Title: Death by Jelly Beans
Author: Susie Black
Genre: Humorous Cozy Mystery
Book Blurb:
Mermaid Swimwear President Holly Schlivnik discovers the Bainbridge Department Store Easter Bunny slumped over dead and obnoxious swimwear buyer Sue Ellen Magee is arrested for the crime. Despite her differences with the nasty buyer, Holly is convinced the Queen of Mean didn’t do it. The wise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth jumps into action to nail the real killer. But the trail has more twists than a pretzel and more turns than a rollercoaster. And nothing turns out how Holly thinks it will as she tangles with a clever killer hellbent on revenge.
My Review:
Holly may be a swimsuit company president, but it appears death seems to follow her around, like a bad penny. This time, a department store easter bunny bites the big one. Can Holly exonerate the Queen of Mean swimsuit buyer before Holly’s pushing up daisies? Death by Jelly Beans is a hilarious cozy mystery and the best book in the series. Susie Black crafts a cozy mystery with a well-plotted mystery with twists and turns I didn’t see coming, descriptive narration, hilarious one-liners peppered throughout the dialogue, and characters that are engaging.
Let’s start with the characters. Death by Jelly Beans features a large cast of characters, some of whom are suspects. Holly is one of my favorite cozy mystery heroines. She's so smart and funny. Her chats with the Yentas allow her to work through her own thoughts as she’s investigating the murder. She holds her own against the police and the suspects. She’s the perfect heroine/sleuth because by the time you’ve finished reading, Holly is the best friend you wish you had.
Then there’s the dialogue. If you enjoy clutching your sides because you're laughing so hard cozy mysteries, you're going to love Holly and the Yentas. Holly is brash, opinionated and has a running stream of thoughts that'll have you in stitches. The Yentas are on the same wavelength as Holly. Their thoughts will also have you laughing out loud. The comedic one-liners are reason enough alone to buy this book.
Susie Black is a consummate writer, and this book is her finest written book to date. I fell in love with her writing with book one and since this is book five, this series is my obsession. I want to start a fan club complete with shirts and banners. The plot is crisp, clean, and moves at a nice cozy pace. The conflict and tension are spot on. The mystery itself is well executed and I enjoyed trying to solve it before Holly does.
If you're a cozy mystery reader, you will want to read this book. If you're looking for a good laugh, pick up this book right now. Even though this is book five, it can be read out of order or as a standalone. One of the best cozy mysteries I’ve ever read.
My Rating: 5++ stars
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Author Biography:
Named Best US Author of the Year by N. N. Lights Book Heaven, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Apple but now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries.
She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.
Social Media Links:
Book Bub: www.bookbub.com/authors/susie-black
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hollysusie1_saved/
Reviewed by: Nancy