The Unexpected Corpse by B.J. Oliphant

Shirley McClintock #2

by B.J. Oliphant

UNCLE JANUARY'S ASHES ARE BLOWING IN THE WIND AND A KILLER IS ON THE MOVE. — While vacationing in England, Uncle January and his third wife, Billie-B, are killed by a London van. Their ashes are brought home to Colorado by Billie-B's devoted daughter Claris, for burial on a family ranch. — But when Claris arrives bearing not two but three little white boxes -- the third, she says, holds the remains of a distant cousin -- Uncle January's own kinfolk are politely dumbfounded. After all, they hadn't even known the poor old fellow. When they discover the next day that someone has dug up and scattered the contents of two of the boxes, they are shocked and scared.The curious discovery of yet a fourth box of ashes lures Cousin Shirley McClintock -- rancher and former adviser to Washington mucketymucks -- into a serious investigation of the mysterious family. And what she finds is good deal more deadly than even her grieving relatives had bargained for....

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy

Mass Market Paperback

First published October 29, 1990

About the author

This is a pseudonym for author Sheri S. Tepper.

Reviews

[Moira]

I am now officially out of Shirley McClintock books. Fucking boo. The politics in the middle books are hair-raising and Shirley is too often absolutely right about absolutely everything, but I quite enjoyed having a quasi-cozy series with an older (mid-fifties, early sixties) twice-married heroine, her devoted companion, and foster daughter, set in semi-rural Colorado and New Mexico. Tepper's other Southwestern mystery series, written under the name A.J. Orde, is very good too -- much better than the McClintock books, in fact, largely due to the first-person narration -- but has a younger male (if sympathetic) amateur detective, and it's much more urban, set in Denver. I have some J.A. Jance, I've read nearly all of Tony Hillerman and keep meaning to try Sarah Andrews and Kathy Reichs (altho I CANNOT FUCKING STAND "BONES"), and people have recommended Walter Satterthwait, Judith Van Gieson, Louis Owens and Nevada Barr, but I don't think I'll find another heroine quite like Shirley. Bad knee and all.

[Arlene Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I miss Tepper's mysteries too.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Shirley McClintock! She's forthright, honest, compassionate, outspoken, and smart. Exactly who I want to be when I grow up. I love J.Q. and Allison equally. Oliphant's characters leap off the page and into your heart. Her plots also hit the spot with a food combination of obfuscation and genuine discoveries. Number three is on my TBR list.

[Michelle Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Getting into this series..

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A re-read. I'd forgotten how subtly funny these books are. Good character interaction.

[Emily Cullen · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the ashes of two relatives are to be buried on Shirley McClintock's cousin's property, a third urn is buried too; that of a relative of a relative! The family tries to be equitable about it, but the next day the urns are dug up and Shirley is asked to investigate. I enjoy rancher Shirley McClintock's character as well as her friend J.Q. and foster daughter, Allison, but this mystery was at times confusing and did not hold my interest. I'm going to go on to the next book in the series but with some reservations.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining quick read.

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

multiple threads satisfactorily woven and tied up

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note to self, avoid accepting ashes of dead family members. This was a clever second story with Shirley solving the mystery. I enjoy this style of writing. Easy to read and a pleasure to devour.