Bookmarked for Death

Bookmarked for Death by Lorna Barrett (Berkley Prime Crime Mystery, 2009)(A Booktown Mystery)

What do a stone book and a stabbed cake have to do with Zoë Carter's death?
Once a struggling town, Stoneham, New Hampshire is now enjoying a renaissance--thanks to booksellers like Tricia Miles, proprietor of Haven’t Got a Clue. It’s a great place to find a good mystery to read--or to solve ….
To celebrate her bookstore’s anniversary, Tricia Miles hosts a book signing for bestselling author Zoë Carter. But the event takes a terrible turn when the author is found dead in the washroom. Before long, both police and reporters are demanding the real story. So far, the author’s obnoxious assistant/niece is the only suspect. And with a sheriff who provides more obstacles than answers, Tricia will have to take matters into her own hands--and read between the lines to solve this mystery….

Book #2 in the Booktown Mystery Series

Review: Once again, Ms. Barrett has come up with a winner. Just when you think you have the answer to the mystery, you find you're wrong. I have read every book in this series, and am anxiously waiting for more.

Bookplate Special

Bookplate Special by Lorna Barrett (Berkley Prime Crime Mystery, 2009)(A Booktown Mystery)

Tricia Miles, owner of Haven’t a Clue mystery bookstore, is still settling into Stoneham, New Hampshire, the kind of town where everybody knows your name—and where everyone’s quick to lend a hand, even when murder is afoot . . .

The kinder folks of Stoneham might call Pammy Fredericks a free spirit. The less kind, a freeloading thief. Tricia has put up—and put up with—her uninvited college roommate for weeks. In return, Pammy, has stolen $100, among other things. But the day she’s kicked out, Pammy’s found dead in a dumpster, leaving loads of questions unanswered. Like what was she foraging for? Did her killer want it too? To piece the case together, Tricia will have to dive in head-first.…

Book #3 in the Booktown Mystery Series

Review: I love this series! The victim is the guest we'd vote most likely to annoy everyone. You almost cheer when she's found dead, but Tricia only moves to investigate. In the process, she finds some interesting things going on in Stoneham.

Chapter & Hearse

Chapter & Hearse by Lorna Barrett (Berkley Prime Crime Mystery, 2010)(A Booktown Mystery)

According to the gossip around Stoneham, New Hampshire, Tricia Miles cannot put down a real murder mystery. After all, the owner of the mystery bookstore, Haven’t Got a Clue, has been spending more time solving whodunits than reading them…Tricia’s sister, Angelica, considers herself to be the next celebrity chef. To celebrate her first cookbook, Angelica hosts a launch party, but sadly the only guest is an oversized cutout of herself. Worse than the lack of fans is a nearby gas explosion that injures her boyfriend, Bob Kelly, the head of the Chamber of Commerce.
Tricia’s never been a fan of Bob, but when she reads that Bob is being tight-lipped about the “accident” and how it killed the owner of the town’s history bookstore, it’s time to take action. As the incriminating details emerge, Tricia gets wrapped up in a murder that proves to be as spine-tingling as the books that line her shelves…

Book #4 in the Booktown Mystery Series

Review: This one is the least favorite of the series for me. It's kind of hard to believe a launch party would bring out no one - not even for the free food. Still Tricia has discovered a mystery to solve.

Murder is Binding

Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett (Berkley Prime Crime Mystery, 2008)(A Booktown Mystery)

When she moved to Stoneham, city slicker Tricia Miles met nothing but friendly faces. And when she opened her mystery bookstore, she met friendly competition. But when she finds Doris Gleason dead in her own cookbook store, killed by a carving knife, the atmosphere seems more cutthroat than cordial. Someone wanted to get their hands on the rare cookbook that Doris had recently purchased-and the locals think that someone is Tricia. To clear her name, Tricia will have to take a page out of one of her own mysteries-and hunt down someone who isn't killing by the book.

Book #1 in the Booktown Mystery Series

Review: Meet Tricia Miles, her cat Mrs. Marple, her employee Ginny, and the town of Stoneham New Hampshire. The series is called Booktown because of an idea Bob Kelly, the head of the Chamber of Commerce, had to bring income to the town by making downtown a small village of bookstores. When a neighboring bookstore owner is murdered, Tricia is harassed by the local cop - a woman who it seems is a rival for the affections of one of ladies' man and insurance agent. The cop has all but decided that Tricia is guilty. Tricia, and her visiting sister, Angelica, must find the killer before she's arrested for murder.

Buffalo West Wing

Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy (Berkley Prime Crime Mystery, 2011)(A White House Chef Mystery)

With a new First Family, White House executive chef Olivia Paras can't afford to make any mistakes. But when a box of take-out chicken mysteriously shows up for the First Kids, she soon finds herself in a "no-wing" situation. After Olivia refuses to serve the chicken, the First Lady gives her the cold shoulder. But when it turns out to be poisoned poultry, Olivia realizes the kids are true targets.

Hail to the Chef

Hail to the Chef by Julie Hyzy (Berkley Prime Crime Mystery, 2008)(White House Chef Mystery)

White House executive chef Ollie Paras has to put her own interests on the back burner when a kindly electrician is electrocuted to death, and the First Lady’s nephew dies in an apparent suicide less than 24 hours after cleaning shrimp with Ollie. Ollie suspects something fishy is going on. She’ll have to watch her back—and find a killer unlikely to be pardoned.

Eggsecitive Orders

Eggsecutive Orders by Julie Hyzy (Berkley Prime Crime Mystery, 2010)(A White House Chef Mystery)

When NSA big shot Carl Minkus dies right after eating the dinner Olivia Paras's staff had prepared, all forks point to them. Now the Secret Service is picking apart the kitchen-and scrutinizing the staff's every move. The timing couldn't be worse with the White House Lawn Easter Egg Roll to prep for without access to a kitchen. Olivia must find the real culprit-before she cracks under pressure.