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A Booktown Mystery — by Lorna Barrett
Booktown Series in Order: 20 books
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Murder is Binding
Book - 1
Stoneham, New Hampshire, was a dying town until community leaders invited booksellers to open up shop. Now, its streets are fined with bookstores--and paned with murder... When she mooed to Stoneham. city slicker Tricia Miles was met with friendly...
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Bookmarked For Death
Book - 2
Once a struggling town, Stoneham, New Hampshire, is now enjoying a renaissance--thanks to booksellers like Tricia Miles, proprietor of Haven't Got a Clue. It's a great place to find a goof mystery to read--or to solve ... To celebrate her bookstor...
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Bookplate Special
Book - 3
Tricia Miles. owner of Haven't Got a Clue mystery bookstore, is stiff settling into Stoneham, New Hampshire. the hind of town where everybody knows your name -- and where everyone's quick to fend a hand, even when murder is afoot... The hinder folks...
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Chapter and Hearse
Book - 4
According to the gossip around Stoneham. New Hampshire. Tricia Miles cannot put down a real murder mystery. After all, the owner of the mystery bookstore Haven't Got a Clue has been spending more time soloing whodunits than reading them ... Trick's ...
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Sentenced to Death
Book - 5
As the owner of Stoneham, New Hampshire's, mystery bookstore Haven't Got a Clue, Tricia Miles can figure out whodunit in the latest bestseller way before she gets to the last page. But these Jays, Tricia is using her sleuthing skills for much more th...
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Murder on the Half Shelf
Book - 6
Tricia Miles -- owner of Haven't Got a Clue, the best mystery bookstore in Stoneham, New Hampshire -- once again plays amateur sleuth as she is unexpectedly reunited with a man from a chapter of her life she closed long ago... The town of Stoneham...
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Not the Killing Type
Book - 7
New York Times bestselling author of Murder on the Half Shelf Lorna Barrett delivers another compulsively page-turning Booktown Mystery in which amateur sleuth and bookstore owner Tricia Miles gets caught up in a local election that turns lethal... ...
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Book Clubbed
Book - 8
New York Times bestselling author Lorna Barrett is back in town--Booktown, that is--with another page-turning mystery. This time bookstore owner Tricia Miles and her sister, Angelica, put their own problems on the shelf to catch a killer who turns a ...
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A Fatal Chapter
Book - 9
New York Times bestselling author Lorna Barrett presents another page-turning chapter in her Booktown Mystery series. This time mystery bookshop owner Tricia Miles is about to find out murder is no walk in the park... While out walking Sarge, her ...
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Title Wave
Book - 10
Tricia and Angelica leave Booktown behind for a pleasure cruise, but they're going to need their life jackets because a murderer has also booked passage -- in Lorna Barrett's New York Times bestselling series. While her bookstore, Haven't Got a C...
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A Just Clause
Book - 11
Just when things are getting back to normal in Booktown, Tricia and Angelica have their lives turned upside down by a shocking visitor from their past in this latest entry in Lorna Barrett's New York Times bestselling series. Tricia Miles, myster...
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Poisoned Pages
Book - 12
Mystery bookstore owner Tricia Miles learns that nothing kills a good party like a murder in the latest entry in the New York Times bestselling Booktown Mysteries. Tricia Miles, mystery bookstore owner and amateur sleuth, throws a housewarming coc...
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A Killer Edition
Book - 13
Murder's in the mix for mystery bookstore owner and amateur sleuth Tricia Miles, in the latest entry to Lorna Barret's New York Times bestselling Booktown series. With her assistant, Pixie, picking up more responsibility around the shop, ...
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Handbook for Homicide
Book - 14
Tricia Miles must swim against the tide to catch a killer when Haven't Got A Clue's assistant manager is accused of murder in the latest entry to Lorna Barrett's New York Times bestselling Booktown series. Haven't Got A Clue booksh...
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A Deadly Deletion
Book - 15
A murder leads to a string of shocking revelations for bookstore owner Tricia Miles in the latest entry to Lorna Barrett's New York Times bestselling Booktown series. Tricia Miles has just received a second marriage proposal within fifteen minut...
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Clause of Death
Book - 16
Bookstore owner Tricia Miles tries to open a new chapter in life, but murder mars the pages in the latest entry to Lorna Barrett's New York Times bestselling Booktown series. Tricia Miles and her sister, Angelica, are the co-presidents of the Stoneha...
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A Questionable Character
Book - 17
The murder of a local contractor may be the final nail in the coffin for Tricia Miles in the latest entry to Lorna Barrett's New York Times bestselling Booktown series.It's a busy summer in Booktown. Contractor Jim Stark is in great demand: he's over...
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A Controversial Cover
Book - 18
When a famous children's author is murdered at the library, Tricia Miles has to find the killer before it's too late in the latest entry to Lorna Barrett's New York Times bestselling Booktown series.Tricia Miles is ready to close the book on all her ...
