Stomped

OWL Ladies Cozy Mystery #2

by Bessie Barr

326 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 10, 2026

About the author

You found me! I'm Bessie!

I love reading and writing, particularly with a cup of Lady Grey tea and an orange-glazed scone. This word-loving discovery started as a youngster. Picture this: 8 years old. A quiet corner of a quiet room. Beanbag. Thunderstorm booming. My first mystery. A brother and sister crime-solving duo, attempting to scale the slippery stone walls of an old, spooky estate. I was hooked!

I still love a good cozy mystery. And so, I naturally leaned into this genre as my life pivoted to allow more creativity!

Also, I am a wife to my highschool sweetheart, mom to 3 adult kids, and groveling attendant to 2 entitled cats and a wet-nose-nudging dog. I am blessed to call the beach my home & thankful for the creativity it spurs. Many a plot develops at the rising of the Texas sun over the gulf coast— just saying!

I hope you love Bessie Barr Cozy Mysteries as much as I love writing them!

Find my Facebook Bessie Barr Books for a F•R•E•E novella!

Reviews

[Randee Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is supposed to be a friendly square dance competition to celebrate Valentine’s Day turns into a murder investigation when Amos Pruitt is found dead behind the Magnolia House the next morning. Amos might not have been the most well-liked person in McKinney, Texas, but he was good at calling a square dance. He was also good at snooping on his neighbors and publicly embarrassing them—which is what he did to Tillie at the square dance just mere hours before he was murdered. With Tillie and her husband at the top of the suspect list, the OWL Ladies make it their personal mission to find the killer and finish uncovering the dirt on their neighbors that Amos died while trying to dig up.

STOMPED is a boot-stomping good time of a mystery. Amos Pruitt isn’t the most sympathetic of victims. In fact, the townspeople of McKinney might be better off without Amos and his constant surveillance. But one of the OWL Ladies is at the top of the suspect list—with her husband right behind her—and that’s enough to drive our group of amateur investigators, one determined cat, and the readers to find the murderer. The cat was my favorite character, but I also really enjoyed the dix members of the OWL Ladies. They are a variety of ages and come from different backgrounds/social situations, and their alternating perspectives give the reader a thorough look at the investigations, the suspects, and the other main characters. I look forward to their next case.

Thanks to the author and Book Sprout for the complimentary ARC.

[Laure · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these ladies!

In the early 1900's, Mckinney Texas is a small town getting ready to celebrate Valentin's Day. The town square is decorated, and the Ladies Aid Society has organized a Square-Dance competition that will last three nights. Amos Pruitt the dance caller is someone that no one really likes, is tolerated, and has been digging into a situation that concerns the entire town. His dead body is discovered the morning after the first night's dance, behind Magnolia House, and Minnie Mae with the rest of the OWL Ladies will have to prove someone they trust is not a murderer.
This is a must-read historical mystery that made me chuckle. Some surprising twists and turns in the plot, a group of lady investigators, and a cat that has a whole town eating out of his paws, will step up and solve a murder and mystery that has left the entire town reeling. These are all beautifully written, compassionate when they need to be, but tough as nails women who keep the town where they live safe in their own way, and their men in line. (Although I'm pretty sure most of those men don't even realize that they are being handled:) I loved this book and recommend it to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary ARC provided by Book Sprout.

[Marseydoats · Rating 4 out of 5]

The OWL ladies are busy decorating for the square dance and doing a little match making as well. Amos Pruitt has been calling the square dance for 22 years, a fact he continually throws in everyone's face. He is not a nice man.
The new school teacher is an excellent instructor, but she's nervous, and hiding something.
The town busy bodies, Loretta and Augusta, are in rare form, sniping over every inconsequential thing they can find.
Amos purposefully upset Tillie during the square dance, and she runs away. Her square is given to the nasty Augusta and her husband.
Amos is found dead the next morning, and Tillie and her husband are suspects.
Minnie Mae and her pals work to find the real killer.
I absolutely loved Opal's relationship with Huck, the cat!
I received an ARC of this in exchange for a review. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful read, blending historical intrigue and a cozy mystery, set against the bustling backdrop of the early 1900s. This book took me back to the 1900s, with horse-drawn carriages, gas lamps, and whispered scandals, all wrapped in the era's genteel manners. The story follows the sharp-witted amateur sleuths of the OWL ladies, whose curiosity and keen sense of justice lead them into the heart of the investigation.

This book balanced lighthearted humor with genuine suspense. This mystery was cleverly plotted with plenty of red herrings to keep me guessing until the final reveal. The story was peppered with period details that made the setting feel authentic without bogging down the pace. The characters are delightful, from the quick-tongued protagonist to the quirky townsfolk, each of them adding depth and charm to the story.

[Mrs K.Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stomped is a Superb story and series about Minnie Mae Harper and her Husband Jack Harper. The town is holding Ladies Aid Society Valentine Day Square Dance- a-Thon. Amos Pruitt was doing the calling for the dancing. After the second day Amos was found dead behind Magnolia House Sheriff Knox and Deputy Deuce Dill come to investigate. Minnie Mae and her friends are known as the OWL ladies and they are also looking for pieces of this puzzle as a friend is under suspicion. But what will be uncovered and can they discover the truth?
I enjoyed reading this story very much and I highly recommend that you read this book and series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Linda K Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining and kept me turning pages. I enjoyed the interactions between characters and emotional Tillie (especially her outcome at the end of the story.) Let's square dance for Valentines! A fun and engrossing story and a wonderful cat Huck. What a very observant and heroic cat. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Another good cozy murder mystery read whether a young or young at heart.

[Marsha Asquith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book in The OWL Ladies Cozy Mystery Series by Bessie Barr.

Set in McKinney, TX in 1900, wonderful characters, good mystery and a cat nobody owns but everyone feeds.

Minnie Mae and the OWL Ladies are getting ready for the Valentine Square Dance 3 day Hoedown.

People from other counties are coming in and it's going to be great for McKinney.

That is until the Square dance caller Amos Pruitt is found dead the morning of the second day of the event.

Night before he embarrassed several people right there in the middle of the square in front of everyone. Including Tillie.

With no real alibi, Sheriff Knox had to look and consider anyone that Amos had put in an embarrassing situation.

A few of those people mean a lot to The OWL Ladies and they set out to find out what happened to Amos.

With all the out of towners, locals there are many options for suspects.

Can The OWL Ladies figure out who is responsible for the murder before they hop that Northbound Train and get away with murder?

I highly recommend this book and this series.