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    A Crafty Killing
    A Crafty Killing
    A Crafty Killing
    Audiobook8 hours

    A Crafty Killing

    Written by Lorraine Bartlett

    Narrated by Jorjeana Marie

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    The last thing Katie Bonner wanted was to become the manager of Artisans Alley. But when her business partner, Ezra Hilton, is found bludgeoned to death, she has no other choice. Business under Ezra had been faltering-but was it enough to provoke someone to murder? Only Kate can find the answer.

    While the cops are proceeding by the book, Katie is investigating by the booths-for the answer to the killer's identity lies in the hidden secrets of Artisans Alley itself.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateFeb 24, 2015
    ISBN9781494579487
    A Crafty Killing

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    Reviews for A Crafty Killing

    4/5

    116 ratings18 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Katie Bonner, a young widow working for the boss from hell, is thrust into a new situation when the owner-manager of Artisan's Alley is murdered and she finds herself the majority owner of the failing business. Artisan's Alley was her late husband Chad's project, not hers. But if she can build up the business, she can sell it to buy HER heart's desire, an old mansion she wants to convert into a bed and breakfast.But first, she has to contend with the oddballs and eccentrics -- artists all -- who rent space in Artisans Alley. And the victim's money-hungry nephew. And the cop who is investigating (or not) the murder. And with her attractive lawyer, and another guy who owns the local pizza parlor. And, just maybe, solve the first murder, and a second that seems to be linked to the first. Complications abound, but Katie is nothing if not resilient.A Crafty Killing is a sweet new mystery series by a top-notch author who writes under a few pen names. Katie is a likable heroine, fallible yet strong, tough but tender. A great book for readers looking for something light -- and who look for happy endings. I expect this series to go on for a long time.
    • 5/5
      Whether she writes as Lorraine Bartlett or Barrett, Lorna, I love reading this author's novels. At some point I must pause and investigate her other writing as L.L. Bartlett with the Jeff Resnick Mysteries.

      But back to "A Crafty Killing" the opening novel for the Victoria Square series. It has everything I adore within a cozy mystery - a main character that you'd want to have as a friend and an adorable cat or two - in this case Katie Bonner and cats, Mason and Della. Artisans Alley is a wonderful setting for artisans and perhaps crafters too. There's also some enticing recipes at the end of the novel.

      So glad that I already have the next novel in the series entitled, "The Walled Flower" so I don't have to wait any longer to read the next adventures for all.

    • 4/5
      Bartlett's protagonist is not so much a crafter herself as someone who has been dragged into the craft world. It was her late husband who sank their savings into an arts-and-crafts mall in their small upstate New York town. When she stops in one morning on the way to her "real" job in an insurance office to find her business partner dead, she must not only take over running the financially-troubled business, but try to assist the police in solving the crime. Sometimes this type of "cozy" mystery has way too much about the "theme" and not enough mystery, but this is not the case here. There's also some humor and some insightful thoughts about early widowhood and the ambivalence that comes with it when the marriage wasn't perfect. Recommended for a short, enjoyable read.
    • 5/5
      Whether she writes as Lorraine Bartlett or Barrett, Lorna, I love reading this author's novels. At some point I must pause and investigate her other writing as L.L. Bartlett with the Jeff Resnick Mysteries.

      But back to "A Crafty Killing" the opening novel for the Victoria Square series. It has everything I adore within a cozy mystery - a main character that you'd want to have as a friend and an adorable cat or two - in this case Katie Bonner and cats, Mason and Della. Artisans Alley is a wonderful setting for artisans and perhaps crafters too. There's also some enticing recipes at the end of the novel.

      So glad that I already have the next novel in the series entitled, "The Walled Flower" so I don't have to wait any longer to read the next adventures for all.

    • 2/5
      Listened for Review (Tantor)Overall Rating: DNFStory Rating: 3.50Character Rating: 1.00Audio Rating: 3.50 (not part of the overall rating)First Thought when Finished: A Crafty Killing by Lorraine Bartlett had one of my worst Pet Peeves ever: leading character thinks she is smarter than the cops and thinks they can't do their job.Might have changed my mind if: I listened to 70% of the story and just had to shut it down. However I had to know what happened so I fast-forwarded to the last 5%. If Katie had acknowledged the police sooner I might have changed my mind about her. The mystery was solid, the business rebuilding was really interesting, and the side characters were really good. Katie however was not likable at all to me with her judgement, condescending attitude, and "know it allness" (in this book). I am going to chalk it up to her life getting turned upside down. I will try Book 2 because of how this ended. It gives me hope that she is more likable in Book 2.Audio Thoughts: Narrated By Jorjeana Marie / Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins I really loved Jorjeana's narration but she sounded like she had a cold while recording. It was a little distracting. I went to listen to other snippet's of her narration and she is really good. So I think it probably was a cold and not a nasally problem. I will definitely listen to her again!Part of my Read It, Rate It, File It, DONE! ReviewsMy status updates while reading:40%: #Listening Liking the characters but here is my pet peeve with some cozy mysteries: why do they try to make cops look incompetent. Like there is no way the case could be solved unless they butted in. I will reserve judgement till the end but right now the cop is grouchy and according to the main character not doing much.48%: #Listening Narrator definitely had a cold(or something)---I went to listen to other samples of her narration and she is excellent. This really isn't bad but I can hear stuffy!"52%: #Listening I am having a real problem with the leading lady: her judgement of others (the cops, other shop owners, ect) is really getting on my nerves62%: #Listening she is growing on me a little bit now but still a wee bit judgmental.67%: #Listening Katie just went off on the cop and felt like she could do his job better. BIG PET PEEVE! She is a suspect exactly why does she think the cop should share all his information with her. I am really back to disliking Katie again. I am close to DNFing this.and then I DNF'd at 70%
    • 5/5
      This is the first book in the Victoria Square series. Lorraine Bartlett also writes as Lorna Barrett.

      Victoria Square is a group of small shops and is anchored by Artisans Alley. Artisans Alley is made up of booths for artists. Katie Bonner has inherited a 10% ownership in Artisan Alley when her husband had died in an automobile accident. As she is on her way to work she notices police cars in front of Artisan Alley and stop be and learns that the owner, Ezra Hilton, has been found dead, evidently murdered. Katie soon learns that she will executor of Hilton’s estate and will be majority owner in it. The other 45% will belong to Ezra’s nephew. AA is, to put it mildly, in financial disarray due to bad management by Ezra. The artisans and the shop owner in Victoria Square want it to become a a success, whereas the nephew wants it sold as soon as possible. Soon there is a break in to Katie’s office and one of the artisans is found dead. Katie doesn’t feel the police are looking hard enough to find the killer.

      Bartlett has provided the reader with an interesting cast of characters and a very interesting mystery. She built a solid case for two or three of the characters, but left me surprised at the end. I’m looking forward to the next book to hopefully learn more about the artisans and to see if they can get along with the crafts people who will be joining them.

    • 5/5
      I liked the story and setting quite a bit. Can't wait to read the next!
    • 4/5
      Fun read -- I would like to visit Victoria Square. Katie Bonner has lost her husband in a car accident and inherited the Artisan's Mill in the last 6 months. Being in a job she hates with the boss from hell and being overwhelmed with responsibilities and debt, Katie decides the only way to get what she really wants (to buy a Bed & Breakfast Inn) is to quit her job and devote all her energy to making the Mill a sucess. While making new friends, not knowing who to trust and making enemies, the dead bodies start accumulating.
    • 5/5
      This is a great first in a series book. I've read several other books by this author under her "Lorna Barrett" name so knew it would be good but didn't expect it to be this good. In fact, I read it in a day and a half, a rarity for me.

