On Borrowed Time

When her brother, Jack, a consultant for a coffee company and a world-traveling playboy, goes missing, Briar Creek library director Lindsey Norris becomes mixed up in a strange case involving South American business dealings and an exotic woman.

The New York Times bestselling Library Lover's mysteries continue with a hot new case... Loving a good cup of coffee runs in the family for Briar Creek library director Lindsey Norris. But when her brother, Jack, a consultant for a coffee company, goes missing, her favorite beverage becomes a key clue in a dangerous mystery. Between preparing the library for the holidays and juggling the affections of ex-boyfriend, Captain Mike Sullivan, and her new crush, actor Robbie Vine, Lindsey has her hands full. But the mysterious disappearance of her world-traveling playboy brother takes precedence over all. Afraid that involving the police could brew trouble for Jack, Lindsey takes matters into her own hands. But as her quest for her brother embroils her in a strange case involving South American business dealings and an enigmatic and exotic woman, it'll take the help of both her library book club--the crafternooners--and her eager-to-please suitors to keep Jack from ending up in hot water... INCLUDES READING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS

Praise for the Library Lover's Mysteries

“Sure to please cozy readers everywhere.”—Ellery Adams, New York Times bestselling author

“Terrific…Intelligent, fun, and lively.”—Miranda James, New York Times bestselling author

“Fast-paced and fun…An endearing protagonist.”—Kate Carlisle, New York Times bestselling author

“A sparkling setting, lovely characters, books, knitting, and chowder! What more could any reader ask?”—Lorna Barrett, New York Times bestselling author

“A winning formula.”—Library Journal

Auteur

Jenn McKinlay

Résumé
The New York Times bestselling Library Lover's mysteries continue with a hot new case...

Loving a good cup of coffee runs in the family for Briar Creek library director Lindsey Norris. But when her brother, Jack, a consultant for a coffee company, goes missing, her favorite beverage becomes a key clue in a dangerous mystery.

Between preparing the library for the holidays and juggling the affections of ex-boyfriend, Captain Mike Sullivan, and her new crush, actor Robbie Vine, Lindsey has her hands full. But the mysterious disappearance of her world-traveling playboy brother takes precedence over all.

Afraid that involving the police could brew trouble for Jack, Lindsey takes matters into her own hands. But as her quest for her brother embroils her in a strange case involving South American business dealings and an enigmatic and exotic woman, it’ll take the help of both her library book club—the crafternooners—and her eager-to-please suitors to keep Jack from ending up in hot water…

INCLUDES READING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS

Échantillon de lecture

Lindsey Norris, director of the Briar Creek Public Library, strode across the library with her keys in hand. It was lunch hour on Thursday, which meant book talk, crafts and snacks, as their weekly crafternoon book club gathered in a meeting room on the far side of the building.

Out of all the activities the library hosted, this was by far Lindsey’s favorite. She figured it was the book nerd in her that loved it so, but truthfully, these ladies had become her dearest friends since she’d moved to Briar Creek, Connecticut, a few years ago, and any afternoon she shared with them was time well spent.

“Lindsey, wait up!” a voice called to her from the children’s department. She spun around to see an old-fashioned aviator charging toward her.

Lindsey squinted. Beneath the leather cap and goggles, she couldn’t make out much, but she was pretty sure she recognized the upturned nose and stubborn chin as belonging to her children’s librarian, Beth Stanley. But it was hard to say, as the rest of her was dressed in a white scarf, leather bomber jacket, black pants and boots. Not the typical wardrobe for a woman who spent most of her time doing finger plays, felt boards and story times.

“What do you think?” the aviator asked. She planted her hands on her hips and stood as if she were posing for a photo.

“I’m not sure,” Lindsey said. “Who are you?”

“What? Oh!” The woman wrestled her goggles up onto her head. “It’s me—Beth. What do you think of my steampunk outfit?”

“It’s the bomb,” Lindsey said with a laugh. Beth looked positively delighted with herself and with good reason. “You look like you could have stepped right out of Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan.”

“Yes!” Beth pumped a fist in the air. “That’s exactly what I was going for. My teen group worked on these at our meeting last night. You should see some of the stuff they made. We’re all getting together at the Blue Anchor tonight to have our holiday blowout and show off our outfits.”

“I love it,” Lindsey said. Not for the first time, she thought how lucky the community was to have Beth, who truly brought reading to life for kids and teens.

“I think you look ridiculous,” a voice said from the circulation desk. “Mr. Tupper never let his staff run around in costume, and certainly not out in public.”

“No one asked you—” Beth began, but Lindsey cut her off.

“That will do, Ms. Cole,” she said. “Beth has done amazing things to get our teens reading.”

Ms. Cole sniffed but didn’t argue, which Lindsey felt was a big improvement. Known as the lemon to the rest of the staff, Ms. Cole was an old-school librarian who longed for the days of shushing loud patrons and shunning late borrowers.

“Walk and talk,” Lindsey said to Beth. “Crafternoon is starting soon, and I need to set up the meeting room.”

“Who’s bringing the food this week?” Beth asked.

“Nancy.”

“Oh, I hope she baked cookies,” Beth said. Nancy Peyton, who was also Lindsey’s landlord, was known throughout Briar Creek for her exceptional cookie-baking skills. Since it was December and the holidays were just weeks away, Lindsey knew that Nancy had been giving her oven a workout.

“I think that’s a safe bet,” Lindsey said.

She glanced out the window as they turned down the short hallway that led to the crafternoon room. The town maintenance crew had been decorating the old-fashioned lampposts that lined Main Street with garlands of silver and gold tinsel, and hanging green wreaths with red ribbons just below the lamps.

The decorations added just the right amount of festive energy to the air and helped ward off the gloom that seemed to be descending upon them in the form of menacing, steel gray clouds, which were reflected by the water in the bay, giving everything a cold, hard and unforgiving appearance.

The crafternoon room had a small gas fireplace, and Lindsey had a feeling that they were going to need it today to fight off the wintery chill in the air.

“So I was thinking you should come and meet up with me and the teens at the Blue Anchor tonight,” Beth said. “It’ll be fun. I even have enough steampunk gear for you to wear.”

Lindsey glanced at her friend. She could not picture herself looking like a souped-up Amelia Earhart; still Beth had spray-painted the goggles copper and stuck all sorts of knobs and gear and even a dragonfly on them. They were pretty cool.

“I don’t like to leave Heathcliff alone for that long,” sh…