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The Frannie Shoemaker Campground Mysteries #5
To Cache a Killer
Geocaching isn't supposed to be about finding dead bodies. But when retiree, Frannie Shoemaker go camping, standard definitions don't apply. A weekend in a beautiful state park in Iowa buzzes with fund-raising events, a search for Ninja turtles, a bevy of suspects, and lots of great food. But are the campers in the wrong place at the wrong time once too often?
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First published August 1, 2015
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November 8, 2016
Frannie Shoemaker and her ex-cop husband Larry were camping for the weekend with their friends once again, and this time they were involved in the activity of geocaching in the area. Searching via clues on the net; setting the co-ordinates and heading out – it was a lot of fun. But the search for the four teenage mutant ninja turtles which were the focus of this cache had them heading once again into danger.
The involvement of many of the locals in the fundraising events which were also on the same weekend meant there were many more people around. When the friends joined the fund-raising events they didn’t expect to be on the look-out for a killer – but the body in the direct vicinity had the list of suspects for the local sheriff quite long. Would Frannie’s amateur sleuthing create major problems for the friends this camping trip?
To Cache a Killer by Karen Musser Nortman is another in the Frannie Shoemaker cosy mystery series, and quite enjoyable. Frannie finds herself in a load of trouble once again, all the while enjoying the concoctions of great foods each couple creates during the weekend. I’m thoroughly enjoying the series and highly recommend it.
The involvement of many of the locals in the fundraising events which were also on the same weekend meant there were many more people around. When the friends joined the fund-raising events they didn’t expect to be on the look-out for a killer – but the body in the direct vicinity had the list of suspects for the local sheriff quite long. Would Frannie’s amateur sleuthing create major problems for the friends this camping trip?
To Cache a Killer by Karen Musser Nortman is another in the Frannie Shoemaker cosy mystery series, and quite enjoyable. Frannie finds herself in a load of trouble once again, all the while enjoying the concoctions of great foods each couple creates during the weekend. I’m thoroughly enjoying the series and highly recommend it.
June 9, 2020
Dolomite State Park, named for the striking limestone formations, remained one of Frannie’s all-time favorites for camping. She had cooled off after the tension of the climb, almost to the point of chills, but now the spring sun and the walk warmed her, and it was welcome. Occasional violets peeked through spots on the leaf-covered ground, like feeble forays of civilization into this prehistoric looking place. The pitted grey rock resembled old bones as much as anything. Fragile light green leaves made a brave showing on spindly shrubs at the base of the cliff…
At last, a cosy series I can really get into. Retirees Frannie and Larry Shoemaker (he a retired police officer), her brother Mickey Ferrano and wife Jane Ann, and slightly younger couple Nancy and Ben Terell, (don’t forget the dogs), have driven their respective RV trailers into Dolomite State Park, Iowa (based on Backbone State Park near Dundee IA) to indulge in their favourite pursuits: food, beer/wine and geocaching – locating hidden “treasures” by logging onto the coordinates in a GPS. A popular pastime in the US – less known as yet in Australia – but I can relate to birders and fossickers, with their slightly off-beat humour, travelling the land.
The weekend they are at Dolomite coincides with a decathlon fundraiser – organised by the formidable Normadean – and the couples are drafted into either competing or helping as volunteers. Inevitably, a dead body turns up, and Frannie can’t help herself, listening in on muted conversations, on the look-out for suspicious characters, as her long-suffering husband complains:
“Watching CSI doesn’t qualify as training for a law enforcement career.”
I really enjoyed the warm-hearted banter (and occasional bickering) as the couples encounter the local Sheriff, the park ranger and other campers – including a pair who were the victims of an online scam. Then there’s the young couple, out of their depth.
“I’ve always lived in Chicago. Those woods look pretty scary.”
“Compared to Chicago? I can’t believe that!” Frannie said.
“No, really, it doesn’t bother me at all to walk at night or take the bus or El in the city, but that is scary.” She indicated the woods again and shook her head. “Silly, isn’t it?”
Though #5 in the series, it works as a stand-alone, and I’m glad I have finally discovered it, after 3 years on my TBR list. As a bonus, there’s a wonderful list of recipes at the end, and handy hints for camping out.
Verdict: good company.
At last, a cosy series I can really get into. Retirees Frannie and Larry Shoemaker (he a retired police officer), her brother Mickey Ferrano and wife Jane Ann, and slightly younger couple Nancy and Ben Terell, (don’t forget the dogs), have driven their respective RV trailers into Dolomite State Park, Iowa (based on Backbone State Park near Dundee IA) to indulge in their favourite pursuits: food, beer/wine and geocaching – locating hidden “treasures” by logging onto the coordinates in a GPS. A popular pastime in the US – less known as yet in Australia – but I can relate to birders and fossickers, with their slightly off-beat humour, travelling the land.
The weekend they are at Dolomite coincides with a decathlon fundraiser – organised by the formidable Normadean – and the couples are drafted into either competing or helping as volunteers. Inevitably, a dead body turns up, and Frannie can’t help herself, listening in on muted conversations, on the look-out for suspicious characters, as her long-suffering husband complains:
“Watching CSI doesn’t qualify as training for a law enforcement career.”
I really enjoyed the warm-hearted banter (and occasional bickering) as the couples encounter the local Sheriff, the park ranger and other campers – including a pair who were the victims of an online scam. Then there’s the young couple, out of their depth.
“I’ve always lived in Chicago. Those woods look pretty scary.”
“Compared to Chicago? I can’t believe that!” Frannie said.
“No, really, it doesn’t bother me at all to walk at night or take the bus or El in the city, but that is scary.” She indicated the woods again and shook her head. “Silly, isn’t it?”
Though #5 in the series, it works as a stand-alone, and I’m glad I have finally discovered it, after 3 years on my TBR list. As a bonus, there’s a wonderful list of recipes at the end, and handy hints for camping out.
Verdict: good company.
May 3, 2016
Geocaching Adventure
I was delighted to find more camping mysteries by this author as I enjoyed the descriptions of the unfamiliar areas and the camping experience. In this book Frannie and her friends are geocaching at a state park in Iowa . The first cache is a traveler and they need find 3 others. One of traveler is found on a murder site. Frannie's need to find an answer to the mystery in order to leave the park.
I was delighted to find more camping mysteries by this author as I enjoyed the descriptions of the unfamiliar areas and the camping experience. In this book Frannie and her friends are geocaching at a state park in Iowa . The first cache is a traveler and they need find 3 others. One of traveler is found on a murder site. Frannie's need to find an answer to the mystery in order to leave the park.
July 10, 2018
Super fun
I love camping, and this is the first books in the series that I’ve read, and I fully enjoyed it. I love the mystery, personalities, and cannot wait to read more from the series.
I love camping, and this is the first books in the series that I’ve read, and I fully enjoyed it. I love the mystery, personalities, and cannot wait to read more from the series.
March 25, 2018
Frannie Shoemaker and her friends and family are once again at a campground in Iowa, this time practicing the hobby of geocaching. Poking around in the woods looking for hidden caches naturally offers opportunities for Frannie's secondary--or perhaps primary--hobby of finding bodies.
This time she doesn't find a body; just a shoe. Because there's no foot in the shoe, or anywhere nearby, it strikes her and her friends as odd, but completely harmless. Unfortunately, not much later, the police do find a dead body quite nearby. Frannie and Larry tell the police about the shoe, but since the body isn't missing a shoe, and the shoe is gone by the time Frannie tells them about it and they look for it, all this does is call them to the attention of the police.
The police do find a metal tag near the body, and it turns out to be a tag from a geocaching "trackable," an item hidden in the cache that might have special instructions. Does this mean anything? Will they find out what it means?
Over the next few days, continuing their geocaching and also volunteering in the campground's fundraising events, Frannie, Larry, JaneAnne, Mickey, Nancy, and husband, are on the scene for a confrontation in a diner, a shooting in the cemetery, and a strange accident where the organizer of the campground's fundraising events perhaps trips, or perhaps is pushed, into a dangerous but fortunately non-fatal fall. Meanwhile, another couple they've gotten friendly with at the campground discovers that the land they thought they bought in the area two years ago, was never sold. It still belongs to its original owner--or did. That owner was that dead body found near where Frannie and Nancy were geocaching, when they found the vanishing shoe.
There are a lot of local issues and grudges, and a wealth of suspects. Unfortunately, Frannie and her friends, and also their new friends just met at the campground, are among those suspects. The sheriff isn't hostile, but geocaching is new and strange to him, and Frannie in particular is near everything that happens.
It's a fun, light mystery, and a visit with old friends.
Recommended.
I received a free copy of this audiobook and am reviewing it voluntarily.
This time she doesn't find a body; just a shoe. Because there's no foot in the shoe, or anywhere nearby, it strikes her and her friends as odd, but completely harmless. Unfortunately, not much later, the police do find a dead body quite nearby. Frannie and Larry tell the police about the shoe, but since the body isn't missing a shoe, and the shoe is gone by the time Frannie tells them about it and they look for it, all this does is call them to the attention of the police.
The police do find a metal tag near the body, and it turns out to be a tag from a geocaching "trackable," an item hidden in the cache that might have special instructions. Does this mean anything? Will they find out what it means?
Over the next few days, continuing their geocaching and also volunteering in the campground's fundraising events, Frannie, Larry, JaneAnne, Mickey, Nancy, and husband, are on the scene for a confrontation in a diner, a shooting in the cemetery, and a strange accident where the organizer of the campground's fundraising events perhaps trips, or perhaps is pushed, into a dangerous but fortunately non-fatal fall. Meanwhile, another couple they've gotten friendly with at the campground discovers that the land they thought they bought in the area two years ago, was never sold. It still belongs to its original owner--or did. That owner was that dead body found near where Frannie and Nancy were geocaching, when they found the vanishing shoe.
There are a lot of local issues and grudges, and a wealth of suspects. Unfortunately, Frannie and her friends, and also their new friends just met at the campground, are among those suspects. The sheriff isn't hostile, but geocaching is new and strange to him, and Frannie in particular is near everything that happens.
It's a fun, light mystery, and a visit with old friends.
Recommended.
I received a free copy of this audiobook and am reviewing it voluntarily.
April 2, 2018
Frannie and her camping buddies are at it again! They are having a great time camping and doing a little geocaching when they stumble upon the scene of a murder and Frannie inserts herself into the investigation, much to her husband's dismay. Since she and her friends are soon suspects, Frannie must find the truth of what happened and who did what. Can she make sense of the footless boot, the rusty knife, fake real estate deals and Ninja Turtles in order to find the murderer?
I love this series by Karen Musser Nortman. The narration by Michelle Babb is perfect for this kind of story. I love her slower, drawn out words for the men!
I love this series by Karen Musser Nortman. The narration by Michelle Babb is perfect for this kind of story. I love her slower, drawn out words for the men!
September 22, 2022
I'm so happy to be back in this series. I have really grown to love these characters and their dynamic. I'm not a big camper, but this series makes me want to go get an RV and set out for nature. They always find fun things to do and it seems like the best time (minus the murders). This book focused on geocaching which always sounded so fun and I love how it factored into the mystery. I was slightly shocked by the ending and I appreciate how it all came together. I'm looking forward to continuing!
July 31, 2016
I have become a big sucker for this series. And I hope KM Nortman will keep them coming.... Since the next and last one (so far) in the series has a winter theme I will wait until Christmas time to read it - if I can hold off for so long...
As always the mystery had plenty of suspects and twists and turns. It was also great to catch up with the camping gang again. So far I had no experience with or much knowledge of geocaching but it was interesting to learn about it and was a nice theme for the mystery. A highly recommended read.
As always the mystery had plenty of suspects and twists and turns. It was also great to catch up with the camping gang again. So far I had no experience with or much knowledge of geocaching but it was interesting to learn about it and was a nice theme for the mystery. A highly recommended read.
October 12, 2023
Three retired couples set out on a camping adventure in the Dolomite State Park, Iowa. To add interest to the trip, this group of family and friends are avid geo-cache hunters, with geo-caching being the newest treasure hunting fad with over six million people worldwide engaged in finding the caches or treasures (Author’s note), not for valuables but for the challenge of using clues and coordinates through GPS devices as well as climbing up or down to the most inaccessible hiding places, just for the pleasure of adding their name to a list of finders. While none of the group are young or super fit, they are all full of enthusiasm, especially Frannie, who even bravely conquers her fear of heights to reach the most inaccessible hidey holes. It is a merry mix of delicious camp meals, bonfires, relaxed evenings in the cold mountain air, walking their dogs, and solving murders. Yes, while the three men offer to cook the evening meal, the ladies continue with their mission of locating the next cache and stumble across an abandoned shoe, luckily, based on Frannie’s previous experiences, “with no body attached”. However, next morning news trickles in of the body of a man being found in the park. And the sleuth in Frannie awakens much to her husband, ex-police officer Larry’s dismay.
Of course, this is not quite enough of activity for Frannie and she soon volunteers to help in a decathlon being organized by the park authorities, also roping in the other members of the group. Things come to a head when the physically imposing and domineering organizer of the games slips over a cliff and gets her foot caught in a crevice. Now Frannie must see the race through! To top it all, the Sherrif begins to view the whole group with suspicion, as they seem to be involved at every stage of the investigation. Frannie’s warm heart and doggedness to reach her goal, whether a geo-cache or the solution to the murder brings her new friends, but also new and life-threatening problems. An enjoyable read. The fifth in a series of ten Frannie Shoemaker Campground mysteries, I’ll certainly check out the others.
Of course, this is not quite enough of activity for Frannie and she soon volunteers to help in a decathlon being organized by the park authorities, also roping in the other members of the group. Things come to a head when the physically imposing and domineering organizer of the games slips over a cliff and gets her foot caught in a crevice. Now Frannie must see the race through! To top it all, the Sherrif begins to view the whole group with suspicion, as they seem to be involved at every stage of the investigation. Frannie’s warm heart and doggedness to reach her goal, whether a geo-cache or the solution to the murder brings her new friends, but also new and life-threatening problems. An enjoyable read. The fifth in a series of ten Frannie Shoemaker Campground mysteries, I’ll certainly check out the others.
March 28, 2018
To Cache a Killer, the latest in Karen Musser Nortman’s Frannie Shoemaker Campground Mystery series is a fun, if lightweight, read. The book is fairly standard for the series with lots of good natured bantering between the lead characters, the Shoemakers and the Ferraros; lots of campground cooking and activities; and, of course, a murder to be solved. Though Larry, Frannie’s husband, is the retired detective, it is Frannie who is driven to solve the crime, albeit with the help of Larry and their friends. It is this core group of four that bring such charm to the series.
I like that the book makes clever use of geocaching and does a reasonable job of explaining the hobby to those readers unfamiliar with it. So successful is Ms Nortman in her use of geocaching that after reading the book, I told my husband that we’d have to try it once he retires.
While I really enjoyed the geocaching element of the book and always enjoy the interaction of these retired couples, I came away feeling that this book was a bit lacking in depth and too repetitive. I also felt that the secondary characters were written too one dimensionally.
The narration by Michelle Babb is well done and consistent with previous books in the series. It is always nice to be able to easily recognize from a narrator’s voice which character is speaking.
This is a fun series and I recommend this book for fans of the series and those readers looking for a light read. People who enjoy camping would especially enjoy this mystery.
I was given a free copy of this book by the narrator in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions stated are my own.
I like that the book makes clever use of geocaching and does a reasonable job of explaining the hobby to those readers unfamiliar with it. So successful is Ms Nortman in her use of geocaching that after reading the book, I told my husband that we’d have to try it once he retires.
While I really enjoyed the geocaching element of the book and always enjoy the interaction of these retired couples, I came away feeling that this book was a bit lacking in depth and too repetitive. I also felt that the secondary characters were written too one dimensionally.
The narration by Michelle Babb is well done and consistent with previous books in the series. It is always nice to be able to easily recognize from a narrator’s voice which character is speaking.
This is a fun series and I recommend this book for fans of the series and those readers looking for a light read. People who enjoy camping would especially enjoy this mystery.
I was given a free copy of this book by the narrator in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions stated are my own.
April 21, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. As geocaching is becoming more popular and is making its way In murder mysteries, I think this is my favourite book on the subject to date. I love the whole idea of a treasure hunt surrounding a murder mystery and In my opinion the author covers both subjects really well, making both subjects interesting and entertaining. The fun group of characters helps and despite the fact they are outdoorsy types they are not all the fit hiking/ running ninjas you think of but a group of everyday people and friends. Can't wait to start the next book to see what predicament Frannie and her friends find themselves in.
While camping in a beautiful state park Frannie and her friends take up Geocaching but they never expected to uncover another murder mystery. A man is murdered by one of the Geocach boxes and the prize inside is found near the body. The only clue is the name In the entry log of the last person to have found it. Can that person be the killer or a witness? The friends find themselves helping the sheriff with the murder investigation because they are experts on the subject and also despite Frannie's best intentions she can't help but ask questions. As well as solving the mystery the friends also find themselves hunting for three other geocach boxes to complete the challenge, find evidence to solve a previous unsolved death and help raise funds for the park by taking part in a race.
I really like the narrator and once again think she is a treasure and pleasure to listen too.
While camping in a beautiful state park Frannie and her friends take up Geocaching but they never expected to uncover another murder mystery. A man is murdered by one of the Geocach boxes and the prize inside is found near the body. The only clue is the name In the entry log of the last person to have found it. Can that person be the killer or a witness? The friends find themselves helping the sheriff with the murder investigation because they are experts on the subject and also despite Frannie's best intentions she can't help but ask questions. As well as solving the mystery the friends also find themselves hunting for three other geocach boxes to complete the challenge, find evidence to solve a previous unsolved death and help raise funds for the park by taking part in a race.
I really like the narrator and once again think she is a treasure and pleasure to listen too.
July 28, 2019
Review originally published at: https://www.lomeraniel.com/audiobookr...
In this book, Frannie and her friends are playing geocaching around the camping area, when they suddenly found a body in the woods. The last entry in the cache close to the body might have an important clue. Their search for geocaches could be decisive in this murder mystery.
As I played geocaching several times in my life, I could relate to Frannie and her friends in this adventure. At first, the book is a bit slow, but soon enough there are enough suspects to keep me interested and guessing until the end. The several events that happened made the story quite interesting and engaging. I remember that I found the previous two books in this series a bit predictable, but this one felt more complex and I found it more appealing.
Michelle Babb did a wonderful job, as always, narrating this book and bringing the characters to life, providing each one with a unique style so that it is very easy to follow dialogs and know who is talking at all times. Babb also knows how to transmit the characters’ emotions, creating the illusion of being listening to real people.
This is a fun and light series, ideal for a lazy Sunday afternoon. I would recommend it to anyone into cozy mysteries.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
In this book, Frannie and her friends are playing geocaching around the camping area, when they suddenly found a body in the woods. The last entry in the cache close to the body might have an important clue. Their search for geocaches could be decisive in this murder mystery.
As I played geocaching several times in my life, I could relate to Frannie and her friends in this adventure. At first, the book is a bit slow, but soon enough there are enough suspects to keep me interested and guessing until the end. The several events that happened made the story quite interesting and engaging. I remember that I found the previous two books in this series a bit predictable, but this one felt more complex and I found it more appealing.
Michelle Babb did a wonderful job, as always, narrating this book and bringing the characters to life, providing each one with a unique style so that it is very easy to follow dialogs and know who is talking at all times. Babb also knows how to transmit the characters’ emotions, creating the illusion of being listening to real people.
This is a fun and light series, ideal for a lazy Sunday afternoon. I would recommend it to anyone into cozy mysteries.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
March 27, 2018
( Format : audiobook )
"Sixty five is too old for this."
Poor Frannie, she is not only accident prone but also has a real knack for finding dead bodies, so it was with a great sense of relief that the foot she saw half hidden when she and some camping friends were out geocaching turned out merely to be an empty shoe. But that relief was short lived when the owner was found shortly after, and yes, he was very dead!
These delicious mysteries set around Frannie, her ex-cop husband Larry and their various camping friends are such fun. The characters are well drawn enough to become the reader's friends in absentia. They love their carefully prepared camping expeditions, with good food, expeditions out and about, bickering over trivia - and solving the murders which seem to always drift their way. And synonymous with Frannie is narrator, Michelle Babbs, who's generously accented voice just fills in all the gaps with warmth and humour. Her reading is perfectly suited to the text, with good intonation and timing and differentiated voices for all of the protagonists. A great pairing of text and narrator.
This whole Frannie Shoemaker series is light hearted but with intriguing mysteries to distract the friends from their camping idyll and To Cache a Killer is no exception. Great story, great narration, great fun.
"Sixty five is too old for this."
Poor Frannie, she is not only accident prone but also has a real knack for finding dead bodies, so it was with a great sense of relief that the foot she saw half hidden when she and some camping friends were out geocaching turned out merely to be an empty shoe. But that relief was short lived when the owner was found shortly after, and yes, he was very dead!
These delicious mysteries set around Frannie, her ex-cop husband Larry and their various camping friends are such fun. The characters are well drawn enough to become the reader's friends in absentia. They love their carefully prepared camping expeditions, with good food, expeditions out and about, bickering over trivia - and solving the murders which seem to always drift their way. And synonymous with Frannie is narrator, Michelle Babbs, who's generously accented voice just fills in all the gaps with warmth and humour. Her reading is perfectly suited to the text, with good intonation and timing and differentiated voices for all of the protagonists. A great pairing of text and narrator.
This whole Frannie Shoemaker series is light hearted but with intriguing mysteries to distract the friends from their camping idyll and To Cache a Killer is no exception. Great story, great narration, great fun.
August 18, 2024
I found this through Kindle Unlimited and initially thought- I like mysteries and I love the outdoors. This should be good! But, it wasn't long before I was putting it down to read others. I have a few qualms with the book. One of them is that there isn't a lot of character development. That might be because I jumped in on Book 5 but I didn't notice that until I went to the Goodreads page. Oopsie.
Here is the reasoning behind my lack of stars-
The first star I took off was because of the characters. For a short book, there were so many and the relationships were defined quickly but they were easily forgotten. This might have been because I jumped in on book 5 so take that for what it's worth.
The second star I took off was because of the dialogue. I found it tedious and mostly unhelpful. The way some lines came out was super cringy. The characters also didn't have unique voices so it was easy to lose track of who was talking. There was also too much dialogue. It was like reading a screenplay adapted to a book. And that isn't the best thing. I could have gone for more storytelling with being in a character's head vs reading conversations with unnatural banter.
The third star I took off was because of the timeline. This story covers just a few days but what the characters get up to just doesn't make sense with the amount of time given. They go from running a race, volunteering, going to the bar, going on a strenuous hike, etc. in a day. Toss in trying to get to know the side characters and the townsfolk and talking to the police it was so unrealistic and that irritated me to no end.
Here is the reasoning behind my lack of stars-
The first star I took off was because of the characters. For a short book, there were so many and the relationships were defined quickly but they were easily forgotten. This might have been because I jumped in on book 5 so take that for what it's worth.
The second star I took off was because of the dialogue. I found it tedious and mostly unhelpful. The way some lines came out was super cringy. The characters also didn't have unique voices so it was easy to lose track of who was talking. There was also too much dialogue. It was like reading a screenplay adapted to a book. And that isn't the best thing. I could have gone for more storytelling with being in a character's head vs reading conversations with unnatural banter.
The third star I took off was because of the timeline. This story covers just a few days but what the characters get up to just doesn't make sense with the amount of time given. They go from running a race, volunteering, going to the bar, going on a strenuous hike, etc. in a day. Toss in trying to get to know the side characters and the townsfolk and talking to the police it was so unrealistic and that irritated me to no end.
March 26, 2018
Frannie, her husband, and friends are camping this time they are at a beautiful state park in Iowa. In addition to participating in a few fundraising events, the gang is geocaching in and around the park. Although Frannie doesn’t find a body this time the police do. The body is found near one of the geocache sites. Frannie can’t resist helping in the investigation.
This series quickly became one of my favorites. I have never been camping but this reading these books makes it sound like so much fun. Especially this book, geocaching sounds like a lot of fun. I have looked up geocaching sites in my area because of this book. The characters are so much fun to read about. You can tell they have been friends for a long time and truly enjoy their time camping together. I really enjoy the banter between the friends especially between the Shoemakers and their brother-in-law. The mystery keeps you guessing with its twist and turns and there is no shortage of suspects. I was very surprised by the ending.
I had the pleasure of listening to the audio version of this book. Narrator Michelle Babb is great at bringing the characters to life. She is great with the characters voices and timing. Being able to listen to the book is a real treat.
I received this book in hopes I would give a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and have no way been influenced.
This series quickly became one of my favorites. I have never been camping but this reading these books makes it sound like so much fun. Especially this book, geocaching sounds like a lot of fun. I have looked up geocaching sites in my area because of this book. The characters are so much fun to read about. You can tell they have been friends for a long time and truly enjoy their time camping together. I really enjoy the banter between the friends especially between the Shoemakers and their brother-in-law. The mystery keeps you guessing with its twist and turns and there is no shortage of suspects. I was very surprised by the ending.
I had the pleasure of listening to the audio version of this book. Narrator Michelle Babb is great at bringing the characters to life. She is great with the characters voices and timing. Being able to listen to the book is a real treat.
I received this book in hopes I would give a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and have no way been influenced.
March 28, 2018
To Cache a Killer by Karen Musser Nortman is fifth in the Frannie Shoemaker mysteries. Another campground...another murder. Frannie once again finds herself smack in the middle of a murder investigation. Frannie and her former policeman husband end up being suspects themselves Will they be able to get out of this one? Lots of fun and a good cozy mystery. Geo-caching, retirement scams, old grudges, threats, and shootings--lots to keep the reader's interest.With some twists and turns to the plot, the author keeps you guessing to the end as to the culprit. To Cache a Killer is a fun book to read (or listen to as this reviewer did). The narrator, Michelle Babb, does a nice job of giving characters their unique voice, making for an enjoyable listening experience. I've enjoyed this series and hope there are more books to come. I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.
July 26, 2024
A group of regular campers are set up in a park, where they also plan to do some geocaching. Not far from one of the hides, a body had been found. Evidence turns up while searching.. And a cast of characters, along with other campers and participants in various sports events, raising funds for the park, are scrutinized by both the sheriff and the main characters, who are not strangers to crime solving while geocaching.
At under 200 pages, I would’ve liked it fleshed out a little bit more, but all the pertinent information was there.
This is not the first in the series, and I wish I would’ve known, not that it doesn’t stand alone, but I like having the backstory. My bad.
At the end of the story, there are a bunch of camper tips, which I thought was nice. Maybe some of the other ones have Geocaching tips. I’ll have to order those and see. I like that the characters don’t do anything stupid or overly dangerous.
At under 200 pages, I would’ve liked it fleshed out a little bit more, but all the pertinent information was there.
This is not the first in the series, and I wish I would’ve known, not that it doesn’t stand alone, but I like having the backstory. My bad.
At the end of the story, there are a bunch of camper tips, which I thought was nice. Maybe some of the other ones have Geocaching tips. I’ll have to order those and see. I like that the characters don’t do anything stupid or overly dangerous.
June 19, 2018
I'd like to start by saying I had no idea what geo caching was. I've always loved scavenger hunts so this made the story even better! I was surprised that Frannie didn't find the body this time, who knew? As always I love how this narrator narrates her books. It's like I'm really there in the story. The author has written a great series always with, fun friends and family, great side characters, and murder mystery. My favorite character has always been Frannie, she reminds me a lot of myself. I've always loved camping so this has always been an added bonus for me to these stories. I really loved how the teenage mutant ninja turtles got involved in this story. Wanna know how, you'll just have to listen. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
March 24, 2018
Very good mystery! Frannie Shoemaker and her camping friends get themselves into trouble again! Her curiosity gets Frannie into trouble allot but that’s what makes the story come to life. This time they’re into the geo-cache which leads them on a new murder mystery that gets them on the suspect list. I enjoy the banter among the characters and the closeness they share which makes the story feel relatable.
Cozy mysteries are a favorite of mine and Karen Musser Nortman does a fabulous job!
The narrator Michelle Babb has an amazing talent of giving the characters an individual personality that brings them to life and you feel like you get to know them and they become your friends.
I received this book for free for my honest review!
Cozy mysteries are a favorite of mine and Karen Musser Nortman does a fabulous job!
The narrator Michelle Babb has an amazing talent of giving the characters an individual personality that brings them to life and you feel like you get to know them and they become your friends.
I received this book for free for my honest review!
August 18, 2018
My two favorite pastimes are reading and geocaching, so why not combine the two? To Cache a Killer is a thriller based around Frannie, an older woman who, along with her husband and friends, becomes involved in a murder in the campground where they are geocaching. Frannie insists on becoming involved with the investigation (picture Miss Marple with a GPS).
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This was a fun little read, not too in-depth with the character development or storyline, but interesting nonetheless. This is the fifth book in the series, so the character background may be in earlier works. The story is a basic one, with just enough twists to keep the reader involved in the tale. This is not a future classic, but it is a decent break from reality for a little while.
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My Rating: 3.75/5 stars
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This was a fun little read, not too in-depth with the character development or storyline, but interesting nonetheless. This is the fifth book in the series, so the character background may be in earlier works. The story is a basic one, with just enough twists to keep the reader involved in the tale. This is not a future classic, but it is a decent break from reality for a little while.
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My Rating: 3.75/5 stars
August 23, 2021
Geocaching it supposed to be a fun relaxing type of exercise, and generally it is walking and hiking looking for things at certain coordinates, that is until you go with Frannie and find a body. But what does the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have to with it all?
These books are so much fun I just love listening to Michelle Babb narrate them. The stories have everything you could want in a good book action, suspense, and the fact you can't put it down or stop it until you finish the whole thing. These books are fun but have the serious side of death to them. Anyway you go you just can't go wrong with Frannie and the crew.
These books are so much fun I just love listening to Michelle Babb narrate them. The stories have everything you could want in a good book action, suspense, and the fact you can't put it down or stop it until you finish the whole thing. These books are fun but have the serious side of death to them. Anyway you go you just can't go wrong with Frannie and the crew.
September 28, 2024
I always enjoy a Frannie Shoemaker Campground mystery, and this one was no different.
The author has the admirable ability to pen conversation that flows as smoothly as if I were having it with a friend. The characters are believable for the most part, in most instances, though I feel Larry could be just a bit more involved since he has a law enforcement background--whether it's trying to keep Frannie on a shorter leash (lol) or being more actively involved in assisting in solving whatever mystery is afoot.
Overall, I love the series, and the stories make for quick reading.
The author has the admirable ability to pen conversation that flows as smoothly as if I were having it with a friend. The characters are believable for the most part, in most instances, though I feel Larry could be just a bit more involved since he has a law enforcement background--whether it's trying to keep Frannie on a shorter leash (lol) or being more actively involved in assisting in solving whatever mystery is afoot.
Overall, I love the series, and the stories make for quick reading.
October 21, 2019
Another winner
I love these books! However, now when we camp I expect bodies to be floating down rivers, not just dead deer by the side of the road. Franny and her friends and family are likable and quirky, but not over the top weird. They are normal people who just happen to get involved with mysteries. I love that every book is different and they keep me wanting more. Especially a trip with Frannie and Larry
I love these books! However, now when we camp I expect bodies to be floating down rivers, not just dead deer by the side of the road. Franny and her friends and family are likable and quirky, but not over the top weird. They are normal people who just happen to get involved with mysteries. I love that every book is different and they keep me wanting more. Especially a trip with Frannie and Larry
November 11, 2020
So now I have to ask my 30 something friends if they still do Geocaching! It was a fun thing to do and I'm glad to see a mystery involving the pastime. The six friends are in Iowa with their campers at a park to do some Geocaching in a state park. They weren't the ones to find the body, but they were involved and even on the suspect list! Interesting and fun made even more so with Michelle Babb interpreting the characters and making it easy to tell which character was speaking!
September 27, 2022
Book 5 of "The Frannie Shoemaker Campground Mysteries" was the most entertaining of all the mysteries so far. I enjoyed this book. I liked that the author introduced and explained what geocaching entailed. The mystery was convoluted and there were flashes of humor that I found delightful. Michelle Babb's narration was personable and helped to make this story memorable. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.
October 11, 2022
This was a great book that I found very interesting. I like geocaching and loved how it fit into the mystery. As usual, Frannie and her cohorts can't seem to go anywhere without stumbling upon a body. (Remind me never to go camping with them. 😁) The characters are relatable and likeable. We all have that one (or more) relative that occasionally seems to get on our last nerve. But we love them anyway. A fun book and a quick read.
January 30, 2018
Geographers, Frankie and friends find more than a geo cache.
My first camping mystery by Karen Norman, but it won't be May last. A easy, peasant read. Frankie, husband Larry, and friends RV camp and go looking for hidden headaches ann become involved in a murder. The local sheriff even considers them suspects. Surprise ending.
My first camping mystery by Karen Norman, but it won't be May last. A easy, peasant read. Frankie, husband Larry, and friends RV camp and go looking for hidden headaches ann become involved in a murder. The local sheriff even considers them suspects. Surprise ending.
April 7, 2018
To Cache a Killer by Karen Musser Northman was a great read. This is book five in the Frannie Shoemaker Campground Mysteries. Frannie and the gang are geocaching when they stumble upon another dead body. Frannie’s Curious side gets her and her friends into more hot water. I can’t wait to read more of Frannie’s adventures.
February 4, 2019
Great mystery, really likeable characters and learning about Geocaching!
I truly enjoyed this mystery and learning about a new hobby to explore. The mystery has multiple suspects and the ending makes sense. The characters are so likeable that you end wanting to know them more. I am looking forward to reading more from this series.
I truly enjoyed this mystery and learning about a new hobby to explore. The mystery has multiple suspects and the ending makes sense. The characters are so likeable that you end wanting to know them more. I am looking forward to reading more from this series.
February 14, 2019
Makes me want to go camping
Love the group of friends camping together. The geocaching and shared meals, how fun. It's a light read, no graphic violence. If you're looking for gritty and lots of
mystery and plot twists this is not it. On the other hand if you're looking for an enjoyable little mystery dive right in.
Love the group of friends camping together. The geocaching and shared meals, how fun. It's a light read, no graphic violence. If you're looking for gritty and lots of
mystery and plot twists this is not it. On the other hand if you're looking for an enjoyable little mystery dive right in.
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