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dollycas's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
5.0
Dollycas's Thoughts
In Spiked Punch
we meet Maddie Sparks and she has plenty of sparks in her life. Maddie is a mature woman, over 70 with a healthy sense of humor. She has written several cozy mysteries since retiring from the library but is now switching things up by writing a steamy romance. She has also gotten a makeover to reflect the new direction. Her eldest son, Geoffrey has a meltdown and is totally against his mother writing or publishing such scandalous thoughts that include "bedroom activities". He would rather hire her "to work for free" at his property management company.
we meet Maddie Sparks and she has plenty of sparks in her life. Maddie is a mature woman, over 70 with a healthy sense of humor. She has written several cozy mysteries since retiring from the library but is now switching things up by writing a steamy romance. She has also gotten a makeover to reflect the new direction. Her eldest son, Geoffrey has a meltdown and is totally against his mother writing or publishing such scandalous thoughts that include "bedroom activities". He would rather hire her "to work for free" at his property management company.
Before she can get started on the new chapter of her life she finds one of Geoffrey's clients dead and her son is a the top of the list of suspects. Maddie finds herself drawn to the new acting county sheriff and the feeling is mutual. What starts as a quest to find the real killer quickly evolves into a true romance. The killer knows that they are getting close and while Maddie and the good sheriff are taking a hike in a nearby park shots ring out barely missing Maddie and hitting Sheriff Zack Montgomery in the shoulder.
Maddie never imagined she would be in a killer's sights, or that she would have a new romantic relationship, or that she would end up with a furry orange feline named Spike but now she knows to get on with this new life the killer needs to be caught and fast.
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Maddie Sparks is an interesting and a little bit over-the-top protagonist but she is so darn funny. Her words and antics had me giggling in more places than I could count. I love that she is shaking up her life in her seventies. Her eldest son Geoffrey and his wife Abigail, are beside themselves with worry about her until the murder. Then they had other more important things to worry about. Their adult daughter Sara is clearly on her grandmother's side. They have a great relationship. Maddie's younger son, Richard is a criminal defense attorney and more laid back than his brother. He is also handy to have around when his brother is accused of murder. Sheriff Zack Montgomery is the county's interim sheriff, mid-sixties, with silvery gray hair, tall, and fit, is "polite as well as handsome", much smarter than his deputy, and someone Maddie wants to know better. All these characters are cleverly created and well-developed for the first book in a series.
The mystery surrounding the murder is complicated but Maddie and Zack work on it together. She has learned a few things from writing cozy mysteries but her sleuthing skills need a little work. Zach has the knowledge and sense needed to mostly keep them on track following clues. They sometimes get distracted by their feelings for each other. When Maddie's ex returns on the scene things get even crazier. It all leads up to an exciting showdown.
Entertaining characters including a frisky feline, and a well-plotted mystery have set this new series off to a fun start. Spiked Punch
was a Perfect Escape that I read all in one sitting. I am looking forward to seeing what Ms. Diehl has planned for these characters next.
was a Perfect Escape that I read all in one sitting. I am looking forward to seeing what Ms. Diehl has planned for these characters next.
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