A Lethal Lake Effect (A Victoria Square Mystery)
by Lorraine Bartlett
About A Lethal Lake Effect
A Lethal Lake Effect (A Victoria Square Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
9th in Series
Setting – Victoria Square, McKinlay Mill, NY
Publisher : Polaris Press (June 6, 2024)
Number of Pages: 306
Digital ASIN : B0CYYDN1GH
Things go awry for Katie Bonner when her former mother-in-law, Margo, throws a housewarming party at her lakeside rental and one of her guests ends up dead in the water. Maxwell Preston was a devoted husband–and a not-so-great dad. He was a beloved pharmacist who didn’t take care of his ramshackle property, which is destined to be a hot commodity on Victoria Square when his heir puts it up for sale. But most of all, Preston was a stranger to the others who attended the party.
Meanwhile, Nona Fiske takes charge of Victoria Square’s big summer extravaganza—a disaster in the making as what little power she’s seized has gone straight to her head. The Davenport sisters have their own agenda, and they’ve not only been poking around to find out more about the dead man but what other mischief has been going on around the Square.
So, who killed Maxwell Preston and why? That’s what Katie wants to know—and she’s willing to risk everything to find out.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
In this ninth Village Square Mystery, Katie Bonner’s friend and former mother-in-law, Margo has moved into a rental by the lake while she waits for her new place to be completed. She is celebrating with a housewarming party inviting a few friends and local merchants. There was one guest Katie didn’t know, Maxwell Preston. He owns a derelict building on the square and Margo hopes to convince him to sell the building to her. But before she can put her plan in motion Katie finds his dead body in the lake. She couldn’t save him but she knows someone at the party killed him, she just needs to figure out who.
Katie is also dealing with Nona Fiske, owner of The Quiet Quilter. She has a great idea for a summer event involving all the merchants. Katie lets her take her plan and run with it but the woman has no clue how much work is entailed.
So with an event headed for disaster and a murderer on the loose Katie has her hands full. Can she catch the killer? Save the summer extravaganza? And get her life in order?
Katie is an excellent protagonist but she is dealing with a lot in addition to her sleuthing. She is a partner in Tealicious with her ex-mother-in-law and she starts every morning helping Chef Brad Andrews prepare the food to be served. Then she heads over to Artisan’s Alley to manage that and assist in any problem that arises. All while avoiding running into her ex, Andy. She had a tough time in this story. She is not happy and comes up with a way to change one thing but it falls through. Life isn’t easy and at times people struggle. I appreciate the way the author lets Katie continue to develop as this series continues. It makes her a believable character that keeps readers invested. Ms. Bartlett has surrounded her with a diverse cast of characters that continue to grow realistically as well, although there are a couple I would be glad to see go away.
The Square / McKinlay Mill is a unique and perfect setting for a cozy mystery series. There is always something happening. The new Victoria Square Annex is going to be a fabulous addition.
The murder mystery had a lot of moving parts. Katie makes a lot of trips around the Square, visiting shopkeepers, asking questions, and pondering the clues and what she has learned to try to ascertain who killed Maxwell Preston and why. Who had a motive? Who had the opportunity? Just when she starts to put things together something in her personal life pops up to misdirect her attention. She does get herself back on track and totally surprised me with a theory that she got her friend and former homicide detective Ray to help her investigate. I enjoyed myself following along every step of the way. I did have the right person in my sights as the murderer and I loved the exciting showdown.
A Lethal Lake Effect is a well-plotted and written addition to this series. Engaging characters, an interesting setting, and a marvelous mystery kept me entertained from beginning to end. I was intrigued by a few things that happened in the Epilogue. I hope things really work out for Katie. She deserves some happiness.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC.
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About Lorraine Bartlett
The immensely popular Booktown Mystery series is what first put Lorraine Bartlett’s pen name Lorna Barrett on the New York Times Bestseller list, but it’s her talent — whether writing as Lorna, or L.L. Bartlett, or Lorraine Bartlett—that keeps her in her readers’ hearts. This multi-published, Agatha-nominated author also pens the exciting Jeff Resnick Mysteries as well as the acclaimed Victoria Square and Lotus Bay Mystery series, and the Tales of Blythe Cove Manor, and has many short stories and novellas to her name(s).
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More Books In This Series
Find more books by Lorraine Bartlett here and written as Lorna Barrett here.
Great Escapes Praise for A Lethal Lake Effect
(A Victoria Square Mystery)
by Lorraine Bartlett
A Lethal Lake Effect shapes up to be an enjoyable summer read. Pairs well with a glass of wine on the dock by the lake on a summer day! Or a cup of tea by the fire if your weather’s been like ours here in Seattle.
~Rebecca M. Douglass, Author
A Lethal Lake Effect is the ninth book in the Victoria Square Mysteries by Lorraine Bartlett…My Rating: 5 out of 5 Butterflies
~Sapphyria’s Books
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