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Trailer Park Princess #1
The Trailer Park Princess and the Middle Finger of Fate
Alternative cover edition for ASIN B00FCET7JE
All Salem Grimes expects as she walks into the church is her regular Tuesday morning AA meeting, but when she encounters a dead body instead, she does what any self-respecting clueless amateur would do -- she freaks completely out and shouts words good Christians aren't even supposed to know.
But when Salem learns that her ex-husband Tony is accused of the murder, she wonders if God might be steering her toward a chance of helping him and thereby redeeming herself -- or at least a chance to make up for the pain she caused him when they were married and she was drinking.
With the help of her new octogenarian BFF Viv and the emotional support of her dog Stump, can Salem keep her act together long enough to sow some good seeds for a change?
All Salem Grimes expects as she walks into the church is her regular Tuesday morning AA meeting, but when she encounters a dead body instead, she does what any self-respecting clueless amateur would do -- she freaks completely out and shouts words good Christians aren't even supposed to know.
But when Salem learns that her ex-husband Tony is accused of the murder, she wonders if God might be steering her toward a chance of helping him and thereby redeeming herself -- or at least a chance to make up for the pain she caused him when they were married and she was drinking.
With the help of her new octogenarian BFF Viv and the emotional support of her dog Stump, can Salem keep her act together long enough to sow some good seeds for a change?
391 pages, ebook
First published September 20, 2013
851 people are currently reading
933 people want to read
About the author
Kim Hunt Harris
26 books82 followersKim Hunt Harris is the award-winning author of the Trailer Park Princess comic mystery series.
Kim knew she wanted to be a writer before she even knew how to write. When her parents read bedtime stories to her, she knew she wanted to be a part of the story world. She started out writing children’s stories, and her stories grew as she did. She discovered a gift for humor and a love for making people laugh with her tales, and the Trailer Park Princess series was born.
Kim loves to not only make her readers laugh and entertain them with a good mystery, but also to examine the issues the everyday people face…well, every day. Issues like faith and forgiveness, perseverance and tolerance. Set in Lubbock, Texas, the fun books feature a cast of quirky characters, outrageous situations, a drama queen of a dog, and from time to time, a tear or two.
Kim lives with her husband of more than thirty years and two teenage kids in Texas.
Kim knew she wanted to be a writer before she even knew how to write. When her parents read bedtime stories to her, she knew she wanted to be a part of the story world. She started out writing children’s stories, and her stories grew as she did. She discovered a gift for humor and a love for making people laugh with her tales, and the Trailer Park Princess series was born.
Kim loves to not only make her readers laugh and entertain them with a good mystery, but also to examine the issues the everyday people face…well, every day. Issues like faith and forgiveness, perseverance and tolerance. Set in Lubbock, Texas, the fun books feature a cast of quirky characters, outrageous situations, a drama queen of a dog, and from time to time, a tear or two.
Kim lives with her husband of more than thirty years and two teenage kids in Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
April 3, 2020
Laugh out loud funny, and very sweet! A great romp through Lubbock Texas with Salem, a recovering alcoholic, her diva dog and the coolest octogenarian since Evanovich's Grandma Mazur!
March 9, 2017
The Trailer Park Princess and the Middle Finger of Fate
Book #1 of the Trailer Park Princess series
by Kim Hunt Harris
Okay. I'm very conflicted by this book. I was attracted to the title, which sounded like it would be hilarious reading. In fairness, it often was. Still, I almost put it down and didn't finish it after just a couple of chapters, before deciding to soldier through. I'm glad I did, because the author has some very good skills at story telling. If she didn't feel the need to preach, rather than show, I'd probably read the rest of the series. As it is, I was offended by the preachiness -- and even more by the idea that God would actually say a word out loud to an individual as seems to be indicated near the end of the book. I do not believe that's how it works.
So -- great editing (for the most part) and proofing. I didn't make even a single note on that subject. Kudos! Great story, in fact: lifelong underdog, no-self-esteem, recovering alcoholic main character who is earnestly trying to change and make up for past mistakes. Ex (maybe) husband accused of murder (the victim of which crime, the main character discovered). She feels certain he couldn't have done this, so, along with a octogenarian friend from her AA group, and her trusty slightly more than purse-sized dog, sets out to clear his name. Enter ex-hubby's family, the hunky ex-crush policeman, the mentor/reformer, and a host of others. Really fun cast of characters. The plotting and flow are flawless, and the action is both believable (well how active the 80 year old is might be a bit over the top, but, still believable), there is danger galore to everyone involved. If you like an action-filled mystery, this book delivers it in spades. If this were the only story being sold, it's a great one.
Unfortunately (for me, anyway, who isn't a fan of overt Christian lit) there were things that made me crazy. I've read the Christian literature genre before. While I'm no fan, it usually doesn't bother me, as the focus seems to be on maintaining faith no matter the crisis and the writing is usually free of overt sexual inferences, etc. This was different. The main character is a young woman -- I can't remember if her age is given, but I would put her in her very late 20s or her early to mid 30s. She grew up in a neglectful and perhaps abusive family, has no real self-esteem, is an alcoholic, recovering only because her mentor, Les, also an alcoholic, came to her when she was at her lowest point and urged her to not only enter AA, but to become a born-again Christian. Les's take on Christianity is a bit over the top -- but his character is over the top any way. He does a lot of nice things of our main character, Salem (yeah, let's name this attempting to find her faith character after a city that is best known for it's persecution of those alleged to be witches). One of the things Les does is lend his son's car (that's a tongue-in-cheek description) to Salem when her own breaks down. Nice, eh? Except the car has no driver's seat. It's been replaced by an unsecured 5-gallon pickle bucket. You heard me. Now, there is a perfectly good bucket seat on the passenger side. Wouldn't one think most sane people would remove that seat and put in on the driver's side? Yeah. That should give you a hint as to how things will move along. The "pickle-mobile" and its poorly thought out set up do play a major role in the final action of the novel, I'll give the author that. It was an easily foreseen event, but very clever. And yes, poor Salem is struggling not only with sobriety, but with her journey into faith. I could have taken the angst on that front from her, and even most (well not the last, that was out there) of the lectures from Les. But having what seemed to be a voice out of the heavens speak to Salem at the end was ridiculous.
So, for me, who prefers that sermons come from a minister in a church rather than a self-proclaimed trailer trash novel, this book fails as something that I will want to re-read, or as something that will encourage me to read others in the series. Your experience may vary (but, as I'm fond of saying, this is MY review).
Book #1 of the Trailer Park Princess series
by Kim Hunt Harris
Okay. I'm very conflicted by this book. I was attracted to the title, which sounded like it would be hilarious reading. In fairness, it often was. Still, I almost put it down and didn't finish it after just a couple of chapters, before deciding to soldier through. I'm glad I did, because the author has some very good skills at story telling. If she didn't feel the need to preach, rather than show, I'd probably read the rest of the series. As it is, I was offended by the preachiness -- and even more by the idea that God would actually say a word out loud to an individual as seems to be indicated near the end of the book. I do not believe that's how it works.
So -- great editing (for the most part) and proofing. I didn't make even a single note on that subject. Kudos! Great story, in fact: lifelong underdog, no-self-esteem, recovering alcoholic main character who is earnestly trying to change and make up for past mistakes. Ex (maybe) husband accused of murder (the victim of which crime, the main character discovered). She feels certain he couldn't have done this, so, along with a octogenarian friend from her AA group, and her trusty slightly more than purse-sized dog, sets out to clear his name. Enter ex-hubby's family, the hunky ex-crush policeman, the mentor/reformer, and a host of others. Really fun cast of characters. The plotting and flow are flawless, and the action is both believable (well how active the 80 year old is might be a bit over the top, but, still believable), there is danger galore to everyone involved. If you like an action-filled mystery, this book delivers it in spades. If this were the only story being sold, it's a great one.
Unfortunately (for me, anyway, who isn't a fan of overt Christian lit) there were things that made me crazy. I've read the Christian literature genre before. While I'm no fan, it usually doesn't bother me, as the focus seems to be on maintaining faith no matter the crisis and the writing is usually free of overt sexual inferences, etc. This was different. The main character is a young woman -- I can't remember if her age is given, but I would put her in her very late 20s or her early to mid 30s. She grew up in a neglectful and perhaps abusive family, has no real self-esteem, is an alcoholic, recovering only because her mentor, Les, also an alcoholic, came to her when she was at her lowest point and urged her to not only enter AA, but to become a born-again Christian. Les's take on Christianity is a bit over the top -- but his character is over the top any way. He does a lot of nice things of our main character, Salem (yeah, let's name this attempting to find her faith character after a city that is best known for it's persecution of those alleged to be witches). One of the things Les does is lend his son's car (that's a tongue-in-cheek description) to Salem when her own breaks down. Nice, eh? Except the car has no driver's seat. It's been replaced by an unsecured 5-gallon pickle bucket. You heard me. Now, there is a perfectly good bucket seat on the passenger side. Wouldn't one think most sane people would remove that seat and put in on the driver's side? Yeah. That should give you a hint as to how things will move along. The "pickle-mobile" and its poorly thought out set up do play a major role in the final action of the novel, I'll give the author that. It was an easily foreseen event, but very clever. And yes, poor Salem is struggling not only with sobriety, but with her journey into faith. I could have taken the angst on that front from her, and even most (well not the last, that was out there) of the lectures from Les. But having what seemed to be a voice out of the heavens speak to Salem at the end was ridiculous.
So, for me, who prefers that sermons come from a minister in a church rather than a self-proclaimed trailer trash novel, this book fails as something that I will want to re-read, or as something that will encourage me to read others in the series. Your experience may vary (but, as I'm fond of saying, this is MY review).
December 17, 2016
Five Stars
Kim's writing style reminds me of Janet Evanovich with a Christian message. I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Middle Finger Of Fate. The mixture of the two authors was a breath of fresh air.
I highly recommend this book to someone who needs a reminder of God's healing power and may doubt His forgiveness. Everyone makes mistakes and He knows how to show the way to forgive ourselves.
Kim's writing style reminds me of Janet Evanovich with a Christian message. I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Middle Finger Of Fate. The mixture of the two authors was a breath of fresh air.
I highly recommend this book to someone who needs a reminder of God's healing power and may doubt His forgiveness. Everyone makes mistakes and He knows how to show the way to forgive ourselves.
October 6, 2020
Rarely have I read of a main character so deeply flawed yet so relatable. Ms. Harris helps the reader catch a glimpse into the feelings and actions of those dealing with addiction, poverty, and abuse in an entertaining and hopeful way. I can't wait to read more in this series and more from this author.
December 1, 2020
( Format : Audiobook )
"This is the most fun I've had in fifteen years."
She was at the church when she found the dead body. It totally freaked her out. 'You don't expect it to look so dead.' She called the police. She wanted a drink. But that wasn't possible as she was a recovering alcoholic. Her sponsor, Les, believed, and told her constantly, that God loved her, just pray. And she tried the Christian thing, she really did, but if God heard her prayers, then he must be laughing at her. No money, no car, but she did have a dog and an (ex?) husband - and he was the one accused of the murder. So she and her geriatric friend Vic decided to find the real killer.
This is such a fun book with totally quirky characters conducting a bizarre investigation. Yes, there is a lot of God stuff, which would usually have me groaning and putting the book aside, but it's not the sickly sweet smiles and self congratulations usually preached at the reader. This is a God, if he is there, mixing the pot. Told in the first person by Salem, the former drunk, herself, there's plenty of room for self doubt and recrimination - she hadn't been a very nice person but for all that she engages the reader's empathy as does her disreputable, snippy old companion in their adventure. Salem's character is effectively, and delightfully, captured by Sandra Murphy in her excellent performance - fine pacing and modulation and strong Texan accent combined with full 'in persona' angst and emotion. Her other character voices are good, too. Superb. At ten and three quarter hours in length, this reader was really sad when it finished.
I was most fortunate at being freely gifted with a complimentary copy of The Middle Finger of Fate, at my request, by the rights holder via Audiobook Boom. Thank you so much. Looks like there will be more to come in this hilarious Trailer Park series, and I can't wait! Recommended? Absolutely!
"This is the most fun I've had in fifteen years."
She was at the church when she found the dead body. It totally freaked her out. 'You don't expect it to look so dead.' She called the police. She wanted a drink. But that wasn't possible as she was a recovering alcoholic. Her sponsor, Les, believed, and told her constantly, that God loved her, just pray. And she tried the Christian thing, she really did, but if God heard her prayers, then he must be laughing at her. No money, no car, but she did have a dog and an (ex?) husband - and he was the one accused of the murder. So she and her geriatric friend Vic decided to find the real killer.
This is such a fun book with totally quirky characters conducting a bizarre investigation. Yes, there is a lot of God stuff, which would usually have me groaning and putting the book aside, but it's not the sickly sweet smiles and self congratulations usually preached at the reader. This is a God, if he is there, mixing the pot. Told in the first person by Salem, the former drunk, herself, there's plenty of room for self doubt and recrimination - she hadn't been a very nice person but for all that she engages the reader's empathy as does her disreputable, snippy old companion in their adventure. Salem's character is effectively, and delightfully, captured by Sandra Murphy in her excellent performance - fine pacing and modulation and strong Texan accent combined with full 'in persona' angst and emotion. Her other character voices are good, too. Superb. At ten and three quarter hours in length, this reader was really sad when it finished.
I was most fortunate at being freely gifted with a complimentary copy of The Middle Finger of Fate, at my request, by the rights holder via Audiobook Boom. Thank you so much. Looks like there will be more to come in this hilarious Trailer Park series, and I can't wait! Recommended? Absolutely!
December 27, 2020
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, given the title, but what I did expect was that it was going to be a gripping story told with a wicked sense of humor and it didn’t disappoint! And, the title fits it perfectly! Harris tells the heart-warming and hilarious story of Salem Grimes, a recovering alcoholic/born again Christian who, while trying to find herself in her sobriety finds herself embroiled in a murder case that brings back to life all of the things that had plagued her in the past. Together with fellow recovering alcoholic, 80-year-old, zany Viv, and Salem’s best friend and confidant, her dog, Stump, Salem sets out to discover the truth and in doing so, discovers herself, and the true meaning of her Christian faith. I can’t wait to read her other books!
November 30, 2017
Hilarious fun
This is a new author for me & I like her. She has a quirky group of characters, pretty well developed. It has a good plot with sub plots developed along the way. They're not all woven into the finale leaving openings for more to come in the future. You'll enjoy this as a funny romp. I found myself laughing out loud at times to the point of guffawing. Enjoy!
This is a new author for me & I like her. She has a quirky group of characters, pretty well developed. It has a good plot with sub plots developed along the way. They're not all woven into the finale leaving openings for more to come in the future. You'll enjoy this as a funny romp. I found myself laughing out loud at times to the point of guffawing. Enjoy!
August 20, 2017
Unexpected in its clever characters, humor and just all-out quirkiness.
December 5, 2020
The short review: I really enjoyed this so much that I want to listen to the next one right away. I could go through these books faster than Salem and Frank go through Star Crunches.
The main character is Salem, who is a recovering alcoholic in AA and a new Christian. When she finds a dead body on the way to her AA meeting, it sets in motion a cozy mystery in the best tradition of them. There are lively side characters, possible love interests, unexpected twists and turns, the works.
This story could have been heavy-handed, but I think the author was deft at creating the world of someone new to sobriety and Christianity. Salem does pray, and she gets help from her AA sponsor and another woman in the program. For me with my life experiences, this is believable and accessible. Salem is doing her best. She struggles, gets knocked down, gets back up, and ultimately wins. She's a heroine you can cheer for.
All of that is without counting Viv, who is a woman who might be old but has been married to enough men to have special skills for any mischief they need to get into. Such as pick-pocketing or method acting the sweats to go with a fake heart attack. Viv is what you'd call a "hoot"!
Definitely recommended. I'll be on the lookout for more audio in this series.
Disclaimer: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
The main character is Salem, who is a recovering alcoholic in AA and a new Christian. When she finds a dead body on the way to her AA meeting, it sets in motion a cozy mystery in the best tradition of them. There are lively side characters, possible love interests, unexpected twists and turns, the works.
This story could have been heavy-handed, but I think the author was deft at creating the world of someone new to sobriety and Christianity. Salem does pray, and she gets help from her AA sponsor and another woman in the program. For me with my life experiences, this is believable and accessible. Salem is doing her best. She struggles, gets knocked down, gets back up, and ultimately wins. She's a heroine you can cheer for.
All of that is without counting Viv, who is a woman who might be old but has been married to enough men to have special skills for any mischief they need to get into. Such as pick-pocketing or method acting the sweats to go with a fake heart attack. Viv is what you'd call a "hoot"!
Definitely recommended. I'll be on the lookout for more audio in this series.
Disclaimer: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Read
September 2, 2017Okay, this is definitely not my type of book. I read three, never-ending, excrutiating chapters.
I long to jump into a fantasy that takes me on a merry adventure through another time and space.
I don't have any interest in a book that is filled with social problems that I cannot identify with personally, even though there was a reference to the protagonist being a new believer.
Could not complete this book. I'm off looking for my next adventure into a happy fiction, that hopefully ends with contentment.
August 24, 2017
Salem Grimes, a recovering alcoholic with just about 14 months of sobriety under her belt is on her way to her regular AA meeting when she stumbles over a body. The discovery lands her on the local news via a mugshot of a previous drunken driving arrest. The alleged killer is her former (or is he?) husband, whom she walked out on, and she ruined the life of the local TV reporter covering the story (by drunkenly sleeping with the reporter’s then-finance the night before the wedding). Talk about coming face-to-face with her character defects in a big way.
Further complicating matters are an octogenarian AA buddy with a penchant for drama and a desire to be an amateur sleuth, a rolly-poly dog with separation anxiety, and the hot cop investigating the possible homicide who was also Salem’s childhood crush. Salem knows her husband is constitutionally incapable of killing anyone – she figures if he was going to kill someone, it would have been her during her drinking days, when he had valid reasons to kill someone, but if he didn’t do it then, he surely wouldn’t have killed a relative stranger. As part of making amends, she sets out to clear his name and find the real killer.
I liked almost everything about this book. Salem seems very real to me. Her internal dialogues are funny and realistic, and her struggles with alcohol ring true. She’s flawed, but she’s trying to get better, even when the path is all uphill. She is someone I could relate to and root for. Watching her figure out her feelings for her husband, the hot cop and the rampaging reporter was compelling. And having spent some time around 12-step programs, I found the depiction of the relationship between Salem and her sponsor infuriatingly realistic. If I had a quibble with this story, it was that there was a little too much “God talk” (nothing irritates me more than mysteries that are thinly-veiled attempts at proselytizing), but at least it was germane to the plot and realistic.
I liked this enough that I immediately picked up book 2 in the series. I made a connection with Salem, and I want to know what happens next.
Further complicating matters are an octogenarian AA buddy with a penchant for drama and a desire to be an amateur sleuth, a rolly-poly dog with separation anxiety, and the hot cop investigating the possible homicide who was also Salem’s childhood crush. Salem knows her husband is constitutionally incapable of killing anyone – she figures if he was going to kill someone, it would have been her during her drinking days, when he had valid reasons to kill someone, but if he didn’t do it then, he surely wouldn’t have killed a relative stranger. As part of making amends, she sets out to clear his name and find the real killer.
I liked almost everything about this book. Salem seems very real to me. Her internal dialogues are funny and realistic, and her struggles with alcohol ring true. She’s flawed, but she’s trying to get better, even when the path is all uphill. She is someone I could relate to and root for. Watching her figure out her feelings for her husband, the hot cop and the rampaging reporter was compelling. And having spent some time around 12-step programs, I found the depiction of the relationship between Salem and her sponsor infuriatingly realistic. If I had a quibble with this story, it was that there was a little too much “God talk” (nothing irritates me more than mysteries that are thinly-veiled attempts at proselytizing), but at least it was germane to the plot and realistic.
I liked this enough that I immediately picked up book 2 in the series. I made a connection with Salem, and I want to know what happens next.
November 24, 2020
I enjoyed this book. It is a nice, funny mystery with some very interesting characters, I especially liked the feisty octogenarian as a sidekick and the way she leads the charge into battle. The main character was pretty interesting in her own right with the struggles she is going through and you can't help but like her, even with her screw ups she is likable enough for two men to still be interested in her. The mystery it's self was interesting and I liked the way it came to a conclusion. It had the right amount of suspects to keep you guessing (and laughing) and held my interest until the very end. There was a lot of faith talk which could have got a bit preachy but I thought it worked well in the story because the murder took place in a church and it also lead to some light entertainment in explaining why she ended up driving a pickle car (you will have to just read it or listen to the book to understand that reference, no spoilers here). I hope the author has plans to record more audio books in this series, as I am looking forward to the next adventure for Salem.
Salem thought her biggest problem was not drinking but that all changed when on the way to an AA meeting she finds a dead body. Worse still the police are looking at her ex husband for the murder. So Salem does what any alcoholic would do she teams up with a fellow AA member, a board octogenarian to solve the murder. Part of the AA programme is to right wrongs done in the past now is Salem's chance, as long as the killer doesn't target her. But with God on her side what could possibly go wrong?
I like the narrator and am really pleased the author decided to you use Sandra Murphy as the voice of Salem. She is one of the better narrators out there and always puts in a good performance.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Salem thought her biggest problem was not drinking but that all changed when on the way to an AA meeting she finds a dead body. Worse still the police are looking at her ex husband for the murder. So Salem does what any alcoholic would do she teams up with a fellow AA member, a board octogenarian to solve the murder. Part of the AA programme is to right wrongs done in the past now is Salem's chance, as long as the killer doesn't target her. But with God on her side what could possibly go wrong?
I like the narrator and am really pleased the author decided to you use Sandra Murphy as the voice of Salem. She is one of the better narrators out there and always puts in a good performance.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
September 7, 2017
touchmyspinebookreviews.com
Salem is an recovering alcoholic, overweight, and sassy woman! She lives in her little single wide in what she calls 'Trailertopia'. She has a dog named Stump that plays opossum and dramatic and special liker her owner. When Salem walks by her church she stumbles across a dead body things get even more wild for Salem.
