American cosy mystery, featuring Myrtle Clover.
(What I expected when I bought this volume was that it would be the first in the series, but just before I dug into it, I read via Elizabeth´s blog that she had edited the e-book version so thoroughly that it was more correct to consider it the second. The order is not very important, however).
It was a genuine pleasure to meet stubborn old Myrtle again. Myrtle is the mother of the local police chief, but she cannot help interfering whenever one of her neighbours dies suddenly (seems to happen a lot) so when the annoying, alcoholic hairdresser is killed, Myrtle nearly brings the roof down in her effort to catch the murderer.
“Red battled a rising tide of panic. As Bradley, North Carolina Chief of Police, he took his duty ensuring public safety very seriously. Having his octogenarian mother terrorizing the citizenry in a borrowed 1978 Cadillac Fleetwood didn´t fit his vision.”
What I enjoy most of all is the fact that Myrtle is such an intolerable pain in the butt. Bossy, interfering, rude and almost ruthless when she is ferreting out her culprit. A character you might hate to meet in real life, but safely rooted in a novel, the woman is great company indeed.
I bought the book myself, read it myself (in a few hours), but kept disturbing my family by laughing out loud several times.
djskrimiblog 
What a generous review! Thanks so much, Dorte!
Ah, this book was a pain in the posterior. But I was happy with the end result. 🙂 So glad you’re enjoying Myrtle! She’s such a mess…
Loving the cover but not as much as I’m loving the sound of Myrtle – what a woman, she sounds like a tremendous character.
This sounds like fun. I love a character like Myrtle in particular, and I’m in the mood for a light amusing story.
I read “Pretty is as Pretty Dies” awhile back and “Progressive Dinner Deadly” awaits me in my Kindle. This one has now been added to my wish list. Thanks, Dorte!
This sounds like a great book when one needs a pick-me-up or some humor, and when one does not want to think about gory, gruesome murders, serial killers, forensics, etc. I’m adding it and the series to my TBR list.
I love Myrtle. Thanks for the review. I didn’t know it was a Myrtle mystery.
Elizabeth: it was certainly my pleasure 🙂
Tracy: an octogenarian full of girl-power – that´s great, isn´t it? 🙂
Barbara: then this series is absolutely perfect.
Kelly: yes, I remember that you even tried some of the recipes 🙂
Kathy: absolutely no gore, and lots of fun, but not so much the story is silly.
Clarissa: I am glad you saw my review then. I also like Elizabeth´s other books, but Myrtle is my favourite.
This sounds like a lot of fun and I love to read books that make me laugh, even if they are over a corpse or two. i wonder how Bradley deals with his mother. Only way to find out is to read the book which I intend to.
Prashant: I think that is the most brilliant plan 🙂