Halloween in North Carolina’s Outer Banks becomes seriously tricky when librarian Lucy Richardson stumbles across something extra unusual in the rare books section: a dead body.

Wealthy businessman Jay Ruddle is considering donating his extensive collection of North Carolina historical documents to the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, but the competition for the collection is fierce. Unfortunately, while the library is hosting a lecture on ghostly legends, Jay becomes one of the dearly departed in the rare books section. Now, it’s up to Lucy Richardson and her fellow librarians to bone up on their detective skills and discover who is responsible for this wicked Halloween homicide.

Meanwhile, very strange things are happening at the library—haunted horses are materializing in the marsh, the lights seem to have an eerie life of their own, and the tiny crew of a model ship appears to move around when no one is watching. Is Lucy at her wit’s end? Or can it be that the Bodie Island Lighthouse really is haunted?

WithThe Legend of Sleepy Hollow on everyone’s minds and ghoulish gossip on everyone’s lips, Lucy will need to separate the clues from the boos if she wants to crack this case without losing her head inThe Spook in the Stacks, the delightful fourth in national bestseller Eva Gates’ Lighthouse Library mysteries.

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 fourth Lighthouse Library mystery.

Praise forThe Spook in the Stacks:
“Gates creates an atmosphere that perfectly balances the chill of a spooky night with small-town coastal charm in a mystery that will delight bookish cozy fans.”
—Booklist

“Lively…Book lovers will envy Lucy’s dream of a life, working in a wonderful library, surrounded by amusing friends, not to mention a fine feline companion and a handsome suitor. Cozy fans will look forward to her further adventures.”
—Publishers Weekly

“A simply riveting good read from beginning to end.The Spook in the Stacks is an especially recommended additional to all community library Mystery/Suspense collections.”
—Midwest Book Review

“Eva Gates delivers the perfect treat for Halloween and a delight for mystery lovers.”
—Seattle Book Review

Praise forBy Book or by Crook:
“[A] charming, entertaining, and smart series...[featuring] an unusual (and real) setting and colorful cast of characters that set it apart from other bookish cozies.”
—Library Journal starred review

“A charming new series by Eva Gates. A librarian in a historic lighthouse with a cozy apartment upstairs and a clever cat named Charles (Dickens) make for a book lover’s dream. 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, national bestselling author of the Bookmobile Cat mysteries