A Crafty Killing (Victoria Square Mystery) [Mass Market Paperback]

Lorraine Bartlett (Author)

Book Description

Release date: February 1, 2011 | Series: Victoria Square Mystery (Book 1)

The last thing Katie Bonner wanted was to become the manager of Artisans Alley. But when her business partner, Ezra Hilton, is found bludgeoned to death, she has no other choice. Business under Ezra has been faltering-but was it enough to provoke someone to murder? Only Kate can find the answer.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Bartlett combines murder, a touch of romance, and a lot of intrigue in this charming story. With personable characters, and a lively, fast-paced storyline--readers will be enthralled & delighted with this fresh new series. --Fresh Fiction

The red herrings were aplenty, and the killer a complete surprise. Ms. Bartlett has created a crafty tale that must be read. --The Best Reviews --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

About the Author

Lorraine Bartlett writes the New York Times bestselling Victoria Square Mysteries, and as Lorna Barrett writes the Agatha-nominated, New York Times bestselling Booktown Mystery series. She also writes the Jeff Resnick Mysteries as L.L. Bartlett.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; Original edition (February 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425239853
• ISBN-13: 978-0425239858
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #263,093 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More 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 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.lorrainebartlett.com


Lorraine, along with mystery authors Deb Baker (aka Hannah Reed) and Julie Hyzy (aka N.C. Hyzy), have created a group called THE STORY SISTERS. Join us at our gathering place with other lovers of all things bookish.

http://storysisters-innercircle.blogspot.com/


****** What others are saying about Lorraine's books ******

"Fun plot, fanciful characters, really fabulous crafts...Bartlett put her art and soul into this mystery."
--Laura Childs, New York Times bestselling author

"Bartlett combines murder, a touch of romance, and a lot of intrigue in this charming story. With a cast of personable characters and a lively, fast-paced story line, readers will be enthralled and delighted with this fresh new series."
--Fresh Fiction

"A fun new mystery with a cast of charming characters . . . Readers will look forward to more with Katie and the artisans from Artisans Alley."
--The Mystery Reader

"A sweet new mystery series by a top-notch author who writes under a few pen names. Katie is a likable heroine, fallible yet strong, tough but tender. A great book for readers looking for something light--and who also look for happy endings. I expect this series to go on for a long time."
--The Cozy Library

"[A] fantastic start to a new cozy series . . . A Crafty Killing kept my attention from the very first word until I turned the last page. The red herrings were aplenty, and the killer a complete surprise. Ms. Bartlett has created a crafty tale that must be read."
--The Best Reivews


Indulge yourself today! Pick up a Lorraine Bartlett book! For more information about Lorraine and her books visit her blog(s):

Dazed and Confused: www.LLBartlett.typepad.com
The Cozy Chicks (on Fridays): www.CozyChicksBlog.com

Check out Lorraine's web sites

www.LorraineBartlett.com
www.LLBartlett.com
www.Lornabarrett.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a fabulously flamboyant start to a new series! February 1, 2011

By D. Fowler TOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Katie Bonner had to admit that a corpse was good for business. Everyone and his brother would come rushing into Artisans Alley to see the spot where Ezra Hilton had been bludgeoned to death. It was a good thing that Mary Elliot had found the old coot because frankly, she didn't have the stomach for that sort of thing even though "Artisans Alley--and Ezra--had ruined her marriage." Her dearly departed hubby, Chad, had invested in this "decaying money pit," and after his death she became Ezra's partner. Every last one of the vendors in Artisans considered themselves to be an undiscovered artist, including Peter Ashby in number sixty-four who dealt in "garden statuary," a quaint euphemism for cemetery statues. The ghouls would love his stuff and that X marks the spot hunk of carpet Detective Davenport, the `thank you, ma'am man,' had ripped up at the bottom of the stairs.

After the "Did Mr. Hilton have any enemies?" bit was over Katie had to calm down, pop a peppermint, and get down to business. Things quickly started to hop and bop, including Ida Mitchell's UGH-ly facial wart, one other thing Katie didn't have the stomach for. Ida, who hadn't paid her rent in months, was going to be the first one out the door of Artisans just as soon as she told her boss at Kimper Insurance where to get off. This was business and the very future of Artisans Alley and Victoria Square depended on her. Katie had her eye on a "sumptuous bed-and-breakfast," but a dump that sold objects d'art would have to do. Vance Ingram, Ezra's backup, began to squawk, "You've never shown any interest in this place. What makes you think you can just waltz in her and change everything now?" Try me.

Katie didn't know whodunit, but soon she'd have to contend with more nuts than were in the cookies at Mary's "Tea and Tasties." Gerald Hilton, Ezra's greedy nephew (and now partner), had his own ideas about running things. Pizza parlor Andy had a bunch of hoodlums for employees and the vendors were yelling about the "crappy crafters" she was letting in Artisans. Oh, and the `thank you ma'am man' was telling her to mind her own business. Nosy Rose Nash said, "I can tell you about everything, about everybody in this place." La di da, go right ahead because it was starting to look like an inside job until everyone got to Collier's funeral parlor to pay their respects to Ezra when Nona Fiske began to scream. "Trollop! It's your fault Ezra's dead. If you hadn't come to Victoria Square, Ezra would be alive today."

This is a fabulously flamboyant start to a new series. For the first book in a series, I was quite impressed at how well Katie's character was developed. She was gutsy, determined, spunky, and capable of getting the job done, including catching a killer. I loved the little touches of humor scattered throughout the book and fell in love with Katie's no nonsense approach to life and the occasional corpse she had to deal with. If you read and enjoyed the Booktown Mystery series, also by the author (Lorna Barrett) you're going to love graduating from one series to the other. It looks like Artisans Alley and Victoria Square are going to be a "high falutin'" hotbed ... for murder!

This book (ARC) courtesy of the author.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved it! February 10, 2011

By SuzieQ

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Katie Bonner is a great new heroine in the cozy mystery genre. The supporting characters are also believable and interact with Katie and each other in a realistic manner. (In some cozies the interaction between characters is a bit off!) It is also refreshing that Katie's romantic interest isn't a policeman, PI, lawyer, etc. Another enjoyable element is the entire setting of the book, the craft cooperative. What a neat idea! I was also totally surprised at the outcome and can't wait until book two. Lorraine Barrett's books never disappoint!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The Start of a Great New Cozy Mystery Series! February 11, 2012

By S. Collier

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Kate Bonner is still grieving for her late husband Chad, when his business partner, Ezra Hilton, the owner of Artisan's Alley, an art boutique in upstate New York is suddenly killed. Up until that time, Kate had a 10% financial interest in the business, but virtually no personal interest in its success or failure. While her husband was still alive, Kate had hopes of purchasing an old Victorian Home, just steps from Artisan's Alley, and turning it into a Bed & Breakfast. Those hopes were dashed when her now deceased husband put all of their life savings into Artisan's Alley. After Ezra dies, his lawyer informs Kate that Ezra had recently changed his will, making her the largest stakeholder in the company, and he also made her executor of the will, effectively cutting out his nephew, Gerald Hilton from having a voice in the future of the business.

Kate ends up quitting her dead-end job with an overbearing insurance broker she had worked for over the past six years to run Artisan's Alley. Whether she is doing it for Chad's legacy, or because she sees a future in the business, Kate is committed to saving it from financial ruin. As she starts to get to know the other tenants and business owners, her commitment to Artisan's Alley grows, and she knows that even though her dreams of owning a B&B have been dashed, this is her opportunity to make a fresh start. However, there are plenty of people who want to stand in her way, and as Kate starts to dig in to try to uncover what may have happened to Ezra, she discovers that several of the people she has grown close to, may have had a motive to kill him. Soon Kate has another death on her hands, and she must find the killer before it is too late.

A Crafty Killing is an intricate mystery with a cast of quirky characters, including a Colombo-esque detective, a group of highly-competitive (and even catty) middle-aged women, and a few who have long-held secrets to be revealed throughout the course of the book. I really enjoyed getting to know Kate and the people of Victoria Square and look forward to the next mystery n the series!