MASHED POTATO MURDER by Leslie Langtree

Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Novella

4****

Blurb: It’s Thanksgiving—time for family, fun and… murder? Thanksgiving would seem to be the holiday for sharing—that is, except for the bloodbath that usually occurs over the last crescent roll. This year, ex-CIA agent turned Girl Scout leader, Merry Wrath, has to host the turkeystravaganza with her husband Rex’s family and a few friends. And with eccentric-eater Officer Kevin Dooley around, she also has to set up a security perimeter to defend the leftovers. Turns out, the turkey’s not the only thing that is dead… Things really get interesting when the world’s most terrifying thirteen-year-old, Betty, shows up with a Murder Mystery Game, where everyone is a character and the victim only pretends to be dead. But there are secrets served up with the turkey and gravy, and Merry realizes she doesn’t know everything about her kith and kin. At least it’s only a pretend murder, but Merry has a reputation to protect. Can she solve the “murder” before everyone else and keep her spot as the best amateur detective in the family?

Thoughts: I honestly don’t know whether to laugh out loud at the antics in these books, or groan. Maybe a combination of both? In this one, Merry Wrath and her husband Rex are hosting Thanksgiving dinner. But they end up with several more guests than they planned on, including two of the girls from Merry’s girl scout troop and Rex’s deputy – who attempts to completely eat them out of house and home. The one girl, Betty (who is really scary) devises a murder-mystery game that all must play. At least this time, there’s no real body, though they do go through the whodunnit clues and suspects. It’s ridiculous, silly, fun, and entertaining.

Recommended for those who want something different and short.

Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”