Hornswoggled

Alafair Tucker #2

by Donis Casey

It's spring 1913, and love is in bloom for Alice Tucker. Walter Kelley is handsome, popular, and wealthy. But Alice's mother, Alafair, sees that Walter has a weakness for the ladies - and they for him. Only a few months earlier, Walter's late wife Louise had been stabbed in the heart and her body disposed of in Cane Creek. The murderer was never caught.
The sheriff cleared Walter of the deed - he had an alibi - but Alafair is not so sure that he wasn't involved in some way. Something literally doesn't smell right.
With the help of her feisty mother-in-law, Sally McBride, Alafair sets out to prove to the headstrong Alice that Walter is not the paragon she thinks he is. Alafair soon uncovers such a tangle of lies, misdirection, and deceit that she begins to think that the whole town has been downright hornswoggled!

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Crime, Audiobook, Historical

238 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2006

About the author

DONIS CASEY was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A third generation Oklahoman, she and her siblings grew up among their aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents and great-grandparents on farms and in small towns, where they learned the love of family and independent spirit that characterizes the population of that pioneering state. Donis graduated from the University of Tulsa with a degree in English, and earned a Master’s degree in Library Science from Oklahoma University. After teaching school for a short time, she enjoyed a career as an academic librarian, working for many years at the University of Oklahoma and at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.

Donis left academia in 1988 to start a Scottish import gift shop in downtown Tempe. After more than a decade as an entrepreneur, she decided to devote herself full-time to writing. The Old Buzzard Had It Coming is her first book. For the past twenty years, Donis has lived in Tempe, AZ, with her husband.

Reviews

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a cozy kind of guy, but I recently found Donis Casey's series featuring Alafair Tucker, farm wife, mother and amateur sleuth in early Twentieth Century Oklahoma,and I am experiencing the zeal of the new convert. While I still prefer my crime fiction darker, I relish each visit to the Tucker farm.

HORNSWOGGLED picks up the next year after the events of the previous book, and begins with the discovery of a body in the creek running through the Tucker property. The victim, with a bone-handled knife still planted deep in her chest, is the wife of the local barber, a prosperous, well-liked man who still manages to acquire a bit of a reputation as a philanderer. When Alafair's daughter, Alice, shows signs of being smitten by the new widower,Alafair's instinctual distrust of the would-be suitor pushes her into the murder investigation. A twisted plot serves up suspects and suspense a-plenty, and the flashes of the Tuckers at home shows the strength of family and character that underlies their lives. This may be one of the major attractions of this series for me - Arkansas in the early 1960s wasn't Oklahoma in 1913; but many memories of weeks spent at my grandparents' farm are reenacted at the Tucker farm.

These books are good.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

HORNSWOGGLED by Donis Casey (Mystery Fiction, cozy) 2.5 star rating

I so enjoyed the first in this series, The Old Buzzard Had it Coming, when I read it in 2010. There was a clever mystery, and Alifair Tucker seemed a down-to-earth and intelligent protagonist.

It’s awful how long it takes me to get back to a series that I want to continue. But in this case, I should have postponed it indefinitely. The mystery wasn’t at all fairly clued and the body was moved surreptitiously so many times by so many different people that the book reminded me of the period English farces I watched at the Shaw Festival decades ago. Only the book wasn’t funny.

Points for the period setting (1912 Oklahoma) and dealing with thorny family issues.
Read this if: you’re determined to read everything in this series; or you’d enjoy the Oklahoma setting enough to overcome the plot flaws. 2½ stars

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hornswoggled by Donis Casey is the second book of the Alafair Tucker historical mystery series set in 1912-1913 Boynton, Oklahoma. Alafair is the proud, capable mother of 10 children ranging in age from adult to infant. All day, every day is work-work-work to keep the house, feed everyone, tend the garden, churn the butter. Even with the grown children helping, it's a nonstop effort.

In 1912, her sons find a dead body in the creek where they went fishing. Louise Kelley, who the whole town knew was unhappy with her husband Walter. He's the prime suspect, but has an alibi.

Months later in 1913, Walter is still suspected by many. Yet he's a charmer, a real ladies' man, and now available. Alafair's teenage daughter Alice 'sets her cap' for Walter, to her parents' distress. He is charmed and delighted by her affection, but agrees to a month of no-contact. All assume the murder case will be solved in a month's time, one way or the other. And Alafair hopes Alice will lose interest. But she hasn't accounted for her strong-willed daughter's determination.

Over-the-top plot twists at the end, with a brief bit of suspense. Biggest appeal: a glimpse into daily life for a big family, with a huge cast of relatives. A family tree precedes the story; Alafair's recipes follow (as prepared and served in the story): Fish, Mashed Potatoes, Potato Patties, Potato Patty Sandwiches, Noodles, Butter, Sugar Tit, Oatmeal, Wilted Lettuce, Phoebe's Favorite Chess Pie, Tea Syrup.

[Alan Goeringer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book, excited to find a new mystery author, from Oklahoma. The first in the series wasn't available at this store so I settled for #2.

I enjoyed the book mainly for its historical setting in Oklahoma, the first decade after statehood. Casey included many details of what life was like in 1913, living on a farm with a small town nearby.

Sometimes those details bogged the story down. I didn't mind the section where Alafair is churning butter but when a long paragraph is devoted solely on how each member of the Tucker clan (13 in all) like their eggs, the story grinds to a screeching halt. I had to put the book down for a short while, before convincing myself to pick it back up again and finish it.

I grew up reading the Hardy Boys in grade school before I graduated to Agatha Christie and others. I realized Frank and Joe rarely solved a mystery. They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Other sleuths figure out the mystery by looking at all the clues and figuring out who the bad guy is. Hornswoggled is the same vein as the Hardy Boys. Alafair realizes whodunit isn't anyone she suspected until it was too late.

Still, I would recommend this to people who enjoy cozy mysteries, early Oklahoma, or pre-WWI history buffs.

[Jan Mc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun entry in the historical mystery series from Oklahoma. It's 1913, and another of Alafair's daughters is ready for romance. But is the beau she's chosen the man he seems? Or is he part of a sinister murder? Alafair decides to find out before something bad happens to her headstrong eighteen-year-old.

First two sentences: "Something bad was bound to happen. It was just that kind of hot, humid, Oklahoma July day, with a gritty wind that blew everything awry."

As with the first of the series, Casey includes quite a bit of exposition: the daily life (mostly chores) of the family of farmers in rural America: cleaning, cooking, and sewing for the women. I don't mind, as I think it adds to the atmosphere (and appreciation of my current life of relative ease), but it doesn't add to the actual plot.

Pam Ward does a great job with the narration, with just the right inflection, accents, and pacing. I hope she reads the rest of the series.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth reading for the title alone! I stumbled upon this series and was totally delighted by it. This is a woman in 1910 frontier Oklahoma who solves murder mysteries, and is a farm wife and mother of 12. The descriptions of her daily chores and home life were enough to snag me. The mystery was great too. Can't wait for the rest of the series.

[Lisa Lawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good book and I love the language the author uses, you can hear the characters talk and in the country dialect that would have been commonplace in those days. However, this story almost contained to many twists and turns for my comfort. It was a good story, and I will continue with the series, but hope that the next one is a bit more streamlined.

[Ann R. Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

What fun!

I was taken right back to my childhood with these wonderful characters! Alafair was my grandmother to a tee! There was a familiar adage on every page and the life style was so like my experiences in small town 1930's. I am looking forward to all the rest of this series!

[Lana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that this series is set in Oklahoma and is written accurately! Too many times, an author doesn't truly know her setting, but Donis Casey nails it, right down to the redbud blooms in April. These are lighthearted, cozy mysteries, but Alafair Tucker is a gumshoe not to be deterred. Her innate, womanly nosiness gets her into some scrapes for sure.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent historical mystery about the Tucker family in Oklahoma. It has a good plot. I especially enjoyed the detailed descriptions of everyday life on their farm which are woven in to the story of this strong and dedicated mother.

[LeeEllen · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a wonderful series

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting mystery.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keep walking and listening.

[Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kept me turning the pages! I'll put the next in the series on my to read list and anticipate it as a treat.

[Jerry lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Love the way this book was written. Tis book will keep you up wanting to read more.thanks for such a good book

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

"He was, after all, a Democrat, and that couldn't be good."

"I been misled, misdirected, bamboozled and downright hornswoggled."

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Interesting mystery series set in early 20th century Oklahoma. Love the recipes for food mentioned in the story and bits of history of the towns, all real, that are used in the story.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quaint, quirky, and questioning, once again, Alafair commands her surroundings.

[Kathleen Meacham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This 2nd book in the series was even better than the 1st. Almost 4 stars. Unraveling the trail to this murder was quite a ride.

[Rosemary Nichols · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second book in a series is tough. People who were enchanted with the first book are looking for even better. But if you poured your heart and talents into the first book, it is hard to keep up the standard. Nonetheless, I found this a worthwhile read. If nothing else, this book gives a sense of how hard investigation was for law enforcement and amateur investigators when all you have to go on is the most basic physical evidence.

Every parent has wrestled with the principal challenge faced by Alifair Tucker: how to stand by while your hard headed child is making what you believe is a major life mistake. Alifair doesn't like the handsome, wealthy widower her daughter Alice has chosen as her fiancé. Then there is the nasty problem that said fiancé is a new widower with a murdered wife.

There is a certain Marx Brothers element to this story in that so many inept neighbors have tampered with the body.

[Mayda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine yourself the mother of a headstrong girl who knows what she wants and whom she wants to marry, letting nothing or no one get in her way. Now imagine you believe that the man she has her eye on is possibly involved in the murder of his first wife. What would you do? If you were Alafair Tucker, you would set out to prove or disprove his guilt. And even if it is proved that he is innocent of the crime, he is still considered to be a flirt and a cheat and a liar. But Alafair’s daughter is bound and determined to be his bride, even if that means alienating herself from her family. In trying to uncover the truth, Alafair finds herself pulled in all directions, as more and more people seem to be involved in the death and cover-up. When she goes one step too far and endangers herself and her family, Alafair realizes that the truth does not necessarily set you free. In this intriguing tale of love and murder, of family and trust, what seems to be true may not be true at all as the facts keep changing. This well performed audio version just adds to the home-spun delight of the tale. Set in Oklahoma nearly 100 years ago, much of the story’s charm comes from the mores and customs of that era.

[Shirley Schwartz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Alafair Tucker series. I absolutely love it. It's set in Oklahoma and it's spring 1913 in Boynton, Oklahoma. Love and murder are in the air, and unfortunately Alafair and her family are drawn into both. One of Alafair's daughters seems to be in love with a man that Alafair cannot trust or like, but Alice is adamant that she must have this man, even though he may be implicated in his wife's recent death. I love Alafair, and I love her down-to-earth outlook on life. The glimpses that these books give us of what life was like in a small town in 1913 are totally realistic and utterly enjoyable. Families were huge - Alafair and Shaw have 10 children, and all of them help around the house and the farm. It's a wonderful, warm, rambunctious family, and there is Alafair ruling the roost and keeping all her boisterous children in line. The mysteries are fun and a little tricky, and the whole time Donis Casey stays within her chosen time frame - never veering off or accidentally letting slip something that wouldn't have a place in 1913. The characters are so full of life and totally unforgettable. Bring on book 3.

[Ronna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second Alafair Tucker mystery, set in 1913, Oklahoma. Though it sparkles in historical atmosphere, language, and family life, it doesn't quit live up to the first book in this series. That said, I definitely enjoyed Alastair's detecting to protect her large family.

Alice, one of Alastair and Seth Tucker's eldest daughters is bound and determined to marry the widowed barber, Walter. Alafair is just as determined to protect her daughter from someone with a reputation for chasing women, even when he was married. AND, his first wife was murdered just a few months ago. No one has been charged with her murder , and Alafair is not at all convinced that Walter is completely innocent of any wrongdoing.

This is more than an historical mystery. The family, and community life, is quit compelling in and of itself. There are some yummy recipes at the end of each of Casey's books also. Suggest for all cozy, history, and women's fiction readers.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Donis Casey writes historical mysteries set in Oklahoma, this one set in 1913. Alafair is the mother of twelve, ten of whom are still living. When one of her twins sets her "cap" for a recent widower Alafair is on the hunt to determine who killed the widower's wife, hoping to change her determined daughters mind.

The mystery here was about as convoluted and confused as any I have ever read. There were tons of clues and plenty of possible murderers so my mind jumped from one to another trying to track the killer along with Alafair. I will admit that I got close, picking the wrong one of a pair, but she fooled me with a final twist I didn't see coming.

I enjoy spending time with Alafair's extended family and friends and am looking forward to reading the next in the series.

[Nancy K. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried really hard to like this book, but there was way too much "shucky-durn" for my taste. I realize that the setting was early 1900'a when things were supposed to be much simpler... The author had a difficult time staying in one POV, and I really don't see what daily chores or what was served for dinner was relevant to the story. The murderer was named Ulises or Ulis depending on what page you were on. At one point, both in one paragraph. The final chapter was too much of a "happily ever after" for me.

[Phillis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Donis Casey does it again. I almost didn't guess who done it until near the end. I'll tell ya she's good mystery writer. You're so caught up in the whole 1913 down home culture and meanwhile the currant of the story is taking place and you are follow every move that Alafair makes and how it all comes together in the end. Even Alafair was surprised at the conclusion of this mystery.

[Pat Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it when historical fiction really captures the time. More than being well researched, this writing reflects the feel of its time period; it's values, place, language, and daily life. Bonus: If you are an audiophile. like me, this book has a quality narrator. Now, to download the next in the series and get on with the fun.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The end of this book makes me cry. It’s so MUCH. The music, the storm, all of it.

I love these books so much. It’s like reading about my own great great grandmother and my great grandmother’s lives. I hope they know that they’re remembered and loved still.

[Briana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the history in Hornswoggled. The author describes the way of life and how households were run in Oklahoma in 1912. Very interesting story with an exciting mystery.

[Pam]

rec 10/01/07 Poisoned Pen Press BOMC