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Booktown Mystery #13
A Killer Edition
Murder's in the mix for mystery bookstore owner and amateur sleuth Tricia Miles, in the latest entry to Lorna Barrett's New York Times bestselling Booktown series.
With her assistant, Pixie, picking up more responsibility around the shop, Tricia Miles suddenly has a lot more time on her hands. Tricia decides to join the local animal-rescue board and enter the Great Stoneham Bake-Off, but neither pans out as smoothly as she’d hoped.
Balancing a bake-off that’s heating up with a frosty reception from the board, Tricia stops by Joyce Whitman’s romance bookstore looking for a book to get her fired up. She stumbles on something hot, but it’s an argument between Joyce and her neighbor Vera Olson instead of a steamy read. When Vera turns up dead in Joyce’s garden hours later, Tricia has to wonder—could Joyce be the killer? Or is the culprit still lurking in town?
One thing is for sure, someone in Stoneham is stirring up something more sinister than sweet. Tricia is determined to win the cutthroat cooking contest, but first she will have to make sure no one else is in danger of getting burned....
With her assistant, Pixie, picking up more responsibility around the shop, Tricia Miles suddenly has a lot more time on her hands. Tricia decides to join the local animal-rescue board and enter the Great Stoneham Bake-Off, but neither pans out as smoothly as she’d hoped.
Balancing a bake-off that’s heating up with a frosty reception from the board, Tricia stops by Joyce Whitman’s romance bookstore looking for a book to get her fired up. She stumbles on something hot, but it’s an argument between Joyce and her neighbor Vera Olson instead of a steamy read. When Vera turns up dead in Joyce’s garden hours later, Tricia has to wonder—could Joyce be the killer? Or is the culprit still lurking in town?
One thing is for sure, someone in Stoneham is stirring up something more sinister than sweet. Tricia is determined to win the cutthroat cooking contest, but first she will have to make sure no one else is in danger of getting burned....
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 13, 2019
267 people are currently reading
1338 people want to read
About the author
Lorna Barrett
22 books1,788 followersThe immensely popular Booktown Mystery series is what put Lorna Barrett’s name on the New York Times Bestseller list, but it’s her talent -- whether writing as Lorna, or L.L. Bartlett, or Lorraine Bartlett -- that keeps her there. This multi-published, Agatha-nominated author pens the exciting Jeff Resnick Mysteries as well as the acclaimed Victoria Square Mystery series and has many short stories and novellas to her name(s). Check out the links to all her works here: http://www.lornabarrett.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
May 13, 2024
In the 13th book, A Killer Edition, from Lorna Barrett's Booktown Mysteries, Tricia is moving on after the unexpected city council election results. Her bid to join the local animal shelter's board has stalled, and life has become too quiet in Stoneham, New Hampshire. After six years and solving 12+ murders, she's no longer sure of what to do with herself. Thankfully a local baking competition gives her something to focus on, but then again, her curiosity always leads to discovering someone's untimely demise. It's her interest in herbs and animal care that places her smack in the middle of another Booktown murder.
I enjoyed this installment as it had a complex mystery that connected several plot points from the side stories. Tricia did some investigating but not in a dangerous way -- she mostly looked into the shelter to figure out why they wouldn't let her join, and that's when it went awry. The bonds between Tricia and her sister, Angelica, were also tested once again, and I love how they always come out stronger.
A new relationship keeps Tricia on her toes, but she's also very direct and not always nurturing in her relationships either. I worry that she's a bit too individualized to really balance her life in the way she seems to desire. If she wants to have a relationship too, she needs to be a little less rigid about the boundaries and her running off to do whatever she wants (forgetting about plans, et al). If she's happy with a casual affair, then all is well. Just needs to decide. Either way, she's intelligent, fun, and a good person, and that's why reading the series is generally a pleasurable experience.
I enjoyed this installment as it had a complex mystery that connected several plot points from the side stories. Tricia did some investigating but not in a dangerous way -- she mostly looked into the shelter to figure out why they wouldn't let her join, and that's when it went awry. The bonds between Tricia and her sister, Angelica, were also tested once again, and I love how they always come out stronger.
A new relationship keeps Tricia on her toes, but she's also very direct and not always nurturing in her relationships either. I worry that she's a bit too individualized to really balance her life in the way she seems to desire. If she wants to have a relationship too, she needs to be a little less rigid about the boundaries and her running off to do whatever she wants (forgetting about plans, et al). If she's happy with a casual affair, then all is well. Just needs to decide. Either way, she's intelligent, fun, and a good person, and that's why reading the series is generally a pleasurable experience.
November 8, 2019
I am jumping in here on the 13th book to A Booktown Mystery Series, and I thought it worked well as a stand-alone. I did feel there is a bit of history here with the characters that would have helped with connecting to the characters more.
A Killer Edition is fun, light, entertaining with amusing characters set in a small town with the best kind of shops, and a bake-off competition to keep the characters distracted. The mystery stands alone here but isn't the focus. Our main character Tricia's life takes centre stage here. We do get enough background to make this work as a stand-alone and it has me curious to read the previous ones. I enjoyed the warm relationship Tricia has with sister Angelica. It had a little sisterly rivalry to it to keep it interesting. I wanted to join in on cocktail hour with them. How great is that?
I thought the mystery here came together well and enjoyed reading this instalment to A Booktown Mystery and think if you are looking for a cozy mystery series, this is a good one to curl up with your favourite beverage.
A received a copy from Elisha at Berkley Pub.
A Killer Edition is fun, light, entertaining with amusing characters set in a small town with the best kind of shops, and a bake-off competition to keep the characters distracted. The mystery stands alone here but isn't the focus. Our main character Tricia's life takes centre stage here. We do get enough background to make this work as a stand-alone and it has me curious to read the previous ones. I enjoyed the warm relationship Tricia has with sister Angelica. It had a little sisterly rivalry to it to keep it interesting. I wanted to join in on cocktail hour with them. How great is that?
