A Perilous Plot
Booktown Mystery #19
By Lorna Barrett
ISBN 9780593819210
Author’s website: lornabarrett.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
Family reunions are killer—literally—in the newest mystery in Lorna Barrett’s New York Times bestselling Booktown series.
Everything was going great for Tricia Miles, right up until her estranged mother, Sheila, arrives on her front step with an urn she says contains the remains of Tricia’s father.
Shocked and saddened, Tricia and her sister, Angelica, attempt to get to the bottom of what happened. But their efforts for clarity are dashed when Shelia disappears the very next day, leaving without a word.
Naturally, the sisters are upset—especially after they take the remains to the local funeral parlor and discover that not only is the urn filled with kitty litter, but hidden inside is a valuable (and stolen) Rolex watch. Digging deeper, the sisters find their parents are in dire financial trouble and seem to be lurking around Booktown.
Tricia and Angelica can’t help but wonder how many more secrets their mother was keeping…and whether that includes murder. (From Goodreads)
Review:
Stoneham, New Hampshire, aka Booktown, is the place to go for readers and collectors! The primary businesses in Stoneham are bookstores – I wish it was a real place! It is April, and business would soon escalate for the tourist season.
Tricia is the proprietor of a mystery bookstore, Haven’t Got a Clue. She and her cat, Miss Marple, have been enjoying a new relationship with a younger man, David, who would soon graduate with a degree in library science.
Tricia’s older sister, Angelica, owns several businesses, including others under the branding of her alter ego, the mysterious, unknown developer, Nigela Ricita. Angelica is almost ready to open Stonecreek Manor, an upscale inn under Nigela Ricita. One of her first ventures, Cookery, is next door to Tricia’s store, and specializes in cookbooks and top-quality cooking gadgets.
Last October, Sheila, the sisters’ mother, came to town briefly. She dropped off an urn that she said held their father’s ashes without explanation, and slipped out of town without a word. Now, in April, they discover another deception. The sisters went to the funeral home to transfer some of their father’s ashes into their memorial charm necklaces.
The director revealed that kitty litter was inside, no ashes. Also, wrapped securely inside was what appeared to be a very expensive Rolex watch. Their mother had done cruel things in the past, but was this a scam? Was John, their father, still alive?
The chief of police, Ian MacDonald, discovered who was the owner of the $18,000 watch. Ian also a warrant for John’s arrest. The watch was reported stolen after a card game he was in with several wealthy gamblers. It wasn’t the first time John faced gambling repercussions, but major theft could put him in prison for life. If he’s even still alive.
Angelica was once very close with their mother, but Sheila ignored Tricia. They lost Tricia’s twin brother to SIDS, and Sheila never forgave her for being the twin to survive. Due to recent business losses, Sheila and John were having difficulty no longer being rich.
Angelica contacted their mother’s long-time friend, “Aunt” Bunny, hoping Bunny knew where Sheila was. Bunny came to visit, then quickly burned her bridges by telling Tricia and Angelica that and she their father had an affair for many years.
Angelica, not wanting Bunny under her roof now, sent Bunny to Stonecreek Manor until it opened. The first night Bunny was there, however, the new innkeeper, Cleo, called; she thought Bunny was dead. There was no evidence of a break-in, but she was murdered in a negligee, as if she were waiting for a special visitor. Angelica was an early suspect, due to an officer misunderstanding something she said.
The following day, Angelica and Tricia helped with cleanup at Stonecreek. Tricia found crumbs and food bits near Bunny’s room. They searched the Manor for possible squatters, starting in the attic. They were horrified at who they found. Their mother was tied up, gagged, and unconscious, lying on the floor.
The hospital advised that Sheila had amnesia from a blow to her head. She didn’t know her name, and denied that the sisters were her daughters. When the hospital released her, she had nowhere to stay. Sheila, at Angelica’s request, stayed at a hotel she was affiliated with. Sheila was as snippy and nasty to both sisters as she used to be with only Tricia, devastating Angelica.
The characters are an eclectic, well-defined group of small-town friends. My favorites include Tricia, David, Pixie, the Everetts, and Angelica. The sisters’ parents lived in a different town, and were once wealthy until a class action lawsuit was filed against their mother’s business. Angelica and Tricia grew up wanting for nothing, except Tricia, who would have traded the wealth for a mother’s love. Realistic conversations and behaviors enhance the characters, including the toxic family they grew up in. While some readers might not understand the family dynamics, others might identify with another family that isn’t quite “normal”, and see their potential for a better future in the sisters.
The partial list of the characters at the beginning was greatly appreciated! The sisters, especially Tricia, are determined to find the killer. She wants Angelica cleared and justice served for the two women. Plot twists and turns made the pages fly! To further complicate the situation, Becca, the police chief’s fiancée, was kidnapped, and the kidnappers wanted a tidy sum of cash in exchange for the former tennis pro.
The culprit(s) was a surprise! To me, this is one of the better mysteries in the series, and the investigation and ending were very satisfying. I highly recommend this – and other mysteries in the series – for those who appreciate suspenseful cozy mysteries, bookstores, and families of the heart.
