Customer Reviews

Misfortune Cookies (Until the Fat Ladies Sing Mystery Series #1) (Heartsong Presents Mysteries #26)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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From the first sentence to the last, Misfortune Cookies is DELICIOUS! Don't miss the yummy combination of mystery and humor. LOVED IT and can't wait for the next book in the series!

Linda,

This book was so funny and refreshing in a time when the whole world needs to laugh! Read it in one day. hurry up with the sequel.

Wonderful easy to read mystery with twists and turns that occur in this quaint little town with quirky characters. Starts out immediately drawing your attention to a possible murder. Felt attached to the main characters and all they were going through. Side stories filled with romance and intrigue. Loved curling up in a blanket and sipping tea with this page turner!Can't wait for sequel!

I loved this book!

Not only did I grin while I read it--there were times I laughed so loudly, I scared my dog.

This was a light, fun read with enough mystery to challenge my mind while I was enjoying myself. I can't wait to read subsequent mysteries in this series.

The Chinese fortune cookie reads, "Your father was murdered. A man in a Stetson will tell you more tomorrow."

Thus begins Linda Kozar's debut novel, "Misfortune Cookies," subtitled "An Until the Fat Ladies Sing Mystery." Yes, best friends Lovita and Sue Jan are overweight, and they are pursuing their favorite in-fat-uation in one of the two Chinese restaurants in their small home town when Lovita opens the shocking fortune cookie. All parties at the restaurant deny knowledge of the mysterious cookie.

The man in the Stetson turns out to be an aging Texas Ranger, Clint Greech, a friend of Lovita's deceased father. After receiving a similar fortune cookie through the mail, he shows up outside "Lovita's Cut 'n Strut," the combination boutique and beauty shop that the two friends operate. From there the investigation of a convoluted crime network begins.

The situation is complicated both by love interests and the lack of them. Sue Jan has a terrible crush on Hans, the German-Chinese cook at the Chinese restaurant, while she ignores the long-suffering lawyer, Monroe, who has been in love with her for years. Lovita has long since given up on love---until a lawyer friend of Monroe shows up.

Suspicions about the murder and other possible crimes seem to lie everywhere. A reclusive group of strangers shows up in town, claiming to be geologists, avoiding conversation with the locals whenever possible, and breaking off quickly when conversation is forced. Clint Greech disappears and reappears without warning. And the gradually-emerging family history of the Chinese restaurant proprietors creates more questions than answers.

Many plot threads run through the narrative---the argumentative but loving friendship of the two heroines, the seemingly impossible investigation of the years-old death of Lovita's father, the heroines' obsession with food and recipes, Sue Jan's resistance to evangelizing by a local church, and various love interests both futile and rewarding. All culminate in a complex tangle of intrigue one would hardly expect to find in a small town.

Linda Kozar skillfully weaves all of these threads together into an amusing and suspenseful narrative guaranteed to entertain and satisfy. Gourmet readers will also enjoy the recipes provided at the end of the book.

My 12 year old daughter and I read Misfortune Cookies over the holidays at the same time. We have two copies and she finished hers first. My husband thought we were nuts as we sat glued to the pages, laughing hysterically.

I loved the mystery, action, unforgettable characters, and wonderful Christian theme. I can't wait until the next book comes out.

The dialogue and characters are super-dooper! The names of the characters and title show off Linda's unique style. It was a terrific, clean idea for the crime; i.e., no murders, torture, or other such mayhem, which seems right for that type of story.

Sue Jan and Monroe were superb characters! I loved the way Lovita gave Monroe a makeover. Linda has a way of putting words together that's admirable and so much fun. I did a lot of laughing out loud. I'll read more of her books.

"Misfortune Cookie" is a beautifully woven story that is sprinkled throughout with spice and adventure. This author has penned a suspense novel that is a real page turner. I could not put it down. Dorothy