Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Books Can Be Deceiving

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 10, 2023

This author is to me. I have always wanted to be a librarian because I have a deep and abiding love for books. I enjoy many different genres. I love mysteries and have recently fallen in love with cozy mysteries.

This book has a charming, small town setting. You can almost hear the surf as you read. It is full of colorful, interesting characters. I could see myself being friends with many of them. Some of the characters are very unlikeable. Beth’s boyfriend who gets murdered is a total ass. I was not at all sorry he was killed off. The local police chief is an even bigger ass, not to mention completely stupid and incompetent. He has already decided Beth is guilty and will mot even consider evidence or testimony that suggests otherwise. Ms. Cole, the head librarian has a sour disposition and goes out of her way to make Lindsey’s life miserable. This book had plenty of twists and turns. It kept me guessing until the end. I will definitely read the rest of this series.

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Kindle Customer

if you can get past the problems …

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 19, 2022

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If you could get past the problems such as an incredibly implausible ending and unanswered questions such as “what about the book?” then you can enjoy the story which contained a good mystery. The characters were fun, and the story played out in a logical manner. Despite their sometimes stupid behavior and the obvious problems that you see coming …

One person found this helpful

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Carol Smith - Kindle Customer

Jenn McKinlay’s Books Can Be Deceiving

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 18, 2022

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Lindsey Norris was settling in as the director
of the Briar Creek Library located in Briar
Creek, CT. She started a crafternoon program
where people read the pick book of the week,
while they worked on a craft. In this book, they
were knitting. Only Ms Cole, the long time
employee at the library was very grumpy toward
Lindsey and her new ideas.
Beth, the children’s librarian dressed up as the
characters in the stories read.
Beth was a writer and illustrator of a children’s
book. Her boyfriend, Rick of five years was a published
children’s book author who told Beth that her book
was not mature enough to show to a publisher.
Beth and Rick break up after a fight about her book.
The next day, Lindsey and Beth meet with a book
publisher who is vacationing in Briar Creek. They
discover that Beth’s book is going to be published
under Rick’s name. He stole her work.
Furious both Lindsey and Beth enlisted the boat
and help of Captain Mike Sullivan to take them to
the island where Rick is staying in order to confront
him. But when they reach the island, they discover
Rick is Dead!!
The chief of police decides Beth is guilt of murder.
Lindsey, Beth and Captain Sullivan must prove him
wrong. They must find the real culprit.
The characters are multifaceted, clearly defined
with appropriate personalities for the role they
play.
The plot had several twists and turns to it.
This is book # 1 in the Library Lover’s Mystery
Series.
A Kindle Unlimited Customer.

One person found this helpful

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Fabulous Read

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 30, 2011

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Jenn McKinlay is one of my favorite authors. When I found out she had a new series about a librarian, I couldn't wait to get it. I even pre-ordered it, but then life conspired against me and I wasn't able to read it until October. Then life continued to get in the way and I'm just now writing my review. I feel badly about taking so long to post my review, because this is an excellent book and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves mysteries and/or books about librarians. In fact I'm buying a copy for my book club's Christmas book exchange.

What I liked about the book: I loved everything about this book, the subject matter, the setting, the plot, the characters - Ok, I didn't love Ms. Cole. She is so NOTt the librarian I want to be (and please if I am, someone shoot me now.) But she is the kind of character you love to hate and she does keep Lindsey on her toes. The story is fast paced with a touch of humor and an engaging mystery. It's a quick and delightful read. I also liked that there are many references to other novels. That reminds me of another favorite mystery series: The Death on Demand series by Carolyn Hart.

What I didn't like about the book: There wasn't anything about the writing that I didn't like. There were some characters that I didn't care for - but I think that's just what McKinlay wanted us to feel. This is the first in a new series, so it's possible that Ms. Cole might become more lovable over time. I really didn't like the victim and it didn't bother me one bit that he died. Another reviewer commented that since he was so obnoxious they couldn't understand how anyone could have spent five years with him. Therefore the reviewer didn't find that part of the story believable. I disagree. I've had plenty of friends (both male and female) that were absolutely besotted with significant others that I found to be so obnoxious I could barely stand to be around them. It happens. Love is blind. I also don't care too much for Chief Daniels. Yet, again, I don't think we are supposed to like him. He is a bumbling, somewhat bigoted, perhaps incompetent policeman. And while I know in real life most policeman are not like him, the way McKinlay has written him makes it much easier to believe that Lindsey would have to come to the rescue of her friend. After all we can't have an adorable children's librarian who dresses up as The Hungry Caterpillar railroaded into jail, can we?

If you have book lover on your Christmas list, I highly recommend this new book as a gift. You should buy it as a gift for yourself. Be sure to check out her other books too. You can find more information on them at her website.

2 people found this helpful

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john oneill

The book is a Could have been great but....

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 10, 2022

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First I listened to the Audio book and I thought the performance of the reader was very good. The Arthur did a good job with the setting of the town and the characters. The character are very likable and easy to be rooting for.

With that said the plot had a whole lot of common sense missing. It was written in 2011. I had to double check that because not once did a character use a computer to any searches for information. They are suppose to be Liberians who know how to do research and not once did they show any ability for this. Other times they did get information that could make a difference to the police but share with the police who would do such a obvious common sense thing. Also the police were so dumb it was not even believable. I don't want to say too much too ruin the book for you but if you read this or listen to this book, I think many times you are going to say to yourself for smart women they show not one bit of common sense.

It that lack of common sense that drives me crazy and so the book gets three stars. It didn't get a two star because the Arthur did a great job of giving atmosphere and characters.

