Lorraine Bartlett – författare

On the anniversary of her great Aunt Lizzie's death, Katie Bonner reflects on the course of events that led her to be the custodian of Artisan's Alley--from the moment her husband took their money and invested it in a dying business to the death of its founder, Ezra Hilton. And it's with tears of sadness and joy that Katie contemplates her uncertain future.This story takes place just before the events in the Victoria Square Mystery (#7) A Murderous Misconception but may be read as a stand-alone introduction to the series.

Former Sheriff's Office detective Ray Davenport now owns the Wood U gift shop on Victoria Square, but it's his talented younger daughters who steal the show with their displays and packaging designs. The girls believe they can earn money with their window-dressing skills for the other businesses on the Square, but the only merchant who hires them conspires to reap the rewards of their labor without paying a cent. Will they have to swallow their pride and ask Katie Bonner for help to get what's owed them?

This collection includes five Tales From Blythe Cove Manor by Lorraine Bartlett.A DREAM WEEKEND: A couple's troubled marriage is about to end unless the magic of Blythe Cove Manor can save them.A FINAL GIFT: Can anything heal the pain of a grieving daughter?AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR: Blythe Calvert, anticipates a peaceful weekend until a taxi pulls up and drops off a troubled, runaway teen.GRAPE EXPECTATIONS: A young heiress arrives on Martha's Vineyard with an agenda to taste its great wines ... only to find there are none.FOUL WEATHER FRIENDS: A young woman finds herself stranded on the island during a nor'easter. Can two strangers help her find a new life path?

Sabina Reigns Miller had it all: a wealthy husband, a beautiful home, a daughter at a great college. Without warning seven words blow the bottom off her world. "e;I've met someone else-and she's pregnant."e; Her husband of twenty years wants a divorce so he can move his mistress into their former residence. Although Sabina loses her comfortable life, she refuses to fall on her face. Her ex-husband's girlfriend may be living in their house, but Sabina has interior design skills and a bucket of dreams.Can she rebound from the unexpected change, stick to her principles, help out a friend, and find someone to love again?

You know about Victoria Square thanks to the Victoria Square Mysteries. Artisans Alley takes center stage in those books, but the merchants--and their businesses--are just as intriguing. They all have stories to tell ... and that's what the Life on Victoria Square companion series is all about.So settle back and really get to know the merchants. Learn about their lives, and how life on Victoria Square affects them. It might just make a profound impression on you, too!ContainsCarving Out A Path: A shoplifter learns a lesson about life and integrity.A Basket Full of Bargains: Iris Drake is a strange duck with a secret.The Broken Teacup: Katie Bonner receives a broken teacup in the mail--but it's a mystery who sent it.It's Tutu Much: Bullies come in all sizes and ages. Can a dance class teach kids--and adults--how to get along?The Reluctant Bride: Does a bride-to-be really want to get married?Tea'd Off: The Square's new tea shop is about to open, but not without problems.

Katie's been dealt the Dead Man's Hand …It's all fun and games when Katie Bonner and her friends play poker for chocolate-covered peanuts, but the very next day Jamie Seifert collapses and dies after visiting Katie's tearoom on Victoria Square.Katie's business is on the line and she needs to prove Jamie wasn't poisoned at Tealicious. Her first order of business is to locate the mysterious woman he was dining with, and her next step is to go undercover at a nearby poker club where Jamie won big just a week before. It seems everyone there might have had a motive to rub Jamie out...and if they learn Katie has been lying to them, she might be next! The Victoria Square MysteriesA Crafty KillingThe Walled FlowerOne Hot MurderDead, Bath and Beyond Yule Be DeadMurder InkA Murderous MisconceptionDead Man's HandA Lethal Lake EffectLife On Victoria SquareCarving Out A PathA Basket Full of BargainsThe Broken TeacupIt's Tutu MuchThe Reluctant BrideTea'd OffLife On Victoria Square Volume 1A Look BackTea For YouDavenport DesignsA Ruff WeekRecipes To Die For: A Victoria Square Cookbook

With the grand relaunch of Victoria Square's tea shop, Tealicious, just days away, Nona Fiske decides it's time to sabotage it and its owner, Katie Bonner. With gossip, innuendo, and outright lies, Nona tries to turn the other merchants on the Square against Katie. But Katie has learned how to deal with people like Nona. Can she kill with kindness?This story takes place between the Victoria Square mystery novels Yule Be Dead and (the upcoming) Murder Ink.

One crash landing. One strange planet. And the chauvinists who inhabit it.When her interplanetary shuttle encounters a spatial rift and crash lands on god-forsaken Telenia, the clever and adventurous Amanda Sheldon is held captive by Prince Paxdon. Forcing her to learn their language, Paxdon wants nothing more than to exploit her knowledge, advancing Telenia's technological needs and to use it against his enemies.Stifled by the male-dominated society and their condescending viewpoints, Amanda sets out to prove that women should be heard and honored--not dismissed. Although she possesses the knowledge they need to usurp a sinister enemy and save countless innocent lives, the Telenians refuse to accept her intelligence and leadership. Will Amanda find a way to convince a planet of chauvinistic men to cross the threshold and put their trust in a woman?

Christmas used to be a joyous time for Judi Straub, but that was before her parents passed away and her siblings became too busy to socialize with their old maid sister. Holidays spent with friends were a nightmare. Then one late December Judi won an all-expense-paid trip to Puerto Rico where Harry Powell swept her off her feet. But her fantasy of happily-ever-after was quickly derailed. Would Judi always have a Blue Christmas?

Life takes an unexpected turn when Prince Paxdon bans Amanda Shelton from Telenia's Summer Palace, but that's just the first step in an incredible journey that has her leading the province's oppressed women into a life of self-sufficiency. The threat of war remains, and others are watching her every move as Amanda leaves the safety and security of the rural north and ventures to the capital city where she faces peril and life altering decisions. Will her future be a life of luxury or despair?

The Nichols family is all in a tizzy when it's discovered their penny-pinching Uncle Albert is worth millions, and decide he has overstayed his worldly welcome. But can they bump off the old man and get away with it?For more information and a list of other available titles, visit www.LorraineBartlett.com

A one-night stand changes Leslie Turner's life forever when she discovers she's pregnant. Keeping the child means losing her business. Even more devastating, the baby is born with a disfiguring birth defect. Her carefully planned life falls apart . . . until years later when she once again meets her baby's father. Can they ever be a family?

A romantic short story.It's the most romantic night of the year and Diana Mason is alone. She broke up with her boyfriend because he wanted a playmate not a soul mate, but it's someone else who haunts her thoughts on the most romantic of holidays. Is there a chance he's thinking of her, too? (Formerly titled: Are You Lonely Tonight.)Lorraine Bartlett is the New York Times Bestselling author of the Victoria Square Mysteries and also writes the New York Times bestselling and Agatha-nominated Booktown Mystery series under the name Lorna Barrett. She writes the Jeff Resnick Mysteries under the name L.L. Bartlett. She got her professional start writing short stories for magazines and finaled in the St. Martin's Press/Malice Domestic writing contest before being published in novel length. Visit her website at: LorraineBartlett.com

Rhonda Roberts went looking for love in all the wrong places, and found it through an ad in the personals section of her local newspaper. Family and friends think she's crazy when she becomes engaged to a convicted felon, and the lengths she'll go to see him set free.For more information on the author and a list of her works, please visit her website.

Recipes To Die For is a companion piece to the New York Times Bestselling Victoria Square Mystery series.117 Recipes from the owner and vendors of Artisans Alley, Victoria Square, and McKinlay Mill, NY.Cozy readers everywhere have fallen in love with Lorraine Bartlett's A Crafty Killing and the inhabitants of Victoria Square, a charming and sometimes dangerous berg featuring one-of-a-kind businesses like Artisan's Alley. In Recipes To Die For, Kate Bonner and the rest of the locals from Victoria Square invite you into their kitchens to share tantalizing recipes and intimate stories about food, family, and life. So tie on your apron and sharpen your knives, because Recipes To Die For is chock full of culinary treasures such as Andy Rust's Cinnamon Rolls, Vance Ingram's Barbequed Ribs, and Sweet Sue's Toffee Squares. And you don't want to miss Aunt Lizzie's Cream Scones. They're to die for!--Ellery Adams, author of the Charmed Pie Mystery Series"e;It doesn't get any better than this! We already love Lorraine Bartlett's books, but now, sharing recipes from her Artisans Alley series, she's really outdone herself. These are wonderful, real, delicious recipes to enjoy while we read her fabulous stories. Well done!"e;--Julie Hyzy, bestselling author of the Manor House Mysteries and White House Chef Mystery series"e;Lorraine Bartlett claims that "e;cooking can be murder,"e; but seriously ... some of these recipes make you feel like you've died and gone to heaven. Oh, those peppermint patties!"e;--Feathered Quill ReviewsPraise for the Victoria Square Mysteries"e;With a cast of personable characters, and a lively, fast-paced story, readers will be enthralled and delighted with this fresh new series."e;--Fresh Fiction"e;Bartlett has crafted an ingenious venue for her wonderful new series."e;--Mystery Scene Magazine"e;A cast of charming characters…readers will look forward to more with Katie and the artisans from Artisans Alley."e;--The Mystery Reader The Victoria Square MysteriesA Crafty KillingThe Walled FlowerOne Hot MurderDead, Bath and Beyond Yule Be DeadMurder InkA Murderous MisconceptionDead Man's HandA Lethal Lake EffectLife On Victoria SquareCarving Out A PathA Basket Full of BargainsThe Broken TeacupIt's Tutu MuchThe Reluctant BrideTea'd OffLife On Victoria Square Volume 1 (The first 6 stories)A Look BackTea For YouDavenport DesignsA Ruff WeekRecipes To Die For: A Victoria Square Cookbook

