Newspaper librarian Maddy Sprowls never gives story ideas to the editors at The Hannawa Herald-Union. She prefers to stay in the morgue and do her job, and hopes the editors stay in the newsroom and do theirs. Then one Saturday she sees four elderly women get out of a taxicab at a garage sale. Those women must hire that cabby every week, she figures, to drive them from garage sale to garage sale while they search for treasure. And wouldnt that make a great feature story for the paper? Monday morning she runs straight to the newsroom with her idea. Shortly after the story runs, one of the four women is murdered?retired antique dealer Violeta Bell. Maddy wants no part of the investigation. But before she knows it shes on another of her infamous snoopathons. And, good gravy, enjoying every minute of it.Was Violeta Bell murdered by one of the other garage sale ladies? Former striptease artist Kay Hausenfelter perhaps? Or real estate agent Gloria McPhee? Or eccentric philanthropist Ariel Wilburger-Gowdy? Or was it Eddie French, the scruffy cabby with a police record as long as his arm? And what about Violetas claim that she was the rightful queen of Romania? Any truth to that? Readers who loved C.R. Corwins first two Morgue Mama mysteries--The Cross Kisses Back and Digwill be happy to see that Maddy is as crafty and cantankerous as ever. If not more so!
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
In Corwin's charming third Morgue Mama mystery (after 2005's Dig), Maddy Sprowls, an Ohio newspaper librarian in her late 60s, pitches an idea for a human interest story about a quartet of garage sale queens, one of whom claims to be a real royal. Young reporter Gabriella Nash, to whom Maddy plays reluctant mentor, gets the assignment. When Violeta Bell, self-proclaimed Romanian monarch, turns up dead after her 15 minutes of fame in the Hannewa Herald-Union, Maddy turns detective, dragging along Gabriella. Maddy's newly acquired googling skills lead her to Canada to meet another claimant to the Romanian throne, yielding only further conundrums. Meanwhile, Maddy grapples with her still fresh "autumn" love affair with Ike Breeze, her opposite in many ways, as well as a bothersome (to Ike) sleep disorder that may need medical attention. Irascible, fearless and unapologetic, Maddy is a heroine cozy fans will embrace. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Maddy Sprowls, the plucky librarian at the Hannawa, Ohio, Herald-Union, returns for a third round of crime solving. Frustrated that none of her story ideas ever make it into the paper, Maddy finally thinks she’s found one too good to resist: every Saturday, four elderly women cab around the city, hitting the garage sales. After the paper runs a human-interest article about the women, one of them,Violeta Bell, who claimed to be Romanian royalty, is murdered. Police soon nab a suspect, but the man turns out to be the brother-in-law of the Herald-Union’s editor in chief, who asks Maddy to dig into the case and find out who really dunit. Is Maddy on a wild goose chase for a killer who doesn’t exist, or do the police really have the wrong man? Maddy, a sixtyish woman with a sharp tongue and a willful lack of interest in technology, is a welcome relief from the charming, pixyish heroes of so many cozies. Readers will enjoy following her as she bulldozes her way through another adventure. --David Pitt
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Heart of Gold, and a Mind for Crime,
By
This review is from: The Unraveling of Violeta Bell (Morgue Mama Mysteries (Hardcover)) (Hardcover)
The third Morgue Mama Mystery is the strongest in the series. Who is Violeta Bell? Is she a senior citizen who hired the same cabbie every week to drive her friends and herself to garage and estate sales? Is she a retired antiques dealer? Is she a claimant to the Romanian throne?
Newspaper librarian Maddy Sprowls' job is to find out if the cabby did it, because her editor-in-chief asked her to investigate. Naturally, Maddy, an inveterate researcher, finds ways to dig out the truth. The case is complex enough for any mystery reader. However, the true joy of this book is in the character of Maddy herself. The latest in the series reveals more of Maddy's personal life, her relationship with her boyfriend, Ike, her dog, and even Maddy's childhood and background. And, she snores! Morgue Mama isn't at all the curmudgeon she appears to be, and those who get to know her, both in the book, and as readers, will grow to love her.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Delightful!,
By Neil Dapper (Baltimore, Md United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Unraveling of Violeta Bell (Morgue Mama Mysteries (Hardcover)) (Hardcover)
Once again someone in Hannawa dies violently, and Maddy Sprowls swings into action. Masterful prose breathes life into a miscellany of characters and Maddy's cultural commentary is insightful. Author C.R. Corwin's Morgue Mama series gets better with each episode. "The Unraveling of Violeta Bell" is a must-read not only for readers who fancy mysteries but for those who appreciate excellent writing.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cea mai buna Mama,
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Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Unraveling of Violeta Bell (Morgue Mama Mysteries (Hardcover)) (Hardcover)
The best Morgue Mama yet.Corwin is a workmanlike and traditional writer of the whodunit. His touches of genius come in the details by which he gives life to his characters. The dog that Maddy Sprowls is allergic to was dumped on her by a neighbor who had to go to California because her daughter's husband was swept away by a wave while gathering mussels to make a paella. A character has a son who is a deputy minister of tourism for Ontario. The ambience of Akron, Ohio and of Watertown, New York is vividly captured. We learn about the history of the Romanian monarchy and the antique fireplace business.
All the while he keeps us laughing and in suspense. He joins my short list of writers where I watch for each new one and pre-order.
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