Hilariously funny murder mystery
932018
This delightful mystery has shades of Stephanie Plum and her entourage of oddballs. You can't help but love the Hula Maidens and all their antics. It is full of wacky lovable characters. I was sad when I finished because I will miss this crazy bunch of misfits. Plus you have to love David Letterman!
785872
I received this enjoyable, fun  and funny mystery from GoodREads.  Miss Merry Mac is a former waitress and has just been acquitted of the murder of her billionaire husband. While relaxing on the patio of "Hollywood" friends, a body falls at her feet.  The dilemma for police and the media frenzy of headlines :  Did Miss Merry Mac Kill Again??  Her older stepson flames the frenzy with incendiary lies.  Argh, poor Merry!  She must once again prove her innocence with her "sidekicks"  80 year old Miss Silverweather & Dwayne.  The author, Dana Precious (yes, that IS her real name) integrates humor into very  clever writing, but I also saw life lessons in the story:  The importance of self confidence, never losing perspective of what's important in life, valuing real friends, and never giving up the positive values you grew up with.  A good read, a very enjoyable book , well written and cleverly plotted.
2648554
Iced Chiffon by Duffy Brown

Lots of funny one-liners in this southern mystery. A bumbling heroine tries to solve a murder using gossip and local knowledge.
The play between Reagan and Boone lends toward more happening between them in future stories.
I was entertained by the elimination and introduction of suspects. A bit slow in spots, but then you'd get one of those zingers.
Worth reading. Looking forward to the next in the series mostly because of the humor in the writing style.
1323211
For a book that is about several murders I have never laughed so hard in my life. The story is about a small town and the main character "Trailer Trash" that gets caught up in a series of murders by just finding the bodies. The characters are just how you would imagine a bunch of good ol' boys would be. The exchange between the characters will keep you in stitches. The story is colorful and very descriptive of how you think a small town would be. So grab a Banana moon pie and a Dr. Pepper and find your recliner and settle in for an awesome read.
4656126
I really enjoyed reading this book!  This is the third book in the series and they don't have to be read in order. The the characters are alot of fun and caught myself laughing out loud during the adventures they had trying to solve the murder, I definitely recommend this book!
3068126
The premise of the book sounded humourous, and the book proved even more so. At many times it was laugh-out-loud funny. The Great Grippe Mystery is hysterical. It's refreshing to read of life where neither adult could drive  a car and Mom must borrow from the child's piggy bank for the $1 fee  charged by the furnace man to start the furnace, all the while knowing this  woman wrote "The Lottery"
3383463
Brookmyre is an absolute master at writing the most gruesome, revolting, disgusting murder scene and making the reader laugh hysterically at the entire, gory mess.  Set in Glasgow, investigative journalist and amateur cat-burglar Jack Parlbane accidentally stumbles upon a horrible murder.  Having a nose for trouble, he begins an investigation of the high profile victim that, inevitably, leads to trouble for a lot of people.  That's the plot in a nutshell and it's brilliantly executed with some of the funniest one-liners I've read since Nelson DeMille.  More difficult to find in the U.S. (but not impossible), Brookmyre keeps the pace moving furiously fast and the humor is NOT to be missed.  If you like mysteries and like sarcastic wit, you'll love his books (this is his first novel).
4256946
The body of a little girl turns up in a Quaker meeting house in South Jersey. Nobody claims her. The media runs wild. Who can Chief Black turn to to help bring this crime to justice, and a speedy resolution for all?
The story
After the body of Ginny Doe is discovered by little Mimi McRae in the Quaker meeting house, Mayor Dove needs this murder solved, and quick. He tells Chief Black that what's really missing from the police force is a bit of diversity, and for diversity's sake he should hire a psychic detective to work with the police to help clear up what seems completely unresolvable. Chief Black reluctantly agrees to this ridiculous suggestion, and brings Bruno X to Gardenfield.

Bruno X is a well-dressed middle aged man with a penchant for overdone Jewish expressions and flamboyance. Using Kabbalah for Dummies and a host of tricks only he seems to be able to get away with, Bruno follows the Chief around the murder investigation thus far, but seems to be having trouble getting a read. Meanwhile, a local university student Allison and her speedfreak boyfriend Icky are trying to get the attention of the media. They know a little more about what's happened than the Chief, but neither trust the police for their own reasons and need to keep themselves under the radar. The missing link seems to be Newgarden Biosciences, the biotech company started up by a local Quaker. Some people think they should be investigated in connection with the murder, but Bruno and Chief Black can't seem to make it add up.

Peaches the journalist seems determined to let the killer know every move the police are about to make, and the bodies start piling up. The Chief is at his wits end, but Bruno knows he's getting closer when the attacks become personal. Can the Chief and Bruno get this mystery solved before somebody  maybe even Bruno himself  ends up dead?

The style
I didn't know anything about The Violet Crow before I started reading it, so I didn't realise what I was reading was a fairly tongue in cheek thriller-slash-comedy. By the time I was about twenty pages in I was thinking yikes, this is a bit over the top and by the time I was forty pages in I was thinking yes, this is hilarious and I am enjoying it immensely. Chief Black is the straight man, everyone else is a caricature in the best possible way. The story line is good, solid material  because the point of view shifts between each of the main characters, there's a level of confusion while the reader sorts out the fluctuations between what everybody wants and everybody knows and what each of the characters is willing to give the reader. The reader works out the mystery along with Bruno, who can conveniently give us psychic hints that both he and we need to interpret. The result is a fun read that resolves in a manner that makes satisfactory sense and gives us a bit of a laugh during the process.

The characters are all great. I hated Bruno for a couple of seconds and then he charmed me, affectations and all. Allison and Icky have just the right vulnerabilities and honesty, and the Quakers' way of being is well conveyed. There are a couple of other standouts  I hated Peaches, but I was supposed to  and Rhonda, the receptionist at the biotech company, had an outstandingly written Jersey accent. I don't usually like written accents, but this one I'll take. Throughout it all, Chief Black anchored the plot and provided humorous observation. As a rollicking mystery with a fun to read plot and hilarious characters, It captured my imagination and I read it in no time at all.

Who is this book for?
Want a light laugh with your mystery? Here. Thank me later.

If you like this book, you would also like...
Somewhat reminiscent in humour style of both John Vorhaus's fiction and Scott Fivelson's Tuxes.
1882552
"Murder Mezzo Forte" is my first read by Donn Taylor and it will not be my last!  Donn's writing is filled with mystery, humor and fun, crazy characters.  Preston and Mara, two college professors, get drawn into an incident when they receive a text from another professor stating they need to come to her office. However, she is unable to tell them the reason why when they arrive.  Then they find themselves in danger of losing their jobs and also their lives are in danger as they attempt to find out what truly happened.  This is such a fun read, as the characters are so sweet and so eccentric, and the mystery kept me turning the pages.  I really enjoyed Donn's writing and his descriptions, several times I found myself laughing out loud; this is a treat for all mystery fans!
1983666
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Botched.  The author's writing style flows so naturally that it's an easy read and the plot and characters keep you intrigued and entertained.  Additionally, the Irish sayings and jokes at the beginning of each chapter are delightful as well as the other interesting bits of information she includes.  Such a fun murder mystery.  I'm looking forward to her next book, so I am!
3631871
An entertaining mystery with a plot that keeps you guessing to the end and with laughs all along the way.  Reading a book should be engaging and fun and this hits both marks.
2751796
Dose Vidanya is a hilarious tickle the ole funny bone murder mystery! The ladies of the Silver Hills Senior and Singles Residence try to solve the reason Yegor, an employee from the kitchen, was found dead in the Library. The seniors are a hoot as they gather and piece together the clues. But what happens when they start getting too close to the truth?

I don't do spoilers so at this point I will simply say this book is a must. It has  a great storyline that will having you laughing while trying to follow the clues along with the gang! I believe Sam Cheever has a hit series on her hands and this reader looks forward to more books from the Silver Hill Resistance. 2 Thumbs Up for  a must read hilarious murder mystery story!
3519088
This is one of the best mystery books I ever read, and I read a lot. Everything a mystery reader would love is there.. It is hilarious, but humor is not overshadowing the murder mystery. Setting is great. Characters are fun, interesting and not annoying. And the story is the best. I also loved that it is fun to read, but not too cozy like many woman writer's mystery/cookbooks etc. It is a marvelous written real murder mystery. I also loved the fact that it gives both sides of the murder, from the point of the view of the murderer, as well as the detectives. Nobody is completely bad, you can understand the reasoning of the murderer but not symphatizing with them. I loved every line and cannot wait for the next book.
3435910
"Waking Up Dead" is a dark comedic mystery  that begins with the murder of George Pearmain and his mother Jessica on the eve of her 99th birthday. Masterfully satirical and highly entertaining George wakes up in an incorporeal body to search for the killer who poisoned his wine and left his mother bludgeoned to death in the kitchen the previous night. As the criminal investigation progresses he mingles with his wife, family and friends, learning about the man he once was.

The plot is cleverly constructed as George not only keeps tabs on the police investigation to uncover the killer but sadly in death learns the value of life and the depth of his love for Esmeralda. Intermingled with a talking Irish wolfhound, iconic references to the past, and an amusing allusion to modern media with Lulu Belhatchett's program "Come Sit on My Knee" Nigel William's crafts a murder mystery rooted in greed and jealousy.

Breathing life into this imaginative mystery are characters that infuse the drama with passion, intensity and drama like George Pearmain the fat, crusty, and aloof retired bank manager who farts and drinks a lot. Yet for all his weaknesses and with more enemies than friends he is fair-minded and honest, his mother bequeathing him her million dollar estate to administrate. His wife Esmeralda in contrast is smart, insightful, and assertive, although she can be shy and often irritable with George's thoughtlessness. Like the clever, logical and frank DI Hobday who can be slightly uncouth, Esmeralda shows a knack for detail and police work.

Among the other characters in this engrossing novel Frigga Pearmain is the batty sister who has no aptitude for anything except being depressed, hating George and feeling guilty; Stephen Pearmain the responsible, successful, condescending younger brother; Lulu Belhatchett his snobby, vain and ambitious wife; and Pawlikowski the insensitive, ill-mannered pathologist.

I liked " Waking Up Dead" although I'm not sure it's to everyone's taste. Well-written and funny it should be read and enjoyed by those who'd like a dark, satirical murder mystery with an unusual ghostly hero.
4072865
It's not every day that a murder mystery makes me laugh out loud! The dynamics between the characters and the unraveling of the story made it hard to put down. I hope there will be a sequel soon.
1284589
Three Graves Full by Jamie Mason is a murder mystery that can also be comedic. Jason Getty is a man under a constant strain. He has a man buried in his backyard, by his own hand, however, unknown to Jason, there are two other bodies buried in his yard. When one of the other bodies is discovered by a landscaper Jason hires, it soon leads to the discovery of the second body. Although culpability for the untimely burial of these bodies points to the previous owner, Jason is, quite naturally, obsessed with the thought that the police will soon find the third body, the one he is responsible for burying in the yard more recently. Adding to Jason's already overwhelming fear of the police investigation is a smart dog and a couple of unwanted trespassers.

Three Graves Full juxtaposes murder with comedy. It has been compared to works by the Coen brothers, and I can see the comparison to Fargo, but it brought to mind, for me anyway, Hitchcock's The Trouble With Harry, another dead body mystery/dark comedy. The humor here is not slapstick; it is based on the absurdity of the situation and the consequences of choices the characters make. The story whipped along at a good pace, but did slow and trip a few places along the way. Additionally, Jason is not a readily likeable character. While I can accept unlikable main characters, Jason's personality is best described as bland. That could be problematic for some readers.

Since I was provided an uncorrected proof for review purposes I could not quote the book in a review, however, there were several times when I sorely wanted to saved a sentence, description, or paragraph for quotes to share. Not only is Mason witty, she has some very descriptive language which provides wonderful insights into portraying her characters and their emotions, motives, thoughts, and backgrounds. There were places where descriptions were a tad bit overwritten, which could be indicative of any first novel. It is clear that Mason is a talented writer, so, since this is her debut novel, look for future novels.

highly recommended - and keep an eye on future novels by Jamie Mason

Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of  and Netgalley for review purposes.
[...]
3040313
I got this ebook (the first in a series of three) free from Amazon.com (from a BookBub email notification), and I am so glad I did!  The characters are interesting and funny, but dedicated to solving a horrible murder.  This book was very cleverly written, and it was never clear until the very end who the actual murderer was, and what the motive was.  I have already purchased the second and third ebooks in this series, and I hope they are as well-written as the first one!