Casting Call 4 Murder

 A Sophie Kimball Mystery Book 16

Author:    J.C. Eaton

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781966322634

Beyond The Page Publishing

211 Pages

$15.99; $6.99 Amazon

July 15, 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When a theatre group's murder mystery weekend turns deadly, the seniors of Sun City West take on a starring role in catching the killer...

The book club ladies of Sun City West love nothing more than poking their noses into murder investigations, so it's the treat of a lifetime when they get to attend a murder mystery weekend at a sprawling Victorian mansion.  They'll be matching wits with other mystery aficionados trying to figure out whodunnit, and Sophie "Phee" Kimball is thrilled that for once her mother's friends won't be meddling in a real homicide.  As the plot unfolds it's mysterious fun for the actors and audience alike, until the dead body they discover is all too real.

Confident they can solve what's turned into a real-life murder, the book club ladies hatch a plan and rope Phee into helping them.  But as they step into their roles as amateur sleuths, what seems like play-acting is deadly serious to the killer.  Soon Phee and the seniors want to rewrite the ending, because the murderer in their midst is dead-set on bringing the curtain down on all of them...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Sophie "Phee" Kimball-Gregory lives in Arizona with her private detective husband, Marshall.  They both work for a PI agency, and most times things are routine -- missing and/or cheating spouses, etc.  Except when Phee's mother gets involved.  Which she does.  A lot.

When one of Harriet Kimball's friends wins a mystery weekend for 10 at a local Victorian B&B, he has no interest in going (he'd rather be fishing) so he offers it to Harriet who, of course, is thrilled and can't wait to ask Phee to accompany her and Harriet's senior friends.  Hoping to keep them out of trouble, she reluctantly agrees, if only to remind them that this is a fake murder, not a real one.

But Phee spoke too soon.  After an impromptu performance by Harriet (also unscripted and uncalled for), the director offers roles to Harriet, her sister Ina, and their friend Myrna.  Three divas who will try to upstage each other -- and say whatever comes into their heads.  Phee thinks things can't get any worse.  She's wrong.

When a real murder occurs, the investigators are on it, as well as the local police.  And the seniors.  Who weren't asked.  Who aren't wanted.  Who think they can solve the murder first.  Not to mention the other guests of the B&B, who are raring to solve a real murder as well.  So now Phee is stuck in place as the head of the group, trying to keep them out of the way of the police as she tells them to only gather information.  Will that work?  Nope.  Not in the case of Harriet and friends.

They want to force a confession -- but they don't know who the murderer is.  So they decide to do it their own way, almost driving Phee crazy...

This is the 16th book in the series, and I have read them all.  In my opinion, they are fun, witty, and hilarious.  Especially Phee's nutty mother and her Aunt Ina.  Not to mention a truly funny scene involving her Uncle Louis.  But that's another tale best left for the readers.

The descriptions of the B&B are done so well that I'd be willing to travel to Arizona just to stay there.  But not on a mystery weekend.  I have no desire for 'accidental' deaths (ha).  Fortunately, I discovered the identity of the murderer right around the time Phee did, so that was pleasant.  The seniors, as always, are entertaining, and no, I wouldn't want to spend time with any of them (except maybe Herb, as he sounds like a hoot).  When the story comes to an end, you don't want it to.  You want to see what happens next.  Which, of course, is the whole purpose of a book, right?  Highly recommended.

I was given a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Casting-Call-Murder-J-Eaton-ebook/dp/B0GX32GQBF/ref=

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8910805659

More on J.C. Eaton's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/e/j-c-eaton/

Planted 4 Murder

A Sophie Kimball Mystery Book 15

Author:    J.C. Eaton

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781966322306

Beyond The Page Publishing

220 Pages

$14.99; $5.99 Amazon

October 28, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When the seniors of Sun City West take over a garden plot, they have no idea they'll unearth a plot for murder...

At the urging of the guys in the pinochle club, the members of the Sun City West book club decide it's time to grow their own vegetables and join the local agriculture club.  But when tending to their plants turns up a skeletal hand, the gang begin to feel like they're working in a graveyard instead of a garden.  It's clear that whoever the bones belong to was the victim of foul play, and soon the seniors are pleading with Sophie "Phee" Kimball to step in and help them weed out the killer.

As rumors and speculation flourish, Phee begins to grow suspicious of the other members of the community garden.  Certain that one of them chopped up a body and scattered the parts, she has to deal with invasive insects, sabotaged crops and her mother's hairbrained schemes as she digs for evidence.  Her efforts are finally rewarded when a ring found on the skeletal hand yields a clue that will lead her straight to the culprit.  The only problem is that the killer is one step ahead of her, and Phee discovers too late that she's in for a hoe lot of trouble...

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Sophie "Phee" Kimball-Gregory lives in Arizona and works for a private investigator, along with her PI husband, Marshall.  Life for Phee is never normal, mainly because her mother Harriet and Harriet's book club ladies seem to find trouble no matter what they're doing.

Today Harriet and her friends are convinced by the men's pinochle group to plant their own vegetables in a community garden.  But it's more than dirt they're turning up.  Since Harriet brings her chiweenie Streetman with her everywhere, he's of course running wild -- until he pulls up a skeletal hand, and Harriet needs Phee to get it away from him.  The only identifying item is a ring on the hand, and it's marked with strange letters that mean nothing to the officers, nor to anyone else.

But the ladies seem to think there's more body parts, even when Phee tries to tell them no.  When they're convinced that one of the gardeners (not their book group, of course!) is guilty of murder, it's all Phee can do to keep them out of trouble...temporarily.

But does anyone listen?  Nope.  Is Phee involved again?  Yep.  And this time, she sees more of local fisherman Paul Schmidt than she'd like to (who wants fish smell in their office?).  But does Paul have information?  Is her Aunt Ina going off the deep end while reading Edgar Allan Poe?  Are the seniors forming their own investigation?  Is Phee at her wits' end?

With Marshall and their boss Nate out of town on a cat kidnapping caper along with her uncle Louis (who does not want to be around Ina during her week of Poe), they may need him for information for themselves.  Which leads Phee to be on her own... and trying to stay alive.  Because when a killer discovers that Phee just might know who they are -- they aren't going to want to let her breathe...

I have read all of this author(s) Sophie Kimball mysteries, and I have been entranced by all of them.  Phee somehow manages to keep sane during her mother's imaginative scenarios, which usually turn out to be true (to an extent).  She's trying to do her job and still keep the women in line, which isn't easy.  And her mother manages to foist Streetman the Maniac Dog on her if she can.  

This book is no different than the others.  It is funny, witty, delightful, full of mystery (what cozy wouldn't be?), and hilarious characters that make you glad you don't live anywhere near them.  Harriet is a hoot, along with Herb; and Ina is a throwback hippie who thinks she has it all together (she doesn't).  I don't want to say anything else about this book that will spoil it for anyone else, but trust me, it's worth the trip to Sun City to see how it all turns out.  Highly recommended.

