Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: A Murder for the Books
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://victoriagilbertmysteries.com/
CITY:
STATE: NC
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
http://victoriagilbertmysteries.com/contact/ Agent: Frances Black at Literary Counsel: fblack@literarycounsel.com
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: no2017154876
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/no2017154876
HEADING: Gilbert, Victoria
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010 __ |a no2017154876
035 __ |a (OCoLC)oca11083587
040 __ |a IEdL |b eng |e rda |c IEdL
100 1_ |a Gilbert, Victoria
370 __ |c United States |e North Carolina |2 naf
372 __ |a Authorship |a Library science |2 lcsh
374 __ |a Authors |a Librarians |2 lcsh
375 __ |a female
377 __ |a eng
670 __ |a Gilbert, Victoria. A murder for the books, 2017: |b title page (Victoria Gilbert)
670 __ |a http://victoriagilbertmysteries.com, viewed November 28, 2017: |b (Victoria Gillbert raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains, currently lives in North Carolina. She holds a B.A. in Theatre, a M.A. in Library Science. Victoria has worked as a reference librarian, research librarian, and library director, is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America)
PERSONAL
Married.
EDUCATION:B.A.; M.A. (library science); M.A. (liberal studies).
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, novelist, and librarian. Has worked as a reference librarian, research librarian, and library director.
AVOCATIONS:Watching films, gardening, traveling.
MEMBER:Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Victoria Gilbert is a mystery writer who grew up near the Blue Ridge Mountains. Gilbert developed an early love of reading, which led her to a dual career as an author and librarian. Gilbert is the author of the “Blue Ridge Library Mystery” series. “My series is set in a historic small town at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains in northern Virginia,” Gilbert noted in an interview with Mayor Sonni for the Readeropolis website, adding: “It just so happens that I grew up in a similar location–in fact, the town of Taylorsford is an amalgam of many of the small towns in the county where I was raised.”
The series begins with the mystery titled A Murder for the Books, which a Publishers Weekly contributor called a “captivating first novel.” A Murder for the Books features librarian Amy Weber, who becomes involved in an investigation to solve a decades old murder and clear the person accused of the crime. Amy was a librarian at Clarion University when she discovered that her boyfriend was cheating , leading her to cause a scene at a university reception. Humiliated and distraught, Amy leaves her job and home and moves to the historical mountain town of Taylorsford in Virginia, which is her ancestral family home, to live with her aunt. Taylorsford is a small, quiet town where very little that is sensational happens. Amy gets a job running the local public library, which needs careful oversight due to a lack of funding. The reader, along with Amy, soon meets many of the library’s eccentric patrons.
Then a new neighbor moves in next door to Amy and her aunt. Richard Muir is a classically trained dancer who now teaches dance in college. He inherited the farmhouse from Paul Dassin, who was his great uncle. The house, however, has a reputation in that many people in Taylorsford believe the original owner’s wife, Eleanora Cooper, poisoned him, resulting in a 1925 murder trial. The wife was not from Taylorsford, which made her the prime suspect. However, Eleanora was acquitted of the crime and soon afterwards disappeared from town. Richard becomes intent on proving Eleanora’s innocence in honor of his beloved great uncle, who believed she was innocent and once wrote a book about the case. Richard also suspects that his great uncle was in love with Eleanora.
In his effort to prove once and for all that Eleanora was innocent, Richard ends up going to the library to do some research. Amy is not that interested in the case and is skeptical of Richard’s efforts but nevertheless agrees to help him with his research. Eventually, the duo start to discover some disturbing things about some of Taylorsford’s leading families, including Amy’s own family. It turns out that Amy’s grandmother, Rose Baker Litton, had claimed she witnessed Eleanora with recipes for herbal poisoning and, as a result, was a star witness for the prosecution. Meanwhile Doris Virts, who suffered from demential and is found shot to death in the library’s archives. Doris’s murder, which was probably the result of her being in the wrong place at the wrong time, send the townspeople into a state of fear nearing chaos.
Meanwhile, Amy finds the handsome Richard attractive but is wary because her former lover was also in the arts and had broken her heart. Over time, Amy becomes closer to Richard and her distrust dissipates as they try to solve both the decades-old murder and the new murder. Amy narrates the novel, which features “an intricate mystery, an interesting look at the past, and a clever and determined heroine,” according to a Kirkus Reviews contributor. Sue O’Brien, working for Booklist, remarked: “The mystery is nicely framed by details of library work and research.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, November 15, 2017, Sue O’Brien, review of A Murder for the Books.
Kirkus Reviews, October 15, 2017, review of A Murder for the Books.
Publishers Weekly, October 23, 2017, review of A Murder for the Books.
ONLINE
Readeropolis, http://readeropolis.blogspot.com/ (March 26, 2018), Mayor Sonni, “Author Q&A FT Victoria Gilbert: A Murder for the Books Book Tour: Great Escapes Tour,” author interview.
Victoria Gilbert Website, http://victoriagilbertmysteries.com (March 26, 2019).
