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Peri Minneopa Mystery #1
Freezer Burn
"It's Minn-ee-OH-pa."
Peri Minneopa has heard her name mangled a thousand ways to Sunday and hates them all. What she does like are clean houses, and dirty martinis. She recently traded in her housecleaning business for a P.I. license. Her timing seems perfect, when she cleans a former client's freezer and finds a severed hand inside, wearing an expensive ring. The client, Benny Needles, is a Dean Martin fanatic who swears he's innocent. But where there's a hand, there's a body, waiting to be found.
It's a brand new world for Peri, and she has a lot to learn. Her boyfriend, Skip, a detective in the Placentia Police Department warns Peri that this case could be dangerous, but she can't stop sticking her nose into the middle of things. Her first lesson is that investigating murder can have bad consequences. In the middle of trying to solve the case, Peri takes on a surveillance job. The philandering husband is unhappy with her, and she discovers that even surveillance isn't always low risk.
As the two cases collide, will Peri learn the truth behind both of them? And more important, will she ever get that dirty martini?
Peri Minneopa has heard her name mangled a thousand ways to Sunday and hates them all. What she does like are clean houses, and dirty martinis. She recently traded in her housecleaning business for a P.I. license. Her timing seems perfect, when she cleans a former client's freezer and finds a severed hand inside, wearing an expensive ring. The client, Benny Needles, is a Dean Martin fanatic who swears he's innocent. But where there's a hand, there's a body, waiting to be found.
It's a brand new world for Peri, and she has a lot to learn. Her boyfriend, Skip, a detective in the Placentia Police Department warns Peri that this case could be dangerous, but she can't stop sticking her nose into the middle of things. Her first lesson is that investigating murder can have bad consequences. In the middle of trying to solve the case, Peri takes on a surveillance job. The philandering husband is unhappy with her, and she discovers that even surveillance isn't always low risk.
As the two cases collide, will Peri learn the truth behind both of them? And more important, will she ever get that dirty martini?
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 5, 2009
59 people are currently reading
418 people want to read
About the author
Gayle Carline
21 books66 followersGayle (G.S.) Carline has been an artist, a software engineer, and an author, mostly because she believes in reincarnation while you're still alive to learn a lesson or two. She loves to write mysteries, fantasies, and humor--and sometimes all together.
Currently, she lives in sunny southern California with her husband and a sassy Corgi. She also has a son and two horses, all of whom she enjoys even if they don't live with her.
Currently, she lives in sunny southern California with her husband and a sassy Corgi. She also has a son and two horses, all of whom she enjoys even if they don't live with her.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
April 29, 2013
Freezer Burn is a delightful mystery set in Orange County, California.
The book opens with a great hook: Peri Minneopa is a former housecleaner turned PI. When Benny Needles, the son of a former client, needs her help to locate a treasured Dean Martin item, Peri finds a lot more than she bargained for. As she hunts for the item in the back of Benny's freezer, she finds a severed hand wearing a pricy jewel. Whose hand and whose ring? Benny swears his innocence and Peri wants to believe him.
Peri's "friendship" with Benny, an interesting Dean Martin fanatic, makes it impossible for her to stay out of this quirky murder investigation, even though her involvement frustrates her detective boyfriend, Skip, and places her own life in danger.
Peri is also working on her own PI cases, which provides another source of frustration and anxiety for Skip. Her current case, tailing a suspected philanderer, thrusts her into even more danger than her meddling in the murder investigation.
Peri is a likable character, wise and funny, with a penchant for dirty martini's. Her relationship with her boyfriend, Skip and her best friend, Blanche, are endearing. Freezer Burn is a witty and entertaining read. The pace is quick and the plot is clever. As Peri tries to help locate the body to which the severed hand belongs, the suspense (and humor) builds.
It can be difficult to successfully mix humor and mystery; the author does it well. Peri is a great lead character with an inquisitive nature. She adds a lighthearted element to every tense situation. Freezer Burn also delivers quite an unexpected ending.
The book opens with a great hook: Peri Minneopa is a former housecleaner turned PI. When Benny Needles, the son of a former client, needs her help to locate a treasured Dean Martin item, Peri finds a lot more than she bargained for. As she hunts for the item in the back of Benny's freezer, she finds a severed hand wearing a pricy jewel. Whose hand and whose ring? Benny swears his innocence and Peri wants to believe him.
