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Elvis And The Memphis Mambo Murders (2010)

by Peggy Webb(Favorite Author)

3.84 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0758225938 (ISBN13: 9780758225931)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Kensington

series

A Southern Cousins Mystery

review 1: When Callie Valentine Jones's mother Ruby Nell enters a Mambo contest, Callie and her cousin Lovie travel to Memphis to keep an eye on Ruby Nell and her dance partner Thomas Whitenton. Callie is worried about the relationship between her Mama and Thomas but when bodies start popping up everywhere and several other murder attempts are made, Callie has other worries. She and Lovie, along with the help of her dog Elvis (who thinks he is the reincarnation of "the" Elvis), begin to investigate the murders but they need to be careful or they'll be the next victims. "Elvis and the Memphis Mambo Murders" is a very funny and cute cozy mystery filled with quirky characters. I was a bit nervous at first about the characters because quirky often means over the top and while some chara... morecters are indeed larger than life (Lovie literally is) author Peggy Webb manages to rein the humor in so that there is also a good mystery mixed in with the humor. Webb alternates the viewpoints in the book between that of Elvis and Callie and I was pleased that this wasn't simply another animal helping their owner solve a mystery - Elvis may think he's being helpful but he also thinks he is, well Elvis. Along with Elvis, quirky characters include Lovie, Ruby Nell, Ruby's best friend Fayrene (who can mangle a phrase with the best of them), and Bobby Huckabee (who claims to have a psychic eye). These characters lend a lot of humor to the book and there were some laugh out loud moments including an escape to a balcony that doesn't exist. Webb walks a fine line with these characters and mostly succeeds although she has an annoying habit of explaining each of Fayrene's malapropisms - she needs to trust her reader's intelligence. As for the mystery elements, while the book is well plotted with plenty of surprises, I figured out halfway through the book who the killer was. "Elvis and the Memphis Mambo Murders" is a very funny cozy mystery.
review 2: I give this book 3.5 stars.I loved that the book is set at the Peabody Hotel.It was funny, delightful,and a little over-the-top crazy.There's Ballroom Dancing, Blues, Ribs, Ducks, Hoochie Mamas, and of course - Murder ....And I can't forget Elvis (still charming as ever) and he got to return to see his beloved Graceland.If you're not up on your Southernese, you will be by the end of the book. I look forward to reading the other books in this series. less

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