Lucy and Conner's wedding day finally arrives. It, of course, cannot come without a little murder at the reception. A guest who accompanied Lucy's aunt is found stuffed in a closet. Lucy and Conner plan a trip to Paris for their delayed honeymoon, but they are staying in town until the timing works for their schedules. There's a new detective on the force working with Sam Watson, and he's not making many friends as he tries to take over from Sam because Sam is too close to the family. Fortunately Lucy's inquisitive nature leads to a few clues that show the murder might be related to the man's past in New York City. Although I correctly guessed pretty early what I thought might happen, it kept me engaged to the satisfying conclusion. ( )

I started reading the Lighthouse Library series by Eva Gates when my family spent summer vacations at the Outer Banks. I bought most of them from Island Bookstore in Corolla and then read them in the winter when I needed a breath of the beach. We haven't gone for several years but I have kept up with them and was happy to see the 10th offering in the series, Death Knells and Wedding Bells. It is the epitome of a cozy mystery series, set in Nags Head, North Carolina, where the real Bodie Lighthouse is now imagined as a library. Lucy Richardson is the main character and a transplant from Boston where she was escaping her impending society marriage. We have followed her progress and this book features her wedding to local boy and Nags Head mayor Connor. There is a cat, of course, and lots of quirky characters who are on full show for the wedding and its aftermath. I figured out the murderer at some point but didn't mind as I was enjoying the sites and sounds and food.

Lucy and Conner had the perfect wedding . . . if you don’t count the murdered guest and a guest who goes missing. Well, nothing is really perfect! The murdered guest was a plus-1, and not a very nice person, and, not to speak ill of the dead, no one is terribly sad he is no longer among the living. But the missing guest is a dear friend, and Lucy and her boss are exceeding worried about him. Leave it to Lucy to have a wedding with so much drama. Luckily, Lucy had already postponed her honeymoon, so she has plenty of time to do what she likes best - sleuthing. It’s another entertaining and intriguing addition to this well written and quite interesting series. ( )

I love the Lighthouse Library mystery series; this series has an eclectic collection of characters. I am happy that Lucy and Connor are finally married. Leave it to the two of them to have a guest disappear during the reception. I was able to guess who the killer was but I still enjoyed the journey to find out the "why".

Elise Arsenault did a great job narrating this novel and I hope she continues narrating future novels in this series. ( )

Death Knells and Wedding Bells by Eva Gates has readers returning to Nags Head, North Carolina for Lucy and Connor’s wedding. I like how everyone (family, friends, co-workers, and even a soon-to-be ex-wife) came together for the couple’s wedding. There was a wrinkle or two during the day, but it was overall a wonderful wedding day which Lucy and Connor deserved. The murder of Aunt Joyce’s plus one casts a shadow on the wedding weekend. I know Lucy was enjoying her wedding weekend, but I have a feeling that a murder was icing on the cake (she loves solving a whodunit). The force’s newest detective, Detective North, is not happy with Lucy’s sleuthing and is vocal in expressing his displeasure to Detective Sam Watson. The mystery was straightforward. It is a whodunit that can easily be solved early in the book. I did, though, enjoy following Lucy as she questioned people and searched for clues. I love Charlie’s role in the takedown. I could envision the scene in my head and it had me laughing. Eva Gates has created a great cast of characters for this series. I like Lucy’s curiosity. She has questions and Lucy likes to get answers. Lucy is a natural born sleuth. It is also what makes her a good librarian. I like how the characters are there for each other. Bertie may be Lucy’s boss, but she is also a friend. The same goes for the rest of Lucy’s coworkers. I understand Lucy’s motivation for wanting to help Bertie’s plus one, Eddie. I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of Nags Head, Lucy and Connor’s new home, and Bodie Island Lighthouse Library. I like how the author likens the library to the TARDIS. There is no way the lighthouse could be big enough to house the library and Lucy’s Lighthouse Aerie (now Louise Jane’s). It gives readers a chance to use their imagination (I see this regular lighthouse on the outside with a beautiful, big library on the inside). Death Knells and Wedding Bells is the tenth A Lighthouse Library Mystery. It can be read as a standalone, but new readers will struggle in the beginning (gets easier the further you get into the story). I did find the pacing a little slow at times, especially in the beginning. In addition, there is repetition of information (case details, background on suspects and victim). Overall, though, I enjoyed my latest trip to the Outer Banks, and I am looking forward to my next visit. There is humor sprinkled throughout the story. Louise Jane provides several mirthful moments. I enjoyed the book club discussions about Edgar Allan Poe’s stories (A Tell-Tale Heart is my favorite). I like how the death of Aunt Joyce’s plus one related to The Cask of Amontillado. Death Knells and Wedding Bells takes readers to the Outer Banks with beautiful beaches, jovial nuptials, a snuffed out plus one, an absent date, a single-minded detective, and a probing bride. ( )