Yes, I love books in which people are atrocious to one another, reality bends the human psyche into unrecognizable shapes, and monsters of supernatural and mundane varieties wreak havoc. But even I need a gentle read sometimes, a book that lets me imagine that I'm a librarian in an idyllic coastal town, pedaling around on my bike and solving murders.

Better Late Than Never gets high marks from me because...

1. Although the library setting is somewhat idealized--no one's harassing the staff or hiding drugs in the ceiling vents or jamming paper towels down the toilets--McKinlay's experience as a librarian shows. Nothing takes me out of a book with a library setting like the author being out of touch with the ethics of librarianship or how libraries operate. That's not something I have to worry about here.

But perhaps more importantly:

2. The annoying love triangle that made me drop the series for awhile is finally resolved!

3. And the secondary character I decided was a lesbian just because I liked her turned out to actually be a lesbian!

More than enough to convince me to continue the series, at least for as long as I need the mental vacation.