Rambler: A Leslie & Belinda Mystery

Leslie & Belinda #3

by Linda S. Browning

Watch out; that pair of sassy, senior sleuths, Leslie and Belinda, are on the trail again. If you thought life after retirement was boring, you’ve never met these two widows. Leslie takes curiosity to new heights while Belinda—her reluctant sidekick—is always up for an adventure. Together they plunge headfirst into the crisis at hand, while Leslie’s energetic, diminutive dog, Riff-Raff, provides backup.

When Belinda, breaks her foot, Leslie starts looking for sedentary activities to take her friend’s mind off of her pain and boredom. Lawn chairs in place, and Diet Cokes in their cooler, the friends settle in to watch the demolition of an old barn. As the demo progresses, the remains of an old Nash Rambler are uncovered, complete with a skeleton in the trunk, and Fairlawn Glen’s senior sleuths are off to solve another mystery. Who was this man, and who stashed him in that car trunk? Their insatiable curiosity leads them on another rollicking escapade.

Genres: Cozy Mystery

184 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 3, 2017

About the author

Linda Browning’s writing talents took a backseat to salaried jobs for more than 42 years. She knows she has a lot of writing to make up for and the words, sentences, and paragraphs are falling from her head at an alarming pace. She lives with her husband of forty years. They share their Tennessee residence with a 32(+)-year-old amazon parrot and a 20-year-old finch.

Reviews

[Ana Good · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ramber is my first read from Browning. The book is easy to read, with smooth writing and snappy prose. Fairlawn Glenn, the retirement community in Tennessee where the book is set, rings solid and true with just enough off ball and quirky characters to support the small town atmosphere critical to cozies. I'm 60 and loved the nostalgic nods and references to Rambler -- had one in the 70s -- Laverne and Shirley and other pop culture markers. Browning is at her best when she slips into down-home language -- "Middle Tennessee has ridiculously high pollen counts in the the spring ... trees are sapping and sneezing all over everyone and everything." It is unusual to find a genre writer who writes so smoothly in this day and age and doing so is a great strength of Browning's work. I'd encourage her to use dialogue more as she writes it well and it helps break up the story and make the interactions between the characters more dynamic and engaging. The relationship between the two best friends and senior sleuths -- Belinda and Leslie -- is soft and cozy and believable. My one stumbling block was that two friends seemed too much alike or like the same person. Their sameness weakened, for me, a story that could have been exceptional had their been more conflict - play between the two sleuths. I was given a review copy of Rambler in exchange for a read and an honest review.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leslie and Belinda are back for more shenanigans. Mrs. Towers has turned out to be a willing partner in crime for these two crazy ladies. This time they are trying to solve a 48-year-old death. Chief Quinn never has much to do in these stories because the TBI is always in charge of the cases. The problem with the TBI is they are incompetent. I don't like that aspect. Leslie removed evidence from the scene of the crime in this story and I didn't like that she got away with it. She was wrong to do it. Rambler is filled with the signature humor of the first two books and is an enjoyable, light read.

[Daisy Pettles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always looking for new senior sleuths to enjoy. This was my first book by Linda S. Browning. Good stuff. The friendship between the two widowed women was light, funny and true to heart. More dialogue would have made the story snappier and more immediate. Great characters and a series I will read more of for the nostalgia -- once had a Rambler -- and light heartedness.

[Rebecca Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when the sleuthing duo, Leslie and Belinda, find a skeleton in the trunk of a Nash Rambler in the back of a barn that is being demolished gives a reader a lighthearted, easy mystery in Rambler by Linda S. Browning. I loved the characters especially the 85 year old Mrs. Towers, that wants to escape her retirement nursing home. This is a very enjoyable fun read!

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded to 3 stars - What I liked about it - it was set in middle Tennessee and written by a Tennessee author, the main characters were retired ladies in their late 60s, the story was interesting enough, and short. The cultural references to the Rambler, the Tennessee RR, and the 70s worked well, and the friendship between the main characters was heartwarming.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

You don't have to be generational, live in the US, or know that the title signifies an extinct brand of automobile to enjoy the mystery of the skeleton in a burned out car and the characters involved. This one is a real laugh your socks off fun read!
Thanks, Reading Deals!

[Tricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

A page turner that I could not put down. I had to finish reading this story because I was totally wrapped up in finding out what really happened all those years ago.

[Debra Weisberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Left a review on Amazon. Fun pool side read.

[Aditi · Rating 2 out of 5]

More rambling, less mystery