Victoria Gilbert, raised in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, turned her early obsession with reading into a dual career as an author and librarian. She holds a B.A. in Theatre, a M.A. in Library Science, a second M.A. in Liberal Studies, and is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America. When not writing or reading, she likes to spend her time watching films, gardening, or traveling. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and some very spoiled cats.
Victoria Gilbert, raised in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, turned her early obsession with reading into a dual career as an author and librarian. She holds a B.A. in Theatre, a M.A. in Library Science, a second M.A. in Liberal Studies, and is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America.
Victoria has worked as a reference librarian, research librarian, and library director. When not writing or reading, she likes to spend her time watching films, gardening, or traveling. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and some very spoiled cats.
Victoria is represented by Frances Black of Literary Counsel, NY, NY.
Readeropolis
AUTHOR Q&A FT VICTORIA GILBERT | A MURDER FOR THE BOOKS BOOK TOUR | GREAT ESCAPES TOURS PRESENTS COZY MYSTERY
Posted by: Mayor Sonni Posted date: 12:30 AM / comment : 1
Fleeing a disastrous love affair, university librarian Amy Webber moves in with her aunt in a quiet, historic mountain town in Virginia. She quickly busies herself with managing a charming public library that requires all her attention with its severe lack of funds and overabundance of eccentric patrons. The last thing she needs is a new, available neighbor whose charm lures her into trouble.
Dancer-turned-teacher and choreographer Richard Muir inherited the farmhouse next door from his great-uncle, Paul Dassin. But town folklore claims the house’s original owner was poisoned by his wife, who was an outsider. It quickly became water under the bridge, until she vanished after her sensational 1925 murder trial. Determined to clear the name of the woman his great-uncle loved, Richard implores Amy to help him investigate the case. Amy is skeptical until their research raises questions about the culpability of the town’s leading families... including her own.
When inexplicable murders plunge the quiet town into chaos, Amy and Richard must crack open the books to reveal a cruel conspiracy and lay a turbulent past to rest in A Murder for the Books, the first installment of Victoria Gilbert’s Blue Ridge Library mysteries.
Author Interview
Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?
I hope my books are read by everyone, but certainly anyone who enjoys cozy and/or traditional mysteries would be the target audience. In addition, I believe that readers who like stories about small-town life, libraries and books, and history would appreciate this series. Of course, being a cozy, the book contains no graphic violence or sex, and includes a minimum of “salty” language. But never fear – it features enough action, adventure, twisty mysteries, and romance to get readers’ minds working and hearts pumping!
How did you come up with the title of your book or series?
The title was developed in conjunction with my editor and others at Crooked Lane Books. I originally had a different title, but my publisher thought something else might work better in the market, so submitted several suggestions to them and we decided on the current title together.
My editor, Faith Black Ross, suggested the series title, which I immediately loved and approved.
Who is your favorite character from your book and why?
I love Amy, my protagonist, and all of my other characters, but one of my favorites has to be Richard Muir – Amy’s new neighbor. Richard is a professional contemporary dancer who has now decided to focus on choreography and teaching dance. He’s handsome and buff, but he’s also sweet, self-effacing, loyal, funny, and totally charming. I love the fact that he isn’t what Amy – or most people – expect, given his performing arts career and his good looks. He really surprises a lot of the other characters in the book with his personality and actions, and I always love that in a character.
Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:
My series is set in a historic small town at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains in northern Virginia. It just so happens that I grew up in a similar location – in fact, the town of Taylorsford is an amalgam of many of the small towns in the county where I was raised.
I am also a librarian, although I have never worked in a public library except in New York City –which is a very different experience from working in a small town public library! However, I have frequented many smaller public libraries over the years, so I combined that knowledge with my own academic library experience to depict the library in the series.
Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?
I have a background in the performing and visual arts – my undergraduate degree was in theatre and I was a costume designer at one point in my life. I have also studied music and have sung with several chamber choirs and choral ensembles. We had horses when I was living at home, so I can ride. I am also a strong swimmer, an excellent cook, and a good gardener.
Oh, and I am a natural speed-reader – I can honestly read seven books in as many days.
How can we contact you or find out more about your books?
I can be contacted via my website – there is a contact page that sends messages to a dedicated email that I check every day. My website also lists my social media links, news about my books, my event schedule, and other information.
Here are all my social media links – I welcome follows!
Website/blog: http://victoriagilbertmysteries.com/
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaGilbertMysteryAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VGilbertauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/VictoriaGilbert
What can we expect from you in the future?
The second book in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series – SHELVED UNDER MURDER – will be published by Crooked Lane Books in July 2018. (It’s already up for preorder, by the way). There will definitely be a third book in this series, and perhaps (hopefully) more. I also plan to write other mysteries – I am currently developing a historical cozy series.
What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?
Please leave a review on Amazon, B&N, or wherever you prefer! Honest reviews are always welcome – I appreciate everyone’s varied opinions on my books.
Also, if you like my books, please recommend them to your family and friends. Word-of-mouth is one of the best forms of publicity for books.
Is there anything else you’d like to say?
Thank you for allowing me share my words with you!
Print Marked Items
Gilbert, Victoria: A MURDER FOR THE
BOOKS
Kirkus Reviews.
(Oct. 15, 2017):
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Gilbert, Victoria A MURDER FOR THE BOOKS Crooked Lane (Adult Fiction) $26.99 12, 12 ISBN: 978-
1-68331-439-4
A research-loving Virginia librarian digs up entirely too much information for her own good.
After a nasty breakup with her boyfriend, a narcissistic musician, left her too crushed to continue her job at
Clarion University, Amy Webber moved in with her aunt Lydia Talbot in the insular little town of
Taylorsford and took a poorly paid but interesting job at the local library, a historic Carnegie building. When
well-known dancer/choreographer/instructor Richard Muir appears at the library, Amy and her assistant,
Sunshine Fields, are struck by his good looks. But it's his request for information that could prove Eleanora
Cooper innocent of poisoning her husband that really hooks Amy. Richard lives next door to Amy's aunt in
the Cooper house, which he inherited from his mother's relative, journalist Paul Dassin. Dassin, who was
certain that Eleanora was innocent, wrote a fictional account based on the case. Although the jury
exonerated Eleanora, everyone in town still thought her guilty, especially after she vanished following the
trial. When Amy and Richard enter the archive, they find dementia patient Doris Virts shot to death,
presumably because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Deeply upset, Amy does what she does
best and begins researching the history of the town. It turns out that her own grandmother Rose Baker
Litton's claim that she saw Eleanora with an herbal containing recipes for poison made her the star witness
for the prosecution. Although Amy's abortive romance has made her gun-shy of anyone in the arts, she
warms to Richard, who strives to overcome her distrust as they work together to solve murders old and new.
A deeply buried secret will provide the clue that closes the case.
Gilbert's series kickoff offers an intricate mystery, an interesting look at the past, and a clever and
determined heroine.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Gilbert, Victoria: A MURDER FOR THE BOOKS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2017. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A509244110/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=19092b43.
Accessed 5 Mar. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A509244110
A Murder for the Books: A Blue Ridge
Library Mystery
Publishers Weekly.
264.43 (Oct. 23, 2017): p66.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
A Murder for the Books: A Blue Ridge Library Mystery
Victoria Gilbert. Crooked Lane, $26.99 (336p) ISBN 978-1-68331-439-4
Amy Webber, the narrator of Gilbert's captivating first novel and series launch, escaped an embarrassing end
to her last job and romance by returning to her ancestral family home in insular Taylorsford, Va., where she
is now the town librarian. Amy's next door neighbor is the handsome, forthright, and single Richard Muir, a
classically trained dancer and college instructor, who inherited an old house that once belonged to his late
great-uncle, novelist Paul Dassin. According to town gossip, the house's original owner was poisoned by his
wife, Eleanora Cooper, with whom Paul was in love. Eleanora was acquitted of the crime, then disappeared.
Richard asks Amy to assist in his research to clear Eleanora's name. Amy and Richard's discovery of a body
in the public library archive building puts them on a path leading toward terrifying family secrets--and
solutions to both past and present murders. Cozy fans will look forward to seeing more of the appealing
Amy. Agent: Frances Black, Literary Counsel. (Dec.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"A Murder for the Books: A Blue Ridge Library Mystery." Publishers Weekly, 23 Oct. 2017, p. 66. General
OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A512184176/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=059bbe2b. Accessed 5 Mar. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A512184176
A Murder for the Books
Sue O'Brien
Booklist.
114.6 (Nov. 15, 2017): p27.
COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
A Murder for the Books.
By Victoria Gilbert.
Dec. 2017. 336p. Crooked Lane, 526.99 (9781683314394); e-book, 512.99 (9781683314400).
After causing a huge scene at a Clarion University reception when she discovered her boyfriend was having
an affair, Amy Webber left the university and is now the director of the Taylorsford Public Library, living in
the small Virginia town with her Aunt Lydia Talbot. Excitement comes to town when Richard Muir arrives
at the library looking for proof that Eleanora Cooper was innocent of her husband's long-ago murder. While
Cooper was acquitted of the murder and quickly disappeared from the area, the townspeople believed she
was guilty. Muir's great-uncle, however, who wrote a fictionalized book about the case, believed in her
innocence, and Richard would like to finally vindicate her. Matters are complicated when Richard and Amy
find Doris Virts, who suffered from dementia, murdered in the archives. While investigating Virts' murder
and the Cooper case, the two begin to believe the cases may be tied to a secret hidden by the town's leaders.
The mystery is nicely framed by details of library work and research.--Sue O'Brien
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
O'Brien, Sue. "A Murder for the Books." Booklist, 15 Nov. 2017, p. 27. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A517441748/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=58af24a2.
Accessed 5 Mar. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A517441748