I absolutely LOVED this! I binge read it in one sitting, and I can't wait to revisit it!

I did a more lengthy review on my blog which is linked below.

I always love cozy mystery and i'm glad i found this book.

Death checked out is a story about a librarian who somehow found herself tangled with her neighbor's murder. There's almost no romance in this book but the relationship between MC and her friend and family are really heartwarming.

I personally think the first part of the book is not really engaging, but it gets better. The pacing is great. This book has likeable MC, small town setting, supportive side character, no gore and no unnecessary drama. The twist kind of predictable though.

Overall, it's a fun, easy read for anyone who wants to read mystery but doesn't want to suffer from emotional damage.

Thank you netgalley and publisher for providing this book.

I enjoyed reading this quirky and entertaining mystery.

There’s Greta, the main protagonist, Ed, who’s ruggedly handsome, her friend Josie, Detective McHenry who can be brusque to Greta but seems to like her deep down and there’s definitely a spark between them, and her mum Louisa, amongst a cast of other characters

Greta is a director at the local library and gets caught up in a series of murder attempts, not all of which are successful . At one stage, she becomes a potential murder suspect. To try to clear her name and to seek justice for her friend who has been murdered, she investigates to try to track down the assailant. It’s kind of like Jessica Fletcher, the latter years in a way!

This investigation results in her tracking down half-brothers unwittingly , unearthing a rare book, interviewing some estate investors, and nearly getting killed herself.

The characters involved in the story were well fleshed out and interesting. It’s not the type of mystery where you’d automatically work out early in the piece who the murderer is. The story is well written, has a solid plot, and it flowed very well.

The story is peppered with an array of different characters. The Sidney and Dean characters were interesting, as was Iris who, to Greta’s dismay, suddenly became engaged to Dean whom she had serious misgivings about at that point.

I enjoyed the ending. We were left hanging though as to whether Greta and Detective McHenry would become a romantic item.

I recommend this book to others. Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I received a free copy of Death Checked Out, by Leah Dobrinska, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Greta Plank - the library director of Larkspur, WI local library - prefers to look for the best in the world and the people around her. Her rose-tinted view on life fades a little when her neighbor is murdered, and even more so when she become the prime suspect in the case. To clear her name and save her reputation, Greta decides to do some sleuthing of her own. With the help of her fellow librarians and her lawyer mom, Greta delves into Larkspur's real estate market and the rare book market.
I highly recommend this read to everyone, but especially to those who’s favorite pastime is curling up with a good book, warm drink, and a cozy blanket on a rainy day. Be warned, the start of the book goes a bit slow, and seems to contain some infodumping, but by the third chapter, I was hooked. From then on, the pacing seemed to flow well, with just enough crumbs sprinkled throughout the story that I struggled to put it down. This book is the first of a series, and I will definitely be checking out the rest! (see what I did there?)

Being from Wisconsin myself, I enjoyed reading this cute, quirky murder mystery set in my home state.

In the beginning of the book, I felt like the author was trying too hard (too many extra and unnecessary details, etc) but settled down midway though. It wasn't my favorite recent read but overall I enjoyed it

I received this ebook in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my views and all thoughts are my own.

What a cute and light read that made me feel all warm and cozy.

Greta is a library director at the small lakeside town of Larkspur, Wisconsin and always wears a pair of rose-colored glasses. One day on her way home from work Greta finds a dead body and assumes it is an accident. Only it isn’t, its something way worse and shes the prime suspect! Greta fights to clear her name and reputation. Will she be able to do so before its too late or will she pay the fine with her own life?

This was a fun read and I really got lost in the characters. Small towns are such special places and I personally have enjoyed living in one myself. I highly recommend you check this one out if you are looking for a comfy read.

Special thanks to @netgalley and the publisher Level Best books, @ibpaloveindies, for gifting me this advanced e-arc in exchange for this honest review. Check this one out on December 6th!

Synopsis:
When in doubt, go to the library…and solve the murder mystery!

Greta Plank, library director in the small, lakeside town of Larkspur, Wisconsin, prefers her rose-tinted glasses extra rosy, thank you very much. It’s how she copes with the hard stuff in life…like her sister’s death and her ex-boyfriend’s deception. But Greta’s cheery resolve takes a hit when she stumbles upon a dead body on her way home from work. What she assumes is a terrible accident Greta soon learns is something more sinister, and to make matters worse, a new-to-town detective cites her as not only his primary source for the case, but his top suspect.

To clear her name and save her reputation, Greta decides to do some off-the-books clue cataloging of her own. After all, asking questions is what she does best. With the help of her fellow librarians and her lawyer mom, Greta flips through the pages of the murder, uncovering details about Larkspur’s real estate market and the deceased’s rare book collection as she tries to understand why anyone would have authored his death.

With friends and neighbors stacking up as both victims and suspects, Greta must cross reference the facts and put a hold on her idyllic worldview if she wants to get the full story without paying the fine of her life.

Review:
I found this book and the town of Larkspur interesting and idyllic but ultimately boring and I guessed who the culprits were from the jump. The relationships never progressed enough for me to feel like these characters were my friends or people I wanted to get to know and while I know all about Greta, I don't feel like I truly understood anyone else in Larkspur.

3 stars
Death Checked Out
A Larkspur Library Mystery by Leah Dobrinska
A decent mystery that many will enjoy. I was drawn in from the first page. However, the cockiness of the Chicago detective and the interplay between him and main character Greta were just as trite and expected as you would imagine. I am ever so tired of this trope in books. When will authors stop with the whole handsome cocky cop and interfering busybody, whom will no doubt fall in love in the rest of the series? It is enough to put me off of cozy mysteries.
The middle dragged quite a bit, but the conclusion was satisfying. I appreciated the multiple generations of Greta's family being a big part of this book. I do plan on reading the next one in this series and hopefully I will be surprised by the outcome of the characters.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley.

Thank you to the publish and Netgalley for proving me with this eARC.

The book was advertised as a small town, cozy read and did absolutely fit that category. Just like a glove.
I liked the storyline and the pacing.
It was, admittedly, a bit slow at times but nevertheless a good read.

Greta Plank has moved to Larkspur, Wisconsin and works at the library. She is upbeat and makes friends with the other librarians, Josie and Iris. She also makes friends with her neighbor, Franklin Halloway. When Greta stops by Franklin after work, she finds him dead at the bottom of some stairs. A new detective in town is now in charge and Detective Mark McHenry declares that the death was no accident. Greta feels that he is looking at her as a suspect and might not look any further, so she gets her friends to help investigate what happened.
An enjoyable cozy mystery with small town charm, a budding romance and where everybody knows everyone's business and secrets are hard to keep.
Thank you NetGalley and Level Best Books for this e-galley of "Death Checked Out".

This was a marketed as a cozy mystery and I can definitely agree with that! I loved the small town vibes, and the mystery was just enough to keep me reading and guessing. I loved the quirky cast of characters.

I received a free copy of Death Checked Out, by Leah Dobrinska, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Greta has a mystery to solve, someone has set her up for murder. I enjoyed this quirky mystery.

This is a gorgeous little story, you will fall in love with the characters and the setting, and the ending will leave you with a very cozy and happy feeling. The cover is very bright and pulls you in and matches the story perfectly. I had a lot of fun reading this book! This book would be perfect reading for autumn or for a cozy little story.

This is a perfect setting for a fall cozy mystery. I was excited to find it was in a library. It was a fast read however it was maybe a little to cute for my liking. The MC seemed she shouldn't have been a suspect in the murder. I don't think this is a series I will pursue.
#DeathCheckedOut #NetGalley

A quick, easy and cute cosy read that I loved. It was well written with well developed characters, an adorable storyline and a fantastically cosy setting. It also had a mystery element that I really enjoyed.

This was a cute cozy mystery perfect to get into the spirit of the fall season. I liked the small town feel of the setting and loved it being set in a library my only issue with this read was it was maybe a little too sweet and cute for my taste. I thought the central mystery was interesting but had a hard time believing the main character would ever be seen as a suspect. I was entertained by this book and would recommend it but was only a 3 star read from me. Thank you to NetGalley and Level Best Books for a digital arc of this title in an exchange for an honest review.

just reviewed Death Checked Out by Leah Dobrinska. #DeathCheckedOut #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL] this book is just like a warm hug enveloping you. I am completely obsessed with these characters. There has to be more and soon! This is one of the best cozy mystery stories I have read in awhile. This book makes my top 10 of the year. What's not to love about it. Small town, books, coffee and tea, friendship, murder and one sexy detective.

The town of Lakespur, the library and the characters we meet in this book… it’s all so cozy! Yet there is a murderer on the loose and there’s both sorrow and fear in the heart of heroine Greta Plank.
QThat she’s a suspect in her neighbour’s murder doesn’t really make her life easier.
Still, she’s a good natured person.with lots of friendly people around and it takes a lot of pain, both physical and mental, to get her to stop investigating.
I like Greta, she seems very genuine.
Tall, dark, handsome and somewhat broody detective McHenry is a bit more predictable, but his supressed interest in Greta is so subtle, I really admire that kind of writing!
Greta has sworn of men so this is no romance novel, but I can imagine a sequel where sparks can fly a bit more.
Most characters are well written, maybe Iris gets a little thin as all we read about her has to do with hear beau. Josie is a much more complex and interesting character. All in all I liked this book very much and would like to read the sequel weather there’s romance in it or not.

I recieved a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the best cozy I've read in awhile! I blazed through this - it was a perfect read to welcome in the fall/winter season. I enjoyed the setting (quaint little lakeside town), the characters (a trio of plucky librarians, a broody detective, and your usual small town ensemble), and the overall feel of the start of this new series (bookish and delightful).

I feel that dialogue can feel really unnatural in a lot of cozies, but I enjoyed it for the most part in Death Checked Out. Especially between the friends. As the first book of a potential series you did have to get through some of the character/setting setup in the beginning, but it didn't feel too slow paced for me. I actually gasped when I found out who the victim was! The victim is so often such a minor character in cozies that it's hard to care about them much, but I DID care about the victims of Larkspur.

Now, I must admit that I had it solved pretty early on...but that didn't dampen my spirits or damage my reading experience. I was turning the pages to find out how Dobrinska was going to reveal her killer. I also couldn't totally get a read on McHenry in the beginning, but now I'm looking forward to seeing where things go between our heroine librarian Greta and the broody detective in the future.

Quick, lighthearted, fun - Thank you to NetGalley and Level Best Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a well-written and fast-paced whodunit that became a page-turner as I had to know who was doing what to whom. The author did a great job in staging this wickedly solid mystery with a suspect pool where anyone could have been the perpetrator, but it was the slice and dice of clues that with each chapter read, took us closer to the true killer’s identity. There were a few red herrings that teased one way or another to a different person, but it was the visually descriptive narrative that kept me in the game. As the story moved to its conclusion, I had an inkling as to who was the killer and I enjoyed watching it all play out just as the author intended when their identity was revealed. Boasting a great cast of characters, engaging dialogue and a small-town atmosphere, this was a fun book to read, and I can’t wait to see where our heroine and her friends find themselves involved in the next book in this pleasantly appealing debut series.