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Bed-and-Breakfast Mysteries #24
Vi Agra Falls
Judith's worst nightmare comes true when Vivian Flynn—husband Joe's first wife—moves back into the neighborhood, bringing along her newest spouse, Billy "Blunder" Buss, a former minor-league baseball player who is many years younger than his shop-worn bride. Still, the B&B business is going well and the newlyweds don't seem to be causing problems for the Flynns. That seemingly calm summer idyll is broken when Vivian, who has become mysteriously wealthy, announces plans to tear down her own house and the recently vacated bungalow next door so she can build a big, bad condo. Judith, along with the rest of the neighbors in the cul-de-sac, is up in arms, vowing to fight the project to the death.
Vivian's past catches up with her when Frankie Buss comes to town. Billy and Frankie's late father, elderly Oklahoma rancher Potsy Buss, was married to Vivian for nine months before dying and bequeathing her his vast wealth. Frankie Buss intends to stir the pot of gold that Potsy left his widow, and he's trying to cut a deal with Vivian and her most recent mate, Billy. Naturally, where else would Frankie and his wife, Marva Lou, stay but at Hillside Manor?
And naturally, somebody checks out . . . permanently. The "somebody" isn't a Buss family member, and turns out to be a "nobody" because the body can't be identified. To save the B&B as well as her sanity, Judith must figure out not only who did it, but who it was who was found dead in Vivian's backyard.
Vivian's past catches up with her when Frankie Buss comes to town. Billy and Frankie's late father, elderly Oklahoma rancher Potsy Buss, was married to Vivian for nine months before dying and bequeathing her his vast wealth. Frankie Buss intends to stir the pot of gold that Potsy left his widow, and he's trying to cut a deal with Vivian and her most recent mate, Billy. Naturally, where else would Frankie and his wife, Marva Lou, stay but at Hillside Manor?
And naturally, somebody checks out . . . permanently. The "somebody" isn't a Buss family member, and turns out to be a "nobody" because the body can't be identified. To save the B&B as well as her sanity, Judith must figure out not only who did it, but who it was who was found dead in Vivian's backyard.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published July 29, 2008
31 people are currently reading
500 people want to read
About the author
Mary Daheim
94 books442 followersMary Rene Richardson Daheim was an American writer of romance and mystery novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
July 30, 2011
If co-dependent protagonists are your idea of a good read, then this is a novel you'll absolutely revel in. The main character has no boundaries whatsoever with an overbearing hateful mother, a second husband who dismisses her thoughts and feelings regularly, and her husband's first wife who she allows into her life at the urging of her husband. While the title is a wonderful play on words, and (pedestrian as this sounds) the cover is chuckle worthy, this can't even be filed under summer reading. Perhaps it might serve well holding up a wobbly piece of furniture.
August 13, 2025
So many characters to keep track of and of course not everyone is who they seem. I enjoyed the story and especially the ending.
April 10, 2013
If you haven't read the first few books of this series; stop. Put this (and any subsequent books) down and go read the series from the start. If you have read the majority of the series, you can skip the next paragraph or two. they don't apply to you.
I'm seeing so many people pick up a later book in this series and give it horrible reviews because they don't understand. These are characters (Judith, Joe, Vivian, Renie, Bill, Gertrude, Deb, Arlene, Carl, etc) who have developed over 15 years in this series. Yes, Judith is usually insecure and crabby when it comes to Vivian. You would be too if the hussy who stole your baby daddy from you while he was in shock from his job by spiriting him off to a quicky wedding in Vegas and then held him hostage for 20 years in a nearly loveless marriage because your crotchety mom gave him the impression that you hated his guts and he was too much of a gentleman (or wuss at the time) to pester you.
THEN after he finally divorced her, rekindled your relationship, and FINALLY married you...a few years later, the (still hussy) ex-wife moves in next door and falls back into the same pattern of slick flirtations. Seriously. We have all known a woman or two who is so manipulative that even the strongest man can't hold out forever. THAT is Vivian Flynn Buss in this story. You can't expect to understand the dynamic from one book this late in the series, so don't even try. If you want to read this series (which has good books and bad books but mostly good, in my opinion), do it the right way. Start with one of the first two or three books and read them pretty much in order. I read #5 and #17 before I decided to start at the beginning. I almost wrote this series and author off till I did. Now I'm glad I read them in order. They make more sense and are way more enjoyable!
This installment of the Bed and Breakfast series was a return to the screwball antics I've come to love in this series. Murder, mayhem, mystery, convoluted family connections, and large doses of sarcasm and grumpiness on top of good-hearted intentions.
Gotta love Renie to the rescue! I laughed out loud in several places, especially at the end. Good ole Oscar.
I'm seeing so many people pick up a later book in this series and give it horrible reviews because they don't understand. These are characters (Judith, Joe, Vivian, Renie, Bill, Gertrude, Deb, Arlene, Carl, etc) who have developed over 15 years in this series. Yes, Judith is usually insecure and crabby when it comes to Vivian. You would be too if the hussy who stole your baby daddy from you while he was in shock from his job by spiriting him off to a quicky wedding in Vegas and then held him hostage for 20 years in a nearly loveless marriage because your crotchety mom gave him the impression that you hated his guts and he was too much of a gentleman (or wuss at the time) to pester you.
THEN after he finally divorced her, rekindled your relationship, and FINALLY married you...a few years later, the (still hussy) ex-wife moves in next door and falls back into the same pattern of slick flirtations. Seriously. We have all known a woman or two who is so manipulative that even the strongest man can't hold out forever. THAT is Vivian Flynn Buss in this story. You can't expect to understand the dynamic from one book this late in the series, so don't even try. If you want to read this series (which has good books and bad books but mostly good, in my opinion), do it the right way. Start with one of the first two or three books and read them pretty much in order. I read #5 and #17 before I decided to start at the beginning. I almost wrote this series and author off till I did. Now I'm glad I read them in order. They make more sense and are way more enjoyable!
This installment of the Bed and Breakfast series was a return to the screwball antics I've come to love in this series. Murder, mayhem, mystery, convoluted family connections, and large doses of sarcasm and grumpiness on top of good-hearted intentions.
Gotta love Renie to the rescue! I laughed out loud in several places, especially at the end. Good ole Oscar.
February 22, 2012
This one falls into the category of 'time I'll never get back'. I'm really sad about this because I've followed this series over the years and have enjoyed it. The bones of the 'mystery' are solid and the story is entertaining. But, one has to look beyond just about every character's bad or angry attitude. The main character (Judith)is cranky for most of the story. Judith's husband seems to be mad an her in their interactions. Her sidekick cousin has a crappy attitude and snaps at or practically attacks those she interacts with. Judith's mother appears to hate her daughter, calling her 'dumb' several times and Judith appears unfazed by it. The police and dispatchers are rude in their dialog with her. And, if that's not enough, there are a number of scenarios in the story that are so completely unbelievable that I found it very distracting.
I'm so sad to see this direction of the series. A cranky character or situation is poetic license but this was depressing and doesn't encourage me to move forward with the series. My hope is that Mary Daheim will back off on the doom and gloom and return to entertaining us.
I'm so sad to see this direction of the series. A cranky character or situation is poetic license but this was depressing and doesn't encourage me to move forward with the series. My hope is that Mary Daheim will back off on the doom and gloom and return to entertaining us.
July 29, 2024
I am not a fan of reading a series out of order. This book was lent to me by a friend though so I dug in even though it’s #24. It was tough at the beginning since there are so many characters that have pasts from the previous books. The mystery was interesting. The one downside was this had a lot of drama. Sometimes my tolerance is better than other times. I’m guessing today it was a tad much for me!
January 18, 2015
I found this book on the recommended reading shelf in my local library, and after reading it I am as puzzled by that as by the ratings other readers have given this book. I read a lot of mysteries, and this falls below any I have read in recent years.
Maybe I just don't like cute, but that is what this is, and sort of coy. The characters are all stock, and there are too many of them. Judith Flynn, the owner/manager of a B&B is a poor man's Jessica Fletcher, though aside from finding herself in the middle of a murder (which I gather happens in all the books in this series) has no discernible personality. She lives with an ex-cop husband, employs a religiously fanatic maid, and deals with a nasty and stupid mother who lives in a hut in the backyard.
The story is full of irritating ethnic stereotypes, which are meant to be cute but put me off. It's full of little jokes, almost all of which left me cold. The only character I enjoyed is the rabbit, Clarence.
This book is too long and the plot too convoluted. I never managed to sort it out fully in the concluding chapters when all is made clear.
If you like your mysteries on the literary side, give this a pass, and if you are looking for light-hearted fun, maybe it will work better for you than it did for me. It clearly has worked for many readers. I'm afraid I was not one of them.
Maybe I just don't like cute, but that is what this is, and sort of coy. The characters are all stock, and there are too many of them. Judith Flynn, the owner/manager of a B&B is a poor man's Jessica Fletcher, though aside from finding herself in the middle of a murder (which I gather happens in all the books in this series) has no discernible personality. She lives with an ex-cop husband, employs a religiously fanatic maid, and deals with a nasty and stupid mother who lives in a hut in the backyard.
The story is full of irritating ethnic stereotypes, which are meant to be cute but put me off. It's full of little jokes, almost all of which left me cold. The only character I enjoyed is the rabbit, Clarence.
This book is too long and the plot too convoluted. I never managed to sort it out fully in the concluding chapters when all is made clear.
If you like your mysteries on the literary side, give this a pass, and if you are looking for light-hearted fun, maybe it will work better for you than it did for me. It clearly has worked for many readers. I'm afraid I was not one of them.
June 5, 2011
I picked this one up on a whim at a USO at the airport on my way out of the country. It looked like a fun cozy mystery - pure brain candy for some long flights. The story was okay, but the characters were not very likable; they are always sniping at one another. I think the author could have easily cut more than 100 pages and still kept the story intact. There are too many random comments, unnecessary dialogue and characters, and a plot that is all over the place. I think that in order to truly appreciate this book, you would have to be a diehard fan and have read the other 23 previous books. I've read a couple of the stories in the Bed and Breakfast Mysteries series by Mary Daheim and I liked them, so perhaps I will just have to take this series in small doses. Now that I've finished the book, I understand better the double meaning of the title. Pretty funny.
May 31, 2009
Synopsis: Judith Flynn operates a bed-and-breakfast in the Seattle area and has just recently remarried her ex-husband, Joe, who is a retired detective. Things get complicated when Joe's annoying ex-wife moves in next-door with her newest trophy husband (probably about her seventh). She announces that she is going to build a big condominium building on the street and that same night, a man is found hanging from a tree in her backyard.
My Review: Apparently this is the 24th installment of this particular bed-and-breakfast mystery series. I'm a bit surprised it has made it that long to tell the truth. I found the characters annoying and the book (especially the conclusion to the mystery at the end) a bit disjointed. After this book and the previous book I listened to (Mine are Spectacular!) I'm beginning to rethink my strategy of more or less randomly choosing books to listen to.
My Review: Apparently this is the 24th installment of this particular bed-and-breakfast mystery series. I'm a bit surprised it has made it that long to tell the truth. I found the characters annoying and the book (especially the conclusion to the mystery at the end) a bit disjointed. After this book and the previous book I listened to (Mine are Spectacular!) I'm beginning to rethink my strategy of more or less randomly choosing books to listen to.
November 22, 2010
Mindless who-done-it. Simple. I'm tired of the loosely based name changes for business and places. Story was good but I'm tired of all the drivvle between the cousins. Without their stupid dialogue it would have been a much better book.
March 17, 2011
I haven't read one of these in a while, and although I miss them this one seemed a bit convoluted and didn't really add up to anything until the end.
January 24, 2015
I read it all the way through but I really don't know why. It just really didn't interest me.
January 21, 2018
I found the book when my mom was appling for the YMCA in San Pedro and I thought a bird on the cover, probably fake so I started reading and got the the fact of finishing it and it was a book with a lot of animals as the charaters, second, it seamed boreing because it was more of a stero type book/
The characters are all stock, and there are too many of them. Judith Flynn, the owner/manager of a B&B is a poor man's Jessica Fletcher, though aside from finding herself in the middle of a murder (which I gather happens in all the books in this series) has no discernible personality. She lives with an ex-cop husband, employs a religiously fanatic maid, and deals with a nasty and stupid mother who lives in a hut in the backyard.
The characters are all stock, and there are too many of them. Judith Flynn, the owner/manager of a B&B is a poor man's Jessica Fletcher, though aside from finding herself in the middle of a murder (which I gather happens in all the books in this series) has no discernible personality. She lives with an ex-cop husband, employs a religiously fanatic maid, and deals with a nasty and stupid mother who lives in a hut in the backyard.
