Another enjoyable mystery in this bookish series by Ms. Barrett.This time, Tricia didn't stumble over a dead body, but, somehow, the appellation "jinx" still tainted her! At first, the explosion at the store across the street from Haven't Got a Clue looked like an accident, but it turned out to be murder, and Tricia was once again on the hunt for the killer.Tricia seemed to run hot and cold in this story. Once minute, she was kind and compassionate and, the next, she thought and said some rather catty and mean-spirited things to people. She didn't seem all that supportive of her sister, Angelica's, book tour and mocked her success as a published author, but, on the other hand, she was more than willing to help her out with her two businesses in her absence. I thought Tricia's wanting to strangle her older sister at times was a little harsh and exaggerated. I kind of like Angelica, sometimes even more so than Tricia!I'm finding it a bit odd that Tricia and Angelica can run "successful" businesses when both of them are hardly ever in their own stores! It's just a good thing, I guess, that their hired employees are competent and loyal and willing to handle the business on their own.Poor Tricia! Her love life certainly left a lot to be desired. Russ turned out to be a major jerk, and, to tell the truth, I never liked the guy, anyway. Captain Baker was a potential love interest, but cooled the budding relationship between him and Tricia with an "ex-wife is sick and needs my help" excuse. There is still the possibility that they will get together in the future.The mystery was pretty good with a few twists and turns here and there. I knew the person who was eventually revealed as the murderer was up to no good well before the end, but I didn't realize he or she was responsible for Jim Roth's death or what the motive was. The old car chase and hit-and-run ploy is getting a bit thin, in my opinion. Every book I've read so far in the series utilizes this same plot element, as well as the final gathering of everyone in Haven't Got a Clue at the end. Regardless, this is a fun, cozy series and quite enjoyable for the most part. Frannie goes from being a likable person in the previous books to a weird, raving psycho in this one. It was weird and disappointing. Tricia attempts to buy her friends out of any and every trouble they get into. I can see how everyone would be put off about it. And what was the deal with the dead guy's mom? She asking for money all over the place, even flat-out asking Tricia to pay for the storage space, bemoaning how she has no money, but then goes on a cruise with her boyfriend and later declines to take the money Tricia raised for her. She didn't make much sense at all. There were several things I thought would happen that didn't. You'd think it would be good that the story didn't follow itself to the most transparent conclusion, but the actual conclusion was so much more disappointing and bland. This book was decent and I did enjoy reading it, but I wouldn't buy any of these. They're entertaining, but I wouldn't continue if they weren't at the library.
What do You think about UC_Chapter & Hearse (2010)?
Light, quick mystery-recommended beach reading for bibliophiles
—trycia
Miss Marple talked a lot more and I loved the calla lilies.
—Carterwade6
Fun, light mystery.I will read more of the Booktown series.
—Papagimp
