Strike Out 4 Murder (A Sophie Kimball Mystery #11), by J. C. Eaton

 Publication March21, 2023

This is a fun book/series. Seems odd to say about a murder mystery, but if you need a laugh, you should give them a try. The characters are all likable and realistic but over-the-top eccentric at times. We get two quirky dogs to enjoy this time, too, as visitor Thor joins Streetman in some antics. Main character Sophie/Phee is her usual caring self, albeit prone to jump to conclusions that suit her findings and hunches. Marshall, her husband and the real private investigator, is the voice of patience and calm reasoning while, quite frankly, Phee tends to get sucked into the moment and frantic energy of those about her. Toss in how much not just Phee but those who surround her genuinely care about each other and they are easy to like.

But, how will she deal with the paranoid fears of her mother's circle of friends when, in a panic, one of them suggests the living-dead may be stalking one of them. Hey, I said they tend to be over-the-top. I won't detail the plot, it's just too much fun to hop in the roller coaster ride and enjoy how it all plays out yourself, but will say it all starts when Shirley spots a dead body, a body that does missing before it can be seen by anyone else. Not long afterward, she gets hit in the head by a deliberately thrown softball. The plot twists involve softball, fish in a pail, hot dogs,  gambling, blackmail, and, well, too many other seemingly unrelated things to list. I will say that the scene with the fish in the pail is laugh-out-loud funny, however. That poor waitress. 

While I thoroughly enjoy each and every one of the characters, it's the humor that keeps me coming back to this series. I love the interaction between Phee and Harriet, her mom, not to mention her reluctant shepherding of the unpredictable Streetman to the dog park, which seems to be a regular plot event. Although her hunches are usually close, some of Phee's plans to gather info tend to go, well, not as intended. Poor Lyndy. You'll see what I mean when you encounter that dang fish, or maybe the mayhem two dogs can cause on a town ball field. 

Bottom line, another winner from JC Eaton. Thanks #NetGalley and #BeyondThePagePublishing for inviting me to Sun City West again to catch up with Phee and her mother's energetic circle of senior friends.

Grilled 4 Murder, by JC Eaton

 

Publication Nov. 8, 2022

JC Eaton, the pen name for the husband-wife writing team of James E. Clapp and Ann Goldfarb, wins the award for sending me on one of my weirder internet searches, ie "What does moose urine smell like?" I mean, I live in Alaska and moose stroll in and out of my yard on a regular basis -- three youngsters yesterday, in fact -- but while I'm familiar with their moose nugget droppings, I've never once pondered what their urine smelled like. Well, live and learn. It's sold in concentrate to hunters and other wildlife seekers who want to attract moose. Now, true, I wasn't curious enough to go buy some but from all I could find, yep, in concentrated form, especially in a closed area, it's pretty,, uh, strong. Let's just say that I now know more about moose urine than I need to know and move on to the review. <grin>

The plot evolves around the murder of planning committee chair Cosmo. He was pushing for a waste transfer station to be built near Sun City West. That just happens to be where Sophie/Phee's mother lives. This is where the book gets to be part hilarious and part serious investigation. I like the way Phee's new husband Marshall supports her need to not just know while dropping little bits of info on how to better investigate and focus, but keep her mother and "never met a rumor they couldn't spread and make worse" friends off her back. Let's just say, living in a retirement village with this bunch, especially the members of the mystery book club, would be part constant headache, part frustration, and always entertaining. 

And, I can't go any further without mentioning another source of constant amusement and frustration, Streetman, the little chiweenie who is infamous for bad behavior and, uh, umm, "hot to trot" activity at the dog park. This go-round, he adopts a stray kitten that Phee's mother calls Essie. You know, Essie, for S.C., for Streetman's Cat. Somehow it all makes sense, even when the two begin appearing in matching outfits and Streetman pounces on a woman at the planning committee meeting for daring to screech at Essie, never mind neither of them should have been there anyway. 

Bottom line, I love this series and this book. I won't detail the plot any further as, quite frankly, the fun is in seeing not just whodunit but how many wild plans and rumors and insane antics the Sun City West bunch can get up to while Phee tries to do some investigating while still going about her normal day-to-day activities. And, oh, there's a cooking contest. How could I almost forget about it as it is a point of agitation and rumor and even devious competition. 

Thanks to #NetGalley and #BeyondThePagePublishing for allowing me to drop in on Phee and friends again. I laughed out loud throughout.

Saddled Up 4 Murder, by J.C. Eaton

Fun. Good ol' fashioned fun. That's how I'd describe "Saddled Up 3 Murder" in short. Loved it and am still grinning as I remember some of the images the plot conjured up.

It's been a while since I last visited Phee and friends, not to mention her mother's tight circle of friends from the Sun City West retirement village. I immediately felt right at home but, no fear, new readers, as author Eaton does an excellent job showing us who each of these characters are as well as how the pieces all fit together. This is a fun read with lots of laughs, many even during some otherwise tense moments, go figure. I mean, even Phee's Roomba gets an action scene, so to speak, during the story. And what the heck, if anything, could the case of the stolen horses have to do with the murder?

I liked the characters, even the frequently over-the-top fretting ones of her mother's Booked 4 Murder book club. Or, are they over-reacting? I mean, one of them may have seen more than she realizes when a murder is committed. Could she be in genuine danger or have they all just watched to many murder mysteries. With boyfriend Marshall out of town on another case, Phee is on her own. She wants to help the ladies although, quite frankly, she admits that part of the reasoning is as much to keep her mother off her back as the desire for justice.

Phee and the ladies definitely need a hero to save the day and that hero comes from the most unexpected place. Nope, not telling. You'll have to read the book to find out. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with more than a dash of humor, this one is for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for letting me spend some time with Phee.