Tony Solis(Salem's kind of ex) is arrested for murdering Lucinda Cruz(dead body) crime and is arrested by Bobby Sloan(her childhood crush). She partners up with Viv a wild and free spirited 80 year old senior citizen to right her wrongs and try to prove Tony's innocence and find the real murderer of Lucinda Cruz.
This book takes you through Salem's adventures, staying sober, finding her relationship with God, battling weight issues, trying to keep her head above water and battling trying to right the wrongs she made to her loved ones.
I loved this book! Salem was a character I could totally relate to. I also battled addictions in my past, made it pay check to pay check, felt confused with my faith, needed forgiveness and battle weight issues. This book was hilarious but it was also touching at some points. It looks at things from a Christian point of view sort of but not the bible bashing type of Christianity. I really enjoyed Viv also! I hope I grow up to be that wild in my 80s. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good cozy mystery and is looking for something to strengthen your faith! 5 out of 5 heartfelt hilarious stars!
Also my lovelies this was a free download on kindle so if you're interested would get it while it's free on your kindle or kindle app.
Salem is an recovering alcoholic, overweight, and sassy woman! She lives in her little single wide in what she calls 'Trailertopia'. She has a dog named Stump that plays opossum and dramatic and special liker her owner. When Salem walks by her church she stumbles across a dead body things get even more wild for Salem.
Tony Solis(Salem's kind of ex) is arrested for murdering Lucinda Cruz(dead body) crime and is arrested by Bobby Sloan(her childhood crush). She partners up with Viv a wild and free spirited 80 year old senior citizen to right her wrongs and try to prove Tony's innocence and find the real murderer of Lucinda Cruz.
This book takes you through Salem's adventures, staying sober, finding her relationship with God, battling weight issues, trying to keep her head above water and battling trying to right the wrongs she made to her loved ones.
I loved this book! Salem was a character I could totally relate to. I also battled addictions in my past, made it pay check to pay check, felt confused with my faith, needed forgiveness and battle weight issues. This book was hilarious but it was also touching at some points. It looks at things from a Christian point of view sort of but not the bible bashing type of Christianity. I really enjoyed Viv also! I hope I grow up to be that wild in my 80s. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good cozy mystery and is looking for something to strengthen your faith! 5 out of 5 heartfelt hilarious stars!
Also my lovelies this was a free download on kindle so if you're interested would get it while it's free on your kindle or kindle app.
July 26, 2017
Funny!
There's one thing I absolutely love about this story. The main character is so relatable. Full of flaws, not someone with just one. It makes you get involved and root for Salem.
Oh! The humor! This lady knows how to write humor! I am so jealous. If you think writing funny is easy, you got it all wrong!
I felt like there were a few too many characters for me to keep track of. That's just me, though. I'd have to read the next one to see if the level is lessened. But I felt the ones I think will be repeating characters were well developed, and not cookie cutter or flat.
Some descriptions are fully developed, but I think the settings could be done a little more. I had to keep reminding myself I was in Lubbock.
Two things I had a slight problem with. I felt at times I had trouble figuring out who was talking. We don't need "he said" "she said" all the time, but occasionally I had to go back and reread a section to figure out who said what. A classic mistake in a first novel (Lordy, I hope this is her first one and I'm not insulting her!).
I did feel like the ending dragged on a little too much. It could have been tightened up a bit and not lost anything.
Looking forward to giving the series an honest shot with the second installment.
There's one thing I absolutely love about this story. The main character is so relatable. Full of flaws, not someone with just one. It makes you get involved and root for Salem.
Oh! The humor! This lady knows how to write humor! I am so jealous. If you think writing funny is easy, you got it all wrong!
I felt like there were a few too many characters for me to keep track of. That's just me, though. I'd have to read the next one to see if the level is lessened. But I felt the ones I think will be repeating characters were well developed, and not cookie cutter or flat.
Some descriptions are fully developed, but I think the settings could be done a little more. I had to keep reminding myself I was in Lubbock.
Two things I had a slight problem with. I felt at times I had trouble figuring out who was talking. We don't need "he said" "she said" all the time, but occasionally I had to go back and reread a section to figure out who said what. A classic mistake in a first novel (Lordy, I hope this is her first one and I'm not insulting her!).
I did feel like the ending dragged on a little too much. It could have been tightened up a bit and not lost anything.
Looking forward to giving the series an honest shot with the second installment.
December 9, 2017
A bit outside my usual reading range but a lot of fun. Salem Grimes' first person narration is vivid and full of character and some of the supporting characters and situations are hilarious. The book weaves this with some quite serious stuff about wrestling with God, disappointment, past mistakes and present failures. The book takes to heart the principle that Flannery O'Connor championed - that if you present holiness in too saintly a way the reader will reject it as fake, but if it's in the form of superficially comic or ridiculous person (including trailer-park dwellers, possibly one ) it works much better. This book is more about grace than it is about holiness, though the two are linked, but (apart from the apparently-perfect Tony) it uses this principle well. There's also a subtle but effective contrast between Salem's miserable self-image and the much more positive way others respond to her that makes her adventures as an amateur sleuth less implausible than they would seem if you took her narration entirely at face value. I'd certainly consider following this series further.
September 6, 2020
Good Mystery
I liked the heroine. She has had a rough life, even though she is only 28. The first half of this book was mainly about all sadness, unfairness, trauma of her young life. I say trauma because while there was not much in the way of physical abuse, there was plenty of mental abuse, neglect, hunger, and an unstable life. It was depressing. But at 28 she is a recovering addict, and successfully adhering to the 12-step program. Her sponsor is a caring man always there for her. And her one friend, an 80 year old recovering alcoholic she met in AA, is also there for her, but acts more like a friend than a sponsor or preacher. Thank you. Two lonely people together, 28 and 80, out to find the real killer. I did not notice this when I bought the book, but the author did disclose this was a Christian book. I do not read Christian books, I do not like to be preached at. This one was not too bad, I completed the book without cringing too much. I already bought book 2, as it was in sale. I actually acquired book 2 before book 1. So I will read book 2 and hope it is not too preachy and more funny than sad.
I liked the heroine. She has had a rough life, even though she is only 28. The first half of this book was mainly about all sadness, unfairness, trauma of her young life. I say trauma because while there was not much in the way of physical abuse, there was plenty of mental abuse, neglect, hunger, and an unstable life. It was depressing. But at 28 she is a recovering addict, and successfully adhering to the 12-step program. Her sponsor is a caring man always there for her. And her one friend, an 80 year old recovering alcoholic she met in AA, is also there for her, but acts more like a friend than a sponsor or preacher. Thank you. Two lonely people together, 28 and 80, out to find the real killer. I did not notice this when I bought the book, but the author did disclose this was a Christian book. I do not read Christian books, I do not like to be preached at. This one was not too bad, I completed the book without cringing too much. I already bought book 2, as it was in sale. I actually acquired book 2 before book 1. So I will read book 2 and hope it is not too preachy and more funny than sad.
June 22, 2018
Stump’s Story – My gosh, what a tearjerker! How many more horrible things could happen to Stump? As sad as this story is, it was hard to put down, impossible. Ms. Harris did a wonderful job telling this dog’s story, with its losses and its luck.
Middle Finger Of Fate, #1 - Hilarious! OMGosh, it's the first chapter and I'm already LOL. A well written, funny, touching suspense with a twisting, well thought out plot and intriguing characters you just can't help but like. There's reminders of Plum, her grannie and Ranger. If you love Evanovich, you will love Ms. Harris.
Knickers in a Twist, #4 - Intriguing! I missed #2 and #3 of the series, but it didn't matter. This well written, suspenseful book, along with it's well thought out plot and interesting characters keep me glued to the book until I was finished. The characters are steadily developing as the stories continue. There's a lot happening in the main characters lives and the stories about them keeping getting better. After reading Middle Finger Of Fate, I contacted the author to review her books.
Middle Finger Of Fate, #1 - Hilarious! OMGosh, it's the first chapter and I'm already LOL. A well written, funny, touching suspense with a twisting, well thought out plot and intriguing characters you just can't help but like. There's reminders of Plum, her grannie and Ranger. If you love Evanovich, you will love Ms. Harris.
Knickers in a Twist, #4 - Intriguing! I missed #2 and #3 of the series, but it didn't matter. This well written, suspenseful book, along with it's well thought out plot and interesting characters keep me glued to the book until I was finished. The characters are steadily developing as the stories continue. There's a lot happening in the main characters lives and the stories about them keeping getting better. After reading Middle Finger Of Fate, I contacted the author to review her books.
February 10, 2019
This was... interesting. So first of all, a mild warning, this book has a big fair share of religion (fyi I don't have a problem with it but I wish I had read about it before I started reading the book)
Salem is an AA in recovery, has a sponsor, whom I love, and lives her life, well, one day at the time. She finds the body of a girl in the church and gets involved trying to discover who the killer was so her ex?husband doesn't fall for the crime she is sure he didn't commit. With the aid of another AA member, she starts discovering things from her past, the crime and herself.
This first book was cute, funny and even though I'm not a fan of reading religious stuff in my mystery books, was a good addition to the story. Full disclosure here, I have a HUGE crush on Bobby and that's why I liked this book, Salem is kind of annoying and at times so full of herself I just wanted to slap her hard, so self-absorbed that I was left wondering if she really is taking her prays and religion seriously. Will see how the story develops from here.
Salem is an AA in recovery, has a sponsor, whom I love, and lives her life, well, one day at the time. She finds the body of a girl in the church and gets involved trying to discover who the killer was so her ex?husband doesn't fall for the crime she is sure he didn't commit. With the aid of another AA member, she starts discovering things from her past, the crime and herself.
This first book was cute, funny and even though I'm not a fan of reading religious stuff in my mystery books, was a good addition to the story. Full disclosure here, I have a HUGE crush on Bobby and that's why I liked this book, Salem is kind of annoying and at times so full of herself I just wanted to slap her hard, so self-absorbed that I was left wondering if she really is taking her prays and religion seriously. Will see how the story develops from here.
July 22, 2019
Kim Hunt Harris's cozy mystery, The Trailer Park Princess and the Middle Finger of Fate, is unlike most cozies. It stars Salem Grimes a 28 year old overweight, recovering alcoholic, guilty of passing bad checks thus on probation, who lives in Lubbock, Texas with her dog--Stump. Her home life was dismal at best and she became a promiscuous teen addicted to alcohol. She was pregnant when she married Tony Solis who is now accused of murder. The victim is 22 year old Lucinda Cruz who Salem found at the bottom of the basement steps outside the First United Methodist Church. The detective in charge of the case just happens to be 35 year old Bobby Sloan. Salem used to have a crush on him when she as young. Desperate to prove that Tony is innocent, Salem and her senior citizen friend, Vivian Carson, become amateur detectives/a crime solving duo. This is a fun cozy with zany characters and a heroine that you can't help but root for.
August 29, 2020
It really is LOL
In the About this Book, there is a blurb that says it’s a Laugh Out Loud Cozy Mystery. Plus religious parts but not in your face.
I actually LOL’d a few times (closer towards the end so stay with it).
This book involves a chick that is a little overweight (relatable) and has a drinking problem. Well, actually is an alcoholic and is in AA. The only negative I have is that the author writes about AA and steps and processes and such but our star girl never attends AA meetings. Instead she gets herself in all sorts of trouble. She does involve her sponsor throughout the book and I’m surprised that no one suggests she go to a meeting.
I did like the book a lot. After reading it you are offered a couple of free books which I did get just because I didn’t want this one to end. The one book I read sort of was a disappointment but that’s for another review.
In the About this Book, there is a blurb that says it’s a Laugh Out Loud Cozy Mystery. Plus religious parts but not in your face.
I actually LOL’d a few times (closer towards the end so stay with it).
This book involves a chick that is a little overweight (relatable) and has a drinking problem. Well, actually is an alcoholic and is in AA. The only negative I have is that the author writes about AA and steps and processes and such but our star girl never attends AA meetings. Instead she gets herself in all sorts of trouble. She does involve her sponsor throughout the book and I’m surprised that no one suggests she go to a meeting.
I did like the book a lot. After reading it you are offered a couple of free books which I did get just because I didn’t want this one to end. The one book I read sort of was a disappointment but that’s for another review.
September 20, 2020
Salem Grimes is a recovering alcoholic who discovers a murder victim on the way to her Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Salem has a colorful past, with an ex-husband (who may not be ex), an ex-best friend out for revenge, a crazy grandma, and a many times married mother. Seems like she has a good reason to drink. She’s trying to stay abstinent and has tried to find her higher power in god.
Her ex-husband Tony is accused of the murder, so Salem hooks up with Val, an octogenarian fellow AA member to solve the murder. The book veers from one misadventure to another, interspersed with Salem’s attempts to make amends to those she hurt while she was drinking. Needless to say, things don’t always turn out how she hoped.
There’s a lot of silliness here, but Salem has a good heart, and she truly wants to do good. This makes a nice diversion, but I really liked the characters and the wanted everything to work out. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
Her ex-husband Tony is accused of the murder, so Salem hooks up with Val, an octogenarian fellow AA member to solve the murder. The book veers from one misadventure to another, interspersed with Salem’s attempts to make amends to those she hurt while she was drinking. Needless to say, things don’t always turn out how she hoped.
There’s a lot of silliness here, but Salem has a good heart, and she truly wants to do good. This makes a nice diversion, but I really liked the characters and the wanted everything to work out. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
December 18, 2020
Fab for Fans of Stephanie Plum and White Trash Zombie
Harris weaves a funny cozy story with a cast of kooky characters you want to love that are filled with imperfections and feel very real. I really enjoyed the lighthearted while being very deep look at finding and understanding one's faith and redemption. The struggle with addiction is very real and Harris covers it with respect while showing how hard it cam be to work the steps and fight for sobriety and finding just how worth it sobriety can be for a person. Meanwhile the mystery was good and I enjoyed the struggle of the main character to figure things out despite having absolutely nothing but street smarts and intuition to guide her. The story is addictive, the characters relatable, and the humour solid. I'm glad I already have more ready for reading. Also, my Chihuahua loves Stump the dog and that we didn't need to John Wick some joker in this story. Sorry for the minor spoiler.
Harris weaves a funny cozy story with a cast of kooky characters you want to love that are filled with imperfections and feel very real. I really enjoyed the lighthearted while being very deep look at finding and understanding one's faith and redemption. The struggle with addiction is very real and Harris covers it with respect while showing how hard it cam be to work the steps and fight for sobriety and finding just how worth it sobriety can be for a person. Meanwhile the mystery was good and I enjoyed the struggle of the main character to figure things out despite having absolutely nothing but street smarts and intuition to guide her. The story is addictive, the characters relatable, and the humour solid. I'm glad I already have more ready for reading. Also, my Chihuahua loves Stump the dog and that we didn't need to John Wick some joker in this story. Sorry for the minor spoiler.
May 11, 2017
The Trailer Park Princess and the Middle Finger of Fate is a delightful mystery about Salem Grimes. The name of the heroine is an indication that she is flawed. She is a recovering alcoholic with all of the attendant problems that is implied. She needs to lose weight, she feels sorry for herself, and she gets into ridiculous situations. In this mystery she must find the murderer of a victim that she finds at the church where she attends AA meetings. She discovers that she is still married to the man who is accused of the crime, even though she thought they were divorced ten years ago. She has an armed eighty year old side-kick named Viv, and a small black dog called Stump who help her in her quest.
I enjoyed this story very much. It was a quick read and anyone who likes mysteries would enjoy it on a rainy afternoon. I give it five out of five stars and recommend it.
I enjoyed this story very much. It was a quick read and anyone who likes mysteries would enjoy it on a rainy afternoon. I give it five out of five stars and recommend it.
May 20, 2017
5/19/17
THE MIDDLE FINGER OF FATE
Kim Hunt
Well, lets see, it is a cozy mystery about a woman who is a born again christian and a recovering alcoholic and drunk. This being said, the book is very entertaining and a very good mystery. The only problem is that the author is also a born again Christian and I think that is great for her but becomes burdensome when the reader of her books is preached at by the author. I feel that this is a personal choice and should be made or not by the person and not decided by the author of a book.
It was a lot of fun to read a book without gratuitous violence or sex and the story is great and very enjoyable. Just should not be so slanted toward AA or religion, a relatively minor point but does make a difference. I would recommend this series of books to any of my friends who are relatively open-minded.
THE MIDDLE FINGER OF FATE
Kim Hunt
Well, lets see, it is a cozy mystery about a woman who is a born again christian and a recovering alcoholic and drunk. This being said, the book is very entertaining and a very good mystery. The only problem is that the author is also a born again Christian and I think that is great for her but becomes burdensome when the reader of her books is preached at by the author. I feel that this is a personal choice and should be made or not by the person and not decided by the author of a book.
It was a lot of fun to read a book without gratuitous violence or sex and the story is great and very enjoyable. Just should not be so slanted toward AA or religion, a relatively minor point but does make a difference. I would recommend this series of books to any of my friends who are relatively open-minded.
July 24, 2018
A good laugh, a good cry, and a great mystery!
Kim Harris Hunt has masterfully created a host of characters that you can fall in love with. From Salem’s octogenarian sleuthing buddy, Viv, to her dramatic dog, Stump, these characters will keep you coming back for more of her stories. And thankfully, she has quite a few!
The title might not sound like an inspirational novel, but seldom has a sweeter message been delivered. The Middle Finger of Fate, by Kim Harris Hunt, had me in tears - both from laughing so hard and tears of joy from the spiritual journey of the main character, Salem. The message of the book is so powerful that it had me meditating on it long after I closed the book.
Kim Harris Hunt has masterfully created a host of characters that you can fall in love with. From Salem’s octogenarian sleuthing buddy, Viv, to her dramatic dog, Stump, these characters will keep you coming back for more of her stories. And thankfully, she has quite a few!
The title might not sound like an inspirational novel, but seldom has a sweeter message been delivered. The Middle Finger of Fate, by Kim Harris Hunt, had me in tears - both from laughing so hard and tears of joy from the spiritual journey of the main character, Salem. The message of the book is so powerful that it had me meditating on it long after I closed the book.
November 6, 2018
Middle Finger of Fate
Funny: characters that would make your milk shoot out of your nose if you met them in real time!
On her way to an AA meeting, Salem Grimes looks down as she's walking up to the church and discovers a body--a dead body.
The lead detective is someone Salem had a crush on for years and he still looks hot.
The main suspect in the murder is someone that Salem thought she divorced ten years ago. He still looks good too.
Salem, on the other hand, gained 30-40 pounds and has Viv (80ish in chronological years only) as her main sidekick.
The characters are well thought out and detailed. The plot has twists and turns that kept me guessing. Looking forward to the next episode!
Funny: characters that would make your milk shoot out of your nose if you met them in real time!
On her way to an AA meeting, Salem Grimes looks down as she's walking up to the church and discovers a body--a dead body.
The lead detective is someone Salem had a crush on for years and he still looks hot.
The main suspect in the murder is someone that Salem thought she divorced ten years ago. He still looks good too.
Salem, on the other hand, gained 30-40 pounds and has Viv (80ish in chronological years only) as her main sidekick.
The characters are well thought out and detailed. The plot has twists and turns that kept me guessing. Looking forward to the next episode!
August 6, 2020
I've read so many awful cozy mysteries lately that I had kind of abandoned the genre. But I actually enjoyed this one. There were a few procedural things that weren't quite right but they didn't steer the story into a completely impossible place. The heroine was interesting and I liked her and her elderly sidekick. The author did a very realistic job of portraying the financial hardships of being on probation and the personal struggles of trying to stay sober. There is a strong Christian theme but unlike some of the reviewers, I didn't find it overly preachy. It certainly didn't rise to the saccharine levels found in most literature intended to be Christian. There were parts that were very funny. I would absolutely read other books in this series.
May 23, 2017
This story certainly deserves every award it has won! I can’t wait to read more from this author. The story has well fleshed out characters, realistic dialog and a great plot. The ladies get into a bit of mischief and there are lots of laugh out loud moments. While there is a great moral message and lots of faith messages, it is not all hearts and flowers. There is alcoholism, murder, adultery and bad behavior. All of the sex and bad language is alluded to and not in your face. The violence is described well, but not gory at all. This story has it all! This story would make a great movie! The entire time I was reading it, I was imagining Melissa McCarthy and Cloris Leachman as the stars!
June 12, 2017
This was an interesting cozy mystery; different in several ways from what one generally thinks of a cozy mystery. Kim Hunt Harris writes with humor (I laughed out loud), plot twists, and great characters.
The characters are real, authentic, and face everyday issues that happen in real life. Salem Grimes is a recovering alcoholic who is struggling to understand faith and living a Christian life. While trying to right wrongs of her past, she ends up trying to solve a murder. Her misadventures take the reader through laughter, sadness, and a few nail-biting moments.
Good read, realistic story, and real life characters in real life situations.
The characters are real, authentic, and face everyday issues that happen in real life. Salem Grimes is a recovering alcoholic who is struggling to understand faith and living a Christian life. While trying to right wrongs of her past, she ends up trying to solve a murder. Her misadventures take the reader through laughter, sadness, and a few nail-biting moments.
Good read, realistic story, and real life characters in real life situations.
September 20, 2017
Fun mystery & some good stuff about faith.
Salem is a young woman with a lot of struggles: sobriety, weight, finances, regrets, and nagging doubts about God's love. Then, on her way to an AA meeting at the church she attends, she comes across a dead body. Her ex-husband Tony is accused of the murder and Salem is determined to learn what really happened. Along the way she gets roughed up, tries to right much older wrongs, makes a much older friend, and learns that she's not as divorced as she thought. There are many happy outcomes before the book ends, including a deeper sense of God's love. And there are 3 more books and a few shorts to continue Salem's story.
Salem is a young woman with a lot of struggles: sobriety, weight, finances, regrets, and nagging doubts about God's love. Then, on her way to an AA meeting at the church she attends, she comes across a dead body. Her ex-husband Tony is accused of the murder and Salem is determined to learn what really happened. Along the way she gets roughed up, tries to right much older wrongs, makes a much older friend, and learns that she's not as divorced as she thought. There are many happy outcomes before the book ends, including a deeper sense of God's love. And there are 3 more books and a few shorts to continue Salem's story.
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