Review by Kathleen Costa
Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of the book and a link to purchase it.
Send Karma a Thank You!
We don’t always understand Karma’s motives, but sometimes it’s best not to question it and just go wherever ‘it’ takes you. Case in point: While embedded in a Chechen terrorist group, Merry was outed as a CIA operative in a “tit for tat” spat between her Senator father and his rival the Vice President. Escape was a life-saving necessity along with changing her name, hiding out in a small mid-western town, and taking employment many international criminals would not have considered. So, that’s where we find ex-CIA agent Merry Wrath, in Who’s There, Iowa, co-leader of a Girls Scout troop of very precocious young girls. It hasn’t been as easy as one might assume with a few bad guys and a professional nemesis finding their way to Merry’s front door, but her now husband and detective Rex Ferguson, her former CIA handler, now PI, Riley Andrews, some quirky friends and family, and her troop of budding weapons experts and covert snoops always seem to come in handy.
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| Image Source Gemma Halliday Publishing |
Mascots are Murder earns 5/5 Spydy Senses...Engaging Romp!
We’ve all had those insecurities about attending our class reunion. Have I changed too much? Will I recognize my old friends? Do I really have to be nice to that bully? Merry and Kelly are trying to enjoy themselves visiting with former classmates, raising an eyebrow on those who’ve totally changed, planning ways to avoid others, and keeping an eye on Betty who just floored the class heartthrob for his patronizing remarks. Fortunately, the class president Marla Zimmer takes the stage grabbing everyone’s attention with a few acerbic comments. Despite her family’s wealth and position, Marla was not well liked then, only receiving honors and awards by coercion, and now is no exception. Her barbed comments cause moans, groans, and eye-rolling, but it’s the staged program she wrote and says it’ll be a revelation to many that is the most ominous. Then, locked doors, no cell service, drugged punch, and a dead body! Should have passed on the reunion!
Gimme an M-E-R-R-Y! Cheers to Leslie Langtry! The new eighteenth adventure in her Merry Wrath Mystery series has many exciting elements one might have wished for at their own reunion: pint-sized security with an attitude for one! The well-written mystery gets delightfully complicated as more bodies are discovered, and secrets are cleverly exposed to reveal more than a few motives and suspects. Lots of moments where I thought I had it, but the final solution, although not on my radar at all, was realistically spot on. Leslie’s writing style is filled with descriptive language, rich characters, and perilous predicaments, but the spiked punch was an off-putting element. It is necessary to suspend disbelief when dealing with Merry’s ten-year-old dynamos, which I do, but I find the girls funny, clever, and an inspiring element...can you image what these girls could accomplish in the real world? However, this time they may have gone just a bit too far with their “experiment.” That aside, I totally enjoyed it! And a hint of what’s coming next is given a nice nod!
Be a Big Leslie Langtry Fan!
USA Today bestselling author Leslie Langtry pens one of my favorite series, the now eighteen-book Merry Wrath series. She also writes the very entertaining ten-book Bombay Assassins Greatest Hits Mystery and is one of the contributing authors in GHP’s Aloha Lagoon Mystery with two marvelous books: Ukulele Murder and Ukulele Deadly. Something for every cozy taste!
Merry’s Troop FB group is private. Fans can join HERE.
Be a Gemma Halliday Publishing Fan!
Website - Gemma Halliday Publishing
To enter to win an ebook copy of Mascots are Murder, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "mascots,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen May 22, 2021. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! A new episode went up this week.
You can use this link to purchase the book. If you have adblocker on you may not be able to see the Amazon link:
Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is a 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying her retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband.
Sounds interesting! Count me in!
ReplyDeleteSounds like another fun read from Leslie Langtry. Thanks for the chance.
ReplyDeleteGreat review of book.
ReplyDeleteNew author to me. Sounds like a fun, interesting, intriguing read. The book cover is just purrfect. Would love to read and review book(s) in print format.
Would love to win this book
Please enter me
Hope I Win
Thanks for chance.
I haven't read this series, but it sounds like fun. Thanks for the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this series, but it sounds like fun. Thanks for the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteWe have a winner!
ReplyDelete