Publication Date: September 30, 2025
Murder disrupts four quirky librarians’ lives when they try to hide among books to keep their secrets.
Sometimes a workplace isn’t just a workplace but a place of safety, understanding, and acceptance. And sometimes murder threatens the sanctity of that beloved refuge….
In the leafy suburbs of Austin, Texas, a small branch library welcomes the public every day of the week. But the patrons who love the helpful, unobtrusive staff and leave rave reviews on Yelp don’t always realize that their librarians are human, too.
Hazel flees halfway across the world for what she hopes will be a new beginning. Jonathan, a six-foot-four former college football player, has never fit in anywhere else. Astrid tries to forget her heartbreak by immersing herself in work, but the man who ghosted her six months ago is back, promising trouble. And Sophie, who has the most to lose, maintains a careful and respectful distance from her coworkers, but soon that won’t be enough anymore.
When two patrons turn up dead after the library’s inaugural murder mystery–themed game night, the librarians’ quiet routines come crashing down. Something sinister has stirred, something that threatens every single one of them. And the only way the librarians can save the library—and themselves—is to let go of their secrets, trust one another, and band together….
All in a day’s work.
It’s not every day that a book teaches me a new word, but then again, perhaps “enshittification” hasn’t quite made it into Webster’s.
Author Sherry Thomas uses the word to describe a rather interesting encounter in The Librarians. Although dubbed a murder mystery, this particular gem caught my eye early on when a senior male library patron requested a certain popular erotic fiction title. The response he receives is rather surprising.
The central focus of the story unfolds with two murders after the library hosts a game night. All four librarians—Hazel, Astrid, Jonathan, and Sophie—must set aside their differences and search for clues.
In the process, personal secrets are revealed as they embark on a sleuthing quest to protect their beloved library. One of the story’s quirks is the use of present tense, which takes some getting used to.
The Librarians offers a cozy mystery with a strong emphasis on the “cozy” aspect.
USA Today bestselling author Sherry Thomas is one of the most acclaimed historical romance authors writing today and a two-time RITA Award winner.
