Book Review: Death by Beach Read by Eva Gates

I was given a free e-copy of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have read the many of the Lighthouse Library novels, and it is a series that I enjoy immensely.

Librarian Lucy and her fiance Connor, the mayor, have found their dream home and have started the necessary renovations. The first night Lucy is alone in the house, however, she hears noises. With Charles the cat as her guard, she searches the house and finds an open door as well as what might be footprints in the blown about sand covered floor. Remembering that the house’s previous owners had a daughter who forty years ago ran out, vowing to never set foot in the place again, and Louise Jane’s stories of the house being haunted, Lucy chalks the moment up to her imagination. Unfortunately, Lucy and Connor come home another night to find a dead man in their kitchen, and he has long running ties to their new home. Along with the murder, Lucy and Connor must deal with vandalism, and it becomes apparent that someone wants to run them out of the house. Lucy can’t help but notice similarities between this unwelcome situation and the book club’s novel of choose, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables.

I love how each book draws parallels with the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library Classic Novel Reading Club’s novel each time. I was a little worried that the discussions would be written to give away what each novel is about, but it actually is more of a synopsis. The characters’ discussions usually run into their thoughts about more current events, and what the next novel should be. Though Lucy’s private thoughts do refer to the novels many times, it is not enough to spoil a book that the reader may not have read. In this case, I have not read The House of the Seven Gables, but it sounds like a novel to be read in the autumn around Halloween. I am also very glad that it is classics and not just detective stories as I feel that would be too redundant.

This particular novel delved into the Outer Banks families and their history, especially regarding secrets. The atmosphere of the Outer Banks is perfectly described as well as the residents and their long-standing happiness. I enjoyed reading about Ralph and Joanna Harper, and what they each thought of their lives there. I felt sympathy for Joanna especially, and connected with her desire to stay away from people. Children can be cruel, and parents or grandparents should be their protectors. Pranks can have lasting effects on individuals, even harmless ones. While Eva Gates doesn’t come outright and say those things, I felt it was gently implied in the way Lucy interacted with Joanna.

The mystery was very well-written, and I hadn’t guessed at the killer at all. I did have an idea at the end of what he was killed for, but the why took me off guard. Again I felt it was a implied commentary on people and how they can react to words. I did hope that Lucy would have learned her lesson by now, and would have had more interacting with Detective Sam Watson, or even more involvement of Connor. There is a little romance between them, but I would have expected just a bit more from a newly engaged couple. I will say I related with Lucy about wedding planning. I will applaud Eva Gates if she has her characters tough it out, as I was more than happy to elope in the end.

Overall I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars