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Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol Mystery #1
The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper
"I'm not a detective! I just played one on television!" Get ready to swoon over a new kind of amateur sleuth! From 1975-79 teen idol Sandy Fairfax recorded 10 gold albums and stared in the hit TV series Buddy Brave, Boy Sleuth. Now he's a 38-year-old recovering alcoholic, forgotten and desperate for a comeback. An easy gig-a guest appearance at a Beatles fan convention in Evansville, Ind.-turns deadly after a member of the Mersey Marvels tribute band is shot. When police suspect Sandy, and he fills in for the dead musician at a concert, the schoolboy shamus is back in action to find the killer.
About the Author: Sally Carpenter is native Hoosier now living in sunny Southern California She has a master's degree in theater from Indiana State University. While in school two of her plays, "Star Collector" and "Common Ground," were finalists in the American College Theater Festival One-Act Playwrighting Competition. "Common Ground" also earned a college creative writing award. The plays received staged readings and productions in New York City. Carpenter also has a master's degee in theology and a black belt in tae kwon do. She's worked a variety of jobs including actress, freelance writer, college writing instructor, theater critic, jail chaplain, and tour guide/page for a major movie studio as well as for a community newspaper. She's a member of Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles Chapter. Contact her at scwriter@earthlink.net.
About the Author: Sally Carpenter is native Hoosier now living in sunny Southern California She has a master's degree in theater from Indiana State University. While in school two of her plays, "Star Collector" and "Common Ground," were finalists in the American College Theater Festival One-Act Playwrighting Competition. "Common Ground" also earned a college creative writing award. The plays received staged readings and productions in New York City. Carpenter also has a master's degee in theology and a black belt in tae kwon do. She's worked a variety of jobs including actress, freelance writer, college writing instructor, theater critic, jail chaplain, and tour guide/page for a major movie studio as well as for a community newspaper. She's a member of Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles Chapter. Contact her at scwriter@earthlink.net.
- GenresMysteryCozy Mystery
230 pages, Paperback
First published August 28, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 28, 2024
It’s 1993, and Sandy Fairfax has fallen from his glory days as a music and TV star in the late 1970’s. He’s hoping to get some of that back, but for now, he’s taking any job he can get, including appearing at a Beatles fan convention in a small Indiana town. He’s just supposed to be there for one panel about the time that Ringo appeared on his show, but when he finds a member of the Beatle’s tribute band dead, Sandy finds himself the prime suspect. Can he clear his name?
I’ve long had this author’s books on my radar, and I wish I’d read her sooner. Sandy is trying to put his life back together, but that made me care for him more, and I didn’t feel like it fell into cliches. The rest of the cast were good for the amount of page time they had. The mystery was strong, and I enjoyed how Beatles trivia was used in the plot. Don’t worry – if, like me, you aren’t that familiar with the Fab Four, everything you need to know is explained to you. I also enjoyed the laughs all the way through the book. I will definitely be back for more in this delightful series.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
I’ve long had this author’s books on my radar, and I wish I’d read her sooner. Sandy is trying to put his life back together, but that made me care for him more, and I didn’t feel like it fell into cliches. The rest of the cast were good for the amount of page time they had. The mystery was strong, and I enjoyed how Beatles trivia was used in the plot. Don’t worry – if, like me, you aren’t that familiar with the Fab Four, everything you need to know is explained to you. I also enjoyed the laughs all the way through the book. I will definitely be back for more in this delightful series.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
June 20, 2017
This first book in the Sandy Hawkins Mystery series is fun without being silly.
Hawkins is a former teen idol, now all but washed up, trying to make a come back. The only gig coming his way is a Beatles festival in Indiana. Of course, there's a murder. Hawkins, who played a detective on TV tries to become one in real life and solve the mystery.
Not bad. Actually treats the Beatles fans with respect, instead of making fun of them.
Hawkins is a former teen idol, now all but washed up, trying to make a come back. The only gig coming his way is a Beatles festival in Indiana. Of course, there's a murder. Hawkins, who played a detective on TV tries to become one in real life and solve the mystery.
Not bad. Actually treats the Beatles fans with respect, instead of making fun of them.
June 19, 2014
Let me say right off the bat, I grew up in the era of teen idols and all those magazines like Tiger Beat, Fave, and 16. I would be one of those screaming girls for Bobby Sherman, David and Shaun Cassidy. So, when I saw this cozy mystery series, I couldn’t turn it down. This book brought back many happy memories.
Sandy Fairfax had been one of those teen idols way back when. Now, he’s a recovering alcoholic, divorced, unable to see his kids and an out-of-work actor. When he gets a gig at a Beatles convention in Indiana, he still acts the “diva” and his fans are still loving it and screaming. His character is well written and I can easily see this character being true to real life.
The plot surrounds a Beatles’ tribute band at a fan convention. One of the members is murdered and Sandy is the number one suspect. The police are more interested in arresting Sandy than investigating the murder. So, it’s up to Sandy to get into the persona of his 1970’s TV character Buddy Brave, Boy Sleuth and find out who really did it.
There’s a huge cast and I admit I had a bit of trouble keeping them all straight. Sandy and his #1 fan Bunny are the best developed characters of all. The police detective is pretty one dimensional in his quest to arrest Sandy. If you are looking for a police procedural, this definitely isn’t it. The detective takes the easiest solution around. LOL The other characters are all wacky, fun and amusing. The dialogue is witty and fresh.
This book is a combination of mystery and humor. It’s a clever and unique idea for a mystery series. You just keep going from page to page laughing and smiling. It’s not a thriller, just a good, enjoyable story.
FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
Sandy Fairfax had been one of those teen idols way back when. Now, he’s a recovering alcoholic, divorced, unable to see his kids and an out-of-work actor. When he gets a gig at a Beatles convention in Indiana, he still acts the “diva” and his fans are still loving it and screaming. His character is well written and I can easily see this character being true to real life.
The plot surrounds a Beatles’ tribute band at a fan convention. One of the members is murdered and Sandy is the number one suspect. The police are more interested in arresting Sandy than investigating the murder. So, it’s up to Sandy to get into the persona of his 1970’s TV character Buddy Brave, Boy Sleuth and find out who really did it.
There’s a huge cast and I admit I had a bit of trouble keeping them all straight. Sandy and his #1 fan Bunny are the best developed characters of all. The police detective is pretty one dimensional in his quest to arrest Sandy. If you are looking for a police procedural, this definitely isn’t it. The detective takes the easiest solution around. LOL The other characters are all wacky, fun and amusing. The dialogue is witty and fresh.
This book is a combination of mystery and humor. It’s a clever and unique idea for a mystery series. You just keep going from page to page laughing and smiling. It’s not a thriller, just a good, enjoyable story.
FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
June 22, 2014
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This story takes me back to the days when the David and Shaun Cassidy posters were hanging on my bedroom walls. The Beatles were not really my thing but their songs were always on the radio and I did watch all the movies.
I read these books out of order, I reviewed The Sinister Sitcom Caper back in March, but it took absolutely nothing away from this story. Sandy Fairfax is a nice guy. He needed a job so that his ex would let him spend time with his kids. His agent’s phone was definitely not ringing off the hook with offers. But the Midwest Beatles Fan Convention in Indiana would love to have them as their special guest so he hops a plane. While there he meets his biggest fan and finds a dead body. The lead investigator figures Sandy is the killer because he in the one from Hollywood.
Carpenter again has written a fine mystery. With “A Little Help From His New Friends” Sandy starts to gather clues to find the real murderer. She has filled the story with plenty of Beatle references and trivia while giving us a look at a fan convention with a shoestring budget. She has given us fantastic characters with snappy dialogue and plenty of humor. The character of Sandy continued to evolve throughout the entire story. Bunny, Sandy’s “biggest fan”, was bigger than life and had a hard time distinguishing between Sandy the teenage heart throb and the man he was today but together they worked it out.
I was very entertained by the entire story. Beatle fan or not this is a fun read. “I Got A Feeling” this is not the last story about Sandy from this “Paperback Writer.” I will probably be “Shout”ing about another book soon!!
July 20, 2012
Sandy Fairfax, aging teen idol, has been given an ultimatum by his ex-wife. Ditch the booze and get a job, or his visitations with his kids will become nonexistent. Even though Sandy is an alcoholic, and hasn't done any serious work in years, he loves his kids and wants to be a part of their life. Between the two, Sandy thought giving up alcohol would be the hardest, but it turns out the easy gig in a little Indiana town-speak at a Beatles convention-turns out to be the task that just might kill him.
The Baffled Beatlemanic Caper is a mystery novel focused around an aging teen idol and his middle-aged biggest fan. The characters in this book are one of the best parts of this story. Sandy's character is very in depth. Carpenter did a lot of research and built a completely believable backstory for a teen idol. There were times when I was tempted to look up Sandy Fairfax on the internet just to make sure he wasn't real. I loved that Carpenter even detailed out past episodes of Sandy's TV show, as well as lyrics to songs he sung back when he was an idol. Her hard work really lent credibility to the story.
Bunny was another great character. She is a middle-aged super fan, and is at first so starry-eyed over meeting Sandy it's hard not to picture her as a sixteen year old crushing ont he latest pop star. She has this ideal of what Sandy should be like, and when he falls short her disappointment is palpable. Carpenter really got inside the head of a super fan who has to face reality. I enjoyed the development of Bunny's character through the book.
For the most part the characters were all well crafted. The only characters I didn't particularly care for were the hotel manager and the detective. For me, both men were a bit too Scooby Doo-ish. Both immediately pegged Sandy as a troublemaker because of his looks and Hoolywood status, and both tried to pin every mishap on him. Even some of their dialog and mannerisms reminded me of seventies era cartoon bad guys. I kept waiting for one of them to say "meddling kids." Now, these characters did add some humor to the book, because I think they were meant to come off like this, but I thought it could have been toned down. It was hard to take either one very serious or see them as a real threat.
The mystery itself was very good. I stayed entertained throughout the search for the real killer. There was enough suspicion to throw around that it was hard to dump it all on one character. I mentioned yesterday how much I enjoyed the Beatles elements that helped build the mystery and the eventual answer. I did wonder if serious Beatles fans would have figured the mystery out sooner, but for me I was guessing right up until the end.
The only other complaint I had for this book was that the editing could have been better. I review a lot of small press and self-published books on my blog, and while I tend to be more lenient with editing on indie books, small press books should be pretty near flawless in their editing. This book was not, and it was a little disappointing that there were so many errors, but it wasn't enough to detract from the story as a whole.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. It was a fun, slightly goofy, entertaining read. A great book for summer. It was funny, interesting, and had some really good characters. I look forward to the second book.
Who would I commend this book too? Teen readers and adults will both enjoy this book. The language was fairly clean, and there were no sexual scenes. There is a murder, but it isn't gruesome. Obviously, mystery readers will enjoy this book, but it isn't a police crime drama. There isn't a strong romance, but there's the possibility for one in later books. Beatles fans will definitely enjoy all the Beatles references, talk of death clues, and the incorporation of Beatles elements into the solution. If you're looking for a light, fun mystery, this book is for you.
Check out my other reviews on http://theediblebookshelf.blogspot.com/
The Baffled Beatlemanic Caper is a mystery novel focused around an aging teen idol and his middle-aged biggest fan. The characters in this book are one of the best parts of this story. Sandy's character is very in depth. Carpenter did a lot of research and built a completely believable backstory for a teen idol. There were times when I was tempted to look up Sandy Fairfax on the internet just to make sure he wasn't real. I loved that Carpenter even detailed out past episodes of Sandy's TV show, as well as lyrics to songs he sung back when he was an idol. Her hard work really lent credibility to the story.
