Hi, there! I’m Greta Plank. Thanks for coming up to my neck of the woods. It’s wonderful to meet you. Give me one sec to lock up the library and then we can be on our way.

I’m thrilled to have the chance to show you around Larkspur, my new-ish hometown. I’ve been in my position as director of Larkspur Community Library for just over four months. I love it here. There’s just something about Wisconsin in the fall, isn’t there? The pumpkin orange and corncob yellow leaves are like highlights against the brown branches to which they cling. Wait ‘til we get over by the lake. The colors reflecting off the water are like nothing you’ve ever seen before. The Northwoods really show off this time of year.

I’d love to take you into Mugs & Hugs for a cup of coffee and the best cookies you’ve ever tasted, but we’re pressed for time. I’m on a mission. My friend, Franklin, bless his heart, is sort of reclusive, but when I was dropping off his library books earlier in the week (yes, I make house calls with books and may have gotten Franklin to like me by being his courier), he asked for the phone number of Dolores, a widow and one of the sweetest women in town. I know. He asked. Unprompted. Will wonders never cease? All my efforts to bring him into the fold are about to pay off. I can feel it.

Anyway! The reason I’m rushing is because I saw Dolores at the library and she told me that she’s meeting up with Franklin again tonight. I want to swing by his house before she gets there so I can interrogate him, er, gently inquire as to how their date earlier this week went. Since they’re getting together a second time, I’m guessing they hit it off. Which delights me to no end.

I’ve sort of given up on happily ever after for myself, but I sure as heck want it for my friends.

Here’s the thing. I’ve dealt with some hard stuff in the past. My sister died about a decade ago and my ex-boyfriend…well, I make it a point not to think about what happened with him. My way of coping is to keep a sunny disposition and believe in the good. At least for others.

Oh, turn here. We’re going to head this way, south toward Larkspur Lake. Franklin’s cabin is right next door to mine. Yeah, I was pretty fortunate to secure a piece of lakefront property. I consider it my own little oasis. My cabin could not be more charming, and Larkspur has embraced me like a warm hug, or like my favorite comfort read, if you will. It feels like nothing bad can touch me in this idyllic small town.

We’re almost there. That’s Franklin’s cabin. I’ll just see if he’s…wait. Do you see that? Why is Franklin’s front door partially open? He wouldn’t have left it that way. Biff, his adorable tabby cat, is well trained, but there’s no way Franklin would trust him not to run away.

If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to have to check this out. Don’t worry. This is Larkspur. I’m sure everything is fine. It has to be…


Death Checked Out, A Larkspur Library Mystery #1
Genre: Cozy
Release: December 2022
Purchase Link

When in doubt, go to the library…and solve the murder mystery!

Greta Plank, library director in the small, lakeside town of Larkspur, Wisconsin, prefers her rose-tinted glasses extra rosy, thank you very much. It’s how she copes with the hard stuff in life…like her sister’s death and her ex-boyfriend’s deception. But Greta’s cheery resolve takes a hit when she stumbles upon a dead body on her way home from work. What she assumes is a terrible accident Greta soon learns is something more sinister, and to make matters worse, a new-to-town detective cites her as not only his primary source for the case, but his top suspect.

To clear her name and save her reputation, Greta decides to do some off-the-books clue cataloging of her own. After all, asking questions is what she does best. With the help of her fellow librarians and her lawyer mom, Greta flips through the pages of the murder, uncovering details about Larkspur’s real estate market and the deceased’s rare book collection as she tries to understand why anyone would have authored his death.

With friends and neighbors stacking up as both victims and suspects, Greta must cross reference the facts and put a hold on her idyllic worldview if she wants to get the full story without paying the fine of her life.


Meet the author
Leah Dobrinska is the author of the Larkspur Library Mysteries, a cozy mystery series set in the Wisconsin Northwoods, and the Mapleton novels, a series of standalone small town romances. She earned her degree in English Literature from UW-Madison where she was awarded the Dean’s Prize and served as a Writing Fellow. She has since worked as a freelance writer, editor, and content marketer. Leah lives in Wisconsin with her husband and their gaggle of kids. When she’s not writing, handing out snacks, or visiting local parks, Leah enjoys reading and running. Find out more about Leah, join her newsletter community, and connect with her through her website at leahdobrinska.com.

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