Customer Reviews

Bookmarked for Death (Wheeler Cozy Mystery)

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Stoneham, New Hampshire was one of those towns whose reputation was gained not by its long gone founder nor any battle once waged on its ground, but by the number of bookstores lining its streets. Tricia "Trish" Miles, the proprietor of the Haven't Got a Clue mystery bookstore, could proudly say she contributed to the reputation. Of course Miss Marple, her cat, might just want to raise a paw as she was the one who really ran the store. Book scouts the likes of Larry McMurtry would have a field day in Stoneham, but as a rule the typical buyer tended to be a local bookworm or occasional tourist.

Gossips usually provide enough fodder to keep a small town like Stoneham going for a while, but recently it was the Canada goose population that was wreaking havoc. Just as the poop crisis was beginning to get out of control, something else hit the fan and then there was real trouble. Zoë Carter, big time author, was at Haven't Got a Clue for a book signing. It seemed like everyone in town was there from the members of the Tuesday Night Book Club to Zoë's nasty niece Kimberly. It might be said that a few people, including Zoë, could have taken a few lessons in social skills, but just as things started to tone down, the big time author turned up missing. Where in heck did that gal disappear to?

A quick search of the store found Ms Carter trussed-up like a Christmas goose at a banquet . . . on the commode no less The nonplused Tricia and Miss Marple had yet another murder to solve. Sheriff Wendy Adams was NOT amused. The most recent corpse had a knife sticking in her back and Tricia "discovered" that one as well. With half the town in the store for the big event narrowing down the prime suspect would take some doing. Stoneham, we have a problem and it isn't goose poop.

BOOKMARKED FOR DEATH is the second installment of the Booktown Mystery series, a series that will quickly gain a dedicated readership. If anyone has the formula for a frolicking fun mystery down pat it's Lorna Barrett. The read is light and sheer entertainment. The characters were not heavily fleshed-out, but because I live in a small town I "recognized" them all. CSI buffs need not apply here, but if you want a good rollicking read, by all means, pick up a copy.

Deb Fowler - Roundtable Reviews

With her latest Booktown Mystery, Bookmarked for Death, Lorna Barrett (aka L.L. Bartlett) has ensconced herself firmly into the role of my favorite contemporary mystery author. She has already long proven herself adept at writing hard-hitting, nail-biting paranormal thrillers (see her Jeffrey Resnick series), but she is really busting out as a fantastic cozy author as well - with a delightful and believable heroine in bookseller Tricia Miles, an interesting and complex supporting cast of characters, and a scintillating plot with a plethora of viable suspects.

This is by far the best cozy I've read in some time (at least since the release of the first Booktown Mystery, Murder is Binding). I can hardly wait until the third book in this wonderful series comes out!

Carol Ann Hopkins 2/4/2009

A wonderful read; fun, relaxing, well written. Just what I needed to relax at the end of a day. I like to get some clues before the end of the story but also have some surprises at the final revelation. This book did the trick.

For her first anniversary, Tricia Miles is thrilled to host best selling author Zoe Carter at Haven't Got a Clue. Things are going well until the crowd begins to thin. That's when Tricia finds Zoe murdered in the store's bathroom.

Zoe was a very private person despite having lived in the small town of Stoneham for many years. With the sheriff determined to keep Tricia's store closed, Tricia decides to find the killer so she can reopen. But the more Tricia investigates, the more suspects she finds. What secret that Zoe was hiding led to her murder?

I enjoyed this book more than the first in the series. The plot did snag a couple of times, but everything came together for an exciting, logical climax. There are two sub-plots that help keep things flowing as well.

The characters were a bit sharper this time around as well. While Tricia's sister Angelica could still get on my nerves, I did remember why I liked her by the end of the book. I'm less enthused at either sister's romantic relationships, but I'm willing to see how things progress with their boyfriends. And don't forget to look in the back of the book for some recipes for the delicious food mentioned in the book.

I'm glad I came back for round two in this series. I plan to get and read the third volume in the series soon.

