Kristina A. reviewed on 10/28/2022 + 1528 more book reviews

Dewey Decimated is the sixth A Haunted Library Mystery. It can easily be read as a standalone if you are new to the series or if you have missed a book or two along the way. I found Dewey Decimated easy to read. The pacing, though, was on the slow side. It picks up in the latter half of the book. We follow Carrie as she goes about her day-to-day routine (big yawn). She goes to work with Smokey Joe, does her work, goes to lunch at the diner with best friend, dinner with her aunt and uncle, etc. It does get monotonous. Evelyn is back and she has a friend who needs help. I just love Evelyn. I am glad that we got to see more of her in this book. Her spirited friend causes some upheaval in the library as well as in the life of someone close to Carrie. The mystery involves a skeleton found wrapped in a blanket in the new library expansion as well as a current murder. The mysteries were straightforward. There are a couple of suspects in both cases along with some misdirection. I wish the solutions to both crimes had not been so obvious. Case details are repeated frequently throughout the story (I got it the first time; I do not need it repeated twelve times). Carrie does not begin investigating right away. She eventually begins sleuthing (what happened to the Carrie we met back in Death Overdue). A pushy reporter keeps nagging Carrie to team up with her to solve the case. I did not like how the reporter (Julie Theron) put down Lt. John Mathers. Both cases have a good wrap up at the end. Carrie is on the town council, and they are debating what to do with Seabrook Preserve. The preserve loses its sanctuary status in three months. There are three different proposals for the property. The debating is hot and heavy plus there is behind the scenes wheeling and dealing. The situation is discussed quite a bit throughout the story (which means a lot of repetition). The ending is sweet and hopeful. Dewey Decimated is a nice story (humdrum), but I felt it lacked some pizzazz. There needed to be more action and less about Carrie's daily activities. Dewey Decimated is a chilly tale with a fall festival, a discovered skeleton, a cuddly cat, a spirit surprise, a preserve dispute, a shocking murder, and a nervy reporter.

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