Murder Is Binding by Lorna Barrett

Murder Is Binding by Lorna Barrett is a cozy mystery novel and the first novel in 'A Booktown Mystery Series'. I've had this cozy mystery novel since October 2012 and am glad I finally read this book in an effort to read many of my older books stacked in my 'tbr' pile.

I had high hopes for Murder Is Binding by Lorna Barrett. At the time I'd purchased this novel, I was more into cozy mysteries than I am now. I still like reading cozy mystery novels, but not as often. Plus, as an avid reader, I was drawn to a novel about books and bookstores.

Although I enjoyed reading Murder Is Binding by Lorna Barrett, I didn't love it. The relationship between the main character and her older sister got old after a while. I also didn't care for the few weight/fat body image statements made with regards to women periodically dispersed throughout the novel. The ending of this novel was also a bit more violent than expected for a cozy mystery novel, which I found a bit surprising for the genre. Otherwise I enjoyed reading Murder Is Binding as the mystery itself was good. 

I don't plan on reading any further novels from 'A Booktown Mystery Series'.

Below is the plot summary for Murder Is Binding by Lorna Barrett from Amazon:

The streets of Stoneham, New Hampsire are lined with bookstores...and paved with murder.

When she moved to Stoneham, city slicker Tricia Miles met nothing but friendly faces. And when she opened her mystery bookstore, she met friendly competition. But when she finds Doris Gleason dead in her own cookbook store, killed by a carving knife, the atmosphere seems more cutthroat than cordial. Someone wanted to get their hands on the rare cookbook that Doris had recently purchased-and the locals think that someone is Tricia. To clear her name, Tricia will have to take a page out of one of her own mysteries-and hunt down someone who isn't killing by the book.

I am giving Murder Is Binding by Lorna Barrett a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading.