Thursday, October 20, 2011

Sentenced to Death by Lorna Barrett

Title: Sentenced to Death
Author: Lorna Barrett
ISBN: 9780425241868
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, 2011
Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Amateur Sleuth, #5 Booktown mystery
Rating: C+
Source: Paperback Swap

First Line: Founder's Day weekend.

The entire town of Stoneham, New Hampshire, has been gearing up for the big Founder's Day celebration, but everything literally goes up in smoke when a freak accident kills one of Tricia Miles' friends right before her eyes.

The Sheriff's Department chalks the entire thing up as an accident, but as Tricia learns bits and pieces of information, she starts thinking that there's a lot more to the story, and sets out to prove her point with potentially fatal results.

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series, and although I did enjoy this book, it is enjoyment with reservations. I found it to be less satisfying than the others in the Booktown series.  The plot and the identity of the murderer felt a bit convoluted and over the top. The main character, Tricia, seems rudderless and looking for a change. Her ex-husband is making overtures, and she can't make up her mind between showing him the Welcome mat or a restraining order.

I hope that Barrett is setting us up for something new and exciting in the next book in the series. I don't think I'm the only one who doesn't care for indecisive main characters.




2 comments:

  1. I think I've only read the first two in this series. Not sure why I haven't continued reading it. I meant to. Sigh. So many series and I have serious wandering eye about mystery series. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kay, I think my wandering eye is every bit as bad as yours! LOL

    ReplyDelete

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