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Branigan Powers Mystery #1
The Cantaloupe Thief
Too many people are staying silent about a ten-year-old murder case--it's time for reporter Branigan Powers to investigate
Branigan Powers knows a good story when she sees one--and the ten--year--old cold case of wealthy Alberta Grambling Resnick's murder definitely makes the cut. Resnick was stabbed in her home after she let it slip that she was planning to change her will. There are plenty of suspects in the death of the matriarch of the town's founding family, but the killer has never been caught.
Now Branigan must do some serious digging to get her story. She knows the town's homeless community might have seen something; she also knows that the local cops wouldn't have thought of questioning these often--invisible people. There's a big problem, though; as Branigan starts digging, the homeless start dying. When her twin brother, a long--time addict, gets involved, the consequences of her investigation may hit a little too close to home.
Set in the fictional small town of Grambling, Georgia, The Cantaloupe Thief is the first in a new mystery series by Deb Richardson--Moore. The author is herself a former journalist and works extensively with the homeless, lending weight to the portrayal of a believable and engaging whodunit.
Branigan Powers knows a good story when she sees one--and the ten--year--old cold case of wealthy Alberta Grambling Resnick's murder definitely makes the cut. Resnick was stabbed in her home after she let it slip that she was planning to change her will. There are plenty of suspects in the death of the matriarch of the town's founding family, but the killer has never been caught.
Now Branigan must do some serious digging to get her story. She knows the town's homeless community might have seen something; she also knows that the local cops wouldn't have thought of questioning these often--invisible people. There's a big problem, though; as Branigan starts digging, the homeless start dying. When her twin brother, a long--time addict, gets involved, the consequences of her investigation may hit a little too close to home.
Set in the fictional small town of Grambling, Georgia, The Cantaloupe Thief is the first in a new mystery series by Deb Richardson--Moore. The author is herself a former journalist and works extensively with the homeless, lending weight to the portrayal of a believable and engaging whodunit.
288 pages, Paperback
First published June 27, 2016
15 people are currently reading
452 people want to read
About the author
Deb Richardson-Moore
7 books147 followers Deb Richardson-Moore is a former journalist and former pastor of a church whose parishioners included homeless people. Those experiences combined in her first four books -- a 2012 memoir about her early years at the Triune Mercy Center, and the three-book Branigan Powers mystery series featuring a news reporter and a homeless man.
She has now turned to darker domestic thrillers with the release of "Murder, Forgotten" in 2020.
Deb lives in Greenville, SC, with her husband. They are the parents of three adult children.
(Author's photo by Susan Hood)
She has now turned to darker domestic thrillers with the release of "Murder, Forgotten" in 2020.
Deb lives in Greenville, SC, with her husband. They are the parents of three adult children.
(Author's photo by Susan Hood)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
February 22, 2017
Deb Richardson-Moore’s debut fiction novel The Cantaloupe Thief is a fantastic example of the classic advice to “write what you know”. A former journalist, Deb is now a pastor who has works with the homeless. In The Cantaloupe Thief, we see the merging of each of these worlds … as well as a stellar mystery that will keep surprising you.
I love how the details of the cold-case murder are revealed in layers, sometimes through chapters that put us at the scene ten years ago and sometimes through interviews with people who are somehow involved. This helps the mystery to continue being “mysterious” as well as letting us the readers become amateur detectives of a sort along with newspaper reporter Branigan Powers. And while we’re all trying to figure out the cold case, more murders keep piling up in the present day. Related? Maybe. Maybe not.
The Cantaloupe Thief is part cozy mystery, part southern fiction, and part eye-opener. The cozy mystery and southern fiction aspects are fairly obvious – amateur sleuth, loyal pet, small town in Georgia. But Deb Richardson-Moore takes us deeper than either of those genres usually dare to go by giving us a glimpse into the lives of those who so often remain invisible – the homeless and the addicted.
Through the compassion of the author’s writing style, through the individual cadence of the characters, and through the humanity she breathes into each of them, Deb Richardson-Moore reminds us that there but for the grace of God go any of us. In The Cantaloupe Thief, Deb Richardson-Moore gives the homeless names and faces and hearts and dreams and minds. Along those lines, Malachi is probably my favorite character in this book. He is so multi-dimensional and intriguing, and I would be drawn to a friendship with him if I met someone like him in real life. If this is, as I hope, the first in a series, I also hope that Malachi continues to make appearances.
