Tricia’s sister Angelica has been nominated to be the new Chamber of Commerce president but before the election can be organized, Tricia discovers another nominee stabbed to death.

As the time passes between the nomination and the meeting for the election, Tricia is trying to juggle her bookstore, Angelica's campaign, her ex-husband, and her romance with Chief Baker as well as trying to figure who killed the dead nominee.

There was a bit too much going in in this story - maybe one of the romance angles could have been eliminated. The mystery would have been just as good. ( )

3.5 stars

Tricia’s sister Angelica is running for Chamber of Commerce president to replace realtor Bob Kelly, who has been the president for a long time. Unfortunately, on a break during the meeting, the third candidate, Stan, is found (by Tricia, of course!) murdered on the toilet! Obvious suspects are Bob and Angelica, but Tricia wants to prove otherwise.

I’m still enjoying this series. I like most of the characters. I learned that Tricia is a bit of a “scrooge” (my word/description) when it comes to Christmas decorations. (But then, I like lots of decorations; maybe people who like simple, plain, understated Christmas decos would disagree!) The premise of such a small town with such niche stores (even with tourists to support them), seems unlikely to me (having grown up in a small town where there was no book store at all, let alone niche bookstores!), but that’s ok – the stores weren’t the focus of this book, anyway. I listened to the audio and it was good; it kept my attention. ( )

Three people are vying for the chance to be president of the Chamber of Commerce, but before the election can be held, one is dead. This mystery is a little darker than a lot of cozies, and more intense. Still, it’s about booksellers and life in the tourist town. Tricia is again playing at being an amateur detective, and her somewhat former boyfriend, a real detective, is more distant than usual. Tricia’s ex-husband is on the scene, and life is chaotic for all. I enjoy this series, flawed characters and all. My new favorite is Tricia’s new assistant Pixie, who brings a breath of fresh air to the series. ( )

Not the Killing Type is book 7 in the Booktown mystery series. If I hadn't already read book 8, Book Clubbed, I would have quit the series with this book. Not only did I find heroine Tricia Miles' attitude toward the victim's aesthetic preferences insulting, but the fate Ms. Barrett gave a likeable secondary character was nasty. I do think it was Tricia's fault, no matter what her friends tell her. Otherwise, this book was as good as the others, but I docked a star from my rating because of the things I hated about it.

The main plot in this entry is that Bob Kelly of Kelly Realty has some actual competition for being the head of Stoneham's Chamber of Commerce. One of the contenders is Stan Berry, who has a sign shop. The other is Tricia's overachieving elder sister, Angelica Miles.

Subplots include the wedding of Tricia's former assistant, Ginny Wilson. Another series regular, baker Nikki Brimfield, is getting married on the same day. Nikki isn't happy that Ginny got her invitations sent out first and has the Brookview Inn for her reception. In the ongoing troubles of Tricia's love life, she's not happy with Police Chief Grant Baker, the man she's been dating. Christopher Benson, the ex-husband who dumped Tricia is in town and showing signs of wanting to get back together. Stan Berry's son, Will, is also taking an interest in Tricia.

Naturally, Tricia finds the body. Can she solve the case and help Angelica with her campaign, (not to mention dealing with her current assistant, Pixie Poe's desire to fill the Haven't Got a Clue bookstore with what Tricia considers tacky Christmas decorations), all at the same time?

NOTES:

Chapter 1:

a. See book 5, Sentenced to Death, for the Founder's Day festival disaster.

b. Nice to know that the Paige Dialysis Center, which was a possibility in book 3, Bookplate Special, became a reality.

c. Eleanor, the Brookview Inn's receptionist, is surnamed McCorvey.

Chapter 2: See book 2, Bookmarked for Death, for the earlier time Tricia found a body in a restroom.

Chapter 4: Antonio talks about Nigela Ricita.

Chapter 5: Tricia notices that Angelica resembles their beloved Grandma Miles.

Chapter 6:

a. Dolly Doolittle figurines were a big clue in Sentenced to Death. (My compliments to Ms. Barrett for referring to the figurines as 'Victorianesque'. I really dislike the current custom of referring to a modern item done in a past style, such as Victorian, as Victorian, which implies the item is from that era.)

b. Antonio is a big fan of that classic TV comedy, 'I Love Lucy'.

c. Ginny and Angelica met in book 1, Murder is Binding, back when Tricia still resented her older sister for getting all their mother's love. Ginny got to run interference for Tricia.

d. Pixie brings in several boxes of thrift shop Christmas decorations.

Chapter 7:

a. Yes, Tricia found Doris Gleason's body in Murder is Binding. She really hates being called the 'village jinx'.

b. Three of Angelica's ex-mothers-in-law were the interfering type. (Her fourth ex-husband's mother was already dead.) Tricia's ex-in-laws were great.

Chapter 8: Tricia meets Will Berry. (I'm not with Tricia here. If someone or his/her loved one was a victim of the dead person, then let them tell the truth about what the dead person did.)

Chapter 9:

a. Tricia met Pete Marcella in Bookplate Special. Unfortunately, I gave away my copy, so I can't check if I erred in listing him as 'Pete Marbello' in the characters section for that book. (That's also the book that had a 'Julia Overland' instead of 'Julia Overline'.)

b. Paige Dialysis Center is across from the Brookview Inn.

Chapter 10:

a. Tricia and Grant Baker have a serious talk.

b. Tricia is reading The Plague Court Murders by John Dickson Carr. If you like mysteries that are a real challenge to figure out whodunnit, I recommend Carr.

Chapter 11:

a. Tricia thinks about her Christmases past. I can understand why she hasn't had a Christmas tree in her home since the last one.

b. Tricia finds out who sent her some mysterious gifts before this book.

Chapter 12: Nice to know that Angelica isn't still annoyed that Jake Masters left her employ to be the chef at the Brookview Inn.

Chapter 13:

a. Stella Craft (spelled 'Kraft') appeared in Bookmarked for Death. (I know I typed that name correctly because it reminded me of Kraft Cheese.)

b. This is where Tricia gets the baby doll that Pixie named 'Sarah Jane' for a character from the TV show 'Doctor Who'.

Chapter 14: Mr. Everett has a fine baritone singing voice.

Chapter 15: Bob Kelly rigged the raffle in book 6, Murder on the Half Shelf>. I don't remember him trying to bribe Tricia, but I haven't read book 4, Chapter and Hearse.

Chapter 16: This is the chapter that offended me, particularly the use of the adjective 'pathetic'.

Chapter 17: Aside from The Clue in the Old Album, the only mystery involving dolls that I can remember off hand is Ginnie and the Mystery Doll by Catherine Woolley. There are mysteries involved, but Doll Bones by Holly Black and 'The Haunted Dolls' House' from M. R. James (see The Collected Ghost Stories of M. R. James> or A PLEASING TERROR: The Complete Supernatural Writings of M. R. James or A Warning to the Curious and Other Ghost Stories by M. R. James are, as you've probably guessed, more about fright than detection. I've just thought of another one: the first Penny Parker mystery, Tale of the Witch Doll by Mildred A. Wirt. (Ms. Wirt created Nancy Drew's personality and wrote the first 23 books in the series.)

Chapter 18:

a. Sir Henry Merrivale is one of John Dickson Carr's two best known detectives. The other is Dr. Gideon Fell.

b. Pixie Poe lives in a small apartment in a rundown Victorian house.

Chapter 20: Henry Dawson tells the Miles sisters about some of the Brookville Inn's history.

Chapter 22 is the other one I hated.

Next to the two chapters that insult some women, the pages involving Tricia's love life were my least favorite. This series' strength is in the relationships among familiar characters. Who did the killing and why is usually interesting. I can't take any satisfaction in the solution this time. I wish I hadn't read it.

Cat lovers: Miss Marple has her scenes.

Dog lovers: Sarge even gets to visit the scene of the crime.

The recipes in this book are Baked Brie With Raspberry Preserves, Barbecue Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp, Crème Brûlée, and Grandma Miles's Peach Upside-Down Cake. ( )

When a chamber contestant is found murdered, during the same meeting he, the current president and Tricia’s sister, Angelica, also opted to vie for the position, Tricia takes it upon herself to clear her sister’s name and bring the true culprit to task.

Ex-husband, Christopher, happens back in town for business and vies to win back Tricia’s affections, while her flighty relationship with the town’s police chief falters. Then there’s a new, younger man in the scene and all eyes are on Tricia.

It’s holiday season, there’s a wedding in the making, a chamber vote for new president, and a killer yet to be found. Going in all directions with her fingers deep in each event, Tricia, along with sister Angelica, pull it all off again, winning the battles, but not with out casualties along the way. ( )