Stranded (Ivy Malone Mysteries, Book 4) [Paperback]

Lorena McCourtney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2006

Super sleuth Ivy Malone's inquisitiveness has gotten her into plenty of trouble, including murder, mayhem, and a place on a mini-Mafia hit list. Still on the run from the mob, Ivy ends up in a small town in the Pacific Northwest with a broken-down motor home, a young traveling companion running from a violent husband, and a stray cat. With no way to fix their vehicle, Ivy and her companion are invited to stay in an old Victorian house by a compassionate young woman attorney. But when Ivy discovers that the former resident was murdered and that the prime suspect happens to be Ivy's kind benefactor, she's on the case-digging up clues and getting into plenty of trouble along the way.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"It was lovely . . . until a dead body plummeted from the sky and landed on us. I do seem to attract them." Ivy Malone isn't kidding. And when her motor home breaks down in Hello, Colorado, there's another murder mystery waiting. The whole town thinks they've already found the killer-the dead man's niece who inherits everything. Ivy's not so sure-but her list of other suspects is growing. One way or another, this plucky detective is determined to use her curiosity and her talent for invisibility to solve the crime. Will she add another name to the list of people who want her dead? Will she kick up her heels in the town's chorus line? And can she fend off amorous advances long enough to take down a killer? "Mystery readers will quickly become devoted fans of the Ivy Malone series."-Christian Library Journal

About the Author

Lorena McCourtney is the award-winning author of the Julesberg Mysteries and dozens of other novels, including Invisible, In Plain Sight, On the Run, and Searching for Stardust. Her best-selling work has drawn acclaim from both the Romance Writers of America and the American Library Association's Booklist. She resides in Grants Pass, Oregon.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Fleming H. Revell (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800731387
• ISBN-13: 978-0800731380
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #328,484 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lorena McCourtney is a long-time resident of Southern Oregon and enjoys using Oregon settings in her books. She wrote numerous short stories for children before moving on to romances and now to mysteries, often with a bit of humor. She won the American Christian Fiction Writer's Mystery "Book of the Year" and twice won the Daphne Du Maurier Award of Excellence.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who knew grandmas wore thongs?, January 22, 2007

By 

Deborah "Books, Movies and Chinese Food" (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Stranded (Ivy Malone Mysteries, Book 4) (Paperback)

Thanks to her broken down RV Ivy Malone, that spunky little old lady, has found herself stuck in the town of Hello. Her and her sidekick Abilene are worried that they might be stranded in a boring little place but since it's Ivy, of course they soon find themselves in the middle of an unsolved murder. The townspeople believe that the murdered man's niece committed the crime, but Ivy isn't so sure. Thanks to the guys' multiple marriages, everyone appears to be suspect. Soon Ivy and Abilene don't have time to worry about the Braxtons or Boone as they are fully immersed into the town life of Hello. Between helping out (aka growing romance) the town vet for Abilene and sorting through the personal library and assisting the props for the yearly revue for Ivy, the two also fill their days looking for the real murderer. Using her investigative powers and her never failing invisibility ability, Ivy is able to once again draw the reader into another page turning, side aching adventure.

Once again Ivy has another hilarious and suspenseful adventure. I laughed and I laughed while reading this book. Who knew grandmas wore thongs?!! There are so many times in this book where you'll be reading a paragraph and start to giggle from either the actions going on or Ivy's reaction to the situation. Abilene didn't have much of a presence as she had in the last book, but I was glad that her situation was happily resolved. Each book has had their own unique set of characters, but I must say this one has had my favorite. From Nutty Norman and his brain wave dance to the potbellied pig (Ivy's thoughts about pork chops were a hoot) to group of LOLs doing a chorus line, the townsfolk are lively and exciting albeit a bit on the judgmental side. And yet again, I wasn't aware of the real culprit until the very last chapter of the book. This is the type of book you just want to read while curled up in a blanket on a cold winter's day with a hot chocolate by your side. I really hope there will be another Ivy Malone book. What will happen with her and Mac??? This is one of the best book series I have ever read. Mystery, romance, humor-you name it, Ivy Malone's got it.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars warm, entertaining, small town cozy, October 1, 2006

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stranded (Ivy Malone Mysteries, Book 4) (Paperback)

Senior citizen Ivy Malone and her young traveling companion Abilene are on their way to Arizona when their RV breaks down outside the small town of Hello. Ivy is on the run from a criminal family the Braxtons, as her testimony is sending one of them to jail. Abilene is on the run from an abusive husband who has vowed to kill her. When they arrive in Hello, the resident mechanic tells them the vehicle needs a new engine.

Unable to pay for the repair, Ivy gets a job at the library and Abilene obtains work training to be the vet's assistant. Lawyer Kelli Keifer invites both women to stay at her uncle Hiram's home now empty since he was murdered two months ago. The townsfolk believe she is the killer but Ivy who has taken an immediate liking to the attorney decides to find the real killer because she believes Kelli is innocent. There are plenty of other suspects with strong motives.

Readers who like a warm, entertaining, small town cozy with no blood or gore will definitely enjoy STRANDED. The small town welcomes the new visitors and people go out of their way to make them feel at home. The support cast is well developed and fleshes out the ambience of the small town yet the focus stays on Ivy who demonstrates getting old doesn't mean immovable rocking chairs. The mystery itself is well crafted and readers should be very surprised when they learn who the killer is.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Senior Sleuth Strikes Again!--A Wonderful Read!!, January 28, 2007

By 

Jill Elizabeth Nelson "http://www.jillelizabe... (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stranded (Ivy Malone Mysteries, Book 4) (Paperback)

Stranded on a winding mountain road in a broken-down motorhome . . . Then stranded in a town where a prominent citizen was murdered . . . And ending up a houseguest in his empty mansion . . . Right before getting roped into helping with the town's annual show, featuring a chorus line of can-canning grandmas! Just when I think Lorena McCourtney can't possibly come up with any more hilarious and hair-raising adventures for her senior sleuth, Ivy Malone, she does it again. The hijinks in this one are not to be missed. And the intriguing developments at the end. Wow! Let's just say my interest is piqued. I hope this isn't the last we'll hear about Ivy.