I thought the mystery here came together well and enjoyed reading this instalment to A Booktown Mystery and think if you are looking for a cozy mystery series, this is a good one to curl up with your favourite beverage.
A received a copy from Elisha at Berkley Pub.
September 9, 2019
I loved visiting Stoneham (aka Booktown) in the latest edition of the Booktown Mysteries, A Killer Edition! Lorna Barrett is a big name in cozy mysteries, and I always enjoy her books. This one was a bit heavier on the cute and cozy side than the mystery, though there are a few twists towards the end that brought the mystery back to the front of the story!
In this latest mystery, Tricia Miles—owner of mystery bookstore Haven’t Got a Clue—finds herself with extra time on her hands. Her newly promoted assistant manager Pixie and her store clerk Mr. Everett are running the shop even better than ever, so Tricia is finding other passions to pursue to keep herself from micromanaging at the store.
Determined to get a spot on the board at Pets-a-Plenty, the local animal shelter, as well as enter the amateur cupcake bake-off, Tricia finds herself with plenty of activities to occupy her days. But when her friends-with-benefits situation doesn’t totally fulfill her evenings, she takes the advice of her therapist and heads over to the romance bookstore owned by her friend Joyce Whitman to add some steam back into her life.
While browsing the shelves, Tricia witnesses Joyce’s neighbor Vera having some heated words with Joyce. A few hours later, Joyce and Tricia discover Vera’s body just outside Joyce’s garden gate with a pitchfork pushed through it. Tricia doesn’t believe Joyce had anything to do with it, but who did? The more she looks into it, the more she realizes that Vera was well known through Booktown, volunteering at the animal shelter, working on the school board. Tricia may be busy with the upcoming bake off, but she still has time to solve a mystery!
Booktown is like any small town—filled with kooky characters, feuds, and local gossip. I loved that we got a who’s-who list at the beginning of the book to reference, since I have missed many of the books in the middle of this series. It helped me to reference who owned what local spot and who was involved with who, without Barrett having to recap too much in the text.
Tricia and her sister Angelica have a fascinating dynamic. They are a mix of close and supportive with a bit of an ongoing feud. Angelica is highly successful, and for the first third of the book I actually couldn’t tell if Tricia even liked her sister. But by the end, their relationship was well-rounded, and I understood them better. The sisters really look out for one another, but also are a bit competitive.
I would have liked the mystery to be more central, but I felt that a lot of the investigating happened by chance because Tricia was already involved in many of the activities that Vera had also been involved with. Tricia was much more fixated on the bake-off, the animal shelter, and her sadness to not be so central at her book store than she was about the mystery.
That aside, I thought the whole ending was fascinating as clues began to come together. I certainly was surprised by the twist the mystery took! And I do love the small town cozy parts to this series. A fun and light mystery that Booktown fans will love!
Thank you to Berkley for my copy. Opinions are my own.
In this latest mystery, Tricia Miles—owner of mystery bookstore Haven’t Got a Clue—finds herself with extra time on her hands. Her newly promoted assistant manager Pixie and her store clerk Mr. Everett are running the shop even better than ever, so Tricia is finding other passions to pursue to keep herself from micromanaging at the store.
Determined to get a spot on the board at Pets-a-Plenty, the local animal shelter, as well as enter the amateur cupcake bake-off, Tricia finds herself with plenty of activities to occupy her days. But when her friends-with-benefits situation doesn’t totally fulfill her evenings, she takes the advice of her therapist and heads over to the romance bookstore owned by her friend Joyce Whitman to add some steam back into her life.
While browsing the shelves, Tricia witnesses Joyce’s neighbor Vera having some heated words with Joyce. A few hours later, Joyce and Tricia discover Vera’s body just outside Joyce’s garden gate with a pitchfork pushed through it. Tricia doesn’t believe Joyce had anything to do with it, but who did? The more she looks into it, the more she realizes that Vera was well known through Booktown, volunteering at the animal shelter, working on the school board. Tricia may be busy with the upcoming bake off, but she still has time to solve a mystery!
Booktown is like any small town—filled with kooky characters, feuds, and local gossip. I loved that we got a who’s-who list at the beginning of the book to reference, since I have missed many of the books in the middle of this series. It helped me to reference who owned what local spot and who was involved with who, without Barrett having to recap too much in the text.
Tricia and her sister Angelica have a fascinating dynamic. They are a mix of close and supportive with a bit of an ongoing feud. Angelica is highly successful, and for the first third of the book I actually couldn’t tell if Tricia even liked her sister. But by the end, their relationship was well-rounded, and I understood them better. The sisters really look out for one another, but also are a bit competitive.
I would have liked the mystery to be more central, but I felt that a lot of the investigating happened by chance because Tricia was already involved in many of the activities that Vera had also been involved with. Tricia was much more fixated on the bake-off, the animal shelter, and her sadness to not be so central at her book store than she was about the mystery.
That aside, I thought the whole ending was fascinating as clues began to come together. I certainly was surprised by the twist the mystery took! And I do love the small town cozy parts to this series. A fun and light mystery that Booktown fans will love!
Thank you to Berkley for my copy. Opinions are my own.
August 17, 2019
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Business is better than ever at Haven’t Got A Clue Bookstore. Pixie Poe’s is an excellent assistant manager and Mr. Everett is an excellent clerk. That means it isn’t necessary for Tricia to spend much time in her store. To fill her time she wants to become a board member for a local animal rescue shelter. Since she has almost been baking the snacks for the store she also decides to enter the Great Stoneham Bake-Off going up against her star baker sister Angelica.
Also in her efforts to move on and fill her time she follows her therapist’s advice to pick up a steamy romance novel. Instead, when she enters the romance bookstore she finds her friend Joyce Whitman in an argument with her neighbor Vera Olson. Thoughts of a romance novel are quickly forgotten when Vera leaves as she starts discussing garden options for her balcony with Joyce. Joyce invites her to come to her home to see her gardens. They are both surprised to find Vera in the garden, dead.
