Into the Frying Pan by Sarah Osborne

Happy Memorial Day!  A day for visiting with friends, swimming, barbeque, napping and honoring those that have died serving our country.  When I was younger, this was the day we spent at the cemetery taking care of the graves (cleaning off vines, planting flowers, etc.). Peach Clobbered by Anna Gerard releases on July 9.  It is the first book in A Georgia B&B Mystery series.  Killer in the Carriage House by Sheila Connolly is the second novel in A Victorian Village Mystery series.  It also comes out on July 9.  The Pawful Truth by Miranda James comes out July 16 along with Window on the Bay by Debbie Macomber.  My TBR list keeps getting longer.  What books are you looking forward to reading this summer?

Into the Frying Pan by Sarah Osborne has readers sweltering in Atlanta, Georgia in July.  Ditie Brown has just returned home from the local pool with her two children, Lucie and Jason when her ex-boyfriend, Phil Brockton IV shows up in a Confederate uniform.  Phil invites Ditie to the Battle of Resaca reenactment the next day and mentions that several of her med school chums will be attendance.  Ditie agrees to attend despite Mason’s disapproval.  Ditie catches up with her medical school friends while watching the action.  The cannon goes off and when the smoke clears, they see that the cannon has exploded leaving Carl Thompson dead on the field of battle.  Is it a coincidence that the deceased happened to be Phil’s rival in school and is still causing problems for him?  Kathy Thompson learns of Ditie’s success in solving the last crime she was involved in and asks her to get justice for Carl.  As Ditie dives into the lives of her old med school mates, she uncovers rivalries, secrets and jealousies.  Past events may have played into the victim’s death.  At the Battle of Tunnel Hill the following weekend, another alum is shot down.  Which one of the suspects is taking out Ditie’s friends?  Ditie needs to identify the killer before she becomes the next target. 

Into the Frying Pan is the second A Ditie Brown Mystery and it can be read as a standalone.  Ditie Brown finds herself embroiled in another mystery when one of her old medical school classmates dies at a Civil War reenactment.  She must also deal with jealousy from Mason Garrett, her detective boyfriend, when her old beau Phil Brockton IV comes to town.  There are multiple suspects who all had a reason for doing away with unlikeable Carl.  The murder was unique with the killer using an old cannon to dispose of the victim.  The second victim also died in an uncommon way.   It was interesting to learn about reenactments and the people who participate in them.  It is educational and a good way to allow children to learn about the Civil War.  Avid mystery readers will not find the whodunit challenging, but others will like the variety of suspects and misdirection.  I was not a fan of Mason’s jealousy which was featured throughout the whole story.  Ditie was not the strong, confident woman we saw in Too Many Crooks Spoil the Plot.  She came across as weak and easily manipulated.  I do like Ditie’s interactions with the children.  She is sweet with them and I like how she is handling the loss of their mother.  Lucie is the highlight of the book.  She is a smart little girl with a sensitive soul.  I like how Lucie watched and took notes which helped solve the case.  There are recipes included for the dishes featured in the book.   Into the Frying Pan is a lively Southern cozy mystery with death, destruction and a deadly foe. 

Into the Frying Pan comes out on Tuesday, May 28.  I was lucky enough to win a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.  Thank you for visiting today.  If you like my reviews, please consider following my blog (followers make a difference in the world of book reviewing).  I am sharing my thoughts on Hitches, Hideouts and Homicide by Tonya Kappes tomorrow.  It is the seventh tale in A Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery series.  I hope you enjoy the day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

Too Many Crooks Spoil the Plot: A Ditie Brown Mystery

Can you believe it is the last day of May?  The month just whizzed by.  The Bannister Girls by Jean Saunders is out today.  This book is available on Kindle Limited.  

Too Many Crooks Spoil the Plot by Sarah Osborne is the first A Ditie Brown Mystery.  Mabel “Ditie” Brown is a pediatrician who works and lives in Atlanta, Georgia.  She is surprised when Ellie Winston, who she has not seen in two years, show up at her house.  Ellie only shows up when she is in trouble and this time is no exception.  She asks if Ditie can watch her two children for a few days while she handles a matter.  Ditie picks up the kids from a rundown apartment that evening and Ellie is not in residence (she left them alone).  After 12 a.m. Mabel gets a call from Detective Mason Garrett.  Ellie was found murdered in midtown with a note that Ditie is take care of her kids if something happens to her.  What had Ellie been up to this time?  The killer believes the kids or Ditie have something they want, and they will do whatever it takes to get it.  They only way to protect the children is to track down the guilty party.  Ditie and the kids are in for a harrowing time in Too Many Crooks Spoil the Plot.

Too Many Crooks Spoil the Plot is not your traditional cozy mystery.  The main character, Mabel “Ditie” Brown is a pediatrician who works at a refugee clinic.  Some of her patient stories are shared in the book (sad situations).  Then we have Ellie Winston who frequently leaves her two kids (under nine) alone at home and has questionable ways of raising money.  Ellie is then murdered and Ditie is left with two children to raise.  It is distressing that Lucie Winston (age 9) has been responsible for caring for her brother, Jason (age 5).  The tales from the children are just heartbreaking.  The mystery has some good components and there is action that helps move the story forward.  I do wish it had been harder to solve.  The responsible party can easily be singled out (if you have not solved this one by the time you are halfway through the book, you need to turn in your deerstalker cap).  The small-town charm and some light-hearted humor (a little levity) is missing from Too Many Crooks Spoil the Plot.  The background on Ditie was lacking as well. The writing lacked an ease to it and the pace was slow (the book seemed long when it was only 244 pages).  There is romance (of course) between Ditie and Detective Garrett.  Detective Garrett should have focused more on his job instead of Ditie and fewer errors would have been made.  There are cozy moments with cooking, eating, baking, and the kids.  I felt that the author missed the mark with Too Many Crooks Spoil the Plot.  My rating is 3 out of 5 for Too Many Crooks Spoil the Plot.  To see if this cozy mystery is right for you, I suggest downloading a sample onto your e-reader.

I will be featuring The Hawaiian Discovery by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Jean Brunstetter tomorrow.  It is the sequel to The Hawaiian Quilt.  I hope you have a remarkable day.  Take care of yourself and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader