Murder Talks Turkey (The Yooper Mysteries) [Paperback]

Deb Baker (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Yooper Mysteries | Publication Date: May 8, 2008

It's finally spring in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and the locals have only one thing on their minds - the turkey-hunting opener. But for sheer adrenaline value, not even turkey season can compete with the local Credit Union getting held up at gunpoint. Committing a robbery in a town where everyone is armed for combat is not the smartest thing to do, and the gunman is shot dead right there in the Stonely Credit Union lobby. The only problem is, in a room full of witnesses, the stolen money has mysteriously vanished. Faster than you can say 'Tom Turkey,' Gertie, Cora Mae, and Kitty are on the case in this hoot of a whodunit.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In her third Yooper mystery (as in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, or U.P.), Baker’s lively protagonist, Gertie Johnson, is minding her own business, standing in line at the bank when it gets robbed. From her position on the floor, Gertie watches as a gunman on the roof of a nearby building shoots the bank robber dead. She quickly decides that she and the other two members of her Trouble Buster Investigative Company (all single women of a certain age) need to help their hapless sheriff solve the case. The trouble is feisty Gertie has a lot on her plate, what with her extended family, her other investigations, and a tentative new romance. The deeper into the bank robbery she goes, the more complicated and seriously dangerous it gets as, one by one, her fellow Trouble Busters fall to the wayside, and she is alone with the killer. Intrepid Gertie is a wonderfully drawn character, whose view of the U.P.’s denizens and their surroundings makes for enjoyable storytelling. --Maria Hatton

Review

"Murder Talks Turkey is a delight to read. In addition to the engaging mystery, it's a wonderful story of the love of family and friends." -- Hidden Staircase Mystery Books (Mysterious Reviews), July 17, 2008

"Deb Baker has perfectly captured the spirit and lifestyle of those who dwell above The Bridge." -- Traverse City Record-Eagle, June 9, 2008

"If you're looking for a quick but chuckle-filled read, visit Stonely at every opportunity. Suddenly, your own crazy relatives won't seem so bad!" -- Mysterical-E

"Murder Talks Turkey by Deb Baker marks the third paperback appearance of 66-year-old Gertie Johnson, one of the most memorable heroines in recent crime fiction." -- Lansing State Journal, May 11, 2008

"Murder Talks Turkey is a delight to read. In addition to the engaging mystery, it's a wonderful story of the love of family and friends." -- Hidden Staircase Mystery Books; June 4, 2008

"I loved Gertie's crusty take-charge attitude...She leads such an interesting life in a small community, full of characters." -- Once Upon A Romance, May 2008

"Take a wild ride through the North Woods with Deb Baker's latest Yooper Mystery. Murder Talks Turkey is a laugh out loud, action-packed romp with some of the zaniest mystery investigators ever. Armed with walkie-talkies, stun gun, and Wonderbras, Gertie Johnson and friends hunt for the killer--and create more trouble than they started out with. It's a hoot and a half. Makes you want to buy an orange hat and a 12-gauge and head up to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. You could always count on Gertie's Trouble Busters for help." -- Maggie Sefton, author of A Killer Stitch

"The heart of Murder Talks Turkey is Gertie. If she lived in the south rather than the far north, we'd call her a 'steel magnolia.' When she is on the lam, Gertie does it in a style not before seen in crime fiction. On the book's back cover is a quote from a Cozy Library review that calls the Yooper Mysteries a 'hoot with a heart.' That sums it up nicely." -- Cozy Library, May 2008

"[A] hilarious light-hearted mystery." -- Book Lover Blog, June 4, 2008

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: MIDNIGHT INK (May 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738712256
• ISBN-13: 978-0738712253
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,058,815 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Deb Baker was born in the Michigan Upper Peninsula (yes, she is a Yooper!), which is the setting for her humorous award-winning Gertie Johnson mystery series. She also is the author of the Dolls to Die for series. Deb is currently at work on the Queen Bee mystery series under her pen name, Hannah Reed. Buzz Off & Mind Your Own Beeswax are available now. Look for Plan Bee next year.

For more information about Deb and her books, visit http://deb-baker.blogspot.com or http://queenbeemystery.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wouldn't You Like to be a Yooper, Too?! Fun Mystery!, May 5, 2008

By 

C. A. Hopkins (The gorgeous Rockies) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murder Talks Turkey (The Yooper Mysteries) (Paperback)

Although I have several of her Dolls To Die For Mysteries on my bookshelves, Murder Talks Turkey is the first Deb Baker novel that I've read, actually. What a hoot! Yep, her other books have now moved waaaaaaaay up on my TBR list. I'll admit, before reading this book, I had NO clue as to the definition of a Yooper - in fact, I don't believe I've ever heard the term before. Shocking, eh? Deb Baker does the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and its inhabitants proud.

Having spent the majority of my life in places in the West where absolutely everyone over the age of 10 knows how to use a firearm - the enclave of quirky characters residing in Stonely, Michigan totally resonates with me. Gertie Johnson, 66-year-old grandmother and widow, along with her good friends Cora Mae and Kitty, make up the Trouble Buster Investigative Company. Although their business is in its infancy, they have garnered their first real paying client - sort of. The investigation has barely gotten off the ground, when the Stonely Credit Union is robbed, with Gertie and Cora Mae inside. The robber is brought down by gunfire, but the real mystery begins when none of the sheriff's men take credit for the kill, and the dead robber is found to be holding a bag full of play money.

What transpires is a testament to Murphy's Law, "what can go wrong, will go wrong," and it does - with a vengeance. It reminds me of when one hears a story that is so incredibly unbelievable that it just might be true. Who could make up this stuff, you know? Gertie gets herself in so much hot water that there doesn't seem to be ANY way out, but with the help of her good friends and family (even the irascible Grandma Johnson), Gertie manages to come out smelling like a rose, albeit a bit worse for wear.

The book is very fast paced - I read it in just an afternoon. The characters are full-bodied and enjoyable, and Gertie's sarcastic wit had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion. The ending portends interesting things to come - I'll definitely be on the look out for the next Yooper Mystery!

Carol Ann Hopkins 5/5/2008

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another hilarious romp, July 23, 2009

By 

D. J. Taylor (Johnston City, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murder Talks Turkey (The Yooper Mysteries) (Paperback)

When 66 year old widow Gertie Johnson and her friend Cora Mae are in line at the credit union, waiting to cash their Social Security checks on that blustery cold April day, the last thing they thought they'd have to contend with was a bank robbery. Not a lot ever happens in the tiny town of Stonely, Michigan, and this event promised to be something to talk about for weeks. But one of the tellers hits the panic button and the local inept Deputy Sheriff Dickey Snell comes running to the rescue, just as a sniper from a rooftop across the street shoots the robber square between the eyes as he's coming out of the safe carrying a pillowcase full of what turns out to be Monopoly money. Something is mighty funny about this whole business, and Gertie soon recruits her partners in Trouble Busters (their fledgling "detective" business) to figure out what's going on. But before she can get a handle on things, the sniper is found dead with a bullet between his eyes lying behind Gertie's truck with her gun smoking on the ground next to him. Hiding her flaming red hair (the result of a haircoloring accident that she has grown to like) under a series of Cora Mae's wigs, Gertie goes undercover, trusting only a few people to help her find out where the real money went and who keeps killing people. Having to contend with her crotchety 92 year old senile mother-in-law and her mentally addled son, Sheriff Blaze Johnson who is recovering slowly from a near-fatal round of meningitis, Gertie has her hands full this time around.

I really enjoy this series of books. The characters crack me up and the story this time was complicated enough that every time I thought I knew who the bad guy was, I was wrong. I did finally figure it out, but the story was hilarious all the way through to the end. Lord, I wish I knew these gals!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Look out, here comes Gertie, January 26, 2011

By 

SLP books "uppolishak" (Escanaba, MI United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Murder Talks Turkey (The Yooper Mysteries) (Paperback)

Laugh out loud, fun mystery. Gertie, along with her posse Cora Mae and Kitty will find the answers no matter how much it drives her sheriff son crazy.