Mystery bookstore owner Tricia Miles learns that nothing kills a good party like a murder in the latest entry in the New York Times bestselling Booktown Mysteries.Tricia Miles, mystery bookstore owner and amateur sleuth, throws a housewarming cocktail party in her new apartment and has cooked all the food by herself—quite a feat for someone who previously couldn’t boil water. Then one of her … water. Then one of her guests is poisoned and dies. Tricia’s left to wonder if her cooking is to blame or if there’s something much more sinister at play. Either way, Tricia’s once again in hot water with her ex-lover, Chief Baker.
Meanwhile the charming town of Stoneham is being disrupted by a vandalism crime wave. It’s the hot topic in the race for Chamber of Commerce president which sees Tricia pitted against two bitter rivals. With all that’s going on can she find the killer before she’s the next item on the menu?
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In this new book of the series Tricia is throwing a house warming party now that her place has been finished. She has worked very hard preparing all the food for her party and can’t wait to have everyone over. When the guest of one of her guests ends up dead after eating one of her treats she truly does feel like a jinx. She didn’t know the man and it didn’t seem like anyone else did either besides his date, so it had to have been an accident right? Why do bodies seem to gravitate towards her, why can’t it be someone else? It looks like the man had an allergic reaction to the food, but wouldn’t he have been smart enough not to eat something he wasn’t suppose to? Follow along as Tricia tries to get to the bottom of the dead mans sudden demise. Along the way she learns that someone is black mailing her sister, has someone vandalizing her property, and an ex that just can’t seem to let go. There were quite a few twists and turns that kept me guessing the whole way through, which always makes for a great read. This was to me the best book of the series and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Tricia’s apartment remodel is finally finish and she is celebrating with a housewarming party. She even cooked for the party! Since she has recently taken up cooking, she is happy to show off her new skills. Everything seems to be going well until one of her guests dies from what appears to be a food allergy. This death seems to bring back up the village jinx rumors which could not happen at a worse time. Tricia is running for the Chamber of Commerce President but she has some unexpected competition. Is the death of Tricia’s guest an accident or murder? Can Tricia break what seems to the streak of bad luck?
This is my favorite book in the series so far. Author Lorna Barrett has created a wonderful setting and fabulous characters, I truly feel as if I am reading about beloved friends. The murder mystery can be enjoyed as a stand-alone mystery, but a lot of the background information can better be understood if you have read the previous books. Several continuing storylines are wrapped up, we learn a few secrets, and we are introduced to a possible new and unexpected love interest. Tricia is being attacked by rumors and Angelica is being blackmailed for reasons she will not share even with Tricia. I really love how even with all the negativity going around the sisters, their adoptive family never turns their backs on them and helps to pull them through everything. I definitely recommend this book to fans of the series as well as all mystery lovers.
**I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own. **
This book had me on the edge of my seat while reading . I was so happy to revisit Stoneham again. Reading the Booktown Mystery is like visiting an old friend.
I was happy to see closure to some events from past Books.
But oh my gracious the new revelations of things in this book will leave you wanting to reread.
The book starts of with Tricia hosting a dinner party after the remodel of her apartment when death struck again! Frannie’s date for the evening falls victim to food poisoning but is that truly what happened?? During the wild ride we find that Angelica is being blackmailed, Tricia running for Chamber President against an old flame and a possible new romantic interest on the horizon..
But hold on to the edge of your seat because you will not see the ending coming!
I’m still in shock and amazement!
Poisoned Pages by Lorna Barrett is the twelfth book of the Booktown Mystery series. In this book, Tricia is having a housewarming party in her newly refurbished apartment. At the party, one of the party goers is killed when poisoned by something he ate. It’s up to Tricia to figure out who did it and why.
I really enjoyed this book. Going back to Stoneham, was like visiting with old friends. I could see myself going into Haven’t Got a Clue, visiting with Pixie and Mr. Everett. I would go to Booked for Lunch for a great meal while watching Tricia having lunch with Angelica. The characters add warmth and wit to the story. They are one big family.
The mystery is exceptional. It is a mystery within a mystery. There were secrets and a great who-dun-it that will keep you guessing. I couldn’t stop reading until I got to the end and found out the answers to all the questions. It kept me riveted until the end. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a great who-dun-it with twists and turns that will keep you guessing along the way, and characters that are warm, witty and have a family feel.
I received this ARC copy of the book from the author for review. This is an honest review.
Tricia’s apartment is finally done and she’s going to have a housewarming party. She has even cooked! All is going nicely until….a guest dies. In her new home of all places. Was he murdered or allergic to something he ate??
It is also election time to vote in a new Chamber President. Tricia has decided to run for the position. How will this death affect her chances of winning? Can she win?
So many secrets, surprises come to light in this wonderfully written story. WhAt a fantastic trip back to BookTown with old friends.
An ending I really was not expecting.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
Love all of Lorna Barrett’s books, I look forward to reading a lot more of them I. The future.
Another fabulous installment in Lorna Barrett’s fabulous Booktown Mystery. Love all the characters in this series. Even with this being the 12th book, this author still delivers an intriguing and fantastic read. The series is still fresh and entertaining. I love protagonist Tricia Miles and her wonderful family, both blood and not.
I received a copy from the publisher, but the opinion is my own
I’ve read every book in the series, and the story just gets better and better. I love the development of the characters from start to finish. And in this book, I just have no words, it was so good.
This book we find the relationship between the two main characters Sisters, Tricia and Angelica Miles, Is strained due to multiple factors. It really test their harmony in many ways. And we see such change and growth of those closest to them! It opens with the long awaited sentencing of Bob Kelley, who had killed Tricia’s ex-husband. Not only isn’t he remorseful but he twistedly blames Tricia for everything and curses her in court! This sets the tone for everything that follows.
This book is fast paced, and has several plot lines. The twists keep you guessing. And the recipes keep you drooling!
I highly recommend this book!
So excited Tricia finally got to celebrate her new apartment. Unfortunately, her celebration is spoiled by another death. Lorna Barrett opens up the town with a couple of new characters and twists to leave room for even more Booktown Mystery books.
Last in series in cozy mysteries where you become invested in the characters and look forward to each new book.
First, I liked the story because it kept me interested, but I was constantly wondering what the heck had happened. Is everyone in this town a psychopath? Every town in a mystery series has to have it’s problem citizens, but almost everyone Tricia and Angelica know seem to have a dark side to the point where it’s a bit ridiculous. At the end, one is left wondering why the sisters just don’t pull up stakes and go elsewhere despite their “family” .
My thanks to my local library for the book.
I like all of her books and have read almost all of them.
I’ve read several books of this series, and enjoy the characters, especially those who work at the bookstore. An interesting tale is woven in each “episode”!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Tricia Miles just has a way of finding dead bodies. Many in town call her a jinx, some straight to her face. Well, this time she doesn’t even need to leave her newly redone apartment to add another dead body to her list. While hosting a housewarming party one of her guests keels over dead. Tricia isn’t much of a cook but she never imagined someone dying after eating her food. The guy must have had an allergic reaction, she can’t be held responsible for that. She didn’t even know the guy, he was the date of one of her other guests. Chief Bakes soon finds out what the toxin was and it is not something commonly found in food, especially Tricia’s kitchen. Which means the man was murdered!
While all this is going on Tricia is running for Chamber of Commerce president. A position her sister has decided to give up to dedicate more time to her businesses. Unfortunately, she has two opponents and they are discrediting her all over town and using that whole jinx thing against her. Can she win an election and catch a killer? She sure is going to try.
There is never a dull moment in Booktown, something is always happening. Tricia’s party, the chamber election, Tricia’s sister Angelica is worried about something, Stoneham as a vandal causing damage and then, of course, there is the dead guy on Tricia’s floor. Ms. Barrett packs Poisoned Pages with a very captivating cozy mystery. In fact, there is more than one mystery to solve and they may or may not be connected.
The staff at Haven’t Got A Clue always has Tricia’s back. This allows her plenty of time to tool around town trying to get the answers she needs to book the person that used her party for their crime. She also spends plenty of time with her sister hoping to find answers there too. Mr. Everett and Pixie Poe are the perfect employees. Pixie has really come into her own. Her creativity shines this time as she pulls out all the stops to help Tricia become the next Chamber of Commerce President. Mr. Everett has other things on his mind. He and his wife are adopting an elderly cat. He is so excited and has plenty of pictures of the feline to share.
The plot of this story tangles all the mystery elements together. With only a week to campaign before the election, Tricia has the perfect opportunity to question many of the suspects. She also got her sister to reveal what was bothering her and that gave her another mystery to solve. She plans to leave the vandal to the police but she thinks she knows their identity too. It was so much fun to traipse around town each step of the way with Tricia. I was completely gobsmacked when all was revealed.
This truly is one of my favorite series. I love these characters. I am excited about where Tricia may be heading in her personal life. Angelica unleashes a surprise in this story that will change her life in a really good way. These sisters worked hard to get their relationship where it is today and I have enjoyed following along. So much has happened over the course of this series but the author keeps her characters and their stories fresh and relevant. You can read this book as a stand-alone but this is a series the really should be read from the start, in order, to fully appreciate how far these characters have come.
I am so excited for the next installment of this series
Great Book and Author
Very good
This series is excellent and well worth reading! The ending of this book makes me want to read the next book now. I did not expect the person whodunit. I highly recommend this series and this book. You won’t be disappointed!
The Booktown Mystery series is how I got hooked on cozies in the first place. The newest book does not disappoint. It’s packed full of mystery and “hometown” flavor. The newest book has Tricia hosting a housewarming party at her newly renovated apartment. Things seem to be going well until one of her guests dies from what appears to be an allergic reaction at her party. This does not help her run for Chamber of Commercial President, which has become a heated race with two of Tricia’s rivals. Naturally, Tricia decides to do a little sleuthing of her own… Like the other Booktown Mysteries, this book is packed full of twists and turns. Each book also develops its characters even more — they grow with each book. I really love the relationship between sisters Tricia and Angelica and all the characters are also like dear friends to me now. Even if you haven’t read the series, it’s not hard to read this series out of order (although you may end up wanting to buy up every book to devour the entire world of Booktown!) I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book but the opinions are all my own.
Tricia is finally looking forward to putting the past to rest, with the trial and sentencing over, starting with hosting a party to celebrate the new apartment renovations. But alas, that doesn’t work out well for her when one of the guests drops dead. And while she is keen to prove that she did not poison him deliberately or accidentally, the death is certainly putting a damper on her run for Chamber President, against two formidable opponents. And then there are the incidents of vandalism that seem to be plaguing the town. This is a delightful mystery series full of interesting characters, that continue to grow and develop through each new book. I enjoy the relationship between Tricia and her sister, even when they are disagreeing over things. I also like how Tricia interacts with her bookstore staff, Mr. Everett and Pixie. I was excited that Mr. Everett and his wife were planning to adopt a rescue cat, because he definitely gets along well with the store’s cat, Miss Marple. All your favorite characters seem to be present in this story, and the villain turns out to be someone totally unexpected (no spoilers intended). I do have to say that Tricia is lucky to have such good help because she definitely spends a lot of time outside of her store, investigating the clues. I am looking forward to the next book in this series, with a new lease on life for Tricia, as well as a potential romantic interest (besides Chief Baker!). Disclosure: I am voluntarily reviewing this book.