Take the Monkeys and Run (A Barbara Marr Murder Mystery #1) [Kindle Edition]

Karen Cantwell (Author)

Book Description

"Barbara Marr is...perhaps the most hilarious amateur sleuth in literature....Cantwell handles her characters with flair and pizazz...blending page-turning action with those little tender moments that get you right in the gut..."

Book 1 in the bestselling Barbara Marr Murder Mystery Series

Film lover Barbara Marr is a typical suburban mom living the typical suburban life in her sleepy little town of Rustic Woods, Virginia. Typical, that is until she sets out to find the missing link between a bizarre monkey sighting in her yard and the bone chilling middle-of-the-night fright fest at the strangely vacant house next door. When Barb talks her two friends into some seemingly innocent Charlie’s Angels-like sleuthing, they stumble upon way more than they bargained for and uncover a piece of neighborhood history that certain people would kill to keep on the cutting room floor.

237 pages of laugh-out-loud fun.

Reviews:
“This fun if light novel’s quippy, hilarious narrator, Barbara Marr, has so much warmth and genuine gumption, you’d certainly want her on your criminal investigative team.” – Publishers Weekly

“The story is fast-paced, fun and with quite a few twists all rolled into one cute adventure.” – Socrate’s Book Reviews

“It was just plain fun to read.” Red Adept Reviews

"Take the Monkeys and Run by Karen Cantwell could easily become one of my favorite books of all time." -- Syria Says

“If you like a good mystery but want a refreshing new take with a bit of light fare, enough to make you laugh out loud, then Karen Cantwell's Take the Monkeys and Run will take you there.” Reviewed by Lee Libro at Literary Magic
Books in the series: Take the Monkeys and Run (#1), Citizen Insane (#2), Silenced by the Yams (#3), Saturday Night Cleaver (#4)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Like her character, Barbara Marr, Karen Cantwell is a mother living in the suburbs.  She has never, however, found monkeys in her trees (at least not literally) or a severed human head in her neighbor's basement, and for this she is very thankful.  She would not approach the events with nearly as much chutzpah.  She is currently conjuring a second Barbara Marr novel, Citizen Insane, which she hopes to release soon, and will then begin work on the third, Silenced by the Yams.  Karen loves to hear from readers.  You can find her email address on the website, KarenCantwell.com.

Product Details

• File Size: 417 KB
• Print Length: 238 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1453721096
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B003SE7O40
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #30,659 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 81 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny, implausible, but believable - with monkeys August 17, 2010

By C. Bayne VINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

A soccer mom with three children and a just-moved-out spouse discovers monkeys in her yard, a head in unpleasant condition in the house next door, and more excitement that a soccer mom in a pleasant neighborhood should expect. There's an ex-boyfriend PI, a policeman who looks like Brad Pitt, and a really obnoxious mother. Oh, and the mafia might be involved. And somehow, it kind of makes sense.

This was very entertaining and a quick read. I really liked Barb, and I hope to read more about her and her adventures.

53 of 53 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Soccer Mom Goes Sleuthing June 23, 2010

By LB Gschwandtner

Format:Kindle Edition

In this funny, touching, improbable escapade in the burbs, heroine and movie buff Barbara Marr faces life's mishaps and mysteries with pluck and wit. She's not a gal to be undone by a few setbacks -- her husband has just walked out of their marriage, her mother keeps popping in unannounced, and oh yes, there's a severed head in the abandoned house next door, not to mention monkeys on the loose in the trees. It's enough to make the ordinary soccer mom want to run and hide but not this heroine. And that's what makes this first book by Karen Cantwell such a treat. She's given readers a story that shows how any woman can rise to any occasion and overcome just about any challenge. Bravo! I enjoyed every minute & recommend it with enthusiasm.

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars FUN, and funny June 22, 2010

By Maria Schneider

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a great little mystery with high hilarity. Yes, there are a number of improbable scenes, a couple that are Impossible-Over-The-Top, but it's all in good fun and keeps the pages turning. It was nice to read about a 45 year-old-heroine who had a lot of life and love left in her, with perhaps too great a sense of adventure and not enough sense to stay out of trouble. Karen Cantwell takes soccer mom to a whole new level. I really enjoyed the romantic aspects of this novel; they fit in seamlessly and were as much a mystery as the mystery! If you need an escape or a great beach read, this might very well be it. Highly recommended!

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Comedic Mystery September 27, 2010

By D.B. Henson

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I absolutely loved Take the Monkeys and Run (A Barbara Marr Murder Mystery). Barbara Marr is an average suburban soccer mom with three kids and a husband who has decided he "needs space". When five monkeys show up in the trees in Barbara's back yard, she decides to find out how they got there. When she makes a gruesome discovery in the basement of the vacant house next door, things really get interesting.

Karen Cantwell's novel is one of the best comedic mysteries I've read. Her writing is flawless and her heroine is quirky and endearing. I'm really looking forward to another Barbara Marr mystery.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Very nicely done! July 4, 2010

By JJ

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed this book, and it was well worth the price of admission. The author has created a very funny and interesting sleuth in Barbara Marr, and this was one I picked up yesterday and had to finish this afternoon. I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys a nice light mystery, with plenty of humor and charm. I hope to see more in this series from the author!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing June 3, 2011

By Peri

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book had some potential and I think the author has some writing talent (not always present in current "idiot female detectives who won't share any information" books), but the plot was very thin, obviously linked to "True Lies" with the gorgeous man, etc., and a second half of the book almost all revolving around a completely ludicrous mafia tale. Ay yi yi. I was hoping for so much more. She had a catchy and quick beginning - I would like to see her dump this unattractive, self-centered and stupid heroine, and try a newer type of character. I also join those who don't see why the obscenities were there - not needed in this book (though sometimes they fit the plot).

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read January 11, 2011

By Johnny Pensionner

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Normally I'm not that into novels with a female protagonist. It's nothing chauvinistic or anything. I guess it's because more often than not, such books revolves around themes that just don't peak my interest. Romance. Shopping. More romance. This book, however, was more my style. Comedy, action, movie references and a bit of a mystery (as the title suggests). As soon as I started reading the book, I had a hard time putting it away. And that's always a good sign.

Karen Cantwell writes well. She's witty and her sentences are tight. The flow of the story is good, it's easy to follow without details needing review on the back burner. The characters might be somewhat stereotypical, but in a good sense. In many cases this adds both humor and feel to the story. In a sense, this also makes the characters more believable. After all, we all know stereotypes exist for a reason. When it comes to the plot, it's not that deep. I, for one, figured out where we were heading quite early on. However, it is the ride that matters, and it was quite enjoyable all the way through to the end. I'm quite certain this won't be my last adventure with Barbara Marr.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastically funny and full of great action! June 18, 2010

By Blue Ridge Book Lover

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I love this book! Karen Cantwell has given us everything we could want in a novel: mystery, romance and humor. Not to mention the fantastic heroine, Barbara Marr, who is as vulnerable as she is courageous, and as determined as she is comical. Though confronted with everything from possible infidelity to an old love to gangsters in her garden, Barbara just sticks out her chin and sallies forth. But humor is what really makes Monkeys special. You'll read it once for the mystery, and twice more for the laughs! If you read this book and you don't laugh out loud, you should have your funny bone examined. ;-)

More About the Author

Welcome!

I'm so glad and honored that you have visited my author page.

I have been writing plays and short stories for many years, some of which are published in short story collections.

My first novel, TAKE THE MONKEYS AND RUN, is a comedy-mystery, inspired, to some degree by a true monkey sighting in my own neighborhood. Because I love to laugh as well as make other people laugh, I have great fun writing the characters Barbara Marr, her friends and her adversaries. When I set out to write this book, I knew I wanted to write something that readers would say, "Now that was FUN." I HOPE I have achieved that goal. And if I did, please feel free to drop me a line at and let me know! I love to hear from readers. (especially if they LIKE the book!)

Books in the Barbara Marr series are: TAKE THE MONKEYS AND RUN (#1), CITIZEN INSANE (#2), AND SILENCED BY THE YAMS (#3). SATURDAY NIGHT CLEAVER (#4) will be released December of 2013. You can also enjoy a Barbara Marr short story collection, THE CHRONICLES OF MARR-NIA, as well a holiday short story, IT'S A DUNDER-BULL WIFE. All are available on Kindle.

Again, thank you for stopping by!

email: [e-mail]
www.KarenCantwell.com