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A Haunted Souvenir Shop Mystery #3
Murder Sends a Postcard
It’s the height of summer tourist season and Glory Martine is busier than ever running her souvenir shop, Southern Treasures. The shop’s parrot, Bluebeard, is becoming quite the celebrity among tourists—little do they realize he’s the bird-host to a ghost…
Residents of Keyhole Bay, Florida, are dismayed when Bridget McKenna, an auditor in chic attire, arrives to assess the local bank’s shady dealings. [C1] Curious about the new arrival, Glory brings dinner to Bridget at her temporary residence—the notorious Bayvue Estates, a halted development complex with no view and no estates – just a couple of hastily-completed model homes .
Bridget’s assignment is to figure out where all the money went. But someone wants to keep her in the dark permanently. When Glory finds out her new friend won’t be leaving town alive, she knows she and Bluebeard will have to catch a killer and unravel a financial scandal before it leads to more murderous mayhem…
Residents of Keyhole Bay, Florida, are dismayed when Bridget McKenna, an auditor in chic attire, arrives to assess the local bank’s shady dealings. [C1] Curious about the new arrival, Glory brings dinner to Bridget at her temporary residence—the notorious Bayvue Estates, a halted development complex with no view and no estates – just a couple of hastily-completed model homes .
Bridget’s assignment is to figure out where all the money went. But someone wants to keep her in the dark permanently. When Glory finds out her new friend won’t be leaving town alive, she knows she and Bluebeard will have to catch a killer and unravel a financial scandal before it leads to more murderous mayhem…
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 7, 2014
11 people are currently reading
422 people want to read
About the author
Christy Fifield
16 books85 followersChristy Fifield is a pseudonym used by Christina F. York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
April 9, 2014
I really enjoy this series. Glory is a believable character who has become a bit stronger with each new book. Her relationship with Jake is starting to go somewhere and Bluebeard is becoming a bit more prominent, too. The "bad guy" did seem to come from out of nowhere, but things ended up being plausible nonetheless. I can't stand Glory's cousin, Peter, and hope that with developments in this book that he will go away in short order. He's a blowhard and a classic case of the educated idiot. Will definitely be on hand for the next entry in this fun series. RECOMMEND!
May 4, 2018
Good entry in the series. I really like the characters and setting for these books. Glory is fun and Bluebeard is a hoot. The murderer seemed to be plopped down at the end but it was an exciting ending.
December 24, 2013
http://openbooksociety.com/article/mu...
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi
murder-sends-a-postcard-haunted-souvenir-shop-mystery-christy-fifieldThe small town of Keyhole Bay is in an uproar over the Yankee auditor that just arrived in town to investigate the local bank’s shady dealings; many residents thinking she’s there to ruin the town and everything they hold dear. But once Bridget wonders into Southern Treasures and Glory has a chance to talk to her, Glory realizes she’s just doing her job and that she’s a nice person; one she hopes to be friends with.
But that friendship is cut short when Bridget is found dead in the home she is staying in. The preliminary reports state she died of a drug overdose. Glory just can’t believe Bridget is into drugs and either does Bridget’s brother, Buddy, when he comes to town to take over the audit.
Glory is determined to solve this mystery and, find out what really happened. And, her Uncle Louis has been giving one seemingly pointless clue over and over through Glory’s parrot: find the postcards. What does that mean? And, how does it pertain to this case?
I really wanted to like this book. And, I can honestly say that I didn’t not like it, but I wasn’t really all that impressed either. It was just a run-of-the-mill mystery story, but there was nothing all that special about it. Most of it was Glory’s day to day life, which let’s face it, can be pretty dull at times.
This was a story about the mystery, but it never really seemed like the mystery was in the forefront, even when it was. I’m not even sure how that’s possible. It seemed like even getting the new Bluebeard merchandise was more prevalent than Bridget’s death. There really wasn’t any edge of your seat excitement. The author did attempt it at the end of the book, but it fell a little short for me.
At this point in the series, I’m more interested in the relationships between the different characters than I am about what murder there is to solve. I’d like to get a closer look at Riley and Karen’s reconnection, and of course I’m ready for Jake and Glory to quit being so cautious and fly by the seat of their pants into something a little more serious. I get the feeling they both want to, but need something to give them the little push they need!
I’m not ready to give up on this series yet, but I really hope we get to see a more emotional side in the next installment!
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi
murder-sends-a-postcard-haunted-souvenir-shop-mystery-christy-fifieldThe small town of Keyhole Bay is in an uproar over the Yankee auditor that just arrived in town to investigate the local bank’s shady dealings; many residents thinking she’s there to ruin the town and everything they hold dear. But once Bridget wonders into Southern Treasures and Glory has a chance to talk to her, Glory realizes she’s just doing her job and that she’s a nice person; one she hopes to be friends with.
But that friendship is cut short when Bridget is found dead in the home she is staying in. The preliminary reports state she died of a drug overdose. Glory just can’t believe Bridget is into drugs and either does Bridget’s brother, Buddy, when he comes to town to take over the audit.
Glory is determined to solve this mystery and, find out what really happened. And, her Uncle Louis has been giving one seemingly pointless clue over and over through Glory’s parrot: find the postcards. What does that mean? And, how does it pertain to this case?
I really wanted to like this book. And, I can honestly say that I didn’t not like it, but I wasn’t really all that impressed either. It was just a run-of-the-mill mystery story, but there was nothing all that special about it. Most of it was Glory’s day to day life, which let’s face it, can be pretty dull at times.
This was a story about the mystery, but it never really seemed like the mystery was in the forefront, even when it was. I’m not even sure how that’s possible. It seemed like even getting the new Bluebeard merchandise was more prevalent than Bridget’s death. There really wasn’t any edge of your seat excitement. The author did attempt it at the end of the book, but it fell a little short for me.
At this point in the series, I’m more interested in the relationships between the different characters than I am about what murder there is to solve. I’d like to get a closer look at Riley and Karen’s reconnection, and of course I’m ready for Jake and Glory to quit being so cautious and fly by the seat of their pants into something a little more serious. I get the feeling they both want to, but need something to give them the little push they need!
I’m not ready to give up on this series yet, but I really hope we get to see a more emotional side in the next installment!
January 22, 2014
I'm not sure if it's because the last two books I read were soooo good or not, but I didn't really care for this book. I've enjoyed the others in the series, but to me, this one fell flat. Was disappointed with the ending, and not wanting to give spoilers, Bluebeard's "clues" didn't seem related to the murder/story at all. I just didn't see the connection, and the title even uses the word Postcard! Anyway, I will read the next one when it's released, just very disappointed with this one.
July 15, 2021
I read the first two books in the series and enjoyed this book just as much. The addition of several new characters was a bit confusing at times. The only real disappointment was lack of time the writer spent on Jake's back story. She built it up to be a real mystery (nothing to do with the murder) and then answered that mystery in one sentence, very anti-climatic.
February 1, 2014
2.5
Well, its a nice read until the end .. its like she just wrote the end on the way to the mail box --- a weak mystery and a really poorly put together end just won't allow me to give this a better rating.
Well, its a nice read until the end .. its like she just wrote the end on the way to the mail box --- a weak mystery and a really poorly put together end just won't allow me to give this a better rating.
July 4, 2018
I really love this series! The characters are believable, and varied ... very "familiar", just like my own friends and neighbors. The mysteries are somewhat intense, but the stories are so much fun that it's not scary. And the parrot in the souvenir shop is so endearing. Good, fun, quick reads.
April 28, 2024
I understand why people really like it, but just not my cup of tea! But a fun little read!
October 18, 2015
Murder Sends A Postcard This is the 3rd Meh book in an enjoyable, but Meh series. There was a little more development in that you actually get to meet the victim before turning up dead, but again, the suspects are not well defined. There was also very little sleuthing done; instead, Glory again stumbles in on the bad guy and the crime is narrated to the reader rather than solved and all of this keeps me from connecting to the story.
Re-reading that, it makes the book sound horrible and it's really not. It's actually an enjoyable, quick read. I just wish the characters were developed more.
