A Death Long Overdue

It’s reunion weekend for Bertie James, director of the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library in Nag’s Head, NC. She and her librarian classmates are celebrating their 40th anniversary. Bertie’s staff puts together a surprise display of historical memories of librarianship. Assistant Director Lucy Richardson enjoys the excitement when the women arrive for the opening reception, but some of the women are upset when former library director Helena Sanchez shows up. Bertie invited her predecessor, but many didn’t like the critical, stiff woman. Then Helena goes missing during a walking tour into the marsh after the reception. Lucy and the children’s librarian wade into the marsh when they see Helena’s body. No one knew Helena well, but which librarian hated her enough to kill her? Missing clues from the historical display include a copy of The Celestine Prophecy. Lucy insists Helena was shocked by a name on the checkout slip in the book. When the torn slip shows up, clues lead back to Helena’s days as director, long before her retirement. The character-driven mystery has unexpected links to the Lighthouse Library.