Peri's "friendship" with Benny, an interesting Dean Martin fanatic, makes it impossible for her to stay out of this quirky murder investigation, even though her involvement frustrates her detective boyfriend, Skip, and places her own life in danger.
Peri is also working on her own PI cases, which provides another source of frustration and anxiety for Skip. Her current case, tailing a suspected philanderer, thrusts her into even more danger than her meddling in the murder investigation.
Peri is a likable character, wise and funny, with a penchant for dirty martini's. Her relationship with her boyfriend, Skip and her best friend, Blanche, are endearing. Freezer Burn is a witty and entertaining read. The pace is quick and the plot is clever. As Peri tries to help locate the body to which the severed hand belongs, the suspense (and humor) builds.
It can be difficult to successfully mix humor and mystery; the author does it well. Peri is a great lead character with an inquisitive nature. She adds a lighthearted element to every tense situation. Freezer Burn also delivers quite an unexpected ending.
January 22, 2013
What a romp! Freezer Burn is funny, sharp, easy to get into and introduces us to a group of characters you'll love. "Peri" is a cleverly written, cozy sleuth you'd want in your neighborhood anytime. This is going to be a great series and I can't wait to read the next one. Gayle Carline is one talented lady.
April 9, 2013
I've never read anything by this author, but you bet I will read more by her. This drew me in right quick, and another plus for me is that the locale of this novel is in north Orange County, where I lived for many years. Being familiar with the streets and places she mentions make it even more enjoyable to read.
It also moved along at a quick pace, never got boring. Peri (short for Periwinkle) is a new Pvt. Detective who gave up her house-cleaning business to do something more exciting. She has a natural curiosity and feels suited for the job, which she is. Peri gets talked into one last favor for a former cleaning client, an eccentric Dean Martin memorabilia-collector who believes his autographed Dean Martin ice tray is buried in his freezer, & he doesn't want it damaged. Peri tackles the freezer for Benny, and in the process she find's a woman's severed hand...with a big expensive ring on its finger... now where is the rest of her and how did her hand get in Benny's freezer? He hasn't a clue.
You will admire Peri's dedication and humorous personality. She is a real cyclone, even when she gets banged up a little, she doesn't stop. The fact that the man in her life is a police detective makes them a good team. He loves her, so he watches out for her, tries to keep her out of trouble, which can be a full-time job in itself. Her nosiness gets her into some crazy situations, some of them dangerous. This is a light, comedic look at the life of a new P.I. with quirky characters, an intriguing plot line, and several other interesting subplots.
Recommended for fans of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. It has similar escapades. No cars blowing up, like Stephanie's stories, but it's that kind of humor.
It also moved along at a quick pace, never got boring. Peri (short for Periwinkle) is a new Pvt. Detective who gave up her house-cleaning business to do something more exciting. She has a natural curiosity and feels suited for the job, which she is. Peri gets talked into one last favor for a former cleaning client, an eccentric Dean Martin memorabilia-collector who believes his autographed Dean Martin ice tray is buried in his freezer, & he doesn't want it damaged. Peri tackles the freezer for Benny, and in the process she find's a woman's severed hand...with a big expensive ring on its finger... now where is the rest of her and how did her hand get in Benny's freezer? He hasn't a clue.
You will admire Peri's dedication and humorous personality. She is a real cyclone, even when she gets banged up a little, she doesn't stop. The fact that the man in her life is a police detective makes them a good team. He loves her, so he watches out for her, tries to keep her out of trouble, which can be a full-time job in itself. Her nosiness gets her into some crazy situations, some of them dangerous. This is a light, comedic look at the life of a new P.I. with quirky characters, an intriguing plot line, and several other interesting subplots.
Recommended for fans of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. It has similar escapades. No cars blowing up, like Stephanie's stories, but it's that kind of humor.
March 16, 2013
I enjoyed Freezer Burn: A Peri Minneopa Novel. I like Peri, she is independent, strong and determined. She is hesitant to commit to a live in relationship with her long time love, Skip, a detective. Peri has changed careers and become a PI, sans a weapon, leaving Skip concerned about her well being.
Bennie Needles is one of Peri's first clients. Bennie is looney, and that's being kind. He is obsessed with Dean Martin memorabilia and hires Peri to find the Dean Martin ice cube tray he put in his freezer a few weeks before. Reluctantly, Peri agrees to locate the tray which is frozen solid somewhere in his freezer. What she finds sets off a police investigation into a murder.
Freezer Burn was a fun read that I breezed through!
Bennie Needles is one of Peri's first clients. Bennie is looney, and that's being kind. He is obsessed with Dean Martin memorabilia and hires Peri to find the Dean Martin ice cube tray he put in his freezer a few weeks before. Reluctantly, Peri agrees to locate the tray which is frozen solid somewhere in his freezer. What she finds sets off a police investigation into a murder.
Freezer Burn was a fun read that I breezed through!
December 10, 2013
Peri Minneopa, recently turned P.I. after years of cleaning houses for a living, is called to a former client (house keeping) to clean his freezer. When she does she discovers a severed hand with a million dollar ring on it. She immediately calls in her homicide detective boyfriend. From there the two attempt to figure out, whose hand, whose ring and who dunnit! Lots of crazy characters and oddball connections make this a really fun read.
March 24, 2013
Cute, occasionally funny mystery about a peri menopausal private investigator who used to clean houses. It's nice because she is 50 and acts her age: she is still sexually active and fit, but she isn't acting dumb all of the time. The mystery is pretty well done.
April 2, 2013
I loved the humor in Freezers Burn. Great read, Cozy mystery. I liked it, gave it 4 stars. I will read more by Gayler Catlike.
September 20, 2017
Fun "mystery" read, especially for So Cal readers who know all the Placentia locations.
January 24, 2011
BEST BOOK EVER!!!!
May 24, 2020
Peri is a smart-mouth P.I. She needed a job, even if it was to clean out a freezer, looking for an autographed ice cube tray. She never expected to find a severed hand in the freezer. How in the world did it get there?
A homeless girl wearing a vintage Hollywood ring? Was she dead? And where was the rest of her?
I liked that this was set in my hometown of SoCal. Peri has good instincts. Story had a few mysteries in it, including if she was pregnant or not. But Peri certainly handles whatever came her way with humor and grace.
Smart, inquisitive, and enjoyable!
A homeless girl wearing a vintage Hollywood ring? Was she dead? And where was the rest of her?
I liked that this was set in my hometown of SoCal. Peri has good instincts. Story had a few mysteries in it, including if she was pregnant or not. But Peri certainly handles whatever came her way with humor and grace.
Smart, inquisitive, and enjoyable!
February 19, 2020
Good first installment of Gayle Carline's Peri Minneopa series. Good characterization of the primary inhabitants of this world - Peri, Skip Carlton (her significant other) and Benny Needles (an acquaintance). But, that being said, without giving anything away, the denouement is somewhat anticlimactic and the frozen hand is something of a red herring. Overall, I enjoyed the book and will read others in the five-part series.
June 19, 2022
A great book!
I love pad reading this book. It was full of twists and turns. I was surprised by one twist towards the end of the book. I will definitely continue to read the rest of the series.
I love pad reading this book. It was full of twists and turns. I was surprised by one twist towards the end of the book. I will definitely continue to read the rest of the series.
March 3, 2020
Fun book
I'm glad I read this. I'm going to get the rest of the series. What a fun story and great characters.
I'm glad I read this. I'm going to get the rest of the series. What a fun story and great characters.
May 18, 2023
omg
What a hilarious story. Found on a free site, the subject blurb intrigued me. Glad i read it, lots of laughs.
What a hilarious story. Found on a free site, the subject blurb intrigued me. Glad i read it, lots of laughs.
June 22, 2024
What a delightful book. Lots of twists and turns. It’s so nice to have a character over 50 that is fun to read.
April 7, 2014
I give this book 2 stars because it just isn't very good. It's not horrible. There will be many people that enjoy it. I found it to be simple in it's plot, simple in the character development, and generic in the characters. If you want light reading where you don't have to think much, this may be the book for you. The last 5% of the book had a few editing issues, but the rest of the book seemed clean.
And now for the issues I had with this book:
-I think the author thought she was being creative and cute with some of the names and situations. I did not find them cute nor creative. Because that creativity and cuteness did not continue throughout the book and was consistent with every name and place, it was actually a little annoying.
-The dialogue was mainly basic and unrealistic. It often came across as snarky or trying to be hip.
-I did not find the book to be suspenseful or even a thriller. Just a mystery. It's similar to Murder She Wrote or any of those kind of "mystery" shows on TV. Some people solve it right away, some people don't.
-The main character is 50. She has not gone through menopause yet, which can happen. But when she starts experiencing symptoms, she frets more about being pregnant than about starting menopause. There were more clues in the book that she was premenopausal than about the actual murders. Some of the scenarios about this subplot were just ridiculous. And it didn't add anything to the story. Especially when she's a PI!
-Speaking of being a PI, the main character has quit being a house cleaner to be a PI. While "investigating" and interviewing people, these people just willingly give up information to her. First of all, the questions she asks and the manner in which she asks them are not consistent with a PI. Rarely does she have follow-up questions. Second, everyone willingly gives her info??? The workers at the Nursing home, the workers at the homeless shelter, the fire department? Hasn't any heard of the Privacy Act? What about needing a warrant for that information? What about only wanting to speak to the authorities who can actually do something beyond gathering facts??? This is a big flaw in the book.
-Also, the main character has some really convenient friends - like the coroner, she's dating a detective. Too convenient.
-The last thing that really irked me was that every conversation the main character had with her boyfriend Detective ended with the mentioning of eating food or getting a drink. If it wasn't every conversation, it was enough to make me think it was every conversation. It's a good thing she runs because she certainly ate a lot of pizza and BBQ in this book!
This would be a great book to overhaul and make tons better. Read - it has potential to be a good book. The author, in my opinion, has the potential to grow and be better than this. I believe it's her first book. I congratulate the effort and making her dream come true.
And now for the issues I had with this book:
-I think the author thought she was being creative and cute with some of the names and situations. I did not find them cute nor creative. Because that creativity and cuteness did not continue throughout the book and was consistent with every name and place, it was actually a little annoying.
-The dialogue was mainly basic and unrealistic. It often came across as snarky or trying to be hip.
-I did not find the book to be suspenseful or even a thriller. Just a mystery. It's similar to Murder She Wrote or any of those kind of "mystery" shows on TV. Some people solve it right away, some people don't.
-The main character is 50. She has not gone through menopause yet, which can happen. But when she starts experiencing symptoms, she frets more about being pregnant than about starting menopause. There were more clues in the book that she was premenopausal than about the actual murders. Some of the scenarios about this subplot were just ridiculous. And it didn't add anything to the story. Especially when she's a PI!
-Speaking of being a PI, the main character has quit being a house cleaner to be a PI. While "investigating" and interviewing people, these people just willingly give up information to her. First of all, the questions she asks and the manner in which she asks them are not consistent with a PI. Rarely does she have follow-up questions. Second, everyone willingly gives her info??? The workers at the Nursing home, the workers at the homeless shelter, the fire department? Hasn't any heard of the Privacy Act? What about needing a warrant for that information? What about only wanting to speak to the authorities who can actually do something beyond gathering facts??? This is a big flaw in the book.
-Also, the main character has some really convenient friends - like the coroner, she's dating a detective. Too convenient.
-The last thing that really irked me was that every conversation the main character had with her boyfriend Detective ended with the mentioning of eating food or getting a drink. If it wasn't every conversation, it was enough to make me think it was every conversation. It's a good thing she runs because she certainly ate a lot of pizza and BBQ in this book!
This would be a great book to overhaul and make tons better. Read - it has potential to be a good book. The author, in my opinion, has the potential to grow and be better than this. I believe it's her first book. I congratulate the effort and making her dream come true.
January 14, 2015
The premise of Freezer Burn being a sharp-eyed, middle-aged woman leaving behind her house cleaning days for a new career as an investigator of insurance fraud-slash-marital infidelity cases really caught my attention. Not just that whole unique combination, but also some protagonist features that I really haven't encountered before. Most of the time our literary hero of the mystery genre is a seasoned veteran of the police force stepping out on his own, or a highly intelligent fresh-out-of-criminology class, twenty-something female (Miss Marple notwithstanding). The cleverly named Peri Minneopa (now one of my favorite character names) uses her eye for detail and strong will to team up with her boyfriend Skip (often against his wishes) in a case she stumbles into involving a character (Benny) whose quirks only she really seems to understand.
The flow of the story seemed to give me an idea of the thought process in the holistic, multitasking mind typical of the female psyche vs. the compartmentalized mind of a male (the latter of which I am very familiar with). While Peri is doing her day job of filling out insurance investigation paperwork, she also thinking of what a suspect on Benny's case said, planning a date with Skip, and worried about her biological time clock all at once; and I think the author presented it clearly enough that my mind was multitasking with her.
The characters were interesting, although some of the sideline people seemed to have come out of the hammerspace to bring in a new clue or plot detail then disappeared. There were also a few moments that seemed a bit too convenient in order to move the plot along, but not really enough to push me out of the story. These and the need for a copyeditor (to run through the book again are what pushed my rating down to 4 stars.
I've also read a few other reviews criticizing the character for not being smart enough to use ... well, a very feminine item that is also a plot device so I won't explain exactly what it is. But, regarding the criticism, I know many people (myself included) who are very intelligent in a number of fields, but something common (particularly common sense) is something that seems to evade their grasp.
Ultimately I found Freezer Burn an enjoyable and often humorous read that kept me guessing what the conclusion would be almost up to the last couple chapters. As this was the first in a series, I will certainly be looking forward to joining the Peri Minneopa Mysteries again soon.
The flow of the story seemed to give me an idea of the thought process in the holistic, multitasking mind typical of the female psyche vs. the compartmentalized mind of a male (the latter of which I am very familiar with). While Peri is doing her day job of filling out insurance investigation paperwork, she also thinking of what a suspect on Benny's case said, planning a date with Skip, and worried about her biological time clock all at once; and I think the author presented it clearly enough that my mind was multitasking with her.
The characters were interesting, although some of the sideline people seemed to have come out of the hammerspace to bring in a new clue or plot detail then disappeared. There were also a few moments that seemed a bit too convenient in order to move the plot along, but not really enough to push me out of the story. These and the need for a copyeditor (to run through the book again are what pushed my rating down to 4 stars.
I've also read a few other reviews criticizing the character for not being smart enough to use ... well, a very feminine item that is also a plot device so I won't explain exactly what it is. But, regarding the criticism, I know many people (myself included) who are very intelligent in a number of fields, but something common (particularly common sense) is something that seems to evade their grasp.
Ultimately I found Freezer Burn an enjoyable and often humorous read that kept me guessing what the conclusion would be almost up to the last couple chapters. As this was the first in a series, I will certainly be looking forward to joining the Peri Minneopa Mysteries again soon.
June 27, 2016
Peri has recently traded in housecleaning for being a PI. One of her former clients is a bit of a nut job and he comes into her office and wants her to find his ice cube tray - he claims it was used by Dean Martin. He last saw it in his freezer, but his freezer has frosted over so bad he can't find it. He wants her to defrost his freezer so he can get Dino's ice cube tray back.
Peri decides she can look and heads for Benny's. She is amazed at how much more Dino stuff he has collected since she quit cleaning his house. She goes to his fridge, it was built in about 1956. She gets a spatula and plugs in her hair dryer and starts melting the perma frost and dragging out stuff as things become loose. She just shakes her head and keeps going until she pulls out a plastic bag with a right hand in it. Benny swears he knows nothing. She unwraps it and it is wearing a very large ring. When she tells Benny she has to call the police he goes really crazy. He doesn't want anyone in his house going through all of his collection. She relents and calls a friend who is a forensic scientist and asks her if she can unofficially look at the hand. Her friend says it is real. Next call is to Skip, a cop she knows. Skip meets her at Blanche's (forensic scientist) and takes a few notes as he talks to them. He tells Blanche to take the hand in and get fingerprints, pay attention to the ring. Peri tells him where she found the hand and that she took photos as she unwrapped it. He wants her to email the pics to him. When the police go to interview Benny
He tells them that someone keeps rearranging his collection, he wonders if it's Dino's ghost. Benny hires Peri to keep tabs on the cops and the investigation.
Who cut the hand off? Why is it in Benny's freezer? Could Benny, a collector of all that is Dino, be a murderer? Who is the victim? And why is she wearing a $1.5 million ring?
Peri decides she can look and heads for Benny's. She is amazed at how much more Dino stuff he has collected since she quit cleaning his house. She goes to his fridge, it was built in about 1956. She gets a spatula and plugs in her hair dryer and starts melting the perma frost and dragging out stuff as things become loose. She just shakes her head and keeps going until she pulls out a plastic bag with a right hand in it. Benny swears he knows nothing. She unwraps it and it is wearing a very large ring. When she tells Benny she has to call the police he goes really crazy. He doesn't want anyone in his house going through all of his collection. She relents and calls a friend who is a forensic scientist and asks her if she can unofficially look at the hand. Her friend says it is real. Next call is to Skip, a cop she knows. Skip meets her at Blanche's (forensic scientist) and takes a few notes as he talks to them. He tells Blanche to take the hand in and get fingerprints, pay attention to the ring. Peri tells him where she found the hand and that she took photos as she unwrapped it. He wants her to email the pics to him. When the police go to interview Benny
He tells them that someone keeps rearranging his collection, he wonders if it's Dino's ghost. Benny hires Peri to keep tabs on the cops and the investigation.
Who cut the hand off? Why is it in Benny's freezer? Could Benny, a collector of all that is Dino, be a murderer? Who is the victim? And why is she wearing a $1.5 million ring?
April 27, 2014
I love murder-mysteries. I think it's because I grew up reading Nancy Drew and Mary Higgins Clark and watching shows with my Dad like Murder She Wrote, Matlock, Remington Steele, Moonlighting, etc. So I'm always willing to read a murder-mystery and give the author a go. Gayle Carline probably saw how well Sue Grafton was doing with her woman PI that she decided to jump on that bandwagon. She has crafted her own woman PI named Peri Minneopa. Unfortunately Peri is too similar to Grafton's Millhone so all I ended up doing for the majority of the book is compare the two. Carline wrote a decent story and her PI isn't bad at all but it feels very familiar. In truth it feels a little lifted from Grafton. That's a shame.
In this story Peri finds a hand in a freezer and the hand is wearing a priceless ring. The question is, where's the body? Soon the body is found and the investigation is heating up. In the meantime Peri is also watching a husband accused of cheating on his wife. Who said PI work would be boring? It's convenient for Peri that her best friend is the assistant coroner and her boyfriend is a detective with the police department. With so many connections to investigate Peri is kept busy but at last it pays off and she. to coin a term, cracks the case.
Carline is a decent writer but it all felt so "Sue Grafton" that I had a hard time separating the two. It just goes to show that there is "nothing new under the sun." Nobody really has an original idea, we just build off of others.
In this story Peri finds a hand in a freezer and the hand is wearing a priceless ring. The question is, where's the body? Soon the body is found and the investigation is heating up. In the meantime Peri is also watching a husband accused of cheating on his wife. Who said PI work would be boring? It's convenient for Peri that her best friend is the assistant coroner and her boyfriend is a detective with the police department. With so many connections to investigate Peri is kept busy but at last it pays off and she. to coin a term, cracks the case.
Carline is a decent writer but it all felt so "Sue Grafton" that I had a hard time separating the two. It just goes to show that there is "nothing new under the sun." Nobody really has an original idea, we just build off of others.
June 11, 2015
After finishing 62% of the book according to my Kindle, I just can't take it anymore. Two things I really hate are when (1) the author expects me to suspend all reality and (2) a character is so stupid that I can't believe they do anything other than hand out carts at Target. Well, Peri, whatever her last name is, a private detective, falls in the second category. She is involved with a police detective and between the two of them, they don't have enough sense to use protection every time they have sex. So, what happens, her period is late and now, at age 50(!), she won't/can't even take a pregnancy test. She won't even buy the kit at her local store! She looks at it sitting on her counter, she drops it in her toilet, she won't take the test because her lover will be staying at her house for a couple of days (I have no idea why the two acts are mutually exclusive) and continues to put it off -- and I'm just not interested enough to find out if she really is pregnant. She's also one of these women who won't let the bad guy get the better of her so she doesn't heed the advice of the police and, yes, gets confronted yet again by the bad guy. The murder mystery is fine but this side story of a potential pregnancy just interfered with the whole story. Like I said, I just can't take it anymore and I've put it on my "life is too short to read bad books" shelf.
July 22, 2015
Full and Detailed review at http://cynthology.blogspot.com/2015/0...
Freezer Burn by Gayle Carline was a cosy fireside mystery that I quite enjoyed reading. The story is written from the third person point of view of Peri. The dialogue is realistic and credible, but the manner in which the two leads are just one degree from talking about sex almost all the time is annoying.
Peri is an unusual character. For one, she's 50, and she has the guts to opt for a career change at 50, after decades spent cleaning people’s homes. I also liked the solid friendship between Peri, Blanche and Skip.
I wish the author had given her heroine a nicer name than one routinely mispronounced as menopause. The fact that the heroine is 50 years of age gives the author the opportunity to discuss issues such as menopause and age and she makes good use of the opportunity, without disrupting the flow of this cosy mystery.
As a reader, you find yourself sitting back and reading, totally relaxed, willing the author to tie up all the loose ends for you. This one is certainly entertaining, while it lasts.
Freezer Burn by Gayle Carline was a cosy fireside mystery that I quite enjoyed reading. The story is written from the third person point of view of Peri. The dialogue is realistic and credible, but the manner in which the two leads are just one degree from talking about sex almost all the time is annoying.
