Murder in the Manuscript Room: A 42nd Street Library Mystery by Con Lehane (Minotaur Books, 320 pages, $25.99)
As she dug through the possessions Leila left behind, she was aware that what she searched through was not so different than what she might find in any of the boxes in the manuscripts and archives collection.
Author Con Lehane follows his first novel in this series, Murder at the 42nd Street Library, with an equally engaging tale. Raymond Amber, newly-discovered grandfather of Johnny, jumps into another quirky situation in his role as the curator of the crime fiction collection at the New York City landmark/institution.
The cast of characters includes several carry-overs, the most prominent among them are: Raymond’s almost-love-interest librarian Adele Morgan, New York police detective Mike Cosgrove, and beloved Library Tavern bartender McNulty. Despite the obvious enormity of New York City, Lehane deftly conveys a small town vibe by further developing the strong relationships among the characters introduced in the first book. They interact within a fairly tight radius around the library and their respective neighborhoods.
Of course there is the promised murder and ensuing investigation into the who and why of the event. New member of the library staff and murder victim, Leila Stone, gave off strange vibes and did not fit in with the normal flow of work. Mike and Raymond form a tension-filled team to solve the crime. In the past, Raymond has proved his skill at detective work which puts him in friendly competition with his buddy the detective.
Adele is the one library staff member who was able to forge a relationship with Leila and she takes up the thankless task of delving into Leila’s past in the hope of finding a motive for the otherwise pointless murder. Adele ventures away from New York City all the way to Texas. There are murky figures lurking wherever she travels which adds a menacing note to the tale.
Numerous plot threads connect the characters within the murder investigation, while at the same time daily life goes on. Raymond’s continuing custody tug-of-war with Johnny’s wealthy grandmother allows the reader to experience his evolving emotional development from a neat and tidy librarian’s life to the messiness of a life infused with deep feelings.
The satisfying second novel in the 42nd Street Library series from Con Lehane is a product of his adept skill at writing dialogue, describing scenery and portraying emotions. The added bonus blended into the mystery is another behind-the-scenes glimpse of the workings of a priceless institution.
Highly recommended.
Ruta Arellano
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
Joseph's Reviews 
Love Sara Paretsky and now writing my third novel, a mystery, so looking forward to the 42nd Street Library Series. Diana Y. Paul, author, Things Unsaid: A Novel