Murder Comes to Booktown Again

Stoneham, New Hampshire, is known as Booktown, but lately it might be called Murder Town. In Lorna Barrett's Book Clubbed, book store owner Tricia Miles and her sister Angelica discover the body of grumpy Chamber receptionist Betsy Dittmeyer crushed to death under a bookcase. Is it an accident or is it murder?

As they investigate they find that Betsy was a hoarder and had embezzled large amounts of money from the Chamber of Commerce. In addition she had a file on her computer with not nice comments about all Chamber members.

In a side story Bob Kelly, former president of the Chamber, has disappeared and his real estate clients are angry and annoyed that he has not responded to their needs. Is Bob connected to Betsy's death or is their some other reason he is evading the law for other reasons?

Tricia and her sister Angelica complicate their relationship when Angelica discloses some long

hidden family secret. In addition Tricia's ex-husband Christopher is still in the picture and wants to reconcile. It's a wonder Tricia has any time to run Haven't Got a Clue bookstore.

There are lots of twists and turns and Tricia seems more introspective in this book than in any of the others. I'm finding her a less interesting character as this series progresses. She seems to have lost her spark. I'm hoping that returns, but I don't foresee that in the next book.

The first nook in this series is Murder Is Binding.

Update: I was right Tricia is even more depressing in A Fatal Chapter.  I'm sorry to hear that because she was an excellent character in earlier books.