A Murderous Misconception

Victoria Square Mystery #7

by Lorraine Bartlett, Gayle Leeson

Katie Bonner loses her lunch—literally—when her social media account serves up a shocking announcement. Her boyfriend Andy’s assistant manager, Erikka, is pregnant, and apparently with his child. And when Erikka turns up dead, the Sheriff turns up the heat on Katie and Andy, certain that one of them is to blame. But Erikka wasn't pregnant after all. Was Erikka's misconception the only way she could conceive of stealing Andy from Katie?

When Katie finds planted evidence, it’s her friend and former detective, Ray, who insists on concealing it. Is it his growing affection for her that causes him to act against his training and code of ethics, or could he be responsible for Erikka’s death? Katie is afraid to find out.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Mystery Thriller, Fiction

275 pages, Paperback

First published May 3, 2020

About the author

The immensely popular Booktown Mystery series is what put Lorraine Bartlett’s pen name Lorna Barrett 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 in her readers' hearts. This multi-published, Agatha-nominated author pens the exciting Jeff Resnick Mysteries as well as the acclaimed Victoria Square Mystery series, and now the Tales of Telenia fantasy saga, and has many short stories and novellas to her name(s). Check out the descriptions and links to all her works, and sign up for her emailed newsletter here: http://www.lorrainebartlett.com

She lives in Rochester, NY, with her husband and two cats.

Reviews

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

OMG, this one is a must-read for fans of this series!

Katie Bonner’s life is turned upside down and inside out when her boyfriend Andy is revealed for the cad he truly is. When his assistant manager, Erikka announces she is pregnant with his child and is later found dead, Katie becomes a prime suspect as does Andy. But we all soon learn it was a lie, there was no baby, one may say a MISCONCEPTION! And it may have gotten her killed but Katie didn’t do it and she is going to prove it!

I read this book in all one sitting. It truly is a turning point for our protagonist Katie Bonner and twists the series up in many new directions.

In addition to that, the mystery was filled with twists, red herrings, and suspects. The more Katie delves into the murder the more secrets and suspects come to light. It also reveals that Katie’s friends are there for her no matter what and she really needs them by her side. Ms. Bartlett and Ms. Lesson have created an extraordinary cast of characters.

This book is strong and very intense in sections. It will grab your attention and hold on tight.

I am so excited to see where these wonderful authors take this series. A Murderous Misconception is an excellent addition to a series I already loved. It is also a Perfect Escape!

[Taryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katie Bonner was having a great day until a distressing post on social media catches her eye. Her boyfriend Andy's assistant has posted a sonogram and if Katie is reading it right it looks like he is the father. Devastated by this news, Katie needs to have a conversation with Andy and figure out just what is going on. After a sleepless night she goes for a run with a friend and they soon discover the body of Erikka, the woman who has ruined her relationship. To make things worse the sheriff seems to be look I g at her as the culprit and only her. Katie isn't sure why the lawman has it out for her but she knows she can't just sit by while he tries to railroad her. She soon learns that there are numerous men who could have been the father but it turns out she lied and wasn't even pregnant. It seems someone has it out for her but she isn't sure who or why. When she finds evidence that belonged to Erikka in her home she doesn't know who to trust or turn to. There are so many I answered questions and new suspects keep popping up as Katie digs further into her investigation. Will Katie be able to save herself from going to jail or will a sheriff who seems to have it out for her make sure she is convicted? Dive in and see for yourself!!!

I received an ARC of this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katie’s life has just been turned upside down. Andy’s (Katie’s boyfriend) assistant manager, Erikka, is pregnant and he is apparently the father. When Erikka turns up dead, Katie is the prime suspect. Katie finds a ring that she believes was Erikka’s in her newly renovated apartment. Was the ring planted or was Erikka in Katie’s apartment? Who can Katie trust?

This book grabbed my attention from the start. I could not put it down. I really enjoy this series and this book is now my favorite. The book was full of surprises. I am happy how things turned out. My favorite character is Katie. I have felt for some time that Katie should make a few changes in her relationships. I am happy with the changes in this book. Erikka has been my least favorite character for several books. This book confirmed what I thought about her was right. This is a well-written mystery with no shortage of suspects or red herrings. I was surprised to find out who the killer was. I look forward to the next book in the series.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way, I have been influenced by anyone.

[Mystereity Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this book, but I guess I never got around to reviewing.

First and foremost - goodbye to Andy the schmuck. As a character, he lacked much development and I never saw any real chemistry between him and Katie, so seeing the demise of their relationship was...I dunno...satisfying. I'd like to see someone new, someone more dynamic and developed come in and be an anchor for the sometimes wishy-washy Katie.

As far as the plot goes, it was a banger! Uncovering lies, looking for suspects, finding the clues and putting the whole sordid affair together, plus all of the betrayal and deception made for a book I couldn't put down until I finished it. Start to finish, it was a great book, intriguing, wholly satisfying and makes me crave more!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katie can't believe her eyes when her Facebook feed has a post from Erikka Wiley, Andy's assistant manager...a post that proclaims her pregnancy, with a photo of her latest sonogram. It's not just the pregnancy that has Katie upset, but the implication that Andy is the father. When confronted, Andy confirms that it could be his baby, but that it was nothing more than a one-night stand. Things continue to get worse when she finds Erikka's dead body and becomes one of the prime suspects. Can she prove her innocence before the local homicide detective can nail her with the crime? I enjoy this series, even though it is taking the main character into a very negative space at this time. True to life, it addresses the fact that not everybody's life goes smoothly. However, the story also shows the true friends that Katie has accumulated over the past few years, since taking over Artisan's Alley...friends that we all need in times of need. I also loved the new character introduced in this story, Moonbeam from The Flower Child gift shop. I hope to see more stories revolving around her character. Disclosure: I am voluntarily reviewing this book and all opinions are strictly my own.

[Cozybooklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a story

I couldn't put this book down. This book is so full of drama and deceit, poor Katie is a murder suspect, Andy is just a chump, and I'm not sure what to think about Ray.
This is the reason I love this author! When someone can create a character so real, that you can hear their whining voice, their evil tone when they speak, and you just want to smack them. That's what this author does for me, and I think ant reader would really enjoy this series.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my go to series. This one had me on the edge of my seat.

[Linda Smatzny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read cozy mystery.

[Taylor's♡Shelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Andy just didn’t get that Katie could be so upset.”

MY GOOD SIR.

This might easily have been my favourite read of the year so far. I literally can’t even cover everything because so much happens in this book. I feel like I’ve been bowled over. For that reason, I’m just going to mention things as they come to mind. In case it's not clear by my cluttered ramblings, this book was everything I wanted and more.

Nick is still one of my favourite characters, if not my favourite. Sure, he’s getting a little more tropey as the series progresses, but his sass is exactly what this emotionally-heavy series needs.

The only (very small) issue I have with this series is the occasional break in consistency. As an example in this novel, Katie states that Andy had ‘never even asked her to move in with him', despite the fact that he suggested it like 5 times in a single novel (the second one, if I remember correctly). I just find it an extremely odd thing for her not to remember. There’s also a piece of dialogue at the beginning of the novel that probably should have been removed, as it made the conclusion of the mystery blatantly obvious. I kept expecting Katie to remember the conversation during her sleuthing but she never mentions it. Again, a little hard to believe. But it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book.

Also, this is just a micro-rant and not a knock against the book, but I have to mention it. How can cozy heroines be perfectly chill with coming face-to-face with someone, who is clearly the murderer, with absolutely no back-up? I mean I’m a feminist too girl, but take a man with you. They’re big and heavy and can sit on people smaller than them. It doesn’t make you look like a drip. It makes you look like you understand how basic physics work.

I’m honestly so happy about how this novel ended. I was so worried the author would try to redeem a certain character, but no. My faith in Katie has soared.

I’m so excited for the next book. Almost as excited as I am for Beating in the Meeting 2.

Reread 2023: Look up the definition of audacity and you will only find "see Rust, Andy".