Glory also needs the parrot to shit on her head every time she misses an important clue that the bird gives her. Which brings me to my next point: the postcards. What was the point? Why were they hidden in random places in the store? No idea.
And at the end, we're treated to finding out about Jake's past, which is summed up in 5 words with no details. But we were treated to several pages of Glory's Thursday Night Dinner cop-out. Although the cookies (called Lunchroom Cookies in the book) are very good. We call them Boiled Oatmeal Cookies (I've also heard them called Top Of Stove Cookies and Peanut Butter Fudge No Bake Cookies) and her recipe is a little different from mine.
So overall, a nice, light read but just meh.
And FFS, what kind of 1950s Cabot Cove Cozy Town do these people live in? Is there some Draconian punishment if they spend the night together after knowing each other for a year? I don't even need details, I just need to know you're not all prudes.
Re-reading that, it makes the book sound horrible and it's really not. It's actually an enjoyable, quick read. I just wish the characters were developed more.
Glory also needs the parrot to shit on her head every time she misses an important clue that the bird gives her. Which brings me to my next point: the postcards. What was the point? Why were they hidden in random places in the store? No idea.
And at the end, we're treated to finding out about Jake's past, which is summed up in 5 words with no details. But we were treated to several pages of Glory's Thursday Night Dinner cop-out. Although the cookies (called Lunchroom Cookies in the book) are very good. We call them Boiled Oatmeal Cookies (I've also heard them called Top Of Stove Cookies and Peanut Butter Fudge No Bake Cookies) and her recipe is a little different from mine.
So overall, a nice, light read but just meh.
And FFS, what kind of 1950s Cabot Cove Cozy Town do these people live in? Is there some Draconian punishment if they spend the night together after knowing each other for a year? I don't even need details, I just need to know you're not all prudes.
May 10, 2017
Glory inherits her uncle's souvenir shop in a beach town in the Florida Panhandle, along with his swearing-prone parrot, and maybe a ghost. The guy who owns the bookstore across the street is very nice, though a little mysterious. When a bank auditor who she has just befriended, turns out dead from a drug overdose, Glory doesn't believe her friend was a drug user. She will investigate what happened.
I like this series. I am somewhat familiar with that area, and the characters are believable and fun. The parrot is a riot.
I will definitely continue reading this series.
I like this series. I am somewhat familiar with that area, and the characters are believable and fun. The parrot is a riot.
I will definitely continue reading this series.
February 20, 2014
I enjoy the idea of a haunted souvenir shop Bluebeard and his antics. I like that we get to know Glory and her friends a but better in this addition. I hope there will be another in this series and I hope to have more Bluebeard featured in future books.
October 21, 2019
I really like the characters and the setting of this series, but the mystery fell a little flat to me. There was no real connection to the titular postcards, that I could find anyway (but I wasn't feeling my best this weekend and maybe my slow brain just missed it). Still a pleasant read.
January 21, 2014
Like the characters but there is a lot of repetition in her books and too much talk about food and recipes.
February 22, 2015
the series is getting boring - repeating of the same old same old. relationships are not moving forward, mysteries are not very exciting.
Read
December 20, 20132 Star ... this one just didn't speak to me...
August 26, 2020
Glory is very busy with the summer tourist rush. She starts a new friendship with a bank auditor, but her friend (Bridget) dies abruptly, and Glory's not convinced that it was an accidental OD.
I enjoy this series; the characters and their relationships are comforting, and some of that comes from repetition. there's very little mystery solving. Glory runs her business, runs some errands, makes a dinner, talks to her bird, thinks about getting an oil change... the end of the book felt rushed. there's a little bit of progress with Peter and with Jake. we learn a bit more about Sly's background and Uncle Louis.
I have to say it's not realistic for this tourist haven in Florida to be acting like drugs are someone else's problem. for one thing, the opioid epidemic? but it goes hand-in-hand with the characters' attitudes towards their relationships (moving at a glacial pace and quite prim). this one felt extra Cozy.
