Frictional Characters is the sixth book in Elizabeth Spann Craig’s The Village Library Mysteries series. Set in the small town of Whitby, North Carolina, this is a classic cosy mystery.
No one was excited when muckraker Jonas Merchant returned to town. He was an expert at uncovering secrets and rumours. He was also desperate for easy cash – definitely a dangerous combination.
It wasn’t surprising, then, that Jonas was discovered dead one day. What was more surprising, at least to local librarian Ann Beckett, was that her unimpeachable library director Wilson was one of the suspects in Jonas’s death.
Ann’s challenge was to track down the killer and clear Wilson’s name. Can she do this before the killer strikes again?
I love cosy mysteries. They entice me to follow the clues to discover the murderer but they never scare me. Sometimes, that’s what I need – to be taken back to a familiar place and set of characters, knowing that the crime will be solved by the end of the book.
Frictional Characters does not disappoint. That it’s set in a working environment that’s familiar to me – a public library – adds to my enjoyment. After all, librarians talk to so many people in their working day that it’s not surprising they have so much local knowledge. Ann is a totally relatable character to me.
Great read for lovers of cosy mysteries.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book.
You can read more about Frictional Characters on Goodreads.
Hi Erica, you inspire me to hunt down The Village Library Mysteries at my local library. I have never been a reader of thrillers or murder mysteries but this sounds like a great introduction. Is there always a cat on the cover? Cheryl K
Most cosy mysteries set in libraries or bookshops seem to have cats, Cheryl. I skim over those bits since I’m not a cat lover. 😀 I never worked in a library with a cat mascot – did you come across any?