Fool's Puzzle [Mass Market Paperback]

Earlene Fowler (Author)

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Unknown (2002)
• ASIN: B000X4GMZU
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,834,117 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Greetings from a native Southern Californian!

I've been married 37 years to my high school sweetheart, Allen, who was born in Kansas. We met when we were fifteen. We don't have children, but are owned by a spoiled and extremely intelligent Pembroke Welsh corgi named Boudin. We call him Boo. Though I'm a native Southern Californian, my parents are not. My father was born in Colorado and grew up in a migrant worker family. My mother's family were cotton sharecropers in Arkansas. I've been writing since I was in my late-twenties. I published my first novel, Fool's Puzzle, when I was in my late thirties. I like to ride horses when I can (and luckily, have friends who own horses), walk my dog, travel with my husband, sometimes do scrapbooking when I have time. I have three sisters. I'm the number two sister.

I was named after my father and my grandfather. Both of them are named Earl. The first book I remember reading by myself was Curious George. I think it was the one where he went to the circus. My favorite fictional character is Old Yeller. He had courage and loyalty, two virtues I admire greatly. If I wasn't a writer, I'd love to be a dog trainer. Back in the 1980's, for a year and a half, I taught a weekly craft class at a retirement home in Covina, California. My youngest member was in her late sixties; my oldest was ninety-eight. Those fifteen women taught me way more than I ever taught them. I love strawberry ice cream and fried tacos. Together or separately. Doesn't matter.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Benni and Gabe, November 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Fool's Puzzle (Benni Harper Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is a wonderful "cozy" -- the first in a long, strong series by Fowler that sets up the relationship between amateur sleuth Benni Harper and the Chief Gabe Ortiz, one of the sexiest characters in mystery books today. I have read the book and given it as a gift, too. Readers of all ages seem to connect with not only the quirky setting but also the romantic tension and humorous tone. I highly recommend not just this one, but the others in the same series, especially Kansas Troubles and Mariner's Cross -- but I suggest readers start with this one.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hang in there!, August 3, 2002

By 

K. M. Howard "looking for good mind candy" (Cincinnati, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fool's Puzzle (Benni Harper Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)

OK, so the title of my review doesn't make you think this book is going to be any good. It was hard to rate. Up front I have to warn you: The plot is contrived; The dialogue gets on your nerves; and The writing is clumsy. BUT . . .

Hang in there, read this one, then sit back and enjoy the ride!!! In all honesty it was very difficult to get through this first book in the Benni Harper series. Despite all the negative things I mentioned, I got through the book and started the second (Irish Chain) and immediately picked up the third (Kansas Troubles)and have just finished the fourth (Goose In the Pond) after a marathon, all-night reading session. There was something about the budding relationship of Benni Harper and Gabe Ortiz that made me continue reading, and I'm glad I did. The writing gets better, the mysteries get better and the romance gets hotter and stronger. Right now I can hardly wait to start on the next book and I won't/can't stop until I catch up to the 9th book and current installment, Steps to the Alter. I'm not even thinking about what I will do when I finish that one and need to wait months for the next one!

I'd strongly urge you to give this series a chance. You don't have to be a quilter to enjoy the books, but the author's use of quilt patterns is really clever. Anyway, hang in there, the adventures of Benni and Gabe get better and remember it had to start somewhere!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quilts, Mystery and Romance, June 30, 2002

By 

Judith Miller (Bluemont, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fool's Puzzle (Benni Harper Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)

This story crosses several different paths. There's the quilting interest, because the main character, Benni Harper is the curator of a small folk-art museum in California. In fact, the story starts with Benni getting ready to have a quilt show. The mystery comes in when Benni discovers the body of a local artist in the museum. Finally, a little romance is provided by the attractive detective who's investigating the murder. He's Police Chief Gabe Ortiz and seems to have more than a little interest in the curator. We also meet Benni's grandmother who adds the humorous touch to the story.

Earlene Fowler has made her characters into real personalities and provides us with a fun and enjoyable read. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.