Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

I always look forward to a new cozy in this marvelous series; each can be read as a standalone or in order. I enjoy the characters at Artisan’s Alley and Victoria Square; they are like a big family with unique personalities and talents. The setting in this historic neighborhood is one I would love to visit, but not in the summer! It was fun to see the progress of Katie’s new business and the challenging murder mystery implicating one of her close friends as the killer made for a read that was impossible to put down!

Katie, who runs Artisan’s Alley and the Victoria Square Merchants Association, started a new business venture with her former mother-in-law Margo a few months earlier. Katie purchased, renamed, and remodeled the former tea shop in Victoria Square. Tealicious has a good following already, thanks in part to her baking. Unfortunately, the manager just quit with short notice, leaving her in the lurch.

At the Merchants Association meeting, a muscle-bound, tattooed man in attendance wants to join. He is purchasing a vacant building on the Square to open a tattoo parlor. A few members protested mildly, saying that it doesn’t fit with the arts theme, and a peacemaker suggesting he won’t get the exposure there that his business needs. He stormed out. The members discussed the possibility of asking the owner to rescind the sale to the tattoo artist and the would buy the building, perhaps to lease out.

The next day, retired homicide detective Ray comes in to see Katie with a black eye. Nobody realized that Harper, owner of tattooist’s building, is family to the tattoo artist, as is Ken, the man doing the construction buildout. When Ray asked if he would consider selling to the group, Ken slugged him. Katie went over later to see if she could smooth things over. At least he didn’t slug her. To tune her out, he turned on his saw and was electrocuted, with the spark shooting out knocking Katie out. By that night, the sheriff’s office is considering Ken’s death a possible homicide, with Ray, once one of their own, a prime suspect. When they confirm that the wiring was rigged to kill Ken, Katie knows there is a killer on the loose on the Square, and despite what the deputy thinks, it isn’t Ray.

In the meantime, her boyfriend Andy, owner of Angelo’s Pizzeria on Victoria Square, doesn’t recognize that his assistant manager is in love with him – but he does think Ray is very interested in Katie. Thanks to friends Nick and Don, Katie finds a manager for the tea shop. Brad is extremely overqualified but wants a calmer life in a small town. He is incredibly handsome and personable. Andy and Ray are both jealous of Brad, and Katie just wants to do her work and find the killer.

It is always a delight to visit the gang at Artisan’s Alley and Victoria Square! I was happy to see Katie hire someone with the challenges Brad has faced. Her loyalty to her friends is wonderful, and asserting her independence is an asset. I like Katie, Ray, Andy, and Rose best. The regular characters are defined as well as needed for their roles; I do wish we had seen more of Rose!

The plot was well-researched and realistic. Katie has a lot of irons in the fire and juggles them with her usual skill. I was a bit put off by Katie’s on-and-off attitude with Andy and Ray as (for me) it detracted from the story at times. I enjoyed meeting Miles and Grimm and would enjoy seeing him and his “family” in the future. Discovering the murderer was challenging, and I’m happy to say I was only a few steps – or pages – ahead of Katie. There were such good suspects along with some amazing surprises! The loose ends were tied up, and to me, this is the best cozy in the series. I highly recommend it!

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

3.5 Stars

Katie Bonner is very busy managing Artisan Alley, a former warehouse that is a part of Victoria Square, which houses a wide variety of artists and other merchants selling their wares. She also reopened a tea house in Victoria Square while trying to find time to be with her boyfriend, pizzeria owner Andy Rust. The mostly conservative merchants in Victoria Square aren’t happy to learn that newcomer Paul Fenton has plans to open a tattoo shop in the square. When Paul’s brother dies under suspicious circumstances, Katie’s good friend, former Detective Ray Davenport, becomes the top suspect. Katie feels she owes it to Ray to put all her business and personal issues aside to prove his innocence.

This is the sixth book in the Victoria Square series and I have read most of them. I love the premise and the setting and the books have interesting plots. For readers new to the series, there is a helpful “Cast of Characters” at the beginning of the book. Returning readers will see that Katie has become much more independent and positive which makes the books even more fun to read. Katie is a loyal friend and excellent amateur investigator. I like the friendships she has made in Artisans Alley and how the people there have come to rely on her management skills. Katie has come a long way since the series debut and has become a character I like a lot.

