Customer Reviews

Murder Grins and Bears It (The Yooper Mysteries)

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1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Stephanie Plum of the geriatric set is back in Deb Baker's sequel to Murder Passes the Buck. Having decided to create her own (unlicensed) investigative agency "The Trouble Busters," widow Gertie Johnson acquires the auctioned-off, vandalized sheriff's truck (that sheriff is Gertie's son and that she was the vandalizer is another story) and arms herself with a trusty bag of weapons that includes a taser, cattle prod, mace, and handcuffs. What she's not ready for is the body that is discovered near a hunting blind with the main suspect being her favorite - and missing - grandson. While her son is determined to keep her off the roads (Gertie never managed to learn how to drive or get a license), Gertie sets out to prove Little Donny's innocence with a posse that includes her single and predatory best friend Cora Rae, the police dog that Gertie unintentionally managed to get fired, and her self-proclaimed bodyguard Kitty.

Once again Ms. Baker has created a hilarious mystery that whips along to a dramatic finish. Gertie is plagued with family members who hinder her as much as they help, yet her love for them always shines through. Moments of laugh-out-loud humor are balanced by Gertie's vulnerability as she battles to protect her grandson and ferret out a murderer by following the clues that her son ignores. This Yooper Mystery series continues to grow stronger and readers will be eager for Gertie's next appearance.

Deb Baker's MURDER GRINS AND BEARS IT has hero Gertie back in top form. Against the wishes of her son the local sheriff, she gathers her associates, her fake badge, and her stun gun and sets out to solve the murder of a game warden. You don't have to be familiar with Michigan's Upper Peninsula to enjoy Gertie's antics, but if you have been there, it will be no surprise to meet this little old lady who drives without a license and investigates without a qualm. Gertie is hilarious, she's fearless, and she's priceless.

A game warden is murdered in Michigan's Upper Peninsula on opening day of bear season. Little Donny, Gertie's grandson, has gone missing. The warden was murdered at Little Donny's tree stand.

Gertie's son, Blaze, is the sheriff, but he is after Little Donny as he thinks he is the murderer. Gertie believes in her heart that he's innocent.

Gertie and her two friends, Kitty who also believes she is Gertie's bodyguard, and Cora Mae who is after all the men, set out to find Little Donny, prove his innocence, and find the real killer.

Grandma Johnson, Gertie's mother-in-law who lives with her (against her wishes), doesn't make things easy. Then when Little Donny's mother descends on Gertie to await word on her son, Gertie kicks it up into high gear.

Blaze keeps trying to get Gertie for driving without a license. She keeps working at dodging him.

Gertie and her associates are a hoot. I love this series. You never know what Gertie will do next. I wish I knew Gertie. She sounds like she'd be a lot of fun!

The setting of Michican'ts Upper Peninsula is great. It really adds to the story.

I highly recommend this book and series!

I really enjoyed this book. The author has captured the essence of the unique culture of Michigan's upper peninsula as the backdrop for the story. She has also given us some quirky characters who are all the more believable because of their idiosyncrasies. The mystery was fun to read and I flew through it in 2 days, using every spare minute I could find to keep reading. I'm looking forward to reading the other two "Yooper" mysteries (and hope that there will be even more in the future). Gertie may stumble onto things by accident, but her pure spunk wins the day.

By the way, the author includes some traditional U.P. fare in recipes at the end of the novel. I'm hoping that "Gertie" does publish a cookbook some day - I'd love to see it

It's bear hunting season in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and Gertie Johnson's grandson, Little Donny (19 and already a mountain of a man with very little brain power) has gone hunting with one of Gertie's neighbors. But, when a game warden is found with his head blown off with Little Donny's gun and the boy is nowhere to be found, even Gertie's son and Little Donny's uncle, Sheriff Blaze Johnson, seems to suspect him of murder. Gertie, who is fresh off a successful crime solving attempt with her cohorts and best friends, man-crazy Cora Mae and pin-curled Kitty, decides to start her own sleuthing business called "Trouble Busters" and is hot on the case to find her grandson and prove his innocence if it's the last thing she ever does. And, after another body shows up in the woods, it just might be.

This is the second outing with these eccentric ladies and it was a bigger hoot than the first book. Written with just the right touch, this book had me chuckling all the way through it. There's a couple of wild geese thrown in here for Gertie to chase, but she finally does get her man. I like the way this gal thinks and this series is quite fun to read. I'm looking forward to more

It was funny and clean. Reminds me of Minnesota hunting season. Would recommend it to any one.

It's Bear Season is Yooper Country!! That is Michigan's Upper Peninsula and the bears aren't the only thing being hunted. A game warden is murdered right under Little Donny's tree stand and Little Donny is no where to be found. Gertie is upset, her son, the sheriff, is wasting time trying to catch her driving without a license when he should be trying to catch a killer and find Little Donny. Does she have to do everything herself?!

Dollycas's Thoughts
This story will leave your sides aching from laughter!!

Gertie is an absolute gem!! Driving all over God's creation without a license, tramping through the woods, questioning suspects who answer the door with sawed off shotguns, she does it all. She is quite a woman and you don't want to mess with her. You never knows what she is going to pull out of that handbag. The woman is fearless!!!

In addition to Gertie there is man-hungry Cora Mae, Carl who is willing to coat himself in chicken grease to bag a bear, Grandma Johnson who just loves to cook and good ole' Blaze who is just trying to his job. Add in a few more wacky friends and relatives, a dead body or two, and you are in for a wild ride courtesy of Deb Baker's vast imagination.

I have loved everything I have read by this awesome author! A master storyteller!! KUDOS DEB!!!

I read this book in one day. Gertie is a great heroine and full of energy. I'm ready to read anything by Deb Baker.

Deb Baker has created the consummate character to carry the banner for all of us slightly older folks. Gertie's rebellion against being sedentary is an inspiration for anyone over 60.
Gertie firmly holds to the belief that just because you see things differently it doesn't mean you have fallen to senility.

She is funnier than Plum, saner than Mazur and there is more action than Marple ever imagined.
Make the trip to Gertie's Upper Michigan, but hold on real tight it is a bumpy ride.

If you need a laugh or have any kind of sense of sense of humor follow the old girl through all three books, they are a must for a summer read.

I just couldn't read the whole thing. The story might have been ok if the characters' actions were at all believable. As it was, I found the oh-so-cute characterizations of the Yoopers to be equally insulting to anyone who lives in the north and women over the age of 50.