Death of a Country Fried Redneck

Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery #2

by Lee Hollis

Hayley’s serving home cooking to a country star—and solving a roadie’s murder—in this tasty “Snappy pace, fun characters, and a clever plot.” —Library Journal  Local food and drink writer Hayley Powell thinks she’s done solving murders in scenic Bar Harbor, Maine. But when a taste of the South comes to New England, Haley’s following another recipe for disaster . . .   As a single mom, Hayley Powell already has a full plate—she’s got deadlines to make and a teenage daughter with eyes for an aspiring singer-songwriter. But when country music superstar Wade Springer rolls into town, Hayley spies an irresistible side personal chef to her all-American idol. After he tries her home cooking, Wade’s so impressed that he hires her on the spot—and invites her to dine with him alone.   Hayley and Wade are hitting all the right notes . . . until a body turns up. Wade’s tour bus was torched overnight and a roadie named Mickey Pritchett came out well-done. But the real cause of death isn’t Mickey was shot, his mouth stuffed with one of Hayley’s trademark chicken legs. An ornery drunk, Mickey had already made plenty of enemies in town, but Wade’s reputation is on the rocks. Hayley reckons it’s up to her to settle this mess—a charbroiled mystery with all the fixin’s.  Includes seven delectable recipes from Hayley's kitchen!  Praise for Death of a Kitchen Diva   “Delicious and satisfying. Another course, please.” —Carolyn Hart   “Readers will be calling for a second round from author Lee Hollis.” —Leslie Meier, author of Chocolate Covered Murder

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Audiobook, Romance, Contemporary

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2012

About the author

Lee Hollis is the pen name for Rick Copp and his sister Holly Simason.

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devoured the 2nd book in Lee Hollis's Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mysteries, Death of a Country Fried Redneck this morning before work. I was up very early and it's on the shorter side, to it worked out. Finished the final chapters while eating lunch... even stronger than the first. I don't usually enjoy the country music setting in a cozy mystery, as it goes over the top, but this one was restrained. Wade was a great character, and the people in his crew were definitely quite the collection. Hayley is becoming a top protagonist for me, even if she does some stupid things. And I believe her bro-in-law, Sergio, should be arresting her more often. He's too kind, but I like his similarity to Ricky Ricardo with the word confusion and tolerance of someone's wacky behavior. I might even try cooking some of the food in these recipes, as I do love Maine style cooking. I even like chicken fried food, so this could be a nice win! :)

[Julesy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caution: Read this book after you've eaten a hearty meal because you will be craving foods left and right. Of course, the author would have to mention all of my favorite foods ... fried chicken, BBQ ribs, macaroni and cheese. Besides the delicious foods being mentioned, this is a great book and series. I definitely love this book more than the first one so I can see how this series gets better and better. Very funny excerpts, I found myself chuckling a lot. I love the main character, her kids, the plot, everything. You also cannot go wrong with narrator Tara Ochs. She's the best of the best when it comes to audiobooks. Can't wait to get to book #3!

Mystery: 5 stars
Narration: 5 stars

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Hollis’ humor is by far my favorite thing about this series.”

Read this review in its entirety atUnder the Covers Book Blog

[Elle G. Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mini Review: I read this book in one sitting (while in my pool) today! Obviously, I enjoyed it immensely. Lee Hollis is becoming one of my favorite cozy mystery writers and I'm always anxious to get started on the next book! Hayley Powell and her friends are absolutely hilarious and I laughed so much while reading this. The murder mystery was great too and I didn't expect the killer to be who they were until closer to the reveal. All in all that makes this another win in the series and I can't wait to get started on the next one!

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying going back to the beginning of the Hayley Powell series and catching the books that I hadn't read yet. This one was another fun mystery with a country theme which I loved. It was a good thing that Hayley's boyfriend Lex was out of town when her country idol Wade came there with his band for a concert. Her dream came true when he asked her to be his personal chef after having read her food column. The murder mystery was a very good one with a lot of suspects and nearly as many red herrings. For some reason though I knew there was more to it and when Hayley started suspecting the real killer, that was when I seriously started considering them.

I have some other books I need to get to as much as I would love to keep binging on this series. I know at some point that Hayley switches guys, and I'm curious to know when that happens. The newest in the series is scheduled for March, and I'm wondering if I can possibly get caught up by then.

[Under the Covers Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

DEATH OF A COUTRY FRIED REDNECK is the second book of the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series. Hayley is still getting the hang of her writing column. However, there’s no doubt that many people of Bar Harbor are enjoying her work. She’s most surprised to find that her favorite country music singer Wade Springer is also a fan of her writing and food. He’s so impressed by her that he invites her to dine with him alone.

