This is the latest installment in the Booktown Mystery
series. In this book, Tricia (the owner of mystery
bookstore Haven't Got a Clue in Stoneham, New Hampshire) and
her sister Angelica are staying for a night at the local bed
and breakfast Sheer Comfort Inn. The inn, owned by Pippa
and Jon Comfort, is hosting a few locals as a trial run
before they actually open, but just as Tricia and Angelica
begin to settle in for the night, Tricia goes for a walk and
finds Pippa's dead body.
Not only does Tricia make that upsetting discovery, but
while being questioned by the local police, she discovers
that Jon Comfort isn't who he appears to be. He's actually
Harry Tyler, a man that Tricia used to date -- until he died
in a tragic accident nearly twenty years ago. Tyler
initially denies Tricia's accusations, until he finally
realizes that he has to come clean.
Harry soon becomes the prime suspect, largely because he has
no alibi for the time Pippa was murdered. Although Tricia
can't personally stand him because of how he deceived all of
his friends and family, she can't conceive that he would be
capable of killing someone. Despite warnings from the
police chief (who also happens to be Tricia's boyfriend --
kind of), Tricia can't help but do some investigating of her
own. She soon discovers, however, that Pippa had her own
questionable past, which means that there were several
people who may have had a motive to kill her.
Tricia investigates despite some personal issues that plague
her. Grant (the police chief) tells her that they shouldn't
talk while the investigation is ongoing since she discovered
the body and may be considered a suspect by the DA. One of
her employees is having marital issues and asks Tricia to
intervene. And Angelica is up to her usual antics, positive
she'll be the next Paula Deen and doing what she needs to
make that happen.
While MURDER ON THE HALF SHELF was well-written and the
usual cast of
characters were still fun to read about, this is the kind of
mystery that never fails to annoys. Much of the fun for the
reader in a cozy is picking up on the clues throughout the
book and discovering "whodunit" along with the amateur
detective. However, in MURDER ON THE HALF SHELF, that was
impossible. As the culprit was revealed, I was exasperated,
as there was no way I could have figured out the motive no
matter how carefully I read the book for clues. While I was
right about the suspicious behavior of a character, I was
wrong about why, through no fault of my own.
That being said, the rest of MURDER ON THE HALF SHELF was a
great read, with
much humor and some clever writing. This is a series I
highly enjoy, and this misstep will not deter me from
reading the next book when it comes out.
“If anyone has the formula for a frolicking fun mystery down
pat, it’s Lorna Barrett” (Roundtable Reviews), the New York
Times bestselling author whose latest Booktown Mystery finds
amateur sleuth Tricia Miles unexpectedly reunited with a man
from a chapter of her life she closed long ago…
Stoneham, New Hampshire, is a haven to bookstores, including
Tricia’s own mystery shop, Haven’t Got a Clue, but is sadly
lacking in bed and breakfasts. Pippa and Jon Comfort’s Sheer
Comfort Inn opens its doors to the public in a week and the
couple has offered some locals a free night as a trial run.
But what should have been a pleasant overnight stay for
Tricia becomes a nightmare when she makes two startling
discoveries: Pippa’s murdered body in the backyard, and the
fact that her husband Jon is actually Harry Tyler, a man
Tricia loved—and believed dead—for nearly twenty years.
Now Harry is the prime suspect, but Tricia doesn’t believe
him capable of murder, regardless of her own feelings toward
him. And even though Harry’s led a life of lies, Tricia’s
learning that Pippa had her share of secrets that some
people may have not wanted revealed…
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