Dollycas’s Thoughts

Haven’t Got A Clue bookshop owner Tricia Miles was excited to travel to Ireland with Marshal Cambridge but the entire trip was a bust. Her return home to Stoneham was also far from perfect. She learns that while she was gone someone tried to break into her bookshop and that her sister had bunion surgery while she was gone. But the thing that tops the list is the dead body Pixie found in the dumpster. Tricia barely had time to catch her breath before police chief Grant Baker was flinging questions at both her and Pixie. The deceased, Susan Morris was living in her car, and Pixie had tried to help her in the past. Knowing the deceased, the location of where the body was found, and Pixie’s criminal record makes her a prime suspect. Tricia knows Pixie had nothing to do with Susan’s death. She just has to prove it. That is not easy when hardly anyone knew the victim.

Ms. Barrett takes on a hot topic within the pages of this book, homeless vets. When Tricia found out the victim was homeless it opened her eyes. She visits a nearby encampment and meets several other homeless vets. She talks to the leader of the group, Hank Curtis about Susan and learns why he is living the way he is. She has an idea that may help him into a better situation. Angelica may be sidelined from her surgery but that doesn’t mean she can’t make things happen. Mr. Everett and his wife Grace are also doing good things around the town too. I love Pixie and her energy even when she is a murder suspect. She and Mr. Everett can keep the bookshop completely under control while Tricia does some investigating.

Again, the author has packed the pages of the book with all kinds of drama. Tricia’s romantic life really outshined the murder mystery. Almost every page had Tricia ruminating about the direction of her life. That being said the murder mystery was easy to solve. The clues were all there early in the story. Tricia didn’t give up and had her a-ha moment at an inopportune time. I did enjoy how the entire story panned out. The pace to be a little slow in places and some of the actions felt forced but we are at the 14th book of this series so the characters pulled us through.

I love the Stoneham setting. A classic small town with a mission to make it the best place it can be to draw in tourists. I do wish there was more diversity in the business owners. Angelica or her alter ego Nigela Ricita owns almost everything in town and sometimes it gets a little boring that she can just throw money at a problem or an issue and fix it right up.

Handbook for Homicide is an interesting cozy mystery with characters that continue to grow in a place that can be chaotic or idyllic depending on the day.

There was a bit of a cliffhanger at the end of this book so I was really looking forward to reading A Deadly Deletion but after reading the synopsis I am going to put it off for a while. Tricia has been unhappy in her life throughout the last few books and I was hoping she would find happiness in the next book but that is not in the cards for her anytime soon.

Great mystery, a great plot twist, and a cliffhanger at the end. This was a fun cozy, and I cannot wait until the next book releases!

A nice add to the series. Have to admit though I like the surrounding characters much more than Tricia who never seems to have any warmth.

Welcome back to booktown mysteries, #14! The action starts out right away as beloved bookstore owner Tricia and her endearing employee, Trixie, find a body in the dumpster right behind the shop! Naturally, the chief suspects both of them and the two set out to clear their names once and for all.

Throw in Tricia's love interest, who she's not completely sure she still loves, plus the chief decides that he's still in love with Tricia himself! This is an action-packed mystery that won't disappoint the loyal readers of booktown mysteries.

I do have to say, the book literally leaves you hanging. Why? Tricia is asked a very important question, one that will change her life forever. Will she say yes? Only the author herself knows for now, until we get the next chapter!

I tried out another new to me cozy mystery. I've had good luck picking up new series, even when starting in the middle, so I decided to give Handbook for Homicide a try.

Handbook for Homicide is the 14th book in Lorna Barrett's Booktown Mystery series. I haven't read any books in this series but I don't think it is necessary. I was actually kind of surprised that it is book 14 as I felt like I was much earlier in the series. There were a lot of mentions of the character's backstories.

I struggled with the writing for the first few chapters. I wasn't sure if it just needed a bit more polish or if it was intentionally a lower reading level. As I was reading an ARC, and I do think there needs to be books for all reading levels, I tried to push through whatever about the writing was rubbing me wrong.

