Katie Bonner had always dreamt of buying the Webster mansion and converting it into a bed-and-breakfast. But instead, her husband took their savings and bought craft fair Artisans Alley shortly before being killed in a tragic accident. Now Katie struggles to keep the business in the black while watching another couple buy the mansion. Much to her chagrin, their plans for the mansion are exactly hers -- converting it into a quaint B&B. To add insult to injury, as part of the town's Welcome Wagon, Katie must pay them a visit while they are remodeling and she sees her dream being played out.

The dream, however, turns rather surreal when a body is found in the walls of the mansion. It turns out that the body may be the niece of Katie's friend Rose, who is also a vendor at Artisans Alley. Rose's niece Heather went missing over two decades ago, and most people assumed she just left town. But Rose was never convinced. Given the police's disinterest back then, she is sure they will be equally dismissive of the case now, and she asks Katie to help figure out how Heather ended up in the wall.

As Katie begins her investigation, it becomes clear that not only is the killer still alive and keeping an eye on the investigation, but is willing to do what it takes to stop Katie and cover their own tracks. In the meantime, Katie has been recruited as a maid of honor in a rush wedding and is trying to balance her wedding duties with her day-to-day business duties, which now include trying to please two warring vendors, one of whom is accusing another of theft.

THE WALLED FLOWER is a great book. Although it was not the first in the series, it was the first that I had read, and I appreciated that Lorraine Bartlett made me comfortable with the characters and I didn't feel at all lost. I also liked the interaction that Katie had with her vendors, as well as her inner struggle with her current job and the job she wishes she had, as I think that's something with which most people can identify. And I think most people can also identify with the plight of a woman who is being pulled in several directions at once.

As for the mystery itself, it was well-paced and well-written. The list of suspects and respective motives had a great mix, and I was kept guessing until the end. Ms. Bartlett definitely gave me enough clues for me solve the mystery, but I didn't it together until Katie did, which is absolutely perfect.

Book Summary

If Katie Bonner's late husband hadn't invested all their savings in the crafts fair Artisans Alley, the Webster mansion could have been hers to remodel into a bed-and-breakfast. Instead that dream belongs to another young couple. But that dream becomes a nightmare when a skeleton is discovered sealed in the walls of the mansion. The bones belong to Helen Winston, who went missing twenty-two years ago. Heather's aunt, a jewelry vendor at Artisans Alley, asks Kate for help finding her niece's murderer. The case may be cold, but the killer is very much alive-and ready to go to any lengths to keep past secrets buried...