A Great New Series from Lorraine Bartlett - A Crafty Killing

A Crafty Killing: a Victoria Square Mystery by Lorraine Bartlett

Review based on ARC.

I love Lorraine Bartlett’s Booktown series that she writes under the name of Lorna Barrett. Having enjoyed many an afternoon spent reading about the adventures of the citizens of Booktown I was eagerly anticipating this new series. I was not disappointed.

A Crafty Killing introduces us to Katie Bonner, a recent widow who suddenly finds herself the proprietor of Artisan’s Alley after the death of Ezra Hilton, whom at first glance appears  to be the victim of a robbery gone bad. 

Prior to his death, Katie’s husband Chad, had sunk all their savings (money that was supposed to be their investment in a bed and breakfast) into a small percentage of Artisan’s Alley.  After Ezra’s death, Katie is surprised to learn that she is not only the executor of Ezra’s estate, but the largest shareholder in Artisan’s Alley.  The business, which many believe to be the cornerstone to making Victoria Square a success, is in dire financial straights. At first Katie’s plan is to turn the white elephant into a profitable business so she can sell it and buy her dream business – the bed and breakfast. 

But before she can do that she must find out who killed Ezra, convince the artists at Artisan’s Alley to operate in a more profitable manner, as well as figure out if it is too soon after Chad’s death to consider romance. 

I loved this book. Even if I had not read Lorraine’s other books, I would have picked this up because of the crafty setting. I enjoy books with a crafty theme.  I’ll keep reading this series because it’s a beautifully written and engaging mystery.  The plot moves at just the right pace with plenty of action without overwhelming the reader.  The characters are well developed and full of quirky attributes that make want to know more about them.)

A Crafty Killing was an engaging read that I did not want to put down. I can’t wait to read more about Katie and her efforts (which I just know will be a success) to turn Artisan’s Alley into a thriving business.

I received an Advance Reader’s copy for review. I did not receive any compensation for my review. Look for this wonderful new series in February of 2011.