However, there was a sentence in the third chapter that had me considering not finishing the book. The main character Tricia is described as almost spitting out the "mouthful of H2O" that was "bathing her gums." If I had been drinking water when I read that sentence, I probably would have sprayed it all over my Kindle. I couldn't believe something like that hadn't been caught by an earlier round of editing. As I was only 16% through the book, I decided to read for a bit more before I decided to put it down for good.

Thankfully, that poorly worded sentence is not indicative of the rest of the book. By about a third of the way through, I had also become comfortable with the writing style and looked forward to solving the mystery.

The town is a little too cute with all its Booked by named business. And what small town can support not one but 3 specialty bookshops (the mystery bookstore, the romance bookstore, and a comic bookstore)? I kept thinking of the movie I watched last winter A Christmas Movie Christmas where the town is a little too perfect to feel realistic.

I liked the main characters. I could see them growing on me. I really liked the focus on homelessness and how many military veterans find themselves homeless after being in the service. I think it would have been a great opportunity for a little PSA at the end of the book about how readers could help.

Overall, I don't think this will be a series I actively pursue in the future. But if I find I need something light to read and the digital library has the audiobooks, I would consider reading another book in the series.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Friday, September 18 at 11:30 am - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2020/09/handbook-for-homicide-by-lorna-barrett.html

Murder of a Homeless Woman

Trisha Miles has returned from a vacation in Ireland with Marshal Cambridge wondering what to do about a relationship she isn’t sure she wants to pursue. She’s tired from the trip and wants to rest but she has to look in at the bookstore. Her Assistant Manager Pixie Poe is eager to fill her in on what’s happening as Trisha tries to escape for a rest. When Pixie goes outside to the dumpster, she finds a body.

The victim is Susan, a homeless woman who has been living in her car. Pixie knows her and has given her help. This makes Pixie a prominent suspect. Trisha now has to work to solve the crime to remove suspicion from Pixie. Trisha is helped by her sister, Angelica, who has had an operation on her foot and is requiring more time from Trisha.

This mystery is in my view overshadowed by Trisha’s love life. She and Angelica take center stage in the book. I have to admit I didn’t particularly like Trisha, she’s a busybody. This trait is important in a sleuth, but Trisha is not particularly clever about it.

The plot is somewhat unique with the death of a homeless woman in the small town, but it wasn’t difficult to guess who the murderer was. This is the fourteenth book in the series. The main characters are growing and changing, but they still are not people I’d want to know.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

Handbook for Homicide is the fourteenth book in the "A Booktown Mystery" series. The series revolves around the main character, Tricia's book store, her employees, customers, family, and friends. The characters in this series have flaws, as does Tricia. Sometimes those flaws are a bit much for readers to handle. Tricia isn't always likable; she can be selfish, petty, and somewhat single-minded. Other characters, such as her sister, are lovely.

I did not feel the book store played a significant enough role in this new addition, especially considering the body is found behind it in a dumpster. I also did not like the indecision on Tricia's part about the men in her life. She needs to figure out how she feels for each one and stop hanging onto the past and let the men know where they stand. I do not like cliff hangers in a cozy, it isn't necessary to get people to read the next book in the series, and it disappoints the reader who spent several hours reading only to leave questions unanswered.

The victim and the suspects are nicely written; however, the killer, although interesting, was not believable. Handbook for Homicide is an easy to read book but seemed to lack the author's usual flare. Many fans will find the book enjoyable, while others will be upset that Tricia has not changed enough to be likable. The mystery is somewhat pushed aside due to the unending discussions of Tricia's love life, and in this book, her sudden need to help the homeless. Her book store takes a back seat to everything else Tricia deems important and constantly leaves the running of the store to her employees. Overall, this was an okay book, not great, but not horrible. Too much got in the way for me to enjoy it, and not enough of what makes this series enjoyable was included.

