Iced Chiffon (A Consignment Shop Mystery) [Mass Market Paperback]

Duffy Brown (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 2, 2012 | Series: A Consignment Shop Mystery (Book 1)

There’s always something to gossip about in Savannah, Georgia, and Reagan Summerside always seems to be in the middle of it. She’s busy enough running her consignment shop, The Prissy Fox, with her vivacious Auntie KiKi, but now the gossip—and the sales—are about to pick up after a gruesome discovery…

 

Reagan’s messy divorce has left her with nothing but a run-down Victorian and a bunch of designer clothes. Strapped for cash, Reagan makes use of the two things she has left, turning the first floor of her home into a consignment shop and filling it with the remnants of her rich-wife wardrobe.

 

Thanks to his cunning lawyer Walker Boone, her ex got everything else, including the Lexus—not to mention a young blond cupcake. When Reagan finds the cupcake dead in the Lexus, she’s determined to beat Boone to finding the murderer. As it turns out, the gossip fiends flooding Reagan’s shop will give her a lot more than just their unwanted clothes—they have information more precious than a vintage Louis Vuitton…

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Hooked me from beginning to end...an amazing mystery debut, a riveting story.”--Mary Kennedy, author of The Talk Radio Mysteries

“A hilarious romp through a consignment shop where customers may end up with more than they bargained for.”--Janet Bolin, author of the Threadville Mystery series

About the Author

Duffy Brown loves anything with a mystery. While other girls dreamed of dating Brad Pitt, Duffy longed to take Sherlock Holmes to the prom. She has two cats, Spooky and Dr. Watson, and works at a consignment shop when she’s not busy conjuring up who-done-it stories. 

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; Original edition (October 2, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425251608
• ISBN-13: 978-0425251607
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (84 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #39,439 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Sins & Secrets in Savannah October 2, 2012

By M. Lapierre

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I am a huge fan of the Investigation Discovery cable tv channel. While reading this book I imagined it as an episode of the show Sins and Secrets. Savannah is the perfect setting for this southern cozy, and everyone in town has a secret. Reagan Summerside, desperate to hold onto her beloved Victorian home, is forced to solve the murder of her ex's Cupcake, and discovers the murder victim had made a career out of finding out what everyone in town was trying to hide, and may have met her demise because of it. The mystery was a true puzzler, and as one by one the suspects were cleared, the revelation at the end was a real surprise. Even in the genteel South you never know who you can trust...

I am intrigued as to where the Reagan/Boone relationship is headed. Their banter through the book was so much fun; they really have the whole love/hate thing going on. Sassy Aunt Kiki is the perfect companion for Reagan's sleuthing, and mutt Bruce Willis (BW) with his love of hot dogs stole my heart. I can't wait to revisit The Prissy Fox to spend more time with these feisty southern belles.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Reagan October 2, 2012

By Rachelle Lerner

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Reagan Summerside has been restoring the run-down Victorian house that is the only thing she received after her divorce. When Cupcake, her ex-husband's current girlfriend is found dead in back of his Lexus, Reagan fears losing her home. She decides she had to find out who did it, so she can save her home - her ex has not signed over his half to her and would have to sell it to pay his legal gees

To get enough money to pay her bills, Reagan has sold her furniture and is in the process of taking her clothes to sell when the UPS delivery lady buys a bag from her and sends out the word that she has stuff to sell. Before, she knows it, she is running a consignment shop, The Prissy Fox. The other characters are: Reagan's Aunt quotes Cher; Walter Boone - the lawyer; Bruce Willis = a dog who adopts the Victorian as his home; Annie Fritz and Elsie Abbott who taught school and now are professional mourners; Hollis Beaumont - the ex; Janelle Claiborne--the Cupcake who gets killed; Judge Gloria Summerside - Reagan's mother.

Savanna, Georgia is wonderfully described in this book - including a steamy side. I loved the descriptions of the various places in Savanna. Reagan finds that Cupcake was blackmailing people and hence there are many suspects whose alibi's Reagan has to check. Is one or more of them lying? Pick up a copy and find out, you will not regret buying this book.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Book Reads As Smooth As a Slice of Chiffon Silk Pie October 2, 2012

By L. Rigod

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Rarely do I give five stars to a debut novel because rarely do I feel the book is complete. Well, this is one of those that feels like the series has already become comfortable, reliable characters, interesting plot and more.

Author Duffy Brown is a force to contend with in mystery writing. She is a born story teller and I easily flew through the book, somewhat like running a chiffon scarf through my hands.

Reagan Summerside is in the midst of divorce fallout. All she kept was her home, Cherryhill, and now that is in danger as well. Reagan is trying to scrape money from the barrow, when she decides to sell her formerly, wealthy wife clothes to earn food money. Cherryhill has a beautiful, if empty of furniture, parlour, kitchen, pantry etc. Reagan's UPS Lady comes up with the idea of a consignment store and before you can blink, the Prissy Fox is born.

All this is now in jeopardy, when Reagan goes to deliver her former backyard water display to a noxious woman, and finds, the trunk of her ex's Lexus to contain a body! Now, the worm has decided to pay for his attorney (1st degree murder comes at a price,) by selling off Cherryhill.

Reagan decides to 'save' the fees by solving the murder herself. Of course, she need help, like her Dancing Teacher Auntie, various gossips and more!

I really don't want to say too much as this book is filled with surprises and laughter. It will continue to twist and turn until even the very last sentence, but don't read the ending first as the book is just too good to miss.

Highly recommended for repeat reading! In full disclosure, I received this book from the Author, but have purchased a copy for myself to give as a gift to my library. Everyone should have a chance to read, "Iced Chiffon," by Duffy Brown.