Dollycas's Thoughts
"Welcome to Kindred and The Cackleberry Club. You hosts are Suzanne, Petra and Toni. Pull up a stool, check out today's specials, feel free to visit the Book Nook and the Knitting Nest. We hope you enjoy your visit." That's the friendly greeting I would expect to receive from these three fantastic characters. Business partners, friends, family. These ladies are part of a tight knit community. It is almost Halloween when the town is shocked by another murder. Suzanne finds dairy farmer Mike Mullen killed in a very brutal way and she is not going to rest until she finds the killer. The sheriff tries to keep her from butting in but he knows she is going to do it anyway. Oh and I can't forget to mention, she is supposed to be planning her wedding...
I love this series. I love these characters. I love this town. Laura Childs has created such a treat for cozy readers. This is the 7th book in the series and each time I start one it feels like I am visiting a bunch of good friends. It really has the small town feeling that I am very familiar with. Everyone seems to genuinely care about their friends and neighbors, making it very difficult to pinpoint the suspects and the guilty party. With her signature twists, that I know now to expect, she scrambled my theories more than once. The main plot is clever and creative. All the subplots blend in nicely. There are moments of uncertainty and anticipation tempered by some humor and romance.
Junior's wild ideas always make me chuckle but I feel bad for Toni at the same time. She loves the guy but no matter how old he is, he is never going to be the strong, dependable man she is looking for. Petra continues to amaze me with her kitchen creations and how she keeps up with everything going on around her. Sam is ready for his big wedding day but Suzanne has way too much going on around her to concentrate on any plans. She always seems to be going a mile a minute in different directions. He loves her for the way she is and is happy for any time they get to spend together.
This is a truly entertaining read. It's not too late for anyone to "drop" in on this series. Start with this one, the first one or any in between. They are all egg-cellent cozies! And yes, there are recipes!
"Welcome to Kindred and The Cackleberry Club. You hosts are Suzanne, Petra and Toni. Pull up a stool, check out today's specials, feel free to visit the Book Nook and the Knitting Nest. We hope you enjoy your visit." That's the friendly greeting I would expect to receive from these three fantastic characters. Business partners, friends, family. These ladies are part of a tight knit community. It is almost Halloween when the town is shocked by another murder. Suzanne finds dairy farmer Mike Mullen killed in a very brutal way and she is not going to rest until she finds the killer. The sheriff tries to keep her from butting in but he knows she is going to do it anyway. Oh and I can't forget to mention, she is supposed to be planning her wedding...
I love this series. I love these characters. I love this town. Laura Childs has created such a treat for cozy readers. This is the 7th book in the series and each time I start one it feels like I am visiting a bunch of good friends. It really has the small town feeling that I am very familiar with. Everyone seems to genuinely care about their friends and neighbors, making it very difficult to pinpoint the suspects and the guilty party. With her signature twists, that I know now to expect, she scrambled my theories more than once. The main plot is clever and creative. All the subplots blend in nicely. There are moments of uncertainty and anticipation tempered by some humor and romance.
Junior's wild ideas always make me chuckle but I feel bad for Toni at the same time. She loves the guy but no matter how old he is, he is never going to be the strong, dependable man she is looking for. Petra continues to amaze me with her kitchen creations and how she keeps up with everything going on around her. Sam is ready for his big wedding day but Suzanne has way too much going on around her to concentrate on any plans. She always seems to be going a mile a minute in different directions. He loves her for the way she is and is happy for any time they get to spend together.
This is a truly entertaining read. It's not too late for anyone to "drop" in on this series. Start with this one, the first one or any in between. They are all egg-cellent cozies! And yes, there are recipes!
Egg Drop Dead by Laura Childs is the seventh book in Cackleberry Club Mystery series. Suzanne is stopping by Cloverdale Farm to get some wheels of cheese from Mike Mullens. She calls out and no one responds. The cows are bellowing and have obviously not been milked. Suzanne has a bad feeling, but she keeps looking. Suzanne finds Mike Mullens in the cheese house brutally murdered. Suzanne quickly calls 911 for assistance and requests that Sheriff Roy Doogie be contacted. Who would want to kill mild-mannered Mike? Suzanne knows she should be working on her wedding plans, but she cannot help but investigate Mike's murder (she's nosy). But Suzanne's investigating has someone upset. Suzanne and Toni are chased through the Haunted Forest. Suzanne is just starting to relax at home when she hears someone in her backyard. Suzanne has the dogs attack, but the culprit gets away. The guilty party has an injured leg thanks to her dogs. Suzanne invites all her suspects to the Cackleberry Club's Halloween Party (she wants to flush out the killer). Suzanne will need to keep her wits about her to catch this slippery suspect.
I have not had the opportunity to read A Cackleberry Club Mystery prior to Egg Drop Dead. I am a fan of Laura Childs' Tea Shop Mysteries and A Scrapbooking Mystery series. I found, though, Egg Drop Dead to be very different from her other works. Egg Drop Dead is well-written (as are all of Laura Childs books) and easy to read. The book has a good flow or pace (for the most part). Suzanne is the primary character while her partners, Petra and Toni are in the background (especially poor Petra). Toni is known as a "hoochie mamma" and married to Junior (though they live apart and are said to be getting a divorce). Junior is what many people would refer to as a red neck imbecile (or country bumpkin whose I.Q. is less than his income). I, personally, would prefer if Toni and Junior were not a part of the book (it would elevate the story immensely). Suzanne is extremely pushy and determined (it was off-putting). She scared a teenager with Asperger's Syndrome (she eventually apologizes). I give Egg Drop Dead 3 out of 5 stars. The reader receives few clues regarding the murder. You must pay close attention if you want to figure out the identity of the guilty party (mystery buffs should be able to solve it before you are halfway through the book). One thing I did not understand is why Suzanne (and Toni) ran from the man in the Haunted Forest. It was supposed to be scary, so why run screaming for your car! I think many people will enjoy the humor in the novel, but it was not for me. There is an excerpt for Pekoe Most Poison at the end of the book (which I cannot wait to read).
I have not had the opportunity to read A Cackleberry Club Mystery prior to Egg Drop Dead. I am a fan of Laura Childs' Tea Shop Mysteries and A Scrapbooking Mystery series. I found, though, Egg Drop Dead to be very different from her other works. Egg Drop Dead is well-written (as are all of Laura Childs books) and easy to read. The book has a good flow or pace (for the most part). Suzanne is the primary character while her partners, Petra and Toni are in the background (especially poor Petra). Toni is known as a "hoochie mamma" and married to Junior (though they live apart and are said to be getting a divorce). Junior is what many people would refer to as a red neck imbecile (or country bumpkin whose I.Q. is less than his income). I, personally, would prefer if Toni and Junior were not a part of the book (it would elevate the story immensely). Suzanne is extremely pushy and determined (it was off-putting). She scared a teenager with Asperger's Syndrome (she eventually apologizes). I give Egg Drop Dead 3 out of 5 stars. The reader receives few clues regarding the murder. You must pay close attention if you want to figure out the identity of the guilty party (mystery buffs should be able to solve it before you are halfway through the book). One thing I did not understand is why Suzanne (and Toni) ran from the man in the Haunted Forest. It was supposed to be scary, so why run screaming for your car! I think many people will enjoy the humor in the novel, but it was not for me. There is an excerpt for Pekoe Most Poison at the end of the book (which I cannot wait to read).
This is another enjoyable visit to the Cackleberry Club. This time Suzanne finds her supplier of cheese dead in his cheese workshop in the first chapter. There are a lot of red herrings and a lot of smaller story lines which makes it fun to read. Chalk up another victory for Laura Childs!
Pamela C. (pj-s-bookcorner) reviewed Egg Drop Dead (Cackleberry Club, Bk 7) on + 885 more book reviews
Suzanne, owner of Cackleberry Café, finds one of her vendors dead in his barn. The story unfolds with lots of suspects and action. Good installment in the series.
Bonnie A. (ladycholla) -
As always I enjoyed this book in this series. The story was very funny in places and very serious in others. Great writing and great books to look forward to. This series and others.