Peri is an unusual character. For one, she's 50, and she has the guts to opt for a career change at 50, after decades spent cleaning people’s homes. I also liked the solid friendship between Peri, Blanche and Skip.
I wish the author had given her heroine a nicer name than one routinely mispronounced as menopause. The fact that the heroine is 50 years of age gives the author the opportunity to discuss issues such as menopause and age and she makes good use of the opportunity, without disrupting the flow of this cosy mystery.
As a reader, you find yourself sitting back and reading, totally relaxed, willing the author to tie up all the loose ends for you. This one is certainly entertaining, while it lasts.
October 3, 2013
Peri is 50 years old and starting a new career as a PI. She was a house cleaner - but is beginning a new phase of life. I like the fact she is not some sweet young thing with no brain.
Skip is a detective - also 50 - and in love with Peri. He is a very patient man who seems to be willing to allow Peri to have access to anything in the police department....that is not realistic at all. He appears to be nice but not as observant as Peri.
The plot is different - there are murders, attempted murders and a one of a kind historic ring. There is a man who is obsessed with Dean Martin and lives his life collecting memorabilia. There are quite a few secondary characters, some of them give good color to the story.
I like the writing - I like the plot - I enjoyed getting to know the characters.
I figured out the murder pretty early in the story. I am going to give the next book in the series a try and see how that goes.
If you are a mystery fan and would enjoy a plot and characters who are not the cookie cutter ones you find in some stories, this will be a book you will enjoy.
Skip is a detective - also 50 - and in love with Peri. He is a very patient man who seems to be willing to allow Peri to have access to anything in the police department....that is not realistic at all. He appears to be nice but not as observant as Peri.
The plot is different - there are murders, attempted murders and a one of a kind historic ring. There is a man who is obsessed with Dean Martin and lives his life collecting memorabilia. There are quite a few secondary characters, some of them give good color to the story.
I like the writing - I like the plot - I enjoyed getting to know the characters.
I figured out the murder pretty early in the story. I am going to give the next book in the series a try and see how that goes.
If you are a mystery fan and would enjoy a plot and characters who are not the cookie cutter ones you find in some stories, this will be a book you will enjoy.
September 3, 2009
When I picked up FREEZER BURN, I knew I was in for a great cozy mystery with some twists and turns that kept the story fresh and interesting. What I didn’t expect was the humor! Writing humor can be such tricky terrain for writers, but Gayle Carline does it brilliantly. Whether it’s her interview with an old lady with a thing for taxidermy or her misadventures with a home pregnancy test, our intrepid heroine, Peri Minneopa, had me laughing out loud and rooting for her from the first page.
But Peri, a fiftyish newbie sleuth out to prove herself, isn’t the only character you’ll love. Carline packs her novel with a cast that will delight and amuse you, especially her oddball client, Benny. His paranoia and addiction to all things related to Dean Martin are strangely endearing.
This memorable tale marks a grand entrance in the mystery world for a Peri Minneopa series. I can’t wait for more!
But Peri, a fiftyish newbie sleuth out to prove herself, isn’t the only character you’ll love. Carline packs her novel with a cast that will delight and amuse you, especially her oddball client, Benny. His paranoia and addiction to all things related to Dean Martin are strangely endearing.
This memorable tale marks a grand entrance in the mystery world for a Peri Minneopa series. I can’t wait for more!
April 10, 2014
The was a delightful mystery about a 50-year-old woman who has just recently become a P.I. after 30 years in business cleaning homes. This worked out well but she was tiring of the physicial labor. Her first client as a P.I. just so happens to be the son of one of her former cleaning customers. He's not the sharpest knife in the drawer with a strong passion for Dean Martin. He has a wide collection of Martin mementos and he wants to hire Peri to find one that is missing--a Dean Martin ice tray.
Peri makes him understand that she is no longer a cleaning person, but a P.I. He says he understands and only wants her to find his Dean Martin ice cube tray. She wants the work and money so she takes the job. Her first efforts find a freezer thick with ice which she shaves away to find a finger adorned with a gorgeous ring and with the ice cube tray on the top of the refrigerator. The mystery continues making an enjoyable read and me wanting to read other books by this author.