I enjoyed reading about Katie’s investigation. This book is a quick, easy read, but the plot is still engaging and I was surprised when all the facts about the murder and the motive come out in the end. In addition to the cases Katie investigates, her personal life plays a large role in this series. That is especially true in this installment. Ordinarily, I would love the mixture of romance and sleuthing. However, I really don’t care for Katie’s boyfriend Andy. He treats her better in this book than he does in the earlier books, but he usually comes across as self-centered to me. This makes some of the scenes between the two of them hard for me to take. On the other hand, Katie has an abundance of chemistry with Ray. They have remained “just friends”, but there are sparks as well as mutual respect there. My hope is that sometime soon, Katie realizes this, too! If Katie’s love life is going to continue to be a major part of future books, a romance I can get behind will make this a more enjoyable series for me.

~ Christine

Murder Ink by Lorraine Bartlett with Gayle Leeson the 6th A Victoria Square Mystery. I had not read the previous books in A Victoria Square Mystery, and I felt I was missing some needed background information. I believe this series is best if read in order. Katie Bonner is strong, female entrepreneur. She has Artisans Alley and now Tealicious plus she is the head of the Victoria Square Merchants Association. I liked seeing Katie make a move for independence in one important aspect of her life (I do not want to spoil it for you). Katie is dating Andy Rust who owns Angelo’s Pizzeria, but there are a few obstacles in the way of their happily ever after. A big one is Andy’s assistant manager, Erikka who wants Andy for herself. Ray is attracted to Katie, but his daughters are openly hostile towards Katie. Then there is the new chef at Tealicious who creates delectable items for the tearoom guests, is very kind, and looks like a movie star. Katie has several romance possibilities if she is open to them. I find the characters developed and realistic. The death of Ken Fenton sends Katie on a merry chase. When Detective Schuler focuses on Ray Davenport as the killer, Katie dons her investigator cap once again so she can find the true culprit. The first order of business is learning more about Ken Fenton and his brother, Paul. Katie is curious as to why Paul picked McKinlay Mill for his tattoo parlor. There are a limited number of suspects in this whodunit. The more Katie learns, the shorter the list becomes. She also finds herself in harm’s way which adds suspense and excitement to the story. I believe that the mystery touches on a subject that is topical and realistic. I would have enjoyed a mystery that was slightly more challenging to solve. But I did find it intriguing and there were interesting elements. If people would only take their intelligence and creativity and use it for good instead of evil the world would be a different place. I liked the authors writing style which made for a pleasing to read cozy mystery. There is a lovely cozy feel to the story as Katie spends time with friends, boyfriend, working, investigating, reading, eating, baking and spending time with her cats. Fans of A Victoria Square Mystery series as well as newcomers will be happy with Murder Ink. Murder Ink is an engaging cozy mystery with a person with a predilection for peppermint, a terrifying tattoo artist, charming cats, a determined detective and romantic rivals.

I started reading this series with Yule Be Dead, book 5 in the series, and I was hooked. When I had the opportunity to review Murder Ink, book 6, I jumped on the chance. I was not disappointed.

Katie Bonner, owner of Artisans Alley, new proprietor of Tealicious, and head of the Victoria Square Merchants Association, is one busy person and it doesn't look like her obligations are going to lessen anytime soon. Katie's manager of Tealicious quits, leaving her scrambling to fill the position in the three days her current manager, Janine, gives her. Upon the recommendation by Nick and Don, local B&B owners, Katie hires a very handsome chef to manage Tealicious.

At one of the Association meetings, the members learn that one of the buildings is in the process of being sold and being turned into a tattoo parlor. There is an overwhelming sense of alarm and some members end up insulting Paul, one of the new owners who attended the meeting. The next day, Ken, who is Paul's brother, and Ray get into an altercation. Later, Katie attempts to smooth Ken's ruffled feathers and he's basically unreceptive. When he turns away from Katie and begins using a circular saw sparks fly - literally. Ken and Katie are both electrocuted. Katie, fortunately, survives; Ken does not. As the mysterious death progresses, Ray is implicated in Ken's homicide. Katie knows he didn't do it and makes it her mission to figure out who did. The author does a great job parading several potential suspects in front of Katie. Of course, the idea that Ray could be responsible is laughable but there are several business owners who climb on Detective Schuler's bandwagon. Katie finds herself in precarious situations and the object of personal threats.

During the fiasco with Ray, Katie is having issues with Andy. Her jealousy meter of his assistant manager, Erikka, is pretty high. Andy does or says several things that absolutely do not help the situation. I'm really unsure if I enjoy their characters together. He's pretty obtuse and she has trust issues. Knowing Katie has issues with Erikka, Andy pulls an awful stunt causing Katie to re-evaluate her life and she makes some decisions more inline with independence. Andy, then turns around and has issues with Brad, Katie's new chef/manager. Really, dude? Between the issues with Andy and her inability to acknowledge Ray's crush, the relationships she has with men are getting tiresome. I've only read this book and book 5 in the series but after reading Murder Ink, I'm leaning toward a possible relationship with Ray for Katie. Andy is nice and everything but there is a connection between Katie and Ray that I, for whatever reason, don't see/feel with Andy.

Katie is a likable character. She is very invested in her town, her business adventures, and the people she loves. When her friends are in trouble she is the first to volunteer to help fix the problem. In most cases, Katie is a very strong character. She has proven she can manage businesses, be chair of the Merchant Association, and aid in murder investigations (even though the local police department wishes she would refrain on the aid part). Katie is also insecure when it comes to Andy and Erikka. Her imperfections make her human and relatable. I enjoy all of the secondary characters and the way the author portrays them. Each person is vital to Katie's successes, whether professionally or personally.

Murder Ink by Lorraine Bartlett pits a new chef at a tea shop against a possible tattoo parlour opening in the business setting. One of the business people is electrocuted with his own power saw. What's going on ? Something is smoky in the new people seeking to open businesses.

In this next book of the series it looks like a tattoo parlor might be the next business to open up on the square. The building owner is fixing up the building when an accident overalls him, or was it murder. The man was electrocuted with the saw he was using and the police are leaning towards murder. Would someone kill to keep the tattoo shop from becoming a part of the square and it's businesses? Katie is determined to find out, meanwhile she has hired a new chef to head the kitchen in her Tea shop. It looks like Katie has a few suitors vying for her attention, is she happy in her on going relationship or is she looking for something more or even different. Katie doesn't have time to worry about that, not and look for a killer. Will her looking into this murder put a wedge between her and the man she is dating? Katie is determined to figure out who the killer is and make everyone on the square feel safe again. will she be able to do that and keep her relationship together or will both get away from her? This is such a fun series, the addition of new businesses and owners changes things up. Each new personality fills the pages with their own identity and brings forth new secondary characters to get to know. I always enjoy meeting the new characters and look forward to seeing which ones stick around in later books.

MURDER INK by Lorraine Bartlett with Gayle Leeson
The Sixth Victoria Square Mystery

A tattoo parlor in Victoria Square? That possibility is just the start of Katie Bonner's problems. When her friend and fellow merchant association member Ray goes to the contractor working on the building to get more information he receives a black eye for his efforts, but the man who dealt it winds up dead. As the sheriff hones in on Ray as the killer Katie has to deal with her tea house manager quitting with hardly any notice, Andy's assistant being overly helpful, and questions about her new vendor at Artisan's Alley. Despite relationship issues Katie strives to keep everything on track and keep Ray out of jail. Will she be able to find the real killer, or will she have as shocking of an end as the contractor?

There's a lot going on in this sixth outing of the Victoria Square mystery series, almost too much. Katie is involved with so many projects and wears so many hats, not to mention all of her relationship issues, I don't know how she has time to breathe. By the end of the novel these myriad storylines did meld, but Katie's involvement in every aspect of Victoria Square, almost as if she considers herself Empress of the Square, is a bit off putting.

I liked the addition of Brad to Tealicious, although his arrival led to yet more adolescent jealous behavior by several of the key players. I love Nick and Don and give kudos to Nick's quick thinking leading up to the penultimate scene. There are lots of clever bits given by both the author and the characters which make for an intelligent read.

MURDER INK is a complex mystery with a fast paced satisfying conclusion.

When a tattoo shop plans to open on Victoria Square it shakes up more than the merchants view of what business should be on the square. When the owner of said tattoo shop dies one of their own is the prime suspect.

Katie is the owner of Artisans Alley and Tealicious as well as president of the Victoria Square Merchants Association. She is a strong woman, not intimidated and an amazing entrepreneur. Katie finds herself in the middle of murder, trying to help a friend, playing detective and trying not to second guess everything she sees. There were moments when I thought Katie was overreacting and other when I thought, girl you got this together.

Murder Ink is my first read in the Victoria Square and an enjoyable one. It did take me to be to catch up with who was who and how they all worked together but I got it. I enjoyed the mystery that kept me guessing. I’m a romance reader first and foremost so Katie and Andy’s romance and squabbles were a bonus to this read. The writing style of Lorraine Bartlett is fun and keeps the pages turning. I was able to feel like I was right at home with these characters even though this was my first read of the series.

A tattoo parlor plans to open on Victoria Square and some of the merchants are concerned. During a merchants meeting things get a little..um not nice.
Katie is hoping she can get Paul to relocate, but his brother Ken won't hear of it. He is not happy with Katie's interference.
When Ken dies, Ray becomes the main suspect.
Can Katie find out the truth to who killed Ken before Ray gets put in jail? Will the tattoo parlor open on Victoria Square?
Love this series! Always feel as though I am back visiting old friends and making new ones.

I received an ARC prior to publication and decided to voluntarily review it. Thank you NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this book.

Another wonderful Victoria Square cozy mystery. In this must read series! Katie has to quickly investigate the latest murder before her friend is put in jail. I always feel like this is a real place I would like to visit!

Katie is back with the Victoria Square crew in the 6th book of the series. Still living above her boyfriend Andy's pizzeria and running Artisan's Alley, Katie has now added the tea shop to her list of endeavors. And she is president of the Merchants Association. Makes me wonder how she has time to sleep... Anyway, during a meeting of the association, newcomer Paul Fenton stand up and states that he has bought a building on the square and is planning on opening up a tattoo parlor. The merchants decide (rather snottily, in my opinion) that Victoria Square isn't the right place for a tattoo parlor. After Paul storms out, the group collectively decides to put an offer on the building to keep him out of it.

Okay, at this point, I was annoyed at all of them, including Katie. Is it the right place for a tattoo parlor? Maybe not. But the reaction of the group is so obnoxious. The next day Ray from Wood U decides to go talk to the owner, and instead returns with a black eye from the contractor, who just so happens to be Paul's brother, Ken Fenton. When Katie tries to patch things up, both she and Ken get electrocuted. Katie is fine after a trip to the hospital, but Ken is not so lucky.

In the meantime, Katie's manager at the tea shop, Janine, decides she can't manage it anymore and gives her 3 days notice. Remarkably, one of the owner's of the B&B just so happens to know a world-class chef who is totally gorgeous that is looking for a change. And this is where I start to get annoyed. Apparently, it is perfectly fine for Katie's boyfriend, Andy, to have a beautiful woman that flirts with him working in his pizzeria, but Katie can't be trusted with the handsome new chef. Between Andy and Ray (who has absolutely no right to be jealous), they both needed smacked.

The relationships in this one get a bit annoying. If I were Katie, I would've taken a big step back from Andy and completely given up helping Ray after he acted like such an ass. But the mystery was interesting, and the other things (not trying to spoil) that occur added a lot to the story. It's been awhile since I read one of the series, but this was quite enjoyable.

The merchants on Victoria Square aren’t happy when it seems a tattoo shop is looking to become part of their group. But when the owner is found dead, the police seem to be focused on Ray as the main suspect. Can Katie keep help Ray or will her prying put her in the real murderer’s sights. I love how this series is expanding by bringing in new businesses and vendors to keep it from becoming stale. Katie is a strong female lead, showing she is more than capable of successfully managing her existing position, as well as overseeing the new tea shop. I found her attitude toward Ray a trifle irritating at times...she seems to take advantage of him a bit too often. I also am not fond of her boyfriend’s carefree attitude with his own employee (not sure I would have been so quick to forgive after one incident)! And I really adore Don and Nick...hope to see more stories featuring them. Disclosure: I am voluntarily reviewing this book and all opinions are strictly my own.

I really enjoy this series! I love Katie and Andy. I wish their relationship was a little healthier, but it is realistic. I'm not sure I understood why a tattoo parlor is so bad. I thought the mystery was good and it did keep me guessing. I look forward to the next one!

This is a new to me series. I somehow let this series pass me by, but I will be rectifying that now.
I will definitely go back and read the previous books in the series now.
This is a really charming cozy series. The premise was realistic and the characters were interesting and full of personality.
The whodunit was well written and kept me engaged and guessing. It was well plotted and paced.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

When a tattoo parlor plans on opening up on Victoria Square, some of the merchants have concerns. Things get a little hot during a merchant meeting between the tattoo parlor’s owner, Paul and the other merchants. Ray volunteers to approach the building's owner to try to purchase the building before Paul can. The meeting comes to blows between Ray and Paul's brother Ken, so Katie decides to take matters into her own hands and maybe convenience Paul to relocate on his own. When she arrives Ken isn't happy he doesn’t appreciate Katie butting into his brother’s business so he turns his saw on to drown out her voice. When Ken turns on the saw everything goes wrong. Ken dies, Katie is hurt, and Ray becomes the prime suspect. Can Katie find the real person behind Ken’s death?

This is a wonderful addition to the Victoria Square Series. Katie is spreading herself thin with all her business responsibilities which are affecting her personal relationships. Who hasn’t been there at one time? Katie is a wonderful protagonist she is pragmatic, kind-hearted, and driven by her dreams. Victoria Square feels like a small town all on its own. The merchants feel like old friends even the newly introduced characters. The story is well written and fast pace. This was a quick but enjoyable read. I recommend this book to fans of the series, Lorraine Barlette, and cozy mysteries.

I voluntarily agreed to read an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no
way have been influenced.

This was a well-crafted drama with a solid mystery that kept me intrigued in the possibilities of what was happening on the page. The suspect pool was small, but it was the author’s detail where the few who stood out had better motives and I liked how the more the story moved forward the list narrowed down, until it was clear, with a few surprising twists, who was behind it all.

This was a fast and enjoyable read and I can’t wait for the book in this delightfully engaging series.

What a lovely surprise to discover the setting for this clever cozy mystery is my little corner of New York State! As cozies go, this is one of the better ones I’ve read. The protagonist is brave, sassy, and smart and the other characters are colorful without crossing over into the dreaded “quirky” category. The storyline is well-constructed and the mystery carefully planned. If this were summertime, I’d be recommending this as a great beach-read; as it’s middle of winter, I’d recommend tucking this one in your carry-on as you head out to the airport for vacation traveling.

Murder Ink
(Victoria Square Mystery #6)
by Lorraine Bartlett and Gayle Leeson

Paperback, 304 pages
Expected publication: December 31st 2019 by Berkley Books


Goodreads synopsis:
The charm of Victoria Square may prove to be only skin deep when murder follows the arrival of a tattoo parlor in town in this latest installment of the New York Times bestselling series.

A tattoo parlor on Victoria Square? Some of the merchants get hot under the collar at the proposal, but could they be driven to kill to stop it? That's what the sheriff's office and Katie Bonner want to know when the building's owner is electrocuted with his own saw.

Meanwhile, tensions rise when a hot chef takes over the square's tea shop. Will Katie have three men vying for her affections, or will her rival take the tea cake?

***

4.5 Stars

This is the sixth book in the Victoria Square Mystery series by Lorraine Bartlett and Gayle Leeson.

I have read one other book in this series and it was so good to see these characters and dive back into this world. There are some cozies that don’t meld in my mind but this one did and its effect lasted.

Victoria Square contains a pretty conservative bunch of shops. So when a tattoo parlor wants to join their little community, there is an uproar amongst the vendors. Then the brother of the tattoo shop owner dies mysteriously from an electrocution using one of his own tools. Former Detective Ray Davenport is suddenly suspect number one. Katie makes it her mission to prove that Ray is innocent but there are roadblocks at every turn. Ray’s girls suddenly hate her causing Ray to keep her at arms distance. And both he and her boyfriend Andy are acting weird. There is a rumor going around that she doesn’t appreciate the men in her life and this puts romantic tension between Katie and Ray and Katie and Andy. Both men want a relationship with her but Katie wants more independence.

I liked how this story waffled between Katie’s love trials and search for independence and the whodunit aspect of the cozy. I almost think I was more enthralled with all the relationship problems. I am most intrigued by Ray Davenport and wish they would get together for a book or three.

All the characters in the Victoria Square universe are pretty interesting and I think there could be a lot of future book prospects among them and their issues with Katie and V-Square.

Definitely looking forward to book seven!

If you love a good cozy with a rich world full of promise and snark, this book is for you. Definitely pick this one up and give it a try.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Many of the Victoria Square merchants are unhappy to learn that one of the empty storefronts has been sold to a man who intends to open a tattoo parlor. An apparent accident occurs while one of the men is working on the shop's renovations, but not everyone is convinced it was an accident. When one of Katie's friends becomes the prime suspect behind the incident, she feels obligated to find the real culprit.

This is book #6 in this series, and I was happy to spend some time with Katie, Andy, Ray and the rest of the recurring characters. I know they are common misconceptions, but I didn't like the merchants' opinions and stereotypes of tattoo parlors and people who have tattoos, and I hope this book helps to educate at least a few readers in that regard. There were multiple potential suspects throughout the story, but I figured out the identity of the bad guy relatively early. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

The characters are interesting and the mystery kept me guessing. I love the town. Katie does seem to be spreading herself very thin and I am wondering about Katie and Andy's relationship. Overall, I am still liking this series.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.