Lorna Barrett Not The Killing Type (Booktown Mystery #7): A Stoneham Murder Shakes Up Election Season
If you've ever wished you could escape to a village where every shop sells books and your biggest local drama involves Chamber of Commerce politics, then Stoneham, New Hampshire is your happy place — until, of course, someone turns up dead. Lorna Barrett's Not The Killing Type is the seventh installment in the beloved Booktown Mystery series, published in July 2013 by Berkley Prime Crime, and it delivers everything loyal fans have come to expect: small-town charm, sharp wit, and a murder mystery that keeps you guessing right up to the final pages. Set during a chilly November election season, this entry proves that even the most civic-minded events can turn deadly when old grudges are involved.
The victim this time is Stan Berry, a local sign maker whose death sends shockwaves through Stoneham's tight-knit business community. What makes the setup so deliciously compelling is that the Chamber of Commerce elections — already simmering with rivalry and resentment — provide the perfect pressure cooker for secrets to boil over. As the Kirkus review aptly notes, Barrett delivers "a mystery chock full of interesting suspects and a surprising denouement," and from the very first chapter, it's clear that nearly everyone in town had a reason to want Stan out of the picture.
From Bookshop Sleuths to Small-Town Politics: Where the Booktown Mystery Series Stands at Book Seven
For readers new to the series, a quick orientation: the Booktown Mysteries are set in a fictional New Hampshire village whose entire economy revolves around independent bookshops, making it the ultimate fantasy destination for bibliophiles. Our sleuth, Tricia Miles, is a composed, sharp-minded city transplant who opened a mystery-themed bookstore called Haven't Got a Clue — and who has, somewhat inconveniently, developed a talent for stumbling across murder victims. By book seven, the series has hit a confident stride, with Barrett balancing the cozy charm of the setting against increasingly layered character dynamics and more ambitious plotlines.
One of the more self-aware and endearing touches in this installment is that Barrett actually acknowledges the elephant in the room: the characters themselves remark on how statistically improbable it is that Tricia keeps finding dead bodies in such a small town. It's a wink at the genre's beloved conventions that will make longtime cozy readers grin. The series, which has now grown to an impressive nineteen books, clearly found its groove well before this entry — but Not The Killing Type stands as a particularly strong mid-series highlight, demonstrating that the Booktown world still has plenty of story left to tell.
Tricia Miles, Angelica, and a Web of Chamber Grudges: What Sets This Entry Apart
The heart of this book — and arguably the entire series — is the relationship between Tricia and her sister Angelica, and Not The Killing Type gives that dynamic plenty of room to breathe. When Angelica becomes implicated in Stan Berry's murder, Tricia's protective instincts kick into high gear, and the investigation becomes deeply personal. Reviewers at Kings River Life Magazine specifically praised the sisters' evolving bond, and it's easy to see why: the push-and-pull between Tricia's quiet pragmatism and Angelica's flamboyant confidence creates a sisterly chemistry that feels genuinely warm and lived-in rather than manufactured for plot convenience.
The Chamber of Commerce backdrop is a masterstroke of cozy world-building. Bob Kelly, the incumbent Chamber president and Angelica's complicated ex-lover, adds a layer of messy personal history to the already fraught political landscape. As Tricia digs deeper, she uncovers a ballot box full of lies and betrayals, revealing just how cutthroat small-business ownership in a tourist town can be. The tension between community camaraderie and naked self-interest gives the mystery real texture, and the long list of suspects with genuine motives means readers will be happily theorizing — and likely second-guessing themselves — all the way to the end.
Surprising Culprits, Cozy Charm, and Bonus Recipes: Who Should Pick Up This Book
One of the most consistent praises across reviews is that the killer's identity is genuinely difficult to pin down. The Open Book Society noted that they didn't figure out the murderer until just a few pages before the reveal — high praise from a seasoned mystery reader — and the Richmond Times Dispatch warns readers not to get too comfortable even when a key clue seems to point clearly in one direction. Lorna Barrett has a well-earned reputation for misdirection, and this book delivers one of her more satisfying surprises. Miss Marple, Tricia's aptly named pet cat, also makes her presence felt, adding that essential feline warmth that animal-loving cozy fans adore.
As a bonus, the book includes recipes from Angelica — the talented cook of the pair, given that Tricia is famously hopeless in the kitchen — which adds a delightful interactive element to the reading experience. Whether you're a longtime Booktown devotee or a cozy mystery reader looking for a new series to binge, this is an excellent entry point and a deeply satisfying read. As Feathered Quill Book Reviews puts it, "Tricia Miles is definitely one of the most appealing sleuths in the cozy mystery world" — and after seven books, it's hard to argue otherwise. Fast-paced, funny, and full of heart, Not The Killing Type is an unputdownable addition to one of the genre's most reliably charming series.