I was offered a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been following the series of Goose Pimple Junction Mysteries from the first book and have enjoyed them enormously. The quirky characters, the fantastic local atmosphere, the dialect and Southern sayings, the imaginative stories and the heart-warming relationships between the inhabitants are a breath of fresh air. After reading the stories one wants to live there, or at least to visit for a long vacation. And I challenge any readers to not end up quoting the sayings.

This small volume collects some short stories, vignettes that give readers more insight into certain characters and events (like how Jack and Tess got engaged) with a longer novella about the new sheriff and a missing elderly lady (Lou’s sister).  There are further complications when somebody is impersonating one of the sheriff’s men, resulting in a less than warm welcome for the new man in the job. But with a bit of canine collaboration, everything ends up well.

The events taking place in this book fall between the two novels Murder & Mayhem and Heroes & Hooligans. It is filled with wisecracks and local expressions, and it’s a quick read that will leave you wanting more. I’m not sure it would be satisfying enough on its own right if you haven’t read the other books in the series, but it is a great addition to it. Ah, and don’t miss the delicious Apple Pie recipes at the end.

Just a couple of expressions I highlighted, to give you some idea:

‘Clive, if I was doing any better, I’d be twins.’

‘He’s so stupid, mind readers charge him half price.’

If you love good-humoured fun, a menagerie of odd but endearing characters, don’t hesitate and get the whole series.

This is Audry Fryer's second book. When you look at plot and character development, you would think she had been writing for much longer than she has. Her characters are great! They are full-blown, well-developed people. The action moves along well from one crisis to another!

Braeburn has read a text message not intended for her eyes. In fact, it's about her. But it leaves her with more questions than answers. It's a text from her best friend to her husband. It sends her thoughts spinning out of control. She's a busy lady and isn't paying attention to the weather report or heeding the warnings of the people around her. She's in a hurry trying to get everything on her mental list done. Another message to her husband's phone, which she is carrying with her, sends her thoughts into overdrive. Before she knows what's happening, her mini-van is as out-of-control as her thoughts and careening off the road and down a hill through the unseasonal blizzard.

Braeburn has traumatic brain injury as well as other physical injuries. She has no memory of the accident. Her recovery is not easy and she alienates almost everyone in her life, including her husband and her best friend. She struggles to figure out what is happening to her and what has gone wrong in her life. In doing so, she angers and hurts people right and left, flings accusations around without any real cause, and almost loses her life again.

Secrets cannot be kept and lies will be exposed. Join Braeburn and her family as she serves up the apple pie!