Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library by Amanda Chapman

Not the historical mystery I was expecting, but a very cleverly written contemporary mystery set in New York City. Tory Van Dyne, a book conservator, lives and works in a large house that belonged to her grandmother and overlooks Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. Tory’s flat occupies the top two floors, and she works in the basement. The other two floors house the fictional Mystery Guild Library, which includes the Christie Room. This room duplicates the personal library of Agatha Christie, the queen of mysteries.

Tory is stunned to encounter a woman in the Christie Room who introduces herself as Mrs. Max Mallowan, or Agatha Christie. She claims to be visiting from Eternity and has returned to help Tory solve a mystery. When told there isn’t a mystery, the woman assures her that a crime will be committed soon. In a short time, the Christie Room becomes a weekly gathering place for amateur sleuths and Detective Sebastian Mendez-Cruz, along with a small dog. Tory introduces her cousin Nic, librarian Adrian, and young Mairead to Mrs. Mallowan. After two suspicious deaths, the group has much to discuss, usually over cocktails, with a Shirley Temple for Mairead. Mrs. Mallowan, when not quoting fictional detectives, says that she’s no longer a teetotaler.

Tory mostly stays home, traveling by bus to Sunday dinners with her family or to a favorite bookstore. But now she expands her horizons, attending an occasional event and getting closer to her friends in the Christie Room. Very smart, Tory gradually learns to accept advice and finds that she can be brave when needed. This book is the first in a planned series. If you can accept the presence of Mrs. Christie, readers are in for a witty and memorable mystery.

Brenda