A Crafty Killing (A Victoria Square Mystery, #1) by Lorraine Bartlett

A Crafty Killing by Lorraine Bartlett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Crafty Killing is the first in the Victoria Square Mystery series, and if the first book is as good as the rest, this is going to be one wonderful series.

Katie Bonner is young, and had big dreams, dreams of a bed and breakfast for her and husband Chad, and he was on board, then he got into Artisan's Alley, which was an antique and craft market, although some vendors wanted no crafts and others did, it wasn't doing too well, but Chad saw visions for it. It created some in fighting between Chad and Katie, and just when it looked like she might be starting to listen to his thinking, he was killed in a car crash. Katie inherited Chad's part of Artisan's Alley and didn't really do anything with it, until the fateful day that Ezra, the owner of Artisans Alley was found dead, now Katie, still in shock and grief over losing Chad, is confronted with owning a whole building she resents, still feeling it caused Chad's death, and having to take over that building and make it work.

Along with trying to make the store profitable and a success, she has to mend some bridges with the community that Ezra burned, and she starts understanding Chad and his desire to get into this now, instead of waiting for the time when they could open a B&B, and trying to figure out what really happened to Ezra, only to find another dead body in the building. Now she really needs to know what is going on, and the one person that befriends her only turns out to be more and more involved in it all as she goes along. When will it end, will she ever figure it out, and will she quit resenting the building and let it become her dream?

I just wanted to hop in the book and hug Katie at times and at other times wanted to slap the whining little girl. I felt she was so wrapped up in the dream of the B&B, that she couldn't or wouldn't listen to Chad about other options and things that might actually be more their style and to their advantages than a B&B. I loved the twists and turns in the plot and how it all turned round in the end, it was not who you ever expected in the beginning, and still to the end it was not who I expected.

It was well-written and I found myself feeling like I was there, rooting for this town and the creative area of town, and just really even dreaming myself of where it could go and what it could become. I am looking forward to the next book in the series, really wanting to see where it goes and how it changes.

I hope that I was able to share enough to get you interested in the book, but not too much as to spoil the story for you, but I do hope you will take a chance and read this one, you won't be disappointed. Thanks!

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Barbie's Dream Townhouse

I was never much of a Barbie girl growing up. I mean I had a few, but I never really played with them like they advertised on tv, and I never had the Dream House, or the Camper or the Car or any of that stuff. Fastforward 30 some years and I now have two daughters of my own, and I am learning Barbie all over again.

My girls play Barbie like I never did. Maybe it is because there are two of them, and they can play together, nicely, for hours with the Barbies. I mean they love them, they have elabrate lives for these dolls and works and school and it is just amazing to listen to them.

So this year for Christmas, my youngest wanted the Barbie 3-story Dream Townhouse. I really was not in the mood to buy something like that, but she really wanted it, but when I went to look for it, it was sold out everywhere. Now she ended up getting new dolls and clothes and she was happy, but she really wanted that house. She also got money for Christmas, and she decided to buy the house herself. So I placed the order online at walMart and it arrived at the store last night, so I am off to pick it up today.

We did have a deal about this house, if she got this, then she would get rid of all the other little house things she had, like the old Dora playhouse that they never use. She was all for that, so before I heard to the store to pick up the house, all the old things are going out.

I have to say, one good thing about my girls loving their Barbies, is that when they think of something they want for them, their first thought is "Mom, can you make....." and that makes me feel good. I crocheted backpacks, that you could actually put stuff in, for the Barbies a couple of weeks ago, and two coats last week. I have made rugs and blankets, pillows and such in the past. I've done a dress and a hooded cape, so it makes me feel good to have the girls ask me to make stuff, and it feels good to think and design something on the fly that will work.

I think I am enjoying the Barbies more now than I did as a kid, but for a whole different reason now. I love being asked to help, to make things for them, and I love watching the girls play with the things I have made them. It makes me feel good as a person and as a mom. Maybe having girls isn't all that bad.