Peri makes him understand that she is no longer a cleaning person, but a P.I. He says he understands and only wants her to find his Dean Martin ice cube tray. She wants the work and money so she takes the job. Her first efforts find a freezer thick with ice which she shaves away to find a finger adorned with a gorgeous ring and with the ice cube tray on the top of the refrigerator. The mystery continues making an enjoyable read and me wanting to read other books by this author.
August 15, 2015
Great murder mystery
This is a story of Peri, a Private investigator, and Skip, a detective. Peri cleaned houses for a living and now she is searching for cheating husband, etc. Benny comes to her office one day and she tells him that she is not going to clean his house. Benny begs her to clean the freezer which she finally agreed to for $250.00. Benny is a character, he loves Dean Martin and his house is full of memorables of Dino. Benny can not find his ice tray that was autographed by Dino. While she is cleaning the freezer she feels something and when she pulls it out it is a "hand". Benny has no clue how it got in his refrigerator. Now her and Skip on in search of a body with a missing hand. They have more murders along their way and even Peri's life is in danger. Very good story with a great ending.
This is a story of Peri, a Private investigator, and Skip, a detective. Peri cleaned houses for a living and now she is searching for cheating husband, etc. Benny comes to her office one day and she tells him that she is not going to clean his house. Benny begs her to clean the freezer which she finally agreed to for $250.00. Benny is a character, he loves Dean Martin and his house is full of memorables of Dino. Benny can not find his ice tray that was autographed by Dino. While she is cleaning the freezer she feels something and when she pulls it out it is a "hand". Benny has no clue how it got in his refrigerator. Now her and Skip on in search of a body with a missing hand. They have more murders along their way and even Peri's life is in danger. Very good story with a great ending.
September 6, 2016
I give this book about 2.5 stars, actually. It's a little more explicit than your typical cozy mystery which I mention only because it didn't really add value to the story. I also thought Peri was a bit unrealistic - at one point of the story, .
I also thought it was unrealistic that Peri was able to get so much access to the case - yes, her boyfriend is the detective working the case, but he seemed a bit too careless. Lastly, .
I also thought it was unrealistic that Peri was able to get so much access to the case - yes, her boyfriend is the detective working the case, but he seemed a bit too careless. Lastly, .
February 6, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. Peri use to clean houses for a living until she got her PI's license. She does small work at the moment with insurance companies etc until Benny Needles calls on Peri to help get an artifact out of his freezer as he is a big Dean Martin's fan. Peri comes across a severed hand with a big expensive ring and the fun begins when all sorts of shady characters come out and play. With so many interesting characters in this book, it keeps you guessing right up till the very end.
February 1, 2015
This review is from: Freezer Burn (Peri Minneopa Mysteries Book 1) (Kindle Edition)
Freezer Burn was one of the best cozies I have read in a great while. Peru Minneopa is sassy and lovable! Skip her police detective boyfriend has his work cut out for himself trying to keep up while they solve crimes together. Supporting characters are as funny as the hero's. Who knew going from being a housekeeper to a private detective would be so dangerous and hilarious!
I am so anxious to read the rest of the series! Great job, Gayle Carline!
Freezer Burn was one of the best cozies I have read in a great while. Peru Minneopa is sassy and lovable! Skip her police detective boyfriend has his work cut out for himself trying to keep up while they solve crimes together. Supporting characters are as funny as the hero's. Who knew going from being a housekeeper to a private detective would be so dangerous and hilarious!
I am so anxious to read the rest of the series! Great job, Gayle Carline!
January 14, 2013
Enjoyable read! When Peri Minneopa cleaning lady turned PI finds a severed hand in a client's freezer that is the basis for a good mystery. When the hand has a priceless ring on it and it is in the freezer of an eccentric Dean Martin fan who is terrified of police stations it becomes a great mystery. This is the third book I've read by Gayle Carline and it didn't disappoint. I loved the characters, the humor and once again the plot made me think.
July 30, 2016
I thought I had a review of this book on here already but couldn't find it, so here goes based on my memory, which is not the best these days.
I enjoy the Peri character (I think we share a similar sense of humor), her relationships, the setting - it's always fun to read about places I actually know and love. The mystery itself was ok, but I am not a huge fan of Benny. He just doesn't seem very real to me in all his child-like, Dino loving glory. Still a fun read.
I enjoy the Peri character (I think we share a similar sense of humor), her relationships, the setting - it's always fun to read about places I actually know and love. The mystery itself was ok, but I am not a huge fan of Benny. He just doesn't seem very real to me in all his child-like, Dino loving glory. Still a fun read.
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