Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Library Terror
    Library Terror
    Library Terror
    Ebook109 pages1 hour

    Library Terror

    By Jo Carey

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Something is killing the patrons of the library in the small town of Endicott, and it is somehow connected to the books themselves. Can Librarian Agnes Peabody stop the threat before more bodies pile up?

    Originally published as Bookworms.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherJo Carey
    Release dateJun 24, 2018
    ISBN9781386001096
    Library Terror
    Author

    Jo Carey

    Jo Carey grew up in the Midwest but her curiosity and gypsy-spirit has kept her on the move. She's lived in eight US states and spent three years living in Ireland. She has always loved creature movies, so creatures and bugs often show up in her books. Jo, a former information security compliance guru, writes fast-paced, character-driven stories in a variety of genres from medical thrillers to space operas and cozy mysteries. Her novels are filled with humor, romance, and sometimes creatures or aliens, or maybe even all of the above. She often builds her stories around a strong female lead character surrounded by plenty of hunky male heroes. Jo's been under fire on a golf course and climbed out the roof of an elevator in the Netherlands. Life hasn't been boring. Now residing in Texas, setting often plays a huge role in her stories. Jo was intrigued by the League of Planetary Systems, a world her husband, Frank, created for his science fiction books, and she now writes mysteries and other types of tales sets in that world. Jo was bitten by a cat, a fire ant, and a snake, before succumbing to the bite of the writing bug.

    Read more from Jo Carey

    Related to Library Terror

    Related ebooks

    Horror Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      We Don't Talk About That Here

      Nov 4, 2021

      We Don't Talk About That Here
      4 min read

    • Article

      Ella’s Choice

      Oct 6, 2021

      Ella’s Choice
      7 min read

    • Article

      David Sedaris

      Sep 15, 2017

      Our house on Emerald Isle, The Sea Section, is divided down the middle, and has an E beside one front door and a W beside the other. The east side is ruled by Hugh, and the bedroom we share is on the top floor. It opens onto a deck that overlooks the

      12 min read

    • Article

      It Takes A Village

      Jun 4, 2021

      It Takes A Village
      2 min read

    • Article

      Tell Children the Truth

      Sep 14, 2021

      Tell Children the Truth
      6 min read

    • Article

      ‘This Might Be The Last Thing I Ever Write’: Paul Auster On Cancer, Connection And The Fallacy Of Closure

      Nov 18, 2023

      Early in Paul Auster’s latest novel, Baumgartner, his eponymous lead character is speaking to a grief counsellor in the immediate aftermath of losing his wife in a freakishly violent swimming accident. “Anything can happen to us at any moment,” he te

      7 min read

    • Article

      Ella’s Choice

      Oct 6, 2021

      Ella’s Choice
      7 min read

    • Article

      Pleasure Palace

      Sep 1, 2022

      Pleasure Palace
      15 min read

    • Article

      The Book Of Approved Words

      Jul 10, 2021

      I relaxed on the couch watching an illegal show on videotape. “They had such freedom of language back then,” I thought. “I told you to sit, retard,” the man on the screen shouted. Reluctantly plopping down, the other man mumbled, “Faggot.” “We can’t

      6 min read

    • Article

      Why A Librarian’s Debut Novel Explores Forgiving The Unforgivable

      Jul 5, 2023

      Terah Shelton Harris spends her days reading books for a living. Since the Alabama-based librarian and travel writer is surrounded by the brilliant words of others, it only makes sense that she would eventually craft her own prose. Ms. Harris was fea

      4 min read

    • Article

      Tracey Emin On Her Newfound Love Of Life And Living With A Disability

      May 13, 2021

      It’s been a rollercoaster year for everyone, but none more, arguably, than Tracey Emin. In the summer she was diagnosed with an aggressive bladder cancer which, if left untreated, would likely have killed her by Christmas. Chemotherapy wasn’t an opti

      7 min read

    • Article

      Quantum Radio

      Feb 22, 2023

      Quantum Radio
      5 min read

    • Article

      Q-tip Options

      Oct 10, 2023

      I am not a good person. Abby was at my door. My reaction when I saw her should have been more charitable. She was young and cute and needy, but all I wanted was a nice relaxing day at home. When the police questioned her, I should have let them take

      16 min read

    • Article

      Ashley Flowers

      Sep 29, 2023

      Ashley Flowers
      2 min read

    • Article

      Andy Griffiths

      Nov 5, 2020

      WHAT CAN READERS EXPECT FROM THE 130-STOREY TREEHOUSE BOOK? “They can expect, as usual, the unexpected! For this one I just thought we’ve done so many wild and crazy thing – we’ve travelled in time, battled vegetables, we’ve been to the bottom of the

      7 min read

    • Article

      Ashley Flowers

      Sep 29, 2023

      FOR ASHLEY FLOWERS, HOST OF THE PODCAST CRIME JUNKIE, SUCCESS was unforeseen. “I wasn’t expecting it to be what it is.” And what it is, is the number one true crime podcast in the country. But if she had to pinpoint a reason, Flowers says it’s like “

      2 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Library Terror

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Library Terror - Jo Carey

      CHAPTER ONE

      What do you mean bites? Agnes asked.

      I mean they have bites. Like insect bites, Manuel said.

      I don't see how that has anything to do with the library.

      Doc said the only thing the two people with the bites had in common was being in the library recently and checking out books.

      You know we keep the library clean. We have a contract with Acme Exterminators. Jack sprays the building every month. I'm here every day, and I haven't seen any bugs. What kind of bugs were they bit by?

      I don't know Agnes. I think Doc is still trying to figure that out. No one is blaming you. I just need to take a look around the building.

      OK. Do what you have to do, but I'll be shocked if you see so much as a fly or an ant in here.

      Manuel made his inspection and found nothing indicating a bug infestation. Agnes kept the library like she kept her house; spotless. He pulled out a few books as he passed by and leafed through the pages but saw nothing indicating bugs were in residence in the library. The high ceilings with their dark wood made it tough to be sure but his flashlight didn't show any webs or anything to indicate there were bugs up there either.

      So did you find anything?

      Nothing. Didn't think I would. You said your extermination contract is with Acme right?

      That's right. Jack's the one who does our monthly treatments.

      I'll stop by and talk to him just to see if he's seen anything here, but I think Doc is just grasping at straws.

      Glad to know we have a clean bill of health, Agnes said. Will I see you on Saturday for children's story hour?

      Sure will. Maria wouldn't let us miss a week. She loves it.

      X X X

      Hi Doc, This is Agnes over at the library. Manuel was here earlier checking things out. He said a couple people had insect bites you thought might have come from here. Did you have any luck finding out what type of insect caused the bites?

      Hi Agnes. Sorry to put you in the cross-hairs on this. I have no idea what caused the bites. They're very small but there are lots of them only on the hands and arms. Other than severe itching they don't seem to be too much of a problem. I gave the patients anti-itch cream, and that's probably that last we'll hear of it. If I see more cases of the same kind of thing then we'll keep trying to determine the cause.

      No problem. You know I keep the library as clean as I can. We have a monthly visit from the exterminator too so I don't think we can be the source, but let me know if I can help.

      Once school let out for the day the library got busy, and Agnes forgot all about the bug issue. Sarah came in to watch the desk so Agnes could attend the library board meeting. Enjoy your meeting, Agnes, Sarah said.

      Sure. What a waste of two hours every month. There's never any new business, and the old business is so routine there's nothing to discuss. Somehow those windbags always manage to take up the full two hours. Politicians, Agnes said.

      X X X

      The board meeting started, as it always did, with reading of the minutes from the last board meeting. Agnes was surprised when John Metzger said he had new business to discuss.

      I'm afraid it's bad news. You all know the economy has been bad for the past couple of years. We've had a lot of businesses in town shut down, and folks have moved on to find employment elsewhere. Endicott's population numbers are dropping and with it our tax base. The city finance committee let me know this week that our budget is being cut, he said.

      How much? Agnes asked.

      Unfortunately, between now and the end of the year, we need to cut thirty percent. Starting next year the total annual budget will be fifty percent of what it was this year, John said.

      That's ridiculous. Our budget is small anyway. Even cutting it in half won't save the village much money, Harry Reiman said.

      I know Harry, but this isn't up for discussion. That's the money we have to work with. We need to figure out what we can do on that budget. We may need to open less hours or scale back some of our special programs, John said.

      This is ridiculous, Agnes said.

      I know you're upset about this Agnes. We all are, but we need to figure out what changes have to be made.

      The rest of the meeting was painful. Agnes's salary, utilities, and building maintenance were the three largest line items in the library's budget so those were the ones they homed in on.

      OK. So starting the first of the month, the library will be closed on Wednesday as well as Monday. On days the library is open, our hours will be 11:00 to 6:00, John recapped.

      CHAPTER TWO

      Monday afternoon Doc called Agnes to tell her that three of the children who'd been at story hour on Saturday had been in with bites like the first two patients. The only commonality he could find was the library. He still hadn't identified what bit them but had sent photos to the state University's entomology department for identification. The individual bites were so small it first appeared to be a rash. He was pursuing that aspect as well, just in case his initial diagnosis was wrong.

      Things are really going downhill around here, Agnes thought to herself. It was about to get a whole lot worse. John Metzger and Harry Reiman pushed through the front doors of the library each carrying a clipboard and measuring tape. Hello John. Harry. What are you two up to today? Agnes asked.

      John knew she wouldn't like it but he saw no reason to keep her in the dark. We're going to take some measurements and see if we can consolidate the books into a smaller area. That way we could close off some of the rooms and cut down on our utility bills, John said.

      X X X

      The weekly newspaper carried a story about the bites or rash that had affected five people so far. It wasn't serious, just a nuisance, but the article mentioned that the library was the suspected source though nothing could be proven.

      Hello, Agnes. Nice to see you, Jeremy Jones said.

      Jeremy what were you thinking publishing that story about the library being the suspected source of the bug bites or rash or whatever it is? Did you check with anyone before you wrote that? Apparently not. Manuel checked out the library and found nothing to link the outbreak to us. As a newspaper man you should understand we don't need to be putting more nails in the coffin of reading these days. It's tough enough to get people to pick up an actual printed book and now you scare them off coming to the library, Agnes pelted the words in Jeremy's direction as if in a batting cage.

      Agnes I'm sorry. I understand your concerns about the diminishing numbers of people interested in physical books, but I printed the info I had. I didn't say the library was the source, I said suspected, he explained.

      Yeah, like that makes a difference to the public, she said.

      Here. Sit down. You've gotten yourself all worked up. Your face is as red as a fire engine. Let me get you some water, Jeremy said.

      Agnes' heart was pounding. She loved the library. The trend toward reading electronic books was quickly diminishing the status of the library not only in Endicott, but everywhere. She had hoped she could work at the library until she died but

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1