Magnolias, Moonlight, and Murder (Ellie Avery Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Sara Rosett (Author)

Book Description

Series: Ellie Avery Mysteries | Publication Date: April 1, 2009

Settling her family - Air Force pilot Mitch, baby Nathan, and daughter Livvy - into their new home in Georgia, Ellie Avery is busier than ever. With two children under four, a party to plan for Mitch's promotion, and new contacts to develop for her organizing business, Ellie's eager to relax by taking Rex, the family Rottweiler, for a peaceful stroll. But what they find is anything but tranquil. As evening's shadows fall, Ellie stumbles into an abandoned graveyard disturbed by flooding from a recent storm. It's a chilling enough setting without the shocking spectre of two dead bodies...unearthed from the same grave. The skeleton that belongs in the washed-out gravesite is that of a young casualty of World War I. The probable identity of the fresher corpse leads Ellie into a missing-person case centred around Jodi Lockworth, a vibrant young woman who once lived in the house the Averys are now renting. Although Jodi was a beloved member of the community, her part-time gig as a newspaper reporter may have put her on the wrong side of a few prominent citizens. When Ellie discovers a vital clue in her very own home, she becomes the next target of a sinister schemer who'll stop at nothing to protect a deadly secret. Now, with a double mystery brewing and dozens of guests about to arrive in her back yard, Ellie's agenda is once again packed. The only thing she hasn't pencilled in is one killer of a party crasher who intends to make this celebration Ellie's last.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Rosett's engaging fourth Mom Zone mystery (after 2008's Getting Away Is Deadly) finds super efficient crime-solver Ellie Avery living in a new subdivision in North Dawkins, Ga., near Taylor Air Force Base with her air force pilot husband and their two children. While taking the family rottweiler for a walk, Ellie discovers skeletal remains in a forgotten cemetery at first suspected to be those of their home's first occupant, Jodi Lockworth, a freelance reporter who's been missing for 10 months. Instead, they belong to Albert Chauncey, a WWI veteran who died in 1919, and William Nash, an African-American youth missing since 1955. Jodi's parents are grateful when Ellie offers her keen organizing skills in their search for Jodi. A notebook hidden in Ellie's home offers vital clues, but the closer she comes to solving the mysteries of Nash's murder and Jodi's disappearance, the more she puts her life in danger. Some nifty party tips help keep the sleuthing on the cozy side. (Apr.)
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Kensington; First Edition edition (April 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758226810
• ISBN-13: 978-0758226815
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,489,210 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I write the Ellie Avery mystery series. You can find out more about my books at my website, http://www.SaraRosett.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars lighthearted amateur sleuth cozy, April 4, 2009

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Magnolias, Moonlight, and Murder (Ellie Avery Mysteries) (Hardcover)

In North Dawkins, Georgia, military spouse Ellie Avery, her Air Force pilot husband Mitch and their two preschool kids Livvy and Nathan have moved to a complex close to Taylor Air Force Base. While walking their dog Rex Rottweiler, Ellie finds bones in a nearby mostly ignored cemetery that was obviously disturbed by a recent storm.

Ellie believes the remains belong to vanished reporter Jodi Lockworth, who was the previous resident of their new home. However, instead of someone missing less than a year, the skeleton is identified as two people sharing the same grave: WWI veteran Albert Chauncey who died in 1919, and African-American youngster William Nash who disappeared in 1955. Ellie investigates what happened to Jodi and Nash; not understanding the peril she places herself and her two children in from a killer watching her every move and attending a party she is hosting.

The fourth Mom Zone mystery (see STAYING HOME IS A KILLER, MOVING IS MURDER and GETTING AWAY IS DEADLY) is a lighthearted amateur sleuth cozy starring a brave woman who like most military spouses is used to taking charge of the home-front. The story line is fast-paced and the look back to 1919 and 1955 add historical perspective to the mystery. Although Ellie seems to trip over corpses regardless of what city she is in, fans will enjoy her steel magnolia resolve while also appreciate her party tips.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Book Four in the Mom Zone Mysteries, June 28, 2009

By 

365andMe - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Magnolias, Moonlight, and Murder (Ellie Avery Mysteries) (Hardcover)

"Magnolias, Moonlight, and Murder", by Sara Rosett, is another of the Ellie Avery Mystery series. In this one, Ellie Avery, military wife, mother of two pre-schoolers, and a professional organizer, stumbles across a skull on her evening stroll. With a double-murder mystery and her being a murder target, this fast-paced book keeps readers guessing until the rescue at the very end.

Rossett writes with a light touch that makes this one of those enjoyable murder mysteries. Her main character, Ellie, is a professional organizer and has a side business called "Everything in its Place". Ellie's husband, Mitch, is an Air Force pilot and moves every several years and this book take place 10 months of them moving to central Georgia from the state of Washington.

Starting a business, being a stay-at-home mom for Livvy, age 3 and Nathan, soon-to-be-one, dealing with a new and very different living situation, keeps this book moving along. Add to this a murder mystery, and this is the 30 something's version of Murder, She Wrote. As a bonus, throughout the book are tips for organizing parties from "Everything in its Place". All this makes for a light and enjoyable read.

Review by hubby, Steve