Muffin Man

by Brad Whittington

#1 in Fiction / #1 in Mystery (April 2012)John Lawson, sheriff of the quiet Hill Country town of Bolero, Texas, attempts to quell a feud between the local megachurch and a construction contractor, but it escalates from picketing to vandalism to arson.The case is derailed by the unwelcome return of John's free-wheeling bipolar father, who arrives in the same red Mustang he drove away twenty-four years ago when he abandoned the family.But ultimately it is the muffin that his overzealous deputy bags as evidence that threatens John's ordered life, possibly beyond repair.-.-After six years of silence, Whittington’s highly anticipated entrance into the general fiction market combines his considerable storytelling talents. Muffin Man strikes a balance between comedy and drama and takes the trademark Whittington elements of rich setting, engaging characters, and turn of phrase to a new depth.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery

309 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2012

About the author

Visit BradWhittington.com to sign up for email notices of new releases, sneak peeks, and freebies.

Brad Whittington was born in Fort Worth, Texas, on James Taylor's eighth birthday and Jack Kerouac's thirty-fourth birthday and is old enough to know better. He lives in Austin, Texas with The Woman. Previously he has been known to inhabit Hawaii, Ohio, South Carolina, Arizona, and Colorado, annoying people as a janitor, math teacher, field hand, computer programmer, brickyard worker, editor, resident Gentile in a Conservative synagogue, IT director, weed-cutter, and in a number of influential positions in other less notable professions. He is greatly loved and admired by all right-thinking citizens and enjoys a complete absence of cats and dogs at home.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just couldn't get into this one, although I read it all the way through. Why did I persist? It had good reviews on Amazon, and I just kept hoping it would improve. Maybe it's not my genre. This was a "guy book" -- lots of male characters, sheriffs, law enforcement-types. There was a crime to solve that took up 3/4 of the book, but then the last 1/4 was focused on the main character's bipolar dad. I kept wondering how the two things connected. Many descriptions of the Texas heat, poker games, food, and scenery while driving (the main character drives a lot). The title comes from a muffin that "talks" to the main character about 5x during the story. The muffin says a mysterious phrase, which the main character then rhymes with something else which has meaning to him. In the end, the muffin was abandoned as well, and I didn't really see its significance as great enough to title the book after it. This book just didn't do it for me, and I was relieved when I finished it.

[Donna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn’t finish - nothing was compelling.

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok. Pretty predictable story.

[JoAnne Spiller · Rating 1 out of 5]

wow - that sucked. he spent more time describing meals and driving back and forth than developing a credible plot.

[Niki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Enjoyed bits and pieces of the book but the ending lacked the story telling that the first 85% felt like it was building up to.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was just ok. I felt like the story sort of meandered all around and came to somewhat of an ending. The ending was sort of like a "buh-dum-buh" ending to a joke. Didn't really like it.

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book with interesting similes. However, the muffin question was left unanswered.

[Janejellyroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it was a mistake to categorize this book as a mystery, as it sets up certain expectations as to pace and content. It primes many readers to dislike a book that they may well enjoy if they came to it with a different set of expectations. This book is much more meandering and character-driven than the average mystery (and that's not even touching on the chatty bran muffin). If you're interested in an offbeat character-driven story that happens to involve a small town sheriff solving a local arson, this is worth checking out. I would read more by this author.

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Texan, I enjoyed the many rich descriptions that author Brad Whittington included. Specifically, it was set in the Texas hill country, which is between but a little to the west of Austin and San Antonio. Folks, at least from the south central portion of Texas, including me, hold a special affection for the Hill Country, as well as those who enjoy Jerry Jeff Walker's songs. Although I have very little of Texas left either in my voice or heart, these great descriptions made me feel like I was right back there. I felt another connection to this book since my own dad, as well as the main chatacter, Sherrif Lawson's, was bipolar. WHile my dad was not as severe as Sherriff John Lawson's, I could definitely relate. At the core, this was a mystery and one decently told. Held within the confines of this book is also some self-discovery on the part of the son, Sherriff John Lawson. WHile his dad, Rusty, had done many outrageous things, John came to learn that some of the blame did fall into his own lap. As the daughter of a bipolar father, that rang true as well. Overall, I really did like this book and would readily recommend it to a friend.

[J.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the crime-solving aspect of Muffin Man, yet the story is really more character-driven than it is a pure whodunit. John's mental and emotional struggles in dealing with relationships past and present drew me in, and once I got a few chapters into the book, I did not want to put it down.

I enjoy this author's turns-of-phrase and the word pictures he draws of this Texan town and its surroundings. Some of the characters are more richly drawn than others, but I think this worked well, since the story is told entirely through the eyes of a man who, although a hard-working, honest, intelligent sheriff, is not always deeply perceptive about the inner workings of people.

Being careful not to give spoilers, I will say that I found the resolutions to both of his major conflicts (and those connected indirectly) to be satisfying. John's life is not neatly wrapped up, but this is partly what makes the story seem so real.

I can see myself picking this up to read again.

[Michelle P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this book is listed under the Mystery genre, and many people talk about the main plotline being the mystery/crime, to me the actual main plotline was the relationship between Sheriff John Lawson and his father Rusty. The crime served as a nice backdrop and gave us a lot of background and character development, but that father/son relationship was what poked at me and kept me thinking about the characters after putting the book down.

All that being said, I found the Sheriff's girlfriend to be nice, but rather confounding, even when the author tries later to explain her actions/thought process. Her reaction to certain events was fairly extreme, and I didn't think the reasoning given was satisfactory for such an extreme reaction.

All in all, though, I really enjoyed the book. I'd recommend it to a friend.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two weeks in the hot Texas sun. Small town sheriff story with a difference. And the difference makes all the difference, adding a depth such tales rarely have. Okay, it’s not delving deeply into a character’s psyche, but its light-hearted approach gives balance and takes the edge off observations on some effects of the bipolar condition (heretofore called manic depression). There is nothing depressing about the telling of this story and the muffin touch produced a neat ending. The setting and locals were well enough described to make me NOT want to go to Texas in summer (or ever?). Another kindle good read I gratefully picked up for free.

[Carycleo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good story of small town Texas arson and corruption. And a story of family and sanity. And a talking muffin. The sheriff is our hero, having recently won the election and ousted the former sheriff. His ex-wife is married to the powerful local judge, who watches from on high, literally and figuratively. There is the prodigal manic-depressive father, who has returned, off his meds, and the son who wants to ditch his college scholarship to dig wells in Africa. The sheriff has a case to solve and his life to keep on track, or to get on track. Complex, well-written and very satisfying.

[Paul Long · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. Another basic mystery/something novel. Not too bad, but too many extraneous plots that don't correspond to the main plot, and don't really add anything to the understanding of the main plot or the character, a Sheriff John Lawson.

Also, too many details are repeated over and over. Yes, we know it's hot in Texas. Yes, we know the sheriff likes to eat unhealthy food, and knows he should eat better. But a guy with all his health problems sure seems to drink a lot and smoke a lot of cigars.

And I missed the whole point about the talking muffin and its clues.

[Lorna Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cozy mystery featuring a complex sheriff with a bi-polar father, enabling mother, self-centered ex-wife, impressionable son, and patient girlfriend. A routine crime brings Sheriff John Lawson's career, childhood, and adult conflicts together. Combined with the reappearance of his long-gone mentally ill father, events converge to taunt and confuse him.
A delightful read with a distinct POV, interesting characters, and great rhythm.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very well-written book about a small town sheriff in Texas, this detective novel is interesting and a quick read.

I mostly enjoyed this book. For most of it I had huge issues with the muffin, but as I got toward the end I began to understand its role more.

I downloaded this book for free from Amazon for the Kindle app on my Android tablet. It would be worth buying if you need a beach read.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started out kind of slow. I didn't really start to get in to it until about half-way through. Then, of course, I couldn't put it down. Overall a good read. Doesn't require a lot of thought. Ironic ending.

[Eunira]

Free Kindle book.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy-to-read detective-style book about a sheriff in Texas. Well written with a lot of focus on character development

[Robert Hazelwood]

Being from Texas, I enjoyed the characters and descriptions of the settings very much. Overall, I found this book a good read

[Craig D · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a fun book! The mystery was good enough to keep me guessing, and the muffin angle was intriguing. I also liked how it was more than a mystery but a soul searching for the main character.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small town Texas sheriff listens to muffin.

[Norma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine, but I kept comparing it to the Longmire series and I like Longmire better.

[Molly Black · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not nearly as engaging or funny as the Fred books. I hope the author keeps writing, but this book wasn't his best effort.

[Teena Sorensen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was very confusing. I finished it and I am still not sure I understand it!

[Michelle [Helen Geek]]

Free on Amazon today [04/10/2012].

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very fun read.