Review - Shadow in the Glass

The marketing says this series is ideal for fans of Louise Penny and Dorothy L. Sayers.  I've been following this series since it began: 

1) Unkindness of Ravens (click here)

Now let's enjoy the second book in the series in an idealic wedding setting in upstate New York.

Author: M.E. Hilliard

Copyright: April 2022 (Crooked Lane Books) 328 pgs

Series: 2nd in Greer Hogan Mysteries

Sensuality: Mild adult topics

Mystery Sub-genre: Cozy Mystery, Amateur Sleuth

Main Characters: Greer Hogan, librarian who is recently widowed 

Setting:  Contemporary, Mirror Lake in upstate New York

Obtained Through: Library

Book Blurb: "Librarian Greer Hogan is on hand to celebrate her old friend Sarah Whitaker’s nuptials at the Whitaker summer home on beautiful Mirror Lake, just outside the upstate New York village of Lake Placid. But Greer has an ulterior motive—to gather information that could reopen the investigation into her husband’s murder, a crime for which she believes an innocent man went to prison. Her plans come to a shuddering halt when a wedding guest goes missing and turns up dead in the lake. The guest, Brittany Miles, was an employee of the Whitaker family whom Sarah had long suspected was up to no good at work.

 The police have no leads, but Greer—an avid reader of crime fiction who possesses an uncanny knack for deduction—begins her own investigation. She learns that the victim was seen with a mystery man right before she disappeared. Then the autopsy reveals that she didn’t drown in the lake after all, but in the reflecting pool in the Whitaker garden.

 The suspect list is as long as the guest list itself, with no apparent motive. Now, Greer must rely on the wisdom of her favorite fictional detectives to tease out truth from lies—and keep herself out of the killer’s sights."

My Thoughts:  There are many cozy mysteries with a library setting or a librarian main character, but this series stands out for me.  The writing style and Greer Hogan lead make this unique.  It is a cozy but has a little more serious vibe without being dark--if that makes sense.    

Greer Hogan not only deals with a suspicious death during the wedding celebration but also faces some inconsistancies surrounding her husband's death. 

Both the debut novel and this second book have atmospheric touches I really enjoy.  There is quite a cast with the core guests but are presented in a manner so it isn't too confusing.  This outing is away from Greer's new library job and I did miss that, but it was still captivating.  I feel I did grow closer to Greer as well.  

The killer reveal wasn't my preferred of a hair-raising tense clash, but it was exciting, emotional, and memorable.  There was only one thing I can think of that I would have changed: Greer keeps going over the time line of events and it drags the pacing at one point.  But otherwise, I didn't have any problem areas.   

Rating: Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list