The Last Checkout Murder: A Bookish Cozy Mystery of Rare Volumes, Hidden Marginalia, and Small-Town Secrets

A historic library.

A missing rare book.

A murder hidden between the shelves.

Clara Vale has come home to Ashworth to rebuild her life and take up her new post as collections librarian at the town’s beloved public library. The old stone building smells of polished oak, rain-damp coats, and stories waiting to be found — exactly the sort of place Clara has always understood better than people.

But during the library’s fundraising gala, renowned rare book dealer Lionel Hartley is found dead in the restricted archive.

Even worse, the valuable donated volume he came to appraise has vanished.

With the library’s reputation at risk and whispers spreading faster than overdue notices, Clara finds herself pulled into the investigation. The police want facts. The trustees want discretion. The town wants gossip. Clara wants the truth — especially when she realizes someone has tampered with the library catalogue.

The suspects are all close to the shelves: a protective director, an ambitious trustee, a resentful historian, a charming collector, and a staff member with more to lose than anyone guessed.

As Clara follows a trail of old marginalia, missing records, and secrets buried in Ashworth’s literary past, she discovers that some people will do anything to control the story.

Perfect for readers who enjoy:

Bookish cozy mysteries

Library and rare book settings

Amateur sleuths with quiet wit

Small-town secrets and village gossip

Clean mysteries with fair clues and satisfying reveals

The Last Checkout Murder begins the Ashworth Library Mysteries, a warm, atmospheric cozy mystery series by Miriam Alderwick.

Pull up a chair in the reading room — but keep an eye on the archive door.