      Katie finds out that her business partner is killed, murdered, and then discovers that she is now major partner in a venture called Artisans Alley. Ezra Hilton was running the operation and Katie's former husband had invested in the business, much to Katie's dismay. Now, Katie has to deal with a fast failing business, a group of artists who have been getting by on not paying (or seldom paying) rent, a merchants association, a hostile minority partner and the total loss of her dream for owning a B&B.

      There are plenty of potential killers in this one and I had wondered about five or six at different times. I totally didn't even notice the one who was the killer and I do so enjoy when an author is so good as to make me suspect several people and then surprise me with the actual killer, and then to make that killer totally logical. if you followed the story correctly.

      I can't wait for the next in this series.
    • 5/5
      In Bartlett’s mystery novel, Katie Bonner finds herself the unwilling manager of Artisans Alley after her business partner, Ezra Hilton, is found murdered. Artisans Alley promotes artists efforts and is the main attraction in Victoria Square. But business had been faltering under Ezra’s care and evidently it just might have provoked someone into murdering him.As Katie begins looking into Ezra’s death, she begins to suspect that her husband Chad’s death just might be connected. While the local cops divide their attention among all of their cases, Katie investigates booth by booth at Artisans Alley hoping to find an answer everyone can live with.Interesting plot, great characters—what a great new series A Victoria Square Mystery is!
    • 5/5
      Katie Bonner's plans to open a bed and breakfast were dashed when her husband Chad took their money and invested it in Artisan's Alley. His actions put a rift in their marriage, a rift that was never healed before Chad died in a car accident, leaving Katie a business partner in Artisan's Alley. Now her business partner Ezra Hilton has been murdered and not only has Katie inherited part of Ezra's estate, the police consider her a major suspect in his murder. Katie must figure out how to make Artisan's Alley financially solvent and solve Ezra's murder before she is arrested for murder."A Crafty Killing" is the nicely done first novel in Lorraine Bartlett's Victoria Square cozy mystery series. I love the setting of Artisan's Alley and Bartlett does such a good job of creating the atmosphere that I wish it really existed so I could go visit it. Katie is a great heroine who grows as the book goes along - at the beginning she is still recovering from the loss of her husband when Ezra dies and she's a bit of a pushover, especially when it comes to her boss, but she gets stronger and feistier as the novel goes along. While Chad is dead at the start of the book, he plays an important role in the book and it is easy to see how much Katie lost when he died. The business aspects of the book are well done. Bartlett populates the book with several memorable characters. The mystery is well plotted with plenty of suspects and more than a few surprises. Bartlett provides her readers with plenty of clues to figure out who the killer is but she also has some nice red herrings that will keep readers guessing whodunit.I really enjoyed "A Crafty Killing" and look forward to my next visit to Artisan's Alley.
    • 4/5
      Having lost her husband Chad, several months earlier, Kellie Bonner is horrified when her new partner, Ezra Hilton, (Chad had been in business with him) is found dead and she is thrown into the position of keeping the Artisans Alley open not just for sentimental reasons but for financial ones as well. Not happy that the detective in charge of the investigation seems slow, Kellie sets out to supply him with information so that the killer can be found and the crafters as well as customers will feel safe.The characters are interesting and make you want to get to know that better, the descriptions of the crafts make me want to drive up and look around. Definitely a series to continue.
    • 5/5
      Some readers may know Lorraine Bartlett under the name of Lorna Barrett. She has written the highly successful Booktown Mystery series, and now she has a new series out. A cozy mystery series full of small town gossip, and arts and crafts. In A CRAFTY KILLING Katie is left reeling after discovering the body of Ezra, the owner of Artisan's Alley. When Ezra names her in his will, she has no choice but to try and keep it running, even if just for the sake of her husband, who passed away some six months before. With more than her hands full Katie tries to find the answer to the murder of Ezra, and will the murderer strike again? I really enjoy the Booktown Mystery series, and so I was curious to see what this other series was like. To say I enjoyed A CRAFTY KILLING would be a mild understatement. I loved it, and gave it 5 starts on Goodreads. What's not to love? Great characters, a fabulous mystery and plotlines that kept me guessing. As someone that works in the insurance industry, I loved that was Katie's day job. It isn't often I get to see that. Katie herself was such a strong, tough character. I love that she barely ever turned away from a fight, and she gave her all to Artisan's Alley, when she decided she would try to run it. The mystery itself was great. I love when an author throws a dead body in the first chapter! There is nothing like some action straight up to get the reader interested, and I was very interested! As with her Booktown Mystery series, I felt like A CRAFTY KILLING was well researched, and the plotlines blended together so perfectly. Lorraine Bartlett sure knows how to write a great mystery! With a cast of interesting secondary characters, I was thrilled with this first book, and I will definitely be racing out to get THE WALLED FLOWER, the second book in the series, when it is released in February, 2012. For those that love to cook there is also a cookbook out for this series called Recipes to Die For: A Victoria Square Cookbook.
    • 3/5
      Ezra Hilton, owner of a Artisans Alley, is found dead. Katie Bonner, widow of Ezra's former 10% partner, becomes executor and majority owner in the business upon his death. She'd had little to do with the business up to that point, but hated her job with an overbearing boss. She quits and decides to run the shop which is about to go under. She also doesn't think the detective is doing all he can to resolve the crime so she sets out to investigate on her own, gathering as much information as she can about the artisans. With Katie's background in marketing, we can begin to see hope for survival of the struggling business as she takes over operations. I found myself liking most of the cast of characters that will likely be repeats (although I must confess that there might be one or two that I wouldn't mind seeing charged with a future crime). I had the feeling that this book is mostly a set-up and introduction for the rest of the series. There's really very little action, and I feel we didn't get to know the detective quite as well as we should, although there were some revelations near the end about him. She did manage to keep me guessing who the perpetrator was throughout the novel although I had already guessed some aspects of the solution. Not a bad start for this series! I look forward to reading more about Katie and seeing how the gallery and her relationships with some of the men progress during the course of the next installment.
    • 4/5
      First Line: Ezra Hilton lay sprawled at the bottom step of the staircase, facedown in a puddle of his own congealed blood.Recently widowed, Katie Bonner has a job she loathes and a small interest in Artisans Alley, a collection of booths for artisans in a renovated apple warehouse. Becoming the manager of Artisans Alley was one of the last items on her wishlist-- if it even made the cut at all. But that's just what happens when Ezra Hilton is found dead on the premises. Although the linchpin of the entire Victoria Square shopping district in this small town close to the shore of Lake Ontario in upstate New York, Hilton's stodgy, old-fashioned management has Artisans Alley teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. If it goes under, the entire shopping district will follow in its wake.As Katie takes over from Ezra, she discovers that there are details about his death that just don't add up... and she'd better break out her calculator before she becomes the next body in line.The cast of characters shines brightly in this series beginner. Katie is feisty when she needs to be, and it's satisfying to watch her start to come out of her shell and make new friends. She's got a management style that is a proven winner. She's open to suggestions from others, listens to them, incorporates the best ideas into her plans-- and doesn't take credit for work she didn't do. Katie doesn't always get it right, though. She's been a bit of a hermit since her husband died, and she gets the wrong idea about someone in town a time or two. These "wrong ideas" force Katie to interact with the other characters more so we get to know them all better. Two characters that normally get glossed over a bit in mysteries (the killer and the police officer in charge of the investigation) were given depth in A Crafty Killing. Bartlett puts her winning touch on all.If you're looking for craft ideas and tips, this isn't the book for you. This is a book for people who love casts of well-drawn characters, and who like to witness the process of turning a business loser into a business success. Once Katie has Artisans Alley on firmer ground, who knows, there may be craft tips; however, I'm more than happy with what's there: a fast-paced plot, an interesting setting, and a marvelous cast of characters. Bartlett has her stage set, and I'm ready to see more action unfold.
