Buried in a Book. Lucy Arlington

Buried in a Book
Lucy Arlington
Publisher: Berkley
Date: 2012
Format: Paperback
Pages: 285
Genre: Cozy mystery
Source: Own book

After losing her job as a journalist at the age of forty-five, Lila Wilkins accepts an internship at A Novel Idea, a thriving literary agency in North Carolina. Being paid to read seems perfect to Lila, although it's difficult with the cast of quirky co-workers and piles of query letters. But when a penniless aspiring author drops dead in the agency's waiting room-and Lila discovers a series of threatening letters-she's determined to find out who wrote him off.

Buried in a Book is #1 in a Novel Idea cozy mystery series.  This is my first ever, as far as I am aware of, reading a cozy mystery.  I didn't know such a genre existed until a year or so ago!  So when I needed to read a cozy mystery for The Eclectic Reading challenge, I cast my eye around to see what I might read for it.  I finally chose this one, as I liked the idea of it having to do with books, after I bought it I loved the cover, especially that cute little yellow scooter.

Lila, the main character, has had to live back home with her mother and son as having lost her job her financial situation is not strong.  Taking up her new job at literacy agency as a person who sorts out the possibles from the no hopers, she is determined to make the job work. She meets a strange man, who she takes for a homeless old guy, when he comes into the agency with a bunch of wildflowers.  Evidently he does that every day.  However not long after Lila takes up her job, he meets an untimely death on the couch in the waiting room.  Lila is not satisfied that nobody seems interested in this death and she sets out to find the murderer.

The book moves along at a good pace and the characters - an assorted lot, are interesting and quirky. Not long after moving in with her mother, her son Trey finds that the local co-op, in the forest, is the place he wants to spend some time - to find himself!  As it turns out, it rather suits him and he turns from a lazy teenager into an interested, hard working member of the co-op.  

While Marlette is murdered early on, his life story eventually comes out, it took a sad turn at one point and while he seemed rather strange perhaps there was more to him than people gave him credit.  As Lila tracks his murder down, she sets off a set of incidents that finally brings the murderer out in the open. I am sure at times she must have annoyed the police, but if not for her, perhaps nothing would have ever been found out.  Besides she becomes very friendly with one of the local policeman, and there is a promise of a new romance for her there.

As my first introduction to this genre, it was a positive one.  Perhaps I will dip in again and try more at some time in the future.

Cozy mystery