Muletrain to Maggody

Arly Hanks #14

by Joan Hess

Under the benign watch of Police Chief Arly Hanks, things are pretty quiet in the sleepy Arkansas town of Maggody these days. Not even the prospect of a historical society-funded Civil War documentary on the locally touted (albeit historically insignificant) Skirmish at Cotter's Ridge of 1863 does much to stir up the denizens of this sleepy backwoods town. What does finally get the rumor mill buzzing, however, is the revelation that two saddlebags of Confederate gold were hidden in a local cave to keep them from falling into Yankee hands. Once word gets out that the saddlebags were never recovered, almost everyone in town has a plan to get their hands on the lost gold.

Meanwhile, a colorful cast of outlanders has taken over Maggody. They include a dewy Charleston belle, a famous writer of historical romances, her ne'er-do-well son, and three dozen obsessive reenactors who have not yet acknowledged that the Civil War ended over a hundred years ago, as well as a documentary film crew and a handsome, if enigmatic, filmmaker with ties to Arly's past. Arly has more than enough on her hands trying to locate missing senior citizens and keeping the visitors from each other's throats, but when the genealogist of the Stump County Historical Society dies under questionable circumstances, and a member of the Buchanon clan is the victim of a vicious and fatal attack, Arly finds herself faced with the most baffling whodunit of her career, with a disgruntled ghost a possible prime suspect.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Humor, Mystery Thriller, Cozy

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Joan Hess was the author of both the Claire Malloy and the Maggody mystery series. Hess was a winner of the American Mystery Award, a member of Sisters in Crime, and a former president of the American Crime Writers League. She lived in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Joan Hess also wrote a mystery series under the pseudonym of Joan Hadley.

Series contributed to:
. Crosswinds
. The Year's 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories
. Malice Domestic
. Deadly Allies
. Sisters in Crime

Reviews

[Sheryl Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

The American civil war rages on in Maggody.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read almost all of the Maggody series, and I would recommend them. They are funny mysteries headed by a female police chief in a little town in Arkansas. They are all about the crazy shinanigans of the rural people of Arkansas and the crazy things (aliens, Civil War reinactors, country singers) that happen in their town. The characters are funny, but the storylines are not always that great. The books are entertaining as they go along, but the conclusions are kind of convoluted. Anyway, if you are looking for something light and easy, these would be up your alley.

[Kyrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was very convoluted with a lot of new characters to keep track of. It's about missing gold from a pay bag delivered just before Yankees and Rebels clashed outside of Maggody. Now a reenactment is being filmed and people are dying. It was interesting from the perspective of how descendants take their family history very seriously. It was also fun for the incredible new Buchanon names that cropped up. Mrs. Jim Bob is becoming more tolerable, and so are Ruby Bee and Estelle. Or maybe I'm just used to them?

[Armelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

A movie is being made in Maggody - an educational film about a minor - a very minor - Civil War skirmish. The movie is based on an old journal, and the journal hints at some missing gold that just might never have been found. Just about everyone in town comes up with a plan to find the hidden treasure, but the plot thickens when two people die.

Most of the book is beyond silly, and some of the jokes were just plain tiresome, in my opinion.

[Tamara Blackwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy these Arly Hanks mysteries set in rural Arkansas, where my parents and husband were born and raised. I love the eccentric characters and the mysteries are also twisty and unpredictable. These are not what I would consider traditional cozies due to the foul language and Arly Hanks being a non-traditional cozy heroine, but if you can tolerate the cussing and enjoy quirky characters, then you will enjoy this series.

[Khanson919 · Rating 3 out of 5]

it is always nice to revisit a series you haven't read in awhile. I have always found these books entertaining and I was happy to see that Arly now has a love interest, even if he does not live in Maggody. I also liked who wound up with the gold at the end, and by Raz finding it there is no debate about who owns it.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a re-enactment of a skirmish in 1863 comes to the quiet town of Maggody, Police Chief Arly only anticapates problems with the road to Branson being closed. Then the rumor of gold may be in one of the caves at Cotter's Ridge things turn crazy. Very funny.

[Joseph Cacciola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely hilarious

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for relaxing and laughing..

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this one. I had no clue who was responsible for all the trouble until the last chapter!

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy this series.

The usual zany suspects and villagers. A very unexpected villain…to me. Lots of fun as we meet all those involved and try to find a thread to follow.

[Reading Fury · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been reading this series as one of my fall asleep routines. Problem is that the books keep me awake because they are so amusing and interesting. I am only to aware of the politically incorrect comments some of the characters make. Once a Buchanan, always a Buchanan. And the incorrectness goes in all directions. Some of the sayings I have heard when down south, so there is a realism in the middle of the shenanigans. Arly continues to be unimpressed with Ruby Bee's and Estelle's detective mettle. Barbara Ann Buchanan Buchanan (no typo, she married a cousin somewhat across the family tree) continues to be unimpressed with her husband's excuses. Add a romance writer, civil war reenactment fanatics, and the possibility of hidden treasure and you have yourself a real fix.

This installment is a bit grittier. It comes later in the series, so I think Hess has learned to wield real heft in carrying both murderous plots and strange but convincing personalities while sending up a clash between sensibilities. Oh, and as usual, poor, neurotic, sexually inquisitive Brother Verber once again gets a lesson in humility.

[Stefanie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

""

[Tracy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This review is for the audiobook ISBN 1-4025-7539-4:

Oh. My. Stars. There is no way that I can tell you whether or not I like the story, the characters or even the author's writing style. The narrator on this audiobook, C.J. Critt, gave such a nails-on-the-blackboard rendition that after less than ten minutes I was pulling over to the side of the freeway to rip the cd from the dashboard player. Seriously. A Granny Clampett tirade is preferable (and easier on the ears) to this narration.

Is this the way that the characters in Maggody are supposed to sound? I'll never know, because I won't take the chance of another aural assault of this magnitude.

[Joanne Reese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Police Chief Arly Hanks finds herself working through a very colorful cast of characters in search of answers. A Civil War reenactment scheduled to land on this sleepy Arkansas town starts rumors of hidden gold in one of the dozens of caves in the area. Characters disappear and a couple of bodies show up, providing plenty of ammunition for this light-hearted mystery.

Hess delighted me with a myriad of interesting characters and a setting that I could see, hear and feel. She provided a balance of consistency and surprises that kept me turning the pages. I'd highly recommend this novel and I look forward to reading more of her work.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one took me a little bit to really get into the story. I really like these stories, but I find myself wondering how people could be so stupid..course I wonder that at work sometimes too. =) I got a little lost in the last pages..I like how Arly comes to her conclusions, figures out what happened and why, but the two deaths aren't really explained. Left me kinda hanging as to what was going through their mind when they committed the murder..and left some of the other characters up in the air as well. I'm waiting to read one of these where Raz ends up in jail finally..

[Lea Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

The big draw of this book for me was the setting of a small Arkansas town along the Missouri border a.k.a. my home. The author did an excellent job in capturing the homespun, hardscrabble life in a small, Ozark town (not surprisingly she actually hails from Northwest Arkansas). The mystery that Arly Hanks is charged with solving is overshadowed by the comedy that ensues after the town When the town is turned on its ear by the filming of a Civil War documentary and a rumor of a hidden stash of gold. Fun characters and an easy read.

[Ingrid]

This is the first series of hers that I read and I absolutely loved it. You must read the series in order to truly appreciate the development of the characters. I discoverd the series late, so I had fun reading one after another. Now that I'm all caught up, it seems like ages since she has written a new Maggody adventure. I also read all the Claire Malloy books and I'm dying for a new adventure in that series as well. It's sad when you finally get all caught up with your favorite author.

[Elizabeth Olson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though there are not but two murders, it seems that really nothing much actually happens except that everyone in the very small town of Maggody, Arkansas gets all a-bothered when a documentary is set to be filmed there, re-enacting a Civil War battle in which two saddlebags of gold disappeared. What made the book enjoyable was the quirky characters, whose foibles and misapprehensions kept me amusedly turning pages.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's gold in them hills! Maggody inhabitants are all planning on finding it. Arly is having trouble keeping track of all those that are missing. Ruby Bee is acting strangely again and Arly is wondering why. Mrs Jim Bob is hostess of the visitors for the documentary filming of the Battle at Cotter Ridge. Until Kevin informs her there is a body on Cotter Ridge. Who will find the gold? This satire at it is best. Don't like foul language skip the book. I recommend this series highly.

[Cyndee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the "Maggody" series--who could not with characters like Brother Verber of the Voice of the Almighty Lord Assembly Hall, Mayor Jim Bob, and Mrs. Jim Bob--to name just a few regulars. For some reason, though I didn't love this book as much as the others. But these are light and make me smile--who could ask for anything more.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version of this book driving to and from a recent southern trip. I haven't read an Arly Hanks for awhile, and it was a perfect car book. Arly Hanks is the sheriff in the small Arkansas community of Maggody, which is filled with zany hillbilly characters. This one is pretty good, although not one of her best.

[Jeannie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have read a few of the Maggody books so far, and they are OK. I really don't like many of the peripheral characters. In this book those characters annoyed me from the start - so much so that I just put the book down and have no interest in even trying it again. I will likely read another in the series, since I did like the others I read.

[Rachel N. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The local historical society has decided to shoot a documentary in Maggody reenacting a small skirmish during the Civil War and Arly, chief of police, has to deal with the reenactors and people descending on the town searching for hidden Confederate gold. Then two murders occur and things really get crazy. A fun entry in the series. It was good to visit with the kooky citizens of Maggody again.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun Arly Hanks book! This one dealing with a Civil War reenactment and lost gold. When the actors and historians show up in Maggody, everything goes from a planned documentary filming to mass chaos as can only happen in Maggody. Be sure to read Maggody and the Moonbeams before this one, because there are references to it.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joan Hess predates Janet Evanovich. They're from the same school--murder mystery as slapstick comedy. I grab these out of the paperback rack at the library when I don't have any better reads under way.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the Maggody series all thought this was far from the best. There was a lot of book gone by before the first murder and it wrapped up really quickly. Again I like the series and everything I have read from Joan Hess but this wasn't her best effort.

[Pamela Trawick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laugh out loud.

As usual for this series, mindless fun with amusing characters and lots of hillbilly jokes.

[Joanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK, but who needs another series of a smartmouth woman in law enforcement? Janet Evanovich does it better.

[Brandon Kurtich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another laugh-out-loud edition by Joan Hess. The dry humor evoked by Arly Hanks will have even the biggest Yankee laughing out of their seats.