The latest BooktownΒ Mysteries installment, Β A CRITICAL
CONJUNCTION by Lorna Barrett,
takes readers back to Stoneham, New Hampshire, where Tricia
and her sister, Angelica, tend to their local businesses and
are thrown into another mystery when a dead clerk turns up
in their newly purchased stoneware store.
Leona Ferguson was the shopβs previous owner until
she sold it to Tricia and Angelica. Leona had a change of
heart and wanted her store back, but Angelica refused to
sell, keeping Leona on as a temporary manager. Now the store
has been ransacked, and Leona is dead on the floor with a
piece of porcelain embedded in her neck. Who wanted Leona
dead? As Tricia begins her investigation, she gains access
to Leonaβs house through her cat and meets
Leonaβs grumpy neighbor and uncovers unpaid contractor
bills and a studio possibly used to create fake stoneware.
The real questions are how Leona stayed in business so long
with her bleak inventory and what recent windfall allowed
her to offer to buy her store back. Tricia has a lot of
clues to follow, and she does it while juggling a lovesick
sister, a business rival, a romance with a younger man, an
upcoming wedding, and an investigation into a diner that
treats certain customers poorly. Can Tricia solve the
mystery and finally get a good meal in Booktown?
A CRITICAL CONJUNCTION is an entertaining
addition to this long-running cozy series that thrives on
familiar characters and the entrepreneurial spirit of a
small New Hampshire town. It is always a pleasure to catch
up with Tricia and the rest of the cast as they go about
their daily business dealings and solve the newest mystery
in town. Tricia has a lot on her plate, and she tackles it
effectively, sometimes squabbling with her sister but always
getting the job done. The mystery shines with good plotting,
close family relationships, and spot-on pacing. The small-
town setting and the mystery bookstore are highly appealing,
and Triciaβs employees always bring the charm and the
cozy atmosphere. The wedding debacle adds a nice touch of
mayhem and foreshadows two competing suitors for Tricia's
attention. Longtime fans will be delighted to revisit
Booktown, while new readers will enjoy getting to know the
characters in A CRITICAL CONJUNCTION. Delicious
recipes are also included!
A new business isn't the only thing going belly‑up in the newest mystery in Lorna Barrett's New York Times bestselling Booktown series.
When Tricia Miles's sister, Angelica, announces to their chosen family that they're going into business together, it's news to Tricia. But rejuvenating Stoneham Stoneware, a struggling kitchen and home goods store, is something the sisters know they can do. It's a win‑win situation.
But right after they take possession, they find the store trashed and the previous owner dead.
Leona sold the enterprise to Angelica because she needed the money, but tried to renege on the deal after it had gone through. Not one to back down, Angelica refused to cancel, which made Leona bitter, leading to strained discussions witnessed by others. But it turns out plenty of others had issues with the recently deceased as well. Tricia will have to crack the case before the murderer destroys not only the fledgling business, but more lives as well.
No excerpt available.
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