A Controversial Cover

A Booktown Mystery, Book 18

De: Lorna Barrett

Narrado por: Cassandra Campbell

When a famous children's author is murdered at the library, Tricia Miles has to find the killer before it's too late.

Tricia Miles is ready to close the book on all her amateur sluething-she's tired of finding dead bodies and being accused of murder. But even the best laid plans often go awry.

Stoneham is all abuzz when Lauren Barker, a famous children's book author, arrives for an event at the local library. Lauren is a Stoneham native, and her new book strikes some members of the town as controversial. But when Lauren is found strangled to death after an altercation at the event, the plot twist throws Tricia right back into the middle of things.

Who could possibly have wanted Lauren dead? Was it Dan Reed, who had to be thrown out of the signing for spouting conspiracy theories and causing a disturbance? Stella Kraft, Lauren's high school teacher, who thought of the author as a protege-something Lauren violently disputed? Or the mystery man who spoke to Lauren just before she was found dead? With the suspect count climbing higher and more information about Lauren's past coming to light, will Tricia be able to give this story a happily ever after?

©2024 Penguin Random House LLC (P)2024 Tantor

Another great story in this series

Another great story in this series. Love the characters although I felt like poor Trisha has been really picked on in the last two books. Love the town. Great story about author visit.

5 stars

As always, I enjoyed visiting with these characters. I really like Tricia's new relationship. I look forward to seeing what happens next.

Great buildup to the ending

Has Tricia finally found true love and happiness? Will Angelica’s secret finally be out of the bag? Another great installment with an ending I didn’t see coming. It’s always fun to visit the sisters and their friends, can’t wait for the next book!

A little too mushy

I would rather have more about catching the murderer and less about how starry-eyed Tricia is about the new boyfriend. I also forgot how much I disliked the narrator’s voices for Tricia and Angelica. Guess I’ll go to Kindle for the next one. But this is still one of my go-to series.

Love this series - with a few caveats!

Love the continuation of this series, truly one of my favorite Cozy's. The story is always cute and fun, love seeing all the characters, and read by one of my favorite narrators. There were 2 things that I was a bit annoyed by, very minor, but enough to mention. I don't like being lectured midway through a book on social issues. I could have done without the rant/lecture on recycling and using plastic. I am a conscience recycler - it doesn't mean I want to be lectured about it in the middle of a fun read, leave the civics lesson for another genre. Secondly, the whole Tricia/David relationship bothers me. First of all, why is there a need for Trisha to be in a relationship? It doesn't bring anything extra to the series, secondly, if the characters were reversed - and Trisha was 21ish, and David was in his late 40's - we would be discussing the ick factor of a man going after a younger girl - it is no less icky when a woman goes after a younger boy. I definitely was skeeved by any of the references of intimacy with the couple. Not sure what point the author was trying to make, but it missed the mark. Overall, the murder storyline was good - still love the series, and these 2 things will not keep me from continuing to enjoy the series.

The family relationships

I do not like the storyline of Tricia and David. I won’t listen again until that ends.

Another Good Listen

I really like these books and have listened to every one in the series. They’re a good, fun listen. But I’m really wondering why Pixie and Antonio‘s voices have changed. Their voices added so much more character before. Angelica is different as well, but not as offputting. I hope we get to hear Antonio and Pixie’s personalities again in future narrations.

Not my fav

I’m not sure if the story is weird or if it’s the performance of the story. I’m growing to dislike the characters. Probably my last one in this series.