Bottom Line: An extremely well-plotted mystery that will keep you guessing right until the resolution, The Cantaloupe Thief is cozy… but at the same time it won’t totally allow you to relax. After all, it’s a book about addiction and the desperate places it takes you. It’s a book about loving those who can tear your heart out the most. It’s about SEEING humanity – our richest and our poorest (in body and spirit) – and the Divine commission to love as He has loved us. But it’s also, yes, a murder mystery with plenty of investigative twists and turns that will have you reading well into the night. The faith element is subtle but poignant, particularly with Liam and his family, and I’m interested to see how this may develop further in future books in the series.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
See my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower
I love how the details of the cold-case murder are revealed in layers, sometimes through chapters that put us at the scene ten years ago and sometimes through interviews with people who are somehow involved. This helps the mystery to continue being “mysterious” as well as letting us the readers become amateur detectives of a sort along with newspaper reporter Branigan Powers. And while we’re all trying to figure out the cold case, more murders keep piling up in the present day. Related? Maybe. Maybe not.
The Cantaloupe Thief is part cozy mystery, part southern fiction, and part eye-opener. The cozy mystery and southern fiction aspects are fairly obvious – amateur sleuth, loyal pet, small town in Georgia. But Deb Richardson-Moore takes us deeper than either of those genres usually dare to go by giving us a glimpse into the lives of those who so often remain invisible – the homeless and the addicted.
Through the compassion of the author’s writing style, through the individual cadence of the characters, and through the humanity she breathes into each of them, Deb Richardson-Moore reminds us that there but for the grace of God go any of us. In The Cantaloupe Thief, Deb Richardson-Moore gives the homeless names and faces and hearts and dreams and minds. Along those lines, Malachi is probably my favorite character in this book. He is so multi-dimensional and intriguing, and I would be drawn to a friendship with him if I met someone like him in real life. If this is, as I hope, the first in a series, I also hope that Malachi continues to make appearances.
Bottom Line: An extremely well-plotted mystery that will keep you guessing right until the resolution, The Cantaloupe Thief is cozy… but at the same time it won’t totally allow you to relax. After all, it’s a book about addiction and the desperate places it takes you. It’s a book about loving those who can tear your heart out the most. It’s about SEEING humanity – our richest and our poorest (in body and spirit) – and the Divine commission to love as He has loved us. But it’s also, yes, a murder mystery with plenty of investigative twists and turns that will have you reading well into the night. The faith element is subtle but poignant, particularly with Liam and his family, and I’m interested to see how this may develop further in future books in the series.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
See my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower
July 23, 2016
Reviewed at The Power of Words: http://bit.ly/2a1JNt9
With The Cantaloupe Thief, debut author Deb Richardson-Moore has penned a fantastic mystery novel – compelling, entertaining, and memorable in every way. Deb’s writing is top notch, not a single word wasted. The mystery itself is well plotted with the gradual peeling back of layers – and an ending that left me in shock. Two other strengths are the rich character depth and an unusual focus on the homeless. This is one of my all-time favorite mysteries, making Deb Richardson-Moore a “must read” for me.
The Cantaloupe Thief is published by Lion Hudson, a British publisher that I count on for excellent stories, many of which are set in Great Britain. While The Cantaloupe Thief takes place in the southeast US, it has the same feel as other Christian fiction by this publisher – a little more liberal than American standards, but nothing that I found offensive.
The story is set in the mid-size northeast Georgia town of Grambling, described in such vivid detail that it felt like a major character. As a resident of Georgia, I loved the incorporation of familiar places like Lake Hartwell and Edisto, South Carolina. But as picturesque as Grambling might be, there is another side to it – that of the city’s homeless population, who actually play a big part in the story. I loved the realism of this theme and the fact that Deb conveyed their stories and thoughts in ways that caused me to think. Deb actually pastors the homeless at a church in South Carolina, and her caring passion is evident on every page.
In investigating the cold-case murder of the wealthy Alberta Grambling Resnick ten years earlier, Branigan seeks the help of Malachi Ezekiel Martin, a homeless war veteran who is also a possible suspect. The story focuses on the concept that homeless people get overlooked, and hence see things that are concealed from the rest of the population. Malachi had “lived in Grambling’s shadows long enough to know about its underside; to know how the rich and poor, the sophisticated and the raw, the proper and the dangerous, merged after dark.” Also adding much interest to the story is that Branigan’s twin brother is a homeless addict.
I’m intrigued by Malachi and also enjoyed Branigan’s friend Liam, who runs a shelter for the homeless. Branigan, Malachi and Liam are a complex trio and I’m very eager to see these characters developed further. The Cantaloupe Thief begins a promising new series. “Best of the best” for me.
Highly recommended.
Thank you to Lion Hudson for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
With The Cantaloupe Thief, debut author Deb Richardson-Moore has penned a fantastic mystery novel – compelling, entertaining, and memorable in every way. Deb’s writing is top notch, not a single word wasted. The mystery itself is well plotted with the gradual peeling back of layers – and an ending that left me in shock. Two other strengths are the rich character depth and an unusual focus on the homeless. This is one of my all-time favorite mysteries, making Deb Richardson-Moore a “must read” for me.
The Cantaloupe Thief is published by Lion Hudson, a British publisher that I count on for excellent stories, many of which are set in Great Britain. While The Cantaloupe Thief takes place in the southeast US, it has the same feel as other Christian fiction by this publisher – a little more liberal than American standards, but nothing that I found offensive.
The story is set in the mid-size northeast Georgia town of Grambling, described in such vivid detail that it felt like a major character. As a resident of Georgia, I loved the incorporation of familiar places like Lake Hartwell and Edisto, South Carolina. But as picturesque as Grambling might be, there is another side to it – that of the city’s homeless population, who actually play a big part in the story. I loved the realism of this theme and the fact that Deb conveyed their stories and thoughts in ways that caused me to think. Deb actually pastors the homeless at a church in South Carolina, and her caring passion is evident on every page.
In investigating the cold-case murder of the wealthy Alberta Grambling Resnick ten years earlier, Branigan seeks the help of Malachi Ezekiel Martin, a homeless war veteran who is also a possible suspect. The story focuses on the concept that homeless people get overlooked, and hence see things that are concealed from the rest of the population. Malachi had “lived in Grambling’s shadows long enough to know about its underside; to know how the rich and poor, the sophisticated and the raw, the proper and the dangerous, merged after dark.” Also adding much interest to the story is that Branigan’s twin brother is a homeless addict.
I’m intrigued by Malachi and also enjoyed Branigan’s friend Liam, who runs a shelter for the homeless. Branigan, Malachi and Liam are a complex trio and I’m very eager to see these characters developed further. The Cantaloupe Thief begins a promising new series. “Best of the best” for me.
Highly recommended.
Thank you to Lion Hudson for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
July 24, 2016
I surprisingly enjoyed this novel set in Georgia. Deb Richardson-Moore employs all her journalistic training to present a story rich in memories and poignant on the issue of the homeless. Branigan Powers emerges as an exemplary journalist turned detective. Branigan exercises and eats fruits and vegetables and does not smoke, but she enjoys an occasional wine. I detest retelling the story and giving away clues as to the identity of the killer. The story alternates among Branigan, Malachi Martin, a homeless man, and a recounting of a murder 10 years ago. The story flows as gently as a lazy, summer stream that suddenly surges into a battering rapids. The setting is concise, but establishes a vivid picture in your mind of the murder scene and the homeless shelter. Richardson-Moore shows that each homeless person enjoyed a normal life at one time, and the reason for homelessness are varied.
July 31, 2016
Deb Richardson-Moore has written a very interesting mystery. I know where the title comes from in the story but I will not give it away. As a reporter in writing about a ten year old murder, she manages to find the murderer, and I won't tell you who that person is either. The characters are well drawn out and the plot keeps you turning the pages to find out what in the world is going to happen next. Enjoyed reading this book from Goodreads giveaways. Looking forward to the next book by her.
J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the Isms" "Wesley's Wars" "To Whom It May Concern" and "Tell Me About the United Methodist Church."
J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the Isms" "Wesley's Wars" "To Whom It May Concern" and "Tell Me About the United Methodist Church."
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January 7, 2018Good debut mystery by a local author. Richardson-Moore is a Greenville, SC pastor and advocate for the homeless. Her use of homeless characters and advocates is refreshing. This mystery kept me guessing until the end. Easy, fun read, but with some character.
July 18, 2016
This novel revolves around the homeless in a Georgia town. While invisible to many, they play a vital role in solving a decade old mystery of a murdered woman.
Branigan, a reporter for the town's paper, is the heroine. She's been asked to write a story about the unsolved murder on its ten year anniversary. Her pursuit of the story takes her to the local homeless shelter, introducing her to their culture.
I appreciate the author's emphasis on the homeless community. One can tell that she knows what she is writing about. She is the pastor of an inner city church to the homeless and she does a good job of taking us into their community. She was also a newspaper reporter and takes readers into the life of a small town newspaper.
This is a novel about relationships. Some of the relationships are among family members, such as Branigan and her brother and among the siblings of the murdered woman. Other relationships are among the homeless and those who minister to them.
The novel is constructed with flashbacks to the days surrounding the murder interspersed into that of the contemporary events. I found that I was reading about the same event repeatedly, such as the pancakes with faces. There would be an actual flashback and then retelling of the scenes by people as Branigan interviewed them. The flashbacks are crafted so that each time we understand a little more of the circumstances leading up to the murder even as Branigan uncovers similar information.
Readers should be aware that there is a scene where psychics are shown in a relatively positive light. There is also mild swearing but nothing that does not fit the situation.
I recommend this novel to those who would enjoy a somewhat complicated plot surrounded the solving of a murder that has gone unsolved for a decade. You'll learn a bit about the homeless and ministry to them too.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kregel for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
Branigan, a reporter for the town's paper, is the heroine. She's been asked to write a story about the unsolved murder on its ten year anniversary. Her pursuit of the story takes her to the local homeless shelter, introducing her to their culture.
I appreciate the author's emphasis on the homeless community. One can tell that she knows what she is writing about. She is the pastor of an inner city church to the homeless and she does a good job of taking us into their community. She was also a newspaper reporter and takes readers into the life of a small town newspaper.
This is a novel about relationships. Some of the relationships are among family members, such as Branigan and her brother and among the siblings of the murdered woman. Other relationships are among the homeless and those who minister to them.
The novel is constructed with flashbacks to the days surrounding the murder interspersed into that of the contemporary events. I found that I was reading about the same event repeatedly, such as the pancakes with faces. There would be an actual flashback and then retelling of the scenes by people as Branigan interviewed them. The flashbacks are crafted so that each time we understand a little more of the circumstances leading up to the murder even as Branigan uncovers similar information.
Readers should be aware that there is a scene where psychics are shown in a relatively positive light. There is also mild swearing but nothing that does not fit the situation.
I recommend this novel to those who would enjoy a somewhat complicated plot surrounded the solving of a murder that has gone unsolved for a decade. You'll learn a bit about the homeless and ministry to them too.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kregel for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
July 18, 2016
This story takes place in Grambling Georgia and a hometown reporter is given an assignment of investigating a ten-year-old unsolved murder. Once you turn that first page you are off on a page tuning adventure, that won’t let up until the last page is turned and you know the answers, who did it!
This town has a rather large population of homeless, the unseen, and that I can understand, you do see them, but try not to look, they are there but not really. A lot of them have drug, alcohol, and mental problems, and we see the churches trying to help with meals and some beds, a problem, but are there answers, and does one of these lost souls know the answer to who committed the horrendous crime?
The story focuses on Branigan’s mission to find answers, and she turns to her friend Liam a Pastor and a man with a big heart to help the homeless population. He wants her to help him find justice to one of the mission’s known, who were recently killed; no one is looking into his death. As we journey deeper into these mysteries, my mind kept switching as to who was the culprit in these murders, and kept changing my mind as to who was the suspect.
You are going to be surprised as to who it is, but I never saw it coming, and the ones I chose, were not the suspect, or were they. The author has done a wonder job of bringing us to the end of the book, and I couldn’t wait to get there, but then I didn’t want the story to end.
I received this book through Kregel Publishing Blogger Program, and was not required to give a positive review.
This town has a rather large population of homeless, the unseen, and that I can understand, you do see them, but try not to look, they are there but not really. A lot of them have drug, alcohol, and mental problems, and we see the churches trying to help with meals and some beds, a problem, but are there answers, and does one of these lost souls know the answer to who committed the horrendous crime?
The story focuses on Branigan’s mission to find answers, and she turns to her friend Liam a Pastor and a man with a big heart to help the homeless population. He wants her to help him find justice to one of the mission’s known, who were recently killed; no one is looking into his death. As we journey deeper into these mysteries, my mind kept switching as to who was the culprit in these murders, and kept changing my mind as to who was the suspect.
You are going to be surprised as to who it is, but I never saw it coming, and the ones I chose, were not the suspect, or were they. The author has done a wonder job of bringing us to the end of the book, and I couldn’t wait to get there, but then I didn’t want the story to end.
I received this book through Kregel Publishing Blogger Program, and was not required to give a positive review.
May 22, 2016
What happens when your allergies wake you up in intense pain at 1:30am and it takes forever for pain medications to kick in? You pick up the closest book and you start reading...and in this case, you keep reading until the bendadryl has you nearly comatose and then the next day you pick the book right back up and finish it. That's what happened with this book.
I am incredibly impressed that this is that author's first mystery novel because the mystery is part of what kept me reading right up until the last page. I honestly had no idea who had done it. My favorite part of this book? The author uses her story to remind us all to take better care of the people around us and that nobody is invisible. We all have worth. It's easy to forget what others are going through, but we need to be aware.
What else can I say about this book? It had just the right blend of mystery, tugging on the heart strings, social consciousness, and honest to goodness good old fashioned enjoyable reading. From what I've found out, this is only the author's second book, but I certainly hope that it isn't her last. It would be a downright shame not to make this a series!
I am incredibly impressed that this is that author's first mystery novel because the mystery is part of what kept me reading right up until the last page. I honestly had no idea who had done it. My favorite part of this book? The author uses her story to remind us all to take better care of the people around us and that nobody is invisible. We all have worth. It's easy to forget what others are going through, but we need to be aware.
What else can I say about this book? It had just the right blend of mystery, tugging on the heart strings, social consciousness, and honest to goodness good old fashioned enjoyable reading. From what I've found out, this is only the author's second book, but I certainly hope that it isn't her last. It would be a downright shame not to make this a series!
July 24, 2016
This is a superb novel, debut or otherwise. It's amateur sleuth only because the investigator is not in law enforcement or a private detective or any of those other particulars that make up the mystery genre differences.
It's gritty and deals with more than death by murder. Ms. Richardson-Moore has a deft hand when it smacks the reader upside the cranium about the homeless. I found myself inwardly cringing at the recognition of some of the descriptive reminders how I must treat the homeless without meaning to.
They are invisible, don't make eye contact, don't engage and they won't exist.
This is the basis of the story along with the investigation of the 10-year-old unsolved murder of a wealthy woman and the current hit-and-run deaths of homeless persons.
It is superbly told and I look forward to the rest of this series as it comes out. And anything else Deb Richardson-Moore writes.
Definitely recommend!!!
It's gritty and deals with more than death by murder. Ms. Richardson-Moore has a deft hand when it smacks the reader upside the cranium about the homeless. I found myself inwardly cringing at the recognition of some of the descriptive reminders how I must treat the homeless without meaning to.
They are invisible, don't make eye contact, don't engage and they won't exist.
This is the basis of the story along with the investigation of the 10-year-old unsolved murder of a wealthy woman and the current hit-and-run deaths of homeless persons.
It is superbly told and I look forward to the rest of this series as it comes out. And anything else Deb Richardson-Moore writes.
Definitely recommend!!!
August 15, 2016
A friend from my library book group recommended this to me; spot on -- it's a solid mystery, and a storyline involving a town's homeless population is handled well. Journalist/sleuth.
January 10, 2018
A book I would not have read except that I am in a Mystery reader group. Very regional southern author. The plot is pretty good, but the authors just kills the entire book for me by trying to be way to southern in her writing style (Jaw-Ja, yes that is Georgia) and it both bores and frustrates me when writers are so regionalized that they want to play up to their audience. In one single page we got mentions for Atlanta, Lake Hartwell, Greenville, I-385, Clinton SC, I-26, Myrtle Beach, Asheville and Isle of Palms and Edisto. PLEASE!!!! She also concentrates too much on what people are wearing and then describing people who are so peripheral to the story that they really play no part in the story and what they wear, etc. is meaningless.
Figured out the murderer way too early. Strong suit is when her chapters are 2-3 pages in length. Longer chapters ramble and tended to bore me.
Some cozy mysteries are fine, but when the author gets too cutesy and is so obviously regional in nature I tend to lose interest. Wonder if she has any readers in Wisconsin and if so what they thought of all the overtly stereotyped characters and writing in the book. One can be a regional writer and not fill the pages with drivel.
1.5* at best and cannot wait until I get to meet the author at the reading group! My wife says I must be nice, and that I would do best to hold my tongue. Meeting is 90 minutes - not sure I can hold it that long!
Figured out the murderer way too early. Strong suit is when her chapters are 2-3 pages in length. Longer chapters ramble and tended to bore me.
Some cozy mysteries are fine, but when the author gets too cutesy and is so obviously regional in nature I tend to lose interest. Wonder if she has any readers in Wisconsin and if so what they thought of all the overtly stereotyped characters and writing in the book. One can be a regional writer and not fill the pages with drivel.
1.5* at best and cannot wait until I get to meet the author at the reading group! My wife says I must be nice, and that I would do best to hold my tongue. Meeting is 90 minutes - not sure I can hold it that long!
August 18, 2025
3.75 stars
Great debut featuring reporter Branigan Powers, who has left big city (Atlanta, Detroit) life behind to return to her small Georgia home town. Branigan has various family challenges and interactions, including a brother who is trying to get free of addiction so he can spend time with his son.
She gets assigned a story exploring a cold unsolved case from years before concerning the violent death of a local matriarch during a family reunion/celebration week. Her children were suspects as well as the local homeless population -- it turns out there was a transient living in the murder victim's pool house.
Then a local homeless man is killed in a hit and run. Branigan has an in through a close friend who runs the local shelter and begins interviewing people who may remember something about the crime.
Branigan is a great character, strong, competent, curious and compassionate. I would gladly read another and hope the series continues. A particularly well done look at addiction and other issues for the unhoused. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Great debut featuring reporter Branigan Powers, who has left big city (Atlanta, Detroit) life behind to return to her small Georgia home town. Branigan has various family challenges and interactions, including a brother who is trying to get free of addiction so he can spend time with his son.
She gets assigned a story exploring a cold unsolved case from years before concerning the violent death of a local matriarch during a family reunion/celebration week. Her children were suspects as well as the local homeless population -- it turns out there was a transient living in the murder victim's pool house.
Then a local homeless man is killed in a hit and run. Branigan has an in through a close friend who runs the local shelter and begins interviewing people who may remember something about the crime.
Branigan is a great character, strong, competent, curious and compassionate. I would gladly read another and hope the series continues. A particularly well done look at addiction and other issues for the unhoused. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 21, 2025
I am an ARC reader for Book Sirens and this is my honest opinion. This book was really good. It took me maybe a couple of chapters, then I was completely hooked. The author weaves the story brilliantly, revealing more of the story of a wealthy old lady's murder ten years previously with repetition, giving the reader a little more each time. But the book is more complex than the ten year old unsolved murder. Reporter Branigan Powers is charged with writing the story of the murder, and in doing so unearths details missed in the original investigation. The homeless people who use the Christian centre come to her attention and family gets complicated. By halfway through the book I couldn't put it down and bits of the story that focused the mind in one direction then another. I didn't guess who the villain of the story was until almost the end, when the author cleverly gave the reveal in such a way that the end was still fairly shocking. A good story with believable characters. Well worth reading.
August 10, 2025
Anything I have read by this author has been terrific and this is another great start to a series that looks really promising.
Branigan is a journalist tasked to write an article on the tenth anniversary of the murder of a local wealthy woman where the killer was never caught. In doing so, she also looks into the death of a homeless man by a hit and run and meets up again with her brother who is also homeless. This was a real page-turner and I quickly read it within a day as I found it very hard to put down. Branigan is a very likeable character and I love how her connection with Malachi is starting to develop. The reveal of the killer was quite a surprise. I also felt that the backdrop of the homeless centre and the whole homeless scene was done really well. I look forward to reading further in the series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Branigan is a journalist tasked to write an article on the tenth anniversary of the murder of a local wealthy woman where the killer was never caught. In doing so, she also looks into the death of a homeless man by a hit and run and meets up again with her brother who is also homeless. This was a real page-turner and I quickly read it within a day as I found it very hard to put down. Branigan is a very likeable character and I love how her connection with Malachi is starting to develop. The reveal of the killer was quite a surprise. I also felt that the backdrop of the homeless centre and the whole homeless scene was done really well. I look forward to reading further in the series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 21, 2018
It's always nerve wracking to read a book written my a friend but in this case, I knew Deb Richardson Moore was an excellent journalist and writer so I had little to fear.
I loved the main character Branigan Powers and as a farm girl from Michigan I could visualize every inch of her grandparents farm. Southern girl Deb knows her material and expertly weaves elements of her life through the story. Her experience as a journalist watching the demise of the newspaper business and her second career as a pastor to the homeless ring true with the reader.
The murder mystery unwinds in flash backs and current time which I thought worked well in fleshing out the characters and their various motivations. I truly didn't figure it out until the final few pages. I'm looking forward to reading book number 2 in the series, The Cover Story. I'm hoping for a little romance for our girl Branigan.
I loved the main character Branigan Powers and as a farm girl from Michigan I could visualize every inch of her grandparents farm. Southern girl Deb knows her material and expertly weaves elements of her life through the story. Her experience as a journalist watching the demise of the newspaper business and her second career as a pastor to the homeless ring true with the reader.
The murder mystery unwinds in flash backs and current time which I thought worked well in fleshing out the characters and their various motivations. I truly didn't figure it out until the final few pages. I'm looking forward to reading book number 2 in the series, The Cover Story. I'm hoping for a little romance for our girl Branigan.
March 20, 2021
"The worst thing about being homeless is being looked through."
This line from the book intrigued me to read the whole novel. I had expectations and assumptions that this is a story that narrates the prejudices against the homeless and I was right. This shows how homeless people are treated and viewed.
However, I felt like there were too many names mentioned in the story. I had a hard time trying to keep up with them, especially since the scenes (or chapters) transition from one character to another.
Nevertheless, it was a good mystery novel and I'm glad that my guess was right. Haha. Every evidence pointed out to one of the characters but I was looking at the subtle hints which turned out to be helpful clues in the end (which is why I made the right guess.)
This is a good read for those who want to live with the rich, the homeless, and the clueless.
This line from the book intrigued me to read the whole novel. I had expectations and assumptions that this is a story that narrates the prejudices against the homeless and I was right. This shows how homeless people are treated and viewed.
However, I felt like there were too many names mentioned in the story. I had a hard time trying to keep up with them, especially since the scenes (or chapters) transition from one character to another.
Nevertheless, it was a good mystery novel and I'm glad that my guess was right. Haha. Every evidence pointed out to one of the characters but I was looking at the subtle hints which turned out to be helpful clues in the end (which is why I made the right guess.)
This is a good read for those who want to live with the rich, the homeless, and the clueless.
August 8, 2025
This book is not about someone stealing fruit. Cantaloupes and stealing are mentioned, along with murders, family dynamics, addiction, small towns, print journalism and homelessness. The author used to be a journalist, and it shows in her detailed writing style. She has also been a pastor who works with the homeless, and Liam, one of the characters, does this. There are many characters and occasionally it was hard to keep track of who was who. The chapters alternated between the present and the past. This is understandable for filling in details, but sometimes at the end of one chapter I really wanted to know what would happen next, but then the next chapter went back to the past. The story kept me interested and the ending was unexpected. I received an advance review copy from BookSirens and am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 25, 2020
We read this author's memoir for book club earlier this year, The Weight of Mercy. Richardson-Moore is the pastor of a church that has a significant homeless ministry in Greenville, SC, and her memoir was fascinating and eye-opening. And her debut novel, The Cantaloupe Thief, also integrates the world of the homeless into its murder mystery plotline. That was perhaps the most interesting facet of this book, in my opinion.
It took me a little while to become interested in the story, but once I did, it was suspenseful and some of the characters - particularly the pastor Liam, and a couple of the homeless men - were very likable and admirable. The ending took a major twist from what I was suspecting, and ended up being far more heartbreaking than I expected.
It took me a little while to become interested in the story, but once I did, it was suspenseful and some of the characters - particularly the pastor Liam, and a couple of the homeless men - were very likable and admirable. The ending took a major twist from what I was suspecting, and ended up being far more heartbreaking than I expected.
March 1, 2021
Slow start and then hard to put down
I like that it’s set in the South. I live in Greenville and so the general vibe of the novel is familiar. I’m also familiar with the author and the congregation she used to pastor. This gave the events of the novel a special dimension. I recommend it to anyone familiar with or interested in the South, especially GA or SC.
The book is slow to start. I must admit I started it and put it down for a while. Yet when I picked it up again and got to the mystery part it was hard to put down.
There is a plot twist but it’s not completely unexpected. I do like the way homelessness was addressed and the way the homeless were portrayed in the novel.
I like that it’s set in the South. I live in Greenville and so the general vibe of the novel is familiar. I’m also familiar with the author and the congregation she used to pastor. This gave the events of the novel a special dimension. I recommend it to anyone familiar with or interested in the South, especially GA or SC.
The book is slow to start. I must admit I started it and put it down for a while. Yet when I picked it up again and got to the mystery part it was hard to put down.
There is a plot twist but it’s not completely unexpected. I do like the way homelessness was addressed and the way the homeless were portrayed in the novel.
May 2, 2018
New Author and series for me. Now all have to do is find the rest of the series at my library. This is a different kind of mystery. Instead of a cop, there is a reporter, Branigan Powers. She gets a cold case, the only murder in Grambling, Georgia that has gone unsolved. The paper that Branigan works at is running a 10th anniversary of case. Once Branigan starts asking questions, people start dying. Are they connected with the murder? Is Branigan in danger? Read the book, it's really good.
September 17, 2017
Loved this book! It kept me wanting to keep reading and not put it down. This book was a mystery with a big twist. Deb has a big heart for the homeless and has been working with them for years and her compassion for them shows in this book. It is well written with no extra words or fluff. It is compelling and entertaining. I also read "the weight of Mercy" which is a 5 star book also. I'm ready For Debs next book!
July 23, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this expertly-written debut mystery. Through the complex web of characters, I learned a lot about the invisible homeless. I couldn't wait to find out whodunit, but thoroughly enjoyed the story along the way.
July 24, 2017
The setting of this story was very different from what I'm used to, and I appreciated it.
One thing bothered me a little, and it was that it took the main character a long time to investigate, but then the wrapping up happened all of a sudden.
One thing bothered me a little, and it was that it took the main character a long time to investigate, but then the wrapping up happened all of a sudden.
October 1, 2017
OK, have now gone back to read the first book in this series. Enjoyed it quite a bit but think the second book was better--which is good, means the author is working it. The inclusion of homelessness as background in both books is outstanding.
January 4, 2021
I read the second book before this one. Because or that, the ending completely surprised me and I was sad. Both mysteries have an element of sadness, the dark realities of humans and life, not a typical cozy mystery with a neatly tied ending.
February 25, 2022
I picked this book because of a reading challenge, and I'm glad to have found this author. Deb Richardson-Moore knows how to tell a good story. This is one of the few novels that I've read that include the experiences of the homeless. The mystery is well-written and kept me guessing until the end.
June 18, 2017
Well-crafted mystery that provides powerful and painful insight into the many ways drug addiction destroys lives.
May 9, 2018
Great read! Interesting and entertaining!
January 18, 2019
Pretty good first book in a (fairly) new series. I didn’t know who the killer was, which is always a plus. Will try book #2.
November 25, 2019
A very good read. The characters are well developed and "real". The presentation of the issue of homelessness in America makes the novel painfully authentic.
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