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Fiddle Dee Death
Mystery among the moonlight and the magnolias . . . OK, forget the magnolias. It's the end of December, after all, and frost silvers South Carolina's Low Country. But Pinckney Plantation is still open for visitors who want to see the pride of Indigo Island. The old house claims a long history-or so says the script the tour guides go by. What the script leaves out are the doors that apparently unlock themselves, the flickering lights, the sound of ghostly footsteps. And the dead body. The corpse is a new addition. Who is he? And what was he doing at Pinckney? And did he fall, or was he pushed? These are among the questions that puzzle the self-appointed detective trio of cousins thrown together for the holidays. Revelations about ruthless developers, secretive landowners, and family scandals are interspersed with hilarious samples of Southern manners before the cousins finally piece together the puzzle.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2003
68 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 4, 2020
It's a cute little Southern mystery, written by 3 cousins and set in the South Carolina low country.
January 7, 2009
I picked this book up for two reasons-- I have a strange passion about reading lowcountry authors, and the title made me chuckle. What amazed me most about the book was that the writing, which I am told was done by three separate women, was actually pretty seamless-- no jarring of styles etc. I wonder if the authors, sisters and cousins in real life, finish each other's sentences when talking together.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Mystery among the moonlight and the magnolias . . .
OK, forget the magnolias. It's the end of December, after all, and frost silvers South Carolina's Low Country. But Pinckney Plantation is still open for visitors who want to see the pride of Indigo Island. The old house claims a long history-or so says the script the tour guides go by.
What the script leaves out are the doors that apparently unlock themselves, the flickering lights, the sound of ghostly footsteps. And the dead body.
The corpse is a new addition. Who is he? And what was he doing at Pinckney? And did he fall, or was he pushed?
These are among the questions that puzzle the self-appointed detective trio of cousins thrown together for the holidays. Revelations about ruthless developers, secretive landowners, and family scandals are interspersed with hilarious samples of Southern manners before the cousins finally piece together the puzzle.
Author Bio: Caroline Cousins is a pseudonym for Meg Herndon, her sister Gail Greer, and Nancy Pate, their one-and-a-half first cousin (their mamas are sisters and their daddies are first cousins). Meg, a former elementary-school teacher, and Gail, a floral designer and former plantation tour guide, live in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Nancy, book critic for the Orlando Sentinel, lives in Orlando, Florida.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Mystery among the moonlight and the magnolias . . .
OK, forget the magnolias. It's the end of December, after all, and frost silvers South Carolina's Low Country. But Pinckney Plantation is still open for visitors who want to see the pride of Indigo Island. The old house claims a long history-or so says the script the tour guides go by.
What the script leaves out are the doors that apparently unlock themselves, the flickering lights, the sound of ghostly footsteps. And the dead body.
The corpse is a new addition. Who is he? And what was he doing at Pinckney? And did he fall, or was he pushed?
These are among the questions that puzzle the self-appointed detective trio of cousins thrown together for the holidays. Revelations about ruthless developers, secretive landowners, and family scandals are interspersed with hilarious samples of Southern manners before the cousins finally piece together the puzzle.
Author Bio: Caroline Cousins is a pseudonym for Meg Herndon, her sister Gail Greer, and Nancy Pate, their one-and-a-half first cousin (their mamas are sisters and their daddies are first cousins). Meg, a former elementary-school teacher, and Gail, a floral designer and former plantation tour guide, live in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Nancy, book critic for the Orlando Sentinel, lives in Orlando, Florida.
August 25, 2008
"The second day after Christmas, Margaret Ann Matthews (aka "Mam") and her cousin Lindsey Fox go to Pinckney Plantation, built in 1840 and the pride of the island, to watch Mam's 16-year-old daughter Cissy, dressed in a historic costume of Pinckney purple made by Mam from material purchased at Wal-Mart, give a tour to the state historical society. When Mam and Lindsey are locking up after everyone has left, they discover a body at the bottom of the stairs. Once Mam's sister, Bonnie, arrives for a visit, the three begin to investigate, even before they decide whether green is appropriate to wear to a funeral. As the year draws to a close, the sleuths unearth the plots and schemes of some of Indigo's prominent citizens, a few family secrets and Lindsey's old boyfriend. "
This was bad. Too many mini plots unresolved…Too many characters. Very poor editing. Didn’t like this at all. Either did my fellow book club members.
This was bad. Too many mini plots unresolved…Too many characters. Very poor editing. Didn’t like this at all. Either did my fellow book club members.
March 13, 2013
Lindsey Fox and her cousin "Mam" go to Pinckney Plantation, an antebellum mansion located on Indigo Island, South Carolina, to watch their niece give a tour to the state historical society. They are locking up after everyone has left, and discover the body of the head of the historical society at the bottom of the stairs. Mam's sister, Bonnie, arrives for a visit, and the three begin to investigate. The sleuths uncover a few family secrets and someone doesn't want the secrets told. Lindsey's old boyfriend is the local police chief and he seems to want to rekindle their romance. The mystery isn't really that mysterious and the humor is a little too trite but I liked the characters and the story moves right along. Not great but it's OK.
August 7, 2012
Journalist Lindsey Fox is visiting her family for Christmas on Indigo Island when she and her cousin Mam, who lives there, stumble over a corpse. This leads to the further discovery that the new sheriff's deputy is Lindsey's long-ago secret boyfriend, who seems ready to take up where they left off twenty years ago. Mam's sister Bonnie, an environmental lawyer, flies in on business and decides to help the others with their sleuthing, which involves them in decades-old family secrets and danger.
May 11, 2009
This was a cute book. The book is written by three cousins. There were some slow parts but I enjoyed it b/c it took place in the south. Although this book is supposed to be a mystery there was not alot of suspense. The book was entertaining with all the various characters.
June 29, 2013
Read this several years ago. Remember it as an enjoyable, quick read; light but not too silly. (I don't usually go for silly.) The local descriptions were accurate. I've also read another in the series (Marsh Madness).
November 19, 2008
This is just a fun series.
April 29, 2009
Pretty good southern mystery. It was fun to read this one while on vacation in South Carolina.
November 3, 2009
my review is on my blog
http://scifisstrs.blogspot.com/
http://scifisstrs.blogspot.com/
June 1, 2012
Fun quick read. Not much depth. I agree with another review I read on this site that commented about how well the writing came together despite having 3 different authors. Seamless for sure!
March 4, 2015
A Southern murder mystery - with the laughs and detective work one expects! Would make a great summer beach read!
October 9, 2015
Reading all three of her books, takes place in S.C. antebellum times with plantations, murder, sisters who are way too snoopy for their own good.
April 2, 2016
Loved it. I want more by these authors.
June 17, 2016
I enjoy these quick little mysteries set in the Lowcountry and the cast of quirky characters.
July 24, 2009
Read for Mystery Book Club 10/2004
September 21, 2011
I enjoyed this 1st in series about the Southern amateur detective cousins...very entertaining.
November 5, 2011
Cute, fun book.
January 20, 2012
someone is found at the bottom of the stairs in a Low Country plantation
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews