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Bed-and-Breakfast Mysteries #19
Hocus Croakus
With major renovations going on at Seattle′s favourite B′9126B, Mary Daheim moves Judith, Renie and the rest of the unforgettable clan to temporary lodgings at a casino resort. But when a magic show results in murder, Judith and Joe are on the job.
Mystery maven Mary Daheim serves up murder and mayhem in this tale of a vacation gone awry at the Stillasnowamish Resort Casino. After being forced out of the B′9126B by post-fire renovations, Judith and Renie pack up the family and settle in for the duration. As if bickering from the two mothers wasn′t enough hassle, the group discovers Salome, the resort magician′s beautiful assistant they′d seen perform only hours earlier, dead from multiple stab wounds. While Judith can′t help but snoop around, her husband Joe is officially recruited to investigate by the casino manager. The chase is on as suspect after suspect emerges leaving Judith and Joe to answer the crucial, yet baffling question䶨o′s the real casino killer?
Mystery maven Mary Daheim serves up murder and mayhem in this tale of a vacation gone awry at the Stillasnowamish Resort Casino. After being forced out of the B′9126B by post-fire renovations, Judith and Renie pack up the family and settle in for the duration. As if bickering from the two mothers wasn′t enough hassle, the group discovers Salome, the resort magician′s beautiful assistant they′d seen perform only hours earlier, dead from multiple stab wounds. While Judith can′t help but snoop around, her husband Joe is officially recruited to investigate by the casino manager. The chase is on as suspect after suspect emerges leaving Judith and Joe to answer the crucial, yet baffling question䶨o′s the real casino killer?
372 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
33 people are currently reading
517 people want to read
About the author
Mary Daheim
94 books440 followersMary Rene Richardson Daheim was an American writer of romance and mystery novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
April 27, 2019
A very enjoyable read. There was a lot going on in this book. The casino was a different and fun setting. While Judith was “off” in this book it was always to her advantage. It was sometimes hard keeping up with all the different characters and plot threads but everything was neatly tied up at the end.
July 30, 2017
I love this series, but it seemed like it dragged on a bit, and I wasn't a fan of how it resolved with the murders!
July 24, 2016
I have an affinity for cozy mysteries. They generally aren't written in pursuit of a spot on the bestseller list; rather, cozies are written to give the reader a sense of comfort and calm (ironically, by way of murder).
My mom read cozies to escape her three eccentric young daughters and grumpy husband: one daughter, the artist, painted five-foot tall green flowers on the side of the freshly painted rental when she was four; the adventurous daughter asked which way north was, and was found by neighbors five hours later walking up the beach, wearing a backpack, in pursuit of Santa in the North Pole (we lived on an island--she wasn't the brightest of the three of us); and the oldest daughter (that would be I) caused her first-year kindergarten teacher to quit by demanding that all classroom toy soldiers and toy weapons be removed from the classroom so that her classmates would not become violent adults, and that the teacher immediately stop smoking on her breaks because she would surely die of lung cancer. As to my mother's husband, he had some strange notion that feeding 40 stray cats, a stray goat, a duck, and 4 turtles (not stray) out of a 2-bedroom apartment was odd. He also became irrationally upset when the cat gave birth in his shoe. So you see, for my mother, it was either read a cozy or drink (or possibly dispose of the children and husband).
Years later, when my grandmother came to live with us (bigger house, different country, revolving pet door, dad retired and usually lost in Best Buy, girls now goth, theater geek, and raver) we slowly replaced her true crime books with cozies in order to keep her from roaming the house at night after taking her pain pills, looking for the Son of Sam whilst armed with a shoe horn.
And all this is how I came to read cozies myself, because they were always there to help me escape my crazy family, you could carry on a screaming match with a sibling and not miss much in the book, and thanks to grandma's Dahmer intervention, there were always a shitload in the house. (Serious reading was done away from the insane people.)I have an affinity for cozy mysteries. They generally aren't written in pursuit of a spot on the bestseller list; rather, cozies are written to give the reader a sense of comfort and calm (ironically, by way of murder).
My mom read cozies to escape her three eccentric young daughters and grumpy husband: one daughter, the artist, painted five-foot tall green flowers on the side of the freshly painted rental when she was four; the adventurous daughter asked which way north was, and was found by neighbors five hours later walking up the beach, wearing a backpack, in pursuit of Santa in the North Pole (we lived on an island--she wasn't the brightest of the three of us); and the oldest daughter (that would be I) caused her first-year kindergarten teacher to quit by demanding that all classroom toy soldiers and toy weapons be removed from the classroom so that her classmates would not become violent adults, and that the teacher immediately stop smoking on her breaks because she would surely die of lung cancer. As to my mother's husband, he had some strange notion that feeding 40 stray cats, a stray goat, a duck, and 4 turtles (not stray) out of a 2-bedroom apartment was odd. He also became irrationally upset when the cat gave birth in his shoe. So you see, for my mother, it was either read a cozy or drink (or possibly dispose of the children and husband).
Years later, when my grandmother came to live with us (bigger house, different country, revolving pet door, dad retired and usually lost in Best Buy, girls now goth, theater geek, and raver) we slowly replaced her true crime books with cozies in order to keep her from roaming the house at night after taking her pain pills, looking for the Son of Sam whilst armed with a shoe horn.
And all this is how I came to read cozies myself, because they were always there to help me escape my crazy family, you could carry on a screaming match with a sibling and not miss much in the book, and thanks to grandma's Dahmer intervention, there were always a shitload in the house. (Serious reading was done away from the insane people.)
My mom read cozies to escape her three eccentric young daughters and grumpy husband: one daughter, the artist, painted five-foot tall green flowers on the side of the freshly painted rental when she was four; the adventurous daughter asked which way north was, and was found by neighbors five hours later walking up the beach, wearing a backpack, in pursuit of Santa in the North Pole (we lived on an island--she wasn't the brightest of the three of us); and the oldest daughter (that would be I) caused her first-year kindergarten teacher to quit by demanding that all classroom toy soldiers and toy weapons be removed from the classroom so that her classmates would not become violent adults, and that the teacher immediately stop smoking on her breaks because she would surely die of lung cancer. As to my mother's husband, he had some strange notion that feeding 40 stray cats, a stray goat, a duck, and 4 turtles (not stray) out of a 2-bedroom apartment was odd. He also became irrationally upset when the cat gave birth in his shoe. So you see, for my mother, it was either read a cozy or drink (or possibly dispose of the children and husband).
Years later, when my grandmother came to live with us (bigger house, different country, revolving pet door, dad retired and usually lost in Best Buy, girls now goth, theater geek, and raver) we slowly replaced her true crime books with cozies in order to keep her from roaming the house at night after taking her pain pills, looking for the Son of Sam whilst armed with a shoe horn.
And all this is how I came to read cozies myself, because they were always there to help me escape my crazy family, you could carry on a screaming match with a sibling and not miss much in the book, and thanks to grandma's Dahmer intervention, there were always a shitload in the house. (Serious reading was done away from the insane people.)I have an affinity for cozy mysteries. They generally aren't written in pursuit of a spot on the bestseller list; rather, cozies are written to give the reader a sense of comfort and calm (ironically, by way of murder).
My mom read cozies to escape her three eccentric young daughters and grumpy husband: one daughter, the artist, painted five-foot tall green flowers on the side of the freshly painted rental when she was four; the adventurous daughter asked which way north was, and was found by neighbors five hours later walking up the beach, wearing a backpack, in pursuit of Santa in the North Pole (we lived on an island--she wasn't the brightest of the three of us); and the oldest daughter (that would be I) caused her first-year kindergarten teacher to quit by demanding that all classroom toy soldiers and toy weapons be removed from the classroom so that her classmates would not become violent adults, and that the teacher immediately stop smoking on her breaks because she would surely die of lung cancer. As to my mother's husband, he had some strange notion that feeding 40 stray cats, a stray goat, a duck, and 4 turtles (not stray) out of a 2-bedroom apartment was odd. He also became irrationally upset when the cat gave birth in his shoe. So you see, for my mother, it was either read a cozy or drink (or possibly dispose of the children and husband).
Years later, when my grandmother came to live with us (bigger house, different country, revolving pet door, dad retired and usually lost in Best Buy, girls now goth, theater geek, and raver) we slowly replaced her true crime books with cozies in order to keep her from roaming the house at night after taking her pain pills, looking for the Son of Sam whilst armed with a shoe horn.
And all this is how I came to read cozies myself, because they were always there to help me escape my crazy family, you could carry on a screaming match with a sibling and not miss much in the book, and thanks to grandma's Dahmer intervention, there were always a shitload in the house. (Serious reading was done away from the insane people.)
October 16, 2013
At halfway through I decided most of the characters were too obnoxious for me to finish the book. I flipped through the ending and felt that was obnoxious too. My sampling of Mary Daheim didn't work out well.
March 16, 2017
Not even a real mystery, just a made-up one to keep the main character busy. I can't imagine any hotel going along with this type of hoax.
I like other books by the author, but this one can be skipped.
I like other books by the author, but this one can be skipped.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2015
Ugh. Just ... ugh. No more from Mary Daheim for me.
June 25, 2024
I didn’t realize when I picked this up that it was #19 in a series. Then I wondered after I started reading, how this could be #19? The writing was very juvenile and the characters very stereotypical. The elderly mother was a pain. The daughter is very subservient to both her mother and husband. The contractor is non-responsive to overextending the work needing to be done in the B&B that is being renovated. There is nothing in the first 80 pages of the book that convinced me to continue reading.
DNF
DNF
April 11, 2020
The title says it all lots of "hocus" and two bodies. Judith and her husband are at an Indian Casino while renovations are being done at the bed and breakfast. Renie (cousin) and her husband are there as Renie was forced to attend a graphic-design conference at the casino. To throw some confusion into the mix both mothers are there and end up sharing a room. Need to read yourself and understand the twists and turns. Enjoy!
March 21, 2020
Another great book of laughs, crazy fun from the cousins.
September 16, 2020
Hard to know what to say about this one, really. I think I dislike casinos as much as Judith does, and it turns out may not even like reading about them.
August 13, 2021
I enjoyed this book. The characters are fun and often silly.
February 14, 2022
Super surprising ending. Mary is so clever!
June 27, 2025
I enjoyed this book and all of the Bed and Breakfast books, they are fun to read and make make laugh.
May 11, 2015
I picked up this book for part of the 2015 Reading Challenge. I grabbed it at a library sale so I didn't realize till I got into it that it was not the first book in the series. Oh, well, I thought. I'm probably just a book or two behind, no biggie. Well... apparently it was more like eighteen books behind. But that is one of the things that I love about cozy mystery series: yes, they are a series, but most of the ones I've read, you don't have to start from the beginning to enjoy whatever random volume you might have in hand. Such was the case with Hocus Croakus - although there were references to prior events that took place in earlier books, it did not detract from the enjoyment of reading this volume.
What's not to love about a pair of late-middle-aged cousins who have been lifelong friends running off on a casino vacation together? Judith and Renie are different as can be, but still make quite a pair. I loved the way that Judith occasionally just stopped and took a moment to appreciate her surroundings - not only did it seem very in-character for her personality, but it also let the reader enjoy the setting without coming off in a tacky manner. It was fun trying to solve the murder along with Judith and the others. I enjoyed the Native American influences throughout, especially in the character of Bob Bearclaw. The mothers made for the perfect comedy duo, and the husbands were both charming yet insufferable each in their own way. I really had no idea who the killer was until it was revealed, and the red herrings did their job well.
