The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Nora Seed discovers a magical library where each book lets her live a different version of her life. As she revisits her regrets and explores alternate paths, she learns that perfection isn’t what she imagined. With time running out, Nora must uncover what truly makes life worth living.
The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
Tells the story of Odile Souchet, a librarian at the American Library in Paris, who joins the Resistance during World War II, using books as her weapon against the Nazis. Decades later in 1983 Montana, a lonely teenager named Lily befriends her mysterious neighbor, uncovering a shared love of language and a hidden connection to Odile’s past. This poignant novel explores love, betrayal, and the quiet heroism found in literature and human connection.
The Library Book by Susan Orlean
Explores the devastating 1986 Los Angeles Public Library fire, which destroyed 400,000 books, and the mystery of whether it was arson. Blending investigative journalism with a love for libraries, Orlean delves into their history, cultural significance, and the lives of those who shaped them. This captivating narrative celebrates libraries as vital, enduring institutions in an increasingly digital world.
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
A scream disrupts the quiet of the Boston Public Library, locking four strangers in the reading room as they await answers. As friendships form, it becomes clear that one of them is a murderer. This twist-filled literary mystery explores the complexities of friendship and the dangerous power of words.
What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama & Alison Watts
The heartwarming story of Sayuri Komachi, a Tokyo librarian with a gift for sensing exactly what her visitors need in life. Through her uncanny book recommendations, she helps a range of characters—from a stuck sales clerk to a struggling mother—find inspiration and new paths. This charming novel celebrates the transformative power of libraries, community, and unexpected connections.
The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie
The Bantrys discover a young woman’s body in their library and turn to Miss Marple for help. As another victim is found in a quarry, Miss Marple unravels the mystery to uncover the truth before the murderer strikes again. This classic whodunit showcases Christie’s signature twists and sharp wit.
Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller
A small Southern town becomes a battleground over banned books when Lula Dean creates a lending library to promote “worthy” literature, only for Beverly Underwood’s daughter, Lindsay, to secretly stock it with banned titles. As the town’s residents are transformed by their reading, tensions between Lula and Beverly escalate during a mayoral race, leading to a hilarious and transformative community showdown. This sharp satire celebrates the power of books to spark change and defy censorship.
Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibanez
In the thrilling conclusion to What the River Knows, Inez Olivera faces heartbreak and betrayal in 1885 Egypt. With her inheritance at stake, she considers marrying her former nemesis, Whitford Hayes, a British soldier with his own hidden motives. As secrets unfold, Inez must decide whether to risk her heart and trust the one person who could upend her future.
The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson
In this heartwarming tale, shy librarian June Jones steps out of her comfort zone to fight the closure of her beloved village library, a place filled with memories of her late mother. With the support of quirky locals and an old friend, Alex Chen, June finds unexpected friendships and the courage to transform her life. As she fights for the library, she discovers her own strength and a chance for love.
The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick
Librarian Martha Storm, more at ease with books than people, receives a mysterious book of fairy tales dedicated to her by her late grandmother, Zelda. Suspecting Zelda might still be alive, Martha uncovers hidden family secrets that transform her life. This heartwarming story by Phaedra Patrick celebrates self-discovery, resilience, and writing one’s own happy ending.
The Last Heir to Blackwood Library by Hester Fox
Ivy Radcliffe inherits Blackwood Abbey and its mysterious library, filled with strange books and a sense of something lurking within. As she unravels the dark secrets of the abbey and its cursed history, Ivy must confront her own past and reclaim her future. This atmospheric tale of intrigue and female empowerment is a tribute to the power of books and the mysteries they hold.
The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan
Set during the Blitz in London, three women—Juliet, Katie, and Sofie—must come together to save their community’s beloved library. Juliet, the new deputy librarian, is determined to revive the library despite her past and the challenges of a male-dominated environment. As bombs threaten the library and their lives, the women find strength in their bonds and in the power of books, facing personal struggles while keeping the library’s spirit alive in a shelter underground. This heartwarming tale highlights resilience, friendship, and the importance of literature during times of crisis.
The Librarian of Crooked Lane by CJ Archer
Sylvia Ashe, a librarian with a mysterious past, uncovers a diary suggesting she’s descended from magicians, but skepticism clouds her search for answers. War hero Gabe, haunted by his experiences and now working with Scotland Yard, crosses paths with Sylvia when a magical painting is stolen, intertwining their fates. As they dig into the mystery of the painting and Sylvia’s lineage, they must uncover dangerous truths while facing powerful forces that want the past to remain hidden.