Another adventure for Tricia in a great series. Her manager finds a dead, homeless, vet behind the book store and becomes the prime suspect. Not only does Tricia need to figure out who the killer is and save her assistant, but she has to help her sister Angelica who has had foot surgery, she also has boy-friend trouble. Current boyfriend Marshall is boring, ex-boyfriend Russ is selling the newspaper, and Ex-boyfriend and local police chief is getting married.

You know those somewhat strange relatives you have that you don't necessarily want to spend lots of time with, but you still want to keep up with them? That's kind of how the Booktown mysteries are for me. Tricia is so negative all the time, and she does inexplicable things like suggest to Ginny, who doesn't even know if she wants a second child, to practically adopt a child she barely knows? And then thinks, If Ginny was going to be prickly, it could be a long evening. Seriously?

And yet. Every time there's a new entry in this series, I want to read it to see what Tricia, Angelica, and the rest of the gang are up to. Despite Tricia's negativity and appalling taste in men, I feel some sort of weird connection to her and her extended family. And the plotting of the mysteries always keeps me interested.

So, while I don't quite understand WHY I'm compelled to read this series, I have to admit I am.

The murder in this one was so sad and such a waste. I ended the book more determined than ever to show the people I love how much I love them and to learn to accept help from others.

Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Lorna Barrett is back with her 14th book in the Booktown Mysteries! I've been reading the Booktown Mysteries since the very first book, Murder is Binding. This series and the Cupcake Mysteries (by Jenn McKinlay) were two of the first cozy mystery series that I discovered, and I've kept up with every new release... and been delighted with every single one!

Mystery aside, what delights me about this series is the complex relationship between Tricia Miles and her sister Angelica. I have enjoyed watching their relationship develop and change, and I love how close they have become. Lorna Barrett has written a believable relationship between these two, and I think anyone with a sibling or close family will enjoy reading these mysteries and follow along with Tricia and Angelia's adventures.

The mystery itself is first rate! It's not Tricia that finds the dead body this time, but her assistant manager, Pixie. With Pixie's colourful past, she's concerned that she is going to be wrongly accused of the crime and enlists Tricia to help solve the mystery!! The mystery touches on the troubling aspects of homeless vets, and I really liked how a difficult, and often overlooked, topic was introduced and what Tricia does to help the situation. It definitely made me more aware of what I could do in my own area to help, and I'm glad Lorna Barrett covered the topic in this book.

Handbook for Homicide is at times a heart-breaking tale, but it is delivered with superb writing and delightful characters. The mystery kept me on the edge of my seat, and I absolutely loved the ending (no spoilers!) Needless to say I can't wait for the next book in the series! If you're a fan of bookstore-themed cozy mysteries you need to read this series!!

This was another fun entry in this series. I look forward to these every year. There's something so captivating about the idyllic setting and the characters who I feel like I've grown closer to. They do grow a bit with each book, but they still feel comfortably familiar. I will saw that the romance/personal life bits intrigued me a bit more than the mystery this time, but I didn't mind that at all!

Tricia Miles went on vacation with her kind of boyfriend/friend with benefits but boring, Marshall. Ireland should have been fun. Instead, she spent most of her time watching Marshall take care of the tour’s passengers. It was his job, but still you’d think he’d make a little time for her. And that’s what she got—a very little time.

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Does Tricia need Marshall? She has her own business, selling mysteries, two great employees. Her sister, Angelica, is a wildly successful entrepreneur in her own right as well as using an alias in order to help others open businesses too. She lives next door to Tricia so nightly happy hours and dinner delivered from Angelica’s restaurant is another plus. Right now, Angelica is recovering from surgery on her foot and staying home is driving her stir crazy.

When Pixie takes the trash out to the dumpster, she calls Tricia for help. There’s a body, strangled, in the trash bin and well, Tricia’s had experience with dead bodies. The victim is a stranger to Tricia, but Pixie knew her a bit. Susan Morris was homeless and living in her car. Tricia wasn’t aware there was a homeless problem but soon finds there’s an encampment outside of town.