I enjoy this series; the characters and their relationships are comforting, and some of that comes from repetition. there's very little mystery solving. Glory runs her business, runs some errands, makes a dinner, talks to her bird, thinks about getting an oil change... the end of the book felt rushed. there's a little bit of progress with Peter and with Jake. we learn a bit more about Sly's background and Uncle Louis.
I have to say it's not realistic for this tourist haven in Florida to be acting like drugs are someone else's problem. for one thing, the opioid epidemic? but it goes hand-in-hand with the characters' attitudes towards their relationships (moving at a glacial pace and quite prim). this one felt extra Cozy.
November 13, 2025
This was a typical cozy mystery set in Florida during the height of the 4th of July summer holiday.
Glory is part owner in a souvenir store (her annoying cousin Peter is her partner), but it also sounds like she deals in some antiques and is friendly with other town merchants. She has a talking shop Parrot who actually is her dead uncle's spirit. They are a tight group that have dinner on a regular basis.
A bank auditor comes to town and she is found dead. Rumors start that she overdosed, but she is not know to be a drug user. Her mission was to sort out a local bank finances and funding for a housing development project that caused many residents financial despair.
I liked the characters, their friendship and their approach to getting involved to solve a crime. I just felt that the title was not really explained with some mysterious postcards that the deceased wrote on but left in the store...
Glory is part owner in a souvenir store (her annoying cousin Peter is her partner), but it also sounds like she deals in some antiques and is friendly with other town merchants. She has a talking shop Parrot who actually is her dead uncle's spirit. They are a tight group that have dinner on a regular basis.
A bank auditor comes to town and she is found dead. Rumors start that she overdosed, but she is not know to be a drug user. Her mission was to sort out a local bank finances and funding for a housing development project that caused many residents financial despair.
I liked the characters, their friendship and their approach to getting involved to solve a crime. I just felt that the title was not really explained with some mysterious postcards that the deceased wrote on but left in the store...
August 24, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Unfortunately I started the series with this book but I wasn't lost at all and it didn't make a difference. I would say this is a book about wonderful characters and their interactions and life in their small town and the actual mystery is peripheral in a way. So well written, characters that are truly coming to life on the pages and a book that I never wanted to end.
Can't recommend this one highly enough.
Can't recommend this one highly enough.
September 12, 2021
“Murder Sends a Postcard”, third in the Haunted Souvenir Shop series, brings nothing new to the table.
Glory and her friends cook, share recipes, and run their businesses, while “Bluebeard” just wants to “get some &8^%*^% sleep.”
As always there is a murder to be solved and, as always, there is a murderer just waiting until that pesky Glory asks one question too many.
It's a quick read but not particularly memorable – too much of it is too similar to the previous books in the series.
Glory and her friends cook, share recipes, and run their businesses, while “Bluebeard” just wants to “get some &8^%*^% sleep.”
As always there is a murder to be solved and, as always, there is a murderer just waiting until that pesky Glory asks one question too many.
It's a quick read but not particularly memorable – too much of it is too similar to the previous books in the series.
March 1, 2022
I rather enjoyed this 3rd installment of the Haunted Souvenir Shop Mystery series. Fifield seems to have finally rounded out her character development and more time is spent engrossed in the plot. The first two books in the series are much slower and more similar in pacing to her earlier Georgiana Neverall Mystery Series. Too bad she's just hitting her stride with only one book left in the series.
April 9, 2019
This one had a lot of daily life details and not a lot of mystery. The ending is cobbled together and doesn't make much sense, and there are a lot of lose ends that don't get tied up. It felt like Fifield was more worried about making sure we knew that Glory and Jake were taking it slow instead of putting an actual mystery together.
September 10, 2017
Enjoyed.
November 5, 2018
Another well written mystery series with a touch of paranormal activity.
January 13, 2019
Another good book in this cozy mystery series. I love the parrot Bluebeard, who may or may not be haunted. Read the book and decide for yourself.
February 21, 2020
A very good book; want to read others in this series and other series by this author.
May 24, 2022
another good read
March 16, 2017
This has an interesting plot. Also nice to see how the friendships are ongoing. The main character sure can get into trouble easiky. The author did a good job of not letting you know who the person was who did the killing. till the very end, Looking forward to the next one.
January 23, 2014
Christy Fifield's third book in the Haunted Souvenir Shop series, Murder Sends a Postcard will have readers biting their nails as Glory tries to solve the murder of a bank auditor that no one seemed to like. Fifield's trademark wit and humor stand out in this cozy which features a haunted parrot named Bluebeard. Readers will enjoy Fifield's characters and fall in love with the Southern Treasures souvenir shop. A great addition to the series!
What I liked:
Fifield has a real way with humor in this series. A lot of it comes from the parrot host of Uncle Louie, affectionately named Bluebeard. Bluebeard is a great character who adds plenty of comic relief to a story that centers around murder. That bit of lightness gives Murder Sends a Postcard a much needed boost. Bluebeard also helps to solve the crime in this one by giving Glory a clue to the killer. I liked the fact that Fifield created a really interesting way to include a paranormal element by making the bird the host of a ghost. Very original.
I also really enjoy Glory's relationships with the other characters in the book. She and Jake are taking their relationship slowly and becoming friends before taking the plunge into something more intense. I'm glad Fifield chose to write it that way because it allows the reader to get to know them better in the beginning and it will be very satisfying when they do get together. Glory has some old friends and new friends in this book and I thought each character added something different to the mix. I liked how the interacted with each other, especially their Southern dinners which sound fun and full of surprises.
The mystery aspects of this one were well written and executed. The bank auditor comes across as perhaps a nice person that Glory wanted to get to know, which is interesting because usually we don't know that much about the victim in most cozies until after the murder. I liked the fact that the victims brother was the one that asked Glory to help figure out what happened to his sister and the fact that there were plenty of suspects from the lot owner to the bank manager.
What I didn't like:
Glory's cousin who has an interest in the souvenir shop provides the story a second source of conflict in the fact that he wants to run things around the shop though he has no idea what he's doing. But I think he is basically an unnecessary character. I think the story works well without this plot device but perhaps he will become more important as the series progresses.
This was pretty straight forward mystery and I had it figured out a little bit before I needed to. Once I knew who it was it took a little something out of the book. I liked the personal aspects more than the mystery in this case, which wouldn't be a bad thing if it were not a mystery novel.
Bottom Line:
This was a good addition to the series, even though I think there are a few flaws with it. Don't let those stand in your way of reading this one. It was good, but perhaps not the best in the series so far.
What I liked:
Fifield has a real way with humor in this series. A lot of it comes from the parrot host of Uncle Louie, affectionately named Bluebeard. Bluebeard is a great character who adds plenty of comic relief to a story that centers around murder. That bit of lightness gives Murder Sends a Postcard a much needed boost. Bluebeard also helps to solve the crime in this one by giving Glory a clue to the killer. I liked the fact that Fifield created a really interesting way to include a paranormal element by making the bird the host of a ghost. Very original.
I also really enjoy Glory's relationships with the other characters in the book. She and Jake are taking their relationship slowly and becoming friends before taking the plunge into something more intense. I'm glad Fifield chose to write it that way because it allows the reader to get to know them better in the beginning and it will be very satisfying when they do get together. Glory has some old friends and new friends in this book and I thought each character added something different to the mix. I liked how the interacted with each other, especially their Southern dinners which sound fun and full of surprises.
The mystery aspects of this one were well written and executed. The bank auditor comes across as perhaps a nice person that Glory wanted to get to know, which is interesting because usually we don't know that much about the victim in most cozies until after the murder. I liked the fact that the victims brother was the one that asked Glory to help figure out what happened to his sister and the fact that there were plenty of suspects from the lot owner to the bank manager.
What I didn't like:
Glory's cousin who has an interest in the souvenir shop provides the story a second source of conflict in the fact that he wants to run things around the shop though he has no idea what he's doing. But I think he is basically an unnecessary character. I think the story works well without this plot device but perhaps he will become more important as the series progresses.
This was pretty straight forward mystery and I had it figured out a little bit before I needed to. Once I knew who it was it took a little something out of the book. I liked the personal aspects more than the mystery in this case, which wouldn't be a bad thing if it were not a mystery novel.
