Customer Reviews

Tie Dyed and Dead: A Stain-busting Mystery (Stain-Busting Mysteries)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Josie Toadfern is in charge of cleaning the costumes for the Mayfair sisters benefit concert. The Mayfairs were a 1960's girl group, and one of the most famous former natives of Paradise, Ohio. The Mayfair sisters have gotten back together to stage a benefit concert for their Alzheimer's stricken mother. Everything seems to be going well when the Mayfair sisters old manager appears in town. He insists that 80% of the profits from any concert belong to him. Before the matter can be worked out, the manager is found stabbed to death in Toadfern's laundry, and Josie is suspected of committing the crime.

The mystery in this book was a little difficult for me to follow. The characters were as charming as ever. Cherry plans her wedding to Deputy Dean. Sally betrays Josie's trust. Elroy's Mom makes chicken and sells it at the gas station. Suzy Woo is still making crab rangoon. Josie meets a new handsome stranger at the town's bar. Ms. Olgelvee makes some appearances but they are not as enagaging as they were in previous books. Aspergbers and autism debates occur in a gentle and informative way. The book has some excellent laundry, cleaning and domestic tips thrown in. Based on the ending, I am wondering if this is the last book in the series. If so, it has been a pleasure getting to know Josie. I look forward to whatever series Ms. Short starts next.

After having just finished Tie Dyed and Dead, Sharon Short's newest Josie Toadfern Stain-Busting Mystery, I can't help but feel that I've just enjoyed the final installment of Josie and friends. No new Stain-Busting Mystery to look forward to? Aack! As a fan of Sharon Short's funny and evocative writing style, I'll just have to bide my time with her newspaper column until she graces us with a new mystery series (at least I'm hoping that's what she's planning!).

In this sixth installment of Josie Toadfern's Stain-Busting Mystery series, Josie has been hired by the Mayfair sisters to clean and repair their old costumes in preparation for a benefit concert they'll be giving in Paradise - being held to raise money to care for their ailing mother with Alzheimer's disease. The Mayfair Sisters were just about the biggest thing to ever come out of Paradise, having been a successful singing group in the `60s. The entire town is caught up in the hype of the upcoming concert and auction.

Josie has her hands full just with getting the costumes ready, never mind everyone she knows asking her to get them an `in' with the sisters or the auction. She does her best, but when someone is brutally murdered inside her laundromat and the evidence points toward Josie as the culprit, the gloves come off! Because of the Mayfair Sisters, the sleepy town of Paradise is full of out-of-towners - and likely suspects. Josie and her entourage, with some help from the omnipresent Mrs. Oglevee, must use quite a bit of ingenuity to solve the mystery, with time of the essence as the killer seems to be just getting started.

In addition to her stain and crime busting, Josie finally meets Levi Applegate, the new director of Stillwater Farms, the assisted-living center where Guy, Josie's autistic cousin, resides. Mr. Applegate figures prominently in this mystery, in more ways than one.

The main reason that this feels like the end of the Josie Toadfern Stain-Busting series is that in addition to the loose ends of the mystery being neatly tied up, the disposition of Josie and all of her quirky friends is also given. While I suppose it's possible that Josie et al. might return sometime in the future, I think it likely that Ms. Short is busy cooking up something entirely different for Josie's fans. I'll be waiting, anxiously, to see what's in store!

Carol Ann Hopkins 5/2/2008

I have read all of Sharon short's laundry mysteries. I have enjoyed them all. I like her stain buster comments too! If you want a quick likeable book... Here it is. It not a 5 star, but it works for me!!!!

With the way this book ended, I'm guessing this is the end of the series.

The mystery was good, though it seemed a bit disjointed. And it's still annoying how the author manages to toss the words "my laundromat" into every sentence. At this point, it almost seems like she's doing it to fill her word count.

However, assuming this is the end of the road for Josie, it's been a fun series for some light reading. I'll look forward to more books by this author.