Controversial Cover by Lorna Barrett

When a famous children's author is murdered at the library, Tricia Miles has to find the killer before it's too late in the latest entry to Lorna Barrett's New York Times bestselling Booktown series. Tricia Miles is ready to close the book on all her amateur sluething—she's tired of finding dead bodies and being accused of murder. But even the best laid plans often go awry. Stoneham is all abuzz when Lauren Barker, a famous children's book author, arrives for an event at the local library. Lauren is a Stoneham native, and her new book strikes some members of the town as controversial. But when Lauren is found strangled to death after an altercation at the event, the plot twist throws Tricia right back into the middle of things. Who could possibly have wanted Lauren dead? Was it Dan Reed, who had to be thrown out of the signing for spouting conspiracy theories and causing a disturbance? Stella Kraft, Lauren’s high school teacher, who thought of the author as a protégé—something Lauren violently disputed? Or the mystery man who spoke to Lauren just before she was found dead? With the suspect count climbing higher and more information about Lauren's past coming to light, will Tricia be able to give this story a happily ever after?

A Killer Edition by Lorna Barrett

Trixie really doesn't have a lot to do since hiring Pixie as assistant manager.  She does an excellent job and Trixie finds herself with lots of spare time.  She decides to apply for the local animal-rescue board and participate in the big bake off competition.  They're good ideas but neither one comes out as planned...

Berkley and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published August 13th.

When she's visiting a friend at a romance bookstore, she hears an argument between her fried and the neighbor next door.  Vera is upset that a tree limb has been removed without her permission.  The other woman said it was in her side of of the fence and shaded her garden too much.  Then she asks Vera to leave.  She does, in a huff.

Later Vera is found dead in the garden in question.  She appears to have been strangled and the had a pitchfork run through her.  Trixie calls it in.  The store owner goes in for questioning.  It was her pitchfork and her garden.  Trixie doesn't think she could have done it, but who would?

Then she finds out about underhanded dealings at the shelter.  While she's looking into that, she's also looking into Vera's death.  She's setting herself up for death even if she doesn't realize it.

Everything comes to a head at the bake off.

I like this series.  They are good cozy mysteries.  Give 'em a try!