Mystery Genre annotation
The tables have turned for CIA assassin Fortune Redding. After a mishap in the Middle East, she is the one with a price on her head, and is forced into witness-protection exile in Sinful, Louisiana. Posing as Sandy Sue Morrow, the niece of the recently deceased Sinful resident, she is ostensibly in town to settle the estate. The real Sandy Sue is a librarian and retired beauty queen, which is quite a stretch for this combat-boot wearing agent with a shaved head and love of firearms. After undergoing a somewhat humiliating makeover, Fortune is dropped into Sinful and off the radar. But chaos and crime seem to follow Fortune, for no sooner than she arrives in Sinful, a human bone floats to the surface of the bayou in her back yard, and she gets caught up in solving the mystery.
Ida Bell and Gertie are two seemingly innocent old ladies who welcome Fortune to Sinful by recruiting her to help them win the weekly "banana pudding race". But Fortune soon discovers there is more to these women than meets the eye. After learning that the human bone in question actually belongs to Harvey Chicoran, the abusive husband of their friend Marie, the two old ladies are determined to solve the mystery and protect Marie, who they are certain committed the murder. The problem is, once the news of Harvey's body being found gets out, Marie disappears. After witnessing Fortune's epic run for the banana pudding, Ida Bell and Gertie size up Fortune as someone who might have hidden talents, and they recruit her again, this time to help them find their missing friend.
As it turns out, the residents of Sinful have just as much to hide as Fortune. The only person on the straight and narrow seems to be the serious (but handsome) town deputy, Carter LeBlanc, and he is watching Fortune's every move. So much for laying low in the swamp!
This delightful mystery is full of quirky characters and plenty of laughs, and sets the stage for what promises to be a humorous, action-packed series.
Featured Elements of Mystery
Story Line- Like any good mystery, this story starts with a body (or rather, part of a body). There are also at least two investigations happening: one by the authorities, one by the little old ladies, and a smattering of other side-line investigations that go hand-in-hand with the murder.
Characters- This story is more character-driven than plot-driven, as the players are larger-than-life and definitely take center stage. Even Deputy Carter LeBlanc, who is by all accounts the most mild-mannered character, is well-written with plenty of back story. While in line with mystery genre that the characters' stories are revealed in snippets over time, by the end, we feel like these people are our friends. We go through their journey with them, laughing at their mistakes, cheering for their wins, and crying for their losses.
Frame/Setting- This series is set in the fictional bayou town of Sinful, Louisiana. The swamp plays a starring role, as it is responsible for revealing the victim within the first few chapters, and characters find themselves having several swamp-related mishaps. But the setting also plays a role in "tricking" the reader into believing that nothing too exciting can happen to the people in this town, and so it defies its own expectations by being far more diabolical than it appears.
Style/Language- The language and setting go hand-in-hand in this book. Because it is set in the south, language style plays a big role in how the book "sounds". For reader's who don't like a lot of cussing, this is an ideal read. There are only a handful of cuss words throughout the entire book. That is in keeping with the image of "southern politeness" that many of us likely hold in our minds. It would be counter-intuitive to hear sweet little old southern ladies cussing up a storm (although these particular southern ladies might just do that). But it seems the author wants to keep things light and humorous, and so focuses more on the characters' wit and southern charm to drive the language.
Tone/Mood- There is a lot of humor in this book, in spite of all of the drama surrounding the murder. We don't ever see the victim's body, so to speak, so there isn't a lot of gore. That being said, I'm not prepared to say it fits into the "cozy" mystery category because of a fairly graphic scene at the end of the book. This isn't a "dark and stormy nights" kind of mystery (although there are a few southern thunderstorms). It is a great blend of humor and suspense, and definitely on the "lighter" side of the mystery genre.
Pace- One might be tempted to think that, since the book is set in the south, the pace might be slow or easy-going, but that's not exactly the case. Although Sinful itself is described as an idyllic small southern town, and the characters (at least at first) appear to be easy-going as well, the action picks up very quickly, and there aren't too many times in the book where people are sitting around doing nothing. Even when characters are relaxing in kitchens or cafe having conversations, it is usually revealing a dark secret that moves the plot forward exponentially.
Series Read-Alikes
The Housewife Assassin's Handbook (first book of The Housewife Assassin Series) by Josie Brown
Them Bones: A Mississippi Delta Mystery (first book in the Sarah Booth Delaney Series)
by Carolyn Haines
by Carolyn Haines
Lowcountry Boil (first in the Liz Talbot Series) by Susan M. Boyer
Well, you've got to love a story centered on someone posing as librarian who is a retired beauty queen, lol. From your synopsis I just want to read the book for the old ladies and the banana pudding race. What a hoot! Did you solve the mystery ahead of time? Awesome job with your element of mystery analysis!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in undergrad creative writing, I had one teacher who talked a to about how difficult it could be to write genuinely good humor. And after years of trying to read stuff other people found funny (i.e. Stephanie Plum), I had to agree, This, however, was one of the better humorous stories I've read. There were times when it seemed to border on slapstick, but I didn't feel embarrassed for having read it, if that makes sense. It was highly entertaining, even with some really emotional moments within the narrative. These groups of old ladies racing to the restaurant after church to so they can secure banana pudding for all of their friends was priceless, and there were lot of other good comedic moments as well. And while I didn't solve the murder before the end, there was another plot twist that I nailed and it made me feel extra-sleuthy. The ex-beauty queen librarian thing was a riot in concept, but her librarianship didn't get a lot of air time because, well, it was a cover story, but the concept was still exciting.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a hilarious read. I'll have to try it. I was smiling the whole way through the synopsis. It kind of makes me think of Janet Evanovich's Max Holt series. I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteYour summary really makes me want to check this one out. Great job, full points!
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