Tricia just can help herself, she just keeps finding bodies, maybe she truly is jinxed.
Stoneham/Booktown is a true small town with its hosts of small-town problems. Empty storefronts, chamber of commerce issues, and of course small-town feuds and gossip. It also has more than its share of murders. Murders Tricia always finds herself in the middle of. Ms. Barrett has created an extraordinary town with dynamic characters. Tricia has grown so much over the course of this series. Angelica too, but in totally different ways. I love this sister relationship.
This time we meet several unique characters and the story twists in ways that I totally didn’t expect. Although that is what I should expect from Lorna Barrett, she always has great plot twists up her sleeve. As always, the story was well-written and the mystery was well-plotted. A mystery that kept me guessing right up to the end.
Engaging characters, a little bit of sibling rivalry and a fun mystery to solve. You will find it all in A Killer Edition and more. There are cupcakes too!
This is one of my favorite series. The character development over the series is stellar which is why I always recommend this series be read from the beginning. The author does a great job to make each book stand on it own, but you are really missing all the trials and tribulations that Tricia and Angelica have endured bringing them to where they are today if you don’t read about them from the start.
Business is better than ever at Haven’t Got A Clue Bookstore. Pixie Poe’s is an excellent assistant manager and Mr. Everett is an excellent clerk. That means it isn’t necessary for Tricia to spend much time in her store. To fill her time she wants to become a board member for a local animal rescue shelter. Since she has almost been baking the snacks for the store she also decides to enter the Great Stoneham Bake-Off going up against her star baker sister Angelica.
Also in her efforts to move on and fill her time she follows her therapist’s advice to pick up a steamy romance novel. Instead, when she enters the romance bookstore she finds her friend Joyce Whitman in an argument with her neighbor Vera Olson. Thoughts of a romance novel are quickly forgotten when Vera leaves as she starts discussing garden options for her balcony with Joyce. Joyce invites her to come to her home to see her gardens. They are both surprised to find Vera in the garden, dead.
Tricia just can help herself, she just keeps finding bodies, maybe she truly is jinxed.
Stoneham/Booktown is a true small town with its hosts of small-town problems. Empty storefronts, chamber of commerce issues, and of course small-town feuds and gossip. It also has more than its share of murders. Murders Tricia always finds herself in the middle of. Ms. Barrett has created an extraordinary town with dynamic characters. Tricia has grown so much over the course of this series. Angelica too, but in totally different ways. I love this sister relationship.
This time we meet several unique characters and the story twists in ways that I totally didn’t expect. Although that is what I should expect from Lorna Barrett, she always has great plot twists up her sleeve. As always, the story was well-written and the mystery was well-plotted. A mystery that kept me guessing right up to the end.
Engaging characters, a little bit of sibling rivalry and a fun mystery to solve. You will find it all in A Killer Edition and more. There are cupcakes too!
This is one of my favorite series. The character development over the series is stellar which is why I always recommend this series be read from the beginning. The author does a great job to make each book stand on it own, but you are really missing all the trials and tribulations that Tricia and Angelica have endured bringing them to where they are today if you don’t read about them from the start.
March 19, 2020
In the first few books of the series, Tricia came across as relatively unlikable, but mellowed a bit recently. Unfortunately, she's now back pretty much where she started from. As a relatively wealthy woman looking to start over, moving to Stoneham, New Hampshire to set up a mystery book shop made sense; granted, I always felt as though she were more of a dilettante then someone who really needs a thriving business for income.
As one who dislikes rehashing plots in reviews, I'm going to say that in terms of what to expect for folks who haven't read this one yet: Tricia stumbles across a corpse, does a bit of sleuthing on her own, but that is more incidental and falls to the wayside by and large. There is a fair amount of attention given to a nationally televised cupcake Bake-Off for charity held at Stoneham High School. Also, Tricia is desperately trying to be on the board of a local animal shelter, without success; this is used to introduce the theme of lab testing products on animals (cruelty).
The animal aspect of the story I found rather overdone and poorly worked into the action, such as it was; clearly, the voice of the author herself consciously working that topic into a book specifically. Peripheral to that was a rather bizarre throwaway remark by Mr Everett that he had gone to visit Franny in jail (being held for murder at Angelica's cookery shop!) to give her an update on how her cat was doing as he and his wife have adopted the animal. This was presented as a perfectly rational thing for him to do, and great surprise that the visit did not end well. Oy!
Angelica was pretty much her usual self throughout the book, being preoccupied with the opening of her new day spa. Pixie featured very little in the book to start with, but developed a minor point near the very end. Enough about them though, let's get on with how Tricia has regressed...
The overall theme of the book could be considered that Tricia is at loose ends because she's given Pixie so much responsibility that there's nothing much for her to do! That may be true in the sense that Tricia is not often present at the bookshop, with Pixie managing day-to-day (sales) operations. However, she seems to not trust Pixie with making the bank deposits or anything financial; moreover, there is great concern that Pixie has been such a great salesperson that the stock on the shelves is getting rather low. If Pixie were doing so much of the work, wouldn't she be responsible for ordering new stock? Instead, that situation is used to give Tricia a reason to go to used book sales here.
As for Tricia's personal life... two of the men she has dated since opening her store now loathe her, newspaper owner Russ and police chief Grant Baker. In this book she's dating Marshall, who owns the travel bookstore in town. He is nothing but kind and thoughtful and attentive to her, whereas she basically takes him for granted. Ugh!
In summary, she came across as a rich woman with too much time on her hands (bored with the store), hoping that being on the animal shelter board would fill some void; along with her exes, the paid director of the shelter also has taken quite a dislike to her - pattern here? There's also a very strange point where Tricia ends up having lept to conclusions; however, based on details given, I don't blame her for that. Another awkwardly done plot point.
Finally, a note on the audio edition... Cassandra Campbell has taken over from Karen White who narrated the series previously. Most of the voices she gets down fairly well, with one quite glaring exception: Pixie. The former prostitute and jailbird had been read with a very distinct New Hampshire accent; here, the voice is very generic Mid-American and sound quite a bit younger. If Ms. Campbell narrates the next book in the series, which I understand centers on Pixie, I would certainly read the print edition.