I was given a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Planted-Murder-J-C-Eaton-ebook/dp/B0FS7XGCLQ/ref=

Goodreasds:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7990182449

More on J.C. Eaton's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/e/j-c-eaton/

The Fog Ladies: A Date with Death (A San Francisco Cozy Mystery Book 4)

Author:    Susan McCormick

Genre:     Mystery

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781509249817

Wild Rose Press

338 Pages

$9.50; $3.99 Amazon

October 2, 2023

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Fog Ladies are at it again, spunky senior sleuths and an overstressed young medical resident solving murders from their elegant apartment building in San Francisco.  They join a senior dating group, and romantic intrigue soon turns to murder.  Graham Parselle, lady killer extraordinaire, plunges off a cliff on a Senior Singles outing.  Did one of his dates pitch him over?  Or is Olivia Honeycutt's new beau to blame?

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When the Fog Ladies (most of them, anyway) decide to join a senior dating group, it seems there is a dearth of men.  However, Olivia Honeycutt has reconnected with an old beau from high school.  Even though the others might be suspicious of him, Olivia is happy with her Malcolm, and he seems to be so with her.  But one of the group's members -- a man named Graham Parselle, seems overly friendly with some of the senior women.  He's not afraid to break hearts, and with his trim figure and nice face, women can't help but fall for him.  But it's Graham who's fallen -- right off a cliff on a senior hike.  While the police think it was an accident, the Ladies aren't so sure, and they're again on a case to find a murderer...

I must admit that I have never read any of the other books in this series (as there are so many books out there and I just haven't gotten to these yet!).  But I also have to admit that I enjoyed this one very much.  Many of the characters are interesting, and the Fog Ladies are given enough in their descriptions that even if you haven't read the other books, you are able to decipher what they look like and act like.  While I did enjoy interacting with many of them, I also have to say that by the end of the book I was, myself, wanting to throw Enid Carmichael into the ocean.  Yes, I said it.  She's annoying and pushy, and is wrong on so many counts that I won't list here.  Read the book and draw your own conclusions.  (Okay, mini-rant done!)

Other than that, the book was filled with questions surrounding the murder (because, of course, we know that it was, even if the police don't), and I loved how the Ladies went about trying to figure it out.  Then another murder occurs, which puts the Ladies on high alert, and now they're wondering if one of their own is the next target.

Sarah, their friend and medical resident, has problems of her own.  She's still figuring out her new relationship with boyfriend Andy, and trying to get a fellowship at the hospital where she works.  She has little free time, but is more than willing to help the Ladies -- and it's a good thing, too -- when she can.

When the ending comes and we reach the climax, it's both satisfying and rewarding.  While I knew the murderer before they did (once again I will say that I read a lot of mysteries, so most times it comes easy for me), still, I liked how it all came together.  I will say that I am going to go back to the first in the series and see how the Ladies started.  Recommended.

I received a free copy of this book through the author and Voracious Readers, but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Fog-Ladies-Francisco-Murder-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CCWC8B95/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6237877225

More on Susan McCormick's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/susan-mccormick/

Bacon, Bodyguards, and Ballistics (Deep Fried Revenge Book 1)

Author:    Karen McSpade

Genre:     Mystery

Digital Book

ASIN #:    B09X7J9G6W

Newcastle Media

52 Pages

$.99 Amazon

May 22, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Reeling with excitement over the opening of a private investigation agency and her budding romance with the sheriff, Piper Sandstone can't wait to launch her dream career and return to a somewhat normal life.  But danger lurks on the horizon -- the dirty cops back in Chicago still want her dead.  Even if it means putting the people she loves in jeopardy to find her.  They are ruthless and on the hunt, no price is too steep for her head.

But Piper's already in a predicament of prodigious proportions when an art heist at the Bancroft Estates leaves a bodyguard dead...and she and her crime-fighting gal pals are at the center of the crime scene.  

Tangled in another mystery in Savory, Alabama, Piper is determined to solve the case with the help of her quirky amateur sleuth friends dubbed the Dentures and Diamonds Crime Squad.  These zany retirees traded in their female rock band glory to fight crime, but can they help Piper maintain her cover and catch the killer before or another Savory resident winds up dead?

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Piper Sandstone, aka Sharon, has just opened the Queen's Bees Privates firm along with her senior sleuthing friends, Doris, Rosemary, Patty Sue, and Margie, (aka The Delta Queens) and they're just off a case of finding a killer and a champion dog.  Now they're ready for business.  But before they do so, they're attending the dog show at the estate of a wealthy art collector.  Unfortunately, things don't go well -- the art is stolen right off the walls, and during the show.  So now they have to wonder who would have planned something like this?  It doesn't help when the owner Henry Hughes, shows up, screaming at everyone, nor when the PIs find a dead security guard,

Someone had to know about the heist.  Was it the security guard they found, Marco Jenkins?  Or the IT guy who claims a hacker broke into the system?  Or was it someone close to Mr. Hughes, who might have thought this was a good opportunity?  But Piper knows art like this can't be sold, and only another private investor will buy it.  So where do they go from here?

With the unwanted help of Piper's new bodyguard, Gemma Bianchi, hired by her uncle, Chief Hobbs, to protect her (really, how can a woman so small protect anyone?), and Gemma constantly telling her everything Piper does is a bad idea, she's still determined to solve the case.  If the PIs don't they might just be relegated to more cases involving cows (read the book to find out).  But just as things seem to be getting interesting, her Chicago friends Nancy and Morgan have surprises in store for them.

Being the first book in the new series, I liked where it started -- after the murder, where it backtracked a bit -- and of course, being a serial book, there was a cliffhanger; but I didn't let this distract me at all from the book itself, which is written well and pulls you into the story immediately.  The only downside is that you have to wait for the next to see what Piper and her friends are up to.  A great beginning for a new book in the life of Piper Sandstone.  I can't wait to read the next.

I received a copy of this book from the author but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Bacon-Bodyguards-Ballistics-Sandstone-Culinary-ebook/dp/B09X7GTJSG/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4707829868

More on Karen McSpade's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/karen-mcspade/

Killer Gumbo (Savory Mystery Series Book 4)

Author:    Karen McSpade

Genre:     Mystery

Digital Book

ASIN #:    B09HDW1P6Z

Newcastle Media

60 Pages

$2.99 Amazon

November 30, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Chicago detective Piper Sandstone is about to embark on her most dangerous mission ever while hiding in Savory, Alabama.  With a price placed on her head by some dirty cops, Piper is forced to go undercover as a waitnress at a local café.  But when a dognapping and murder shake up the local community, Piper finds herself tangled in the mystery,  Now, she must hide her unique talents and maintain her cover if she wants to make it home alive.

Savory, better known as Alligator Alley, is not your typical tourist Gulf Coast town.  Why?  Because it's home to the three-time AKC champion poodle Victory Cup Valentino, but this year bad things are about to go down,  Even before Piper can get unpacked, there is a murder, and the poodle goes missing right before the Westminster Dog Show.  But before she can get any answers, all hell breaks loose when a body turns up in the bayou and she's at the center of the crime scene.  To top things off, the handsome sheriff is asking too many questions.

Fortunately for Piper, a group of sweet older ladies known as the Dentures and Diamonds Crime Squad is on her side.  These quirky amateur sleuths are a force to be reckoned with and they've taken a special interest in Piper's unique skills,  Now, they must join forces to solve the mystery and catch the killer before another Savory resident winds up dead.

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Piper Sandstone is a Chicago police detective who is currently hiding out in Savory, Alabama under an assumed name.  She works as Sharon, a waitress, at a local eatery, and is becoming fond of a group of older women who call themselves the Dentures and Diamonds Crime Squad.  These ladies are determined to find out the truth about a murdered dog trainer, and they've taken on 'Sharon' as one of their own.

But then a local man dies at the eatery and it's discovered that he's been poisoned.  Now these woman are wondering if the two are connected, and what they have to do with the recent dognapping that's taken place.  So in this vein, they've decided to go undercover to discover clues, but they may have gone just a tad too far this time...

This is the fourth episode of this series, and I have read every one.  Each time they get more interesting, and give you a little bit more in clues to work with.  There is suspense aplenty, and snippets of information given, both about Piper and what is going on in Savory.  In this, we are drawn into the town and its residents, wondering who killed both people and why.

Just when you get to the part you want to know more of, the book drops a small bomb and gives us something to look forward to in the next...which I want to read right away.  Ms. McSpade tells a mean story, and her books are always intriguing and worth the read.  Highly recommended.

I was given an advance copy from the author but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Killer-Gumbo-Sandstone-Mystery-contemporary-ebook/dp/B09HDW1P6Z/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4364199129

More on Karen McSpade's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/karen-mcspade/

Dogged by Death (A Furry Friends Mystery Book 1)

Author:    Laura Scott

Genre:     Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781643856575

Crooked Lane Books

320 Pages

$20.49; $13.99 Amazon

July 13, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ally Winter is going through a ruff patch.  The thirty-something veterinarian lost her fiancé, her clinic, and her savings in rapid succession.  So when Ally's grandfather undergoes hip replacement surgery, she moves back to Willow Bluff, Wisconsin, to care for him.  She arrives home, tail between her legs, only to find sleazy lawyer Marty Shawlin murdered in his home office.  And the only witness was Marty's faithful boxer, Roxy.

Quick as a greyhound, Noah Jorgensen is on the case.  The good news is, he's the best detective around.  The bad news, at least the way Ally sees it, is that Noah is still just as fetching as he was back in high school.  He also just happens to have witnessed every embarrassing incident that befell accident-prone Ally -- including the fire ant attack that set tongues wagging and won her the unshakable nickname Hot Pants.

Meanwhile, true-crime aficionado Gramps fancies himself a sleuth, and he is doggedly determined to sniff out the culprit himself...with Ally's reluctant help, of course.  Ally has no choice but to team up with Noah -- and the irrepressible Roxy -- to solve the case while keeping Gramps on a short leash.

Ally had better learn some new tricks, lickety-split.  Because if she can't bring the killer to heel, she won't just be playing dead.

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Ally Winter is a veterinarian who had her life savings stolen by her fiancé, who ran off with their vet assistant.  In order to keep her head above water, she sold everything she owned and bought out the vet practice in her home town of Willow Bluff, Wisconsin; and also to be nearer to her grandfather, who recently had hip surgery.

When she goes to see her grandfather at his residence, Legacy House, she hears him arguing with a man who dashes past her and out of the house.  She finds out that he's an attorney who wanted the other residents -- all elderly women who have their eye on Gramps -- to set up financial trusts.  Ally is struggling for clients and is happy when someone wants her to walk their dog daily for a week -- but she's surprised when it's the attorney, Marty Shawlin; but he paid in advance so she's not saying a word.

The next day she goes to pick up his boxer, Roxy, and is stunned when she finds him dead.  Calling the police also gives her a surprise when she sees that the detective in charge is none other than Noah Jorgensen, a football player she once had a crush on.  But for now, she vows to keep Roxy with her and safe until Marty's ex-wife can contact her.

Still, when her gramps is questioned, she's not happy.  She's even doubly unhappy when he demands an  a lawyer -- all because he's hooked on true crime books and Dateline on television.  Gramps thinks it makes him a better detective than Noah, and Ally is forced to go along with whatever Gramps is going to do anyway, just to keep him safe.  But when Ally has someone attack her business that puts her in danger, she realizes that if they don't find the killer, the killer is going to find her...

This is the first in a new series and I found it delightful.  It's not high literature, nor is it supposed to be.  It's a fun, bright, cozy mystery that centers around a veterinarian and her grandfather, who is a hoot.  The elderly man thinks he's more like Sam Spade all because he watches real life crime on television and reals true crime books.  He drags Ally into his schemes, which causes tension with the real life detective.  (Got that?)  Anyway, it's a hilarious run around town, with Gramps and Roxy in tow, questioning people and watching him work his magic on the women he meets.  

Which brings us to the widows he lives with who are all trying to get his attention -- and if that means going through Ally, then so be it.  Not that she wants it; but she's got to be in contact with them, so she reluctantly is drawn into their circle, too.

But when the murderer discovers what's going on, they target Ally and she starts to realize she's in real danger.  She notifies Noah of everything -- which I heartily approve of, by the way.  I absolutely hate it when the protagonist learns something and then refuses to contact the police to give them the information (who would do that in real life?)  So Ally has to work with Noah, which she finds a bit humiliating, considering her past, but does anyway.

Ally's life is one stumbling block after another, and she's a bit accident-prone; but she's fun to be around, and I love all the characters in this book.  I would love it more if Ally would also get a cat, but we can't have everything, I guess.  When the ending comes and the murderer is revealed, we know the clues are there, but the climax is different, and worth reading.  A new mystery series that I will continue to read, and I enjoyed it immensely.  Recommended. 

https://www.amazon.com/Dogged-Death-Furry-Friends-Mystery/dp/164385657X/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4216880368

More on Laura Scott's Books:    https://www.amazon.com/Laura-Scott/e/B003DAV6T8/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1

Death With An Ocean View (Kate Kennedy Mysteries #1)

Author:  Nora Charles
Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback
ISBN #:  9780425194881
Berkley Publishing
198 Pages
Various Prices Amazon
September 10, 2004

⭐

Nestled between fast track Ft. Lauderdale and nouveau riche Boca Raton, the once sleepy beach town of Palmetto is plagued by progress.  The latest news has Ocean Vista condo board president Stella Sajak and other residents in an uproar.  Developers plan to raze the property and put up a glitzy resort.  But when Stella says she'll go to City Hall and fight this to the death, no one thinks to take her statement literally.

And when Kate begins to investigate the murder, she discovers that this little corner of the sunshine state is cursed with corruption, unsavory characters, and a very dark cloud overhead...

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Kate Kennedy moved to Palmetto, Florida, because her husband wanted to live there.  But he died within twenty-four hours of the move, and since they sold their old home, she's pretty much stuck.  He's been gone a mere six months, and she misses him.  However, she's decided to try and make the best of it.

When it's discovered that a developer wants to buy out their condo community and put up a resort, the board president isn't going to give up without a fight.  But unfortunately, she doesn't last the night after a scheduled meeting, and now Kate wonders who hated Stella Sajak enough to kill her...

This is an older book, but I really wished it would have been better.  I was a bit thrown after finding out that Kate hadn't shaved her legs since her husband died.  Six months?  Through an entire Florida summer?  While she must have worn slacks all summer (or people would have definitely noticed), I can't imagine that it wouldn't have been extremely uncomfortable, not to mention quite a sight to behold.  One I'd rather not see.  (Personal opinion, but hey...)

Then, Kate sees a couple of residents walking along the beach, hears one of them yell, "Stella!" (Shades of Stanley Kowalski), and calls 911.  Fair enough.  But how did she know she should call 911?  How did she know that Stella was dead if she couldn't see the body from her window?  Does she always call 911 if she hears a resident yelling a name?

Then, the police seem as if they don't believe what she's telling them in her statement and want her to come to the police station the next day to give it again.  Why?  She was standing on her balcony, couldn't see anything, and only heard the man say, 'Stella'.  She didn't actually see a body or have anything to do with it, so why would the police need her to come to the station?  She had no other information to give, wasn't a suspect, and basically only heard the man say a name.  How is this relevant in any way that she needs to go to a police station?

Also, in the beginning of the story Kate mentions as how Stella has a great body and is wearing a swimsuit with a halter top and skirt bottom while walking around, but when she sees a friend wearing a midriff-showing outfit to a costume party she thinks it's scandalous.  Say what?  Isn't this Florida?  Don't seniors ever go swimming?  Showing your stomach is scandalous?  What.  A.  Prude.

But the kicker was an ex-nun pours a can of Coke over another resident because said resident asks the woman if she murdered Stella.  Asks.  A. Question.  Probably even tongue-in-cheek.  Was this supposed to be funny?  It wasn't.  It was over the top, and if someone did that to me because I merely asked them a question, there would be consequences.  Trust me.

I couldn't even read the book after this.  I'd had enough of Kate's judging people and self-righteousness, her boring personality and resentfulness of anything and anyone she didn't like.  Kate is truly unlikable, and I'm sorry I have the rest in this series.  They'll be donated to the library.  Maybe someone else will find the humor in these books.  I sure didn't.

https://www.amazon.com/Death-Ocean-View-Nora-Charles/dp/0425194884/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2999999309

More on Nora Charles's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/c/nora-charles/

The Whole Cat and Caboodle (A Second Chance Cat Mystery #1)

Author:  Sofie Ryan
Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book; Audiobook
ISBN: 9780451419941;
Berkley Obsidian Mystery
336 Pages
$7.89; $7.99 Amazon (Also available in Audio CD)
April 1, 2014

⭐⭐

Sarah Grayson is the happy proprietor of Second Chance, a charming shop in the oceanfront town of North Harbor, Maine.  At the shop, she sells used items that she has lovingly refurbished and repurposed.  But her favorite pet project so far has been adopting a stray cat she names Elvis.

Elvis has seen nine lives - and then some.  The big black cat with a scar across his nose turned up a local bar when the band was playing the King of Rock and Roll's music, and he hopped into Sarah's truck.  Since then, he's been her constant companion and the furry favorite of everyone who comes into the store.

But when Sarah's elderly friend Maddie is found with the body of a dead man in her garden, the kindly old lady becomes the prime suspect in the murder.  Even Sarah's old high school flame, investigator Nick Elliot, seems convinced that Maddie was up to no good.  So it's up to Sarah and Elvis to clear her friend's name and make sure the real murderer doesn't get a second chance.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

When Sarah Grayson returned home after her radio show was cancelled she decided to open a second-hand shop, and seems to be doing pretty well.  On one morning she's giving a class at the local retirement home, and her friend Maddie doesn't show up - which isn't like her.  So after the class Sarah and her elderly friend Charlotte go to Maddie's home and find her sitting in her backyard alongside her boyfriend Arthur Fenety...who happens to be dead.  When the police suspect Maddie of the murder, none of the women can believe it.  Since the three elderly friends - Charlotte, Rose, and Liz - are determined to find the killer, all Sarah can do is stick by them and hope for the best...

First off, I'm going to say that I absolutely love cats.  I have several of my own, and they are indeed quirky characters with a mind of their own.  However, since my cats aren't magical, and Sarah's cat Elvis isn't either, I have to wonder why he watches Jeopardy.  Cats aren't big on television.  They'd rather eat, sleep, and play.  They aren't too fond of being unable to move, so I can't imagine that any cat would take kindly to being carried around in a duffel bag tied up to their neck with only their head poking out.  There would be a fight about that one.  So no, I didn't get the feeling that Elvis was "real."

Then, I am honestly really, really, tired of protagonists proclaiming they can't cook.  It's not that hard to make basic food and no one has to be a gourmet cook, but it's pretty easy to make a hamburger, chicken breast, or even salmon.  Personally, I think Sarah is just lazy and would rather eat out.  Making scrambled eggs isn't even worth cleaning the pan.  If you're setting off fire alarms, you're not paying attention, which brings me to another another thing: (and proves Sarah just doesn't want to learn to cook). 

Mac remarks that Sarah pays more attention to detail than he does.  No, she doesn't, or she'd be able to cook.  That statement was just blown out of the water.  Also, if he's going to build a boat of his own, shouldn't he be paying attention to details himself and be able to paint those details.  Also, why would you paint a beautiful wood table?  Varnish it to its original color.  I wouldn't buy a wood table from a second hand store that I'd eventually have to strip the paint from to return it to its original glory.  Just sayin'

I also didn't understand why Sarah spent her time hanging around with three elderly women.  Yes, I get they were trying to solve a murder together, but from conversations it's apparent that these ladies are probably most of her social life.  Who hangs around with someone who's nearly sixty years older than you are?  Yes, be fond of your grandparents by all means; but their friends shouldn't be your social life.

Also, the book was more centered on Rose, Liz, and Charlotte, who seemed to blend into each other and they're just not that interesting.  If this book had been labeled as being about senior sleuths we would have been forewarned, because honestly, it really is about them in the long run.  Sarah's love interest just floats in and out of the book when he's needed to make an appearance, as does her friend Jess.  I also didn't get why Sarah would allow the three women to 'create an office' at her place of business.

The murder investigation itself didn't really begin until almost half of the book, around page 190, and by then I'd already lost interest in the book.  When I did get to the end it felt forced and as if the author just needed to find someone as the murderer.  We weren't really given clues so it wasn't pointing toward anyone at all, which was disappointing.

The book would have been better, in my opinion, if Sarah actually had a reason to investigate instead of just keeping an eye on the three women (and, I have to wonder, since Maddie was the one suspected of murder, why wasn't she helping find the killer? - after all, it would have been her head in the noose, not her friends').  I also would have liked to have more descriptions of the town and the harbor, which were practically non-existent here.  This one, unfortunately, was a letdown, but I will perhaps try the second in the series as many times the author hones the characters and the books.  Hopefully this will be the case in this series.

https://smile.amazon.com/Whole-Caboodle-Second-Chance-Mystery/dp/0451419944/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2946638215

More on Sofie Ryan's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/r/sofie-ryan/

Murder on Memory Lake (A Ferrara Family Mystery #1)

Author:  J.D. Griffo
Genre:  Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Audio CD; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781496713940; 9781977359322
Kensington Publishing
334 Pages
$5.86; $26.20; $5.99 Amazon
July 31, 2018

✮✮

Alberta Scaglione's spinster aunt had some secrets - like the fortune she squirreled away and a secret lake house in Tranquility, New Jersey.  More surprising: she's left it all to Alberta.  Alberta, a widow, is no spring chicken and she's gotten used to disappointment.  So having a beautiful view, surrounded by hydrangeas, honeysuckle, and her cat, Lola, sounds blissful after years of yelling and bickering and cooking countless lasagnas.

But Tranquility isn't as peaceful as it sounds.  There's a body in the water - and it belongs to Alberta's childhood nemesis.  Alberta suspects foul play and when Alberta's estranged granddaughter, an aspiring crime reporter, shows up, it only makes sense for them to team up and investigate...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Alberta Scaglione hasn't had an easy life.  She was married to a man who didn't love her, and her only daughter fights with her constantly - which culminates in her daughter moving out of state to get away with her.  She's a 64-year-old widow who doesn't have much in life - until a spinster aunt leaves her over three million dollars and a lakefront home in Tranquility, New Jersey.  Now she's enjoying her chance to relax and live her life the way she wants.

At least she was, until a body floats on the lake in front of her.  It turns out to be an old enemy from school, and when Alberta notifies the police, she's convinced the woman was murdered.  They don't believe her until after the autopsy report, and she decides to leave it at that.  But when her granddaughter arrives in Tranquility, things change.  Jinx's personality is like her grandmother's, but she's trying to make it as a reporter.  She's tired of fluff pieces and wants to investigate the murder.  When her editor tells her no, she convinces Alberta to help her, and along with Alberta's sister Helen and sister-in-law Joyce, they try and figure out who killed the woman.  But will it bring Jinx the new job or just danger?...

This is the first in a new series and I really wanted to like this book.  Sadly, it pretty much lost me at the beginning by showing me that Alberta isn't the 'nice' woman she's supposed to be.  A relative - the one who eventually leaves her money - is in a nursing home and she repeatedly whispers to her, "Just go already.  There is nothing left for you here, so just die for Crise sake."  Does that sound like a warm, loving woman?  Especially since the hearing is the last to go and the woman heard every word?  I remember when I lost my father, and I spent my time telling him how much I loved him.  It still breaks my heart to this very day.

Anyway, she's a nasty human being; what she said notwithstanding, she was constantly arguing and yelling at her daughter and the author tells us that because it's what they've always done we're just supposed to shrug our shoulders and think this is fine.  Sorry, but this is not acceptable behavior and it's abusive.  No wonder her daughter moved away.

Then her granddaughter convinces her that breaking and entering is an acceptable way to get information and clues to the murder, so she decides to go ahead with it, knowing it's illegal.  I've never liked it when characters do that, mainly because the person who isn't supposed to be home always shows up (in this I wasn't disappointed).

I was disappointed, however, that the characters were so stereotypical - right down to spouting Italian at every opportunity.  Not only is Alberta nasty and mean, her sister Helen, an ex-nun, throws insults around like a Frisbee; and the sister-in-law sure likes her liquor - having no problem drinking first thing in the morning.  What a fun group of people.

In the end, I didn't find the "collection" interesting, and the characters just grated on me, which made me skim through the end of the book.  Sorry, but I won't be reading any more in this series.

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Memory-Ferrara-Family-Mystery/dp/149671394X/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2707942657

More on J.D. Griffo's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/j-d-griffo/

Murder at Harbor Village

Author:  GP Gardner
Genre:  Mystery

Trade Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781516109007
Lyrical Underground Publishing
216 Pages
$15.00; $3.99 Amazon
November 13, 2018

✮✮✮✮

Young retiree Cleo Mack is trading in academia for a second act in Harbor Village, a community for active seniors in coastal Alabama.  But someone in this picture-perfect coastal town is burning the candle at both ends...

It's love at first sight when Cleo arrives in Fairhope, Alabama, after taking early retirement from her longtime position as professor of social work.  Touted as "the nicest town in the world," Fairhope is home to an eclectic community of retirees.  Harbor Village boasts classes in painting, pottery, and photography, not to mention being a buyer's market for husbands.  It seems an ideal place to make new friends and rediscover life.  Until a dead body is found in the pool.

When the victim turns out to be the unpopular director of senior living, Cleo is named acting director.  Now she must rely on her well-honed people skills to uncover a killer in a place where short-term memory isn't what it used to be, and age is just a number.  And if Cleo keeps snooping around, her number may soon be up...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Cleo Mack is a young widow in Alabama who is offered early retirement from her teaching job at a university.  While she's still deciding - her daughter wants her to move to Birmingham - she stops off in Fairhope and immediately falls in love with the town.  Then she meets an older woman who tells her how nice her retirement community is; and a younger woman who is an RN at the same facility, and she makes the decision then and there to call Fairhope home.

When she's offered a job at the facility the next day, she's surprised but accepts.  Then someone is murdered and she's offered the job of Executive Director - which she agrees to take on a temporary basis only.  Soon enough she finds out that there's more to the story, and as circumstances will have it, that there's also a very real reason she was offered the job...

I honestly wanted to love this book.  It's a mystery, which I love, and the cover was enticing.  However, there were too many unnecessary details, which seemed like the author only wanted to get her 'word count' up enough to get it published.  Things like, "I added some chocolate covered almonds and put the snacks into a plastic bag from the grocery store."  Do we really need to know it was a 'plastic bag from the grocery store'?  Or about all the snacks?  Then there were conversations (and thoughts in her head), things like asking where the detergent is, the bed linens, where to put the modem, etc.  These are all superfluous and too much like the things we do in our ordinary life.  We know they need to be done; we don't need to hear Every Single Detail.  Even to putting the iron on the shelf in the laundry room.  Did we think it would be on the coffee table instead?   

But then it explains why Cleo - in her 40's - would want to move into a retirement community and hang out with people in their 80's playing dominoes.  Who would do that?  Isn't that like a teenager wanting to hang around with people in their 40's?  I can't see how anyone would think this was normal behavior.  It's nice that she's friends with the residents; but they shouldn't be her only source of a social life if they think playing dominoes, eating sandwiches and going to bed at 8 pm is a fun night.  (I also can't see someone owning two cats and just leaving one to fend for herself while taking the other with her.  I'm a cat owner, and I would never do anything like this.)

So while the first half of the book was really strange and didn't make any sense, the second half picked up a bit and it got interesting.  I enjoyed reading about how Cleo was actually taking charge of everything and figuring out what was going on; it brought the book to a nice pace.  The writing was done very well, and the descriptions of the harbor area were lovely; I do believe this author has potential. 

Although I never felt that Cleo was threatened in any way or in danger of any kind, and I felt the circumstances surrounding the murder was rather 'mild' to put it, it was still a decent start for a first book, and I hope to see this author hone her skills and improve over time.  I'd like to see less mundane details and more teeth in the series.  All in all, not a bad beginning for a new series and I will read the next.

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-at-Harbor-Village-Gardner-ebook/dp/B079WM9X29/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2572273884

More on GP Gardner's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/gp-gardner/

Maggie Dove: A Mystery

Author:  Susan Breen
Genre:  Mystery

Ebook
Alibi Publishing
225 Pages
$2.99 Amazon
June 4, 2016

Four Stars

When Sunday School teacher Maggie Dove finds her hateful next-door neighbor Marcus Bender lying dead under her beloved oak tree - the one he demanded she cut down - she figures the man dropped dead of a mean heart.  But Marcus was murdered, and the prime suspect is a young man Maggie loves like a son.  Peter Nelson was the worst of Maggie's Sunday School students; he was also her late daughter's fiance, and he's been a devoted friend to Maggie in the years since her daughter's death.

Maggie can't lose Peter, too.  So she sets out to find the real murderer.  To do that, she must move past the grief that has immobilized her all these years.  She must probe the hidden corners of her little village on the Hudson River.  And, when another death strikes even closer to home, Maggie must find the courage to defend the people and the town she loves - even if it kills her.

********

Maggie Dove is a middle-aged woman who lives in the small village of Darby, and has done so her entire life.  Both her husband and daughter are deceased, she teaches Sunday School, is a mystery writer with writer's block since her daughter's death, and her most important link to Juliet, her daughter, is Peter Nelson, her late daughter's boyfriend.

She also has a neighbor. Marcus Bender, whom everyone (including his wife) refers to by his last name.  And he hates Maggie, and she hates him.  Mainly because he's a fairly newcomer to town, and he wants her to cut down her oak tree, which has been there since she was a small child, and holds fond memories for her.  Maggie refuses, and soon discovers that Bender attempted to poison her tree to get rid of it.  One evening, she confronts him about it and tells her to stay away from her tree - and the same evening she finds Bender dead - in front of her oak.

At first everyone thinks Bender merely died of a heart attack, but it is later discovered that he was poisoned by an overdose of Ecstasy.  Walter Campbell, the police chief, thinks the killer is Peter, since he had a past history of misuse before Peter himself became a police officer.  But Maggie knows in her heart that there's no way Peter could have committed murder, and decides to try and find the real killer.

When there is another murder by the same means, and Peter was known to have a recent argument with this victim, it only makes it look worse.  Maggie is more determined than ever to find out the truth, even if it means putting herself in danger...

This is a book that is more than a mystery:  It's not a light read; in fact, it's rather dark.  It's about a woman who has lost both her husband and her daughter, and after twenty years is slowly finding a way to let go of her grief, and Peter, who is hanging onto guilt and it's tainted his life evermore because of that.  It's about their relationship to each other - Peter was with Juliet on the night she died - and how it's left them co-dependent upon each other and not able to move on.

When Maggie finally figures out the killer and why, it is almost too late, but it all makes sense.  We are left with the hint that there will be others in this series, and Maggie will have found a new purpose to her life, and sometimes you discover that people you thought you knew can still surprise you.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Maggie-Dove-Mystery-Susan-Breen-ebook/dp/B018CHA26O/

Goodreads:   https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1669666241                                             

Bryant & May and the Burning Man: A Peculiar Crimes Unit Mystery

Author:  Christopher Fowler
Genre:  Mystery

Hardcover, E-book
ISBN #:  9780345547682
Bantam Publishing
416 Pages
$19.26 Amazon; $12.99 Kindle
December 15, 2015

Five Stars

No case is too curious for Arthur Bryant and John May, London's most ingenious detectives.  But with their beloved city engulfed in turmoil, they'll have to work fast to hold a sinister killer's feet to the fire.

In the week before Guy Fawkes Night, London's peaceful streets break out in sudden unrest.  Enraged by a scandal involving a corrupt financier accused of insider trading, demonstrators are rioting outside the Findersbury Private Bank, chanting, marching, and growing violent.  But when someone hurls a Molotov cocktail at the bank's front door, killing a homeless man on its steps, Bryant, May, and the rest of the Peculiar Crimes Unit is called in.  Is this an act of protest gone terribly wrong?  Or a devious, premeditated murder?

Their investigation heats up when a second victim is reported dead in similar fiery circumstances.  May discovers the latest victim has ties to the troubled bank, and Bryant refuses to believe this is mere coincidence.  As the riots grow more intense and the body count climbs, Bryant and May hunt for a killer who's adopting incendiary methods of execution, on a snaking trail of clues with roots in London's history of rebellion, anarchy, and harsh justice.  Now, they'll have to throw themselves in the line of fire before the entire investigation goes up in smoke.

********

Arthur Bryant and John May are two senior detectives in the Peculiar Crimes Unit.  By senior, I mean that they are both getting on in years - but that doesn't mean either of them can't do their job.  In fact, they are both very good at what they do.  And what they are doing right now is trying to solve another peculiar case that has come their way:  Anger is awash the streets of London; the city is in the midst of riots due to a corrupt financier accused of insider trading.  One night, someone hurls a Molotov cocktail at a bank, inadvertently killing a homeless man.  Or was it?  Bryant isn't so sure once he sees the site.  And when another man is murdered shortly after, burned to death, but in a different way, he's positive that this was no accident, and is going to find the truth no matter what it takes.  But the killer doesn't stop there, and Bryant is hot on the trail of a would-be serial killer.

