Delectable Mountains

Benni Harper #12

by Earlene Fowler

When the musical director of Benni Harper's church is called away, Benni finds herself "volunteered" to take over a children's play already in rehearsal. But the production comes to a screeching halt when Benni discovers the badly beaten body of the church handyman right in front of the altar.

With a growing cast of suspects, and a small girl as the only witness to the crime, Benni must unravel a plot of theft and murder before it's curtains for her.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Quilting, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 2005

About the author

Earlene Fowler was raised in La Puente, California, by a Southern mother and a Western father. She lives in Southern California with her husband, Allen, a purple pickup truck, and many pairs of cowboy boots. She is currently working on the next Benni Harper mystery.

Series:
* Benni Harper Mysteries
* Love Mercy Johnson Mystery

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catching up…

Years ago when I was coordinating the “Local Authors Series” for my community library, I decided to invite Earlene Fowler to be one of our guest authors. I was ecstatic to have her say yes!

But…

I soon learned that she didn’t live locally. She actually lived in Southern California. I was under the impression that because her stories were based on the Central Coast, and where I live (Morro Bay) that she did as well.

So…

I asked her if she had a home here. And she said…

“I consider Morro Bay my second home, I love the Central Coast. I come to visit all the time.”

Well…

Needless to say…

She was one of the most attended events I have ever facilitated/organized. The reading and quilting community came out in droves, from all over...


And...

It was an event I will never forget.

For no particular reason...

After a while, I stopped reading about Benni Harper, until this donation came across my Little Free Library Shed.

This is the 12th book in the series, and it can be read as a stand-alone.

The writing is clear and engaging. The characters continue to be interesting, as if they were a neighbor we know.

And…

The mystery is low-key, making this another cozy read.

And...

It was nice to be back in the “neighborhood” again.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series has always had references to Benni's deep faith but this novel delves into that faith more than previous books in the series. Dove is asked to take over directing a children's play of "Pilgrim's Progress" for her church and ropes Benni into helping. During rehearsals she finds the dead body of the church's handyman and discovers that a young immigrant girl is the only witness. She probes into the death and becomes involved in the issue of churches harboring illegal immigrants. She also comes face-to-face with her own mortality in a deeper way than previous books and learns about other's free will to choose and how we may not have forever to show those we love how much they mean to us. One of the fun things of reading a series through is seeing the author develop her writing style and also watching the characters learn and grow. The first couple novels had Benni getting banged up and scared but this one was a much more mature scenario with deeper currents that tested her faith. This was my favorite so far in a series that gets better with each novel. They could be read as stand-alones, but there's so much back-story to the characters and since these books are fundamentally about relationships, they need to be read in order to get all the meanings.

[writer... · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liking the realistic earthy lifestyle relationships and situations. Mystery was well done and unexpected ending.
I'll be looking for more Benni Harper mysteries.

[Sheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would put this as one of my favorites of this series. I have really got to know the characters and enjoy the relationships between them. I felt this had a message that none of us know how much time we have here on earth and we need to live accordingly. Also, the only person you can really change is yourself.

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though the book was alright, it just wasn’t my style.

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought it because the cover is pretty and the title is the name of a quilt pattern and from Pilgrim's Progress. An OK read; maybe I would have liked it better if I had found #1 through #11 first.

[Kieraanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is one of the most powerful books in the series...maybe because it's about Gabe's cousin, it makes it more personal. This and Kansas Troubles about his friend (and Seven Sisters, but we won't get into that) stand out in my mind as some of the most unforgettable books in the series. Reading it a second time, knowing where it's going, it's hard not to see all of the foreshadowing throughout the story. The references to Great Despair in the children's play take on a whole new meaning. How awful for Benni to be in such a situation with someone that looks and sounds so much like her husband. Not that it wouldn't be awful either way but to have him standing there threatening her looking like the man she loves just makes it so much worse. Then poor Gabe. You can see him reconsidering his own life, how he keeps his emotions bottled up, how his son "hated" him during the start of the series, the ending of his own marriage and comparing it to Luis and seeing all of the similarities. I hope it makes him open up more to Benni in the future. I also "like/was kind of disappointed" to see why Hud likes Benni. She's the spitting image of his wife whom he is obviously still in love with. That just throws the whole relationship between him and Benni into a different light. I also never caught some of the double entendre in what Luis was saying to the negotiator the first time I read this. "Tell my cousin I'm taking good care of his wife." What must Gabe have been thinking when he heard that after Luis called Benni "querida" and slept with Lydia. Poor Gabe. Poor Luis. But I liked the messages of forgiveness and enjoying the life we have at the end.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fine entry in the series, and I loved the aspect of the story dealing with a church children's play based on A Pilgrim's Progress--and it turns out there really is such a thing. There are many good things about character development, faith, and plot in this book, and once again Fowler is right on with Southernisms, Baptist Church culture and hymns, and witty observations. But at one point there is a huge continuity problem: Benni (the protagonist) leaves a busy opening evening at her art museum store for a brief dinner break and ends up having an encounter with friends at a street market, then going to dinner at a bookstore coffee shop, where she asks twice (once when she enters and once when she leaves) if her friend, the owner, is there--even though she learns the first time that the owner is gone for the evening--and while there meets with one person at some length and then with another, unexpected person for a while, and then goes home. Oh, and after she's been home for a bit, she calls the art museum store to say she won't be back. It's confusing at best. And the call back to the store seems stuck in, perhaps after someone noticed the continuity problem, as an inadequate correction. It's as though events that were supposed to take place at two different times got conflated. I know it's sometimes hard to keep track of all the threads in a complicated plot, but someone should have caught this blooper sooner and fixed it better, and I expect more from this series, which I really like.

[iliotropio · Rating 2 out of 5]

Benni used to be a rebelious, free-spirited woman in her previous mysteries, but in this one I find that there's too much of religious propaganda. This starts to remind me what is called "christian literature". Also comments like "... my guaranteed citizenship in the most powerful country in the world" don't do justice to the beginnings of this series...
"Why in the world people nitpicked at other people about the personal details in their life that don't harm anyone else was beyond me"
"It'll be okay...The minute I spoke I knew they were just empty words. Why do we compulsively spout platitudes when we actually don't have a clue whether things will work out?"
"performimg the action of love and waiting for the feeling to follow"
"the time you spend trying to change something in someone that is purely up to them to change is.. wasted...you have to love people where they are right at the moment, not where you want them to be"
What can I say? I like Benni, no matter what...

[Vilo · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have not any read any of this cozy mysteries set in ranch country of California, think about it. Try one--you'll like it. I'm not sure this is the best place to start, but it is the deepest, most fully satisfying of the series. The main character's religious faith has always been important in the series, but this one tackles some big issues in a beautiful, compelling way. The characters are even more complex than usual. I like that the romance is between a husband and wife and that extended family is important. As always, the reader learns about art and quilting while solving the mystery. My only tiny criticism is that, since I work with people whose immigration status is murky, the description of the issues did not ring quite true to me, but the author presents a realistic viewpoint for the main character, who certainly is not connected to that population.

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

#12 in the Benni Harper California rancher mystery series set in ranch country in the Coastal Mountains in the Santa Barbara area. A care taker is killed in the local Baptist church and a valuable violin is stolen from the local museum provide the mystery for this novel. As usual, Benni is in the middle of things while also being involved in helping her grandmother put on a play for their church involving children and the tumultuous relationship between her husband and his cousin who is visiting.

Toss in the at times strained relationship between Benni and her husband Gabe, the chief of police, caused primarily because Benni rides him because he doesn't confide in her regarding things from his past and police business while she sees no problem with her not confiding in him, without holding information relating to the crime and deciding what she should or should not tell him.

[Barbara Radisavljevic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is another favorite in this series. It seems the more I read, the deeper they get. I don't want to spoil this for those who haven't read it, since this is the first time I hadn't even considered the murderer as a suspect. A lot of things I expected to happen didn't, and what I never expected to happen did. The themes this time are forgiveness and grace. There's also a bit about churches providing sanctuary for illegal immigrants. Mrs. Fowler is not afraid to let her characters discuss moral, religious, and ethical issues. After reading four books in as many days, I will finally have a chance to get some work done. The library doesn't open again for three days, so I will have to behave.

[Tana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed the whole Benni Harper series and this one was one of the best. This is a series that definitely needs to be read in order as the author has the characters grow and mature in their relationships in each book. In this installment, Benni gets roped into helping out with the children's musical theater at the church. Meanwhile, Gabe's cousin Luis shows up to visit. Benni is looking forward to meeting Luis as he is one of Gabe's family members that she hasn't met yet in their short marriage. Unfortunately, Benni's bad luck at encountering dead bodies continues when she finds the church custodian dead. When the author reveals "who did it", I was surprised ... but when I went back over the story, the clues were definitely there to be able to figure it out even if I didn't.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this entry in the Benni Harper series. Benni's husband Gabe has a visitor - his cousin Luis. And as with every family, the visit brings out both the good and the bad in the family dynamic. Plus Benni is volunteered by her grandma to help with the children's pageant for the church. Everything is going well until Benni discovers the church caretaker shot and bleeding in the sanctuary.

I enjoyed this one. There were a few anachronisms, but that didn't really bug me until after I was finished and I thought about it some more. The ending was really gripping and I couldn't put it down.

[Lori Limberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 12 in the Benni Harper series

Walt (elderly church caretaker) is found murdered on the alter of the church. The murder is witnessed by Angelina who is 7 years old and is her illegally with her Grandmother.

Gabe's cousin, Luis, arrives in town for a visit.

A rare Anzar violin is stolen and replaced with a replica. The family who donated the violin finds the fake.

Turns out that Walt's killer is Luis. Luis had Walt carve the fake violin so that he could steal the rare one and sell it.

Luis takes Benni hostage in the church. He later walks out of the church with his gun and the police shoot him.

[Charlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Benni and Dove take on a children's production of Pilgrim's Progress, she stumbles on the body of the church custodian. As her pastor Mac tackles the part of Despair in the play, despair appears at Benny's home in the form of her husband's cousin Luis. Luis's third marriage is failing and monetary problems plague him. Gabe becomes angry rather than sympathetic with Luis's problems, putting Benni in the middle of the mess. While trying to solve the theft of a priceless violin from the Sinclair, Benni begins to wonder if the murder and the theft are connected. It all may depend on what a witness to the murder, a little girl in the country illegally, may have seen.

[Ragan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book starts right in the middle of a series, but it was the first one I have read since I was able to get it on audio. I enjoyed this book a lot. The characters are interesting and realistic. I particularly enjoyed that the main character runs a Folk Art Museum, which I think is just so cool. The relationship the main character has with her husband is very complex and true to life. The books are all named after quilt patterns. If you like the Hannah Swenson and Amelia Peabody novels you will probably like this.

[Amelia in PDX · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bennie & Dove are called in to help with a church play for the 5 - 12 year olds, as a replacement for the regular choir director (the play mentioned in the book is a real play - based on Pilgrim's Progress - if you know that book) and into the busy schedule, Gabe's cousin Luiz comes to visit unexpectedly. Then Bennie discovers the church's handiman murdered in front of the church altar. A violin worth millions is stolen, and the family who donated it is extremely angry. This book moves at a faster pace than usual and I found it hard to put down.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll review later.....when I have a chance to digest it all.

