Bean There, Done That

Maggy Thorsen Mystery #3

by Sandra Balzo

Here's a tip: if your ex-husband's mistress-cum-missus. asks for your help in proving that he cheated on her while he was married to you, just say no.

And you most certainly should not invite this new missus., Mrs. Rachel Thorsen, in for a cup of coffee. But big-hearted Maggy can't seem to help her own hospitality.

Unfortunately, most unfortunately, this mistress-cum-missus disappears shortly after her coffeehouse confab with Maggy and is later found murdered...making Maggy's ex, Ted, the chief suspect.

Despite the tempting satisfaction of seeing her ex go down, Maggy knows Ted is innocent. Cheater? Most definitely. Murderer? Most definitely not. So Maggy reluctantly agrees to help him. Rachel's wealthy family, however, disagrees and spares no expense in trying to put Ted behind bars.

Now it's up to Maggy to discover the truth...even if it upsets her on-again, off-again relationship with the handsome Sheriff Jake Pavlik...

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Cozy, Romance, Whodunit, Ebooks

184 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Sandra Balzo is an award-winning author of crime fiction, including fourteen books in two mystery series--one set outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the other in the High Country of North Carolina. MURDER a la Mocha, the eleventh Maggy Thorsen Wisconsin coffeehouse mystery, will be released in January, and the series has been optioned for development as a TV series/film.

Balzo's books have garnered starred reviews from Kirkus and Booklist, while being recommended to readers of Janet Evanovich, Charlaine Harris, Joan Hess and Margaret Maron.

In addition to Twitter and her website, Sandy also hangs out at https://www.facebook.com/SandraBalzoM... and http://pinterest.com/sandrabalzo/

Reviews

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been enjoying this series featuring Maggy Thorsen who co-0wns a coffee shop in Brookhills Wisconsin. She is recently divorced from her cheating dentist ex. They have a son who is away at college. So imagine her surprise when her ex-husband's new wife comes to Maggy to ask for help to prove the husband was cheating on her (the mistress) while he was married to Maggy. Yes, imagine that! The new wife is from a very wealthy family and she want to make sure that the husband will not get any money in a divorce. Maggy after thinking it over decides to help. Yes, it is fiction! The new wife goes missing and a body is found. The husband is a suspect and Maggy gets involved mainly out of concern for her son. Also, although the husband has cheated, she does not feel he is a murderer.

What I like about this series are the characters and the humor. Sandra Balzo's humor I relate to and enjoy. I thought maybe because I also grew up in Wisconsin like the author that was the reason I get her humor. Then later I read other reviews that a few people wrote that they could be the author as they relate to the humor of the author. I decided it wasn't then my Wisconsin tie then but was a talent that the author has for her humor to be relatable to some of her readers. I really like the main character Maggy and the plots. I look forward to continuing with the series.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coffee shop owner Maggy Thorsen lost her husband, dentist Ted Thorsen, to another woman about a year ago: his then 24-year-old blonde dental hygienist, Rachel. So you can imagine Maggy’s surprise when Rachel, now Ted’s new wife, visits Maggy to brazenly ask for a favor: Can Maggy help her prove that Ted, while he and Maggy were still married, was betraying not just Maggy but Rachel with yet a third woman? Talk about chutzpah!

Although at first reluctant, Maggy finally agrees. That very evening, Rachel Slattery Thorsen disappears, and the No. 1 suspect is, of course, her husband Ted. As cops say, the nearest and the dearest have the motive with the mostest.

Big-hearted Maggy feels sorry for Ted, despite everything — and she also feels that she owes it to their son Eric to save him the heartbreak of seeing his father go to prison. Maggy sets out to investigate Rachel’s disappearance and prove Ted innocent — although even Maggy sometimes wonders whether he really is. How well do you know someone if he was able to betray you for years during your marriage without you ever suspecting?

Bean There, Done That is the best yet, even better than author Sandra Balzo’s first entry in the Maggy Thorsen series, Uncommon Grounds. (The second novel in the series, Grounds for Murder, wasn’t quite as good.) For readers looking for a quick read — a humor-laced mystery with a charming, plucky heroine and lots of surprises — here’s your cup of joe.

[✨ Gramy ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Each book contains a cozy mystery, entertainment, and a sensible woman sleuth.

