Secret Shopper Assignment

This assignment was an interesting one! Reader’s advisory is still a new concept to me and one I hadn’t really considered an integral part of working in a library or getting a degree in library science until I started my journey in the MLIS program.

My county/town has three libraries within one entity, so I had to venture to the next town over to talk with the reference librarian. I wound up having to go to the library twice, as the first time I went the reference librarian was out on vacation. The second time I went, I spent an hour with the reference librarian and I really think she did a fantastic job with her reader's advisory.

She asked me what I was looking for and I told her that I wanted a good mystery, suspense, or thriller, something that would have me on the edge of my seat, unable to put it down, and reading long into the night. I was then asked the following questions:

1) Are you looking for fiction or non-fiction?

A: Fiction

2) Do you have a specific subgenre in mind (true crime, the butler did it type of mystery, etc.).

A: No subgenre; however, nothing overly graphic or violent

3) What books and/or authors have I read or recently read that I enjoyed and what I liked about them?

A: Simone St. James, Riley Sager, TJ Newman, Ruth Ware

4) Who are some authors and/or books you dislike?

A: Not a Stephen King fan. Peter Swanson was about so-so for me with Eight Perfect Murders. 

5) Do you have a preference as to the format of your new read? (i.e. audiobook, e-book, physical copy)

A: Audiobooks are fine but I prefer a physical copy as I am a bit particular and picky when it comes to audiobooks because of narrators 

She also asked about what I was looking for within the book, such as its tone, the pace of the book, and the overall 'personality' of the book. I was also asked about the length of the book, if I wanted something that was a quick read or something more in-depth. In all my years of frequenting a library and requesting assistance in finding a good book, I don't think I'd ever been asked those questions, so that was really nice!

Overall, I had a great experience at this library and would return again. I found the library to be welcoming and inviting, and the reference librarian I spoke with to be highly informative, well-trained, and extremely knowledgeable not just in mysteries but in reader’s advisory all together. She was polite and friendly, and really went out of her way to ensure that I found the book I was looking for. 

Based on my information, I was given the following recommendations, two of which I will be adding to my 'to be read' list:

1)      Luckiest Girl Alive – Jessica Knoll

A rising young journalist is groomed for a life involving a successful career and happy marriage only to be forced to confront a violent episode from her past that threatens to unravel everything she’s worked to achieve

2)      The Rising Tide – Ann Cleeves

A group of friends gathers at Holy Island and one them is later found hanged. One of the members must discover what the others are hiding and whether events from previous years could have led to the murder in both the past and present.

3)      Bleeding Heart Yard – Elly Griffiths

Cassie Fitzgerald is working as a police officer and must investigate her former classmates for a previous murder which she was involved in as well as another recent murder

4)      The Last to Vanish – Megan Miranda

A journalist investigating a string of unsolved disappearances goes missing and the manager of an inn decides to investigate and discovers how little she knows about those closest to her, as well as neighbors and co-workers.

5)      Apples Never Fall – Liane Moriarty

When the Delaney siblings’ mother disappears along with a stranger who needed their help, they start to re-examine their lives in a new light and discover their father, who claims to be innocent, has a lot to hide.