As one who dislikes rehashing plots in reviews, I'm going to say that in terms of what to expect for folks who haven't read this one yet: Tricia stumbles across a corpse, does a bit of sleuthing on her own, but that is more incidental and falls to the wayside by and large. There is a fair amount of attention given to a nationally televised cupcake Bake-Off for charity held at Stoneham High School. Also, Tricia is desperately trying to be on the board of a local animal shelter, without success; this is used to introduce the theme of lab testing products on animals (cruelty).
The animal aspect of the story I found rather overdone and poorly worked into the action, such as it was; clearly, the voice of the author herself consciously working that topic into a book specifically. Peripheral to that was a rather bizarre throwaway remark by Mr Everett that he had gone to visit Franny in jail (being held for murder at Angelica's cookery shop!) to give her an update on how her cat was doing as he and his wife have adopted the animal. This was presented as a perfectly rational thing for him to do, and great surprise that the visit did not end well. Oy!
Angelica was pretty much her usual self throughout the book, being preoccupied with the opening of her new day spa. Pixie featured very little in the book to start with, but developed a minor point near the very end. Enough about them though, let's get on with how Tricia has regressed...
The overall theme of the book could be considered that Tricia is at loose ends because she's given Pixie so much responsibility that there's nothing much for her to do! That may be true in the sense that Tricia is not often present at the bookshop, with Pixie managing day-to-day (sales) operations. However, she seems to not trust Pixie with making the bank deposits or anything financial; moreover, there is great concern that Pixie has been such a great salesperson that the stock on the shelves is getting rather low. If Pixie were doing so much of the work, wouldn't she be responsible for ordering new stock? Instead, that situation is used to give Tricia a reason to go to used book sales here.
As for Tricia's personal life... two of the men she has dated since opening her store now loathe her, newspaper owner Russ and police chief Grant Baker. In this book she's dating Marshall, who owns the travel bookstore in town. He is nothing but kind and thoughtful and attentive to her, whereas she basically takes him for granted. Ugh!
In summary, she came across as a rich woman with too much time on her hands (bored with the store), hoping that being on the animal shelter board would fill some void; along with her exes, the paid director of the shelter also has taken quite a dislike to her - pattern here? There's also a very strange point where Tricia ends up having lept to conclusions; however, based on details given, I don't blame her for that. Another awkwardly done plot point.
Finally, a note on the audio edition... Cassandra Campbell has taken over from Karen White who narrated the series previously. Most of the voices she gets down fairly well, with one quite glaring exception: Pixie. The former prostitute and jailbird had been read with a very distinct New Hampshire accent; here, the voice is very generic Mid-American and sound quite a bit younger. If Ms. Campbell narrates the next book in the series, which I understand centers on Pixie, I would certainly read the print edition.
August 29, 2020
I never know how one of the books in this series will hit it. This one harks back to the ones that almost had me calling it quits. Tricia is sometimes annoying; I do not like Marshall; Angelica is "confident" to the point of being self-aggrandizing and dismissive of others. Tricia sure does have a way of making people angry.
Then there are author errors and choices. The most egregious was a question by Angelica early on asking when a dead body becomes stiff. Trish's answer was "within a couple of hours." No. That is incorrect. The process may *begin* within 2 hours, but depending on many factors such as temperature, it can take a good 12 hours for full rigor. Any author who writes about murder should have a clear understanding of this easily Googled fact.
Some things were telegraphed far too strongly; yet other things were just throwaways. And too many things simply weren't helpful (I'm so tired of cocktail hour).
I think it's time for me to once again re-evaluate this series.
Then there are author errors and choices. The most egregious was a question by Angelica early on asking when a dead body becomes stiff. Trish's answer was "within a couple of hours." No. That is incorrect. The process may *begin* within 2 hours, but depending on many factors such as temperature, it can take a good 12 hours for full rigor. Any author who writes about murder should have a clear understanding of this easily Googled fact.
Some things were telegraphed far too strongly; yet other things were just throwaways. And too many things simply weren't helpful (I'm so tired of cocktail hour).
I think it's time for me to once again re-evaluate this series.
August 20, 2021
I have been listening to the series and with the new narrator I don’t find enough distinction between the characters voices. Antonio who is Italian now doesn’t have an accent and Pixie who is supposed to be an ex-con now sounds a lot like Trisha. Not sure if I’m going to continue listening to the Series due to the switch. The stories are fine they’re what you would expect from a cozy mystery, but I do find it interesting that it seems like every man Trisha meets becomes crazy about her so that gets a little old.
September 11, 2019
I'll read the next one when it comes out, but this one so barely focused on the murder that when it was mentioned it was like a jolt to the memory. "Oh, yeah, this is a murder mystery."
I don't know. How can I like a book series and totally dislike the main character? I just find Tricia a self-absorbed, annoying, nosy busybody. But I really like the other characters and how they are developing. I'd be thrilled if Tricia left the series and it just became about everyone else.
I don't know. How can I like a book series and totally dislike the main character? I just find Tricia a self-absorbed, annoying, nosy busybody. But I really like the other characters and how they are developing. I'd be thrilled if Tricia left the series and it just became about everyone else.
August 26, 2019
This series stopped being about mysteries and has become a long pity party on how sad Tricia's life is. It no longer even holds my attention which is sad as I used to love these books. But after this one I'm finally officially done.
August 14, 2019
A Killer Edition provides a quirky hometown murder mystery with amazing cooking recipes to boot. A story that is guaranteed to delight and make you a bit hungry.
Book store owner and amateur sleuth finds herself in the middle of another hometown murder mystery all the while plotting her up and coming bake-off. The closer Tricia gets to the truth the higher the danger level rises.
Great hometown feel, wonderfully twists and turns and some great family dynamics make for a book vacation you won't want to miss.
