Customer Reviews

Chapter & Hearse (A Booktown Mystery)

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Bookstore owner Tricia Miles wasn't sure what to expect when she agreed to host her ego-inflated sister's debut cookbook launch party, but Tricia certainly didn't expect it to bomb. Literally and figuratively. After having her own workers purchase copies of Angelica's cookbook to have her sign, Tricia angrily sought out an explanation for Angelica's boyfriend's absence only to find herself in the middle of a gas explosion that leaves Bob Kelly injured and the owner of the blown-out history bookstore dead.

Since Angelica is committed to a booksigning tour she begs Tricia to discover answers despite her antipathy towards her sister's beau. Bob doesn't help matters by being completely unwilling to provide answers to Tricia's questions even when his home is broken into and evidence seems to indicate that he was the true target. Adding to Tricia's concerns is how tourist-reliant town of Stoneham, New Hampshire has been hit hard by the downturn in the economy, and her friends are at risk at losing their homes and businesses. The final topper to Tricia's worries is how her ex-boyfriend Russ seems to be displaying stalker tendencies in his desire to win her back while the police captain who won her heart continues to be loyal to his ill ex-wife.

In the fourth in the Booktown Mystery series Barrett now has a fully developed cast of characters who inhabit this book-centered town. The impact of the economy realistically affects the characters who each must cope with the threat of the loss of their livelihoods. Tricia's relationship with her sister is a complicated and conflicted one, as Tricia both resents having to assume all of Angelica's responsibilities at her restaurant and cookbook store and yet also deeply misses her sister's company. Tricia's relationships with her ex Russ and not-quite-a-boyfriend Grant Baker are similarly torn and unresolved with no easy solution in sight. However, the concept of a town completely centered around the theme of bookselling is overwhelming appealing and the characters are all engaging and realistic. Some are irritating, many are hilarious, but all are fascinating. This is a true booklover's delight.

If there ever was a book written about a murder magnet, Tricia Miles could easily have been the protagonist. Every time a corpse showed up in Stoneham, New Hampshire she had her finger in the pie so to speak, but lately things had been toning down and all was well at her bookstore, "Haven't Got a Clue." Her employees were loyal, she was getting along much better with her sister, Angelica, and the most exciting thing that could happen was a tourist bus showing up in the quiet book town. Angelica was the kind of sister who had an ego that wouldn't quit and that life-sized cutout of her at "The Cookery" was simply aggravating, BUT Tricia was determined to get along with her.

Angelica's boyfriend, Bob Kelly, was a drip, but that wasn't her problem. Even though Trish just might have been a tad jealous about Angelica's upcoming book tour for her new cookbook, all was good. Trish could have hung out a shingle on the side of her store because all of a sudden she unintentionally became a "personal counselor to half of Stoneham." The chit chat and gossip would soon travel around town faster than a speeding bullet when a sudden explosion rocked the quiet street, right across from "Haven't Got a Clue." Jim Roth's store, "History Repeats Itself," was blown to smithereens when he lit up. The quiet streets of Stoneham began to stir again and history was repeating itself. A murder history, that is.

Bob Kelly was in that building. Granted, Trish thought Jim was a "spineless mama's boy" and her opinion of Bob wasn't much better, but they didn't deserve this. Things seem to move quickly around Ms Miles and the hubbub began in earnest. Someone was out to get Angelica, Russ began to stalk Trish, Ginny's home owning days were going down the tubes, Trish's ex, Christopher, sent her a gift . . . what next? Everyone was starting to think she was the "village jinx." They just might have something there. Even mild mannered Muriel Dexter said, "Well you do seem to be falling over corpses every few months." Could the next one be hers? Perhaps Angelica's? Something really weird was brewing in Stoneham and it wasn't espresso.

This "explosive" Booktown series is now hitting its stride when an explosion rocks the quiet of Stoneham, New Hampshire. Readers who have been following this series right along will take delight in becoming reacquainted with their favorites and meeting the acquaintance of a few new ones. The character development is beginning to gel nicely and the story line is becoming increasingly interesting. The three coulda dunit characters will tickle your fancy and each one has a good enough motive to keep you guessing. This lighthearted cozy has a bit of romance, plenty of intrigue, just the right amount of fandango and one more explosive murder to keep the reader burning the midnight oil

A BOOKTOWN MYSTERY
RELEASE DATE AUGUST 3, 2010

This is our 4th adventure with Tricia, Angelica, Ginny, Mr. Everett and of course Miss Marple. Angelica's cookbook has finally been released, but the launch party at her store is very poorly attended, not even her boyfriend Bob Kelly, Chamber of Commerce president, has shown up to support Angelica, before she takes off on her book tour. Ginny tells Tricia that she had seen Bob's car, down the street in front of another bookstore, History Repeats Itself, owned by Jim Roth. Tricia decides they have waited for him long enough and goes off to drag him to the party. She gets right outside Jim's store when the front windows of the store explode, knocking her to the ground and everything goes black.

OK, that's enough of a teaser to make you put this book on your must have list.

I have really have enjoyed every book in this series, but this one was the very best, and it even has a preview of the new book, the first in a new series, A Crafty Killing, by Lorna's alter ego Lorraine Bartlett and I can't wait to get that one in my hot little hands. I think this one was the most suspenseful with characters we love as prime suspects. Some of the characters had weird behaviors, others went off in directions I never expected, and the backgrounds of some were quite a surprise. But being her usual self, Tricia puts herself right in the middle of the investigation, jumping to the wrong conclusions, and ends up putting herself and others in danger. Sometimes Tricia really doesn't "Haven't Got A Clue".



LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT!!!



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

I enjoyed the previous books in this series. While this is well-written mystery, I did get tired of Tricia's cranky dispostion. She grumbles, complains, picks on her friends and feels sorry for herself. She mumbles about Russ stalking her, yet she stalks Bob Kelley through-out the book, even though he continues to tell her to leave him alone. Tricia won't cut handsome Police Captain Grant Baker any slack because he's helping his ex get through her cancer treatment. She says rude and cutting things to several characters, and has a fit whenever anyone says "No Problem." She completely misjudges Chef Jake and makes snide remarks to him. When she realizes she is totally wrong about him, she manages to barely mumble, "I'm sorry." What happened to the cheerful, caring, empathetic character from the previous books? I think Tricia needs to get out of town and get some perspective. How about a nice cruise mystery?

I really enjoyed this mystery, the fourth in a delightful cozy series in which each book seems better than the last. I loved the setting, a New Hampshire town centered on bookstores. In this one, the History Repeats Itself bookshop is hit by a fiery gas explosion, which kills the proprietor and injures a local real estate mogul, and presents our heroine, Tricia, owner of the Haven't Got a Clue mystery bookstore, with yet another case to solve.

The author does a great job of portraying the characters and their complex interrelationships. She includes just the right amount of romance, not letting it overwhelm the clever, fascinating mystery plot, which goes in quite unexpected directions. There's also plenty of humor. I enjoyed the antics of Tricia's cat, Miss Marple, and there's a hilariously funny scene in which Tricia tries to bake blueberry muffins.

I loved the conclusion, after the murder is solved, in which Tricia gets some lovely surprises on her birthday, which she had thought nobody would remember. And there's more at the very end: recipes, including one for blueberry muffins (not Tricia's disastrous recipe, but that of her more culinarily talented sister, Angelica) and one for cinnamon coffee cake. A tasty addendum to a delectable mystery.

This is the first book I have read by this writer. She has the right touch for mysteries. Its clean thats what I like the most about it. Most writers just trash it up. This writer sticks to the story! This book is a real pager turner. Just love this series!

First Line: The poster on the Cookery's display window had advertised the book signing for at least a month.

Tricia Miles's sister is embarking on a book signing tour for her just-published cookbook when a gas explosion demolishes Stoneham's history bookshop, killing the owner and injuring Bob Kelly, head of the Chamber of Commerce and Angelica's boyfriend. Tricia's never been all that fond of Bob, but when she finds out that he's keeping a very low profile after the tragedy, she knows it's time to do something.

This series continues to get better and better. No longer weighted down by the Wicked Witch of Stoneham, Sheriff Wendy, other characters have become strong and sassy. Tricia's sister, Angelica, has mellowed and isn't the parasite she was at the beginning. And even a dog lover like me can like Tricia's cat, Miss Marple, because she's just a cat. She doesn't talk, she doesn't spell help in the mashed potatoes, she doesn't cough up hairballs, and she doesn't twine around ankles to trip people up.

Tricia is stronger and no longer the complete doormat she was in the first two books. This is a series that can easily become a reading staple-- just like that favorite pair of jeans or that faded sweatshirt-- because the characters are known, loved, and constantly evolving.

Characters that feel like friends combined with interesting plots? The perfect way to spend an afternoon for just as long as Ms. Barrett wants to continue this series.

Over all this is a fine installment and fun read the series. This is a major improvement over that last book.

In this go around, Tricia is planning to talk to someone and goes to his store. Just as she's about to enter KA-BAM!!! An explosion happens. She learns that Jim was in his store, and Bob was with him. Jim is killed and Bob is alive. The problem is that Bob isn't taking about what happened, he's not saying a word. Tricia feels that it's her job to find out happened and unmask the killer. With all of this going on Tricia has to deal with a stalker, save a friend's home, and worry about her sister while she's on a book signing tour, and run her sister's store too.

Over all this is an enjoying read. There aren't many plot twists or anything like that. Everything is straight forward, and moves at a nice pace. For me, a drawback is that Tricia feels the need to solve everyone's problems. She lets people walk all over her. I can let that go and still enjoy the book. I just wish that Tricia would stand up for herself more. The recipes look really good.

If you've the other three, then you know what to expect. This is a good read, not a great one. It will hold your attention.

A nearby explosion finds one man dead and Angelica's boyfriend hurt. Tricia wonders why Bob is being evasive in helping her and the police find the killer. I had my theories and I like that the author set up several red herrings as to the identity of the killer. This was a rippling good story and if you haven't read this series yet, what are you waiting for.

Number 4 in the Booktown Mystery series. The History Repeats Itself shop explodes from a gas leak, killing the owner Jim Roth and endangering the real estate mogul Bob Kelly. Then bad things start happening to Angelica (Tricia's sister) as she is out on her book tour. Bob Kelly also incurs some bad happenings. Tricia and Ginny (her employee at Haven't Got a Club mystery book store) are out to find the culprit. A fun read.