I'll definitely be keeping the Bed and Breakfast series in mind next time I'm looking for a good cozy mystery to wrap myself up in!
What's not to love about a pair of late-middle-aged cousins who have been lifelong friends running off on a casino vacation together? Judith and Renie are different as can be, but still make quite a pair. I loved the way that Judith occasionally just stopped and took a moment to appreciate her surroundings - not only did it seem very in-character for her personality, but it also let the reader enjoy the setting without coming off in a tacky manner. It was fun trying to solve the murder along with Judith and the others. I enjoyed the Native American influences throughout, especially in the character of Bob Bearclaw. The mothers made for the perfect comedy duo, and the husbands were both charming yet insufferable each in their own way. I really had no idea who the killer was until it was revealed, and the red herrings did their job well.
I'll definitely be keeping the Bed and Breakfast series in mind next time I'm looking for a good cozy mystery to wrap myself up in!
October 14, 2010
AUTHOR: DAHEIM, Mary
TITLE: Hocus Croakus
DATE READ: 10/13/10
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/PUB DATE/PUBLISHER/# OF PGS: Mystery/2003/Avon/354 pgs
SERIES/STAND ALONE: #19 in B&B series
TIME/PLACE: early 2000's/Washington state
CHARACTERS: Judith Flynn B&B owner (husband Joe, retired police detective) Renie Jones, her cousin/best friend graphic deisgner (husband Bill, psychologist)
FIRST LINES: Judith McMonigle Flynn staggered out of the car, dumped a foil-lined ashtray, & found herself looking up at an imposing white-haired Native American man who was wearign more gold braid than General Douglas MacArthur.
COMMENTS: Have enjoyed visiting w/ the cousins over the years. After the last book where the B&B has a damaging fire, they are temporarily closed while undergoing renovations. Renie has a graphic design conference at a Resort/Casino about an hour away. The 2 couples and their mothers all go up to have a relaxing week. Judith is not much of a gambler, altho' she discovers Renie is. Judith manages to keep busy becoming involved w/ the homicides of 2 of the women working w/ the Great Mandolini Illusion act.
TITLE: Hocus Croakus
DATE READ: 10/13/10
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/PUB DATE/PUBLISHER/# OF PGS: Mystery/2003/Avon/354 pgs
SERIES/STAND ALONE: #19 in B&B series
TIME/PLACE: early 2000's/Washington state
CHARACTERS: Judith Flynn B&B owner (husband Joe, retired police detective) Renie Jones, her cousin/best friend graphic deisgner (husband Bill, psychologist)
FIRST LINES: Judith McMonigle Flynn staggered out of the car, dumped a foil-lined ashtray, & found herself looking up at an imposing white-haired Native American man who was wearign more gold braid than General Douglas MacArthur.
COMMENTS: Have enjoyed visiting w/ the cousins over the years. After the last book where the B&B has a damaging fire, they are temporarily closed while undergoing renovations. Renie has a graphic design conference at a Resort/Casino about an hour away. The 2 couples and their mothers all go up to have a relaxing week. Judith is not much of a gambler, altho' she discovers Renie is. Judith manages to keep busy becoming involved w/ the homicides of 2 of the women working w/ the Great Mandolini Illusion act.
March 14, 2014
Bed and Breakfast owner Judith Flynn and her husband Joe need to find another place to be while renovations to the B&B are being made. An earlier fire and subsequent water damage necessitate extensive repairs. Judith's cousin Renie and her husband Bill have already signed up for a conference in Renie's field of design to be held at a Native American casino so Judith, her husband, her mother and Renie's mother decide to make a vacation of it. Of course Judith, who's always getting involved in murders, gets involved in another two murders at the casino. Red herrings abound leading Judith from one clue to another; meanwhile cousin Renie and her husband and Judith and her husband periodically are on the casino floor winning--and losing--money. Renie's mother goes to the conference in her place so Renie can spend more of her time gambling. Judith's mother spends her time playing Keno on the TV in her room.