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually don't mind the easy to solve mystery. What pisses me off about this book is Andy. Or rather, I'm tired at how many men in this particular authors books betray the trust of the main character. It doesn't matter which one, they all end up jilted, abused, or otherwise made to feel miserable by the men closest to them.

https://pussreboots.com/blog/2025/com...

[Pamela Bodine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesomeness

Well darn. I am not good at writing reviews. All I can say is I finished it and I am not happy. Not because of the book but I need more!! Katie and all the characters have won me over yet again and I did not want this book to end! I want to know more about moonbeam. I want a wonderful romance for Rose with the new guy. I want more from Seth and I want to know how Kate and Ray end up! More please!!!

[Katreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

A MURDEROUS MISCONCEPTION by Lorraine Bartlett & Gayle Leeson
The Seventh Victoria Square Mystery


A quick check of social media turns Katie Bronner's world into a nightmare. Erikka Wiley has been plaguing Katie for months, flirting openly with her boyfriend, Andy. Now she's posted a picture with a sonogram hinting that she's pregnant with his baby! After a public confrontation with the woman, Katie needs to clear her mind, but an early morning run only leads her to discover Erikka's murdered body. Nothing would make Detective Schuler happier than pinning the murder on Katie or Andy, so Katie knows she'll have to investigate herself. What will become of her relationship with Andy? And what about Roy? Will she be able to stay ahead of Detective Schuler's investigation? Or will she be convicted of murder?

Deception, trust, and relationships are the basis for A MURDEROUS MISCONCEPTION. There is also a dash of "what can we do to make Katie's life miserable". I've disliked Andy for some time now and have hated his nickname for Katie. In this seventh Victoria Square Mystery, I found his calling her Sunshine not only cringe worthy, it also made me want to punch him. In fact, I found myself wanting to punch several characters in this book! There is a lot of bad behavior in these pages, by several of its inhabitants. At one point I actually gasped out loud and turned to my cat saying, "Oh no he didn't!" I certainly hope that Katie is ready to cut some of the chaff from her life and start fresh.

A few new characters serve to perk up the series. I really like the addition of Moonbeam and hope that Brad, though not brand new to Victoria Square, will play a larger role in future books. I also was impressed with Captain Spence and hope we get to see more of him as well.

Plenty of suspects, plenty of action, and lots of drama work to make A MURDEROUS MISCONCEPTION a page-turning mystery.

FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me an e-copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.

[Catalina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven’t read the other books in this series since a little over a year ago, so I can’t really try and compare this book to the other books in the series. However, the killer was beyond predictable, and I knew who they were from the very beginning of the book. I am glad that the drama with Andy is finally over. However, I do not support her and Ray as a couple either. I hope she chooses to remain single for a little bit rather than jump into a new relationship.

During my reading, I became annoyed with Katie’s lack of female friendships and portrayal of other females in the series. It feels that most of the other female characters all have major flaws unlike the male characters (eg., Nick, Don, Brad, etc). Katie also is best friends with multiple males but barely friends with any females. I personally felt this to be a little sexist of the authors part. In addition, I find it slightly bothersome that multiple gay relationships exist but no other LGBTQ+ representation.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had not heard of these authors; picked it up randomly.
It might have been interesting to have the backstory, (eliminating the need to refer to the Cast of Characters🙃)but it worked as s a standalone and I will look for more.
The manager of a craft-focused minimall finds a dead body-- and it's the woman her boyfriend has been cheating with. Things get complicated.
There are a variety of local characters with various connections to the dead woman, but our MC manages to dig out lots of info and deal with the changes in her life.
I thought the authors did a good job of portraying the kind of man (sadly common) who isn't a villain, but who thinks a little cheating is something a woman should just get past. 😒

[Alyssa (The Shady Glade) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh.

To be honest, although I have enjoyed this series, this one didn't do it for me. Book #6 felt a little bit different, but this one took a completely different angle all together. Several of the characters had very large personality changes from what was only supposed to be a time of a few weeks between books, and there were several things that happened in previous books that were brought up again and were completely wrong. I wouldn't have noticed if I had just completed books 1-6 back to back in a week, so nothing obvious, but it bugged me. You can definitely tell the author has brought on a co-author and/or possibly did not contribute to the writing of this one as much.

