriguing escapade.”
—
Mystery News
Murder of a Sweet Old Lady
“More fun than the Whirl-A-Gig at the County Fair and tastier than a corn dog.”
—The Charlotte Austin Review
Murder of a Small-Town Honey
“Bounces along with gently wry humor and jaunty twists and turns. The quintessential amateur sleuth: bright, curious, and more than a little nervy.”
—Agatha Award–winning author Earlene Fowler
PRAISE FOR THE
DEVEREAUX’S DIME STORE MYSTERY SERIES
“Veteran author Swanson debuts a spunky new heroine with a Missouri stubborn streak. . . . Readers will like this one for its slightly zany, mutigenerational take on small-town mores.”
—
Library Journal
(Starred Review)
“A new entertaining mystery series that her fans will appreciate. . . . With a touch of romance in the air, readers will enjoy this delightful cozy.”
—Genre Go Round Reviews
“Swanson has a gift for portraying small-town life, making it interesting, and finding both the ridiculous and the satisfying parts of living in one. I wish Dev a long and happy shelf life.”
—AnnArbor.com
“A top-notch new mystery . . . all the right ingredients for another successful series.”
—
Romantic Times
Also by Denise Swanson
SCUMBLE RIVER MYSTERIES
Murder of the Cat’s Meow
Murder of a Creped Suzette
Murder of a Bookstore Babe
Murder of a Wedding Belle
Murder of a Royal Pain
Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry
Murder of a Botoxed Blonde
Murder of a Real Bad Boy
Murder of a Smart Cookie
Murder of a Pink Elephant
Murder of a Barbie and Ken
Murder of a Snake in the Grass
Murder of a Sleeping Beauty
Murder of a Sweet Old Lady
Murder of a Small-Town Honey
“Not a Monster of a Chance,” short story in
And the Dying Is Easy
“Dead Blondes Tell No Tales,” novella in
Drop-Dead Blonde
DEVEREAUX’S DIME STORE MYSTERIES
Nickeled-and-Dimed to Death
Little Shop of Homicide
Murder of a Stacked Librarian
A Scumble River Mystery
Denise Swanson
OBSIDIAN
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street,
New York, New York 10014, USA
USA | Canada | UK | Ireland | Australia | New Zealand | India | South Africa | China
Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
For more information about the Penguin Group visit penguin.com.
First published by Obsidian, an imprint of New American Library,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Copyright © Denise Swanson Stybr, 2013
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
OBSIDIAN and logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
ISBN 978-1-10159455-1
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.
Contents
CHAPTER 3: Lost and Foundering
CHAPTER 4: Read Something into It
CHAPTER 6: By Book or by Crook
CHAPTER 7: Read Between the Lines
CHAPTER 8: Read Her the Riot Act
CHAPTER 11: Babble like a Book
CHAPTER 12: Chilled to the Tome
CHAPTER 13: Cock-and-Bull Story
CHAPTER 15: Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction
CHAPTER 17: Read Him like a Book
CHAPTER 19: Leave No Page Unturned
CHAPTER 20: Out of Circulation
CHAPTER 21: Easier Read Than Done
CHAPTER 22: Much Overdue About Nothing
CHAPTER 23: Many Happy Book Returns
CHAPTER 24: If Books Could Kill
Excerpt from
Dead Between the Line
In memory of Sally Fellows, an inspirational teacher, thoughtful mystery reviewer, and true friend
Author’s Note
I
n July of 2000, when the first book in my Scumble River series,
Murder of a Small-Town Honey
, was published, it was written in “real time.” It was the year 2000 in Skye’s life as well as mine, but after several books in a series, time becomes a problem. It takes me from seven months to a year to write a book, and then it is usually another year from the time I turn that book in to my editor until the reader sees it on a bookstore shelf. This can make the timeline confusing. Different authors handle this matter in different ways. After a great deal of deliberation, I decided that Skye and her friends and family would age more slowly than those of us who don’t live in Scumble River. So to catch everyone up, the following is when the books take place:
Murder of a Small-Town Honey—
August 2000