Okay, I've made my pun because this is a very intense book and is not for those who expect a light-hearted read.  The deaths are gruesome and some uncomfortable to read, but once drawn in you will not be able to put the book down, because there are the whys and wherefores that need to be answered, and wondering what could cause someone go to such lengths to create this mayhem and murder.

But the killer is an elusive sort, and there are things that don't make sense to the detectives.  For example, why was the homeless man killed?  He was identified as one Freddy Weeks, and doesn't seem to have any bearing on the case at all.  And they know that there was no way anyone could have missed him in that doorway, so the killer knew that he was there.  Yet he was the first, and he was connected to the rest, Bryant is sure of it...

Arthur Bryant is getting on in years, and he's keeping secrets.  He's just as good a detective as he ever was, and is able to see the puzzle and put the pieces together.  But  John May is starting to worry about him; so much so, that he asks another officer, Janice Longstreet, if she will help keep track of Bryant when he himself isn't able to.  Even though she agrees and does her best, Bryant seems to know what they're trying to do and manages to escape every now and then by himself.  But he always finds his way back, and he always comes with information related to the case.  There are those who think that Bryant and May are getting too old to do the work they do, but many know that the PCU would be lost without them and their particular way of solving crimes.

There are several subplots going on - Bryant's secrets, May's love life, Longstreet's dreams, etc., and these add to the story and make it real somehow, giving a depth to characters that might otherwise remain one-dimensional, without detracting from the main story.  And when Bryant sends his superior Land into an unfamiliar situation, you begin to wonder what the reasoning is until, of course, Bryant makes everything clear.

The methods of this unit are not always the tried and true - in fact, it seems none of it is tried and true - but the methods work, nonetheless.  Bryant merely tells people what he wants them to do, and they do it, regardless of how bizarre and outlandish it might seem to do so; because, as everyone knows, Bryant and May get results.

When all is revealed at the end, and the pieces are put together, you can see how in the killer's mind, it all made sense.  Bryant had no doubt he was on the right trail, and if you follow along with him, you will be also.  With the ending, we see what a twisted mind is capable of.

I'm not going to tell you this was an easy read; it wasn't.  Mr. Fowler does not write "easy reads," but he writes very good ones.  Bryant and May have been with us a very long time (this is book #12) and they grow on you and you become involved in their lives and their history.  I am never disappointed in these books.  Highly recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/Bryant-May-Burning-Man-Peculiar/dp/0345547683/

Goodreads:   https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1444284906

More on Christoper Fowler's books:  http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/christopher-fowler/

Murder on the Bucket List

Author:  Elizabeth Perona
Genre:  Mystery

Paperback; Ebook
ISBN #:  9780738745091
Midnight Ink Publishing
336 Pages
$11.51; $9.59 Amazon
July 8, 2015

Three Stars

The septuagenarian women of the Summer Ridge Bridge Club have gathered in secret late one July night to check skinny-dipping off their bucket list.  But as Francine observes, the jittery members seem more obsessed with body issues and elaborate preparations than actually stripping down and getting in the pool.  A pungent smell emanating from the pool shed provides a perfect distraction.  When a dead body flops out, it's an answered prayer for Charlotte, since the first item on her list is to solve a murder.

Unfortunately for Charlotte and Francine, before they can discover who really killed the man, they must negotiate neighborhood tours of the crime scene, press coverage of their skinny-dipping, an angry homeowners' association, a disastrous appearance on Good Morning America, media offers sought by a hungry publicist, and a clever killer.

********

There is a group of five senior female friends - Francine, Joy, Mary Ruth, Charlotte and Alice - each with a Bucket List.  One night at one of the Alice's home, they decide to do one of the items on someone's list, which is skinny dipping; and are going to do so in Alice's pool.  But soon they discover a nearby shed that holds a dead body, and since solving a mystery is on another's bucket list, they decide to help Charlotte, another lady, do just that.  What ensues is each of the ladies having a chance to do one of the items on their bucket list, and in doing so, ferreting out clues (and a few secrets) regarding the murder along the way.

There were several things that just went wrong - one scene (SPOILERS AHEAD) where a television anchor has one of the women in Francine's home, cooking for a show...using Francine's ingredients, pans, etc...without asking Francine if it were alright - and then, when someone is injured, telling Francine that SHE can get sued to pay medical bills.  Say what?  You walk into a stranger's (to her) home, have someone just help themselves to whatever you have in the freezer, start cooking, and then try and tell them they can get sued?  You have it wrong.  The reporter - and friends - can all get sued for doing what they did.  What kind of person does that?  Walks into someone's home and just decides to "help" themselves to whatever they want?  In another scene, a thirty-something cop notices that one of the seventy-something women has a nice body...eeewww...and then allows these women to 'show' the place of murder to whomever they want - allowing people to trample all over the murder scene.  Really?  And I'm supposed to take this book seriously?

While this isn't bad for a first effort, it could have been so much better.  The plot was well-constructed, and the ladies genuinely seemed to be fast friends - but I didn't find the book as entertaining as I would have liked it to be.  I also would have liked to have seen character development in these ladies, but there wasn't enough.  I didn't understand the reasons they did what they did.  Most of the women seemed kind of flaky in their thinking, and the plot points just didn't seem to come together enough; it all seemed convoluted somewhat; however, I believe the author will do better in the second in this series; oftentimes the first effort leads to much better books in the long run, and I will continue with the series.

http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Bucket-List-Mystery/dp/073874509X/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1336113420

Antiques Swap (A Trash 'n Treasures Mystery #9)

Author:  Barbara Allan
Genre:  Mystery

Hardcover; also in Paperback and ebook
ISBN #: 9780758293046
Kensington
256 Pages
$18.63 Amazon; $7.99 Paperback
April 28, 2015

Five Stars

It happened at Serenity's swap meet, right after Brandy Borne and her ever-more eccentric mother Vivian finished shooting the pilot for their very own TV show, Antiques Sleuths.  Brandy just, well, lost her balance and fell...into the helpful arms of an old flame, local tycoon Wesley Sinclair III.  But did Brandy's innocent slip lead to the murder of Wesley's wife, Vanessa?

Sure, Vanessa was furious that she caught Brandy in Wesley's embrace.  And she did storm off threatening dire consequences for her humbled husband.  So when Vanessa turns ups very dead, the local tongue-wag is that Wesley may have permanently dethroned the queen of his castle.  But Brandy--along with her notoriously nosy mother and their sleuthing shih tzu Sushi--is determined to dig for the whole truth.

Each new clue points in a different direction.  What about this suspicious Club of Eight, a super-secret high-society bridge group that supposedly has very liberal rules about "partners"?  When a key witness joins the dead list, Brandy and Vivian know they've got to crack this case before the remorseless killer puts an end to their antiquing days--forever!

********

On a nice summer day Brandy Borne and her mother Vivian are attending a local swap meet, wrapping up the final taping of their proposed television pilot for Antiques Sleuths.  With Vivian off on a jaunt, Brandy indulges in a local treat under the shade of a tree, and is soon joined by an old boyfriend, Wesley Sinclair III.  After eating, they both stand, and Brandy takes a misstep, falling into Wesley.  However, it is just at this moment that Mrs. Sinclair, Vanessa, spies them and creates a scene, accusing Brandy and Wesley of having a tryst.  While Wes tells her not to worry about it and he will sort it out, Brandy still feels bad that she caused trouble.  

But the next day Brandy is confused when Vanessa calls her to apologize - and ask her to come over because Wes has a beer sign collection he wants to get rid of and thinks Brandy and her mother could buy them for their shop.  So Brandy dutifully complies; leaves shortly after with a promise to return after checking the value online (in order to make a qualified offer), and returns with Vivian in tow - only to find Vanessa dead.  

When Wes denies to the police that he wanted to sell his sign collection, it appears Brandy is the logical suspect, having been seen arguing with Vanessa.  But Brandy is cleared shortly after, and the next logical suspect is Wes himself.  Yet Brandy isn't sure Wes murdered his wife, and Vivian, of course, wants to find out the truth, even as Brandy has promised her boyfriend, Tony, a local cop, that she will stay out of the investigation.

But when Vivian is attacked, Brandy makes it her personal mission to find out the truth.  A truth that will bring her to see that there is more than meets the eye, that Wes and Vanessa were involved in a bridge club that may not have the members playing bridge at all:  that all eight members have a lot to hide and a lot to lose if the truth comes out.

Ms. Allen never disappoints, and this newest is no different.  This latest entry in the Trash 'n Treasures mysteries is done very well indeed.  Brandy is her usual voice of reason, and Vivian is her usual over-the-top drama queen (but I think Vivian may be getting a tad forgetful - it was Bugs Bunny, not Daffy Duck, who said "He don't know me very well, do he?") who definitely needs not a caregiver, but a keeper.  

And when the answer does finally come, it comes from an unlikely source, which allows Brandy and Vivian to put the pieces together so the puzzle can be complete.  Although I had my suspicions all along, the way each piece is connected to the other makes perfect sense in the end.  What pleases me most is that although this is a book series, you do not have to read the previous one; it can be read as a stand-alone (although it is such fun to read that you might want to pick up any previous ones you've missed).  Highly recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/Antiques-Swap-Trash-Treasures-Mystery/dp/0758293046/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1321090019

Mrs. Kaplan and the Matzoh Ball of Death

Author:  Mark Reutlinger
Genre:  Mystery

Three Stars

 

Everyone knows that Rose Kaplan makes the best matzoh ball soup around—she’s a regular matzoh ball maven—so it’s no surprise at the Julius and Rebecca Cohen Home for Jewish Seniors when, once again, Mrs. K wins the honor of preparing the beloved dish for the Home’s seder on the first night of Passover.

But when Bertha Finkelstein is discovered facedown in her bowl of soup, her death puts a bit of a pall on the rest of the seder. And things go really meshugge when it comes out that Bertha choked on a diamond earring earlier stolen from resident Daisy Goldfarb. Suddenly Mrs. K is the prime suspect in the police investigation of both theft and murder. Oy vey—it’s a recipe for disaster, unless Rose and her dear friend Ida can summon up the chutzpah to face down the police and solve the mystery themselves.

 

********

 

Rose Kaplan is chosen to make the matzoh soup for the first night of Passover, since she makes better matzoh than most.  Shortly after the soup is served, Bertha Finkelstein dies while eating it, and falls face down in her soup.  When the death is investigated, it is discovered that Bertha choked to death on a diamond earring that was purloined earlier from Daisy Goldfarb.  Since no one was around when Rose made the soup, she becomes the prime suspect, with the police believing that she either put the earring in the matzoh or the soup itself.  So now it is up to Rose and Ida to discover the truth.

I found it odd that Daisy hadn't mentioned at dinner that her earrings were missing - I would think she would have mentioned it to someone, but no one seemed to know about it until after Bertha died and the discovery was made.  Since the earrings were kept in plain sight by the door, she should have noticed immediately; I would have; although it is possible she didn't notice.

I understand that Rose and Ida were meant to be funny, but they just weren't.  They were two older (in their 70's) Jewish women who don't have blue hair or wear outrageous clothing or jewelry, nothing to make them funny characters.  They are, in fact...normal.  Ida, who narrates the story, spouts a lot of Yiddish (with explanations at times), and some of the things she says I am sure are meant to be funny, ("the cast is dyed,") but that's just a malapropism.  The mention over and over of the Julius and Rebecca Cohen Home for Jewish Seniors unfortunately downgraded the rating.

There is also a side story of another resident and her daughter, Doreen, and Doreen's maybe-married-or-not rude boyfriend that seems superfluous.  Mrs. K solves this problem also in record time, in what I figure is an attempt to show how smart she is (like Sherlock Holmes, her hero), because it doesn't seem to belong in the story anywhere, and doesn't have any relevance to the death.

When Mrs. K solves the murder and informs the police, it doesn't really make sense.  To see the spoiler, please read my review on Goodreads.  But the two investigating officers (one who looks like Inspector Dalgleish and the other Lieutenant Columbo, according to Ida) don't have a lot to do here, they're just figureheads.  The story is Rose and Ida's, and the action completely centers on them.  In fact, the officers act as if they're doing nothing at all, since the two women aren't involving them in any way - not asking questions or talking to them at all - it is just as if they have made up their mind Rose is guilty and that is that.  But, as I stated before, Sherlock Holmes is her hero, and she goes about investigating in the way she thinks he would, and I believe she is supposed to come off as some elderly female Holmes.  Normally I enjoy elderly female sleuths, so this wasn't an issue.

I honestly can't say what it was about the book that just seemed "off," but perhaps it was all the Yiddish, I had to keep looking up the words.  A good rule of thumb in a book is if the reader has to look up meanings every five minutes, eventually they're going to find it annoying.

The book is definitely Ida and Rose, and everyone else is cardboard and secondary.  But the book is written to sort of make Rose and Ida female Holmes and Watson, of which a certainty they are not.  Mildly entertaining. 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Mrs-Kaplan-Matzoh-Ball-Death-ebook/dp/B00KK0PJJ2/

 

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1084255575