Bottom Line:
This was a good addition to the series, even though I think there are a few flaws with it. Don't let those stand in your way of reading this one. It was good, but perhaps not the best in the series so far.
January 3, 2015
Murder Sends A Postcard by Christy Fifield is the third book in the Haunted Souvenir Shop Mystery series. I have read the other two in the series and I have really liked all three.
Glory Martine is the majority owner in Southern Treasures, a souvenir shop in Keyhole Bay, Florida. Her cousin Peter is the minority owner and he is a thorn in Glory’s side. He has no idea what it takes to run the shop and he continually makes suggestions to Glory about ways to improve (change) the way the shop is run. Glory has to deal with her cousin while working extra long hours during the busy Fourth Of July week. Her plate is full enough, so when someone she has just met dies, she feels like she is on overload.
Although she has just met Bridget and has not spent a lot of time with her, she does not believe that Bridget overdosed on drugs. Bridget was an auditor sent to investigate questionable dealings happening at the bank. These dealings include a development complex that is being constructed, but work has been suspended. Investors are losing money and many people are not happy about Bridget’s presence in their town. She is an outsider and trying to cause trouble for their community. Glory cannot believe that one of her neighbors are responsible for the murder but she is convinced that foul play is involved. So with the help of her friends and Bluebeard, the shop’s parrot who is also the bird host for her Great Uncle Louis’s ghost, she tries to figure out the mystery.
This book has all the elements I expect and enjoy when reading a cozy. It has a small town setting, a group of close knit friends, a mystery to solve and an animal. One difference I noticed in this book is that Glory did not actually find the dead body. In so many of the cozies I read, the protagonist is the one who stumbles across the murder victim. Sometimes this seems a little far-fetched (how many dead bodies have you stumbled upon? Hopefully the answer is none.). I appreciated the uniqueness of this and found it refreshing and more realistic.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is descriptive in her writing and I could picture the setting or the food or the action that was happening. The characters are well developed, realistic and three dimensional. Since I have read the first two books in the series, I enjoyed seeing the development of all the characters and their relationships.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy. I am looking forward to reading any future installments in the series and I hope one will be released soon. I would suggest reading all three books in the series, they are all really good.
Glory Martine is the majority owner in Southern Treasures, a souvenir shop in Keyhole Bay, Florida. Her cousin Peter is the minority owner and he is a thorn in Glory’s side. He has no idea what it takes to run the shop and he continually makes suggestions to Glory about ways to improve (change) the way the shop is run. Glory has to deal with her cousin while working extra long hours during the busy Fourth Of July week. Her plate is full enough, so when someone she has just met dies, she feels like she is on overload.
Although she has just met Bridget and has not spent a lot of time with her, she does not believe that Bridget overdosed on drugs. Bridget was an auditor sent to investigate questionable dealings happening at the bank. These dealings include a development complex that is being constructed, but work has been suspended. Investors are losing money and many people are not happy about Bridget’s presence in their town. She is an outsider and trying to cause trouble for their community. Glory cannot believe that one of her neighbors are responsible for the murder but she is convinced that foul play is involved. So with the help of her friends and Bluebeard, the shop’s parrot who is also the bird host for her Great Uncle Louis’s ghost, she tries to figure out the mystery.
This book has all the elements I expect and enjoy when reading a cozy. It has a small town setting, a group of close knit friends, a mystery to solve and an animal. One difference I noticed in this book is that Glory did not actually find the dead body. In so many of the cozies I read, the protagonist is the one who stumbles across the murder victim. Sometimes this seems a little far-fetched (how many dead bodies have you stumbled upon? Hopefully the answer is none.). I appreciated the uniqueness of this and found it refreshing and more realistic.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is descriptive in her writing and I could picture the setting or the food or the action that was happening. The characters are well developed, realistic and three dimensional. Since I have read the first two books in the series, I enjoyed seeing the development of all the characters and their relationships.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy. I am looking forward to reading any future installments in the series and I hope one will be released soon. I would suggest reading all three books in the series, they are all really good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews