Murder at the 42nd Street Library

Written by Con Lehane

Narrated by John McLain

Murder at the 42nd Street Library follows Ambler and his partners in crime-solving as they track down a killer, shining a light on the dark deeds and secret relationships that are hidden deep inside the famous flagship building at the corner of 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue. In their search for the reasons behind the murder, Ambler and his crew uncover sinister and profoundly disturbing relationships among the scholars studying in the iconic library.

Included among the players are a celebrated mystery writer who has donated his papers to the library's crime-fiction collection, that writer's long-missing daughter-a prominent New York society woman with a hidden past-and more than one of Ambler's colleagues at the library. Shocking revelations lead inexorably to the traumatic events that follow-the reading room will never be the same.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamscape Media Audio
• Release date: Nov 21, 2017
• ISBN: 9781520086040

Con Lehane

Con Lehane is a mystery writer who lives outside Washington, D.C. He is the author of two mystery series set in New York City: the Brian McNulty series and the 42nd Street Library Mysteries. Over the years, he has worked as a college professor, a union organizer, a labor journalist, and a bartender. He teaches fiction and mystery writing at The Writer's Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Visit him at www.conlehane.com and on Facebook and Twitter.

Reviews for Murder at the 42nd Street Library

[dono421846 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Points for not being obvious as the criminal. Readers will find this a sordid tale, where even the "good" guys are flawed with questionable motives. Everyone seemed to get the end they deserved, but it is such that the reader didn't feel that "good" won out in the end. There is no uplifting victory here. In terms of execution, the author did a good job of capturing the motivations of the primary characters. I'll have to see how the rest of the series plays out.

[readafew · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The morning of Adele’s mother’s funeral, a man is shot and killed in the Library where Adele and Raymond work. Right in front of another coworker, Harry, who was also shot at. The man killed was on his way to visit Harry and Harry claimed he didn’t know the details of the visit.Raymond is in charge of the crime fiction collection at the library and he tends to have a penchant for sniffing out mysteries and a curiosity that won’t leave them be. Even when the cops tell him to leave well enough alone. The murdered man was the ex-husband of a woman working as a research assistant of Max, a man Raymond knew years ago (and had reason to dislike him) and was currently researching the life of Nelson Yates at the library. It turns out the dead man, Max, his assistant, his wife, Harry and Nelson Yates all knew each other years previously when Nelson was a professor. Raymond thinks something from the past has reared its ugly head and the chickens have come home to roost.Raymond met Nelson once, and liked him. He had the pleasure to meet him again, and discovered that he seemed to be having issues of dementia, temporary lapses of awareness. He asked Raymond if he could find his missing and estranged daughter. Before he could get very far in that investigation, Nelson himself is shot in full daylight in a park near to the Library, while waiting for Raymond to show up.This was a tangled skein with lots of other pieces and parts thrown in. I felt it was a good story, a decent mystery and a good strong look at how so many tend to ruin or throw away the good things in their life. Often for stupid reasons. Even the cop in charge of both murder investigations has a few skeletons in his closet. I will say for such an elaborate story, everything seems to tie up with a neat little bow, almost too neat, considering the train wreck of so many of the lives.

[newsieq · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Most mysteries set in libraries are cozies with cats. Murder at the 42nd Street Library is definitely NOT cozy and there are no cats. Raymond Ambler is our librarian hero– he runs the (fictional) crime fiction section of the New York Public Library. His Watson is fellow librarian Adele Morgan, with whom Ray has a platonic – or is it? -- friendship. Former Jesuit priest Harry Larkin is Ray’s boss, and the first murder occurs in his office … where he hides under his desk to avoid being hit by the bullets aimed in his direction. Having read just about every mystery ever written, Ray can’t help getting involved -- and his willingness to help solve the crime both pleases and annoys his cop-friend Mike Cosgrove. The more he delves into the suspect list, the murkier the waters become. Then there’s a second murder. I generally prefer mysteries that are without explicit sex or vulgar language and Murder at the 42nd Street Library has a bit of both. But those elements weren’t off-putting to me, although they might be to more sensitive readers. Murder at the 42nd Street Library is, after all, more noir than cozy. The complexity of the mystery was a definite plus and the characters were well fleshed out. The author doesn’t do a data dump on his characters; their personalities and histories are unfolded bit by bit – with lots left hidden for future books. I loved the secondary plot about the young shoeshine boy Ray and Adele befriend. I will be reading more books by this author!

[cyderry · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I had a very difficult time getting into this book. It was very slow at the beginning and didn't hold my interest well. However, I persevered because I have the next in the series and wanted to be sure that I had all the background for that one.I think that part of my problem came with the character names, sometimes the writer used the last name only sometimes the first name and so it was confusing until I got into the story. The plot was good as was the mystery, the writing needed to be a bit crisper I'm hoping for improvements in Book 2.

[brianewilliams · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I had high hopes for this book when I started to read it --- the premise of the story was good and I like books set in Manhattan. About a third of the way through it fell off the cliff. Most of the characters are difficult to like (and some are just plain annoying, even for New Yorkers) and it was a challenge to know who was narrating it. There were too many contrived coincidences (the shoeshine boy) and at the end there was the most unbelievable of all. Many story-lines simply disappeared without further reference or resolution, e.g. did the crime fiction reading room get saved?The mystery/thrillers blogger on the Kirkus website recommended this book which is perhaps the biggest mystery to me. I was surprised that the author had written other mysteries because this one seems like a debut book (in need of a thorough edit).

[bamckay · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

As a librarian I was really excited to read this book but as a mystery reader not so much. Lehane over use of adjectives make the book seem to just drag. I couldn't get pass the 1st 50 pages before wanting to throw the book. In the author's defense, I like my mysteries to be fast paced and captivating. This book was neither of this things for me.

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Murder at the 42nd Street Library by Con Lehane is a new mystery novel. Raymond Ambler is the curator of the crime fiction collection in the 42nd Street Library in New York that is devoted to research. Ray arrives at work one day to find out that James Donnelly was shot while visiting Harry Larkin, supervisor at the library. Why did someone kill James and shoot at Harry? Ray cannot help but look into the matter. Ray has read so many crime novels, that he would like to try his hand at solving real crimes. James was asking Harry about the Nelson Yates collection the library recently acquired. The library was able to purchase the collection thanks to an anonymous donor. There is something fishy about this collection. Is it somehow connected to the murder? Ray works with Mike Cosgrove, NYPD Homicide Detective to solve the crime.I had a difficult time reading Murder at the 42nd Street Library. I was originally not going to request the book, but then someone said it was such a wonderful novel. I thought that maybe I was wrong with my initial impression, and I requested it. I should have listened to my inner voice. The novel is oddly (awkwardly) written. It is an extremely convoluted novel. There is really too much going on and the writer seemed to delight in using big words when they were not needed. Big words can be fun (do not judge), but they should not be used to just to show off (which is what it felt like in this book). You are never quite sure who is talking sometimes and the way the book is written just leads to confusion. I have to admit that after a while I just started speed reading towards the end. Some sections you have to read, and then reread trying to figure out (you should only have to do that with math and science textbooks). I loved the idea of a mystery set at a big research library, but the execution was severely lacking. The novel needs a severe rewrite in order to be enjoyable (actually, just keep the premise and start over with everything else including the characters). The writer tried to make a very complex mystery, but did not succeed. A reader can easily figure out the who committed the crime. I give Murder at the 42nd Street Library 2 out of 5 stars (I have to admit that I am being generous). I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley (and the publisher) in exchange for an honest review of the novel.

[vesper1931 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The story opens with the intended murder victim being stalked by his murderer, to an office inside the library where he is killed.
Ray Ambler, a Librarian helps homicide detective Mike Cosgrove to eventually find the murderer.
I found the pace of the story slow and didn't really like any of the characters.
Free from NetGallery.

[delphimo_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Murder at the 42nd Street Library provided an intimate look at New York’s 42nd Street Library. Con Lehane provides a multitude of unique characters, but too many twists and turns with the cast. Everyone seem to be jumping into bed with everyone, ensuing a difficult menagerie. A many of the solutions to the issues involve a shot in the dark. Too many senseless deaths happen in the story. Of course, the main issue is child pornography and the consequences for the child. The main character, Raymond Ambler, falls into an unlikely romance, which may not last in this series. I am not enamored with this novel.

[auntie0nanuuq · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Ambler is a Librarian working in the Crime Fiction section of the Library. A man comes in to meet w/ the Library Director and is shot dead as he walks in the Director's office.There is no end of suspects, everyone is intertwined with a famous crime novelist.... most all share a dirty secret. Who will be next to Be murdered?What a bunch of disgusting & deplorable people, all who deserved to die.Then there are the the relationships of the Librarian with these people, and twisted ending that comes out of nowhere...Improbable, unbelievable & the poor writing. The author had too many inter-woven story lines and it all seemed a mess, with under-developed lukewarm characters.

[cathyskye · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

What dedicated crime fiction lover can resist a murder in a library? I certainly couldn't, but as I read this book, I found a collection of mixed blessings.The descriptions of the library are absolutely delicious. They made me want to hop a plane and go there immediately. Another thing I savored was Lehane's skill with characterization; the interactions between characters and the observations they make about each other are excellent. In particular the budding relationship between Ambler's fellow amateur sleuth Adele and Johnny, a young boy she at first believes to be homeless, is touching and makes these two come to life. I wish I could say I had the same warm fuzzies about the main character, Raymond Ambler, but I'm afraid he put me off when he felt it was only fair to withhold evidence from Cosgrove, his friend in the police force, because Cosgrove didn't give him each and every detail of the murder investigation. To be honest, it made me wonder what the name of Ambler's home planet was. The pace of Murder at the 42nd Street Library was slow at times, and at others, it bounced around so much that I felt as though I was inside a pinball machine. Another thing I didn't care for was the deus ex machina concerning a child's parentage provided at the end by Lehane.You could almost call this book a cozy, but it's meatier than that, and although I loved Lehane's powers of description and characterization, Ambler didn't quite win me over. But that doesn't mean he won't be able to charm you.