Nutty As a Fruitcake (Bed-And-Breakfast Mysteries) [Print] [Mass Market Paperback]

Mary Daheim (Author)

Book Description

Series: Bed-And-Breakfast Mysteries | Publication Date: January 1, 2001

Hillside Manor's neighbors all adored proprietor Judith McMonigle Flynn's festive suggestion to deck the halls and houses in their cul-de-sac with eye-catching Christmas finery -- except Enid Goodrich.The grumpy old humbug refused to cooperate.Then someone cooked her Christmas goose -- silencing Enid's objections with a handy hatchet. Though Judith's already got a lot under her tree -- what with holidy business booming and the anticipated unwanted arrival of hubby Joe's soused ex-spouse -- she's not about to let murder mess up what's left of her seasonal spirit. With the help of irrepressible cousin Renie, Judith's determined to wrap up this case for Christmas -- and expose the Scrooge-slayer who felt strongly that the only Goodrich is a Deadrich.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Sly humor and domestic details drive this chatty 10th installment in Daheim's Bed-and-Breakfast Mystery series. An ill-tempered matriarch's refusal to join her neighbors in putting up outdoor Christmas decorations sets the stage for the woman's bloody demise. Judith Flynn, who runs a B&B in this tiny Pacific Northwest community, isn't so sure that the deceased's husband is really the killer. She begins snooping despite warnings from her cop husband, and her discoveries prompt the police to widen their pool of suspects (even to Judith's mom, who retaliates against the indignity by removing her dentures and smiling: "a fearsome sight"). This is light and cozy fare from the prolific Daheim, also known for her Alpine series.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Judith and Renie are sleuths to treasure...Daheim writes with wit, wisdom, and a big heart."-- Carolyn Hart

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Avon; First Printing edition (January 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380778793
• ISBN-13: 978-0380778799
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #608,575 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #25 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Authors, A-Z > ( D ) > Daheim, Mary

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars They Just Keep Getting Worse, January 20, 2010

By 

M. R. Hansen "Book Addict" (South Dakota) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nutty As a Fruitcake (Bed-And-Breakfast Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

I so enjoyed this series in the beginning, but now I only hold them in a fall back position whilst I'm waiting for other books to arrive from Amazon. Sadly, I bought the whole series and it's doubtful that I'll ever finish them.
Judith is rude, arrogant, deceitful, disloyal, a liar and a thief. Not bad for someone married to a cop. Again, she treats the police as stupid and interferring in HER investigation. She is guilty of breaking and entering, stealing evidence from a crime scene, withholding evidence from the police and a multitude of other haneous faults that are annoying. Granted, this is fiction, but c'mon, how about a little bit of reality?? I've read other mysteries where the main character is NOT a PI or a policeman and they seem to be able to know their place and work WITH the police, not independently of them.
I can't imagine how the character Joe puts up with this tedious woman as well as her mother, the hateful and nasty Gertrude. Gertie was amusing and fun in the beginning but now it's easy to see where Judith gets her lack of charm and manners.
I read for pleasure, I expect there to be some artistic license taken on occasion, but the whole book???
And could someone tell me just which one of the policeman's eyes is patched? The book refers both his left and his right as being the good eye. Perhaps at the end, he'll just be a cop playing dress up?
I HAVE to find something else to read for my fall back position, these are getting just to awful.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Another book about Joe Flynn and the "little woman"..., December 5, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Nutty As a Fruitcake (Bed-And-Breakfast Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

UGH!! I have read every mystery in this series so far. I keep reading them because I love the setting, etc, and try my best to ignore the lead character. But I can do it no longer. The Bed and Breakfast series makes me feel like I am reading about the Betty Crocker 1950's. Judith's prizewinning husband is truly a jackass, and she simpers and caters to him like a spineless idiot. What good old Joe needs is a boot out the door. Maybe then Judith could be the independant character she showed the potential of being in the first book of the series. Ane Renie! Oh please! If I read one more time about how Bill had to have his dinner on time every day....if he's so worried about it, let him cook it himself! I just hope that the much better Alpine series by the same author never becomes this disgusting.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, humorous characters, December 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Nutty As a Fruitcake (Bed-And-Breakfast Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

I've read every one of Mary Daheim's bed and breakfast mysteries and enjoyed them all. They are funny and meant to be. I love the characters of Gertie and Reenie and laugh out loud at their speech. Set in Heraldsgate(which is a little like Seattle)some of the humor is more obvious to those of us fortunate enough to live in the Pacific Northwest. This book is fun to read at the holiday season.