Fear of Frying (Jane Jeffry Mysteries, No. 9) [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Jill Churchill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2006

Suburban Chicago widow Jane Jeffry hates cooking, but loves food. She can't think of a worse fate than a rustic outing in a Wisconsin resort where she discovers a corpse, seemingly bludgeoned by a frying pan. When the body disappears and the "victim" reappears, Jane sets out to find out what's going on in this wacky wilderness wonderland.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In Fear of Frying neighbors Jane Jeffry and Shelly Nowack set off for some relaxation in the Wisconsin woods while scouting summer camp sites for suburban high-school students. Jane isn't exactly thrilled at the idea: any form of camping is an anathema at the best of times, and in damp midwinter it seems especially grim. Matters do not improve when this pair of amateur detectives discover one of their fellow campers smacked with a frying pan--seemingly with fatal consequences. But they suspect their own eyes (and everyone else suspects their sanity) when the body disappears along with any evidence of foul play. To make matters worse (or better) a surprisingly healthy victim resurfaces. With a mix of resentment at not being believed and amazement at the turn of events, the would-be campers are determined to discover what is really going on at their apparently secure haven in the wilderness.

Jill Churchill is a pen name for historical novelist Janice Young Brooks. Fear of Frying is the ninth in her Jane Jeffry series; the first, Grime and Punishment, won both the Agatha Award and the Macavity Award for Best First Mystery Novel. Fear of Frying is one of the stronger in the series--the fringe characters strike just the right note between parody and believability--and Jane and Shelly investigate matters more convincingly by relying on their memories and knowledge rather than by asking brash questions. The brightness and charm remain consistent: these suburban moms love children and dogs, a good gossip and decadent food--although not necessarily in that order. A lighthearted installment in a pleasantly lighthearted series. --K. Crouch --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

From Library Journal

In Churchill's ninth Jane Jeffry novel, the amateur sleuth and single mom journeys to an isolated Wisconsin camp and conference center as part of a group to check it out for their school board and city council. All goes well until Jane and best friend Shelley find one of their own dead in the woods. The body disappears, however, and the "dead" guy turns up alive and well. Jane, of course, investigates: she suspects trickery by local environmentalists. A basically familiar plot, told in a breezy, familiar style. For larger collections or where the series is popular.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 206 pages
• Publisher: Center Point Books (August 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585478067
• ISBN-13: 978-1585478064
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,366,133 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jill Churchill has won the Agatha and Macavity Mystery Readers Awards and was nominated for an Anthony Award for her bestselling Jane Jeffry series. She is also the author of the highly acclaimed Grace and Favor mysteries and lives in the Midwest.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great read for a weekend, June 28, 2001

By 

"kathrynlively" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fear of Frying (Jane Jeffry Mysteries, No. 9) (Mass Market Paperback)

For a light and quick weekend read, Jill Churchill's Fear of Frying fit the bill. For those of you unfamiliar with Churchill's Jane Jeffrys series (of which this is the ninth installment), amateur sleuth Jane is a single mother who likes to cook and/or eat, and has a detective boyfriend (a no-show in this story) and a best friend named Shelley. Despite the title, Jane doesn't do much cooking here, though it does give a hint with regards to the murder weapon of choice.

Along with various other people in their social circle (including two car dealership execs and their wives, a high school principal and her complacent husband), Jane and Shelley volunteer to spend a few days to evaluate Camp Sunshine, a wilderness resort which owner Benson Titus hopes to contract to the area school district for summer programs. Shades of Allan Sherman's "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah" are evident during this trip as a bit of heavy rain spoils the atmosphere for Jane and Shelley, but not so much as the lifeless body of car dealership owner Sam Claypool which they discover lying by a doused campfire.

When Sam turns up alive later that evening, and the rest of their working vacation is marred by environmental activists, a washed-out bridge leading to freedom and a grumpy sheriff, Jane and Shelley are hardly happy campers. All the same, it's fun to read. I hated camp, I sympathize entirely.

Fear of Frying may be predictable for some, but as a cozy read it works: I enjoyed being introduced to Jane and Shelley and hope to become more familiar with them in the future. They play off each other with good humor, they seem like real people and their ability to rely upon observation rather than blatant snooping is reminiscent of Christie's Miss Marple. A good read to take to the beach.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars catchy titles-good books, December 10, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Fear of Frying (Jane Jeffry Mysteries, No. 9) (Hardcover)

Jill's former books have catchy titles, i.e. A quiche before dying, from here to paternity, a knife to remember. This shows that she has a sense of humor and it comes thru in in her books. The latest takes place at a summer camp where the parents are visiting. As you might expect, the murder takes place with a frying pan. All of her novels have the same characters which makes makes it more enjoyable as you feel (if you have read all her books, as I have) that you know the characters. Ms. Churchill deserves a good following.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another Book in the Jane Jeffrey Series, March 18, 2004

By 

Nancy R. Katz "NancyK18" (NJ) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fear of Frying (Jane Jeffry Mysteries, No. 9) (Mass Market Paperback)

Jane Jeffrey, suburban housewife and sometime detective, accompanies her friend Shelley to learn more about a summer camp for their community's students. What they never expected though was the remote campsite, interesting guests and murder.

Fear of Frying is the 9th book in the Jane Jeffrey series which I first began reading in 1998. The series began with the recenly widowed Jane as she helps to solve the murder of a local housekeeper in Grime and Punishment and has continued with other murders and personal events. Note the clever titles based on other well known book titles.

For the most part I have enjoyed all of Ms. Chruchill's books and Fear of Frying is no exception. I am also in the process of reading the author's second series, the Grace and Favor series which began with Anything Goes.

If you enjoy light and cozy tales of murder and mayhem, consider reading either of these series and enjoy.