Hornswoggled

I'm not a cozy kind of guy, but I recently found Donis Casey's series featuring Alafair Tucker, farm wife, mother and amateur sleuth in early Twentieth Century Oklahoma,and I am experiencing the zeal of the new convert. While I still prefer my crime fiction darker, I relish each visit to the Tucker farm.

HORNSWOGGLED picks up the next year after the events of the previous book, and begins with the discovery of a body in the creek running through the Tucker property. The victim, with a bone-handled knife still planted deep in her chest, is the wife of the local barber, a prosperous, well-liked man who still manages to acquire a bit of a reputation as a philanderer. When Alafair's daughter, Alice, shows signs of being smitten by the new show more widower,Alafair's instinctual distrust of the would-be suitor pushes her into the murder investigation. A twisted plot serves up suspects and suspense a-plenty, and the flashes of the Tuckers at home shows the strength of family and character that underlies their lives. This may be one of the major attractions of this series for me - Arkansas in the early 1960s wasn't Oklahoma in 1913; but many memories of weeks spent at my grandparents' farm are reenacted at the Tucker farm.

These books are good. show less

Imagine yourself the mother of a headstrong girl who knows what she wants and whom she wants to marry, letting nothing or no one get in her way. Now imagine you believe that the man she has her eye on is possibly involved in the murder of his first wife. What would you do? If you were Alafair Tucker, you would set out to prove or disprove his guilt. And even if it is proved that he is innocent of the crime, he is still considered to be a flirt and a cheat and a liar. But Alafair’s daughter is bound and determined to be his bride, even if that means alienating herself from her family. In trying to uncover the truth, Alafair finds herself pulled in all directions, as more and more people seem to be involved in the death and cover-up. show more When she goes one step too far and endangers herself and her family, Alafair realizes that the truth does not necessarily set you free. In this intriguing tale of love and murder, of family and trust, what seems to be true may not be true at all as the facts keep changing. This well performed audio version just adds to the home-spun delight of the tale. Set in Oklahoma nearly 100 years ago, much of the story’s charm comes from the mores and customs of that era. show less

This is the second book in the Alafair Tucker series. I absolutely love it. It's set in Oklahoma and it's spring 1913 in Boynton, Oklahoma. Love and murder are in the air, and unfortunately Alafair and her family are drawn into both. One of Alafair's daughters seems to be in love with a man that Alafair cannot trust or like, but Alice is adamant that she must have this man, even though he may be implicated in his wife's recent death. I love Alafair, and I love her down-to-earth outlook on life. The glimpses that these books give us of what life was like in a small town in 1913 are totally realistic and utterly enjoyable. Families were huge - Alafair and Shaw have 10 children, and all of them help around the house and the farm. It's a show more wonderful, warm, rambunctious family, and there is Alafair ruling the roost and keeping all her boisterous children in line. The mysteries are fun and a little tricky, and the whole time Donis Casey stays within her chosen time frame - never veering off or accidentally letting slip something that wouldn't have a place in 1913. The characters are so full of life and totally unforgettable. Bring on book 3. show less

Donis Casey writes historical mysteries set in Oklahoma, this one set in 1913. Alafair is the mother of twelve, ten of whom are still living. When one of her twins sets her "cap" for a recent widower Alafair is on the hunt to determine who killed the widower's wife, hoping to change her determined daughters mind.

The mystery here was about as convoluted and confused as any I have ever read. There were tons of clues and plenty of possible murderers so my mind jumped from one to another trying to track the killer along with Alafair. I will admit that I got close, picking the wrong one of a pair, but she fooled me with a final twist I didn't see coming.

I enjoy spending time with Alafair's extended family and friends and am looking forward show more to reading the next in the series. show less

Alafair and Shaw Tucker were horse farmers in turn of the 20th century Oklahoma. One day, their 2 sons were out fishing and they found a dead body tucked under some roots in the creek. It was Mrs. Kelly, wife of the local barber. Alafair had never taken a liking to Walter Kelly, as he was too slick and a womanizer. Months passed, but the sheriff could not find the murderer. Alafair was determined to find out what had really happened, as her daughter Alice decided that Walter was the man for her. Alafair had a bad feeling, and she didn't want her daughter to get hurt. This was a pleasant homey mystery, as Alafair searched doggedly for the killer of Mrs. Louise Kelly. I enjoy the characters and the going back into a much simpler time.

HORNSWOGGLED by Donis Casey (Mystery Fiction, cozy) 2.5 star rating

I so enjoyed the first in this series, The Old Buzzard Had it Coming, when I read it in 2010. There was a clever mystery, and Alifair Tucker seemed a down-to-earth and intelligent protagonist.

It’s awful how long it takes me to get back to a series that I want to continue. But in this case, I should have postponed it indefinitely. The mystery wasn’t at all fairly clued and the body was moved surreptitiously so many times by so many different people that the book reminded me of the period English farces I watched at the Shaw Festival decades ago. Only the book wasn’t funny.

Points for the period setting (1912 Oklahoma) and dealing with thorny family issues.
Read this show more if: you’re determined to read everything in this series; or you’d enjoy the Oklahoma setting enough to overcome the plot flaws. 2½ stars show less

Alafair Tucker is the full time mother of 11 children who solves a mystery or two on the side. Her oldest daughter, Alice, has her sight set on marrying the recently widowed and very charismatic barber, Walter. Alafair doesn't trust Walter as far as she can throw him and is determined to discoverd the truth behind his wife's death.

I wish I had known this was a sequel. I would have read the first one.