Murder is Binding

Tricia Miles runs a mystery bookstore in the cozy town of Stoneham, New Hampshire. When her neighboring shopkeeper is found dead with a rare cookbook nearby, Tricia becomes both a suspect and an amateur detective. The small town of Stoneham, recently transformed into a destination for book lovers, harbors secrets beneath its quaint exterior. As Tricia investigates the murder, she encounters resistance from local law enforcement and discovers connections between the victim and several townspeople. The investigation forces Tricia to balance running her store, managing her complicated relationship with her sister, and uncovering the truth about her fellow booksellers. She must also protect herself as incidents at her store suggest she could be the killer's next target. This first entry in the Booktown Mystery series examines themes of family loyalty and the darker aspects of small-town commerce. The novel connects the historic value of rare books with present-day tensions between tradition and economic progress.

Readers describe this cozy mystery as a light, easy read that works well for fans of bookstores and small-town settings. The protagonist receives praise for being relatable and not overly perfect. Positives: - Rich details about the book industry and collecting - Strong sense of the small town atmosphere - Engaging supporting characters, especially Ange - Complex mystery that keeps readers guessing Negatives: - Some find the pacing slow in the first third - Several readers note forced dialogue - Multiple reviews mention predictable plot elements - Complaints about too many secondary characters introduced quickly Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (12,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (450+ ratings) Reader quotes: "Perfect for book lovers but the mystery itself is just okay" - Goodreads reviewer "The bookstore details make up for the sometimes clunky writing" - Amazon reviewer "A decent first entry but lacks the polish of later books in the series" - Barnes & Noble review

The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lilian Jackson Braun A newspaper reporter investigates murders with his Siamese cat in this first entry of a series featuring rare books and mysterious deaths.

Homicide in Hardcover by Kate Carlisle A book restoration expert becomes entangled in murder when her mentor is killed at a prestigious book event.

The Christie Curse by Victoria Abbott A book collector's assistant searches for a lost Agatha Christie manuscript while solving the murder of a rare books expert.

Booked to Die by John Dunning A police detective turned bookstore owner uses his knowledge of rare books to track down a killer targeting book scouts in Denver.

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie Miss Marple investigates the death of a young woman found in a library, connecting the crime to the world of books and reading.

🔍 "Murder is Binding" is the first book in the popular Booktown Mystery series, which now includes 15 novels 📚 The fictional town of Stoneham, New Hampshire, where the series is set, is known as "Booktown" because it's filled with specialty bookshops - a concept inspired by real book towns like Hay-on-Wye in Wales ✍️ Lorna Barrett is a pen name for author Lorraine Bartlett, who also writes under the names L.L. Bartlett and Lorraine Barrett 🏆 The series has earned multiple spots on the New York Times Bestseller list and helped establish the "bookstore cozy mystery" as a thriving subgenre 📖 The protagonist, Tricia Miles, owns a mystery bookstore called Haven't Got a Clue - a clever nod to both the genre of books she sells and the mysteries she solves