I agree with most other reviewers that this is so far the best of all the prior wonderful stories. I agree that it is best to read these books in order, so you watch as the characters develop and grow. I enjoy most of the story a great deal. I try not to be too picky when it comes to small details. I always wonder how small a town San Celina really is. So many murders in such a short period of time. Oh well, it's her story and she can tell it like she wants. I still love them and want to continue with the series.

[Pamela Mclaren · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cozy mystery set on the central coast of California. Benni Harper is the wife of the police chief and seems to know everyone in town. This time, she is asked to help with a children's play at her local church and to host her husband's cousin who has come visiting. But everything is not as it seems. The church handyman is killed and there's trouble brewing between the two cousins and Benni is in the middle of everything. An easy read, fairly simple mystery and an interesting twist late in the tale.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bennie is "volunteered" by Dove to help with a church musical. One day the church's handyman is found murdered on the church's altar. Who did it? Who saw it? Then a valuable violin has been discovered stolen.

To add to the novel, Gabe's troubled cousin shows up for a visit. He and Gabe have a long history that includes some painful times. Gabe is very moody and distraught in much of the novel. (But he and Bennie always make up!) A variety of suspects are rounded up. But Bennie thinks a child is the key to solving the investigation.

[Emily Cullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Art museum curator and cowgirl Benni Harper is drafting into helping with her church's children's play but things stop getting cute when she finds the church's handyman murdered at the altar. Even her handsome husband Chief Gabriel Ortiz knows Benni is a good amateur sleuth even though he doesn't want her to get hurt. I love the Benni Harper cozy mystery series. The love between Benni and Gabe is realistic and I enjoy the sexual tension between Benni and sheriff's officer "Hud". Always great stories and supporting cast especially gramma Dove.

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was really annoying. The heroine was too perfect and it was chalk full of obnoxious cliches. The story line was predictable (it's a murder/mystery) but that could just be because I've watched too many Law & Order episodes with Bryce to be thoroughly surprised. Maybe her other books are better...not that I'll try another one. Disclaimer: I listened to this book and it could be that I didn't like the narrator.

[Lain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Earlene Fowler has done it again! In my book (no pun intended), she is fast setting the standard for amateur sleuth series. She has a way of being provocative without preaching, touching without being overly sentimental, and making readers want to come back again and again. This is one of the best in the series.

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Benni Harper #12. Benni and Grandma Dove are filling in to produce the a children's show of "Pilgrim's Progress" when Benni finds the body of the church handyman. A valuable violin, Gabe's cousin and a little illegal alien Mexican girl all combine for a well done story. It doesn't have a really happy ending, but it's realistic. Makes you laugh and cry. Clean. Same audio reader.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! This is the 12th installment in the Benni Harper mystery series. Earlene Fowler manages to come up with a new twist in each of her cozy mysteries. This book was no exception. Benni is such a likeable character and the banter between her and her hunky husband, Gabe, always keep you wondering what will happen next.

[Becky Galambos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I upgraded my star rating on the second time reading the book. This time it is Benni's grandma Dove that upends her life, volunteering her to help with the children's play at the church. Detective Ford Hudson plays a starring role, along with Dove, Sam, and Gabe's cousin Luis, who has come to stay with Benni and Gabe.

[Reggie Billingsworth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly had forgotten I read this.
Had to thoroughly scan the abstract and then...uh, oh yeah.
Fits in well with the rest of the dreck of American quasi-cosies that either fall firmly into the Bad Soap Opera Camp or play the Earnest Clutz Card and fall between the two stools of a topically social cause and a contrived yet bland 'mystery'.
Forgettable obviously.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 12th in the Benni Harper mystery series by Earlene Fowler. I enjoyed all of them and the continuing story line is good. A friend started me on the series by lending me books 9 & 10...got me hooked!

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was my favorite of the 3 books I have read by Earlene Fowler. Clues in the book lead you to the same conclusion as the ending...I like that better than when the ending pops out of nowhere :-) If you like mysteries with believable characters and lives, this is a good one.