Fit to Die (The Supper Club Mysteries) [Paperback]

J.B. Stanley (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Supper Club Mysteries | Publication Date: May 8, 2007

Welcome back to Quincy's Gap, Virginia, where James Henry and his dieting group contend with dangerous secrets, dark intrigue, and delicious praline sundaes. Six months after starting their low-carb diet, the Flab Five are feeling motivationally- challenged. A new ice cream shop has come to town, but so has the Witness to Fitness weight loss center, run by the fanatical Veronica Levitt. Maybe Veronica's "take-no-prisoners" approach is just what the group needs.

Between dieting, caring for his cranky father, and struggling with his growing affection for Lucy, James has his plate full. But when he and his fellow dieters poke around in an arson case that turns into a murder investigation, the Flab Five discover that they may have bitten off more than they can chew.

A cozy "village" mystery, Fit to Die is the second book in the warm and wonderful Supper Club Mystery series

This is a Print-on-Demand title. Please allow an additional 2-3 days for delivery.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"J.B. Stanley's Fit to Die will appeal to anyone who's experienced the horror of dieting." -- BookPage

About the Author

J.B. Stanley has a BA in English from Franklin & Marshall College, an MA in English Literature from West Chester University, and an MLIS from North Carolina Central University. She taught sixth grade language arts in Cary, North Carolina for the majority of her eight-year teaching career. Raised an antique-lover by her grandparents and parents, Stanley also worked part-time in an auction gallery. An eBay junkie and food-lover, Stanley now lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband, two young children, and three cats.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: MIDNIGHT INK (May 8, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738710679
• ISBN-13: 978-0738710679
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #827,043 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A former Middle School English teacher, I've had a wide range of jobs ranging from catering to working the shirt press at a dry cleaner to being a part-time folk and outsider art dealer. I am most happy around books, food, animals, and antiques, so I combined all three of these things and became a writer of mysteries. My first series revolves around the world of antiques and collectibles and several of my characters love cats. My second series, The Supper Club mysteries, revolves around folks who are junk food addicts. Please visit my website at www.jbstanley.com for book club discussion questions and my contact information.

Thanks for supporting traditional mysteries!

Cheers, J.B.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reviewed by Barb Radmore, July 31, 2007

By 

Front Street Reviews www.frontstreetreviews.com - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fit to Die (The Supper Club Mysteries) (Paperback)

Fit to Die is the second book in J.B. Stanley's Supper Club Mystery series. It includes the same characters from Carb and Cadavers but it is not necessary to read that one first. A mystery in a series that can also stand alone is always beneficial to readers. Stanley is able to introduce her new readers to the main characters without boring or losing the interest of returning fans.

James Henry is the head librarian for his small town library. After a career as a college professor he is forced to return to his home town to care for his father. He is learning to enjoy his new life a bit, likes his job and his new friends. He and his friends have formed a dinner club to try to support each other in their weight loss efforts. Two new businesses in town seem like they will have an effect on their efforts- one positive and one negative. Friendly new comer Willy has opened up a delightful new ice cream shop with many wonderful creations. Next door Veronica Levitt has introduced a diet and exercise program she calls Witness to Fitness. James Henry has an uncomfortable feeling about Veronica and her whole program but is convinced by his friends to join also. When Chilly Willy's is burned to the ground with its night employee still inside it is proven to be arson. James and his friends get involved to help their new friend Willy.

The Supper Club mysteries are comfortable cozies. The characters are likable, the plots are complex enough to keep the reader's interest. The daily lives of the main characters add a nice touch of interest- from James simmering romance with fellow dieter Lucy, to his relationship with his father and Lucy's quest to be taken more seriously by the sheriff's department. The on going story lines are easy to follow without having to read each book- but reading both will enhance the reader's emotional involvement with the characters.


J.B. Stanley is also the author of the Collectable Mystery series with A Fatal Appraisal and A Killer Collection.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Surprisingly Tasty Diet Mystery, July 20, 2007

By 

Cindy Chow (Kaneohe, Hawaii) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fit to Die (The Supper Club Mysteries) (Paperback)

Since solving a murder and forming a diet support group, the "Flab Five" have backslid to the point where members are grazing their way through a warehouse store's free samples and falling back on old Cheetos habits. So they're ripe for the picking when a new diet guru arrives, promising to shape up and save fatties from themselves in only six weeks. While librarian James Henry has his reservations, the other four members are eager to sign on with Veronica Levitt's expensive and very restrictive tactics.

War in Quincy's Gap, Virginia is declared when a new gourmet ice cream shop sets up next to the diet shop and when the tempting creamery burns down there's a plethora of suspects, from the diet nazi herself to the doyens who protest the double-entendre t-shirts ("Have you got a Chilly Willy?") that are corrupting the youth. As determined to stick to their diet and exercise routines as they are to discover who attacked the ice cream store, the Supper Club members once again find themselves in the thick of town secrets and tasty temptations.

Even readers who have never been on a diet (?!) will find much to enjoy in this follow-up to Carbs and Cadavers. The lure of chocolate as comfort food and emotional eating is sympathetically and realistically portrayed by Stanley, and the Flab Fives' weaknesses are easily relatable for all. The complex relationship between James and his critical father is equally well developed, as is how a wrenching divorce shattered James' confidence and has him fearful of making advances towards a fellow diet club member. Filled with humor, delectable descriptions of "forbidden" foods, and a mystery that keeps readers guessing up until the end, Fit to Die is sure to please all and proves to be a delightful calorie-free treat.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It was a pleasant experience, again., April 28, 2008

By 

D. Ownbey "book and tv addict" (Laramie, Wyoming United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Fit to Die (The Supper Club Mysteries) (Paperback)

I have enjoyed other books by this author, and this one lived up to my expectations. It kept me reading, and guessing the ending. I didn't guess right, but that's part of the fun!