Pixie is under suspicion since she has a criminal record and knew Susan. She’s terrified she’ll be arrested, evidence or not. Sure of her innocence, Tricia agrees to find out all she can. Tricia and Marshall take food and bottled water to the homeless camp but don’t find anything new.

In the meantime, Russ, Tricia’s old boyfriend, has married and has a son. His wife is in California, a contestant on a cooking show, hoping for a show of her own. Their toddler is with Russ who makes no secret of the fact he never wanted a child. Tricia gets a phone call from the child’s grandmother, asking for any information or contact numbers Tricia can give her. Between the murder, helping her sister, her own business, and two attempted break-ins there, Russ’ problems, and Marshall’s neediness, Tricia hardly has a moment to herself.

This is book fourteen in the series. Tricia is in her forties, a nice change of pace from younger main characters in other series. She doesn’t take unnecessary risks but is feeling bored with her life as it is. In previous books, Angelica could be overbearing as she knows what she wants and how to get it. This time, she’s more dependent on others until she’s mobile again. Angelica’s dog, Sarge, and Tricia’s cat, Miss Marple, only add to the fun.

Tricia shares recipes at the back of the book—lemon crackle cookies, old-fashioned applesauce cake, easy guacamole, and cheesy corn dip, made with cream cheese, Mexican cheese, frozen corn, and spicy chipotle ranch dip.

I was overly excited when I started this book, and by the time I finished, I couldn’t believe how it ended.
This story was so good I hated to put it down.
Tricia and her sister Angelica are my favorite pair of sleuths, and their investigative skills in Handbook for Homicide are desperately needed since Tricia’s assistant manager Pixie is suspected of murder!
With the help of Mr. Everett, Tricia stops at nothing, including facing the wrath of Grant, her ex boyfriend.

I can’t wait to see what happens next in this fantastic series.

4.5 stars

This is the fourteenth book in the Booktown Mystery series by Lorna Barrett.

OMG, Lorna, you left this one on quite a cliffhanger!

Tricia Miles runs the Haven’t Got A Clue vintage mystery book store and as she comes home from a less than thrilling vacation with Marshall, her assistant finds a dead body out back in their dumpster. This throws Tricia straight into another mystery that involves the local homeless population.

Chief Grant Baker is less than thrilled that she has her eye on nosing into his investigation. Later she learns that Grant is engaged to be married to a prominent socialite. She, herself, is less than thrilled with her relationship with Marshall and their trip abroad wasn’t fun for her at all. She is rethinking her relationship status with him while all the ballyhoo of the investigation keeps her busy.

Pretty great read. It is amazing how this author can keep her books so fresh as she is moving into the 15th book in the series soon. Wow. Great job, Lorna! Just loving this series.

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

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.

Tricia Miles is back home in Stoneham, New Hampshire after a disappointing trip to Ireland with her boyfriend, Marshall. She barely makes it inside the door of the bookstore she owns when her assistant discovers a body in a dumpster behind the shop. Pixie recognizes the victim as Susan Moore, a woman who has been living in her car. Tricia’s ex-boyfriend, Police Chief Grant Baker, puts Pixie at the top of her suspect list. Tricia knows Pixie doesn’t have a motive and would never have hurt Susan, so she is determined to clear Pixie’s name and find the real killer.

Handbook for Homicide is the fourteenth book in this long-running series. I’ve only read a few of the prior books, so I was thankful for the cast of characters at the beginning. It helped me remember who’s who and would help new readers enjoy this book without having read the prior books in the series. My favorite part of the book and the entire series is the close, loving relationship between Tricia and her sister Angelica. They tease each other, but they get together almost every day and are always there for each other. I’m less enthusiastic about Tricia’s relationship with her boyfriend, Marshall. It seems obvious that Trica cares about Marshall, but isn’t in love with him but maybe I’ve missed something in a prior book. There are a few unexpected developments in Tricia’s love life at the end of the book that could get interesting in the next book. I don’t care for huge cliffhangers like this in a series, but I will admit I am very intrigued by what Tricia will do next.

The author does a good job of balancing the daily routines in Tricia’s personal life with the murder investigation. I enjoy seeing Tricia with her sister, on the job, and on the case. The investigation brings Tricia to a local homeless camp looking for possible witnesses or suspects. The inclusion of social issues in the book has mixed results. The homelessness issue is woven fairly seamlessly into the story, especially since the victim is homeless. Other offhand comments included in the dialogue regarding other issues come across as stilted and out of place. This is a small complaint about an otherwise evenly paced and entertaining cozy mystery. Readers who enjoy this series or the author’s books written under the name of Lorraine Bartlett, as well as fans of Sheila Connolly will enjoy the latest trip to Booktown.

~ Christine

Lorna Barrett enters another Booktown mystery in her series Handbook for Homicide. Tricia Miles returns from an Irish tour with her boyfriend Marshall unsure that the relationship has staying power. Her assistant in her secondhand mystery bookshop Haven't Got a Clue, Pixie, finds a body behind the store. The police don't want Tricia's help, but she is afraid Pixie might get accused of murder. Between her romantic relations and family disturbances she rolls up her sleeves to find the killer. Lots of red herrings. Traditional cozy.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

It has been a while since I’ve visited Haven’t Got a Clue in Stoneham, NH, so one thing I very much appreciate is how there are just enough details about the characters and town to feel as if I haven’t missed a thing. It can be read as a standalone, but one will definitely want to read the earlier novels in the series. This highly successful series appeals to me as a mystery lover, as do the amazing characters. The New Hampshire setting sounds quaint yet beautiful, the characters are interesting and well-defined, and the mystery kept me guessing.

Tricia, owner of Haven’t Got a Clue, a vintage mystery bookstore, and her gentleman friend Marshall, have just returned from Ireland. Marshall was leading a travel tour, so it was not really a vacation for him. Tricia enjoyed seeing Ireland, and wants to see it again, but probably not with a tour group. She is considering when to discuss their relationship. They are comfortable together, but neither seem to have a passion for each other, or the things they do when spending time together.

Tricia’s first stop is at her bookstore. She is greeted by Pixie, her assistant manager, and Miss Marple, her fluffy gray cat. After talking about the attempted break-in at the store a few days ago and how the shop in general has been, Pixie took the garbage out behind the store. A very upset, rattled Pixie came back in. Tricia went back out with her to a dreadful find. There was a penny loafer with a foot still inside of it. The foot of someone who was dead. Someone that Pixie recognized, a woman named Susan Morris. Susan had been homeless, living out of her car; they had met in a nearby town. Pixie had given Susan the shoes she was wearing, which is what helped identify her.

The police chief and Tricia’s long-term ex-boyfriend Grant wasn’t happy to learn that she was involved with another dead body. Tricia has helped with many murder investigations in the past few years; it was one of the things that made their relationship challenging. Pixie is very concerned that she could be considered a suspect due to her record, having spent time in prison on more than one occasion. Since meeting and working for Angelica, Tricia’s older sister, then for Tricia, she has stopped getting into trouble and gotten married a great guy. Someone who has been in prison is often suspected first, if not arrested and charged, for an easy case closure.

Pixie can’t get involved with asking anyone questions about Susan. The more Tricia learned, the more she looked around, including going to a nearby camp where several homeless veterans live. Her heart and Angelica’s were burdened that our veterans are homeless, as Susan had been, and they were prepared to help where possible. In the meantime, Tricia went into Haven’t Got a Clue late one evening when someone tried to break in again, and the police chief took this attempt seriously.

The characters are thoroughly enjoyable; I like Tricia and Angelica for their intelligence and heart for helping others. I also like Pixie and Hank, who have been willing to risk change and rejection to pursue better lives. All are defined as well as necessary for their roles, and I do hope Hank joins the gang of people we see regularly in future novels.

This is a town I would enjoy, being “Booktown” with genre-specific bookstores that would be a delight to spend time in. Plot twists kept me guessing, considering who could have killed Susan and if it was the same person who kept trying to break into the bookstore. I had a couple of culprits in mind and was happy with the unique resolution! All loose ends are tied up except for one. I’m looking forward to the next in series, and highly recommend Handbook for Homicide!

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*

Handbook for Homicide by Lorna Barrett is the 14th A Booktown Mystery. I found Handbook for Homicide to be well-written with a colorful cast of characters. It was nice to catch up with everyone in Stoneham including Miss Marple and Sarge. Tricia Miles owns Haven’t Got a Clue in Stoneham, New Hampshire known for its bookstores. Tricia is returning from a trip to Ireland with boyfriend, Marshall Cambridge and the trip was disappointing to Tricia. She knew it was a working trip for Marshall since he was leading a tour group, but she expected them to have time to themselves. Tricia wonders if their relationship is near its end. She is not home thirty minutes when Pixie Poe finds a dead woman in their dumpster. The victim is Susan Morris, a naval veteran who was living in her car. Pixie is at the top of Chief Baker’s suspect list which has her worried, so she asks Tricia to do a little nosing around. Tricia, of course, agrees. Her investigation takes her to a local homeless camp where she finds a suspect or two. The mystery was not at the forefront of this book. It seemed to take a backseat to Tricia’s love life. There is also someone trying to break into the store. The two mysteries are easily solved. I would have liked more action in the book. The investigation was minimal on Tricia’s part. Of course, Tricia was distracted by her love life along with the disagreeable Russ Smith, a request for help regarding Nikki Brimfield, Angelica needing extra help, and family drama. There is plenty of eating in this book. I do not think Tricia will be losing those extra pounds from her vacation any time soon. There seem to be several people in town who dislike Tricia which was mentioned several times. I guess investigating murders will earn you a few enemies. I found the pacing a little slow in this edition and there is some foul language as well. I enjoyed the humor when Tricia utilized a unique skill to do a little sleuthing. We are left with an unanswered question at the end of the book, and I am curious how this situation will turn out. The story delves into the situation of homeless veterans and how people can assist them in a helpful and respectful manor. There are recipes at the end of the book for some of the dishes Tricia and Angelica enjoyed. Handbook for Homicide is an appealing cozy mystery with a valuable video, chamber of commerce chaos, a sidelined sister, a cookie conundrum, helping the homeless, and courtship challenges.

After an Irish vacation, Tricia Miles and her quasi-boyfriend Marshall Cambridge are back in Stoneham, New Hampshire. The trip was a dud. It was a working vacation for Marshall, who was leading a tour of elderly travelers, and he was never off the clock.

Back at the Haven’t Got a Clue Bookstore, Pixie Poe, the assistant store manager, brings her up-to-date. Everyone saw Tricia’s interview with the local cable station: “They’d featured the store as well as Tricia’s prized collection of vintage mysteries.” Anything else? “One teeny problem,” Pixie ventures, “someone tried to break into the store.” Unsuccessfully, thank goodness. Time for a cup of tea and a snack. Pixie goes out to empty the overflowing trash bin but returns right away, pale and shaky. The air in the alley stinks—is there a dead animal in the dumpster?

The smell was unpleasant, and she was about to turn away, when she noticed the shoe. But it wasn’t just a scuffed-up penny loafer; it was a scuffed-up penny loafer that enveloped a sock-covered foot.



* * * * *



Stoneham’s police chief, Grant Baker, turned his stern gaze on Tricia. “How long did it take after your return home before you found your latest stiff?”



“Hey,” Pixie protested. “Have some respect. That’s a dead lady you’re talking about.”



Baker ignored her and continued to stare at Tricia. Mr. Everett had returned from the bank and stood a discreet distance from the trio looking quite upset, but Tricia had to attend to Baker before she could reassure her friend and employee.



“For once, it wasn’t me who found a corpse. It was Pixie,” Tricia said, feeling just a little irritated.



Baker turned his attention to Pixie. “And?”



“Well, I was taking out the trash, when I smelled that awful smell,” she said rather sheepishly.



“And did you know what it was?”



“Yeah. I’ve smelled that stink before.”

