Sherry Harris

After thoroughly enjoying author Sherry Harris’ first book in her new Sea Glass Saloon Mystery series, From Beer to Eternity, I thought maybe it was time I gave her popular, long-running Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery Series a try. I am oh so glad I did. Same great writing, exciting, well-plotted mystery, engaging characters, full of humor and real life dilemmas.

Tagged for Death is the first entry in the Garage Sale Mystery series. I’m sure you could start with any one of the stories show more and understand who’s who and what’s what, but do yourself a favor and start at the beginning with Tagged for Death. It introduces you to Sarah and sets the stage with her background and recent events. She’s still adjusting to her divorce from husband CJ and trying to figure out what life should be if she is no longer a wife or military spouse. Even though they weren’t able to have children, Sarah thought she and CJ were happily married for 24 years – but when CJ’s affair with the now-pregnant Tiffany came to light Sarah had to face reality. She’s still not quite sure what went wrong or why she didn’t see it but life has been one abrupt adjustment after another. Sarah enjoyed her life on the military base and loves the small town of Ellington, Massachusetts adjacent to it. Because of his conduct, CJ was forced to leave the military and is now the police chief of Ellington. Some of Sarah’s friends still living on base think she’s crazy for staying, but nowhere has ever felt so much like home as Ellington, and she is determined to make a life of her own.

But what will she do? She can’t volunteer at the on-base thrift shop and live on her divorce settlement and alimony forever. She loves bargain hunting and garage sales and has a knack for setting them up. Just when it looks like that might turn out to be a new career for her, she discovers a bloody shirt of CJ’s hidden among clothes that were to be donated. And Tiffany is missing. What follows is an exciting mystery as Sarah investigates and tries to keep CJ from jail.

Tagged for Death is solidly plotted with enough clues to keep you guessing and enough twists to keep you from figuring it all out too soon. The military references rang true and Sarah is someone I want to know better. I’ll be reading the rest of this very enjoyable series. show less

Boy, I really loved the setting Sarah Winston finds herself in--an attic filled with mystery books that Belle Winthrop Granville has collected over the years. This is one of my favorites so far in the series, they just keep getting better and better. The fact that the proceeds of the sale will go to the library is fantastic, but Sarah stumbles across a small valise with what looks like papers from Ernest Hemingway. The story of the lost train case back in the 20's helped frame the caper and show more murder Sarah finds herself involved in this time. Sarah, now divorced, is still active with the nearby base and is also helping with a fundraiser to bring a serviceman's dog home to him. Just when you think there is too much going on, there isn't at all. It read quickly and smoothly to an intriguing end, lots of red herrings worthy of the attic mystery books. show less

What can I say? This is one terrific series and you need to read it, each and every book. Sarah Winston is someone we’d all like to know. Maybe not hang out with because of the always in danger, always finding dead bodies thing, but she is resourceful, intelligent, independent, clever, loyal . . . and she can also be careless and reckless and stubborn and unable to make up her mind. But she is lovable and appealing.

Sarah is also very funny. Being inside her head, hearing what she’s show more thinking and feeling is great. For example, the latest dead body she finds is Margaret, and everyone in Ellington knew Margaret. Listen to this – Sarah thinking, “The local joke was you couldn’t go out of the house without running into someone related to Margaret. She was beloved. And apparently behated by someone.” I laughed out loud, at this and so many other things. But it’s not all laughter. There is excitement and danger and a mystery that runs throughout about just who the killer might be. Maybe virtual garage sales wasn’t such a great idea, after all. The love triangle between Sarah and C. J. and Seth is also funny, but poignant at the same time. She cares for both of them, they care for her, how can that ever work out well?

Author Sherry Harris has skillfully created a town and an Air Force Base and a cast of characters that ring true and will keep you entertained and guessing until the very end. I love the way she writes. It’s clever and insightful all at the same time. This is a great series and I highly recommend it. show less

I was just a few pages into From Beer to Eternity and I thought so far, so fabulous. What an absolutely fantastic start to a new series. This is the first book by Sherry Harris I have read, but it will not be the last. I already cannot wait for the second book in this series, and I am going to read her Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery series and anything else she’s written. Yes, From Beer to Eternity was that good.

I loved Chloe from the start. She’s a librarian, so there’s that, plus show more she’s the best friend anyone could ever hope for. Before her long-time best buddy Boone left for military service in Afghanistan he asked her to promise that if the worst happened and he didn’t make it back, she would go to Emerald Cove, Florida and help his grandmother Vivi run the Sea Glass Saloon. Well, the worst has happened. Boone is dead. So here’s Chloe, in the Florida Panhandle, a far cry from Chicago “helping” Vivi, who doesn’t seem to need or want any help. Chloe doesn’t want to tell her of the promise she made to Boone so makes up an excuse and gets hired on as a waitress. She’s not really sure what Boone had in mind but she is bound to keep her promise, plus there are a lot of odd characters hanging out at the bar – and this guy who keeps showing up when she least expects it.

One of those odd characters get murdered right behind the bar, Vivi seems to be the main suspect, and there’s something going on that Chloe can’t quite figure out. Everybody seems to have a secret or two. Chloe is fearless. Maybe not always as cautious as she should be, be loyal and determined. It was a joy to watch her plot to discover the murderer unfold. Gets knocked down, gets right back up.

The location, plot and characters are so deep and well developed that I felt I was right there, in the Florida humidity, amidst the tourists, running in the sand. Chloe’s memories of Boone are so vivid that I had to keep reminding myself that Boone wasn’t just going to show up.

The writing is superb and just flows along, taking you with it. The references to books and movies and past events all resounded with me. Chloe made me laugh out loud with her antics and her asides to herself, and made me cry by how much she honored and missed Boone. There are good guys and bad guys and some just weird guys ( well, women too). There’s a hint of romance and a promise of friendship, and some real danger all wrapped up in a good, solid mystery.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I loved this story and recommend it without hesitation. show less