Librarian Lucy’s new historic house comes with a lot of baggage and family secrets. Can she put them to rest or will a killer bring Lucy’s family to their downfall, in the 9th Lighthouse Library mystery.

It’s spring in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and Lucy and Connor have moved into their new home at last, a historic cottage on the Nags Head Beach. The house needs a lot of renovations, but they worked hard over the winter to get it ready. Lucy is now happily immersed in her work at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, planning her wedding, and decorating the house. That is, until a dead body disrupts their peaceful new abode.

The first night Lucy’s alone in the house, with the company of Charles the library cat, she hears sounds. Investigating they see footsteps in the dust of the unfinished living room, and the door to the outside is open. Lucy's reminded that the house is said to be haunted: forty years ago the teenage daughter of the owners fled in the night, and never again stepped foot inside her family home.

But the sounds have an all-too-human origin and one evening Lucy and Connor find the dead body of a man they don’t even recognize in their kitchen. They soon realize he has a long-time connection to their house. Lucy's forced to find out what happened all those years ago and why it’s threatening her happiness today.

Meanwhile, the Classic Novel Reading Club is reading The House of the Seven Gables by Nathanial Hawthorne, a book about another old house full of secrets. Can Lucy find parallels to her own situation in Hawthorne’s fiction before the killer strikes again?

Eva Gates' profile page

Eva Gates is a national bestselling author who began her writing career as a Sunday writer: a single mother of three high-spirited daughters, with a full-time job as a computer programmer. Now she has more than twenty novels under her belt in the mystery genre, published under the name Vicki Delany. She lives in Ontario. This is her ninth Lighthouse Library mystery.

Praise for Death by Beach Read:
“Cozy readers will enjoy spending time with book lover Lucy and her friends.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Easy-to-read mystery with fun, quirky characters that fit right in a small-town setting.”
—Portland Book review

“Memorable characters, clever plotting, and great fun from cover to cover . . . a 'must' for Eva's legions of fans.”
—Midwest Book Review

“A light, well-written mystery.”
—The Facts
Praise for Deadly Ever After:
"Plenty of unexpected plot twists and characters the reader can really care about help make this cozy a winner. Gates consistently entertains."
—Publishers Weekly

"A comedy of misunderstandings and multiple motives makes for a happy read."
—Kirkus Reviews
“A quick read, a strong protagonist, good characters, and strong writing.”
—New York Journal of Books

“Another wonderfully entertaining and cleverly written 'whodunnit'.”
—Midwest Book Review

"Deadly Ever After is another delightful win for the series with a mystery that’s charming and full of endearing characters, humor, and romance."
—Seattle Book Review

“Another fun novel in the series from author Eva Gates.”
—Red Carpet Crash
“Gates [has a] knack for drawing the reader into the fold...A great mystery.”
—Cozy Mystery Book Reviews
Praise for the Lighthouse Library mysteries:
“Exceptional...Cozy queen Gates is at the top of her game.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“The writing is strong with good description, heavy tension, and a good location.”
—New York Journal of Books

“Satisfyingly entertaining.”
—Midwest Book Review

“Well-written [and] cleverly plotted.”
—Seattle Book Review

"A sure bet for library-loving cozy readers."
—Booklist

"A rollicking good read that cozy fans will love."
—Suspense Magazine

"An engaging mystery...Readers who enjoyed Miranda James's 'Cat in the Stacks' mysteries will discover this series similarly entertaining, complete with a library, a cat, and a captivating location and sleuth."
—Library Journal starred review

“Lucy is a delightful and engaging sleuth surrounded by a cast of intriguing characters in an original and unique setting.”
—Krista Davis, New York Times bestselling author of the Domestic Diva mysteries

“A smart whodunit….A likeable heroine.”
—Sofie Kelly, New York Times bestselling author of the Magical Cats mysteries

“A library in a lighthouse? And a cat? Sign me up! A fun read for all cozy fans.”
—Laurie Cass, bestselling author of the Bookmobile Cat Mysteries