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Biscuit McKee Mystery #7
Gray as Ashes
Martinsville Georgia has always been a sleepy little town, where nothing much ever happens, except a few murders…
There’s a firebug in Martinsville. Town librarian Biscuit McKee isn’t too worried when a garbage bin at the grocery store is set on fire. But when it’s her beloved garden shed that goes up in flames, the fur begins to fly.
Biscuit’s feline companion Marmalade comments frequently, …
Yes, I do.
… (even though her humans think she’s only purring …
Mouse droppings!
… or sneezing). She’s as baffled by all this as her humans.
We could have some tuna. That would solve a lot.
Distracted by a visit from Peachie, an old college friend, Biscuit pays only scant attention to a third fire, but it’s hard to ignore the fourth fire and the dead body found in the charred remains of Connie Cartwright’s studio, where glass-blowing may have turned into homicide.
There’s a firebug in Martinsville. Town librarian Biscuit McKee isn’t too worried when a garbage bin at the grocery store is set on fire. But when it’s her beloved garden shed that goes up in flames, the fur begins to fly.
Biscuit’s feline companion Marmalade comments frequently, …
Yes, I do.
… (even though her humans think she’s only purring …
Mouse droppings!
… or sneezing). She’s as baffled by all this as her humans.
We could have some tuna. That would solve a lot.
Distracted by a visit from Peachie, an old college friend, Biscuit pays only scant attention to a third fire, but it’s hard to ignore the fourth fire and the dead body found in the charred remains of Connie Cartwright’s studio, where glass-blowing may have turned into homicide.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2014
1 person is currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Fran Stewart
41 books155 followersAuthor of the Biscuit McKee Mystery Series and the ScotShop Mysteries. Lives with various rescued cats beside a creek on the other side of Hog Mountain GA.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 30, 2018
Another great Biscuit McKee
Really enjoyed this one. Just hope there will soon be another. Great characters and Marmalade keeps it light hearted!! Highly recommended
Really enjoyed this one. Just hope there will soon be another. Great characters and Marmalade keeps it light hearted!! Highly recommended
April 17, 2016
Princess Fuzzypants here:
I like to do reviews for books that are coming out but I also like to go back and review books that have been out for a while.
The Biscuit McKee series is one that both Momma and I have enjoyed. The humans are very interesting but there is a beautiful ginger girl cat named Marmalade who is the star of the series.
While Biscuit tells the story in the first person, Marmalade adds her interpretation in the first purrson too. I love her little quips and asides that add so much to the books.
All the titles have colours in them and the latest one is GRAY AS ASHES. By the way, Fran Stewart writes the books. They all take place in a small town where Biscuit is the Librarian and her husband is the top cop. If mew start at the first one ORANGE AS MARMALADE and work your way through, mew will enjoy how the human relationships develop and grow. It's a mice place to visit.
Mind mew, this time, there is an arsonist on the loose and the latest fire has a dead body in the ashes. The woman who died has had a spate of bad luck or is somepawdy out to do her harm.
The weaving of the two stories is well done, going from past to present and back. The characters are well drawn and believable. It makes for an entertaining read.
One other thing that I like is that at the end of each day Biscuit and Marmalade each do their Gratitude List. It is something purrhaps we all should do more.
I am grateful that this series exists and that I have had the pleasure of reading it.
Two paws up and five rousing purrs.
I like to do reviews for books that are coming out but I also like to go back and review books that have been out for a while.
The Biscuit McKee series is one that both Momma and I have enjoyed. The humans are very interesting but there is a beautiful ginger girl cat named Marmalade who is the star of the series.
While Biscuit tells the story in the first person, Marmalade adds her interpretation in the first purrson too. I love her little quips and asides that add so much to the books.
All the titles have colours in them and the latest one is GRAY AS ASHES. By the way, Fran Stewart writes the books. They all take place in a small town where Biscuit is the Librarian and her husband is the top cop. If mew start at the first one ORANGE AS MARMALADE and work your way through, mew will enjoy how the human relationships develop and grow. It's a mice place to visit.
Mind mew, this time, there is an arsonist on the loose and the latest fire has a dead body in the ashes. The woman who died has had a spate of bad luck or is somepawdy out to do her harm.
The weaving of the two stories is well done, going from past to present and back. The characters are well drawn and believable. It makes for an entertaining read.
One other thing that I like is that at the end of each day Biscuit and Marmalade each do their Gratitude List. It is something purrhaps we all should do more.
I am grateful that this series exists and that I have had the pleasure of reading it.
Two paws up and five rousing purrs.
July 5, 2015
Gray as Ashes is the seventh book in this colorful mystery series. I have not read the other six, but the story was interesting by itself. The characters are likeable, and the action is interesting. I do plan to read the other books in this series because this book was enjoyable, and I'd like to know more about these characters.
I would have rated this book much higher, but a gaping plot hole was very annoying. The murderer was very methodical in planning revenge in the years leading up to the murder, but there is no mention of the second victim in any of diary type entries through which the reader sees the murderer's plotting. There is no explanation of how the murderer and the victim happened to be in the same place at the same time, or why the murderer was provoked into the initial assault. In fact, the second assault/murder is never explained. The reader knows when and how the victim died, but the why is never even alluded to. The second death seems to serve NO purpose other than to get law enforcement to arrive at the climatic confrontation in a timely manner.
The acknowledgements mentioned that there had been significant editing. Perhaps the circumstances providing the motivation for the second attack were deleted in the editorial process.
I would have rated this book much higher, but a gaping plot hole was very annoying. The murderer was very methodical in planning revenge in the years leading up to the murder, but there is no mention of the second victim in any of diary type entries through which the reader sees the murderer's plotting. There is no explanation of how the murderer and the victim happened to be in the same place at the same time, or why the murderer was provoked into the initial assault. In fact, the second assault/murder is never explained. The reader knows when and how the victim died, but the why is never even alluded to. The second death seems to serve NO purpose other than to get law enforcement to arrive at the climatic confrontation in a timely manner.
The acknowledgements mentioned that there had been significant editing. Perhaps the circumstances providing the motivation for the second attack were deleted in the editorial process.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews