The Book Nook

Charlie Harris's working his volunteer job at the local library when James Delacorte a favorite elderly library patron asks for his help in doing a complete inventory of his personal collection of rare books. Meanwhile, Charlie's son Sean and his poodle puppy Dante have arrived in town from Texas looking to stay a while. Sean seems angry and upset about something, keeping it to himself.
Charlie goes to Mr Delacorte house with Diesel, to talk about the job and meet the rest of the Delacorte family over tea.James wants to Charlie to do an inventory of his library because he some of the books are missing, and he believes that someone in the family is stealing the books. James never married or had children, his sister, niece, and two nephews all lived in the house. As they met Charlie at afternoon tea they each slowly reveal a number of odd behaviors and traits.

When Charlie comes back from lunch the next day after working on the inventory in the morning, he finds James Delacorte's dead body sitting at his desk in the library. When James's will is read it is revealed that he still wants Charlie to finish the inventory and then the books will go to Athena Colleges rare book department where they can be cared for. James also leaves very surprising bequeaths which upsets his heirs. While Charlie with some help from Sean continue to finish the inventory they discover more than a dozen books have gone missing. After another death occurs it points Charlie and the police in different directions of who the culprit is.

The talk that Charlie and Sean have about the relationship was very compelling, and it helps them start a new chapter in their father/son relationship that will hopefully be less strained. It was nice to see Diesel have a some interaction with another animal, and that he is becoming friends with Dante even if he is a dog. The characters are complex and well written. The stories are very interesting, and the way the author describes things it makes it feel like you are there with Charlie and Diesel as they go about their lives.