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Miss Fortune Mystery #6
Soldiers of Fortune
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jana DeLeon, the sixth installment in the bestselling Miss Fortune series.
When Celia Arceneaux was elected mayor of Sinful, Louisiana, Fortune Redding expected trouble. The woman has an unmatched talent for making the worst of any situation, especially if it means getting revenge on her sworn enemies Ida Belle and Gertie.
At the Fourth of July celebration, an explosion rocks Sinful and it’s not from fireworks. Most people assume it was a moonshine still, but when evidence points to a meth lab deep in the bayous of Sinful, Fortune realizes how dire the situation is for the tiny town. With Carter on medical leave and no one left at the sheriff’s department who can handle the investigation, Fortune, Ida Belle, and Gertie decide to take matters into their own hands.
This is (another) mission for Swamp Team 3.
When Celia Arceneaux was elected mayor of Sinful, Louisiana, Fortune Redding expected trouble. The woman has an unmatched talent for making the worst of any situation, especially if it means getting revenge on her sworn enemies Ida Belle and Gertie.
At the Fourth of July celebration, an explosion rocks Sinful and it’s not from fireworks. Most people assume it was a moonshine still, but when evidence points to a meth lab deep in the bayous of Sinful, Fortune realizes how dire the situation is for the tiny town. With Carter on medical leave and no one left at the sheriff’s department who can handle the investigation, Fortune, Ida Belle, and Gertie decide to take matters into their own hands.
This is (another) mission for Swamp Team 3.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 15, 2015
1478 people are currently reading
1524 people want to read
About the author
Jana Deleon
133 books4,296 followersNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jana DeLeon was raised in southwest Louisiana among the bayous and gators. Her hometown is Carlyss, but you probably won't find it on a map. Her family owned a camp located on a bayou just off the Gulf of Mexico that you could only get there by boat. The most important feature was the rope hammock hanging in the shade on a huge deck that stretched out over the water where Jana spent many hours reading books.
Jana and her brother spent thousands of hours combing the bayous in a flat-bottom aluminum boat, studying the natural habitat of many birds, nutria and alligators. She would like you to know that no animals were injured during these "studies," but they kept makers of peroxide in business.
Jana has never stumbled across a mystery or a ghost like her heroines, but she's still hopeful.
She now resides in Dallas, Texas, with the most spoiled Sheltie in the world.
Jana and her brother spent thousands of hours combing the bayous in a flat-bottom aluminum boat, studying the natural habitat of many birds, nutria and alligators. She would like you to know that no animals were injured during these "studies," but they kept makers of peroxide in business.
Jana has never stumbled across a mystery or a ghost like her heroines, but she's still hopeful.
She now resides in Dallas, Texas, with the most spoiled Sheltie in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 514 reviews
December 4, 2017
If you are looking for a light, humorous and just plain fun mystery series, this is one you have got to read. Nothing deep, nothing serious. You get escapist entertainment at its' best. The books take place within days of each other and the adventures of Fortune and friends as Swamp Team 3 are just hilarious.
We pick up this book with Fortune, Ida Belle and Gertie just days after they put a gun running gang out of business in Sinful, LA and Celia Arceneaux, arch enemy of the Sinful Ladies Society, has been elected mayor and everyone is expecting trouble. During the Fourth of July celebration, an explosion rocks Sinful and it’s not from fireworks. The general assumption is that it was a moonshine still, but when evidence points to a meth lab explosion, Swamp Team 3 takes the investigation deep in the bayous of Sinful. Since Carter is on doctor's orders to rest and Celia has fired Sheriff Lee and installed her nasty cousin, Nelson, the Team and concerned allies take on the investigation.
We pick up this book with Fortune, Ida Belle and Gertie just days after they put a gun running gang out of business in Sinful, LA and Celia Arceneaux, arch enemy of the Sinful Ladies Society, has been elected mayor and everyone is expecting trouble. During the Fourth of July celebration, an explosion rocks Sinful and it’s not from fireworks. The general assumption is that it was a moonshine still, but when evidence points to a meth lab explosion, Swamp Team 3 takes the investigation deep in the bayous of Sinful. Since Carter is on doctor's orders to rest and Celia has fired Sheriff Lee and installed her nasty cousin, Nelson, the Team and concerned allies take on the investigation.
March 6, 2018
It may be time to take a little break from this series. Fortune, Ida Belle, and Gertie still find themselves in the most ludicrous situations, always worthy of a chuckle or two, but the lying to Carter and having a laugh at his expense is getting old. It made sense in the beginning if you tilted your head and squinted really hard but this is book six now and the gag has worn thin. It also feels like insulting and disrespectful treatment of someone these three ladies profess to care about. So, I'm deducting points and taking a vacation from Sinful, Louisiana.