Not a bad mystery, just not a good fit with the rest of the series.

[Samantha McGraw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this story! I haven't read the rest of the series, this was the first, but it was completely fine as a standalone. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series. There were some interesting plot twists that kept me engaged and the characters were fun and realistic, although there were a lot to keep track of. The story was intriguing . . . a woman finds out her rival is pregnant with her boyfriend's baby; that's enough to make anyone commit murder, but did she? You'll have to read the book to find out!

[k.eleanor.s]

A- cozy
I never liked Andy and Katie as a couple, but I didn’t expect this! Aside from initial flirtation and being happy Katie was ready to date, the relationship was impossible for me to be invested in. These aren’t romance, they are cozies, but there are other cozy series with relationships I completely ship! I’m excited Katie is done with Andy, but making him a villain is doing our Katie wrong. It’s okay if a relationship doesn’t work long term; now Katie will have to learn to trust her instincts again.

[Debbie Lyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another murder in McKinlay Mill and Katie ends up a prime suspect. Erikka, an employee of Andy's and the girl who is trying to break Andy and Katie up, is murdered. Detective Schuler is bound and determined to find Katie guilty - even though there's no evidence to substantiate this. Will Katie end up in an orange jumpsuit or will she find a way to solve the murder herself?

I received an ARC for an honest review.

[Memy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been some time since a book kept me awake at night, but I began this one at 9pm and couldn't put it down before 1am.

Like all the books of this serie, it is well written, the characters are interesting, each one bringing its own dimension to the story, the dialogues are realistic and you just keep on reading to find what will happen next : a real page turner !

I hope there'll be another book after this one, as I can't wait to know what will happen to Katie and her friends next !

[Pamela Priest · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an intense book — Katie went through a lot of things all at the same time! The author let me wondering how everything was going to turn out, and who killed Erikka. They were trying to pin it on Katie, but when I found out who did it, it all made sense. I truly hope this series continues!! I love the setting and the characters!

[Stephanie Hobrock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

This latest episode kept me awake a couple of nights! There were twists and turns I never once expected, and I didn’t know until the end who done it! Bartlett kept the pace quick and exciting as usual, never do her stories disappoint.

[Mary Marine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. This book had some new twists and once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. I so recommend this book. Especially if you are a fan of Lorraine Bartlett and Victoria Square Mysteries. Can't wait for the next book.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series and author, but this one felt a little off. I'm not sure what it was, but the main character, Kate, felt different. I know she was going through some big changes, but the flow was off.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best in the series

This is probably my favorite in the series. Glad to see some people getting there justice! Great book and series! One of my favorite authors! Series best read starting with first book.

[Susan Featheringill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great mystery! Katie is at the center again of a murder. Lorraine did a great job keeping me on the edge of my seat. It was so easy to keep focused and the summary of characters at the front of the book really helped.

[Dkwoodfrontier.Com · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very disappointing book. If you love the series, my advice is to stop at book 6. At book 7, the author does a complete turn around in the characters and Katie. Your heroine's love life has tanked.

Really wish I hadn't read this book.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book seven in the Victoria Square Mystery series. Erikka claims she is pregnant. Is she? If she is then does that make Andy the father?
When Erikka is found dead, by Katie of course. She becomes the primary suspect in Schuler’s mind.
Seems Katie has her work cut out for her to prove she is innocent.
Andy and Katie’s relationship goes through some changes.
Plenty of suspects and I was surprised by who the killer was.
Can’t wait for the next book in this series!

I received an ARC prior to publication and decided to voluntarily review it.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story. The characters in this series are pretty real and they grow and things change in their lives. Makes you anxious for the next episode.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I enjoyed about this book was that Katie did not cave in to the ex-boyfriend!
she can do better!!!!

[Rita Pierrottie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better and Better

Wow! This series gets better with each book. This was a well written story that kept me turning pages until the end. I didn't want to put it down.