She was once an EMT and her crew was often summoned to crime scenes. Pixie says that she and the dead woman, Susan Morris, were acquaintances, hanging out occasionally at the Milford laundromat. She had given Susan the penny loafers. Lastly, she shares that Susan lived in her car.

“Why would she have to live in her car?” Tricia asked.

“Because she couldn’t afford an apartment. But she did okay. She paid her car insurance, had a PO box for her mail, and stowed everything she needed in her Toyota Camry.”

Taking people at face value and walking a mile in their shoes can be challenging. Tricia can’t imagine paring down her life to what could be stored in a car. How could Susan survive living like that? Pixie offers some insight to Tricia:

“It’s just what you do when you’re broke. I lived in my car for six months between stints in the big house,” she admitted.

Tricia cringed inwardly. Pixie had a criminal record longer than both of her arms. Did she really need to remind Baker of that when she’d just found a dead body?

Tricia’s paltry vacation after-glow is short-lived. Pixie is a former sex-worker and although her crimes weren’t violent in nature, she’s worried that Susan Morris’s murder will be pinned on her. Tricia sets out to investigate Susan’s life, determined to catch the real murderer.

Susan Morris was a Navy veteran whose career petered out after she testified against several higher-ranking officers in the aftermath of the Tailhook scandal. Tailhook was particularly egregious, “drunken naval and marine officers camped out in a narrow third-floor hallway, luring female naval officers—and even some civilians—into what was called ‘the gauntlet,’ where eighty-three women and seven men were sexually assaulted.” Tricia wonders how it impacted Susan. She didn’t have to live out of her car, her daughter wanted her mother to live with her, and she was working her way out of homelessness. Her employer at the Sweet As Can Be Candy Store is heartbroken to lose her, noting that the customers all loved her.

Lorna Barrett’s take on homelessness and second chances is empowering. Sadly, in the weeks before her murder, Susan applied for a grant from Mr. and Mrs. Everett’s charitable foundation for first and last month’s rent. Philanthropy is shown in myriad ways in Handbook for Homicide; Pixie giving Susan penny loafers, the generosity of the Everett’s, and Tricia’s sister Angelica’s sizable secret fund that gives Stoneham a firm financial foundation.

A shout-out to Tricia Miles, a middle-aged woman living her best life. Who wouldn’t enjoy joining her and Angelica for their daily martini? The town is rooting for Marshall, her beau-with-benefits, but Tricia is somewhat tepid, possibly because she’s carrying a flag for her former lover, the chief of police. The townspeople think the curious bookseller is a magnet for murder.

Is a thriving town full of bookstores believable? Yes. There’s a Welsh town called Hay on Wye that has nineteen bookstores! Could fans combine autumn leaf-peeping with a visit to Stoneham? Alas, says author Barrett: it’s fictional.

Can’t find Stoneham on a map? It’s about five or ten minutes down the road from lovely Milford, NH. Stoneham is known as “Booktown” (hence the name of the series), and consists of many used bookstores.

Finally, Tricia whips up divine dishes and Lorna Barrett shares doable and mouth-watering recipes, a lovely bonus. Check out her delectable spinach quiches in Poisoned Pages (Booktown Mystery #12) or make Tricia’s Lemon Crackles from Handbook from Homicide. Bon appétit!

Tricia returns from a trip to Ireland with her off-and-on boyfriend, and one of the first things she finds on her return to her bookshop is another body. Pixie, her assistant manager, is the prime suspect, which compels Tricia to conduct her own investigation, but the clues are few and far between.

This is the 14th book in the Booktown series, one that has had its ups and downs for me. Some books have been disappointing, but this one was not. While I find it annoying that Tricia still obsesses about her weight and her appearance, I like her relationship with most of the other residents of her town, and would love to spend some time in Booktown, just browsing the shops and chatting with the people there. The mystery in this book was good, and I liked the way a couple of social issues were worked into the story, hopefully bringing more attention to these issues. I had no clue about the identity of the killer, but I wasn't surprised when it was revealed. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.