Grannies, Guns and Ghosts

Agnes Barton Senior Sleuths Mystery #2

by Madison Johns

Senior Sleuth

Senior snoop, Agnes Barton, has taken up residence in a Winnebago at a campground in East Tawas, Michigan. It’s not the ideal place for a woman of seventy-two to live, but she’s making do. She had planned to start a detective agency with partner in crime, Eleanor Mason, but a snag with the license has them free wheeling it, not that it matters because they are the ones folks call when dead bodies turn up.

A frantic phone call has Agnes and Eleanor racing to the scene of yet another crime scene. Herman Butler has fallen to his death from a third story window, and the widow, Betty Lou, is beside herself with either grief or competing for the Oscars, and it’s up to Agnes and Eleanor to unravel the mystery, which gets more interesting when a ghost is listed as a possible suspect.

This time around, Agnes and Sheriff Peterson can agree, the widow is nuts, but wait, a few days later the ghost ship, Erie Board of Trades, was spotted off the shores of Lake Huron. Ghost hunters, G.A.S.P., hightail it into town, and East Tawas is overrun with ghost sightings.

Agnes and Eleanor must sort fact from fantasy before another body is found or a curse is realized.

Adult Content


Armed and Outrageous (Agnes Barton mystery book one).
Senior Snoops (Agnes Barton mystery book three).
Agnes Barton Senior Sleuth Mysteries Box set (Book 1 - 3).
Pretty and Pregnant (Kimberly Steele novella).
Coffin Tales Season of Death (Includes two YA horror short stories).

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Cozy, Humor

182 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 16, 2013

About the author

When Madison Johns began writing at the age of forty-four, she never imagined she'd make it onto the USA Today best-selling books list with her first cozy mystery, Armed and Outrageous, as an independent author. Sure, this book is an Amazon bestseller, but USA Today?

Although sleep-deprived from working third shift, she knew if she used what she had learned while caring for senior citizens to good use, it would result in something quite unique. The Agnes Barton Senior Sleuths mystery series has forever changed Madison's life, with each of the books making it onto the Amazon bestseller's list for cozy mystery and humor.

Madison is a member of Sisters In Crime. Madison is now able to do what she loves best and work from home as a full-time writer. She has two children, a black lab, and a hilarious Jackson Chameleon to keep her company while she churns out more Agnes Barton stories with a few others brewing in the pot.
Books


Agnes Barton Senior Sleuths Mystery series in order:
Armed and Outrageous
Grannies, Guns and Ghosts
Senior Snoops

Romance
Pretty and Pregnant novella
Redneck Romance (Published by Tirgearr Publishing)

Amazon Author Page
http://www.amazon.com/Madison-Johns/e...

She is actively involved on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and Goodreads. She is always willing to chat it up or give advice, and supports other writers whenever she can.

Smiles :)

Reviews

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Grannies, Guns and Ghosts (An Agnes Barton senior sleuth mystery) (An Agnes Barton Mystery)

Grannies, Guns and Ghosts (An Agnes Barton senior sleuth mystery) (An Agnes Barton Mystery)

2.0 out of 5 stars Nice try but no cigar, July 22, 2013


Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Grannies, Guns and Ghosts (An Agnes Barton senior sleuth mystery) (An Agnes Barton Mystery) (Kindle Edition)
I ordered this book on my kindle.

I was expecting a real fun read with senior citizens as sleuths. Instead I received two senior citizens as sleuths who had never matured past adolescence.

Agnes and Eleanor are fast friends and run a P.I. agency so to speak. They've been called in to investigate a death at the Butler mansion. Once there they encounter the widow. The character of the widow was the first let down for me the reader. The widow turns out to be a shallow witless person which added nothing to my reading. Everything after that you can guess what's to come without reading the book.

The biggest let down for me were the main characters, Agnes & Eleanor, who started off on the right track and went nowhere with it. The mansion, possibly haunted, the mysterious murder...it was all there but the author never put any depth of character into the story.

I can not recommend this book but I can hope the author make a fresh start with intelligent readers in mind. So nice try but no cigar.

[Darlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I am giving this book a separate review, I am actually reading the boxed set with books one through three. I want the credit toward my reading goal of individual books while having the convenience...

That went nowhere. On to the actual review.

Ghosts. Really? Sigh. I don't want to give any spoilers so I won't get into it. This was a shorter book than the first one, maybe a novella rather than a novel. I was glad. This book felt less put together than the first. Editing is badly needed.

What did I like? I like Agnes and Eleanor. Those crazy ladies are fun even though they get into more trouble than they solve. There is a lot of humor in spite of the story being about murders. I am so glad someone has taken the time to write stories about senior womyn. For that reason alone I plan to read all these Senior Snoopers.

In fact... I'm off to read the next book.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Senior detectives, Alice and Eleanor, end up in the middle of several murders.
The first involves a man who is found below a third story window. The local sheriff doesn't really investigate this. There isn't even an autopsy done. Really? What kind of place is this....apparently one with no policies to follow in the case of unexplained deaths.
It is nice that the book realizes that even senior citizen can have love lives. Alice and Eleanor each have someone special in their lives....along with the problems that can with romance.
Fun, fast read.

[Phyllis Funk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had to force myself to finish the book, just so it could be a finish toward the reading challenge. As another reviewer stated, it needed some very serious editing. The story really did not flow smoothly, seemed very choppy, and had just a few too many sub-plots. Of course, there had to be a bunch of extraneous sexual encounters, and it seemed like that was put in because that is assumed to be what readers want these days. All in all, based on this book, I certainly won't be picking up anything else by Madison Johns anytime soon.

[Chris Blackton · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the third book I have read in this series and the Lucy and Ethel Schtick between Aggie and El is becoming tiresome. And of course there were oodles of typos and one of the characters changed names near the end of the book -- the G.A.S.P. team went from being Nate and Jake to being Nate and Troy. And why did Sheriff Peterson collapse and need cpr and how did he recover so fast?

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Grannies, Guns and Ghosts” is a fun, entertaining, Cozy mystery page turner for all ages! This is the 2nd must read in the Agnes Barton Senior Sleuths Mystery after recently finding this author, Madison Johns, and now I’m hooked to this series! ...
With a fresh, new plot, fun, quirky characters, both new and recurring, that are relatable. The clever dialogue had me either laughing out loud at their antics, or on the edge of my seat turning pages from the some suspense and a few surprises, coz I didn’t want to stop reading :D
Amazing attention to detail and a touch of romance brought all of these colorful characters to life! ... I was fortunate to fine this through the Amazon KU 2 month trial period that I have right now, so I can honestly recommend this to all fans of fiction! ... Now off I go to get book #3 to read soon, “Senior Snoops” and I can’t wait :)

[Belinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The girls are up to some pretty funny antics in this installment of the Agnes Barton Mysteries. A new character is added, the Gypsy neighbor, Leotyne, who is very mysterious and scary, but comes through with some timely advice. More dead bodies than usual appear in this book, and someone is on a real crime spree. Add to this the appearance of a mystery ghost ship and a hint of paranormal activity and the stage is set for a good story. I love this entire series and wish I had read them in order; nevertheless, each story does stand on its own. Another five star rating for Agnes and Eleanor.

[Dick Harding · Rating 1 out of 5]

Our heroines one in her 70s and the other in her 80s spend most of their time either running other people down or making sexual innuendos. I found myself not caring for any of the main characters or what happened to them. The plot points were interesting and engaging though.

[Mary Byrnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun cozy mystery

This book was a little better than the first one. I didn't even hesitate to order the next book in this series. This story was more mystery and less r rated content.

[Sallee Odwyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tawas Ghosts

Definitely had me laughing so much.The settings descriptions were so vivid I could see myself there in the campground and in the lake. The verbal exchanges between the major characters was out of this world.. Excellent reading.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aggie & her sidekick Eleonor at in the midst of several mysterious deaths in their quiet town. Plus her love interest has returned to town w/another woman - when he promised he'd return for her. Funny, quick paced cozy.

[Jo Hurst · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was much like the first. Generally annoying with a really good finish that saved the book. A gently slightly irritating read.

[Jena Hess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short quick read. Has its funny moments but I could see how the same old things happen over and over again throughout each book. I will probably read the next one for a pallet cleanser when needed.

[Vicki Ceara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute cozy mystery. I enjoyed it but nothing really stands out for me now that it’s finished. Good way to pass a rainy or snowy afternoon.

[Gaynorbebbgmail.Com · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Another great read. Keeps getting better with every book. So with that in mind let's start book 3 and get embroiled in even more mayhem with my two face old gals.

[Pat Thurber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as first book which was funny, a smooth read and fewer errors. Even at the price of $2.95, afraid to choose another which is too bad since the sleuths are funny and clever.

[Judy Barnette-Zeamer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible writing

[Alice L R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read when convelesing.

The read is light with humor. Yes, old people can do things. It was fun. Some times confusing twists with injected characters.

[Sue Foster · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like murder she wrote then this cosy crime book is the book for you.

[Rosemary Daly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute sequel to the first of the Agnes Barton mysteries.

[Mason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking up residence in a Winnebago in an East Tawas, Michigan, campground doesn’t sound like something most seventy-two-year-old women would do, but then Agnes Barton isn’t your usual senior citizen.

The campground isn’t the ideal place, but Agnes is making do until her home is repaired after being fire bombed earlier. In the meantime she and her partner in crime, eighty-two-year-old Eleanor Mason, had planned to start a detective agency, Pink Ladies, but ran into problems with the license. Despite the setback, the senior snoops are the ones folks call when there’s a dead body.

Agnes and Eleanor are called to the scene of another death when Herman Butler falls from a third story window. It’s up to the senior sleuths to discover if his fall was an accident or murder. Things get more interesting when a ghost or two show up, as does a gypsy.

But later when the ghost ship, Erie Board of Trades, is spotted off the shores of Lake Huron, ghost hunters swam the town. It’s up to the ladies to determine fact from fantasy before someone else becomes a ghost.

Agnes and Eleanor are far from your typical senior citizens and an unlikely sleuthing duo that will have you laughing out loud. Their antics and friendship make for a entertaining read.

Author Madison Johns has created two spunky seniors that are likable and well-developed. The cast of secondary zany characters adds flavor to the mix for a well-balanced story.

The plot moves at a good pace and will hold your attention from the first paragraph until the end. Johns keeps a good blend of humor and suspense as the story moves along. GRANNIES, GUNS & GHOSTS is a delightful read combining murder, mayhem, ghosts and seniors.

This is the second installment in the Agnes Barton Mystery series, but can be read alone.

FTC Full Disclosure - I requested this book as part of the author’s virtual book tour. An eBook copy of the book was sent to me by the tour promoter in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

[Katrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, but not terribly well-written.

[Terry Palardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Madison Johns has done it again, capturing the human side of elders by writing of their reactions, intuitions and observations at crime scenes that seem to pop up wherever they might be.

In Grannies, Guns and Ghosts, Aggie and Eleanor have been enlisted by a frightened local who witnessed a death ... was it a murder? Or a suicide? Or the gentle push of a ghostly apparition?

Coinciding with this death is the appearance of a ghostly ship seen by some on Lake Huron. The ancestral home of the deceased is also the site of family burials ... and wives and husbands appear to have died in tandem, generation by generation. Curiouser and curiouser, the two fearless detectives work around the local law enforcement personnel to discover more clues and avoid their own vulnerability and arrest.

Gypsies, Ghosts, Old Flames, Pink Guns, Snarky Adolescence, Threatened Curses, Locked Gates and Slippery Cemetery Lawns all pose challenges for our heroines; they stumble and bend their way through them all, to an ending that ties in the paranormal events in such a way as to leave the reader questioning ... and of course, wanting more of Aggie and El's adventures.

Five stars for the sequel that doesn't fall short of expectations. If you haven't read the first tale, Armed and Outrageous, you've missed out on some sizzling relationships!

[Toni Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this Agnes Barton Senior Sleuths Mystery #2, Barton, 72, and her friend Eleanor Mason have started their own detective agency, Pink Ladies. Mason is the one with the pink pistol. They don't have all the paperwork they need for the agency, but they don't let that stop them. Barton is living in a Winnebago, because her house was firebombed in the first book. There are rumors of a ghost ship on Lake Huron, which helps complicate the plot. Barton and Mason begin by investigating the supposedly accidental death of an old man who falls out a window at an old mansion; old man who has just remarried. Before long, two others have been killed, including the widow of the first victim.

Hidden agendas and identities are key to the plot of this book, and there's a showdown with the murderer at the end. This had a more believable plot than the first book. Again, there's lots of humor and crazy driving on Mason's part.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this second book in the Senior Sleuth Mystery Series by Madison Johns.

Agnes Barton and Eleanor Mason are 72 years old and 82 years old respectively. They are starting up a private eye business and so far they have found one body. Someone tells them that a ghost threw the body out of a window. Now the ladies have to prove that a ghost really did it.

The only problem is that before that can happen, another body shows up in the same spot from the same window supposedly by the same ghost!

How can they solve these murderers? You need to read this book and find out these two ladies are great and funny!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I never read the first book, I enjoyed reading the adventures of Agnes and El, two elderley sleuth investigators who tend to get in the way of Sheriff Peterson's murder investigations. Typical small town characters, who are all enjoyable. Don't know if it was me, or the way Madison Johns writes her books, but I found it hard to follow who was talking in the dialogue. It kind of jumped between characters without letting the reader know the changes.
All in all, a good, enjoyable read.

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short book, but it has a lot of murders packed into it. Somewhat frothy--you have El who is 82, and Agatha at 72, trying to become a crime solving duo legally. Agatha is currently living in a Winnebago on her property while her house is being rebuilt. She has a daughter named Martha, and a grandaughter, both of whom bug her. Because of the number of murders occurring, one probably wouldn't want to live near them. There are ghosts in a nearby mansion, and supposedly on a ghost ship on the great lake.

[Ginger Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agnes would be a fun Grannie!

Agnes & Eleanor are in the thick of another mystery when they happen to witness Herman Butler dead in his front yard, apparently having been tossed from a third story window of his mansion. His brand new very much younger bride of one day is suspect, until she too shows up dead. Agnes, Eleanor and Andrew (Agnes' male friend) find themselves in danger as they discover what is behind that third floor window. A fun light read with suspense that keeps you reading until the last page.

[Janet L. Hage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mystery. Mayhem, and giggles

The second in the series it is easy to step into as a favorite pair of slipper. These two ladies are snooping into everyone's business to hilarious results. They say they are PI's but the paper work has not gone through. Bodies start to pile up and the sheriff's turning gray, family is worried, and they are worried about theirs sex life. well-written and good characterization
. Author has a good knowledge of the senior life and it shows. Great for all readers.

[Sue Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Madison Johns has done it again. Aggie and her crew are chasing ghosts and dodging gypsies this time. You won't believe who shows up for the excitement in this book. Hopefully they stay and don't wander off again. Its a book with twists and turns those who appear to be innocent and those who appear to be guilty, but who really did it. Maybe the game of Clue will reveal the guilty. This is the second book in the series and I sure hope there will be many more to it.