Tricia Miles is just returning from a not-so-great vacation in Ireland with on-again boyfriend Marshall Cambridge when tragedy strikes behind her bookstore, Haven’t Got a Clue. A body has been found in the dumpster and it is Susan Morris, a homeless Navy veteran known in the area. Tricia’s employee and friend, Pixie has a checkered past of her own and quickly finds herself as one of the prime suspects. Tricia begins to dig into the murder, much to the angst of her ex-boyfriend and frenemy, policeman Chief Baker. As Tricia digs into Susan’s past, she realizes she has overlooked a growing problem in their area, the homeless community. Trying to help clear Pixie’s name, find a murderer, and see what she can do to help the homeless, Tricia finds herself in more than one precarious situation. As the suspense mounts, so does Tricia’s fear that she won't make it out alive.

Welcome back to Booktown in Stoneham, New Hampshire! HANDBOOK FOR HOMICIDE is the fourteenth book in this series and it is just as fun and cozy as ever. Set in the beginnings of autumn this gives this installment an especially cozy feel. All the regular cast of characters, including sister Angelica, Ginny, and Nikki, make an appearance with their own plotlines which was a nice addition to the story. One aspect of this book, which you don’t see in a lot of cozies, is the main character getting some pushback from various members of the community. It seems in a lot of cozies that the main character is loved by all and there are no repercussions for solving so many murders, especially in a series this long withstanding.

HANDBOOK FOR HOMICIDE can be read as a stand-alone, but as with most series, it is best read in order to get the full effect of the characters and their history together. This installment did end with quite the cliffhanger, so it is going to be a long wait for book fifteen. Overall, another winner for Lorna Barrett and delightful addition to this fan favorite and one of my personal favorite cozy mystery series!

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