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    Chapter & Hearse: A Booktown Mystery
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    Chapter & Hearse: A Booktown Mystery
    Unavailable
    Chapter & Hearse: A Booktown Mystery
    Audiobook9 hours

    Chapter & Hearse: A Booktown Mystery

    Written by Lorna Barrett

    Narrated by Cassandra Campbell

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Mystery bookstore owner Tricia Miles has been spending more time solving whodunits than reading them. Now a nearby gas explosion has injured Tricia's sister's boyfriend, Bob Kelly, the head of the Chamber of Commerce, and killed the owner of the town's history bookstore. Tricia's never been a fan of Bob, but when she reads that he's being tight-lipped about the "accident", it's time to take action.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateAug 3, 2010
    ISBN9781101195963
    Unavailable
    Chapter & Hearse: A Booktown Mystery

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    Reviews for Chapter & Hearse

    4/5

    28 ratings16 reviews

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    • 4/5
      3.75 starsWhen one of the stores in Stoneham is blown up, the owner doesn't make it out alive. The head of the Chamber of Commerce was also there at the time, but got out with only injuries. Tricia Miles, who owns a mystery bookstore across the street, has a tendency to "help" solve crimes in the area. Meanwhile, Tricia's sister is in and out of town, as she is promoting a cookbook she has written, so Tricia is helping out with her sister's businesses, as well. I quite enjoyed this 4th book in the Booktown Mystery series. I still love Tricia's cat, Miss Marple. Something else I like about this one - Tricia had a life. She didn't focus solely on solving the mystery - she was super-busy and had lots of day-to-day stuff to do, as well. On the other hand, something that bugged me - why doesn't she just go the police when she finds something out!? I can understand why in the first book or two, but with a different police officer - one she actually gets along with - looking into this one, I just don't understand! Overall, though, I enjoyed it.
    • 4/5
      Tricia is so busy running around in this novel, she ought to qualify for frequent running miles! Angelica is on a book signing tour and Tricia is overseeing the running of Angelica’s stores as well as her own. When another shop blows up, that owner is killed and Bob is injured. Now Tricia is on the case, helping the owner’s widowed mother and trying to take care of Bob while Angie is away. Besides this mystery, a side story is developing concerning Tricia’s ex-husband. But then Russ wants back in Tricia’s life, though she still is attracted to Deputy Baker, at least to his green eyes. Sigh. It’s an interesting if complicated time in Tricia’s life, and there is never a dull moment in this well-written and fast-paced cozy.
    • 3/5
      These books are decently written, the mysteries are solid, and the minor characters are likeable. Unfortunately, Tricia, the protagonist, is so unlikable that it makes enjoying this series next to impossible. I just can't get past how much I can't stand her. It's unfortunate because I like everything else about these books. This one was good. But she's loathsome. Meh. I think I'm done with these.
    • 4/5
      This was one of the better books in the series. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters are being developed more in each book, and you are really getting a sense of who Tricia and Angelica are. The discovery of who the killer was and why that person was doing the killing came as a complete surprise!
    • 3/5
      Booktown always seem to have a great event to start off the newest adventure but Angelica's book signing for her new cookbook doesn't appear to be going well. Tricia watches over her sister's cookbook store while Angelica hits the road to promote her book. After her departure, the history bookstore across the street from Haven't Go A Clue (Tricia's mystery book store) is destroyed by an explosion and the main suspect appears to be Angelica's boyfriend, Bob Kelly, so Tricia is enlisted to try to clear him of suspicion - a tough job since she doesn't really like Bob.I love the whole concept of Booktown and the majority of the characters but this one fell a little flat for me storywise.
    • 4/5
      I loved the 1st 2 books in the series when I read them last year and I enjoyed the 3rd and 4th books in the series just as much if not more! Without a doubt, I'll continue reading more titles in the series!

      There are so many delights to this series! Cover art is not a must for a novel to make it to my 'love' list but in this series, the covers are an exquisite part of the whole! They are absolutely charming and enchanting!

      The main characters, Tricia Miles and her sister Angelica are women that you know you'd love spending time with in real life not simply during the 'read' of the novel. I can't imagine how much fun it would be to shop in Haven't Got a Clue! One of the other special reasons that I love this series is that as customers bring titles up to the register for check-out, the author will intersperse titles of mystery authors and/or series names. Some I do not recognize which means they are automatic "new" authors or series or titles to investigate for possible adds to my own wish list of books to read. [As any reader knows that list can never be too long. :)] I might not need to purchase anything at the Cookery but I wouldn't hesitate to stop in and see Angelica. However, I'd rather wait until I could meet her at Booked for Lunch, the new retro cafe. On second thought, I'll meet Angelica at Booked for Lunch. Then I can meet Frannie at the Cookery so I can wangle an invitation to meet her new little rescue cat, Penny.

