Davenport Designs

Life On Victoria Square #9

by Lorraine Bartlett

Former Sheriff's Office detective Ray Davenport now owns the Wood U gift shop on Victoria Square, but it’s his talented younger daughters who steal the show with their displays and packaging designs. The girls believe they can earn money by their window dressing skills for the other businesses on the Square, but the only merchant who hires them conspires to reap the rewards of their labor without paying a cent. Will they have to swallow their pride and ask Katie Bonner for help to get what’s owed them?

65 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 18, 2021

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

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful companion story to the Victoria Square Mysteries. Although this series is great for fans of Victoria Square you can enjoy this book a stand-alone. A well-crafted short read which gives us insight into the lives and interest of the youngest two Davenport sisters. I loved learning more about the girls and their relationship with their father and the reasons behind their feelings for Katie.

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

[IRDC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Die Davenport-Schwestern Sadie und Sasha interessieren sich sehr für Dekoration und Inneneinrichtung. Für das bevorstehende Weihnachtsfest würden sie sich gerne etwas hinzuverdienen, um ihrer Familie Geschenke kaufen zu können. Nachdem ihre Schaufensterdekoration dem Umsatz im Laden ihres Vaters so gut getan hat, wollen die beiden Schwestern ihre Dienste auch den anderen Ladenbesitzern am Victoria Square anbieten.

Doch so einfach ist die Sache für die Minderjährigen nicht. Sie dürfen für ihre Arbeit nur freiwillige Spendengelder nehmen und die meisten Läden haben derzeit kein Budget, um sie zu engagieren. Ihr Vater schlägt ihnen vor, bei Katie Bonner anzufangen, die mehrere erfolgreiche Geschäfte führt und den beiden sicher eine Chance gibt. Doch die Schwestern mögen Katie nicht mehr, seit sie herausgefunden haben, dass ihr verwitweter Vater sich für sie interessiert. So versuchen sie alles, um ohne Katie auszukommen. Dabei geraten sie an Nona Fiske. Die unfreundliche Frau, die ein Wollgeschäft betreibt, will Sadie und Sasha ihr Schaufenster dekorieren lassen. Allerdings hat sie genaue Vorgaben für die Mädchen, die eine ordentliche Arbeit unmöglich machen.

Mit Davenport Designs wird die Stimmung zwischen den Davenport-Schwestern und Katie Bonner endlich wieder etwas versöhnlicher. Ich hoffe, dass dies in den zukünftigen Victoria Square Mysteries-Romanen noch ausgebaut wird und es zu mehr Interaktion zwischen den Charakteren kommt.

[Mare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another delightful visit to Artisan's Alley. Always entertaining.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love a trip back to Victoria Square. The shops alone make me want to stroll along the streets and window shop. The Davenport sisters are very crafty and have a good eye for decorating. Can they start a business of their own on Victoria Square? Will they need help from someone they are not fond of? A wonderful short story with realistic characters. An enjoyable read.

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

[Jeanie Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Davenport Designs. I have been ambivalent about the Davenport girls since they began being bratty to Katie even though I understood that it was part of the grieving process for their mother. Other than being resentful at the idea of their dad dating, they are well mannered and intelligent and just plain nice. Their stubborn resistance to Kate comes back to haunt them when they develop the idea to raise money for Christmas gifts by offering to decorate store windows. They get lots of complements for the work they have done on their dad's store but the work is a hard sale in a tight economy. The only person who accepts their offer is the wicked witch of the village, Nona Fisk. If you are familiar with the series, you can image how that turns out! Davenport Designs, the 10th novella of the Life on Victoria Square, a spin off series of the Victoria Square mysteries is my favorite of the novellas.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ray Davenport's daughters want to start a window dressing business to make some money for Christmas. They are both very talented in interior design so it seems like a no brainer and the customers do not have to pay them if they don't like the finished product.

No one wants to give them a chance though except one lady who was not particularly nice. She shows her true colors when the girls start to work on the window dressing. When Katie Bonner steps in to save the day the girls begin to change their minds about the woman their dad once dated.

A fun, fast, short read.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the storyline I really did but, always a bit, I just wish the story had been fleshed out a bit more. There was so many directions it could have taken in the end but instead it just stopped. Left me just hanging and wondering - not about the characters and what happens to them, but why the author didn’t really finish telling the story. Why end where she did. Perhaps one day she will go back to Artisans Alley and give us a whole book again.

[Debbie Lyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ray Davenport's 2 youngest daughters are trying to earn money to purchase Christmas gifts. They decide to offer to design and set up window displays for the vendors in Victoria Square. What can possibly go wrong with such a simple idea.

Another fun, short read about the merchants on Victoria Square.

I received an ARC for an honest review.

[Taylor's♡Shelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure how I skipped this one but it's probably the best short story of the bunch!

The Davenport girls are just typical teenagers but they bring such great life to the series. I also enjoy their love-hate relationship with Katie. Katie certainly has her flaws but seeing her interact with the girls really brings out a great part of her character.

Also Nona being Nona.

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written, enjoyable read. As a reader of the Victoria Square series, it was nice to get a better understanding of the characters. The characters were realistic and believable. I recommend this book if you're looking for a good short read.

[Maryjoyw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good story - I'd like to see this expand as they girls get older. Lorranine cannot write these books fast enough for me. My reads are always character driven, and I really connect with these people.

[Pamela Priest · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the further development of the characters in this series. I look forward to seeing the girls and their work in future books!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Designing friendship

The Davenport sisters are up for a challenge. When face off with the crabbiest person on the square,
it's Katie Bonner to the rescue. Could the girls and Katie make a bond?