June 9, 2015
Can't wait for another Swamp Team 3 to come out. I am totally attached to these ladies!
April 3, 2015
I loved being back in Sinful with these gals. I have to say, at 50%, I was laughing out loud! This has one of the funniest scenes in the whole series.
July 13, 2016
Fun
I really enjoyed this book and the series. Great characters. Laugh out loud humor, lots of action and did I say unique characters??
I really enjoyed this book and the series. Great characters. Laugh out loud humor, lots of action and did I say unique characters??
August 23, 2016
fun summer read, still love the characters. However this mystery was a bit more obviously solved than previous ones.
March 1, 2026
Such a fun series. This was a very quick, easy, and entertaining read.
June 17, 2023
These are great books. Absolutely goofy and will make you laugh. I love the characters. This is number 6 in the series and they are best read in sequence.
August 29, 2019
Soldiers of Fortune by Jana Deleon is the 6th book in the Miss Fortune mystery series. An explosion in the bayou with flying body parts at the 4th of July celebrations, sees Fortune, ida Belle and Gertie investigate the location of a meth lab in Sinful. Another very entertaining and fun book in the series. It is nice to be purely entertained by the very funny adventures of this group. Lots of action and plenty of laughs. Listening to the audible version adds to the enjoyment as the narrator is excellent.
January 18, 2021
I really enjoy these cozy mysteries audiobooks. They’re a bit on the predictable side, but I find that refreshing considering the chaos in the world. I look forward to discovering what kind of trouble Ida Mae, Gertie, and Fortune are going to get into. Swamp Team 3 always puts a smile on my face.
February 28, 2017
The sixth book in the Miss Fortune Mystery series by Jana Deleon. Sinful, Louisiana has a new Mayor, that is until the poll audit is done. Celia Arceneaux has taken her Mayor duties seriously and has decided to clean up the sheriff's department. She installs a shady individual, her cousin, Nelson, as temporary sheriff. Meanwhile, there has been an explosion nearby that the sheriff's department isn't investigating. So Swamp Team 3 are on the job. Deputy Carter LeBlanc is on medical leave and is suppose to be taking it easy. But he is doing his own investigation to find out what happened.
I keep saying it but this is such a fun series. The characters are quirky and hilarious. I love this series and I wish the author could write faster! lol
I keep saying it but this is such a fun series. The characters are quirky and hilarious. I love this series and I wish the author could write faster! lol
June 8, 2023
so fun
Big fan of the Miss Fortune cozies because they are completely ridiculous. So much fun to read! Especially if you want a complete break from reality for a little while!
Big fan of the Miss Fortune cozies because they are completely ridiculous. So much fun to read! Especially if you want a complete break from reality for a little while!
July 13, 2025
This series has become one of my top favorites. They don't always have the strongest mystery to them but reading about Fortune, Ida Belle, and Gertie on the case is guaranteed to give you many good laughs. I had to pull out the tissues last night finishing this one because I was laughing so hard tears were pouring down my face. Moving on the next book, Hurricane Force.
June 12, 2017
Love the characters in this series...why doesn't someone make a sit com of these books??? They are funny and entertaining.
July 25, 2018
Still funny. Still action packed. Still corny. All good!
April 3, 2018
Soldiers of Fortune by Jana Deleon was another chaotic and hair raising adventure with Fortune, Ida Belle and Gertie. Then there is the new mayor of Sinful, Ceiia, who causes more trouble for the three ladies. Fortune, Ida Belle and Gertie team up with Big and Little Hebert this time to track down a meth lab hidden in the bayou. Again I laughed until I cried during some of the scenes and didn't put the book down until I finished it. I've already got the rest of the series on "hold" at my local library.
November 16, 2025
Hilarious! Love this series tons!
January 10, 2023
Not believable but super fun.
October 28, 2019
So freaking funny!!! Soldiers of Fortune is book 6 in the Miss Fortune Mystery series. This series is set in Sinful, Louisiana, USA and follows Fortune, who is a CIA assassin in hiding, and old ladies Gertie and Ida Belle, who are lifelong Sinful residents and ex-spy war veterans, as they help solve a string of various crimes and murders.
This book and the entire series is full of humor. I stumbled across these books when I decided to check out a new-to-me genre called Cozy Mysteries and someone recommended this series. Once I listened to the first book, I couldn't stop. I have been listening to all of the books back to back.
In Soldiers of Fortune, a meth lab explodes in the bayou. The ladies jump into action to try to solve the case while Carter is supposed to still be on medical leave after someone tried to kill him in the last book. Also, the votes are being recounted for the new town mayor because Celia won the election but someone had stuffed the ballot boxes, but in the meantime, Celia is in control and as expected, she is a nightmare and causing more problems than anything else.
There was a point in this book where I was laughing so hard that I had to keep rewinding so I wouldn't miss anything and finally had to pause it to get myself under control.
I recommend this series and suggest that you read each book in order as it builds upon the prior story and makes everything that much more entertaining and enjoyable. If you like your books with a nice dose of humor, this is the series for you. I have found myself laughing out loud too many times to count.
The narrator does a good job and I really like that it is the same narrator for each of the books.
This book and the entire series is full of humor. I stumbled across these books when I decided to check out a new-to-me genre called Cozy Mysteries and someone recommended this series. Once I listened to the first book, I couldn't stop. I have been listening to all of the books back to back.
In Soldiers of Fortune, a meth lab explodes in the bayou. The ladies jump into action to try to solve the case while Carter is supposed to still be on medical leave after someone tried to kill him in the last book. Also, the votes are being recounted for the new town mayor because Celia won the election but someone had stuffed the ballot boxes, but in the meantime, Celia is in control and as expected, she is a nightmare and causing more problems than anything else.
There was a point in this book where I was laughing so hard that I had to keep rewinding so I wouldn't miss anything and finally had to pause it to get myself under control.
I recommend this series and suggest that you read each book in order as it builds upon the prior story and makes everything that much more entertaining and enjoyable. If you like your books with a nice dose of humor, this is the series for you. I have found myself laughing out loud too many times to count.
The narrator does a good job and I really like that it is the same narrator for each of the books.
March 17, 2015
4 stars
I have so much fun reading this series. I liked Soldiers of Fortune. I laughed so hard at some of these situation that they get into. So much drama, action and mystery. It is also a clean read.
The characters are such a wide range of characters. Fortune is the main character. She is a CIA Assassin hiding in the small town of Sinful, Louisiana. As a yankee who inherited her Aunts house.
She is hiding because a gun runner put a contract out on her and a mole in the CIA gave them her real name.
Ida Belle and Gertie are not your average senior citizens. They were spies during Vietnam War. They still have lots of skills and try to solve the town problems. They are the only ones who know what and who Fortune is.
There is a new Mayor in town. She has fired the sheriff and put her own relative in town that no one likes or trusts. Carter is still out on sick leave. A bomb goes off in the swamp most people think it was a still that exploded. But really a meth lab. No one is investigating. So the three of them start to investigate on the side.
If you like good snappy dialog and funny situations with strong characters pick up A Miss Fortune Mystery.
I so want Carter to find out the truth but don't know how things will work out for them
I bought this book from Amazon.
Review first published on readalot
I have so much fun reading this series. I liked Soldiers of Fortune. I laughed so hard at some of these situation that they get into. So much drama, action and mystery. It is also a clean read.
The characters are such a wide range of characters. Fortune is the main character. She is a CIA Assassin hiding in the small town of Sinful, Louisiana. As a yankee who inherited her Aunts house.
She is hiding because a gun runner put a contract out on her and a mole in the CIA gave them her real name.
Ida Belle and Gertie are not your average senior citizens. They were spies during Vietnam War. They still have lots of skills and try to solve the town problems. They are the only ones who know what and who Fortune is.
There is a new Mayor in town. She has fired the sheriff and put her own relative in town that no one likes or trusts. Carter is still out on sick leave. A bomb goes off in the swamp most people think it was a still that exploded. But really a meth lab. No one is investigating. So the three of them start to investigate on the side.
If you like good snappy dialog and funny situations with strong characters pick up A Miss Fortune Mystery.
I so want Carter to find out the truth but don't know how things will work out for them
I bought this book from Amazon.
Review first published on readalot
March 29, 2015
Jana Deleon's Sinful LA series continues the madness of Mudbug, and gives good cause for a laugh or six. Make sure you've finished your snack, and taken a trip to the necessary, because early in you'll wished you had! I won't touch on the plot itself, but consider an early situation: our friend the 'just past her prime' speed demon (Ida Belle), an airboat & incomplete forethought to personal safety when she lets that sucker rip! That's followed by our other stalwart (Gertie) who thinks a glitter spandex swimsuit is the perfect attire when having Ida Belle use said airboat to pull her on an inflatable float -- an alligator float -- through the bayou & back to the dock. Well, that's the way it was supposed to work, but there were yellow jackets, an increase in speed, a cut across the bow of a bass boat, a snapped towline. Oh, my, I guess it's lucky that the gentlemen on the bank had been fishing & Gertie landed on their styrofoam cooler full of fish. It may be one of the few times in history when landing on a pile of fish is a good thing! This is less than halfway through the story. There are a couple of later really good situatons that bring to mind one of Ida Belle' favorites: if I think too hard on it, I'll have to bleach my eyeballs to get it out of my mind! If you like Jana Deleon, you'll like this Miss Fortune mystery....you have been warned!
April 7, 2015
Gerdie, Ida Belle, Fortune & an airboat.....priceless! Another mystery for Fortune that left me laughing my a$$ off! My only disappointment was that it ended too quickly. I'm ready for Swamp Team 3's next adventure!
June 30, 2016
Não fui lá muito seduzida pelo caso do laboratório de metanfetamínas que explodiu, mas claro que a equipa Swamp Team 3 soube lidar com o assunto bem e com muito humor. Aquela Celia apronta cada uma...
March 30, 2015
Love this series. Great to catch up with Fortune, Ida Belle, and Gertie.
May 11, 2015
Loved laughing with this gang again, they are FUN!!
September 21, 2016
This was a decent mystery with a lot of humor. The supporting older lady characters are great!
August 16, 2021
16 Aug 2021
1. It's book 6 so we're just going to dive right into plot here. Fortune finds herself in the middle of yet another small town murder when someone is attacked with a severed leg. Celia is mayor and she is determined to make life hard for people. There may be a meth lab somewhere. Investigation occurs.
2. Carter is a lot less annoying in this book, probably because the narrative doesn't want him to be superhumanly competent and he's just as quirky as all the rest of the people in this weird ass town, Fortune included. The two of them actually had some good moments and heart-to-hearts and this was the book where I grudgingly accepted the ship.
3. Sinful's ridiculous supporting cast get their time to shine again. These people are wonderful. We should have more regulars so that every book is just one entry in small town diaries: criminally quirky.
4. From the past couple of books I read, I had a hunch that the barely there characters introduced by name who were only going to be there in like two scenes were going to be the culprits. And sure enough, I was right.
5. The mafia guys should be around more. After Swamp Team 3 they are the most interesting people in this series.
6. We're still going on about how Fortune is so hot but doesn't realize it and I am very tired of that narrative next please.
1. It's book 6 so we're just going to dive right into plot here. Fortune finds herself in the middle of yet another small town murder when someone is attacked with a severed leg. Celia is mayor and she is determined to make life hard for people. There may be a meth lab somewhere. Investigation occurs.
2. Carter is a lot less annoying in this book, probably because the narrative doesn't want him to be superhumanly competent and he's just as quirky as all the rest of the people in this weird ass town, Fortune included. The two of them actually had some good moments and heart-to-hearts and this was the book where I grudgingly accepted the ship.
3. Sinful's ridiculous supporting cast get their time to shine again. These people are wonderful. We should have more regulars so that every book is just one entry in small town diaries: criminally quirky.
4. From the past couple of books I read, I had a hunch that the barely there characters introduced by name who were only going to be there in like two scenes were going to be the culprits. And sure enough, I was right.
5. The mafia guys should be around more. After Swamp Team 3 they are the most interesting people in this series.
6. We're still going on about how Fortune is so hot but doesn't realize it and I am very tired of that narrative next please.
October 28, 2022
In this sixth entry to the series, our heroine is having fewer problems keeping her activities (and those of her senior conspirators) hidden from her favorite deputy sheriff since he is on sick leave. The newly elected mayor has appointed a singularly unqualified new sheriff and Fortune finds herself in league with the local mob in trying to keep meth labs out of her new small town setting. As always there are some laugh out loud moments, if not quite as many as in some of the other books. But, I'll keep plowing through the series because it's nice to have some light humorous stories with strong women of all ages.
March 17, 2020
2020 bk 95. I was still tired from reading book #5 when I started this one, but oh boy did the fussing and fuming get through to me when Celia Arceneaux is elected the mayor of Sinful. Celia blames everything on Fortune and keeps trying to have Fortune arrested. Then when there is an explosion on the bayou and it is discovered the cause was not a still but meth lab, well, the trio cannot sit back and watch Celia's minions mess with their town. Warning: Do not eat soup while reading this book. Just saying.
October 8, 2018
Somehow I ended up reading two light-hearted series about women in the CIA who have to hide out in small towns because some bad guy wants to kill them. They learn how to cope with the "real" world, make friends and stumble over lots of dead bodies. Neither series has a lot of profanity and so far there's no sex. I'm enjoying both of them and don't really have a favorite. I like the two senior-citizen lady side kicks in this one, and the fact that romance is definitely on the back burner.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 514 reviews