Once Upon a Murder: A Lady Librarian Mystery

Larsen’s enjoyable second Georgian-era mystery for Miss Tiffany Woodwall (after A Novel Disguise) finds the Astwell Palace librarian wrapped up in a murder investigation that hits close to home. Tiffany is hurrying to work one morning when she stumbles over the body of Bernard Coram, a brutish former palace footman. With Bernard having sworn revenge against Tiffany for exposing his racism and ousting him from the palace, she’s initially named the prime suspect in his death. Even after she provides a sufficient alibi to the local magistrate, things only go from bad to worse when he zeroes in on the Samir Winthrop as the next suspect. Tiffany has long harbored romantic feelings for Samir, and was devastated by the recent news that he’d gotten married and was expecting his first child. After Samir hires Tiffany to help clear his name, she races to find the truth while trying—and failing—to protect her heart. Though the investigation is less thrilling than it was in the previous entry, Larsen’s characters enchant. Mystery fans who prefer their whodunits with a dash of romance will savor this. Agent: Jen Nadol, Unter. (Feb.)