3 people found this helpful

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Carmen

Library fun

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 23, 2022

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This would be my dream job, being a librarian, where I can be around all the lovely books and I have to say having moved to a place where you can have such good friends who care about you and you for them. Lindsey has definitely come across something and is willing to do whatever she can to help clear her friend but then another body appears. I have to say I really there all the characters even Ms. Lemon, hahaha, not really her name but when you're a bitter person I guess nicknames happen.

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S. Warfield

A seaside library; an island murder

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 23, 2011

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Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay has everything in it that I love--the shore, a library, good food and great friends. However, I wouldn't want to be caught up in the murder that occurs or what Lindsey Norris goes through to try to exonerate her friend and co-worker of the suspicion of murder that the local Connecticut shore police department wants to pin on her.

Lindsey and her friend Beth both work at the Briar Creek Public Library, where Lindsey is the director and Beth is the children's librarian and is also an aspiring writer. Beth's boyfriend, Rick, is a published author but strangely does not support Beth's efforts to try to see a visiting editor from New York who is vacationing in Briar Creek. Rick has a home on a remote island and appears to be doing quite well for himself.

When Rick is deserving of a visit from Beth at his island house, Beth finds him murdered. It becomes a frantic race by Beth and Lindsey to find the real killer when the local police are interested only in pinning it on Beth so that they have a suspect, and they aren't interested in looking beyond her. As the two, with the help of a very likeable character named Sully, try to plan their next steps, many a bowl of chowder is consumed, as well as the excellent hot chocolate that Sully makes.

The setting couldn't be better in this book, as well as the characters. Not all of them are going to be likeable, but they all have their reasons for what they do. Ms. Cole, better known as "the lemon" for her sour demeanor, puts some humor in the story since she is the cross that Lindsey must bear as a new director of the library. Ms. Cole has been there much longer and doesn't let Lindsey forget it.

This is the first in a new cozy mystery series by this author and I'm very much looking forward to the second book. Recommended for all cozy mystery lovers.

4 people found this helpful

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The Legend Of Megadon

Promising story but is lacking orginality.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 7, 2011

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I read cozies often and I have been reading most of the popular series and some of the lessor known ones. I do not know where the Southern Sewing Circle Sew Deadly (Southern Sewing Circle Series) falls but this book just reminds me of that series way too much. The book itself was good yet I could not help but notice the striking similarities to the Southern Sewing Circle books. Like how the protagonists are both librarians in towns with the word Briar in the name, having a cheating ex fiancee and the reason for the protagonist relocating,they are having issues with the elder librarian, they craft, and so on. If you have read Elizabeth Lynn Casey's books you will see the parallels it just may be coincidence but I felt obligated to give this book 3 stars for that reason alone it could have easily been a 3.5 to 4 star book but it was lacking in originality. The first in a planned series I was anticipating reading was somewhat of a letdown Lindsay the protagonist lacks any spark or spunk it is hinted at that her best friend Beth has that type of personality however in this book it rarely shines through. I think some character development really needs to take place over the course of the next book and hopefully the author will work on her ending. I do not want to give away the ending but the killer plot twist was a little contrived, add to that an overzealous bumbling sheriff that in reality would have been fired years ago I found some of the characters to be downright annoying and not in the way the author intended. I was thinking who is going to buy this plot line people like this are morons and there is no way he would be sheriff, I think the point of this character was to show the severity of the situation the characters were in but instead he just served the purpose of ticking me off and insulting my intelligence. Despite my grumbling I did like the book and did have a hard time putting it down. It's not bad but it's not that good either. There is definitely room for improvement but I will be reading the next book with an open mind hopefully this one will not remind me of the Southern Sewing Circle books and will not fall flat at the finish.

17 people found this helpful

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E. Ervin

Nude professors, bicycles, mysteries and cookies - what more could you want.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 3, 2016

Verified Purchase

Maybe because I am a librarian (retired) I was drawn to this book and this series. True, I have read them somewhat out of order but that hasn't bothered me greatly. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The descriptions of the islands and the tiny town were very good. It made me want to visit. Some of the folklore added into the books was great, too. I also liked having a librarian referred to as the 'lemon' as that could be very appropriate in many ways. She was a unique character. I enjoyed reading this book and it kept me in suspense as to 'who dun it' until the end. Not too many cozy books have you going to a college and finding the professor posing in the nude for his art class. That was an eye catcher for sure. Jenn McKinlay writes in such a way that you can feel the cold water of the ocean as you boat over to one of the little islands. She makes you want to ride in a water taxi and eat cookies with the landlady. I even thought about digging out my old bicycle and going for a ride after reading about Lindsey who traded her car in and bought a bicycle. I will definitely look for more books in this series.

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Fun Start to a New Series

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 24, 2014

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BOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING was an entertaining cozy mystery. Lindsay is new at the Briar Creek Public Library. She came there after losing her job in an academic library and shedding her cheating fiance.

Her best friend Beth is the children's librarian. Beth is also an aspiring author who is dating a famous children's author. When Beth shows her portfolio to a visiting editor, she is surprised to be called a plagiarist because her boyfriend Rick is set to publish an extremely similar book. When Beth visits the now ex-boyfriend with Lindsay and a local ship's captain, she finds that he has been brutally murdered. The local police chief is convinced that Beth is the murder.Since Lindsay refuses to believe that Beth murdered her plagiarizing ex, she begins her own investigation and discovers interesting and disturbing things about Rick.

I liked Lindsay's new group of friends at the library. The book had some laugh out loud moments when describing Lindsay's attempts to learn the various crafts that were done as a part of the crafting book club. I liked the references to other books and authors. I liked that Lindsay knew the favorite authors of many of her patrons. I liked that Lindsay was beginning to feel at home in Briar Creek.

Fans of cozies and libraries will enjoy this entertaining story.

2 people found this helpful

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5 star		54%
4 star		30%
3 star		14%
2 star		2%
1 star		1%

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