Lorna Barrett's Booktown Mystery Series! "Murder is Binding"

I have been catching up on my reading and this series is the first I want to review. I love Cozy Mysteries. Even more, I love ones that have recipes at the end. This one has it all. Each book has a great mystery the heroine must solve. The heroine actually has some normal real life issues and is easily relatable for me. And her sister is the cook so there is always great food and lots of yummy recipes at the end.

I like that Tricia Miles and her sister Angelica have issues. They slowly rise above them and work to resolve the sibling problems of their past. Angelica is definitely in her own world sometimes, and yet, I love her. I never had a sister growing up, for me it was brothers, but I see some of the issues I lived with in their past and I get them. I think the only thing I have never understood is someone who can't cook. But then I have friends who are kitchen clueless and even a few who are a danger to themselves and others if they try to cook. And evidently that is Tricia. But she more than makes up for it with her love of books. I can totally relate though if I was a bookseller I would probably go with my first love, Science Fiction. I came to the world of Cozy or Paranormal Mysteries in more recent years.

Book one is "Murder is Binding". We are introduced to Tricia and her sales associate Ginny in the opening pages. Tricia is dealing with the woman who owns the Cookery, a cooking bookstore. Doris is taciturn and hard to deal with, but Tricia does her best to keep her cool even though the woman is outright unfriendly and verbally attacks her for being the cause of Doris's rent going up. Doris finally leaves, but forgets her glasses in the process.

Tricia finds out her sister, whom she never got along with and tries to avoid, has come to visit her and is staying at the local inn. She dreads seeing her, but goes anyway. On her way, she drops off Doris' glasses and finds out the woman is supposed to have a meeting with Bob, the landlord, shortly. When Tricia arrives at the Inn to see Angelica she finds Angelica dining with Bob. Could the day get any more stressful? Evidently, it can, as she soon finds out.

We have a murder, and the Sheriff wants to pin the murder on Tricia. And let the investigations begin. This sets the tone for a great story with many red herrings throughout.

This leads me to the other thing I love about this series. The romance is much more realistic to me. In this book she starts out totally antagonistic to the owner of the villages weekly newspaper. He writes a blistering article that shines her as the most likely suspect in the murder. Which get Tricia ready to do battle to clear her name. She is drawn to the man running for Selectman as he is much more charming to her. But all is not as it seems.

Honestly the twist and turns here will keep you guessing. A delightful read start to finish.

I will post more reviews for each consecutive book. But if you want to find out more, check out Lorna's Booktown website to see more.


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