DEATH IN THE MARGINS (Blue Ridge Library Mysteries #7) by Victoria Gilbert will be published on December 6th 2022 by Crooked Lane Books.
The seventh novel in the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries revolves around Amy's husband's latest dance production. Richard Muir is a professional dancer, choreographer, and instructor at the local college. For a summer production based on folklore of the Blue Ridge Mountains, he puts together a crew of professional dancers, his college students, and some local children who are part of his friend's dance studio. Richard's ex-fiancé, Meredith Fox, is one of the professional dancers taking part in the performance. Meredith is not the easiest person to get along with and, long before opening night, she has made an enemy out of just about everyone connected to the production. It's not much of a surprise when Amy finds Meredith's dead body in the basement in the theater. What is surprising is that Amy finds a sixteen-year-old boy standing over the body with the murder weapon in hand. The local law enforcement is convinced the teenager is guilty, and they don't bother looking into any other suspects. Believing that the boy is innocent, Amy begins questioning other suspects—including the other dancers, the kids' parents, a spurned ex-boyfriend, a wealthy ex-husband, and the ex-husband's sketchy family. As Amy gets closer to uncovering the truth, she finds herself in danger. Amy needs to figure out the killer's identity before she becomes the next victim.
Richard's career as a dancer has played a role in the previous novels, but it takes center stage in DEATH IN THE MARGINS. Amy's job at the library doesn't play a significant role in the story, but there are several scenes set in the library. Some of the major reoccurring characters also take a backseat in this novel. While I missed their involvement, it did make for a nice change. Overall, I enjoyed the novel. There were plenty of suspects and red herrings to keep me guessing until the end.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.