The Library of Legends by Janie Chang
Follows nineteen-year-old Hu Lian and her classmates as they flee the Japanese invasion of Nanking in 1937, carrying a priceless collection of myths known as the Library of Legends. As they make a dangerous 1,000-mile journey through China, Lian forms bonds with fellow refugees, including a romance with the wealthy Liu Shaoming. Along the way, secrets about her past and the mystical legends they safeguard are revealed, and the ancient stories come alive, with immortals and spirits joining the exodus, ultimately altering the fate of China.
The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by CM Waggoner
Features Sherry Pinkwhistle, a librarian with a knack for solving murders in her quaint village. After encountering a growing body count and a series of unsettling deaths, Sherry realizes something supernatural is at play. When her cat, Lord Thomas Crowell, becomes possessed by an ancient demon, she teams up with her town’s new priest and a group of friends to form the “Demon-Hunting Society.” Together, they must solve the murder and rid the town of the demon in this cozy mystery filled with fantasy, humor, and a touch of the supernatural.
The Library of Borrowed Hearts by Lucy Gilmore
Follows librarian Chloe Sampson, struggling to care for her siblings and make ends meet. When she finds a rare book with notes from two young lovers, one of whom seems to be her reclusive neighbor, Jasper Holmes, Chloe embarks on a literary scavenger hunt. As she unravels the mystery of the lovers’ correspondence, Chloe uncovers unexpected connections between them and her grumpy neighbor. Through this journey, Chloe learns about love, loss, and the transformative power of books, discovering that some love stories are written in the margins of life itself.
That Night in the Library by Eva Jurczyk
Centers around seven students who, on the eve of their graduation, sneak into their university’s rare books library to perform an ancient ritual said to rid them of the fear of death. But the ritual goes terribly wrong when the lights go out, and one of them is found dead. Trapped in the library, they must figure out who the killer is as the body count rises and the library’s dark secrets begin to surface. A chilling literary mystery, this novel explores the danger of the unknown and the horrifying truths lurking in the shadows of books.
The Library Thief by Kuchenga Shenje
A gripping mystery set in 1896 Victorian England, following Florence, a white-passing bookbinder with a complicated past. After being cast out by her father, she takes on a commission to restore rare books at the secluded Rose Hall, owned by Lord Francis Belfield. While working in his library, Florence uncovers secrets about his late wife, including a mysterious diary that someone has tried to destroy. As Florence delves deeper into the library’s hidden past, she faces a chilling mystery involving race, gender, and the haunting secrets of the Belfield family. The novel blends Gothic elements with an exploration of identity and self-discovery.
I Work at a Public Library: A Collection of Crazy Stories from the Stacks by Gina Sheridan
A humorous and quirky collection of real-life anecdotes from the author’s experience as a librarian. Filled with strange, funny, and sometimes baffling stories, it explores the odd requests and eccentric patrons that a librarian encounters. From missing wetsuits to bizarre questions like the standard length of eyebrow hairs, Sheridan’s tales paint a vivid picture of the unpredictable world behind the circulation desk. The book celebrates the role of librarians and the unique, often hilarious interactions they have with the public.
The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper
When librarian Tildy Barrows discovers two exquisite, hidden dollhouses in her San Francisco library, she uncovers clues linking them to the library’s founder, Belva Curtis LeFarge. As Tildy delves into their secrets, she unravels a hidden history spanning Belle Époque Paris, post-WWI England, and mid-century Hollywood, uncovering inspiring stories of overlooked women and a surprising personal revelation. Her journey not only revives her library but also transforms her own future.
The Seaside Library by Brenda Novak
When Ariana returns to Mariners Island after 20 years, new evidence reopens the case of a missing girl that once shattered her community and bound her to her friends Ivy and Cam. As teenagers, they lied to protect Cam, the prime suspect, but now the truth threatens to unravel everything they believed. Over one transformative summer, they confront buried secrets, unrequited feelings, and the ties that still hold them together.
Summer Hours at the Robbers Library by Sue Halpern
In a small-town library in Riverton, New Hampshire, head librarian Kit, seeking peace from a turbulent past, finds her quiet disrupted by Sunny, a spirited teen sentenced to community service, and Rusty, a former Wall Street high-flyer. As their lives intertwine, the trio and other quirky library regulars confront their struggles, forge unexpected bonds, and begin to rebuild their lives. Together, they discover the power of connection and the stories that can reshape their futures.
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