    • 4/5
      It's always nice to discover a new cozy mystery as the first one is released. When Katie Bonner comes across her late husband's business partner dead in a stairwell on the first page, you know you're going to be in for a great mystery. Ezra owned the economically flailing Artisan's Alley, in which Katie's late husband Chad sank much of their precious bed and breakfast savings into as a partner shortly before his car accident. After Ezra's death, Katie, who is woefully underutilized in an insurance office, decides to take the plunge and assume her place as leader of Artisan's Alley and find a killer at the same time. As with any new series, it's always fun to meet a variety of clever and quirky secondary characters (and wonder who will move to the forefront as the series moves on!). Artists can be an eccentric bunch and I imagine Katie will have her work cut out for her as she tries to make changes to the Alley to make it more profitable. Bartlett has created a nice little square in small McKinlay Mill and I hope to read a lot more about Katie and her new friends.
    • 5/5
      Recently widowed Katie Bonner is just getting used to the idea of her husband being gone. So when his former business partner Ezra Hilton dies unexpectedly, and she learns that she is the main beneficiary, she's flabbergasted. She works full-time, and knows next-to-nothing about the operations of Artisans Alley.But when she takes time off work to deal with funeral arrangements and familiarize herself with how the Alley is run, her employer is extremely difficult and unsupportive. In frustration, she quits her job, and decides that operating and promoting Artisans Alley is more suitable to her education and talents anyway.Frustrated, because she doesn't think the police are doing enough to determine the cause of Ezra's death, which she's certain was NOT accidental, she starts to investigate on her own. It's then that she realizes that her husband Chad's car crash might not have been accidental. She seeks the advice of the owner of the pizza parlor next door to the Alley, but the more she learns about him and the other shopkeepers, the more confused she is about whom to trust.Bartlett's new series is going to be a hit. A likeable, intelligent, independent protagonist with just enough problems and insecurities to be realistic, and a convincing mystery make this an unputdownable read.*FTC Full Disclosure: Many thanks to the publisher, who sent me a copy of the book for review purposes.
    • 5/5
      A Crafty Killing: a Victoria Square Mystery by Lorraine BartlettReview based on ARC. I love Lorraine Bartlett’s Booktown series that she writes under the name of Lorna Barrett. Having enjoyed many an afternoon spent reading about the adventures of the citizens of Booktown I was eagerly anticipating this new series. I was not disappointed.A Crafty Killing introduces us to Katie Bonner, a recent widow who suddenly finds herself the proprietor of Artisan’s Alley after the death of Ezra Hilton, whom at first glance appears to be the victim of a robbery gone bad. Prior to his death, Katie’s husband Chad, had sunk all their savings (money that was supposed to be their investment in a bed and breakfast) into a small percentage of Artisan’s Alley. After Ezra’s death, Katie is surprised to learn that she is not only the executor of Ezra’s estate, but the largest shareholder in Artisan’s Alley. The business, which many believe to be the cornerstone to making Victoria Square a success, is in dire financial straights. At first Katie’s plan is to turn the white elephant into a profitable business so she can sell it and buy her dream business – the bed and breakfast. But before she can do that she must find out who killed Ezra, convince the artists at Artisan’s Alley to operate in a more profitable manner, as well as figure out if it is too soon after Chad’s death to consider romance. I loved this book. Even if I had not read Lorraine’s other books, I would have picked this up because of the crafty setting. I enjoy books with a crafty theme. I’ll keep reading this series because it’s a beautifully written and engaging mystery. The plot moves at just the right pace with plenty of action without overwhelming the reader. The characters are well developed and full of quirky attributes that make want to know more about them.)A Crafty Killing was an engaging read that I did not want to put down. I can’t wait to read more about Katie and her efforts (which I just know will be a success) to turn Artisan’s Alley into a thriving business.I received an Advance Reader’s copy for review. I did not receive any compensation for my review. Look for this wonderful new series in February of 2011.