I find that I enjoy this series alot. I also appreciate that each book can stand on its own and they deliver an HEA.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less about the coffee - more about the ex-husband, but decent nonetheless.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick-paced, engrossing read, this book was wonderful. Highly recommend!

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Maggie has a huge heart and it gets her in trouble. Her ex’s new wife, Rachel asks for help because she believes Ted is cheating on her just like he cheated on Maggie with Rachel when they were married. She agrees even though she knows she shouldn’t. Then suddenly Rachel is missing and when her body is found all the evidence points directly at her cheating spouse. Now Ted may cheat on his wives but killing one of them, no way. Suddenly Maggie is in investigation mode up to her eyeballs and her “boyfriend”, Sheriff Jake Pavlik is not happy about it. Maggie believes she can get someone to spill the beans and prove Ted innocent but she never imagined in her wildest dreams what she would truly find.

The author brews up a fast and fun mystery for readers to enjoy. It is filled with humor and a solid mystery and ends with a shocking twist.

I love this book is set in a Milwaukee coffeehouse, the characters all have a quirkiness quality about them, and no that doesn’t mean all Wisconsin people are quirky. There is also just the right amount of romantic tension that every cozy needs. I enjoyed reading about places I have been and know. The dialogue was familiar and comfortable.

For me this was a “perfect escape”, just an hour down the road. I hope to read more books in this series soon.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another series that has caught me by surprise.

I've come to dislike and distrust cozy mysteries very much; mostly because they involve incredibly nosy, intrusive woman, who think they are much better at solving murders than the police. Usually, to my mind, they are really TSTL (too stupid to live). They are just rude, busy bodies that get incredibly lucky that they are not ultimately killed (but they should be, if this were real life), by the murderers they confront.

The heroine, Maggy Thorsen is a bit like that, but not exactly. She's not so sure she knows better than her boyfriend, the chief of police, that she can figure it out faster and better than him. However, she does seem to be unable to stop herself from asking her friends and acquaintances for details to learn more about the latest murder. She doesn't seem as intrusive as most cozy heroine, who seem to think its unusual at all to just call up or visit someone you don't really know to ask questions. She seems to have a bit more caution and reserve, which I respect and doesn't go off half-cocked (or full-cocked, usually) as most cozy heroines do.

These are turning out to be, what cozies used to be in the beginning; before they got so farcical and just incredibly stupid and very un-entertaining.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had been trying to get this book for the longest wait and finally it came. I held up reading all the remaining ones as I knew Ms. Balzo writes with a wonderful continuity.

This book has the feeling that you, the reader, is the author. The way Ms. Balzo can enter our thoughts, or perhaps she just has the same sense of humor that I have, is to me, amazing.

The murder mystery is solid and ends with a wonderful twist. The characters urge you to continue reading. Then there is Frank.

Well, Frank is simply becoming a dearly beloved character and I'd welcome him in my house (if he would fit,) anytime.

I sense a change coming in the series so I can hardly wait for the next one to read "Brewed, Crude, and Tattooed."

[Anastasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bean there, done that By Sandra Balzo is the 3rd book in the Maggie Thorson mystery series. Maggie is approached by her ex husbands Ted's current wife to prove that he has been cheating, but when she disappears and then a body is found, Ted is accused of her murder. A quick read but very predictable mystery. We do find out a little about Maggie's past and her son Eric. Her current relationship with Pavlik goes through a few hurdles though.

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this story Maggy's ex-husband's wife, Rachel, comes to her complaining about her husband cheating on her. She asks Maggy for help proving this. Maggy is a bit conflicted. Then Rachel is found dead and Maggy's ex is suspected. She wants to help him because he is the father of her son but also seems to think he is innocent. Her boyfriend is the sheriff and he tells her to stay out of it.
She is busy trying to run her coffeehouse, trying to figure out why her best friend is suddenly into a lot of physical activity and dealing with her relationship with the sheriff.
Rachel's family is a problem. Her brother is very attractive and Maggy is drawn to him. Her mother is a real piece of work and is trying to control the investigation. Maggy also thinks her ex was cheating and thinks it is an old friend who is also a dentist. Lots of suspects and Maggy gets in over her head.
A fun and entertaining read.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a nifty series, amateur sleuth or otherwise. Engaging characters, setting, premise, and coffee [!]. The stories are well-told and the mysteries are just intricate enough to draw the reader in and keep the pages turning deep into the night [night time Nook reading for me].
Maggy is getting on with her life, has her own business and is able to help her friends when they are in need. Even her ex-husband gets a hand much as she really doesn't want to. Maggy rises above.
The twisty whodunit was fab.
I can definitely recommend this author, series and book.

