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A review by meezcarrie
Peach Clobbered by Anna Gerard
4.0
“If the incidents of the past few weeks are ever turned into one of those Hallmark Channel murder mysteries, I’ll suggest the producers call it Summer of the Penguins.”
Considering that the main character Nina (pronounced Nine-ah) lives in small town Georgia where the temps are never arctic, especially not in the summer, that first line from Peach Clobbered should pique your interest right from the start. It only gets more engaging from there, as poor Nina must juggle a penguin-costumed actor who insists he has legal claim to her newly purchased home, a gaggle of suddenly-displaced nuns with nowhere else to go, and a murder victim that any number of people wanted dead.
I really enjoyed ‘meeting’ Nina and the rest of the residents of Cymbeline, Georgia. In typical cozy mystery fashion, the quaint town houses a healthy dose of quirky characters as well as a heaping helping of loyal friends and a host of potential suspects. The nuns were particularly endearing, with several chuckles as well as sweet moments, and I hope we might encounter them again at some point. I’m also curious about Harry and the role he’ll play in future books – and Nina’s life. And of course Nina’s faithful companion and sweet dog Mattie totally had my heart.
The mystery is well-plotted and full of twists and turns, including a surprise find or two. Local law enforcement seems competent, and Nina did at least try to play by the rules. I mean, it’s not her fault that she’s housing two of the potential suspects in her impromptu B&B – it’s only logical that she would try to prove their innocence. But she’s (mostly) smart about it which I always appreciate in a cozy mystery heroine.
Bottom Line: Delightfully written with plenty of characters to love (and suspect), Peach Clobbered is a great start to a new cozy series! The author portrays small town southern life with wit, authenticity and fondness, and while I figured out whodunit the journey to get to the why was truly enjoyable. I’m looking forward to finding out what Nina and Mattie are up to next, as well as what role (if any) some of the characters we met in this story will play in future books.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower
Considering that the main character Nina (pronounced Nine-ah) lives in small town Georgia where the temps are never arctic, especially not in the summer, that first line from Peach Clobbered should pique your interest right from the start. It only gets more engaging from there, as poor Nina must juggle a penguin-costumed actor who insists he has legal claim to her newly purchased home, a gaggle of suddenly-displaced nuns with nowhere else to go, and a murder victim that any number of people wanted dead.
I really enjoyed ‘meeting’ Nina and the rest of the residents of Cymbeline, Georgia. In typical cozy mystery fashion, the quaint town houses a healthy dose of quirky characters as well as a heaping helping of loyal friends and a host of potential suspects. The nuns were particularly endearing, with several chuckles as well as sweet moments, and I hope we might encounter them again at some point. I’m also curious about Harry and the role he’ll play in future books – and Nina’s life. And of course Nina’s faithful companion and sweet dog Mattie totally had my heart.
The mystery is well-plotted and full of twists and turns, including a surprise find or two. Local law enforcement seems competent, and Nina did at least try to play by the rules. I mean, it’s not her fault that she’s housing two of the potential suspects in her impromptu B&B – it’s only logical that she would try to prove their innocence. But she’s (mostly) smart about it which I always appreciate in a cozy mystery heroine.
Bottom Line: Delightfully written with plenty of characters to love (and suspect), Peach Clobbered is a great start to a new cozy series! The author portrays small town southern life with wit, authenticity and fondness, and while I figured out whodunit the journey to get to the why was truly enjoyable. I’m looking forward to finding out what Nina and Mattie are up to next, as well as what role (if any) some of the characters we met in this story will play in future books.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower