Victoria Gilbert’s Death in the Margins is the seventh Blue Ridge Library mystery featuring Amy Webber Muir, director of the Taylorsford Public Library. When she returned to her family hometown as library director, she had not yet met Richard Muir, a dancer and choreographer. Now, as a married couple, they have a hard time finding the time to see each other, between her job, his latest project with a production based on folk legends of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and, occasionally, her amateur sleuthing.
Amy makes time to see Richard by taking a picnic lunch to him and his dance partner, Karla. But, an innocent lunch date turns deadly when Amy finds a body backstage and a young dancer standing over it. Meredith Fox was a bitter and mean-spirited woman, an excellent dancer, but not nice to fellow dancers. She was once Richard’s fiancee, but dumped him to marry a dancer with money. Now, she’s dead, and Amy doesn’t believe the primary suspect is guilty of killing her.
Because Amy is interested in finding the true killer, and Brad Tucker, a deputy, has been shunted aside in the case, she spends time interviewing possible suspects, passing the information on to Brad. But, interviewing suspects is a dangerous practice, and a killer warns her several times.
I like this series, and I’m particularly fond of Amy’s friends and family. However, I have to admit that Death in the Margins is not one of my favorite books in the series. I know the author has an extensive library background. I still have issues with Amy’s extensive absenteeism as library director. That’s an issue I have with a number of amateur sleuths who have business responsibilities. Some spend more time investigating than working.
I didn’t find most of the characters appealing or interesting. I still like Richard and Amy’s Aunt Lydia, as well as other characters who recur in the books. I wasn’t interested in most of the new characters, including suspects.
While other fans of the series will enjoy the dance aspects, the library, and the investigation, Death in the Margins just wasn’t for me.
Victoria Gilbert’s website is http://victoriagilbertmysteries.com
Death in the Margins by Victoria Gilbert. Crooked Lane Books, 2022. ISBN 9781639101306 (hardcover), 336p.
FTC Full Disclosure – The publisher sent a copy of the book, with no promise of a review.
Not only are a lot of these amateur sleuths absent from work a lot, a lot of what passes for job duties often has very little to do with reality. I always wonder if this is some kind of Frederic Brown deal where there are worlds you don’t have to work to have a job.
Well, it isn’t library director, Glen. But, you’re right about the sleuths not working. I can suspend disbelief, but I still think if they have a job, they need to show up.
Merry Christmas, Lesa, and to everyone in this community. I am very grateful for this blog. Thanks, Lesa!
Thank you, Jennifer! Merry Christmas!