In the second Tricia Miles/Booktown mystery, Tricia's Haven't Got a Clue store in Stoneham, NH, is celebrating its first anniversary by hosting a book signing featuring local historical-mystery author Zoe Carter when Zoe is abruptly found--by Trish--strangled to death in the rest room. Sheriff Wendy Adams, who has no particular love for Trish, promptly declares the store a crime scene and closes it down. Forced to move in with her sister Angelica, who has bought the cookbook shop next door, and faced with a loss of income for herself and her two employees, it's natural for Trish to start snooping around. At first Zoe's niece and assistant, Kimberly Peters, looks like a good bet--she's Zoe's only known relative and might benefit from her death. But when it proves that she received only a small bequest from her aunt--and then is brutally attacked herself--Trish revises her opinion. Is it possible that Zoe didn't write her best-selling books herself? A retired local librarian thinks so. If she didn't, who did? Was someone trying to take revenge for the piracy and loss of income? Tricia's ongoing investigations point that way.

The previous cast of characters--Trish and Angie, Ginny Williams and Mr. Everett, newspaper editor Russ Smith, real-estate magnate Bob Kelly (whom Ange is dating), his super-competent assistant Frannie, senior Grace Harris (with whom Mr. Everett has begun keeping company), and store cat Miss Marple--all return in a nicely convoluted cozy set in a well-realized small town, and the problems of dealing with the ubiquitous "poop" from the visiting Canada geese add a light touch. The pace is good and the red herrings plentiful, and you may be surprised by the murderer's identity. And in solving the case Trish also contrives to bring about several other pleasant outcomes. A good solid entry to a new and promising series.

I just put this book down about 10 minutes ago and ran straight to my computer to review it. I am already aching for the next installment of this series. I feel like I know the characters, can see ever scene in the book as if I was there, and love how the plot twists and turns.

I honestly hope if you are a fan of a good mystery with humor, a little love, and great characters that you will run right out and buy the two books in this series so far.

I liked the first book in this series very much and had high hopes for #2...I was somewhat disappointed... the character development is singularly lacking, relationships are almost nonexistant and the "bad guy" although obvious from the beginning has no discernable motive. And the Geese??? Enough already.. I am not a "blood and guts" fan ragging on cozies... I love cozies- but this one simply lacks coherence. I am also getting tired of cooking mysteries with recipies that can be gleaned from any standard junior league cookbook.

We really enjoyed discovering the first book in this series since it took us back to our time living near Milford NH with all the local references. We looked forward to the rest of the series and purchased them all to catch up. After reading this edition, we still enjoy the series although you can see a bit of sophmore slump taking place. The murderer was obvious early on. Anyone who couldn't figure out immediately where the food poisoning came from should go back to reading Nancy Drew books. And the issues with Sheriff Adams has already become stale.

But we still enjoy the main character and most of the writing. And we especially like the fact that the author only includes a few recipes and keeps them at the end of the book, unlike the current crop of writers who have turned their mysteries into cookbooks with the actual storyline taking secondary stage.

cozy mystery readers are in for another treat with this one read on . . .

Tricia Miles is celebrating the first anniversary of her bookstore, Haven't Got a Clue in the "booktown" of Stoneham, New Hampshire. She's been doing well, and if it weren't for the fact that her sister runs through employees as though there's an endless supply, everything would be close to perfect. Well... except for the influx of Canada geese which means all the business owners have to go out several times a day to clean goose poo off the sidewalks.

It's quite a coup when Tricia manages to snag reclusive writer Zoë Carter for a book signing, but she has good reason to change her mind when Carter's body is found in the book shop restroom. Once again town sheriff Wendy Adams has an excuse to make Tricia's life miserable, and Tricia knows that the only way she'll be able to re-open Haven't Got a Clue is to conduct her own investigation.

Reading Bookmarked for Death is a good way to spend a pleasant afternoon. There's nothing too complicated going on, and although the characterization is a bit stereotypical, I enjoy these people. Tricia is very likable, I want to choke her sister occasionally, and I sincerely hope that Stoneham gets rid of its sheriff. Wendy Adams is the one character that brings this series down for me.

When I first began to read a high percentage of mysteries, a lot of the books I read were cozies like this. My reading tastes have gradually changed over the years, and now the mysteries I read are mainly police procedurals and darker fare. However, from time to time I enjoy reading something that's not so complicated-- something light and fun. This is one of the wonderful things about mysteries: they cover such a broad spectrum that, no matter your mood, you can find a whodunit that will fill the bill.

When you're in the mood for something light, something with a good sense of humor, try Lorna Barrett's Booktown mystery series. They should hit the spot!