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A Perilous Plot
Book - 19
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...
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A Critical Conjunction
Book - 20
A new business isn't the only thing going belly-up in the newest mystery in Lorna Barrett's New York Times bestselling Booktown series.When Tricia Miles's sister, Angelica, announces to their chosen family that they're going into business together, i...
Series Premise
The series follows Tricia Miles, a former corporate professional who, after a divorce, moves to the small New Hampshire town of Stoneham to open her dream business: Haven't Got a Clue, a cozy mystery bookstore specializing in rare, out-of-print, and new titles. Stoneham has reinvented itself as "Booktown," a tourist destination lined with independent bookstores, attracting bibliophiles and generating economic revival.
Shortly after Tricia's arrival, she discovers a murdered bookstore owner, becoming the prime suspect. To clear her name, she begins investigating, uncovering motives tied to jealousy, rare books, hidden secrets, or business rivalries. This pattern repeats: each book introduces a new murder (often in or around the bookstore community), and Tricia—sharp, observant, and a mystery fan herself—finds herself drawn into solving it, despite warnings from law enforcement.
The premise combines cozy mystery tropes (amateur sleuth, small-town gossip, recurring suspects) with a bookish twist: crimes often involve rare editions, signed copies, or literary feuds. Subplots explore Tricia's adjustment to small-town life, her strained relationship with her older sister Angelica, her growing friendships, and the challenges of running an independent bookstore amid tourism and competition. The series celebrates the joy of reading, community spirit, and resilience while delivering satisfying whodunits.
Booktown Series Characters
Tricia Miles: The protagonist and amateur sleuth—a smart, independent woman in her thirties who owns Haven't Got a Clue. Practical, book-loving, and observant, she uses her mystery knowledge to solve crimes. After a divorce and big-city life, she adapts to small-town living, growing more confident and connected over the series.
- Miss Marple: Tricia's gray cat—a scene-stealer who often "helps" investigations by knocking over clues or providing comfort. Named after Agatha Christie's sleuth, she's a fan favorite.
- Angelica Miles: Tricia's older sister—outgoing, dramatic, and entrepreneurial. Initially a short-term visitor, she stays to open The Cookery (cookbook store) and later Booked for Lunch (cafe). Their sibling dynamic—love mixed with exasperation—adds warmth and humor.
- Ginny Wilson: Tricia's loyal employee at Haven't Got a Clue—cheerful, hardworking, and a good friend who assists in investigations.
- Chief Grant Baker: The local police chief—attractive, competent, and often at odds with Tricia's meddling, though tension hints at romance.
Setting of the Booktown Series
The primary setting is Stoneham, New Hampshire—a fictional small town transformed into "Booktown," a tourist haven lined with independent bookstores. Inspired by real book towns, Stoneham features quaint streets, historic buildings, a charming downtown with shops, a diner, a library, and seasonal events (festivals, author signings, holiday celebrations).
Tricia's bookstore, Haven't Got a Clue, is central: a cozy space with shelves of mysteries, comfy chairs, and a resident cat. Investigations span the town—other bookstores, homes, parks, nearby woods, or the library—creating a contained, atmospheric stage for crimes. The New England setting adds charm: autumn leaves, snowy winters, spring blooms, and summer tourists. Stoneham feels lived-in and welcoming, with a strong sense of community where gossip travels fast and neighbors help (or hinder) Tricia's sleuthing.
Tone & Themes of the Booktown Series
The tone is cozy, light-hearted, and engaging—classic cozy mystery with warmth, gentle humor, and low-stakes suspense. Barrett keeps violence off-page or minimal, focusing on puzzle-solving, character interactions, and the pleasures of books and small-town life rather than graphic details. Murders happen, but the emphasis is on motive, clues, and clever reveals rather than horror.
Humor comes from Tricia's wry observations, quirky town characters, and her cat Miss Marple's antics. Emotional moments (grief, family tension, romantic uncertainty) are handled with sensitivity and optimism. The books feel comforting and optimistic—justice prevails, friendships strengthen, and Tricia grows more confident. It's feel-good escapism with intellectual appeal: perfect for curling up with a cup of tea and a good mystery.
The Booktown Mystery series by Lorna Barrett is a delightful, book-loving cozy series that turns a charming New Hampshire town into a haven for mysteries and community. Through Tricia Miles' sharp sleuthing, supportive friendships, and the cozy world of Haven't Got a Clue, the books celebrate reading, small-town life, and the satisfaction of solving puzzles. With 20 entries full of clever clues, gentle humor, and satisfying resolutions, the series offers comforting escapism where murders are solved, friendships endure, and books bring joy. Whether Tricia is unraveling a rare-book theft or navigating sisterly bonds, the stories remind us that curiosity, kindness, and a good mystery can brighten any day. If you're seeking cozy whodunits with heart, literary charm, and a cat sidekick, Booktown delivers page-turning comfort and endless reread value.
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