About the Book
Genre: Cozy Mystery, #5 in A Consignment Shop Mystery Series
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Mystery
Release Date: April 2015
Synopsis from Goodreads...
It’s springtime in Savannah, Georgia, in the newest Consignment Shop Mystery from the national bestselling author of Pearls and Poison. The azaleas and magnolias are in bloom—and Walker Boone is on the run. . .
When Reagan Summerside turned the first floor of her old Victorian home into a consignment shop, she never imagined she’d be harboring a fugitive in her attic. But after a dead man is found in a bathtub and local lawyer Walker Boone is accused of doing the dirty deed, she suddenly has a new houseguest.
Having the lawyer who took her to the cleaners in her divorce settlement—and who has been getting under her skin ever since—in close proximity is enough to drive Reagan to distraction. For the sake of her sanity—and Walker’s freedom—they need to put their heads together to find out who is trying to get the lawyer out of the picture .
My Review
Reagan Summerside’s life is never dull. Not even for one single moment. When she moved to Savannah, Georgia and opened her own consignment shop, she never expected to be involved in murder. However, it seems to happen to her more often than not.
This time the prime suspect is her ex-husband’s attorney, Walker Boone. He’s the attorney that helped her ex take her to the cleaners, leaving her nothing but an old Victorian house. Walker and Reagan hate each other. Well, they did until they didn’t. Now, there’s much more to their relationship than meets the eye.
Unfortunately, all that has to take a backseat when Walker and Reagan find a dead body in a bathtub (NOTE: This occurred in the novella Dead Man Walker.) Walker is immediately accused of the crime. So, naturally, he steals her pink scooter and goes on the run. That leaves Reagan with his beautiful ’57 Chevy. It also leaves Reagan with the police and having to answer some not very pleasant questions.
Although Reagan is determined to prove Walker’s innocence, she publicly pretends to be against him in hopes to lure out the real killer. Someone obviously has it in for Walker since he’s being framed for the murder. She’s convinced she’ll gain that person’s trust if she pretends to be on the killer’s side. Of course the lovesick look on her face when Walker’s name is mentioned is fooling no one.
This book starts out at a fast-pace and the action never lets up. It just keeps right on going to the end. The story is a nice mix of mystery, adventure, romance and humor rolled into one delightful yarn. Reagan wins me over more and more with each book. This is definitely LOL material as well as an interesting mystery to figure out.
You can read this book as a standalone, although this particular mystery really starts off in the previous novella, Dead Man Walker. This book gives you enough information so you don’t feel as if you missed anything. However, I think it flows so much better if you read both. In fact, I think reading the whole series from the first book is the best way to go. Although the previous mysteries don’t carry over from book to book, the relationships do. It’s much more enjoyable to read how Reagan and Walker’s relationship went from being bitter enemies to romance. Get in on the ground floor of this fun series.
For reading challenges:
2015 My Kind of Mystery Reading Challenge
Where are you reading? challenge (Georgia)
FTC Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
Author Guest Post
I do declare…
I live in Cincy but sort of moved to the South when I started to write the Consignment Shop Mysteries. With the books set in Savannah I had to suddenly start thinking and living like my characters. I guess I’m a bit of a method writer just like there are method actors. I have to live the part I’m writing about to make it real.
The first thing I did was acquire a taste for sweet tea. Sweet tea is big…huge…in the South and with Cincinnati being north of the Ohio River the only sweet tea we get is if you add your own sugar. Another Southern essential is fried okra. I got out my Southern Living cookbook and found the recipe. I don’t think I’ll win any prizes for the dish but it’s a start.
Other way I had to adjust are that I no longer carry Chapstick in the back pocket of my jeans but now wear lipstick every-single-day-of-my-life-no-matter-what-and-no-matter-where-I'm-going. And I have poof hair. Not more straight hair. Think Betty White with her finger in a socket
I’ve turned the thermostat to 80 and my thick wool sweaters are relegated to the back of my closet and I’ve made room for light cottony cardigans. I have a front porch so I put a white rocking chair on it and as far as my speech goes my family thinks I’m crazy as a June bug.
Some of the Southern sayings I’ve tired out with limited success here in Ohio are…
Oh! Bless your heart..." My kids think this is sort of adorable but actually this expression is commonly used when Southerners need an excuse for speaking ill of someone. Example- "She's as ugly as a mud fence, bless her heart." Even though the line was an insult it is made better by showing that you, in a way, feel sorry for the person.
And of course there’s Well Butter my butt and call me a biscuit. The fam thought I’d hit the vodka when I tried this one.
She looked like she’d been ridden hard and put away wet. Actually I’ve used this one a lot all my life. That’s what I get from living so close to the Kentucky border.
He could sell a Popsicle to a lady wearing white gloves. Meaning the individual is so good at persuasion that he could talk his way into anything. The sales lady at Macy’s ran when I tried this one.
You can't get blood from a turnip. Meaning you can't get something from someone who doesn't have it. My accountant got this one right off the bat.
Madder than a wet hen and He's like a bull in a china shop and Cute as a bug’s ear. I’ve used these for years too so the fam didn’t blink an eye when I started working them into the conversation.
We were just sittin' around chewin' the fat. The kids told me I needed more veggies and fruit and forget the fat
Don't count your chickens before they hatch. I used this one on my nextdoor neighbor and she was tickled pink she’d be getting fresh eggs
She was all over him like white on rice. I used this one on my other next door neighbor and she smacked her husband upside the head.
You can't see the forest for the trees. Is another one I’ve used tons but my new favorite is Easy as sliding off a greasy log backwards.
So, now that you’re sittin’ here chewin' the fat with me what are some of you favorite sayings? You never know when they just might pop up in the Consignment Shop Mysteries. I’ll give away two Demise in Denim lunch totes from the answers. Thanks for playing along.
Go whole hog today and have yourself a mighty fine time.
Hugs, Duffy Brown
BOOK GIVEAWAY!!!!
How would you like to win a paperback copy of Demise in Denim by Duffy Brown? Thanks to Berkley, I have one paperback to giveaway to one lucky winner.
Just a few simple rules...
1) You must fill out the rafflecopter form below.
2) Contest is open to anyone over 18 years old
3) US Residents Only
4) For one extra entry: Tweet about this giveaway.
5) For one extra entry: Leave a comment for the author.
6) For one extra entry: Follow this blog...old followers, too! Just let us know how you follow and under what name.
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No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.
The giveaway begins on April 17th (midnight est) and ends on April 24th(midnight est).
The winner will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter. The winner will be notified by email and has 48 hours to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen. I will announce the winner here on my blog.
Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I tried to describe cosy mysteries to a co-worker, she looked at me like I was insane, ha
ReplyDeleteI love this series. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteHere are some sayings:
ReplyDeleteHe could sell ice to an eskimo.
Let sleeping dogs lie.
Ain't got the good sense God gave a rock.
looks great, thanks for the chance to win :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteHello Duffy, Demise in Denim sounds great. I would enjoy reading this book. Thank you
ReplyDeleteSounds like a winning read.
ReplyDeleteCABWNANA1@bellsouth.net
I love a good cozy mystery - especially on a rainy day!
ReplyDeleteI have to laugh, my mother used a lot of these sayings and she's from the north. I hear you about the sweet tea up north, that's one of the many things I love moving to the south, being able to get sweet tea everywhere, I do have the problem of forgetting that when I go home to visit. My favorite sayings are "what goes around, comes around" and "easy come, easy go" (I use that a lot when doing bills after we get paid, LOL). I love the "butter my butt" one, I heard that a few years ago, and laughed so hard that I've used it a few times since. I love this series, thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for having me at Socrates Book Reviews!! Always a pleasure to be here. That you had a great time with Reagan and Walker and the Savannah gang sure makes my day. Thanks tons. Hugs, Duffy
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteCarol Smith
penelope223@yahoo(dot)com
Thanks for opportunity to win this book. I love cozy mysteries and am always in for a new read. robeader53@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteGreat review, sounds like a good read.
ReplyDeleteKit3247(at)aol(dot)com
I really liked the first book and this one sounds even better.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this intriguing cozy. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard many of those sayings since my mother passed. Memories----
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review. And not only are the books LOL funny, so are the interviews with Duffy. Can't wait to see how the Walker - Reagan relationship progresses.
ReplyDeleteI love this series! =)
ReplyDeleteI already have a copy of this book, so I wont enter the Contest.
Great review!
I have many Southern relatives and I'm an extensive reader so none of your phrases were new to me, I even use some (I currently live outside Boston MA).
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds interesting, I'll add it to my wishlist.
I am not entering the contest as I have read the book and loved it. My main problem was when I read it, it was Passover and I really wanted some mac and cheese while reading. I hope everyone likes the book as much as I did.
ReplyDelete"Finer than frog's hair", from a friend of mine in Metropolis, Ill. (It's on the border so it's more southern than you would think...)
ReplyDeleteLove this series. Looking forward to reading this one.
ReplyDeleteI lived in Savannah for a few years when I was in college. It is such a beautiful city. I'm now back in Ohio where I was born and raised. A lot of the sayings you mentioned were familiar to me from living in Ohio. I did hear one once that went something like "Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining." That one always cracks me up. I hope to have a chance to read your Savannah series soon.
ReplyDelete