First off, let me just say that this entire series has a much lighter tone than you see in a lot of other Cozy Mysteries. Hayley is a very bright and vibrant personality and a lot of this comes out in how she speaks, but also how she writes. I will find it hard to believe if you don’t immediately fall in love with her character. There are so many good things about her. Although she is a single mother still trying her best to raise her kid, she does a good job of being a good friend to her daughter and I love seeing their interactions. In addition to that, we see Hayley in a lot of other types of relationships. For example, we see her friendships, as well as her romantic relationships and work relationships as well. For someone who seems to be struggling, she’s doing remarkably well and I find her to be a well-rounded character.

The mystery of this story is fairly straightforward and easy to follow. It involves celebrities and music, which I enjoyed. I also liked how the authors were able to tie it into the food. I will say, however, that the beginning did take some easy shortcuts to set up the plot. It was incredibly easy for Hayley to meet Wade so you’ll have to disregard aspects of believability to enjoy this book. Hayley is quite the charmer so I don’t think it would be actually that difficult for her, but still…just keep that in mind while reading this book.

Hollis’ humor is by far my favorite thing about this series. It gets it right all the time. Usually when a series is meant to be funny, it tends to be over the top or the author tries too hard. But I don’t find that is the case here. The humor comes at the right place and seems to occur naturally. It makes me respect the authors more because they know when to draw out the suspense and when to lighten the mood.

This series is quickly rising to the top of my favorites lists. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series to see what happens to Hayley next!

*Reviewed by Ann❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤

[Mr Francy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I AM CONVINCED THAT LEE HOLLIS WRITES THEIR HAYLEY POWELL SERIES FOR ME!

So last month, for the first time ever, I read a book that just so happened to be the first book in the Haley Powell series, death of a kitchen diva. Not only did I absolutely love it, but I felt convinced that Lee Hollis had written a cosy mystery for me. Not only was it extremely cosy leaning, but it was just a whole lot of fun and I couldn't find any faults with it whatsoever.

So while I was incredibly excited to get on to book #2, I was also a little bit anxious wondering if Lee Hollis would let me down after the amazing book that was book 1. However, I had absolutely nothing to fear. Book 2: Death of a country fried redneck was fantastic. So much so that I might even say that it was better than book 1.

Premise: In this one, Wade Springer, a well known. Country music star that Hayley Powell idolises comes to town. Haley not only gets to meet him, but eventually ends up being hired as his personal chef for while he is there. Everything seems to be going well for Haley, That is, until she meets his assistant, Mickey Pritchett. Mickey is everything that you don't want in a guy: sleazy, controlling and just an absolute narcissist. So, not surprisingly, one morning Haley wakes up to find out that Mickey has been killed. So Haley sets out to find out who the killer is.

As I said earlier, if anything, I feel like this book was better than book one, and I actually gave book 1, 5 stars, so that says a lot.

I really enjoyed the main storyline between Haley and Wade. And I also enjoyed the mystery. The reveal had me flawed.

What a fantastic book and overall so far an amazing series. I simply cannot wait to get on to book #3. Thank you Lee and Hollis for another amazing and captivating read.

5 Stars!
xoxo.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent follow-up, Death of a Country Fried Redneck reaffirmed why I love cozy mysteries. Every part of this book was solid and well-written, from the mystery to the characters.

As always, I'll start with the characters. They were wonderful. Lee Hollis (the pseudonym of a brother and sister writing duo) did an absolutely superb job of creating realistic, less than perfect, inviting characters that will make anyone want to move to Bar Harbor and become a year long resident.

The mystery was excellent. I absolutely had no idea who the killer was until the end, and even then I was shocked, however, looking back, I realize that the clues were all there, I just didn't piece them together. The setting was also absolutely to die for (no pun intended)!

Overall a superb book! I will be reading the next one.

[Vickie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of my favorite reads this year. I didn't care very much about the characters other than the slight eye rolling at how every single hot guy was attracted to the main character. The scenes didn't flow very well and some dialogue felt a bit stilted.
I'll go back to the first in the series to see if that helps.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do enjoy this series. Although I had imagined Hayley as a more homely type and found it difficult to understand the cowboy singer’s infatuation with her. Lots of red herrings in this one. And I followed very one of them but I’m the end figured out the killer. Even though I had no idea why they were the one so I was glad for the explanation.

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Death of a Country Fried Redneck by Lee Hollis is the second book in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series. Country music star Wade Springer comes to Bar Harbor to perform at a benefit concert and Hayley manages to wheadle herself into being hired as his personal chef. When a member of his entourage is murdered ahe finds herself involved in another investigation. I loved this book. Hayley is fun and down to earth and I love her food columns. Overall very entertaining but I'm sure I gained weight just reading about the delicious sounding food and drinks.

[Xondra Day · Rating 1 out of 5]

* Copy won through Goodreads First Reads*

I think if I could have connected with Hayley I would have liked this book. My guess is that she was supposed to come off as witty and sarcastic. I ended up finding her annoying. Also the constant reference to movies throughout the book was irritating for me.

Unfortunately this wasn't a good read for me, but I appreciate the chance given to win a copy on Goodreads.

[Grey853 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Haley is supposed to be an adult, a mom and a food reporter, but one sure couldn't tell it from this story. She's got a huge crush on a country singer coming to town and she acts like she's 12, gushing and acting silly. Definitely not my cuppa.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

This only gets 2 stars because the who-actually-done-it-part kept me guessing. It was awful as far as characters and I needed to finish it to complete a category for a challenge -- that and my stubbornness are why I finished it.

I don't know the main character -- if she were more like her newspaper column, I might have grown to like her. She isn't and I didn't. But page 2 was too soon in the book for her to start doing eye-rolling-ly dumb stuff because I didn't care. And she didn't really improve. Her friends were uninteresting -- Liddy, obsessed with one diamond earring, and Mona, who doesn't know how many children she has or what seems to be the source of them. And the authors of this book clearly do not like country music, so they should not have made one of the primary stars of this book a country singer. I do like country music and I was insulted by all of the overdone cliches.

I kept complaining about this book as I read it and my family said it would be like a certain friend's husband and I would be stuck for life with it. I showed them. I finished it. No more country-fried rednecks for me!!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

another great installment for Hayley Powell

So I have found another Cozy Mystery series I adore! It’s cute and fun but this one was especially fun! Hayley finds out her famous Idol is coming into town and while she is just hopeful to meet him she becomes his personal chef and by doing that little did she know she was opening a can of murder! I adored it!

[Mhd]

I tried, I tried very hard. Some interesting characters, and the writing itself is good. But I just, personally, do not care for the tone, pacing, and silliness. No more of this series for me, but I will read more by "Hollis."

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit disappointed in the who did it, and that Sergio didn't figure prominently in the story, but it kept me interested and made me laugh and that's good enough for me!

[Rhea · Rating 4 out of 5]

very entertaining and well paced!!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the twist at the end of this story!

[Emily Andersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Amanda ☆ Nana's Books ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love cozy mysteries & this series is quickly moving up into my favorites list!

It's a hilarious & fun story. I'm excited for the next book.

[Drebbles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Single mom Hayley Powell has her hands full writing a food and drink column for the local newspaper as well as keeping an eye on her children, especially daughter Gemma who is dating an older boy. Still Hayley will do anything it takes to meet country music star Wade Springer who is in Bar Harbor, Maine to perform two charity concerts. Almost before she knows what happened, Hayley is hired to be Wade's personal chef while he is in town. Sparks fly between the two but all is not well when a body turns up and a piece of Hayley's lovingly cooked chicken is close by. Hayley quickly finds herself involved with the murder investigation but is afraid the killer might be someone she knows and cares about.

“Death of a Country Fried Redneck” is a very funny, at times over-the-top mystery. You can tell that author Lee Hollis (pen name for brother and sister writing team Rick Copp and Holly Simason) had a lot of fun writing this book. There are a lot of funny things in this book like names (Billy Ray Cyrus and Spanky McFarland appear in this book or at least their names do), good old-fashioned girl fights (one in particular was laugh out loud funny), a pesky photographer, mangled language, and so much more. This type of humor can be hard for me to swallow - too much over-the-top stuff and I'm gone - but Hollis pulls it off admirably. Mixed in with the humor are some more serious issues like an overprotective father and Hayley's ongoing struggles in raising teenagers that help keep this book grounded. The mystery itself is well plotted with plenty of suspects and Hollis does a good job of having readers solve the crime alongside Hayley. Two things kept me from giving this book five stars. First, the Bar Harbor setting didn't seem real to me. Maybe it was the title; maybe it was the country singer, but the book felt like it was set in the South not New England. And, while Hayley is a bright resourceful heroine throughout most of the book she turns into one of those Too Stupid to Live characters at the end - I literally groaned when I realized what she was about to do.

“Death of a Country Fried Redneck” isn't perfect but it sure is a lot of fun to read.

[Lisa Ks Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the first in this series was my favorite, I enjoyed all three of these books and look forward to the fourth in the series, Death of a Chocoholic, due to be released January of 2014.

Author Lee Hollis (Mr. Copp & Ms. Simason), has created a delightful protagonist in Hayley Powell. Her exploits in these three tales had me laughing out loud more times then I can count. Hayley is a very real, less than perfect woman, making her way in life raising her two children and working her job at the newspaper. I liked the situations she finds herself in. Hayley is helped through her adventures by her best friends Mona, an always pregnat lobster boat captain and Liddy, a high class real estate agent. Throw into the mix her brother Brain owner of the local bar, his partner Sergio the chief of police, Hayley's children, her dog Leroy (named for her NCIS TV crush Mark Harmon) Sal the editor of The Island Times and Bruce the smarmy crime reporter at the paper---you have a very well rounded cast of characters. Add to that, Bar Harbor, Maine as the beautiful setting and you have winning combinations.

With fast paced plots, interesting twists and solid story lines, this series is destined to be a favorite among readers.

Recipes lovers, you won't be disappointed. Every book features Hayley's column Island Food & Spirits, which includes seven recipes from Hayley's kitchen along with cocktails to enjoy while preparing your meal! 

[Alannah Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't say I was enamoured of this book. I wanted to like food writer Hayley, but I just didn't find much about her to make me care. Flaky decisions that she made - oh, how can I count the ways? Screaming like a 10-year-old when she heard that her idol, singer Wade Whatever (he didn't make enough of an impression for me to remember his last name). Running to confront a possible killer. Getting into a low-class, adolescent catfight with Wade's ex-wife. Ugh. That one in particular made me wince.

There was a lot of potential here that I felt could have been tapped. I love the perpetually pregnant Mona, for instance, and Hayley's gay brother Randy.

This could have been a fun story, but I'm sorry to say that it missed the mark. Readers need to suspend belief with cozy mysteries to begin with. That means the author needs to be diligent with characterization and with making situations as realistic as possible. I didn't buy into many of the scenarios OR characters. Worst of all, this was not particularly well-written. It reads as if the author were a Creative Writing student who didn't like the assignment. I also caught spelling errors, including the bane of my existence - curiosity being "peaked" rather than "piqued." If this book had an editor, it needed a better one.

[Marian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mums had it home from the library and I ran out of books so I gave it a whirl. It starts out interestingly enough (Country star comes to town, our heroine schemes her way into becoming his personal chef while he's visiting) but the story never managed to gel for me. I didn't particularly care for anyone enough to want to keep reading after awhile, but I hate to start a book and not finish. I will say that I liked the answer to the whodunnit.

I just don't think you get to send two people to jail and then say something like, "Finally, all the pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fit." Um, no. You send your daughter's best friend straight to the police and the puzzle pieces should have been firmly soaked in superglue. (That detour/delay in the solving of the mystery was actually painfully not well thought out and fell apart the moment you looked at it.)

[J Godwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

An extremely light Saturday at the beach read, but fun and very humorous. The main character has a passion for cooking and country music, which gets her into trouble. If you're looking for any depth at all, you won't find it here, but the plot twists are pretty intricate. Lots of would be suspects and sideplots make it hard to guess whodunnit.

My biggest complaint is why the author feels the need to throw in unnecessary details specifically with regard to brand names and stores. It's almost as if she's getting kickbacks from JC Penneys, Walmart, Subaru, and more. Like instead of "I jumped out of the car and stepped into a big puddle and splashed mud on my brand new pants", she might say "I jumped out of my 2001 Subaru Forester SUV and stepped into a big puddle and splashed mud on my brand new slacks from JC Penneys." It's quite annoying after awhile!

[Diane Large · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just could not get into the Hayley Powell character. She's supposed to be an adult and screams like a teenager at finding out her favorite country singer is coming to Bar Harbor. Really? The story line sure made the police look like idiots. I kept reading just to see if the story would get any better. A mistake.

[Gretchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty good. The main character writes a food column in a newspaper in Bar Harbor. Her favorite singer comes to town to do two benefit concerts, and she manages to get the job of being his personal chef while he is there. One of his group is murdered, and Hayley investigates.

[Nora-adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

How does Hayley always end up in the middle of things... I guess you'll have to wait for a few hours so I can get some sleep. Then I'll tell you what's going on.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Witting and several others do a better job with this light weight mystery genre.