I received this ARC copy of A Killer Edition from Berkley Publishing Group. This is my honest and voluntary review. b>A Killer Edition is set for publication Aug. 13, 2019.
My Rating: 4 stars
Written by: Lorna Barrett
Series: A Booktown Mystery (Book 13)
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: August 13, 2019
ISBN-10: 1984802720
ISBN-13: 978-1984802729
Genre: Women Slueth
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Killer-Booktow...
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-ki...
Itunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-kil...
Book store owner and amateur sleuth finds herself in the middle of another hometown murder mystery all the while plotting her up and coming bake-off. The closer Tricia gets to the truth the higher the danger level rises.
Great hometown feel, wonderfully twists and turns and some great family dynamics make for a book vacation you won't want to miss.
I received this ARC copy of A Killer Edition from Berkley Publishing Group. This is my honest and voluntary review. b>A Killer Edition is set for publication Aug. 13, 2019.
My Rating: 4 stars
Written by: Lorna Barrett
Series: A Booktown Mystery (Book 13)
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: August 13, 2019
ISBN-10: 1984802720
ISBN-13: 978-1984802729
Genre: Women Slueth
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Killer-Booktow...
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-ki...
Itunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-kil...
January 17, 2022
What a nasty, spiteful town Stoneham is becoming, not to mention dangerous! And so much of that meanness is directed at vintage mystery bookstore proprietor, Tricia..when all she wants to do is sell books, help people out, and maybe solve a crime or two. But for all her good deeds, it appears she still manages to earn a new enemy or two, no matter what she tries to do.
The good town is hosting a charity bake-off and Tricia, her sister and several other townsfolk have entered, choosing their preferred charity to be awarded the take. But Tricia seems to have stumbled upon some not so charitable doings at the pet shelter she hopes to benefit. One life is taken, another chased out of town, and far too many pets have not found the forever homes they hoped for.
While the characters were not as deep this go and too many references to previous books were brought up but not explained til much later, this was still a fun read and surprising culprit. But it leaves me with one big question….. did the romance book work?
The good town is hosting a charity bake-off and Tricia, her sister and several other townsfolk have entered, choosing their preferred charity to be awarded the take. But Tricia seems to have stumbled upon some not so charitable doings at the pet shelter she hopes to benefit. One life is taken, another chased out of town, and far too many pets have not found the forever homes they hoped for.
While the characters were not as deep this go and too many references to previous books were brought up but not explained til much later, this was still a fun read and surprising culprit. But it leaves me with one big question….. did the romance book work?
September 10, 2019
Tricia is feeling a bit down. She has given Pixie the job of manager of the bookstore and it feels like she has nothing to do. She has tried to volunteer for the board of a local pet adoption center, but hasn't made the cut. Her love life is so so and she is looking for adventure. That is how I felt about this book. It was so so. I usually really enjoy my visits to this fictional town and its bookstores, but this one I felt left down. The last couple of chapters were the best of the book. I'm not sure what has happened, maybe Tricia is too wishy washy for me, but it seems she has lost some of her excitement and interest in life. This is still a good read, but I hope the next visit will be a better one.
July 24, 2019
I thought the story was well-written with developed characters. It was easy to read with good wrap up of the mystery. Recipes at the end. I will share my complete review soon.
November 10, 2022
This was ok, as in "just ok". But I take the blame for that, I wasn't in the mood for a cozy(?) mystery. Most often, the "cute" plot, and settings that often include bookstores and bakeries, are a a balm, but I couldn't shake my mood through this particular mystery. I couldn't connect with a single character and my interest in the murder mystery remained tepid as well. I will try another in the series at a later date, and be more conscience of what I need before beginning it.
March 19, 2020
I barely managed to finish this and only managed to because I skimmed the second half to get to the who-dunnit part. But this is the last book in this series I plan to read. I really dislike the heroine more with each book I read. I love the sister and heroine's employees. But the main character is increasingly prissy, narrow-minded, judgmental. The most important thing for me in a cozy mystery is that the characters be likable or at least real in a way. I mean, Agatha Raisin isn't likable but I love her books - she doesn't have the same haughty arrogance under an affected veneer thing that I sense with this main character.
I feel like this main character is being portrayed as the best at just about everything she's actually tried. That the fact that most of the town dislikes her means most of the town is wrong and nasty. I think there's a good reason they don't like her, and I don't think I would like her either.
I started feeling really distanced from her in the cruise book when she started specifying some of her outdated food/diet "wisdom". And the outdated, judgmental opinions really came out here when she thought she saw a secret lesbian tryst, and couldn't imagine why a woman might love another women - eventually dismissing it as some kind of hatred/dislike of men thing coupled with not having a need for sex.
Then she gets knee-jerk upset that her friend-with-benefits has hired an assistant who happens to be a young woman. Evidently in her world women don't date women unless they've given up on sex, but women do automatically have sex with men they work for?
And then during the bake-off she's feeling this haughty pity for a cupcake that isn't over-the-top decorated, giving off strong "isn't it nice he tried and got to play with the rest of us" vibe.
I don't remember her age, I've always gotten a feeling that she's in her 40s but thinks she's in her 30s. But her outdated views and opinions make her seem several decades older than that.
I feel like this main character is being portrayed as the best at just about everything she's actually tried. That the fact that most of the town dislikes her means most of the town is wrong and nasty. I think there's a good reason they don't like her, and I don't think I would like her either.
I started feeling really distanced from her in the cruise book when she started specifying some of her outdated food/diet "wisdom". And the outdated, judgmental opinions really came out here when she thought she saw a secret lesbian tryst, and couldn't imagine why a woman might love another women - eventually dismissing it as some kind of hatred/dislike of men thing coupled with not having a need for sex.
Then she gets knee-jerk upset that her friend-with-benefits has hired an assistant who happens to be a young woman. Evidently in her world women don't date women unless they've given up on sex, but women do automatically have sex with men they work for?
And then during the bake-off she's feeling this haughty pity for a cupcake that isn't over-the-top decorated, giving off strong "isn't it nice he tried and got to play with the rest of us" vibe.
I don't remember her age, I've always gotten a feeling that she's in her 40s but thinks she's in her 30s. But her outdated views and opinions make her seem several decades older than that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2021
That was by far the most disjointed installment of Tricia's "adventures" with stumbling upon corpses. I did love this series and always enjoyed coming back to those well-known characters with all their quirks and well-shaped personalities. Not this time.
Reading it, felt like mental jumping all over the place with only one fixed point - Tricia and Angelica had to have a "happy hour" of drinking every evening. I myself love a good drink but really? That often? It felt like a filler that serves only one purpose - add to the number of pages.
A new corpse was unusual and very promising regarding the story behind it. But then everything that made the series interesting and loved has washed away in Tricia's dull pity-party and people around her repeating like mantra that she is sooo accomplished and experienced and worthy the job she wants. Also, on the one hand Tricia's feeling not needed in her own shop due to Pixie's efficiency as a manager and on the other - Tricia's constant need to go out from the shop to do this or that - it was simply annoying and childish.
Sleuthing - hmmm, no... Witty dialogs - again no. Humor - not this time. Intriguing twists and turns of the story - zero. There were so few mind-catching moments that for the very first time I was simply skipping not only fragments but pages. I just could not "get connected" with the story and it took me very long to finish this book.
I'm very disappointed and hope that the next book in the series will bring back that special "something" from previous installments.
Reading it, felt like mental jumping all over the place with only one fixed point - Tricia and Angelica had to have a "happy hour" of drinking every evening. I myself love a good drink but really? That often? It felt like a filler that serves only one purpose - add to the number of pages.
A new corpse was unusual and very promising regarding the story behind it. But then everything that made the series interesting and loved has washed away in Tricia's dull pity-party and people around her repeating like mantra that she is sooo accomplished and experienced and worthy the job she wants. Also, on the one hand Tricia's feeling not needed in her own shop due to Pixie's efficiency as a manager and on the other - Tricia's constant need to go out from the shop to do this or that - it was simply annoying and childish.
Sleuthing - hmmm, no... Witty dialogs - again no. Humor - not this time. Intriguing twists and turns of the story - zero. There were so few mind-catching moments that for the very first time I was simply skipping not only fragments but pages. I just could not "get connected" with the story and it took me very long to finish this book.
I'm very disappointed and hope that the next book in the series will bring back that special "something" from previous installments.
August 12, 2019
As I sit down at the computer to write this review, I really am not sure about my thoughts. While I do enjoy aspects of the book, I just don’t know if it’s a good fit with my reading style.
Lorna Barrett’s writing style is unique because she has quite a large cast of characters and therefore, I think if you’re just trying to dip your toes into this series, it might be hard. Since I haven’t read too many of the other books in this series, I feel like that might be why I feel a little indifferent to it.
The funny thing is, I don’t have this issue with other Cozy Mystery series that I jump into. Even without having read any of the prior books, I don’t have an issue with falling in line and enjoying the book. Since each book has a conclusion, I didn’t think it would be a problem. But even after reading a few books from this series, that real connection is missing for me.
I think I may have to come back to this series after having read a few of the earlier titles. But if you’re a fan of Jenn McKinlay’s Library Lover’s Mystery series, I think you’ll probably enjoy this one too. They definitely have a similar feel to them.
May 9, 2019
It has been a while since I have read one of the fun and fast read. The Booktown mystery this the 13th tale and it did not disappoint. It was a pleasure to spend time with them. Tricia and Angelica Miles are sisters that work will together, both own a different store.
Pixie has been promoted to manage Tricia bookstore leaving Tricia with time on her hands. Her attempt to volunteer at the animal shelter is not working out. Tricia present when Cora verbally balls out Joyce, her next door neighbor. Later is present when Joyce finds Cora's body in her backyard. The town is holding a cupcake backoff and both sisters hope to win. Tricia needs to discover before Joyce joins Cora in death. I highly recommend this book and series.
A series of cupcake recipes are included.
Disclosure: Thanks to Berkley for a copy through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
Pixie has been promoted to manage Tricia bookstore leaving Tricia with time on her hands. Her attempt to volunteer at the animal shelter is not working out. Tricia present when Cora verbally balls out Joyce, her next door neighbor. Later is present when Joyce finds Cora's body in her backyard. The town is holding a cupcake backoff and both sisters hope to win. Tricia needs to discover before Joyce joins Cora in death. I highly recommend this book and series.
A series of cupcake recipes are included.
Disclosure: Thanks to Berkley for a copy through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
November 7, 2019
I have to say that I enjoyed this much more then the last two books in the series. It was more focused on the mystery and less on family drama. Trish also spent some time actually taking care of her store by actively seeking out book stock.
August 10, 2020
Lorna Barrett never disappoints. Trisha and Angelica didn't get into as much mischief this time but there were still plenty of surprises for them.
August 7, 2019
Tricia Miles has more time on her hands these days since she promoted Pixie to assistant manager. Tricia makes up her mind to fill this time by joining the board of an animal rescue but is getting some resistance from one particular member. While deciding what to do next she makes plans to enter an amateur baking competition. But in between her plans Tricia stops by Joyce Whitman’s book store looking for a new book with a little romance and suspense but what she finds is an argument between Joyce and Vera Osborn. Hours later Tricia arrives at Joyce’s house for a gardening lesson and to pick some fresh vegetables only to find Vera’s dead body. Tricia can’t help but get pulled into the investigation.
This is one of my favorite series. I mean how could it not be, it’s about a town of bookstores and the protagonist owns a mystery bookstore. The books can be enjoyed as part of the series or stand-alone mysteries. The aforementioned setting of Booktown has a small-town cozy feeling. Author Lorna Barrett spins a well-written story with well-developed complexed characters. My favorite character, Tricia and Angelica have a wonderful relationship. They support one another but sometimes can get on one another nerves and have a healthy sense of sibling rivalry like the baking competition. I felt bad for Tricia in this book because she seems so lost and doesn’t know what to do with so much free time. The mystery has great pace with several well placed red herrings. All this and some tasty recipes included for the food lovers.
I voluntarily agreed to read a copy of this book supplied by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced.
This is one of my favorite series. I mean how could it not be, it’s about a town of bookstores and the protagonist owns a mystery bookstore. The books can be enjoyed as part of the series or stand-alone mysteries. The aforementioned setting of Booktown has a small-town cozy feeling. Author Lorna Barrett spins a well-written story with well-developed complexed characters. My favorite character, Tricia and Angelica have a wonderful relationship. They support one another but sometimes can get on one another nerves and have a healthy sense of sibling rivalry like the baking competition. I felt bad for Tricia in this book because she seems so lost and doesn’t know what to do with so much free time. The mystery has great pace with several well placed red herrings. All this and some tasty recipes included for the food lovers.
I voluntarily agreed to read a copy of this book supplied by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced.
June 6, 2019
Tricia Miles witnesses Joyce Widman and Vera Olson arguing over the fact that Joyce called a tree surgeon to cut off a branch of Vera’s tree that hangs over Joyce’s property. Invited to see Joyce’s garden the next day, Tricia finds Vera’s body in Joyce’s backyard – murdered.
As Tricia begins to investigate who had a motive to kill Vera she finds that the victim was an active volunteer for Pets-A-Plenty Animal Rescue. The non-profit is missing a board member and Tricia hopes to fill the vacancy. Tricia also decides to enter the Great Stoneham Bake-off and compete with her older sister, Angelica, known to be an excellent cook.
Lorna Barrett’s Booktown mysteries are always an engaging read and this one is no different. A good mystery, reliable characters and a comfortable setting.
As Tricia begins to investigate who had a motive to kill Vera she finds that the victim was an active volunteer for Pets-A-Plenty Animal Rescue. The non-profit is missing a board member and Tricia hopes to fill the vacancy. Tricia also decides to enter the Great Stoneham Bake-off and compete with her older sister, Angelica, known to be an excellent cook.
Lorna Barrett’s Booktown mysteries are always an engaging read and this one is no different. A good mystery, reliable characters and a comfortable setting.
November 25, 2024
I’ve skipped around in this series but I liked this entry. I always enjoy a good cooking competition. I feel like my previous impression was of annoying characters, which is why I haven’t read as much in this series but I didn’t have that problem in this book. Overall I enjoyed the mystery and was surprised at the culprit. Good ending and cupcake recipes were included.
September 8, 2019
Lorna Barrett's new Booktown Mystery, "A Killer Edition", finds bookstore owner Tricia Miles at a bit of a loose end.
With her employee Pixie having pretty much taken over the running of the store after being promoted to assistant manager, there's not a whole lot keeping Tricia busy in terms of front of the store work. Not that she doesn't want Pixie to be successful, but it leaves her with a lot of free time.
She's used this downtime to indulge in her newfound passion for baking. She's become confident enough in her skills that she's entering the amateur division of a baking contest when a cooking network comes to town. Tricia is also working at a local animal shelter as she awaits word on if she's joining the charity's board.
All this changes when she once again stumbles over a body. This time, it is on a visit to a fellow store owner's home to see the woman's garden. The victim is known to both Tricia and the homeowner as a woman that was arguing Tricia's fellow store owner earlier in the day.
Tricia is once again caught up in a murder and her reputation as "The Village Jinx" rears its ugly head once more. As the investigation proceeds, Tricia learns more about the victim beyond her unpleasant nature. She soon discovers information that leads the case in a different direction and brings it far closer to home that Tricia would like.
This latest installment in the Booktown series initially had me thinking that Barrett was writing this as a possible end to the series. The regular cast of characters is well established but the sense of ennui Tricia seemed to be running on earlier in the story and some plot developments had me thinking there was a change coming to Tricia. This seeming change would've meant the end of the series had I been right.
New characters are introduced in "A Killer Edition" that should make things interesting for future installments in the series. As for the regular cast members, their routines are well developed at this point but don't mistake that for boredom on my part. The little plot touches surrounding Tricia's sister Angelica, Pixie and Mr. Everett give just the right amount of spin to keep them all quite interesting to me.
The one thing I don't understand is the growing list of people who seem to HATE Tricia. I mean, despite the jinx reputation, it isn't like Tricia did any of the killing in this series. She's also been instrumental in the discovery of each killer. And yet, for a variety of reasons she's virulently hated by at least two characters in the book, while treated with disdain or contempt by others. These characters may think they have their reasons but as the reader I want to smack a sense of reality into each of them.
Once the killer is revealed, the story turns briefly towards resolving the underlying issues that Tricia has been dealing with and a new, if slightly altered, direction for everyone involved is started. And that's what I like about this series the most.
The way Barrett can fit the narrative inside of the conventions of a cozy and yet tweak things enough with each passing book to keep things fresh for the readers and give them forward progress without making it seemed forced just to get to the next book in the series. It's why I keep coming back each time a new book is published, eager to catch up with Tricia and the rest of the population of Booktown, USA!
With her employee Pixie having pretty much taken over the running of the store after being promoted to assistant manager, there's not a whole lot keeping Tricia busy in terms of front of the store work. Not that she doesn't want Pixie to be successful, but it leaves her with a lot of free time.
She's used this downtime to indulge in her newfound passion for baking. She's become confident enough in her skills that she's entering the amateur division of a baking contest when a cooking network comes to town. Tricia is also working at a local animal shelter as she awaits word on if she's joining the charity's board.
All this changes when she once again stumbles over a body. This time, it is on a visit to a fellow store owner's home to see the woman's garden. The victim is known to both Tricia and the homeowner as a woman that was arguing Tricia's fellow store owner earlier in the day.
Tricia is once again caught up in a murder and her reputation as "The Village Jinx" rears its ugly head once more. As the investigation proceeds, Tricia learns more about the victim beyond her unpleasant nature. She soon discovers information that leads the case in a different direction and brings it far closer to home that Tricia would like.