Love & Murder by Lorraine Bartlett (and her alter ego L.L. Bartlett) explores the highs and lows of love, and humanity. This sampler will give you an idea of the kinds of themes she explores in her New York Times bestselling novels. The collection contains:Abused: A Daughter's Story: Emily Miller knew her life was about to change forever the day her mother said, "e;I'm pregnant."e; She'd hear those words again and again--and with every pregnancy Emily's father changed from bad to worse. For years the Miller family suffered through his rages. It took a terrible loss for the family to regroup, and all the love Emily can muster to save her siblings.Cold Case . . . the short story that inspired the 4th Jeff Resnick book, BOUND BY SUGGESTION. Psychic Jeff Resnick has no expectations when investigating the disappearance of a four-year-old, until he confronts the mind responsible--a shattering experience for all involved.An Unconditional Love: A one-night stand changes Leslie Turner's life forever when she discovers she's pregnant. Keeping the child means losing her business. Even more devastating, the baby is born with a disfiguring birth defect. Her carefully planned life falls apart . . . until years later when she once again meets her baby's father. Can they ever be a family?We're So Sorry, Uncle Albert: The Nichols family is all in a tizzy when it's discovered their penny-pinching Uncle Albert is worth millions, and decide he has overstayed his worldly welcome. But can they bump off the old man and get away with it?Love Heals: It's the most romantic night of the year and Diana Mason is alone. She broke up with her boyfriend because he wanted a playmate not a soul mate, but it's someone else who haunts her thoughts on the most romantic of holidays. Is there a chance he's thinking of her, too?Prisoner of Love: Rhonda Roberts went looking for love in all the wrong places, and found it through an ad in the personals section of her local newspaper. Family and friends think she's crazy when she becomes engaged to a convicted felon, and the lengths she'll go to see him set free.Blue Christmas: Christmas used to be a joyous time for Judi Straub, but that was before her parents passed away and her siblings became too busy to socialize with their old maid sister. Holidays spent with friends were a nightmare. Then one late December Judi won an all-expense-paid trip to Puerto Rico where Harry Powell swept her off her feet. But her fantasy of happily-ever-after was quickly derailed. Would Judi always have a Blue Christmas?

Tori Cannon and her BFF, Kathy Grant, get together for a girl's weekend of wine, cookies, and laughter, but there's also the specter of a panty pincher hanging around the laundry room of the complex where Tori lives. Kathy thinks they can catch the culprit red-handed in a panty raid!This mini mystery introduces the two main characters of the upcoming Lotus Bay Mysteries.

Tori Cannon and her grandfather return from her grandma's funeral to find a body jammed in one of their derelict motel units. The victim had no enemies except for maybe the rich woman who wants to level his eyesore of a home, a resentful daughter, and friends who were anything but. Tori's BFF, Kathy, arrives to help spruce up the place and they are soon mixed up in the deadly consequences that murder entails. Can they save the business and find a murderer or will they, too, sleep with the fishes?

Serious life changes have pushed Paige and Alex Campbell to the brink of divorce. Still, they win a weekend at lovely Blythe Cove Manor and experience vivid dreams that take them back in time. Is there a chance this magical place inspires the nighttime fantasies that could help them fall in love again?

Will anything heal the pain of a grieving daughter? When a trip meant to be a gift of a weekend trip together turns into a painful solo journey, can the magic of Blythe Cove Manor help heal Jenny Taylor's soul?

All is quiet at Blythe Cove Manor as its proprietress, Blythe Calvert, anticipates a peaceful holiday along with her cat, Martha. But then a taxi pulls up and drops off a troubled, runaway teen looking for a safe haven. Can the magic of Blythe Cove Manor heal this young girl's aching heart?

A young shoplifter not only swipes a couple of hand-carved figurines from Ray Davenport, owner of Victoria Square's Wood U gift shop, but barrels into and injures Katie Bonner, manager of Artisans Alley. Upon his escape, the police are called, but before the ink is dry on the report, the boy's grandmother drags the would-be thief back to return the purloined items. She's got an agenda and great expectations. Can Ray come through in a pinch?

Iris Drake is an odd duck. She knows everyone at Artisans Alley arts-and-crafts arcade, but nobody knows her. When she walks into Gilda's Gourmet Basket on Victoria Square, she's a stranger there, too—but not for long. Yet she hasn't to come to Gilda to buy her wares—she's there to sell some of her own. All goes well until Iris's secret is exposed. Should Gilda step in to make things right, or walk away from an unpleasant situation?

Katie Bonner needs a pick-me-up one cold and gloomy fall day, and the US Mail delivers—literally. A mysterious package arrives at Artisans Alley with her name on it, but the return address is obscured and the treasure inside, a beautiful bone china teacup, is broken. Before Katie can open the accompanying card, she's called away and one of the vendors mistakes the package for trash. Katie makes a quick rescue, but the card is gone. Who sent the cup? What is its significance? Can Katie solve this mini mystery?