      I know I would love to meet Miss Marple, Tricia's cat. And now there's hope that Angelica may rescue a cat or dog in an upcoming novel too. I'm already purring.

      Regardless of what murder has occurred in town, there's always plenty of fun, good conversation, and delicious food being prepared or eaten. For the cooks in the crowd, I can only imagine their joy that each cozy mystery includes Angelica's special recipes. After reading her recipes (sometimes with special notes), there have been moments when even I am tempted to try a recipe or two. :)

    • 3/5
      Really enjoy this series.
    • 4/5
      This series just keeps getting better and better. I love the whole idea of a theme town with bookstores (what librarian wouldn't?) and the characters are so well drawn that the books just seem to suck me in and hold me captive until I finish them!

      In this story Tricia is busy trying to run her bookstore, Angelica's bookstore and Angelica's cafe as Angelica is out on book tour for her new cookbook. Naturally, a dead body shows up and Tricia has to try and solve the mystery as well as juggle three businesses and deal with the personal lives of her two employees!

      I had a sneaking suspicion about the murderer but wasn't positive enough to say I "solved" the mystery, so once again I get to enjoy the twists that Ms. Barrett puts in to confuse and confuzzle her readers.

      Can't wait for the next in the series.
    • 4/5
      This is the first of the series I have read. It is a character driven novel, and I enjoyed Mr. Everett and Ginny. Tricia annoys me somewhat, as she seems to spend more time sticking her nose in other people's business than running her shop! I will, however, read the rest in the series.
    • 4/5
      Stoneham, a New Hampshire village known as Booktown – its downtown is home to an array of specialty bookstores – finds itself with another murder on its hands. And Tricia Miles, owner of Haven’t Got a Clue, the town’s mystery bookstore, once again turns amateur sleuth to help solve it. She’s without her sleuthing partner and sister Angelica, a bookstore owner and restaurateur in town, who is on tour promoting her first cookbook and hoping to be the next Paula Deen.Unfortunately, Angelica’s beau Bob Kelly, Booktown’s real estate mogul, is on the scene of the latest murder (of a bookstore owner) and is high on the list of suspects. While Angelica is out of town, she wants her sister to be there for Bob. But Bob, whom Tricia has never liked all that much, starts acting suspiciously. But as more information comes out about the victim, Tricia sees that there are other viable suspects — including the murdered man’s own mother, who seems not-so grief-stricken.Chapter & Hearse is the fourth Booktown mystery and, from the start, I’ve enjoyed this marvelous series. Chapter & Hearse is light-hearted, fun, and a quick read read. In my mind, a cozy mystery needs an array of characters, some sympathetic, others more prickly … and Booktown stories have both, and everything in between. Of course, after reading it, I want to head to Booktown for an extended visit. Alas, it’s fictional. Too bad.
    • 5/5
      In Barrett's mystery novel, Trisha's sister, Angelica, is now a published author and sadly disappointed in the small turnout to her initial book signing when her boyfriend, Bob Kelly is injured when the bookstore across the street blows up. While not one of Bob's biggest fans, Tricia takes action when he becomes tightlipped about the circumstances surrounding his presence at the accident. As details emerge, Tricia gets up close and personal in a murder investigation that becomes as intense as any story on her store's shelves. Numerous twists and turns make this installment to the A Booktown Mystery series spine-tingling.
    • 5/5
      It's no surprise that I'm a big fan of the Booktown Mystery series by Lorna Barrett. They have everything I enjoy in cozy mysteries: fascinating characters, a bookstore setting and an adorable cat called Miss Marple. Lorna Barrett continues her series with the fourth book, CHAPTER AND HEARSE, and it is an absolute page-turner!CHAPTER AND HEARSE sees Tricia's sister, Angelica, on her very first book tour (for her newly published recipe book) and it is up to Tricia to try and manage not just her store but to oversee Angelica's stores too! Angelica has barely left town before there is murder and mayhem with the death of the history bookstore owner, Jim Roth. Now its up to Tricia to try and solve the case. This series just gets better and better! The mystery was strong and detailed. Lorna Barrett had me guessing right till the end, with every twist and turn, as Tricia is racing against the clock to solve the crime. I simply love Stoneham. I love this town of bookstores, where there is always so much gossip and with adventure at every turn. With Tricia at the centre of all the action, it was a pleasure to learn more about my favorite characters. I really love how all the characters have grown and developed and I'm so eager to start the next book, SENTENCED TO DEATH, to find out what is in store next. CHAPTER & HEARSE is definitely a 5-star read for me. For fans of cozy mystery I highly recommend this series. It is one that you must add to your shelves. You definitely won't be disappointed.
    • 4/5
      What seems to be a natural gas explosion, killing history bookstore owner Jim Roth, turns into something more evil. When Tricia's sister's friend Bob Kelly is on the hook as a favorite suspect, Tricia decides to help the local police again as Stoneham has another killer on the loose. The twists in the story, from Jim's mom to other bookstore owners, kept things flowing along. Tricia's sister, Angelica, always good for some verbal sparring, was absent a good deal of the story on her cookbook publicity tour. I look forward to the next Booktown mystery and perhaps the arrival of a new store in the shell across the street from Tricia's shop.