August 5, 2022
Per usual, there is a dead body in Judith's vicinity and despite her best intentions to stay out of it, circumstances draw her in. Also per usual, Herself brings a whole lot of self-centered drama whenever she shows up. This time the dead body and Herself are connected.
I enjoy this series, however in this book, Judith is uncharacteristically short-tempered, even mean, with Joe and Renie. If she had been this curt in the last 20 books I wouldn't have continued to read the series. There were also a couple of characters that seemed to be space-fillers; had their parts been left out, it would have had no impact on the story.
I enjoy this series, however in this book, Judith is uncharacteristically short-tempered, even mean, with Joe and Renie. If she had been this curt in the last 20 books I wouldn't have continued to read the series. There were also a couple of characters that seemed to be space-fillers; had their parts been left out, it would have had no impact on the story.
June 30, 2018
Murder on the cul-de-sac! Judith has no idea who the murdered man is, then he goes missing from the morgue. Vivian, Joe's first wife is back and this a seems to come under her coming back to the cul-de-sac. With all the children and husbands that Vivian has and had, Judith is having problems sorting out everything. Since Joe is out of town and her cousin Renie is staying with Judith all is a mess!
October 24, 2018
The storyline was ok, but the characters were ridiculous. The main character, Judith, runs a B&B in Seattle. That's what intrigued me since I grew up in the Northwest. Apparently, Judith has an affinity for finding dead bodies. She is cranky as I'll get out, and her mom, who lives in a small home out back is ten times worse, not to mention her sidekick cousin Renie. The series seems fun enough, so I plan to go backwards to book one. If Judith is always this cranky, then forget it.
June 6, 2019
I've loved this author and series, and am still looking forward to more. The book was not normal for this series. Her husband and her are constantly mad at each other, her cousin was not just rude as always but extreme and mean, visiting neighbors physically hostile... the book was kind of like PMS on steroids. The cast of characters is a bit confusing as well. Although I do not think this is one of her better books, the author is talented, makes me laugh and still had a unique twist.
June 27, 2019
Don’t start the series here!
This is a great story for anyone familiar with the characters living in the cul de sac on Heraldsgate Hill, but I wouldn’t recommend it as the book to start the series with. Lots of fun and mayhem in the neighbourhood and lots of progress in the family story. Another fun read.
This is a great story for anyone familiar with the characters living in the cul de sac on Heraldsgate Hill, but I wouldn’t recommend it as the book to start the series with. Lots of fun and mayhem in the neighbourhood and lots of progress in the family story. Another fun read.
May 12, 2018
All I an really say is I finished it. The characters were crude, andJudith was a little too grouchy. Her mother??? Most of the relationship between the characters ere strange. The best part was the cover and title.
May 18, 2018
Awesome book!!
I loved this book. The characters were well developed. Mary Daheim did it again. I had no clue whodunnit. But as an added twist we don’t know the identity of the victim til the end too. A very enjoyable read.
I loved this book. The characters were well developed. Mary Daheim did it again. I had no clue whodunnit. But as an added twist we don’t know the identity of the victim til the end too. A very enjoyable read.
May 13, 2017
I loved it, the end was a little confusing but I got it!
June 8, 2020
Some of the antics really make me laugh!
July 26, 2020
This one was way too confusing to follow.
October 1, 2020
To be honest, I keep reading these because they are easy. Its like eating ramen; not awesome, probably not good for me, but fills my stomach.
October 8, 2022
enjoyed the twists and turns with multiple suspects Will their be a happy ending for the quiet street?
February 23, 2023
Quick fast paced read! Colorful characters!
April 4, 2023
About 100 pages longer than necessary and didn't explain a lot of little stuff. Like why the fashionable Armani wearing farmers felt the need to disguise themselves as hayseeds
March 20, 2024
This is the 3rd book I have read by this author and have enjoyed each one. It's mystery with humor, and I did not come close to figuring it out. Good book.
March 14, 2025
3 1/2 Stars - I enjoyed it, but there were too many characters to keep track of.
May 12, 2025
3.25 stars!!!
June 27, 2025
Judith's nightmare shows up again, it's her husband's ex. A body turns up in her backyard. Guess who has to solve the crime?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews