Shot Through the Book, by Eva Gates

 Publication May 5, 2025

A dead body on her own deck wasn't how Lucy hoped to start the Young Adult Book Festival. Not only is it someone she has barely met but, uh-oh, he was to be the festival's prime author. Who killed Todd Harrison? Why on Lucy and Conner's deck? And, oh, my, not with the usual weapon. Toss in a pushy, not exactly grief-stricken wife with political ambitions, rabid fans determined to live out rituals in Todd's YA series, and gossip, and you've got a twisty mystery to solve. On top of everything else, Lucy isn't even feeling all the great.

I don't want to detail the plot and ruin one moment for readers but will say that as a former teacher with librarian fans, I loved this twist on teens and authors. While I was a bit taken aback by Lucy's lack of backbone when Heather Harrison came calling, cameraman and assistant in tow, especially given Lucy is usually the strong one, I fully enjoyed the story. Politics in its most rabid attack mode might best characterize Heather's tactics but, wow, she is definitely a piece of work. By the time she's done, she's pretty much accused everyone of being inept, ineffectual, useless, or even being a murderer. I guess I'd be a bit taken aback to be confronted by someone like that, too, so I cut Lucy some slack. It was fun to see the rest of the cast of characters together again, sharing ideas, and I felt like I was back home with friends as I joined them virtually. Now, true, a little of Louise Jane goes a long way but Lucy was pretty successful at keeping her reined in. There's even some romance blooming, always fun when you're among friends. 

Bottom line, a fun, thought provoking read in many ways. While as educators we strive to pull students into reading, this one tackles what happens when an author's work becomes an obsession. Even worse, an obsession that leads them into not just annoying but potentially dangerous situations. What might be the result? You'll probably at first shake your head at some of the Todd Harrison book fans but be forced to look deeper into teen angst and obsessions as it progresses. You'll even learn a bit about a sport that isn't the norm for cozy mysteries, at least those set in modern times, as well as get some insight into both publishing and author agents, not to mention author rivalries. Nags Head is, as always, a fascinating location and I enjoy the quirky characters that seem to have found their virtual home there. This one kept me guessing until nearly the big reveal, I must admit. Thanks #CrookedLaneBooks for this early peek at all that's going on in Lucy's life. I did guess that not too finely hidden hint about the final big reveal, though, I must admit. Now I'm looking forward all the more to the next book.