The Innkeeper’s Intrigue by Deb Marlowe

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Historical Mystery, Mystery, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Innkeeper's Intrigue (Lockstone Hollow Mystery Series)The Innkeeper’s Intrigue by Deb Marlowe

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Lockstone Hollow Mystery, #2

Release Date: October 13, 2026

Lady Lisette Birtwhistle has finally come to terms with the events surrounding the murder of her former betrothed and has settled into village life. As the primary leaseholder of the village thanks to her late brother, the Duke of Winbury, Lisette has big plans for the town and hopes to help all the townspeople profit from the changes she has in mind. But when another body is found, it could mean disaster, so the sooner the murderer is found the better.

Though Lisette is leery to get involved, especially after the danger she found herself in last time, when the grumpy constable, Maxwell Sowerby, asks for her help, she can’t refuse. The victim was a good friend of the constable, so he has even more reason to find the assailant. They work together and follow the leads, but rather than bringing them closer together, despite the mutual attraction, Lisette realizes that Maxwell has no intention of making Lockstock Hollow his home and that as long as that is true, they can have no future. And when they almost come to blows after they have different ideas on how to proceed and once again Lisette finds herself in peril.

This was another well written and nicely plotted mystery by Deb Marlowe, and I enjoyed returning to Lockstone Hollow. Lisette is once again called upon to help solve murder, but this time her help has been requested, which makes readers believe that she might decide about her feelings for the constable. In the previous book, I had hoped that Lisette would end up with the constable, but after this book, I am hoping she saves her heart for Royce Logan, the mysterious carpenter. That aside, the story was filled with intrigue, lots of possible suspects, family secrets, blackmail, cute goats, and finally a very suspenseful ending with a bit of a romantic twist. Overall, this was a very intriguing read that I think will appeal to readers who enjoy cozy historical mysteries featuring a strong, intelligent heroine.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for a DRC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

 

The Haunted Librarian by Auralee Wallace – BLOG TOUR

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A lonely librarian finds love, friends, and a few ghosts between the shelves in this cozy, paranormal tale from beloved bestselling author Auralee Wallace.

It’s a dark and stormy night…and Amelia Bates is caught in the rain. Life hasn’t always been kind to her, and being a ghostseer certainly doesn’t make things any easier.

Glowing warmly through the autumnal downpour is her safest haven: the library. Amelia, the newly hired librarian, has always relished the comfort of curling up with a novel, vastly preferring it to the company of humans (alive or ghostly).

But Amelia is shocked to discover the building is full of more than quiet stories and warm cups of tea. There are curious, talkative patrons, a shy, bespectacled head librarian who makes her heart skip a beat, and three quirky spirits causing paranormal havoc that endangers the future of the library.

To help the ghosts and save the building, Amelia will have to gather all her bravery and wits, because learning to trust others might just be the first step to a happily ever after she only thought was possible in books.

About the Author

After spending her formative years reading Grimms’ fairy tales and stirring up potions in the creek behind her house, Auralee Wallace knew she would grow up to be a witch. When that didn’t work out, she decided becoming a writer was the next best thing. Now, Auralee is the author of multiple novels, including the Otter Lake mystery series and The Evenfall Witches B&B mysteries. She lives in Ottawa with her husband, three kids, two cats, and one dog.

Connect with Auralee Wallace

Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Website ~ Threads ~ Email

Tracy’s Review


The Haunted LibrarianThe Haunted Librarian by Auralee Wallace

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: Standalone Title
Release Date: October 6, 2026

Amelia Bates has not had an easy life, she grew up in foster care and never quite fit in, and to make matters worse, she saw ghosts and had to keep it secret, so no one thought she was crazy. She completely cut out that part of her life, going as far as to make rules to ignore them. Without family or friends, Amelia lost herself in books and her greatest wish in life was to become a librarian. So, when she receives an invitation to apply at the Cavendish Library on Prince Edward Island, she was thrilled. But things seemed to go down from there…

First, she encountered several ghosts on her way to the library and then the weather turned and she was drenched and disheveled when she arrived for her interview, late of course, only to find the door locked. But to her surprise and relief, she was called back by a librarian named Rosalinda, when she turned to leave and was given the job with no questions asked. She was delighted until she was introduced to Simon, the head librarian, who just happened to be just about the most gorgeous man she has ever seen, leaving her tongue tied and feeling awkward. When Simon asks to speak to Rosalinda alone, she realizes that she is not alone, there are several ghosts haunting the library. Ghosts that she refuses to acknowledge and who refuse to be ignored, making it hard for her to seem “normal” and alienating her from Simon. But this is just the beginning, and things are about to get even stranger, and Amelia will have to decide if she is going to stick to her rules or will she finally open her heart and mind?

I really liked this story, it wasn’t the romantasy I was expecting, it was more cozy fantasy with a potential love interest. Amelia is a very interesting and complex character whose life has taught her to be secretive and private, she has never had friends and her experiences at the library take her out of her comfort zone, but as she grows and heals, she slowly learns to trust others and herself. I wasn’t sure if I liked her for the first third of the book, but she grew on me and I ended up rooting for her to find her way to happiness. Overall, it was a charming story of found family, trust, and new beginnings and a book that I would happily recommend.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for a DRC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *