Maddie Day

Mac and Tim are finally tying the knot. During renovations at their house, they knock through a wall, and find a skeleton. It’s a woman, dressed in a wedding gown, and chained to a wall. Not a happy find, especially with her own wedding just days away. Mac is determined to find justice for this poor bride. With the help of her book club and her friendly librarian, Mac delves into the past, and discovers it has connections to the present day. It’s quite the entertaining mystery. Author show more Maddie Day does a great job of building intrigue and then springing the solution to a satisfying conclusion. The sprinkling of romance adds just the right touch without overpowering the mystery story. show less

Roberta Jordan has made a pilgrimage from her Indiana B&B back to California in order to attend her 10th high school reunion. Robbie is shocked to discover that a young environmental activist called Paul suspects her mom’s death two years ago was actually a murder. When Paul dies in exactly the same manner as Robbie’s mother, his suspicion takes on a whole new level of seriousness. Robbie enlists her old high school pal & cybersecurity policeman, Jason, to try & uncover the truth behind show more her mother’s & Paul’s deaths.

Nacho Average Murder is much more of a travelogue than murder mystery; and Robbie is much more of a foodie than an amateur sleuth.

While in California, Robbie visits old friends, walks around old haunts & tourist sites, & eats…& eats…& eats…
Her investigations basically consist of her half-heartedly interviewing people during & in-between meals, and then occasionally passing any gossip she hears on to Detective Gifford. The police independently & unceremoniously identify & arrest the culprit. It’s all pretty boring & uneventful.

Although the author bio on the back cover claims she knows Indiana intimately, she clearly doesn’t. At one point in the book she writes that referring to other people as “hon” is common in Indiana. No, it isn’t. I can not impress upon you enough how much calling people “hon” is not even remotely a ‘thing’ in Indiana.

She also mentions that it is impossible to get jicama in Indiana. No, it isn’t. I grew up (eighth generation Hoosier) eating jicama all of the time. Either Maddie Day has never spent a day of her life in Indiana, or she had blinders on & paid absolutely zero attention to what was actually going on there. I shudder to think what she says about Indiana in the other books of this series that are supposedly set in Indiana…*wince*

Overall, I found the author’s writing style to be very patronizing. She just never could quite get off of her political soap box or high horse agenda. I just really don’t want or need that crap in my weekend afternoon, pass-the-time reading material.

I won’t be reading any more in this series, & this copy is going straight into the recycle bin. show less

Strangled Eggs and Ham is Book 6 in the popular A Country Store Mystery series. Even though there is a murder for Robbie Jordan to solve in each book, Maddie Day’s storytelling is so good that they read more like “A Day in the Life of Robbie” with a murder woven in. The story moves deliberately along with suspects present but no one really popping up too soon as the favorite, giving you time to fully immerse yourself into the story and enjoy it. Very satisfying.

I grew up in Indiana and show more feel right at home when reading one of the Country Store Mysteries. A few words in and I am already hungry and want to be at Pans ‘N Pancakes having breakfast. Then I remember the humidity – it’s often oppressive and can make you cranky. Maybe even murderous.

Even though suffering when it’s humid (or Midwest-cold!) Robbie has made a full life for herself in Salt Lick, Indiana. Her country store, restaurant and Bed & Breakfast are thriving, and she is surrounded by her Aunt Adele and good friends and staff, and a boyfriend, although he is only present via telephone this entry in the series. She’s somehow managed to be involved in solving several murders in the short time she’s been here, and it’s interesting to watch her approach: Robbie structures her thinking about the murders like a puzzle with Q&A. Unique.

In Strangled Eggs and Ham a new resort is going to be built at the town limits. The advocates and the protestors have squared off, and it’s serious. Someone is murdered, threats are made and things get violent. Robbie is determined to get to the bottom of it before anyone else, like her beloved Aunt Adele, is hurt.

You can jump in and read any book in the series as they stand alone just fine, but I recommend reading the entire series in order. In addition to the terrific titles and covers, you’ll get the backstory, history and progression of events and friendships, plus the fun of more murders! Once you’re caught up with this series, check out everything else written by this author. Equally engaging.

Thanks to author Maddie Day for providing an advance copy of Strangled Eggs and Ham for me to read and provide my honest review. I love this series. I always feel at home – I, too, used to say wash as if it rhymed with borscht minus the T. Took me many years to break the habit and I still sometimes slip into it. show less

Cece’s wine bar needs some electrical work, and she hires a local man and his nephew for the job. The work is just okay, and the electrician’s attitude is just plain awful. She knows she will never hire him again. And that vow comes true. In fact, no one will ever hire him again because he is murdered. Cece’s car mechanic is a prime suspect, having been divorced from the man. Also, his body was found crushed under the lift in her shop. Cece decides to start her own investigation, and show more clear her friend. After all, good mechanics are hard to find! This is an intriguing and exciting mystery. The second book in the series, it maintains a high level of entertainment value. The characters are better developed. The setting in wine country, and with the wine bar, is interesting and informative. Cece’s personal relationships with her daughter and with others add much to the storyline. show less