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46 reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
This is a fabulously flamboyant start to a new series!
1 Feb 2011
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Katie Bonner had to admit that a corpse was good for business. Everyone and his brother would come rushing into Artisans Alley to see the spot where Ezra Hilton had been bludgeoned to death. It was a good thing that Mary Elliot had found the old coot because frankly, she didn't have the stomach for that sort of thing even though "Artisans Alley--and Ezra--had ruined her marriage." Her dearly departed hubby, Chad, had invested in this "decaying money pit," and after his death she became Ezra's partner. Every last one of the vendors in Artisans considered themselves to be an undiscovered artist, including Peter Ashby in number sixty-four who dealt in "garden statuary," a quaint euphemism for cemetery statues. The ghouls would love his stuff and that X marks the spot hunk of carpet Detective Davenport, the `thank you, ma'am man,' had ripped up at the bottom of the stairs.
After the "Did Mr. Hilton have any enemies?" bit was over Katie had to calm down, pop a peppermint, and get down to business. Things quickly started to hop and bop, including Ida Mitchell's UGH-ly facial wart, one other thing Katie didn't have the stomach for. Ida, who hadn't paid her rent in months, was going to be the first one out the door of Artisans just as soon as she told her boss at Kimper Insurance where to get off. This was business and the very future of Artisans Alley and Victoria Square depended on her. Katie had her eye on a "sumptuous bed-and-breakfast," but a dump that sold objects d'art would have to do. Vance Ingram, Ezra's backup, began to squawk, "You've never shown any interest in this place. What makes you think you can just waltz in her and change everything now?" Try me.
Katie didn't know whodunit, but soon she'd have to contend with more nuts than were in the cookies at Mary's "Tea and Tasties." Gerald Hilton, Ezra's greedy nephew (and now partner), had his own ideas about running things. Pizza parlor Andy had a bunch of hoodlums for employees and the vendors were yelling about the "crappy crafters" she was letting in Artisans. Oh, and the `thank you ma'am man' was telling her to mind her own business. Nosy Rose Nash said, "I can tell you about everything, about everybody in this place." La di da, go right ahead because it was starting to look like an inside job until everyone got to Collier's funeral parlor to pay their respects to Ezra when Nona Fiske began to scream. "Trollop! It's your fault Ezra's dead. If you hadn't come to Victoria Square, Ezra would be alive today."
This is a fabulously flamboyant start to a new series. For the first book in a series, I was quite impressed at how well Katie's character was developed. She was gutsy, determined, spunky, and capable of getting the job done, including catching a killer. I loved the little touches of humor scattered throughout the book and fell in love with Katie's no nonsense approach to life and the occasional corpse she had to deal with. If you read and enjoyed the Booktown Mystery series, also by the author (Lorna Barrett) you're going to love graduating from one series to the other. It looks like Artisans Alley and Victoria Square are going to be a "high falutin'" hotbed ... for murder!
This book (ARC) courtesy of the author.
After the "Did Mr. Hilton have any enemies?" bit was over Katie had to calm down, pop a peppermint, and get down to business. Things quickly started to hop and bop, including Ida Mitchell's UGH-ly facial wart, one other thing Katie didn't have the stomach for. Ida, who hadn't paid her rent in months, was going to be the first one out the door of Artisans just as soon as she told her boss at Kimper Insurance where to get off. This was business and the very future of Artisans Alley and Victoria Square depended on her. Katie had her eye on a "sumptuous bed-and-breakfast," but a dump that sold objects d'art would have to do. Vance Ingram, Ezra's backup, began to squawk, "You've never shown any interest in this place. What makes you think you can just waltz in her and change everything now?" Try me.
Katie didn't know whodunit, but soon she'd have to contend with more nuts than were in the cookies at Mary's "Tea and Tasties." Gerald Hilton, Ezra's greedy nephew (and now partner), had his own ideas about running things. Pizza parlor Andy had a bunch of hoodlums for employees and the vendors were yelling about the "crappy crafters" she was letting in Artisans. Oh, and the `thank you ma'am man' was telling her to mind her own business. Nosy Rose Nash said, "I can tell you about everything, about everybody in this place." La di da, go right ahead because it was starting to look like an inside job until everyone got to Collier's funeral parlor to pay their respects to Ezra when Nona Fiske began to scream. "Trollop! It's your fault Ezra's dead. If you hadn't come to Victoria Square, Ezra would be alive today."
This is a fabulously flamboyant start to a new series. For the first book in a series, I was quite impressed at how well Katie's character was developed. She was gutsy, determined, spunky, and capable of getting the job done, including catching a killer. I loved the little touches of humor scattered throughout the book and fell in love with Katie's no nonsense approach to life and the occasional corpse she had to deal with. If you read and enjoyed the Booktown Mystery series, also by the author (Lorna Barrett) you're going to love graduating from one series to the other. It looks like Artisans Alley and Victoria Square are going to be a "high falutin'" hotbed ... for murder!
This book (ARC) courtesy of the author.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
I loved it!
10 Feb 2011
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Katie Bonner is a great new heroine in the cozy mystery genre. The supporting characters are also believable and interact with Katie and each other in a realistic manner. (In some cozies the interaction between characters is a bit off!) It is also refreshing that Katie's romantic interest isn't a policeman, PI, lawyer, etc. Another enjoyable element is the entire setting of the book, the craft cooperative. What a neat idea! I was also totally surprised at the outcome and can't wait until book two. Lorraine Barrett's books never disappoint!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Couldn't put it down!
6 Oct 2011
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I've read the Booktown mysteries and loved them and the Jeff Resnick mysteries and loved them and with A Crafty Killing, the first book in the Victoria Square Mystery series I am not let down. Lorraine Bartlett came through with a solid plot and interesting characters. One thing that appealed to me was how Ms. Bartlett slowly unveiled her characters' background and personalities so there were surprises all through the book, even with Katie Bonner, the lead in the story. Kate jumps to conclusions a time or two and isn't always right on in her assessment of people, but as time goes on she does get things right and shows that she has a generous heart.
I acquired this book yesterday and couldn't put it down until I turned the last page, where there are three delicious sounding recipes. There are two cats in the book, Mason and Della and I am hoping in future books to the series they will have a bigger part in the plot. Although, Della did play a pivotal role in the showdown. I really like Della!
I'm looking forward to witnessing Artisan Alley's being built up and hopefully, flourishing, and getting to know some of the people in the story better.
I acquired this book yesterday and couldn't put it down until I turned the last page, where there are three delicious sounding recipes. There are two cats in the book, Mason and Della and I am hoping in future books to the series they will have a bigger part in the plot. Although, Della did play a pivotal role in the showdown. I really like Della!
I'm looking forward to witnessing Artisan Alley's being built up and hopefully, flourishing, and getting to know some of the people in the story better.
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