When the chef of Sunset Paradise Retirement Village ends up dead, life for sisters-in-law Fern and Zula Hopkins is whipped into a froth. Their zany attempts to track down the killer land them in hot water with Detective Jared Flynn. Should he be concerned about their safety or the criminal’s?
But there are deadly ingredients none of them expect. Drugs. Extortion. International cartels. And worst of all…broken hearts–especially when the Hopkins sisters’ niece KC arrives on the scene.
Before the snooping pair gain any headway with the case, it becomes crystal clear that the sisters share a mysterious secret that takes life from the frying pan and into the line of fire.
“A laugh out loud mystery with quirky, lovable characters who find themselves in all sorts of trouble. The storyline is believable and comes with descriptions of mouth-watering food, which makes for a delicious plot! A cohesive and fast-moving novel.” 4-Stars! RT Book Reviews
GENRE: Christian Cozy Mystery
PUBLISHER: Bling! Romance
RELEASE DATE: September 6, 2016
PAGES: 276
“Note to self: Sleuthing is not for the faint of heart.”
Sometimes when I review books here, I tell you to be prepared to swoon. Or maybe even cry. Today, I’m telling you to be prepared to GIGGLE. A lot.
Fern and Zula are a hoot! From Zula’s overly perfumed antics to Fern’s attempt to channel her favorite mystery novels to their romantic misadventures, these two sisters-in-law provide many laughs throughout Out of the Frying Pan. Both women are delightfully quirky – in opposite ways – and as such the two housemates drive each other more than a little crazy. Yet their mutual affection shines through when it counts, adding a nice dose of warmth to the humor.
The romance between KC and Jared is predictable perhaps (aren’t most?) but it’s enjoyable all the same. It’s always fun to have the inside scoop ahead of the characters and watch them try to figure things out as they go along. I do so wish this would be the first book in a series though, because I’m not quite ready to be finished with their story! (And I want to know what happens with Sam!!! I liked Sam…)
The mystery is creatively crafted and nicely executed (hmmm… perhaps not the best description for a murder mystery?) and it kept me guessing throughout the novel. Some aspects I figured out ahead of our amateur sleuths while others surprised me upon the big reveal. To me, this is the ideal combination to hold my attention during a cozy mystery where suspense/action isn’t high.
Although… there is a good deal of suspense and action in Out of the Frying Pan as well! Particularly the closer you get to the end, the less you’ll be able to put down the book until you know everyone is safe.
Bottom Line: Out of the Frying Pan by Michelle Griep and Kelly Klepfer is a bit like “Murder She Wrote” meets “The Golden Girls” (though, thankfully without all the innuendo of the latter) with its own unique flair. Fun, quirky, endearing characters give this novel lots of heart, and the mystery & suspense elements to the story prove this writing duo is a new force in the cozy mystery scene! A sweet romance rounds out the mix and leaves you wanting more from these authors and these characters.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 4 stars / Love it!
KissingBook Level: 2 / Warm rosy glow of sweetness
The hilarity continues! Fern and Zula HAVE A BLOG!! hahaha!
I hear voices. Loud. Incessant. And very real. Which basically gives me two options: choke back massive amounts of Prozac or write fiction. I’ve been writing since I discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. I seek to glorify God in all that I write–except for that graffiti phase I went through as teenager.
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Other Books by Michelle Griep
Kelly Klepfer had ambitions to graduate from the school of life quite awhile ago, but alas . . . she still attends and is tested regularly. Her co-authored cozy/quirky mystery, Out of the Frying Pan, is the culmination of several of the failed/passed tests. Kelly, though she lives with her husband, two Beagles and two hedgehogs in Iowa, can be found at Novel Rocket, Novel Reviews, Scrambled Dregs, Modern Day Mishaps, and various social media with flashes of brilliance (usually quotes), randomocities, and learned life lessons.
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What about you? What interests you most about Out of the Frying Pan?
Great review Carrie!I actually own this book, it’s just waiting in the TBR.
I get Zu-fer in my email. They are a hoot! I think I’ll be moving this up the TBR, I need a giggle.
this one is good for lots of giggles!!
NICE! Cute.. I giggled reading your review. Possibly because of the image of the frying pan! =) Adding to TBR!
heehee I wonder why 😉
Awww, Carrie! Thank you so much for the fabulous review. Michelle and I had so much fun writing this crazy adventure. I’m so glad you enjoyed the trip!
very much so!! 🙂