All in all a satisfying read.
All in all a satisfying read.
April 4, 2013
I read Suture Self (#17) a year or so ago before reading the books in order. Silver Scream (#18) wasn't available at the library, so I skipped ahead. I kinda regret skipping because now I already know kind of what happened, but I still want to read it to see how it all plays out.
This has to be one of my favorite books in this series! It was zany and funny and fun and had plot twists galore. I love how it shows Judith and Joe's relationship finally settling down and proving that they finally have put the past behind and are living in the present with each other instead of the ghosts of horrible marriages past.
This has to be one of my favorite books in this series! It was zany and funny and fun and had plot twists galore. I love how it shows Judith and Joe's relationship finally settling down and proving that they finally have put the past behind and are living in the present with each other instead of the ghosts of horrible marriages past.
March 1, 2013
Really enjoyed this one in the series. It was much more entertaining. The cousins and their husbands went off to a casino on an Indian reserve, which was near to where they have the family cabin by the lake,so as to get away from the major renovations that were underway at the B&B. However, Judith spends her time going back and forth to the city to sort out problems with the renovations while at the same time as trying to find out who killed the magicians assistant. The story has a unexpected twist at the end after Judith nearly gets herself killed out at the cabin by the lake.
July 3, 2009
A vacation at a Native American casino leaves Judith Flynn bewildered, as her companions, even her closer-than-a-sister cousin Renie, seem obsessed by gambling fever, even after Judith finds a dead body. Husband Joe, now a private detective, alternatively discourages Judith from involvement and encourages her to talk to people. Joe thinks he's going to make Judith stop her investigations, but an unexpected stop leads her to a major revelation.
September 16, 2014
This B&B mystery had a very different ending than what I was used to in this series. This time the whole family goes in a vacation to the local Indian run casino. This includes both moms and both husbands. As one would imagine, hilarity and murder ensue.
May 29, 2012
A faked mystery keeps Judith busy and not bored, while a real mystery is happening. She happens to win a little money too, which will help with the B and B remodel. It was not my favorite since it happens at a casino.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2013
not very impressed at all with this book. characters were not believable and situations they found themselves in not credible. the writing was very confusing at times. definitely not one of my favorites.
December 28, 2013
****SPOILER ALERT****
After many trials and tribulations at a tribal casino, the murders that were apparently committed turn out to be a prank to keep the lead character busy and un-bored. Oh, PLEASE! Spare me!
After many trials and tribulations at a tribal casino, the murders that were apparently committed turn out to be a prank to keep the lead character busy and un-bored. Oh, PLEASE! Spare me!
May 2, 2015
I love this series, but so far this is my least favourite. I visited a Native American casino last year, and was quite astonished, but there was too much gambling in this bookLike Judith, I am not a gambling fan, and I was annoyed with supposedly sensible people acting so silly in the casino.
November 9, 2015
No way! I got tricked in this one! In a good company, because so did the main character, but still! huh!!! :)
Very fun read, lots of twists and turns and tricks :D
definitely a series to watch for (as this is 19th or so book and for me it was a first. :D )
Very fun read, lots of twists and turns and tricks :D
definitely a series to watch for (as this is 19th or so book and for me it was a first. :D )
February 24, 2007
A fun quirky book. Good twist at the end.
October 7, 2010
The POV is a problem here. It is 3rd person. It sorta feels like limited to Judith, but has far too many comments that don't quite fit her POV.
April 26, 2011
An interesting twist on the usual murder mystery for this series. There are so many days when I want to react as Renie does to the rest of the world. How freeing it would be!
August 10, 2011
I don't like Mary Daheim's books as well as other author's. Not much to hold you to the story.
September 16, 2011
Part of a very long series. Actually, I got kind of tired of these after awhile and quit reading them.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews