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THE STRANGER IN THE LIBRARY is the eleventh book in the Lighthouse Library Mysteries by Eva Gates (Vicki Delany). I just love a visit to the Lighthouse library in Nags Head, NC, and a chance to catch up with librarian Lucy Richardson McNeil, the library cat, Charles (named after Charles Dickens) and all the locals who make the story so colorful. This character-driven cozy mystery transports the reader to the pages, making them feel invested in the outcome, while the author’s strong descriptive language brings each scene to life. In this newest release, Lucy and the library gang are creating an education art history display while the town is hosting a traveling art expedition of nineteenth-century American Impressionism. There are just enough details about the art and the setup of exhibits to make it seem realistic without bogging down the pacing. I especially enjoyed the new dynamics between Lucy and her frenemy Louise Jane as they work together to discover who stole a reproduction of a famous painting and why the culprit returned it, albeit with the backing slashed. It contains an element of a closed-room mystery, which adds to the enjoyment.
Besides the mystery over Louise Jane’s family’s reproduction heirloom, the death of one of the organizers has the town on edge. Since Lucy found the victim, she feels compelled to find answers. The fast-paced plot picks up even more quickly as Lucy investigates, with the help of her friends. I really liked how the library’s book club’s pick, Ripley Under Ground, plays a part in the investigation. There were several twists and suspects galore with all the attendees of the art exhibition around when the death happened. I never did correctly guess the culprit until the harrowing, heart stopping reveal. Be prepared to sit glued to the pages until you’ve read the conclusion! I’m anxiously waiting for the next book to find out what next adventures await Lucy and friends!
While there aren’t any recipes included in the book, Lucy’s cousin Josie, owns a bakery and is always sharing delectable goodies. Ms. Delany has thoughtfully offered to share her favorite recipe for Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies. And oh my, they truly are soft and melt-in-your-mouth yummy! I appreciated the generous size and the perfect ratio of chocolate to cookie. And as Ms. Delany suggests in her recipe, if you love chocolate chip cookies double the recipe… these really don’t last long and you’ll be craving more after the last crumb is gone!
Amazon Synopsis
When a traveling show of impressionist art comes to Nags Head, North Carolina, librarian Lucy and the staff at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library are inspired to create an educational display about art history. Their launch of the display is a huge success, but the morning after, they discover that a reproduction of a famous painting has gone missing.
No one knows why anyone would bother stealing it: the picture is of no value–the real, priceless painting is under lock and key at the art show itself. Lucy gets an invite to the glitzy opening night for the real show, where she notices unusual tension among the show’s organizers. Then, the man scheduled to give the welcoming speech fails to arrive, and a party-goer is discovered drowned in a fish pond.
Meanwhile, Louise Jane is totally captivated by Tom Reilly, a handsome, charming art dealer lurking at the edges of the receptions on both nights. Tom slipped away from the party early, and he cannot be located by the police. Who, Lucy asks, is Tom Reilly, the shadowy figure threatening to break Louise Jane’s heart?
Something is afoot in Nags Head, and it’s up to Lucy and her friends to get to the bottom of it before it’s not just paintings being framed.
A special thanks to Vicki Delany for providing one lucky winner with a print copy of THE STRANGER IN THE LIBRARY! Giveaway is limited to U.S. and Canadian residents. Contest ends Sunday, June 16, 2024 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)
Last time I gave you the first in the chocolate chip cookie recipes I’ve been testing for incorporating into the next Tea by the Sea mystery, Murder in a Tea Cup. This is the second one, and the one I preferred. It’s very soft and chewy. If you like a crunchier cookie, try Vicki's Chocolate Chip Cookies.
I got this recipe from my good friend Donna Gilonna. Thanks Donna!
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: approx. 12 cookies
- 8 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
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Preheat oven to 350 F.
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Microwave butter until just barely melted. Should be almost entirely liquid.
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Using stand mixer or electric beater, beat butter with white and brown sugars until creamy. Add vanilla and the egg; beat on low until incorporated, 10-15 seconds (if you beat the egg too long the cookies will be stiff).
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Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until crumbles form. Use your hands to press the crumbles together into a dough. It should form one large ball that is easy to handle (right at the stage between “wet” dough and “dry” dough). Add the chocolate chips and incorporate with your hands.
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Roll the dough into 12 large balls (or 9 for HUGE cookies) and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
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Bake for 9-11 minutes until the cookies look puffy and dry and just barely golden. (DON’T OVERBAKE: this is essential for keeping the cookies soft. Take them out even if they look like they’re not done yet. They’ll be pale and puffy),
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Let them cool on the pan for a good 30 minutes or so. They will sink down and turn into dense, buttery, soft cookies. They will stay soft for several days if kept in an airtight container. I also make double/triple batches to freeze (single batches don’t last long!).
Recipes for afternoon tea style scones and coconut cupcakes, as well as for tea scented bath salts, can be found in the first Tea by the Sea book, Tea and Treachery.
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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I LOVE this series! And I also LOVE soft chocolate chip cookies!
Cookies sound yummy and the book fun to read .
My family’s favorite homemade cookie