Needing a light beach read? Wanting to read something with predictable Southern dialog, including all of the usual "bless her heart" phrases? Then this Augusta Goodnight Mystery title would probably be the perfect choice.

The plot is essentially that a killer is loose on the small and sleepy campus of Sarah Bedford, a women's college in the small South Carolina town of Stone's Throw. Connected to the murders is the Lewis Carroll poem Jabberwocky, and it is up to Lucy Nan Pilgrim and her guardian angel Augusta to discover the connection, find the killer, and restore order to Sarah Bedford.

There's nothing wrong per say with Ballard's murder mystery. It has all the right plot twists, including those clever cliff hangers at the end of a chapter. Yet as I read the novel, I found the characters more like common stereotypes without any form of depth. Instead of the quirky characters that I know to exist in small sleepy southern towns (since I grew up in one), all Ballard offers is the literary equivalent of Paula Deen.

As a cute sidenote though, the novel does come with a short collection of recipes that are mentioned through out the story. Can't vouch for any of the recipes personally, but if you like southern cooking then I'm sure you'll probably find one worth trying. ( )

I really enjoy The Augusta Goodnight Mystery Series. This one takes place at a South Carolina women's college where a series of deaths take place. The main clue is the poem "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll. The highlight of these books for me is the angel, Augusta, whose job is to offer insight and encouragement. Not to mention cooking constantly. If you enjoy tales of the south, a good mystery, and characters that you wish you knew personally, you will enjoy this book! ( )