The Peanut Butter Murders

by Corinne Holt Sawyer

Gray-haired sleuths Angela Benbow and Caledonia Wingate investigate the death of a new neighbour, who fell or was pushed into the path of an oncoming train.

The dead man was a mere fifty, too young to have much in common with the well-heeled oldsters at the beautiful Camden-sur-Mer retirement community in southern California. His death looks like an accident, but when those ever-alert senior sleuths Angela Benbow and Caledonia Wingate discover that he was courting one of their neighbours, they can’t help hoping they’ll luck into a nice murder investigation.

A second murder confirms their suspicions that a dangerous killer is on the loose. But between Angela’s shameless curiousity and Caledonia’s blitzkrieg, a mere murderer hasn’t a chance. Unless he can eliminate them, too…

**PRAISE FOR THE BENBOW AND WINGATE MYSTERIES**

‘Sawyer’s sly sense of humor and her feisty senior citizens will delight fans of the not-so-violent mystery novel’  Publishers Weekly

‘Two likable, feisty characters make their appearance… Sawyer writes with low-key charm and wit”  The State

'Sawyer writes with wit, taste, humour and wisdom, and her plotting is impeccable'  Drood Review of Mystery

294 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 5, 2024

About the author

Corrine Holt Sawyer is the author of the Angela Benbow and Caledonia Wingate mystery series. Angela and Caledonia are "women of a certain age" living in the upscale retirement community of Camden-sur-Mer. Mystery and mayhem seem to follow the "retiring" women all over Southern California. The author of this bestselling mystery series was born in Minnesota and received her BA from the University of Minnesota in 1945. She moved to the south to attend the University of Birmingham where she received her PHD in 1954. Dr. Sawyer worked for many years in Radio and Television, teaching, writing and while at WNCT-TV in Greenville (NC), serving as director of broadcasting. In 1966, she moved from North Carolina to South Carolina, where for many years she taught English at Clemson University. Corrine Holt Sawyer continues to write the Angela and Caledonia mystery series.

Reviews

[Gwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very chatty book. Both the dialogue and the description are very much of the "tell, don't show" persuasion. Having said that, I enjoyed the setting and the characters' relationship, although some of the more comical scenes felt a bit forced.
I didn't know who the culprit was until the end, which was nice, although that's partly because it was too obvious and the ladies seemed intent on them being the murderer so I thought it was a red herring! But unlike some other cosy mysteries there actually is some sleuthing going on, not just bumbling into clues, and Caledonia does notice something that leads her to the murderer.
Better editing could have tightened up the dialogue; and during the big reveal two characters mention a murder happening "yesterday" when it was actually two days before. If a casual reader can spot that, how did both the author and the editor let it slip? When I finished the book I didn't think I'd read another in the series but I found the preview chapter for "Murder has no calories" intriguing so I might give it a go.

[Natasha O'Brien-Fernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved it. personally this one for me isn't quite as fun fuelled crime solving wit as rhe previous ones I've read in the series but still a very enjoyable quick read!

I know this series is a getting a lot of negative reviews however I do feel it's because no one seems to realise they are reading books written in the late 80s and early 90s. writing was different then. these knew bright bold covers are the new releases and I love them!

[Graham Jenkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like watching trees grow. DNF.