The Broken Teacup

A Broken Teacup (Life on Victoria Square # 3) by Lorraine Bartlett is a companion story to the Victoria Square Mystery Series. Katie Bonner receives a mysterious package in which the rain has completely damaged the shipper’s name and address. Katie opens the package to find a beautiful teacup and saucer but unfortunately the cup was broken. There is a card inside but before Katie can read it she is called away to assist one of the vendors of Artisans Alley. When she returns she finds that another vendor has thrown away the box, cup, and saucer which she quickly retrieves from the trash but the card is nowhere to be found. Can Katie find out the note and find out who sent the mysterious package?

Once again I enjoyed getting to know more about the Victoria Square businesses and their owners. This book is mostly about Katie Bonner. Katie seems to be a caring person, she sees the value even in a broken teacup. I like that Katie is determined to find out the story behind the cup because she feels that the person who sent it to her deserves to have their kindness acknowledged.

This is a well written short story, with great pace, and the right amount of intrigue to keep the mystery going until the surprise ending. This book is true to the cozy genre no graphic sex, language, or violence. I recommend this book to Victoria Square Mystery Series Fans, all mystery lovers, and to anyone that is looking for a enjoyable quick read.

With the weather cold and rainy, Katie is looking for something to perk up her spirits. So she is surprised to find the mail includes a mysterious package addressed to her...but the return address has been washed away. Inside is a beautiful bone china cup and saucer that has apparently been damaged in transit. However, before she can open the enclosed envelope to discover who sent it, she is called away. When she returns, the package and envelope has disappeared. This sends Katie on a quest to find the package and learn the identify of the sender...definitely a frustrating quest. This was a fun short story, bringing in some of the Victoria Square regulars, including boyfriend, Andy, while featuring a bit of a mystery...albeit no dead body! I enjoy these short stories that provide little snippets into the characters' lives and often a feel-good ending. Disclosure: I am voluntarily reviewing an advance reading copy of this book.