Backstabbing and Baptisms: A Mill Valley Cozy Mystery

by Amy Curry

Mill Valley was an idyllic small town and the place Edith Ellis called home. Sure it
had its share of Backstabbers and Gossips, but then again, what town didn't?
Edith loved the safety she felt by being away from the big city and its notable crime,
but those feelings, along with her peace would soon be shattered.
When the town tramp is found dead in her home just days before the big church
fundraiser, everyone is understandably shaken. Who would want her dead, or then
again who wouldn't?
Edith and her best friend Clara may not have liked the woman when she was alive,
but they vow to find out who killed her before her death ruins all their hard work on
the event.
Will Edith and Clara solve the murder or will they find they're in over their heads?
With a killer on the loose, they'll need all the prayers they can get.

Genres: Cozy Mystery

217 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 31, 2023

Reviews

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well I was disappointed by this book. The title caught my eye at the used bookstore, but the story itself does not live up to the title. While the situation that led to murder was believable enough, all that happened after that was not. The author would benefit from expanding the details of the characters’ lives; there is a lot of eating at the Cafe and porch sitting. I do think Edith and Clara’s friendship felt authentic and sweet. This book is simple, clean, and rich in faith.

[thebrunettebookjunkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's funny and cute with a bunch of witty one-liners!

[Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure Heaven

It is so nice to not only be told a story has been written by a Godly woman, but for her to include the truth of it between the pages. As Isaiah 55:11 says “So shall My word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing where I sent it.” As said, Backstabbing and Baptisms, God has spoken His Word through this mystery, and it has shown how His Word can be applied to every day happenings (hopefully, not in such dire circumstances), and it has enriched my life because of it.

[Kelli Trotter · Rating 3 out of 5]

a good little mystery *SPOILER!*

I liked the book a lot and thought the Clara and Edith duo was very relatable. I could see the two women snooping around town trying to solve who did what. I found a few punctuation mistakes and grammar mistakes that can easily be taken care of. Also, captioning “He” or “His” when talking about God was inconsistent. I thought that the husband’s character wasn’t fully developed so him being the bad guy in the end was a surprise but it felt like bringing in a random character. Thank you for including the recipes at the end!

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book. I wish there were more in the series besides just this one. It's a clean, Christian mystery with two likeable older ladies. This is the first book I've read by this author.