Lethal in Old Lace: A Consignment Shop Mystery

Happy Book Release Day!  A few of the new releases are Plain as Day by Laura Bradford (ebook only), The Price Guide to the Occult by Leslye Walton, Six Feet Under by Tonya Kappes, Searcher of the Dead by Nancy Herriman, The Purloined Puzzle by Parnell Hall, Death al Fresco by Leslie Karst, Playing with Bonbon Fire by Dorothy St. James and Lethal in Old Lace by Duffy Brown.  I hope you find some new books for you to devour.

Lethal in Old Lace by Duffy Brown is the fifth book in A Consignment Shop Mystery series.  Reagan Summerside is stunned and thrilled when Walker Boone proposes to her.  She barely gets to enjoy the moment when Aunt Kiki disrupts them.  Elsie and Annie Fritz Abbot are lacking mourners at Willie Fishbine’s wake (if you knew him, you would not mourn him either).  The Abbot sisters are professional mourners and need every cent of their income since they lost their savings in a get rich quick scheme.  The next day, Reagan and Aunt Kiki get a visit from Fishbine’s grandson.  He witnessed Aunt Kiki stealing a candy bar from his grandfather’s coffin.  He wants it replaced and for them to find out who killed Mr. Fishbine.  The death was ruled accidental, but the young man has a different theory.  Then BW (Reagan’s dog) finds a body partially buried in the Abbot sister’s vegetable garden.  Bonnie Sue and Willie Fishbine were both residents of Sleepy Pines Retirement Center.  Is someone killing off the residents?  With the Abbot sister’s the primary suspects in one of the crimes, it is up to Reagan and Aunt Kiki to get answers. 

A Consignment Shop Mystery series is best read in order.  I am happy that Regan and Boone are engaged.  I just hope Regan gets the wedding she desires (her mother has gone into overdrive).  The book contains good writing and a fast pace.  The characters are established (well developed), and I just love the setting of Savannah.  Duffy Brown provides beautiful descriptions of the area.  There are several characters with various quirky traits like Aunt Kiki.  Boone is a saint to put up with Regan and her family (he is a nice balance to Reagan).  Reagan and Aunt Kiki remind me of Lucy and Ethel in I Love Lucy (screwball comedy).  The mystery will lead readers on a merry chase.  I do wish there had been a little less action.  There needed to be some calm moments in between the frenetic ones.  Lethal in Old Lace was different from Iced Chiffon (first book in the series).  The author seemed to have ramped up the zany antics and quirk factor in Lethal in Old Lace.  My mother laughed continually while reading Lethal in Old Lace (she thought it was hilarious). I loved the reference to Gilmore Girls in the book (my favorite show).  There are various martini recipes included.  Lethal in Old Lace is an entertaining cozy mystery that will have readers in stitches and perplexed over the killers’ identity. My mother read the series last week, and chuckles could be heard emanating from her bedroom.

  

Thank you for visiting today.  I will be reviewing Southern Discomfort by Caroline Fardig tomorrow.  I hope you will stop by.   Please consider following my blog.  Just click the follow button (upper right).  May you have a splendid day.  Take care of yourself and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader

Instead of drinking on St. Patrick's Day, pick up a good book!