[Bridget · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy this series, especially for a palate cleanser after more intense or serious books.

When Maggy Thorsen gets a visit from her ex-husband's wife Rachel (who broke up her marriage), she's a bit surprised. But when she asks Maggy to help her prove that Ted, Maggy's ex, was cheating on her *while* he was also cheating on Maggy, it's just a weird situation.

But when Rachel disappears after her meeting with Maggy and Ted is the main suspect, Maggy feels she owes it to their son to find out what happened.

A good entry in this group of books.

[Lianne Buccigross-Novak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Balzo did a great job with this book. The murder isn’t immediate, but each chapter has a cliff hanger to keep you reading. Finished it in three sittings, one going until 3am (it was a hot day and no A/C so trying to cool down so I could fall asleep). If you haven’t read the first two in a while, it’s ok because Balzo does a great job of giving enough details of Maggy’s past to refresh your memory without making it half the book. Surprise ending as usual, too. Highly recommend.

[☺Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this mystery very much. Facets contained within were outdated. Talk of cellular phones, text messages, and new fangled technology definitely dates this. Open-ended story threads (like Ted's going to be a father again while his soon to be ex-wife Rachel will be serving a long time in prison for murder) kind of ruined the ending for me. Hopefully, the next one will be more up my alley.

[Michelle Przekwas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This third in series was a hit for me. Good story, great characters, fast paced action and a great twist at the end. No spoilers here. Just pick up this one or any of the others in series...it's good stuff!! I'm moving on to Brewed, Crude and Tattoed....it's already on my nook for my late night ...i'm crawling into bed...read.
Thanks Ms. Balzo!

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still a little rough around the edges, but the characters are developing and the plotting was very good. The book could have been shorter, we were almost half way through before we got to the murder. Still, the ending came as a surprise.

[D. Wickles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third in the series and would recommend this book/series to anyone who enjoys a good cozy mystery.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pick and choose who you help is the moral to the story...lol another great mystery.

[Annette Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stuff Maggy gets herself into!!! Love it!!!

[Lyn Soulia-Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good addition to the series. The twist and turns. Good surprise.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bean There, Done That is another good delivery by author Sandra Balzo. New characters are mixed well with established characters. We, the readers, get to learn more about Maggy Thorsen’s relationships with her ex-husband, Ted, and their son, Eric. We also see how – and maybe why – Maggy sabotages her new relationships.

This time, Sandra Balzo does a better job at weaving in contemporary issues. However, I wonder if main character Maggy should be as obtuse as she is depicted at the beginning of the narrative about “the suburban poor” present before her. Maybe so, which might be why the new barista, Amy, becomes a welcome addition to the Uncommon Grounds staff.

The third act contains unexpected twists, which are terribly entertaining, but a little clean up of the final text remains to get the narrative ending into a crisp and logical shape.

There is also a repeated problem (at least with the eBook) with the spelling of the main character's name - "Maggy" vs. "Maggie" and "Thorsen" vs. "Thorsten." If the author does not know the character's name, then now can the reader?

This third eBook inherits the second book’s dialogue punctuation problem, so I am firmly obliged to take points off again on the book’s overall rating. The publisher should be capable enough to get the grammar basics correct prior to publication.

[David William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story, quick, easy read, light mystery.

[Jan Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly did not see the ending coming! Kept me guessing until the end.

[Spuddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

#3 Maggy Thorsen coffee house mystery set in the Milwaukee suburb of Brookhills. Maggy is somewhat aghast when her ex-husband's new wife approaches her with allegations that Ted is cheating on her--and was even cheating on her when he was cheating on Maggy with her! Although she knows she should hate Rachel, for some reason Maggy likes her and agrees to help her by checking her calendars from the years involved to see if Ted's whereabouts can be corroborated.

However, when Rachel goes missing and then her body turns up in Lake Michigan a couple of days later, Ted goes to the top of the suspect list. Although Maggy could believe Rachel's story of him cheating on her, she doesn't see Ted as a killer, although her sort-of boyfriend Sheriff Jake Pavlik likes him for the deed. Thus, Maggy does some nosing around on her own to see if she can counter that theory, if only for the sake of their college-age son, Eric--and as usual, she ends up in a heap of trouble.

For some reason, I keep being surprised that I like this series. I'm not much of a cozy fan, but this isn't really cozy...there's a bit more of an edge to it, a bit more of the dark comedy that appeals to me. I like the author's easy-to-read writing style, and in this book I totally didn't see the plot twist coming, although I had an inkling about the baddie. Aside from the usual 'amateur sleuth curse' of needing to work almost against the police while investigating (and thus putting oneself in some really stupid, dangerous situations) I found this to be a very enjoyable, top-notch book and highly recommend it to those who like a lighter mystery with a bit of a dark side.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Here’s a tip: if your ex-husbands mistress-cum-missus asks for your help in proving that he cheated on her while he was married to you, just say no. And, whatever you do, don’t invite her in.”

How can you resist a book that begins this way? Hum, now what would I do? Personally, I would have slammed the door, but Maggy Thorsen is just too nice of a woman. If she had only known what she was getting into, she would have slammed the door too. But, Maggie being Maggie, would not have done it before offering her a nice cup of coffee.

The newest Mrs. Thorsen stops by the first Mrs. Thorsen’s home wanting to borrow old calendars so she can compare notes and hotel room keys. She just know that Ted was up to no good, but when wife number two – Rachael – disappears and is later found murdered, Maggie, wife number one, is thrown right into the investigation. With a twisted tale of best friends and Brookhills Barbie’s, Maggie is trying to tie up all the loose ends of this mystery, in addition to trying to tying up a little Jake Pavlik, the local sheriff.

With this book, number three in the series, you most definitely see a new side to air headed Rachel (wife number two), who knew she was more than Ted’s dental assistant. I must have missed something in the previous books, because I didn’t see that family history coming.

I like this series, not as much as I like the Cleo Coyle series, but all in all, this is a nice cozy series with fun characters and a twist around every corner.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

also posted: http://newborrowedused.blogspot.com/2...
My Thoughts: The third installment of this series is my favorite so far. The addition of Maggy's ex and his mistress/new wife added something to both the book and Maggy's character. I found myself wanting the ex husband to be guilty. The author did a great job making him the slimy condescending type that you would expect. The romance that has been on the side of this series finally goes somewhere and then somewhere else. While I like Pavlik, I found myself liking Stephen more and hope he shows up in future books.
Overall this book had everything you've come to expect from this series. While I was happy with the whole book I'm not as sold on the conclusion of the mystery. This was another where there were plenty of clues scattered throughout but a few I never would have gotten. Looking forward to fourth book. Hoping for more Amy, she has quickly become my favorite

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bean There, Done That is the third and best book, so far, in the series. The plot can be partially summed up in the first paragraph: 'if your ex-husband's mistress-cum-missus asks for your help in proving that he cheated on her while he was married to you, just say no.' When said mistress-cum-missus turns up dead and the ex is considered the prime suspect, Maggy has to move past her feelings of betrayal and hurt in order to prove the father of her son, who has proven to be a cheater and a liar, is not a murderer. Her involvement in her ex's case puts a strain on her slow moving relationship with Detective Pavlik.
This was a great read with all the elements I like to see in a mystery: good plot, great characters, a little romance, and a surprise ending.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I wasn't entirely thrilled with the previous book in this series, I'm glad I gave this one a try – I really enjoyed this story. Maggy’s ex-husband’s trophy wife (his dental hygienist, Rachel) comes to enlist Maggy’s help to prove that hubby is cheating. For some reason Maggy agrees. Rachel turns up missing, and her body is found the next day. Ted, the ex, is the primary suspect. Because Maggy and Ted have a son, she feels compelled to help him. Her help causes some problems with her finally physical relationship with Sheriff Jake. I liked the characters better in this story than in Ground for Murder, and the meanness of Susan and Caron weren’t as prevalent. Actually lots of humor/funny moments in this book.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggy Thorsen, owner of Uncommon Grounds coffeehouse in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin suburb, is the central character in this entertaining and humorous mystery. Her ex-husband's new wife, Rachel, comes to her to ask for help in finding out if he is cheating on her. Later that same evening Rachel disappears and is later found murdered. Her wealthy hotelier family goes after Ted, who becomes the prime suspect. Reluctantly, Maggy becomes involved in trying to prove Ted's innocence, mostly to protect their son, Eric's future. Her involvement, however, might adversely affect her new relationship with Jake Pavlik, who just happens to be the Sheriff.