Bike Week Blues (A Daffodils Mystery) (Volume 2) [Paperback]

Mary Clay (Author)

Book Description

Series: Daffodils Mystery | Publication Date: February 9, 2004

***TV/Movie Rights Optioned*** Leigh is building a new, single life at the beach. Ruthie's in town for a spiritual seminar. Flamboyant Penny Sue, hot on the trail of her latest soul mate, buys a Harley and follows him to Bike Week. In true DAFFODILS fashion, no sooner do the sorority sister reunite, then all hell breaks loose. Bullets are flying, a body is found and all clues point to Rich, Penny Sue's new love. Unfortunately, Rich has disappeared into the hubbub of a half million bikers, beer bashes, and cole slaw wrestling. From the Publisher: In the tradition of "The First Wives Club" and Anne George's acclaimed Southern Sisters Mysteries, Mary Clay gives us a hilarious series about sorority sisters who come back together when the last of the trio divorces her two-timing husband.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

The DAFFODILS® now have their own blog to keep you up to date on their "between-the-books" goings-on. The blog is displayed on Mary Clay's Amazon page and is also available by email through Mary Clay's web site.

About the Author

An economist by training, and a novelist by choice, Linda Tuck-Jenkins, a.k.a Mary Clay, returned to her childhood love--writing--in her mid-40s. Her first book, Starpeople: The Sirian Redemption was First Runner-Up for Best New Age Fiction of 2001 and a Finalist for the 2002 IPPY Prize for Visionary Fiction. Convinced the ocean would enhance her creativity, Tuck-Jenkins twisted her husband's arm into moving to New Smyrna Beach, which is the setting for the wildly successful DAFFODILS* Mystery Series. (*Divorced And Finally Free of Deceitful, Insensitive, Licentious Scum) Called "Witty and hilarious" by Midwest Book Review, and "A fun read" by Southern Halifax Magazine, The Turtle Mound Murder-first book in the series-is already in its fifth printing. According to Harriet Klausner, Amazon's #1 Reviewer, Bike Week Blues (second book is the series), "...is one of the funniest capers this reviewer has had the privilege of reading." The third book in the trilogy has been hailed as "a triumph."

Product Details

• Paperback: 260 pages
• Publisher: IF Mystery (February 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971042977
• ISBN-13: 978-0971042971
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #233,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

An economist by training, and a novelist by choice, Linda Tuck-Jenkins, a.k.a Mary Clay, returned to her childhood love--writing--in her mid-40s.

Her first book, STARPEOPLE: THE SIRIAN REDEMPTION was First Runner-Up for the Coalition of Visionary Retailers' (COVR) Best New Age Fiction of 2001 and a Finalist for the 2002 IPPY Prize for Visionary Fiction.

Convinced the ocean would enhance her creativity, Tuck-Jenkins twisted her one and only husband's arm into moving to New Smyrna Beach, which is the setting for the comical DAFFODILS* Mystery Series. (*Divorced And Finally Free of Deceitful, Insensitive, Licentious Scum)

Called "Witty and hilarious" by Midwest Book Review, and "A fun read" by Southern Halifax Magazine, THE TURTLE MOUND MURDER--first book in the series--is already in its fifth printing. According to Harriet Klausner, Amazon's #1 Reviewer, BIKE WEEK BLUES (second book in the series), "...is one of the funniest capers this reviewer has had the privilege of reading." The final book in the trilogy, MURDER IS THE PITS, has been hailed as "a triumph."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lordy, it's like Lula morphed into a Southern Belle!, July 22, 2004

By 

J. Jenkins - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bike Week Blues (A Daffodils Mystery) (Volume 2) (Paperback)

I'm a huge Evanovich fan, didn't think anything could possibly be as funny. But, Bike Week Blues is.

Imagine Stephanie is from Georgia, has lots of money, is man crazy, and carries a gun. Hm-mm, sounds more like Lula doesn't it?

Okay, a white Lula (who wears flame Harley boots) from an upper crust family, with fairly normal sorority sisters in their mid-40s trying to keep her in line. Also, they're all divorced. One is getting over a very nasty parting. One is long since over it all and into spirituality. And, then there's Penny Sue who's coninuously looking for #4.

An Italian widow from the south (South of Boston) takes these "sweet girls" under her wing. Just so happens, this widow's son is a 30ish, MIT millionaire genius who does Star Trek role-playing, paintball games with his other genius, MIT buddies.

Take that unlikely mix, throw in hot flashes, a half million bikers, cole slaw wrestling, Navy Seals, and a nuclear powered satellite and it's one heck of a hilarious mess.

Absolutely, one of the wildest capers I've ever read!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars funny, witty, catty, and filled with plenty of action, September 27, 2005

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bike Week Blues (A Daffodils Mystery) (Volume 2) (Paperback)

The DAFFODILS (Divorced and Finally Free of Deceitful, Incentive, Licentious Scum) are in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Leigh is living in Penny Sue's father's home rent free, working part-time, and trying to recover from being dumped for a bimbo her daughter's age. Ruthie plans to attend a metaphysical seminar and Penny Sue has followed her boyfriend down here so they can spend some time together during festivities of Bike Week.

The first couple of days are great for Penny Sue and Rich, but one day out of the blue he dumps her. Shortly thereafter, a dead body is found near Penny Sue's car and she knows that the dead man was hanging around with Rick. The police want to bring Rich in for questioning but he has disappeared with the criminal Vulture and his girlfriend who deals drugs and are wanted for other assorted activities. Penny Sue cajoles Mary Beth and Leigh into helping her find Rich before the police do and what follows is one of the funniest capers this reviewer has had the privilege of reading.

Mary Clay has the right touch when it comes to writing a mystery that will appeal to fans who like something funny, witty, catty, and filled with plenty of action. Penny plays Lucy to Leigh's Ethel and Ruthie is the voice of reason. The plotting is well done, all the characters (villains, odious ex male mates, and heroines) feel real and readers will find themselves reading BIKE WEEK BLUES in one sitting.

Harriet Klausner

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A story most luscious, as Poirot would say, April 6, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bike Week Blues (A Daffodils Mystery) (Volume 2) (Paperback)

After her first successful mystery, THE TURTLE MOUND MURDER, New Smyrna Beach's Mary Clay is at it again with her DAFFODILS...that is, "Divorced and Finally Free of Deceitful, Insensitive, Licentious Scum," in BIKE WEEK BLUES. The ex-sorority pals are visiting Leigh in New Smyrna Beach, and are having as much fun as they did in their youth. Except dead bodies keep turning up. And, as Leigh's policeman buddy puts it, the "girls" have a penchant for getting into trouble.

Leigh is finding herself and worrying about her daughter. Penny Sue has outfitted herself with a Harley and new gear for BIKE WEEK and her new love. When Penny Sue's Rich unceremoniously dumps her and then calls to apologize, she is suspicious. But it's the dead body found next to her car which has a bullet hole in the license plate that really gets her going. Ruthie, the New Ager in the group, contributes sages and scents, which sometimes backfire, but add to the fun. But the real corker is the addition of Frannie May, a rich Italian widow whose MIT educated genius of a son and his Trekkie buddies join forces with ex-Navy Seals to find Penny Sue and Rich, who are eventually kidnaped by a biker named Vulture and his terrorist partners. The remaining DAFFODILS swing into action, join forces with the Trekkies and Navy Seals, and a real Klingon assault is in the making to save the entire Eastern seaboard from uncertain disaster from those dastardly cultist bikers:

"'Yes ma'am.' Klingons, Romulans, and Navy Seals-I'd try not to judge it all. On the plus side, I had to admit narrow, sheltered life had broadened considerably since my divorce."

All in all, BIKE WEEK BLUES is a delightful reprise of the DAFFODILS in action. Mary Clay expands her characters considerably in her sequel, and the addition of Star Trek enthusiasts is a stroke of genius. Her characters are carefully drawn and keep the reader laughing throughout the entire novel. The additional frequent references to menopause in the DAFFODILS as they are trying to keep up with the younger generation simply add to the mirth. There are plenty of moments of sobriety well interspersed in-between, which keep the book and plot focused on the mystery. BIKE WEEK BLUES is a story most luscious, as Poirot would say.

Shelley Glodowski
Reviewer