Katy Bonner had spent the months after the death of her
husband trying to pull her life back together. Working for
an insurance agency, she also kept an occasional but
uninterested eye on Artisan Alley, an art and crafts
gallery that her husband had invested in before his death
and the centerpiece of the Victoria Square area in McKinley
Mills.
But Katie finds herself unexpectedly thrust into the heart
of the business when the owner, Ezra Hilton, is found dead,
apparently murdered, at the bottom of the staircase at the
gallery. Surprised further to find that she had been named
the executor of Ezra's estate, Katie agrees to take over
the running of the gallery temporarily until the estate can
be probated.
Naturally curious, Katie pokes about trying to find out who
would have killed the grouchy owner, and her questions
seems to have stirred up the killer's ire, especially when
an exhibitor at the gallery turns up dead not long after
Katie takes over the reins of the business. Will Katie
find out who is causing all the mayhem, or will she be the
next victim?
In A CRAFTY KILLING, Lorraine Bartlett's debut novel in
the Victoria Square Mystery series, 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 storyline, readers will be enthralled
and delighted with this fresh new series.
Bartlett, who also writes the Booktown Mystery Series
(under the name Lorna Barrett) and the Jeff Resnick
mysteries (under the name L.L. Bartlett), continues to
prove herself to be a skilled storyteller with this new
series. I look forward to more adventures with Katie
and crew in upcoming Victoria Square mysteries to come!
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.
