Mama Gets Trashed

A Mace Bauer Mystery #5

by Deborah Sharp

Trash Talk Spreads Fast

Digging around the dump for Mama's prized wedding ring, Mace Bauer suddenly stumbles upon the dead body of librarian Camilla Law. The strait-laced town of Himmarshee is scandalized, not because a killer is on the loose, but because prudish Camilla's leather getup screams sex fetish. Good gravy!

Meanwhile, Mace is desperate to help her down-in-the-dumps sister, who suspects her husband is cheating on her. Tracking the two-timing cad, Mace uncovers a circle of bondage fanatics. Whips and woo-hoo? Mama's blushing pinker than her favorite sweet wine! Mace must figure out what's going on in little ol' Himmarshee before another body gets trashed.



"Readers will eagerly turn the pages [to solve this mystery]."—Publishers Weekly

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Humor

362 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2013

About the author

Like the main character in her funny, Southern-flavored mysteries, Deborah's roots were set in Florida long before Disney and ''Miami Vice.'' A native and former reporter for USA Today, she knows spots not found on maps: Molasses Junction. Muse. And now, Himmarshee, her own slice of Authentic Florida.
It's the setting for her Mace Bauer Mysteries, featuring Mace's wacky ''Mama.'' To create it, Deborah borrowed from the present-day ranching town of Okeechobee, and from the south Florida of her family's past. Deborah left a Ph.D. program in psychology to become a reporter, and then left the news biz to write light-hearted fiction. She has no plans, though, to leave her husband of 20-plus years, NBC reporter Kerry Sanders. They live in south Florida. No kids; no pets. Had goldfish once. Turned out badly.

Reviews

[❂ Murder by Death · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but I'm giving it three stars because I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the first three books.

The plot was excellent and the subject matter not too many cozies authors would tackle - this book is going to either skirt or cross right over that line for a lot of folks. The subject matter doesn't offend me at all, but I have a rather wider definition of cozy mystery than some. The major plot twist was one I guess at pretty early on, although I was never sure of the villain so the ending was both climatic and satisfying. I love all the old-Florida touches throughout the book.

What disappointed me about this book were the characters - Mama isn't funny anymore, she's just shallow and narcissistic; the author, imo, has lost sight of what made mama funny in the first few books. Mace's inability to get her head together as it concerns her relationship with Carlos is feeling overdone as well. She's a protagonist I can rally behind; she's smart, she's capable, she's independent. But her inability to apply her strengths in the rest of her life to her love life feels thin, contrived and tired. Time to grow up. Also, this whole Carlo-and-Mace-fight-then-just-carry-on-like-nothing-ever-happened....what the hell is that? I don't like having to be involved in hashing out my own relationship issues, so I certainly don't want to be dragged into someone else's, fictional or not, but I'm certain the author can write a scene in there somewhere to let the reader know that serious communication between these two is taking place - the talking kind, not the kind taking place in the back seat of cars in cow pastures - and problems are being addressed in a constructive, progressive manner. Otherwise, each book is going to start feeling like a broken record.

I'll be on the lookout for the next book, but I'm not going to be nearly as excited about it as I've been to this point.

[Victoria Allman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mama Gets Trashed is another winner from author Deborah Sharp. It's a fun read that will keep you guessing till the last page.
Like any good series, Sharp has taken a turn with number five in the Mace Bauer Mystery Series, focusing on the relationship of one of Mace's sisters and her husband. This opens up the world of Himmarshee with new characters and a look at a different side of life in the small central Florida town. But fans of the first books in the series need not panic. There is plenty of Mama splashed over the pages of Mama Gets Trashed.
There is also the requisite hilarity on the page when Mama walks into a scene starting with the opening pages of Mama having become tipsy on too much pink wine and having lost her wedding ring in the garbage. Dragging Mace along to the town dump to search for it guarantees the reader will be entertained...and a body will show up. It wouldn't be a Deborah Sharp story without a body appearing on the first few pages leading me to wonder just what goes on in this town.
I have loved this series from the beginning. It highlights a slice of Florida few have seen or know exist. Sharp's succinct prose and well-researched details teach me something new about my adopted home with each book while still entertaining me. A reader could ask for nothing better than that.

Victoria Allman
Author of: SEAsoned: A Chef's Journey with Her Captain

[✨ Gramy ✨]

This is a mystery drama with humor mixed in, which is what drew me to this series. Mama and her girls spend more time together than most families in America. Their love and continued devotion to one another is admirable. Lots of twisty drama involving Mace's family. The familiarity of the characters made it a mostly pleasant read. The humor I cherished in the past installments of the series, were fewer and farther between. Unfortunately, like some other writers, this series was suddenly introduced to bouts of profanity which did nothing to enhance story lines. Profanity does not make something 'funny or more acceptable'. It has quite the opposite effect. After looking forward to this book coming out,the inclusion of these offendable choices of communication did disappoint me. Mama's almost intimate knowledge of the sexual deviant behavior demonstrated by the swingers didn't match her walk in Christianity, which diluted the credibility of the story. If these types of story lines continue with the unnecessary profanity, it would be enough to deter my interest in any future installments of this series unless they revert back to the humor packed, profanity free mysteries we grew to love and look forward to. I may be in the minority with my opinion, but I've offered it none the less.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't read the previous books in this series but I intend to. I easily picked up the family dynamics and the small southern town charm. A great mystery and romance . A great cozy

[Kasey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I believe this is the final installment of the series as a new book hasn't been released for a few years, although the ending was pretty open-ended.
I didn't like this one as much, the pacing seemed slower and there weren't as many action scenes.
What can you expect from this one? Mama and Mace stumble upon yet another murder in their town (perhaps why the series is done? All the previous murders were mentioned a handful of times). In this, you get promiscuously dressed victim, BDSM and swingers, infidelity, some southern charm (but not as much as in previous installments), on-again off-again between Mace and Carlos. A new twist is we are introduced to drama with a sister, Maddie. Although her drama is weird. The whole time I thought it was a misunderstanding or a hoax, and unfortunately the other characters treat it as something that just happens in life.. which blows my mind. I won't say more so I don't spoil it. I find some of the character development more interesting than the actual murder. Lol
I found it weird that Sharp chose to infuse even more sex in this book.. the series seemed light on the sex at first, but gradually increased as the series progressed.
By this book, Mace stayed true to character, I guess.. but she is such an annoying flirt and has the biggest commitment issues, I didn't like her as much. Oh, and her job is so unrealistic. I don't think any of the characters actually work lol they just snoop around town and gossip.
My biggest gripe with this one was the flow. The chapters and overall plot was disjointed. Like Mace would be having breakfast with Mama one second, then she'd be over at a murder suspect's house the next, having tea with them...?? Some of the chapters flowed, others seemed randomly placed, and then a one-liner would appear to like try to pull it all together.

My ending thoughts? This is a cute overall southern charm cozy mystery series. Sometimes I just crave southern charm. And cozy mysteries are cute, if not somewhat predictable. If Sharp ever released another installment, I'd read it.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good ending to a good series. They were a lot of twists and turns obviously as they’re always are but of course the one constant is mama. She’s a pretty feisty gal and really lends the story a lot of interest and humor. Of course you got a love Mace but from time to time you want to smack her for being such an idiot. In any case, it was a great series with good characters and plot lines. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this particular installment because the ending was such an interesting one. Again no further because I don’t wanna give away spoilers but it’s definitely something I didn’t see coming. I will be on the lookout for more stories by this author because I sincerely enjoyed her work.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mace Bauer is reluctantly helping her mama look in the town dump for a missing ring when they find the body of local librarian Camilla, dressed in black leather, no less. There are, Mace soon discovers, hijinks at the new golf club. Her fiancé disapproves of her investigation--he's the police detective, after all--but Mace is worried about her brother-in-law, who's cheating on her sister. Surely he's not a murderer too, but he is missing. I enjoyed the earlier Mace Bauer mysteries more than this one.

[J. Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this while Hurricane Ian skirted us. Was a fun escape. I liked the flow, the characters, the mystery. It wasn't too sneaky, you could figure it out, but it had great hooks to keep you going and keep you guessing. Set in Florida, so quite familiar. Deborah Sharp, if you see this and are still in Florida, consider the Sunshine State Book Festival for 2024. We're booked solid this year, but would love to have you next year!

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, WOW, WOW!!!😁 By far the most x-rated, action packed and heart stopping book of the series. I am going to miss the Mouth of The South and Sal. The girls wil be on my mind alot but Carlos 😅 😍not going to forget Him any time soon😉.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I binge-read the whole series. Now I have to wait for the author to write more.

[Cristie Tredeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book in this series. I’m feeling a little sad that it’s the last book. Someone please tell me there will me more!!!

[Abigail · Rating 2 out of 5]

Done. Finally. I secretly hoped that the series would end with Mama’s murder. Ugh.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mace is the middle daughter in an interesting family.

Mama, has been married many times. Her present husband Sal, is a man who loves her and her daughters.

Maddie, the oldest, a strict school principal is married to insurance agent, Kenny.

Marty, the baby of the family, is married and the peace maker in the family. If there is a bump on the road, she is the one who smooths things for all.

Mace is engaged to a hunky homicide detective, Carlos. She works as a park ranger in the local park and in the past has helped solve some mysteries in town.

Mace and Mama are at the dump trying to find Mama's big diamond ring. It got lost in a bunch of paper towels. What they find is the body of a young woman, dressed in black leather, a studded dog collar and fish nets.

From there the story gets strange.

This is a funny book along with being a good mystery.

Maddie believes her loving husband Kenny is cheating, and Mace is drafted to find out if that could be true. While trying to check in to Kenny's adventures, Mace finds out way too much information about some of her neighbors.