    • 5/5
      Book store owner Angelica Miles should be on top of the world – she has a new cookbook out and is promoting it on a book tour. However, her happiness is tempered when a gas explosion kills a local merchant and injures her boyfriend Bob Kelly. Bob is acting a bit strangely so Angelica asks her sister Tricia, who also runs a bookstore, to not only keep an eye on Angelica’s businesses while she’s away, but watch over Bob as well. Tricia agrees and soon has her hands full as she begins to investigate the death of Jim Roth. Tricia quickly discovers that Jim may not have been what he seemed to be and he’s not the only one in town who was hiding secrets.“Chapter and Hearse” is the fourth book in Lorna Barrett’s Booktown cozy mystery series, a series that gets better with every book. I love the set-up – Stoneham, New Hampshire is known as “Booktown” because of the number of stores that sell books (cook books, travel books, etc.) and Barrett does an excellent job of capturing the dynamics of a small New England town. I loved the description of “Booktown” and its various stores. The characters are well written and developed, particularly Tricia. Her relationship with her sister Angelica is very believable – they’ve had problems in the past but are now building a strong relationship. Adding to Tricia’s character is her somewhat tangled romantic life as she has three men in her life (in various stages). While some of the book is serious and some characters are mourning the loss of Jim Roth, there is a nice sense of humor throughout the book (especially involving a life-size photo cutout of Angelica) that keeps the book from being unbearably sad. Besides the main mystery there are several smaller mysteries that kept me guessing. The main mystery is well plotted with plenty of suspects and red herrings and readers will have fun trying to guess whodunit.“Chapter and Hearse” is another nicely done cozy mystery by Lorna Barrett.
    • 4/5
      First Line: The poster on the Cookery's display window had advertised the book signing for at least a month.Tricia Miles's sister is embarking on a book signing tour for her just-published cookbook when a gas explosion demolishes Stoneham's history bookshop, killing the owner and injuring Bob Kelly, head of the Chamber of Commerce and Angelica's boyfriend. Tricia's never been all that fond of Bob, but when she finds out that he's keeping a very low profile after the tragedy, she knows it's time to do something.This series continues to get better and better. No longer weighted down by the Wicked Witch of Stoneham, Sheriff Wendy, other characters have become strong and sassy. Tricia's sister, Angelica, has mellowed and isn't the parasite she was at the beginning. And even a dog lover like me can like Tricia's cat, Miss Marple, because she's just a cat. She doesn't talk, she doesn't spell help in the mashed potatoes, she doesn't cough up hairballs, and she doesn't twine around ankles to trip people up.Tricia is stronger and no longer the complete doormat she was in the first two books. This is a series that can easily become a reading staple-- just like that favorite pair of jeans or that faded sweatshirt-- because the characters are known, loved, and constantly evolving.Characters that feel like friends combined with interesting plots? The perfect way to spend an afternoon for just as long as Ms. Barrett wants to continue this series.
    • 5/5
      Lorna Barrett writes with a flow that takes the reader into the story as eye witness to the events. You are there, it feels real. What I like best about reading a series is the character development and consistency; you soon feel you know these people personally, and Lorna is very good at giving her readers those characters. "Chapter and Hearse" is the fourth in the Booktown series.An explosion rocks the little town of Stoneham, completely demolishing one of the heritage buildings as well as the store manager, and giving the biggest tourist draw in town the look of a mouthful of teeth with one missing. What's more, the property is sold within four days of the explosion, which naturally causes our heroine, amateur sleuth and bookseller Tricia Miles, an itch in her sleuthing bones. Fortunately, her ever-faithful employees and friends are on hand to mind her store "Haven't Got A Clue", while she pursues the case. Three men from her past tend to interrupt her concentration on sleuthing, especially the Chief who definitively tells her to not put herself in the way of danger.Tricia's sister Angelica, owner of both the Cookery bookstore, next to Tricia's bookstore, and the eatery "Booked for Lunch" across the road, is out of town through most of this book She is out on a book-signing tour for her cookbook, "Easy-Does-It Cooking", but hurries back when her boyfriend Bob is not only an 'almost' victim in his own home, but also suspected of the crime already being investigated. There are many surprises in "Chapter and Hearse", misunderstandings, outright lies, misdirections, suspicious accidents, several suspects, tangled connections, and a funny scene where Tricia tries to bake. Lots for the reader to chew on. There are also recipes included. If you are looking for a good cozy murder mystery, you will not be disappointed in this book. Once again, Lorna Barrett has delivered an absorbing and extremely satisfying read. Very enjoyable and hard to put down, a real treat.