minty's review against another edition
3.0
The cozy mystery genre is one I have not explored much, but I am ALL IN. This one had a lot of telegraphing, so the resoultion was in no way a surprise, but there were a lot of intersecting motivations, which made it interesting.
I can't believe there are so many in this series, but I've added the next one to my queue!
I can't believe there are so many in this series, but I've added the next one to my queue!
noicky's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A cozy mystery that one can finish over the weekend. The plot isn’t a dead giveaway, which is always a good thing.
jazzyjan94's review
3.0
Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett is a book that I have been meaning to pick up for a long time, and when I was looking for another cozy mystery to listen to while working out, I decided to finally give it a try. In this first book, we follow Tricia Miles, who lives in the small town of Stoneham and runs a mystery bookstore called Haven't Got a Clue. Business is doing well, except for the fact that someone is hiding pamphlets for a nudist commune in her books, and her sister has just come into town. However, a fire breaks out at a neighboring bookstore that kills the owner, and the police suspect that Tricia is the culprit. In order to clear her name she sets out to find who the real killer is. I liked this introduction to the series, although it was a little slow at times, and I found there to be a lot of focus on size and fatphobia. There is also use of the r-word in reference to someone with Downs Syndrome, which really rubbed my the wrong way. However, there was something about it that, despite these two glaring flaws in the story, made me want to continue with the rest of the series - I think I wanted to find out what happens to the characters, except Tricia...honestly she kind of annoys me.
lakecake's review
3.0
It'll take another one, I think, to make up my mind about this series. The introductory books are always difficult, because they have to give you so much background to make things make sense.
sdevine's review against another edition
Used the r word multiple times AND included fatphobia
justkeyreads's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
thegeekyblogger's review
4.0
Listened for Fun (Library Book)
Overall Rating: 4.00
Story Rating: 3.75
Character Rating: 4.25
Audio Rating: 4.00 (Not part of the overall rating)
First Thought when Finished: Really strong beginning to a new to me cozy mystery series. :)
Story Thoughts: This was a fun little cozy mystery. Tricia was pretty smart and savvy which made her approach to the case both interesting and fun. I am not a big fan of the plot device used for the "who dun it" but it was still really easy to read. Great for an afternoon with a big glass of ice tea.
Character Thoughts: I really liked the characters of Murder is Binding. Tricia was easy to relate too even in her unlikable moments (yes she had a few) and her interactions with her sister, workers, and town people were great. I felt the side characters were really what shined and I hope we get to spend more time with them in the future.
Audio Thoughts:
I really liked Cassandra Campbell's narration and thought she was perfect for Tricia. She had the right tempo and cadence. I really enjoyed listening to this book on audio.
Final Thoughts: This was a good start to the series and I can't wait to continue.
Overall Rating: 4.00
Story Rating: 3.75
Character Rating: 4.25
Audio Rating: 4.00 (Not part of the overall rating)
First Thought when Finished: Really strong beginning to a new to me cozy mystery series. :)
Story Thoughts: This was a fun little cozy mystery. Tricia was pretty smart and savvy which made her approach to the case both interesting and fun. I am not a big fan of the plot device used for the "who dun it" but it was still really easy to read. Great for an afternoon with a big glass of ice tea.
Character Thoughts: I really liked the characters of Murder is Binding. Tricia was easy to relate too even in her unlikable moments (yes she had a few) and her interactions with her sister, workers, and town people were great. I felt the side characters were really what shined and I hope we get to spend more time with them in the future.
Audio Thoughts:
Narrated By Cassandra Campbell / Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
I really liked Cassandra Campbell's narration and thought she was perfect for Tricia. She had the right tempo and cadence. I really enjoyed listening to this book on audio.
Final Thoughts: This was a good start to the series and I can't wait to continue.
amjone12's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Murder