Bunny was another great character. She is a middle-aged super fan, and is at first so starry-eyed over meeting Sandy it's hard not to picture her as a sixteen year old crushing ont he latest pop star. She has this ideal of what Sandy should be like, and when he falls short her disappointment is palpable. Carpenter really got inside the head of a super fan who has to face reality. I enjoyed the development of Bunny's character through the book.
For the most part the characters were all well crafted. The only characters I didn't particularly care for were the hotel manager and the detective. For me, both men were a bit too Scooby Doo-ish. Both immediately pegged Sandy as a troublemaker because of his looks and Hoolywood status, and both tried to pin every mishap on him. Even some of their dialog and mannerisms reminded me of seventies era cartoon bad guys. I kept waiting for one of them to say "meddling kids." Now, these characters did add some humor to the book, because I think they were meant to come off like this, but I thought it could have been toned down. It was hard to take either one very serious or see them as a real threat.
The mystery itself was very good. I stayed entertained throughout the search for the real killer. There was enough suspicion to throw around that it was hard to dump it all on one character. I mentioned yesterday how much I enjoyed the Beatles elements that helped build the mystery and the eventual answer. I did wonder if serious Beatles fans would have figured the mystery out sooner, but for me I was guessing right up until the end.
The only other complaint I had for this book was that the editing could have been better. I review a lot of small press and self-published books on my blog, and while I tend to be more lenient with editing on indie books, small press books should be pretty near flawless in their editing. This book was not, and it was a little disappointing that there were so many errors, but it wasn't enough to detract from the story as a whole.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. It was a fun, slightly goofy, entertaining read. A great book for summer. It was funny, interesting, and had some really good characters. I look forward to the second book.
Who would I commend this book too? Teen readers and adults will both enjoy this book. The language was fairly clean, and there were no sexual scenes. There is a murder, but it isn't gruesome. Obviously, mystery readers will enjoy this book, but it isn't a police crime drama. There isn't a strong romance, but there's the possibility for one in later books. Beatles fans will definitely enjoy all the Beatles references, talk of death clues, and the incorporation of Beatles elements into the solution. If you're looking for a light, fun mystery, this book is for you.
Check out my other reviews on http://theediblebookshelf.blogspot.com/
July 31, 2011
My review:
If you want to read something which is entertaining, fun and has a good suspense story combined with Beatles music and good characters then The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper is definitely for you! Sally Carpenter’s book is well-written, humorous, and original and it is easy to read! I really enjoyed it!
Regarding the plot:
Meet Sandy Fairfax: Sandy is 38 years old man who used to be a pop-star and an idol for young fans for many years ago and who has been on the road of deterioration for a while. Since he needs some work he is accepting the offer from his manager to attend a Beatles convention as a guest speaker.
When he arrives, then everything is different than Sandy is used to – no limo to pick him up, no suite in the hotel, except the fact that he is still recognized and he still has a fan base. During the fan convention Sandy is ending up in the middle of the murder case and all the clues which are left behind are related to Beatles and their songs. In order to make sure that he is not accused as a murderer, he is using his knowledge from the TV-series he starred – Buddy Brave, Boy Sleuth – to solve the mystery.
I loved several aspects in the story. Firstly, I was fascinated by the details of fan convention. I have never ever attended at a fan convention and the spirit and the world of being a fan was very much fun to read about. How the characters know the details of their object of admiration, how they would choose no means to get a fan item – all that was put neatly to the paper by the author!
Secondly, the dialogue was very vivid between the characters! Besides that, the inner world of Sandy was very captivating; I really enjoyed reading the book from his point of view. Thirdly, I also loved how the author changed Sandy – he developed through the story in very positive way.
Regarding the characters:
I liked Sandy because he started out as a middle-aged degraded pop-star with alcohol issues into the person he once was – person who loves music and loves creating and making music. He also grew as a person inwardly from being arrogant into a man who actually has nice personality.
Bunny was annoyingly lovable. She was so into Sandy Fairfax that sometimes it seemed like harassment. She was smart and so keen to make sure that her idol Sandy was pleased. It was in one way very adorable and the other way also little too much.
The other supportive characters were interesting and believable which also shows that author has thought through the stories of even the smallest and less important people in the book: the hotel manager, band members, police detective – they were all well-written.
Generally:
The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper was very entertaining and good book! It’s a book which makes you laugh and smile and creates a lot of positive emotions for the reader. Even though there is a murder story in the novel, it still offers a very positive atmosphere and that is exactly the reason why this book gets a very good evaluation from me! Read it!
If you want to read something which is entertaining, fun and has a good suspense story combined with Beatles music and good characters then The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper is definitely for you! Sally Carpenter’s book is well-written, humorous, and original and it is easy to read! I really enjoyed it!
Regarding the plot:
Meet Sandy Fairfax: Sandy is 38 years old man who used to be a pop-star and an idol for young fans for many years ago and who has been on the road of deterioration for a while. Since he needs some work he is accepting the offer from his manager to attend a Beatles convention as a guest speaker.
When he arrives, then everything is different than Sandy is used to – no limo to pick him up, no suite in the hotel, except the fact that he is still recognized and he still has a fan base. During the fan convention Sandy is ending up in the middle of the murder case and all the clues which are left behind are related to Beatles and their songs. In order to make sure that he is not accused as a murderer, he is using his knowledge from the TV-series he starred – Buddy Brave, Boy Sleuth – to solve the mystery.
I loved several aspects in the story. Firstly, I was fascinated by the details of fan convention. I have never ever attended at a fan convention and the spirit and the world of being a fan was very much fun to read about. How the characters know the details of their object of admiration, how they would choose no means to get a fan item – all that was put neatly to the paper by the author!
Secondly, the dialogue was very vivid between the characters! Besides that, the inner world of Sandy was very captivating; I really enjoyed reading the book from his point of view. Thirdly, I also loved how the author changed Sandy – he developed through the story in very positive way.
Regarding the characters:
I liked Sandy because he started out as a middle-aged degraded pop-star with alcohol issues into the person he once was – person who loves music and loves creating and making music. He also grew as a person inwardly from being arrogant into a man who actually has nice personality.
Bunny was annoyingly lovable. She was so into Sandy Fairfax that sometimes it seemed like harassment. She was smart and so keen to make sure that her idol Sandy was pleased. It was in one way very adorable and the other way also little too much.
The other supportive characters were interesting and believable which also shows that author has thought through the stories of even the smallest and less important people in the book: the hotel manager, band members, police detective – they were all well-written.
Generally:
The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper was very entertaining and good book! It’s a book which makes you laugh and smile and creates a lot of positive emotions for the reader. Even though there is a murder story in the novel, it still offers a very positive atmosphere and that is exactly the reason why this book gets a very good evaluation from me! Read it!
July 1, 2014
4 STARS
This is the first book in the Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol Mysteries series. I did not realize that at first and was getting confused. I had already read
The Sinister Sitcom Caper. So I was confused that they were introducing stuff that I already knew about.
I liked The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper. I would recommend reading them in order but they can stand alone.
I liked the characters. Sandy Fairfax seems like a real tv star. I liked all the references to Hardy boys Mysteries, Donny Osmond and Beatles. I admit to living through those days.
Sandy Fairfax was a tv character that solved mysteries. He also sang. He was on a different network and up against the Hardy boys. Like some stars he did drugs and drank to much.
Ernest has not worked for five years. He stopped drinking the day before this book started. His ex-wife will not let him see his kids till he stops drinking and is working again. He is broke or close to it. So he agrees to go to a Beatle convention. Ringo was a guest star on his detective tv show.
Bunny is a big fan of Sandy Fairfax. She is one of the sponsers for this convention. It is run on a shoe string. It is the first one in Evansville, Indiana.
Their is a Beatle tribute concert. One of the band members turns up dead. Ernest finds the body and is a suspect.
Their is a lot of trivia about the sixties, Beatles. Lots of humor, action, drama and murder mystery. It is also a clean read. It hits the right tones to be believable convention. Makes me want to go to one.
The story mostly takes place in a couple of days at the motel where the convention is staying in Evansville, Indiana.
This is a fun mystery series. I have enjoyed both books but I like Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper best. I look forward to reading more of this series.
I was given this ebook to read and in return agreed to give honest review of it.
This is the first book in the Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol Mysteries series. I did not realize that at first and was getting confused. I had already read
The Sinister Sitcom Caper. So I was confused that they were introducing stuff that I already knew about.
I liked The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper. I would recommend reading them in order but they can stand alone.
I liked the characters. Sandy Fairfax seems like a real tv star. I liked all the references to Hardy boys Mysteries, Donny Osmond and Beatles. I admit to living through those days.
Sandy Fairfax was a tv character that solved mysteries. He also sang. He was on a different network and up against the Hardy boys. Like some stars he did drugs and drank to much.
Ernest has not worked for five years. He stopped drinking the day before this book started. His ex-wife will not let him see his kids till he stops drinking and is working again. He is broke or close to it. So he agrees to go to a Beatle convention. Ringo was a guest star on his detective tv show.
Bunny is a big fan of Sandy Fairfax. She is one of the sponsers for this convention. It is run on a shoe string. It is the first one in Evansville, Indiana.
Their is a Beatle tribute concert. One of the band members turns up dead. Ernest finds the body and is a suspect.
Their is a lot of trivia about the sixties, Beatles. Lots of humor, action, drama and murder mystery. It is also a clean read. It hits the right tones to be believable convention. Makes me want to go to one.
The story mostly takes place in a couple of days at the motel where the convention is staying in Evansville, Indiana.
This is a fun mystery series. I have enjoyed both books but I like Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper best. I look forward to reading more of this series.
I was given this ebook to read and in return agreed to give honest review of it.
July 2, 2014
Set in 1993 Sandy Fairfax hasn't made a public appearance in 5 years, a former 1970's TV show boy sleuth and teen idol. Now 38 and divorced, his wife has issued him with an ultimatum -- he can't see his two children until he's sober and working, he jumps at the chance to attend a Beatles Convention as a guest speaker and decides to quit drinking once and for all and thinks to himself --
When a member of the tribute band is murdered, in Sandy's arms, leaving a spoken clue behind, Sandy just can't forget his days as a boy sleuth on his TV show and starts digging for clues to the murderer and digs himself into trouble with the local police.
This is a really enjoyable mystery, some of Sandy's tales from his teen idol days sounded so realistic that I found myself starting to believe them! Fabulous story-telling from Sally Carpenter. There are plenty of Beatles references, to songs, albums, concerts. You don't have to be a Beatles fan to enjoy this but I think if you are you'll love it.
It had it all, funny, likeable protagonist with flaws, original and clever storyline, some oddball characters, entertaining writing that made be laugh. A fab read!
Taken from my blog Carole's Book Corner
This gig sounds easy enough. How much trouble can I get into at a fan convention?
If I had known the answer to that question, I'd have run inside, locked the doors, and never left the house again.
When a member of the tribute band is murdered, in Sandy's arms, leaving a spoken clue behind, Sandy just can't forget his days as a boy sleuth on his TV show and starts digging for clues to the murderer and digs himself into trouble with the local police.
This is a really enjoyable mystery, some of Sandy's tales from his teen idol days sounded so realistic that I found myself starting to believe them! Fabulous story-telling from Sally Carpenter. There are plenty of Beatles references, to songs, albums, concerts. You don't have to be a Beatles fan to enjoy this but I think if you are you'll love it.
It had it all, funny, likeable protagonist with flaws, original and clever storyline, some oddball characters, entertaining writing that made be laugh. A fab read!
Taken from my blog Carole's Book Corner
March 31, 2012
The Baffled Beatlemanic Caper is a well written fun read that I highly recommend. Although she is a woman, author Sally Carpenter has effectively captured the angst of former teen idol and tv star Sandy Fairfax otherwise known as Buddy Brave.
