Customer Reviews

When Bobbie Sang the Blues (Christy Castleman Mysteries #2)

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If you've got an eccentric aunt or two in your family tree, you'll enjoy the second installment of Darty's cozy mystery series, WHEN BOBBIE SANG THE BLUES.

In the first book, WHEN THE SANDPIPER CALLS, Darty introduced mystery novelist Christy Castleman, a young single gal and amateur sleuth who solves some real-life mysteries in her fictional hometown of Summer Breeze, Florida. If you haven't read SANDPIPER, stop reading here and begin with this novel. You'll enjoy the storyline more if you read the series in order.

In this cozy, Christy's aunt Bobbie Bodine shows up fresh from her third divorce and ready to take Summer Breeze by storm. She's no frumpy relative; Darty portrays Bobbie as a fashionable knock-out blonde at 51, with enough energy for two or three women. Soon, she's singing at the local blues club and making a splash around town. Bobbie's sister (and Christy's mom), a strait-laced pastor's wife, isn't as excited about Bobbie's reappearance as Christy is. Soon, sparks begin to fly in Christy's family as the two sisters clash.

Bobbie decides to open a shop with the clever name "I Saw It First," which recycles trash into treasures. As Bobbie tells Christy, "I look beyond the flaws and see the promise." This, of course, serves also for the theme of the book: God taking broken people, mending them, and making them whole again. It's a nice premise.

Trouble comes in the form of Bobbie's latest ex-husband Eddie Bodine, who rolls into town with a new girlfriend and a vendetta against Bobbie. He's convinced she's stolen something of his, and determined to get it back. But when he's murdered and left in a storage unit rented by Bobbie, she becomes the suspect. Can Christy find the real killer? Or is it Bobbie? How much does she really know about her itinerant aunt?

It's not all sleuthing; there's a nice subplot about the romance between Christy and her on-again, off-again beau Dan Brockman. Both are trying to determine if they want to get serious again --- or if they should call it quits. And they aren't the only romance heating up. One of the most enjoyable characters in the series is the older widower Jack Watson, Christy's one-time future father-in-law. He is instantly attracted to Bobby, which adds some nice moments to the storyline.

It's not all smooth sailing for the reader, however. If you like your author to point out the moral of the story, Darty will be just the right cup of tea; of Bobby, she writes at the end, "most of all, she had taught them to look beyond the flaws and find the promise." But some readers, like myself, might find themselves wishing for more subtly. Darty sometimes overdescribes and repeats information, which can slow the pacing down, and the dialogue becomes stiff in spots. Occasionally, she tells instead of shows ("Bobbie had always been quick to point out her own mistakes.") For faith fiction cozy mystery readers, however, these will just be little bumps in the road, not major obstacles to the storyline.

And speaking of cozy. Remember this is a "cozy mystery" --- says so right on the cover --- so don't expect a lot of anguish, gore, hair-raising suspense or gut-wrenching plot elements. Yes, there is murder, but only of the off-scenes sort that doesn't give you nightmares. Christy herself is squeaky-clean, and her relationship with Dan in the series never gets steamier than some enthusiastic kissing.

Christy is a likeable character, and the tropical world of Summer Breeze is a fun setting for an escapist read. If you're a cozy mystery fan who likes lots of faith in the storyline and a good moral conclusion, you'll enjoy WHEN BOBBIE SANG THE BLUES.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

Peggy has done it again. I loved following Christie Castleman's into the next stage of her romance. And I fussed at her and scolded when she did what I didn't think prudent. I rejoiced at her discoveries and held my breath when the villain had her cornered.

Sequel to When the Sand Piper Calls, When Bobbie Sang the Blues is filled with quirky characters, mysterious happenings and enough plot twists to keep you turning pages. I thought I had the culprit figured out, but then a twist came along that made me think--Ah-ha! Now I've got it--that is until another character had the perfect motive. Sheesh.

Darty's settings are yet another character in her writing, an intriguing backdrop to her mysteries. Without overdoing description, she creates a town where I'd like to take a vacation--from the old pirate ship wreck to Miz B's Family Restaurant where the locals gather. A warm, fun-filled read perfect for an afternoon in the hammock with a glass of lemonade, When Bobbie Sang the Blues won't disappoint you.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
[...]

Christy Castleman is a mystery writer in the town of Summer Breeze, Florida, whose life seems to be going just the way she wants it. That is, until her recent breakup with boyfriend Dan Brockman and a surprise visit from Christy's kooky aunt, Bobbie Bodine, turn her world upside-down.

Bobbie plans to open an antique shop, but can't resist singing the blues at a local club. After her songs are over, Bobbie's ex-husband confronts her and demands money that he believes she stole. The next day, he is found dead in Bobbie's storage unit. This unleashes a series of events, culminating in Bobbie's arrest and sending Christy on a mission to discover the real killer.

Meanwhile, Dan sends Christy conflicting signals, inviting her on a picnic to take her mind off of things, then telling her he has a date with another woman. Christy shakes off this news with a newfound independence and continues her search for the killer. As she does so, she finds out some truths about her family that open her eyes to the fact that no one is perfect, not even her aunt Bobbie.

I won't spoil the ending, but this cozy mystery ended with a satisfactory punch. I suspected the killer approximately halfway through, but Darty's effective use of scenes with other suspects kept me guessing until the end.

The imagery and dialogue used in this novel is fresh and fun, adding to the cozy atmosphere. Although the suspense in this book will keep you on your toes, Darty's masterful use of words and plot creates a light touch that doesn't scare, even when the reader is confronted with the real killer.

The inspirational focus of this novel was handled with an expert touch and was not preachy in the least. I would recommend this book to inspirational readers and non-inspirational readers alike, as it is fun, fast-paced and fantastic.

Armchair Interviews says: When Bobbie Sang the Blues is a deliciously fun mystery that will keep you guessing but not keep you frightened.

A year has passed since Christy Castleman solved her first murder in her hometown. Now as she's beginning to get settled down once again when her eccentric aunt comes to town. The exact opposite from Christy's mother, Aunt Bobbie has dreams about opening up a one of a kind antique store and recruitsChristy to help her fulfill her wish. But then Bobbie's ex-husband is found dead in a pickle barrel inside the storage unit that belongs to Bobbie making her the number one suspect. Amid few clues and evidence that all point to her aunt,Christy once again uses her mystery novel skills to find out out who the real killer is.

Another winner from Peggy Darty! I enjoyed this book even more than the first. Bobbie is a great character because she's so spontaneous that you don't know what she's going to do next and I love her idea for a trash=treasures shop. She is a complete opposite of Christy's mother. While one strives for perfection, the other chooses to live for the day. Because of these differences, the two have been at odds over the years and it was nice for them to finally resolve their conflict. My favorite part of the book was when Christy had to go into character in trying to find out who the killer was. While she was in a dangerous situation, I found her airhead-ness a hoot simply because it was so out of character for her. Once again I was surprised at who the actual killer was. I prefer mystery stories when the culprit is someone we have already been introduced to, and not some random person we have no connections to, and this story doesn't disappoint. I'm also really happy for Jack's character as well. From the last book you could see he was lonely after his son's death, and now he has a reason to be happy again. The only thing I found confusing was that at the beginning of this book Christy and Dan are no longer a couple. At the end of Sandpiper they have begun their relationship, here it is already on the outs, without much of an explanation. I just felt like I was missing something as they both try to figure out their relationship. As for the rest of the story, it's superb. This is one of the best cozy mystery series out there, and I can't wait for another!

To the joy of her niece mystery writer Christy Castleman and the chagrin off her pious strait-laced sister and Minster brother-in-law, Bobbie Bodine comes to Summer Breeze for the first time in three or four years. Bobbie is a free spirit who enjoys turning someone's trash into another person's treasure. As such she has opened up a shop in town to do so.

Unbeknownst to Bobbie is that her former spouse Eddie and his girlfriend Roseann Cole are following her and now her niece because he believes she stole $10,000 from him and he needs it back to pay off a dangerous IOU in which his body is collateral. Unbeknownst to Eddie is that enforcer Tony Paneda is stalking Bobbie too because he expects Eddie to show up shortly. Everything comes to a head when someone murders Eddie with Bobbie as the prime suspect. The local Red Hatters who have adopted her and her niece begin to investigate because none of them trust the police to look past Aunt Bobbie.

Bobbie's attitude that you can be deeply religious but also enjoy life to the fullest refreshes the inspirational amateur sleuth sub-genre as like her niece and much of the townsfolk her lust for life is infectious. The whodunit investigation starts toward the middle of the strong story line as initially the audience meets the key players and how they relate to one another. Peggy Darty provides a delightful charmer as Christy and the Red Hatters (mindful of Fern Michaels' Sisterhood) try to prove that Aunt Bobbie did not kill her late mate.

Harriet Klausner