This latest installment in the Booktown series initially had me thinking that Barrett was writing this as a possible end to the series. The regular cast of characters is well established but the sense of ennui Tricia seemed to be running on earlier in the story and some plot developments had me thinking there was a change coming to Tricia. This seeming change would've meant the end of the series had I been right.
New characters are introduced in "A Killer Edition" that should make things interesting for future installments in the series. As for the regular cast members, their routines are well developed at this point but don't mistake that for boredom on my part. The little plot touches surrounding Tricia's sister Angelica, Pixie and Mr. Everett give just the right amount of spin to keep them all quite interesting to me.
The one thing I don't understand is the growing list of people who seem to HATE Tricia. I mean, despite the jinx reputation, it isn't like Tricia did any of the killing in this series. She's also been instrumental in the discovery of each killer. And yet, for a variety of reasons she's virulently hated by at least two characters in the book, while treated with disdain or contempt by others. These characters may think they have their reasons but as the reader I want to smack a sense of reality into each of them.
Once the killer is revealed, the story turns briefly towards resolving the underlying issues that Tricia has been dealing with and a new, if slightly altered, direction for everyone involved is started. And that's what I like about this series the most.
The way Barrett can fit the narrative inside of the conventions of a cozy and yet tweak things enough with each passing book to keep things fresh for the readers and give them forward progress without making it seemed forced just to get to the next book in the series. It's why I keep coming back each time a new book is published, eager to catch up with Tricia and the rest of the population of Booktown, USA!
October 3, 2019
First, let me say I wholeheartedly disagree with all the negative nellies out there. This book is a great addition to the series. It is a bit different in that we have a lot more characters portrayed in not liking Tricia but that is what makes it more real. Not everyone is going to like our favorite sleuth.
My only disappointment is that there was not a lot of mention of what Tricia was reading. My disappointment is purely selfish in that I like to find new books and authors this way. It is no way affects the story or my love for it.
I got the feeling new experiences are coming for Tricia (will Marshall become more?) and I am up for the adventure with her.
Thank you the jcplib for letting me check out this excellent read.
My only disappointment is that there was not a lot of mention of what Tricia was reading. My disappointment is purely selfish in that I like to find new books and authors this way. It is no way affects the story or my love for it.
I got the feeling new experiences are coming for Tricia (will Marshall become more?) and I am up for the adventure with her.
Thank you the jcplib for letting me check out this excellent read.
March 9, 2021
This one was a little snoozy.
Tricia's character is expanding. As she has passed on more responsibility to Pixie, Tricia is trying new things, dating a new guy who is certainly not her type. She's going through some sort of metamorphosis trying to distinguish herself from her overbearing older sister, Angelica.
In the thirteenth installment, Tricia has signed up for a local bake-off. Tricia is not a baker or a cook by any stretch but in her pursuit to define herself, perhaps unknowingly, she is trying new things. She just can't help stumbling across dead bodies. Hasn't she figured out that maybe she should just take some criminal justice courses and become a private investigator already? She is a corpse magnet. Why not make it lucrative? Anyway, I think this one was a little too all over the place as Tricia is clearly having some sort of existential crisis. It didn't have the flavor and tangy zip the other books have had in the past.
Another reason this one was slightly lackluster? If you listen to the audiobooks, the original narrator Cassandra Campbell, is back. Ok, don't jerk us fans around like that. Karen White who narrates most of the books and Cassandra Campbell are vastly different narrators. I love them both but, going from the very theatrical Karen White to the very subdued CC is almost a shock to the system.
Anyhow, I'm still on board for #14!
Tricia's character is expanding. As she has passed on more responsibility to Pixie, Tricia is trying new things, dating a new guy who is certainly not her type. She's going through some sort of metamorphosis trying to distinguish herself from her overbearing older sister, Angelica.
In the thirteenth installment, Tricia has signed up for a local bake-off. Tricia is not a baker or a cook by any stretch but in her pursuit to define herself, perhaps unknowingly, she is trying new things. She just can't help stumbling across dead bodies. Hasn't she figured out that maybe she should just take some criminal justice courses and become a private investigator already? She is a corpse magnet. Why not make it lucrative? Anyway, I think this one was a little too all over the place as Tricia is clearly having some sort of existential crisis. It didn't have the flavor and tangy zip the other books have had in the past.
Another reason this one was slightly lackluster? If you listen to the audiobooks, the original narrator Cassandra Campbell, is back. Ok, don't jerk us fans around like that. Karen White who narrates most of the books and Cassandra Campbell are vastly different narrators. I love them both but, going from the very theatrical Karen White to the very subdued CC is almost a shock to the system.
Anyhow, I'm still on board for #14!
September 11, 2019
Mystery bookstore owner Tricia Miles is at loose ends as her efficient staff does all the work she used to do. And her romantic life is uninteresting, partly because she's still grieving for her murdered ex-husband. But she's decided to enter the local cooking/baking contest, even though she'll be competing with her talented older sister. Then she goes to visit one of the other bookstore owners and finds a corpse. Nobody in the neighborhood liked the murdered woman, but the people she volunteered with at the animal shelter all speak highly of her. There's something sad and downbeat about this entry in what's usually a fairly cheerful series. Maybe Tricia needs a dog?
December 12, 2021
the narrator for the audio book changed and that took quite a bit away from this one for me.
the murder was an afterthought in this book, and doesnt really fit in with all the stories about the regular characters.
I do wonder what happened to Fred, Pixie's husband, I dont recall any mention of him.
the murder was an afterthought in this book, and doesnt really fit in with all the stories about the regular characters.
I do wonder what happened to Fred, Pixie's husband, I dont recall any mention of him.
September 16, 2019
I am extremely disappointed that Pixie and Angela were so different and not just character voice wise, but their overall characters seemed so subdued in comparison to previous books.
January 30, 2023
I love this series and listen to them on audio. However, they changed voice actor and i didnt enjoy it as much.
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