Sandy is a washed up, aging, overweight and alcoholic actor whose life is basically in the toilet. He is divorced and his former wife won't let him see his children until he cleans up his act. His manager gets him an appearance at a midwest Beatles convention. Ringo had once appeared on the Buddy Brave tv show. Sandy arrives at the shoestring budget convention to find that he still has a fan base that ignores his past indiscretions. He also finds a body.
The body belongs to a member of the Beatles tribute band performing at the convention. Not only is Sandy a suspect because he found the body, he also takes over for Dana in the tribute band. At the same time Sandy is also trying to solve the murder to prevent the police from pining the blame on him.
This novel is filled with Beatles references, interesting characters and the realities of what happens to stars after the lights dim. It is an extremely well written and easy to follow. This is Sally Carpenter's first novel and she has done a wonderful job. I'm looking forward to the next Sally Carpenter novel.
Sandy is a washed up, aging, overweight and alcoholic actor whose life is basically in the toilet. He is divorced and his former wife won't let him see his children until he cleans up his act. His manager gets him an appearance at a midwest Beatles convention. Ringo had once appeared on the Buddy Brave tv show. Sandy arrives at the shoestring budget convention to find that he still has a fan base that ignores his past indiscretions. He also finds a body.
The body belongs to a member of the Beatles tribute band performing at the convention. Not only is Sandy a suspect because he found the body, he also takes over for Dana in the tribute band. At the same time Sandy is also trying to solve the murder to prevent the police from pining the blame on him.
This novel is filled with Beatles references, interesting characters and the realities of what happens to stars after the lights dim. It is an extremely well written and easy to follow. This is Sally Carpenter's first novel and she has done a wonderful job. I'm looking forward to the next Sally Carpenter novel.
August 17, 2018
After reading and enjoying books three and four in Sally Carpenter's Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol mystery series, I wanted to read the book that introduced us to Sandy. Former teen actor/singer, Sandy has been asked to speak at a Swinging Sixties Weekend event in Evansville, Indiana. It is a get together for Beatles fans. They are interested in having Sandy speak since Ringo once appeared on his show, Buddy Brave, Boy Sleuth in the late seventies. His guest appearance seems like an easy job for the recovering alcoholic, ex-smoker who needs to be sober and working in order to see his kids. I liked this murder mystery. It was a lot of fun!
May 4, 2021
This is a fun cozy mystery. The main character, Stanford Ernest "Ernest" Farmington (aka Sandy Fairfax), was a former child star in the 1970's. Now in the early 1990's, he's sober and unemployed. The only job he can get is speaking at a Beatles convention in Evansville, Indiana, due to Ringo Starr being a guest on his old show, Buddy Brave Boy Sleuth. Until a member of the cover band is killed, and Sandy becomes prime suspect.
November 2, 2021
If you've ever been to a mystery or SF convention you'll recognize a lot in this book. OTOH the people running this one are new, and there are a lot of places that they could have confronted the Blue Meanie. Also, I believed Sandy was an over the hill celebrity while I couldn't understand his change in personality while with the police. Seemed like plot pushing fluff since there were things he should had mentioned that stared the reader in the face.
July 4, 2022
The adventures of a washed up teen idol who has been invited to a third rate Beatlemaniac convention. This book is a whole LOT better than that brief description. I was surprised how likeable our main character is: even though he's lived the life of sex, drugs and rock and roll he is less jaded and more moral and kind than you'd expect. Really fun and well written, I can't wait to see what Sandy gets up to next!
October 11, 2025
3.5! New author and new backlist! :)
This was super interesting and educational, lol. I like that the MC is not the typical one.
Hopefully, I can continue on!
This was super interesting and educational, lol. I like that the MC is not the typical one.
Hopefully, I can continue on!
February 9, 2013
If you like a humorous murder mystery with Beatles trivia thrown in, this is a fun read!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews