Audiobook review: Checked Out by Elizabeth Spann Craig
Ann is a small town librarian situated in the mountains of North Carolina. She enjoys helping out and doesn’t mind working long hours. Not one to go out, she final agrees when one of her patrons set up Ann on a blind date with her grand-nephew, Roger. When Ann arrives at his home, she finds Roger stabbed and dead, putting Ann in the middle of a police investigation.
Check Out is the first book in what promises to be an entertaining cozy series. I always love when stories center around books, and the library is a central setting in this mystery. Overall, I enjoyed the setting and characters and found the mystery engaging.
The book opens with Ann rescuing two cats from a filling storm drain. The author uses great descriptions here and throughout the book, which helps me visualize the scenes. I liked that opening scene because it sets the mood and shows the reader that Ann is a kind and caring person, and she’s level headed. I love how the cats become central to the story. Ann is smart and inquisitive, which could get her into more trouble than it does, but I like that she works in concert with the police. I didn’t love that she frequently judges folks; however, she does realize her errors almost immediately and it’s all internal.
I enjoyed many of the side characters. As a librarian, Ann comes into contact with a lot of people, and I like how the author allows us to learn more about each as they interact with Ann. I really enjoyed the new-to-town police chief. He is not the stereotypical by-the-book, grumpy chief who assumes the worst in all and sees suspects everywhere. He’s intelligent and kind, and he listens well. He also doesn’t mind Ann helping him out, but asks her to be safe.
The overall mystery of who killed Roger is interesting and well-written. However, I was devastated by the outfall from catching the killer. I can’t be specific without giving away who did it, but I felt Ann and the chief make light of a really bad situation which made me mad, and it’s why I didn’t rate the story higher.
Narration: Checked Out is shared via the first person POV of Ann. Overall, Nordlinger has an upbeat voice, with a touch of deepness, making it age appropriate and fitting for Ann. Nordlinger often softens her voice to project calm and caring. Dialogue is altered based on gender and age. In general, there aren’t big differences between characters but enough to be able to tell when different people are talking. After a while, I noticed that sometimes Nordlinger speaks with a matter-of-fact sounding voice, which can be direct and a little void of emotion.
In the end, I enjoyed the overall story and characters, despite the frustration right at the end of the book. I will certainly look for more books in the Village Library Mysteries series.
My Ratings
Story: B-
Narration: B-
Jen
About the Book:
There are no renewals when you’re permanently checked out.
When librarian Ann Beckett finally reluctantly agrees to being set-up on a blind date by one of her over-eager patrons, she figures that the worst that could happen would be that the two of them wouldn’t hit it off.
Little did she know that she’d be stood up…because her date was murdered.
With the help from her patrons, Ann tries to find out who might be responsible in the small town of Whitby before more residents are permanently checked out.
Author: Elizabeth Spann Craig
Narrator: Romy Nordlinger
Series: Village Library Mysteries #1
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Audiobook Release Date: January 14, 2025
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Length: 6 hours; 59 minutes
Source: publisher
Audio Speed: 1.4x
Purchase info:
Audible/Amazon (affilate link)
