"Memories are Murder" By Leslie Langtry: Review/Giveaway

 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.

Life Lessons

Life is a learning experience, but sometimes the lesson can be life-threatening. After a tiff between a Senator and the Vice-President revealed the identity of a covert CIA operative embedded in a Chechen terrorist group, it became a race to get to safety. Safety, after a significant “we’re sorry” settlement, was a change of name (Merry Wrath), change of locale (Who’s There, Iowa), and a change of career (co-leader of a Girl Scout troop with her BFF Kelly Albers). The very eclectic troop of pre-teens have provided enough challenge, hair-pulling, and heartwarming support, especially when several bad guys arrived for retribution. A serious conflict with Detective Rex Ferguson went from an arrest warrant to her connection to law enforcement resources to a marriage license. Trouble, however, always is averted when Merry’s diverse, yet quirky, gang is involved although it’s not quite sure if the gang is more of a hindrance than help.


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Image Source Gemma Halliday Publishing
Memories are Murder
Earns 5/5 “Pretty in Pink” Drones…Engaging, Clever Gem!

The troop has evolved past “Girly” Scout activities like arts and crafts, cookie sales, and earning badges. They now prefer town politics, weeding out crime and hypocrisy, and honing spy-related skills. Betty is the most adept, as well as the most troublesome, proven by the police regularly receiving complaints. This time it’s her drone use and privacy issues. So, the new Girl Scout meeting is focusing on the proper and legal use of drones, but Betty proves the lesson may have come too late. An urgent call from Riley, ex-CIA handler and now private investigator, is a welcomed interruption, until Merry is warned Teo the Tapir, former nemesis connected with Carlos the Armadillo’s cartel in Columbia, is looking for “Finn,” Merry’s former name. However, by the time she gets home, it isn’t Teo she finds. It’s Henrietta the Hernia, also connected to Armadillo’s cartel, dead in her garage. The past just can’t stay in the past!

Flying High Fun! Leslie Langtry’s Merry Wrath Mystery is always a troop of fun: quip-ish wit, quirky characters, bizarre predicaments, and Betty. This twenty-fourth book is just as fresh and entertaining with one terrorist dead and another terrorist looking for a new life. Some would say get in line since Who’s There seems to have become a mecca for former “Most Wanted” wanting to turn over a new leaf. This, of course, is very suspicious, scary even, but it does allow Merry to ponder her CIA past and her own spy-less life, but her “spydy” senses still tingle away when something isn’t right. Even the CIA hasn’t a full picture of the victim, and even though being a target again is not an unfamiliar predicament for Merry, the who, what, and why are elusive questions to answer…until the surprise ending!

Langtry’s writing style is very engaging with its loving relationships and solid friendships,  but humorous with its quirky family dynamics, snarky retorts, hamsters, and Betty. Yes, some elements need a suspension of disbelief with a “not a CIA assassin” assassin as a role model, Betty as a borderline Homeland Security risk, a taxidermist in-law bent on Merry’s destruction, an eleven-year-old dynamo mayor, and more, but for me, those are some of the most fun parts. “What will Betty do next?” is the question I ask every time a new book comes out. There’s always a nod to contemporary issues like insights into social media and politics thru the eyes of twelve-year-olds. Good guys. Bad guys. Young guys. Old guys. The incongruities is what makes this series a cozy favorite!

Shhh! I have it on good authority that the next Merry Wrath book is titled Method Actor Murder, and although an exact release date is yet to be determined, but it’s never a long wait!

Special Deal! Leslie Langtry is one of several popular authors who have a book from one of their series available thru Prolific Work’s Twisty Tales & Cozy Crimes giveaway. Books are claimed thru Prolific Works as an ePub, mobi, or pdf file. From Leslie Langtry’s Merry Wrath Mysteries check out Match Box Murder…clever, witty, and all Merry fun! Be sure to “LIKE” Twisty Tales & Cozy Crime Facebook page, too.

Be a Big Leslie Langtry Fan!

USA Today bestselling author Leslie Langtry pens one of my favorite series: Merry Wrath Mystery series. She also writes the very entertaining 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! 

Facebook – Leslie Langtry

Facebook: Merry’s Troop is a “private” group fans can join.

Website – Leslie Langtry

Be a Big Gemma Halliday Publishing Fan!

Facebook - GHPublishing

Website - Gemma Halliday Publishing

To enter to win an ebook copy of Memories are Murder, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "memories,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen October 29, 2022. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter.  If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. 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 perfect for your Halloween listening.

You can use this link to purchase the book or click here. If you have adblocker on you may not be able to see the Amazon link:

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.
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.

Comments

  1. Sounds like a fun read. Thanks for the chance.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Need to win in hospital with broken legs.

    ReplyDelete
  3. We have a winner!
    Lorie Ham

    ReplyDelete

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