This is a well written story. It is easy to follow the plot and keep track of the different paths we take. This is part of a series, but this is also a good stand alone book. I have not read the other books, but will do so now.

I like the small town atmosphere. It is true to the fact that everyone knows everyone else and the private lives of most people are not very private. The mystery grows as more and more layers are exposed. The reader finds that some characters are not exactly who they appear and even more importantly they are not always nice people.

If you like a cozy mystery this will be a book you enjoy. And if you like well developed characters who are well rounded, this will be a book you enjoy.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to laugh and solve a mystery all in one fun book.

Disclaimer: This book was a prize in a contest. All that was asked is that I give an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

[Wendy Pitts · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice cozy mystery, I enjoyed the southern feel to the book. Detailed description of characters so you could feel like you knew them. Having said that, there was a small detail in the book that I had a lot of trouble with. In the book the mother is described as wondering around the local cafe visiting and eating off of people's plates. Admittedly this is a very small detail in one of the chapters but, it was very distracting to me because all I could think was "Who does that?". Other than that I enjoyed the book. I like how the author gave enough back-story throughout the novel so first timers to the series don't feel lost.

[Phillis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mama and Mace are looking for her ring is the local garbage dump. Seems Mama threw it away by mistake. They find the ring, small town, not a whole lotta trash, and they also find a body of one of the librarians.She's dressed in a short black skirt, leather bustier, and fishnet stockings. Mace tries her best to stay out of finding out how she was killed and by whom. Mace's fiance is the sheriff and she's promised him she's not going to get involved as she done on previous murders. But it doesn't take Mace long to get involved. Suspicion starts to fall on her brother in law and someone is shooting at her. What's a girl to do...

[Neil Plakcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The protagonist of these books is supposedly Mace Bauer, middle daughter and park ranger, but the star is really Mama -- or at least she thinks she is. The series takes place in Himmarshee, an imagined town in rural Florida full of fun characters and places that hark back to the state's pre-Disney, pre-Castro past.

The plotting is clever, but what really stands out is the beautiful language that Sharp uses to evoke a sense of place. You get a real sense of what is being lost in Florida every day, along with a ripping good read.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.... This is my favorite of the series. Mace and her mom in the dump looking for a lost wedding ring.... find a body... no one else but these two could that happen to. Mace tries to stay out of it... She tries to let her man do his job but her family doesn't allow for that - so the mess she gets into is funny, and then sad when it does cause issues in her's and Carlos's relationship!- You'll have to read to see what happens or doesn't happen.

[Brena Chan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know how this book has such a high score! The characters seem to be an amalgamation of stereotypes with little creativity. The descriptions are painful to read. Especially of the fiance. Talk about over the top. Further, the necessary information is not smoothly conveyed to the reader, but heavily forced. Why is the protagonist explaining her job to her fiance? Surely, he has figured out a basic summary of what she does by now. Could not finish.

[Gerri Balter · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really like this series. It's a combination of humor, serious subject matter, murder, and family dynamics. Deborah Sharp does a fantastic job combining all these elements into a good read. Although parts of it are lighthearted, she does deal with spousal unfaithfulness in a realistic fashion. I really like how the protagonist, Mace Bauer, has to juggle her job, solving a murder, her fears about being in a committed relationship, and dealing with her family.

[Linda Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked a galley copy up at BEA this year and found it another funny and charming entry in the Mace Bauer series. Set in the fictional small community of Hammarshee, it's a view of "old Florida" that tourists never see. Mama and grown daughters get in lots of trouble solving murders to hilarious effect. All the books are quick , fun reads.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inland Florida. "Cracker" country. Big trucks, big hair, big gators. This time around, Mace and her mama are searching the dump for Mama's wedding ring (from husband #5) after it accidentally went into the trash. They find the ring - and the body of the local librarian - dressed in fishnet stockings, leather bustier and studded collar.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story, although not as funny as the first couple of books in the series. I still find it strange that as much as we know about Mace and her sisters, we still don't know Marty's husband's name, and yet they've been married for a few years? Overall a good series though.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this latest installment in the Mace Bauer series. I didn't enjoy all of the corruption in the golf club and the fact that Kenny cheated, but I am glad Mace and Carlos are working things out and that Sal is still proving to be a keeper.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book in series

Good book in series

it had a slow start, but story picked up. I was glad that really no main character was involved in the murder directly. I missed some of the humor of the other books.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mama Gets Trashed is the most recent and the fifth book in the Mace Bauer mysteries. It's another raucous, humor-filled, southern who-done-it, but this time the twist includes "swingers." What is happening in sleepy little ol' Himmarshee?

[Gisela Jimenez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read!

I love reading books from this author. Fun stories about Mace and her family. While you're finding out the latest mystery that comes to their town you're also getting a Florida history lesson.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun story, good mystery.
This review is based on an ARC provided to me by the publisher.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I might be a little biased since I'm a character in the book. :-)

[Sheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series, it's one of my favorite. I read it one setting, I just wish she wrote faster :)

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun read! Lots of action!