"The Stuff of Mayhem" By Kathleen Marple Kalb: Review/Giveaway

Review by Sarah Erwin

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of this book and a link to purchase it.

The Stuff of Mayhem is book two in Kathleen Marple Kalb’s cozy mystery series An Old Stuff Mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed book one, The Stuff of Murder, and was excited to dive back in with this latest read. I’m happy to report that book two was just as clever and engaging as book one.

Main character Christian Shaw lives in Unity, Connecticut and is head of the Unity Historical Society, as well as a historian and antiques expert. Christian is juggling motherhood as a widow and carefully helping to manage her son Henry’s Type-1 diabetes. 


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In addition to her duties at the historical society, Christian has a new client that is looking for historical guidance to develop a Regency romance reality show. Thankfully there’s a break for everyone to celebrate the 4th of July. Christian is gathered with her friends to witness a reenactment. Unfortunately, the celebrations do not go as planned when the cannon firing ends in disaster. While the deceased had a list of enemies, it’s surely just an accident, right? Christian, along with her beau Assistant State’s Attorney Joe Poli, aren’t convinced.

Once again, Kathleen pulls readers right into the story with action exploding (literally) close to the start of the book. Following her steady investigation into the cannon disaster was fascinating, as there are twists and turns throughout. I collected the clues along with Christian and wondered if we had the right person. The big reveal is intense!

Christian is such a smart and funny character – professional on the outside, but her internal thoughts on the Regency romance reality show were highly entertaining. Christian is also lucky to be surrounded by a lovely cast of characters – each unique and warm in their own way. Her relationship with these friends gives a found family vibe to the story which is a favorite theme of mine. The romance between Christian and Joe continues to be gentle and sweet, and it’s easy to root for them.

The small town setting provides a wonderful sense of community for the story to unfold. As I anxiously await the summer months, I enjoyed being immersed in a story that takes place in the heart of summer. Add to your TBR now or save for a delightful summer read – either way, you won’t be disappointed.

To enter to win an ebook copy of The Stuff of Mayhem, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "mayhem,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen April 26, 2025. 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! 

You can click here to purchase this book. 
Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.

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.

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