Cherry Bites

Norwood Flats Mystery #3

by Alison Preston

Autumn returns to Ontario cottage country. Leaves redden. Pumpkins ripen. And Trevor and Margaret Rudley, proprietors of the Pleasant Inn, expect nothing more than a little Halloween high jinks to punctuate the mellow ambiance of their much-loved hostelry. However, the frost is barely on the pumpkin when Gerald, an old female-impersonator friend of the Pleasant s esteemed cook Gregoire, turns up, dragging his very frightened friend Adolph behind. They ve witnessed a drug deal in progress in Montreal and they re on the lam, hoping to blend into the Pleasant s pleasant rhythms until the heat is off. Alas, they hope in vain. The pumpkins in the patch suffer more violence than frost this autumn. And so do other living things. As the bodies pile up, the intrepid Elizabeth Miller, lately returned from a round-the-world adventure, jumps into the homicidal fray, fully armed with her peculiar intuition, her maddening charm, and her devoted swain, Edward Simpson, who proves a useful fellow behind the wheel of a car. Detective Michel Brisbois, in the past bested by Miss Miller in rooting out unpleasantness at the Pleasant, finds himself racing quite literally to keep up with his amateur challenger. But, in this second volume of the Rudley mysteries, when the chips are down as they inevitably are it s the laziest creature on earth who ends up saving the day for the good and kindly and rather eccentric folk of Ontario s most peculiar country hotel. Autumn is a wonderful time at the Pleasant. The air is crisp. The food is fabulous. Rudley provokes the guests and Margaret provokes Rudley. A glorious Halloween party is planned. Could someone spoil it? You d want to murder anyone who did!

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Alison Preston was born and raised in Winnipeg. After trying on a number of other Canadian cities, she returned to her home town, where she currently resides. All of her mysteries are set in the Norwood Flats area of Winnipeg, including The Rain Barrel Baby, The Geranium Girls, Cherry Bites, and Sunny Dreams.

A graduate of the University of Winnipeg and a letter carrier for 28 years, Alison has been twice nominated for the John Hirsch Award for Most Promising Manitoba Writer, following the publications of The Rain Barrel Baby (Signature Editions) and her first novel, A Blue and Golden Year (Turnstone Press). She was also shortlisted for the Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award and the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award for Cherry Bites and the Mary Scorer Award for Best Book by a Manitoba Publisher for Sunny Dreams.

Reviews

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series. A true cozy mystery complete with eccentric characters and red herrings. I love Rudley who is rather Like Basil Fawlty, but a tad nicer. Humorous murders, done well. So happy I found this author :)

[Diane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quite disappointed in this book. I picked it because it's set in the Muskokas, but the location hardly mattered in the story. I like a simple mystery, especially for summer reading and I'm attracted to any that take place in Canada. However, when dead bodies appeared at this inn, the reactions of some of the apparently ongoing characters seemed definitely odd and completely unrealistic. I'm guessing most of this was an attempt at humour, but it mostly seemed rather silly to me.

[Bonnie Ferrante · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Sherry is a young girl she bites her baby brother in the cheek bad enough that he requires a skin graft. This colors their relationship for life. Their mother is self absorbed, cold, and shallow. This literary novel gives the reader a suspenseful story and an intriguing cast of characters. Well worth reading.

[Wayne Inkster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Alison Preston. Her books are set in Winnipeg and have enough every day information and behaviour to make them feel true, but a slight twist in each mystery that you don't see coming.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice, light read at a time when I needed exactly this type of book. The plot lines got a bit convoluted at times, but the book is fairly short and the story still interesting.

I will read others in the series.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always enjoy Rudley and the crew! Makes for a real easy read with some really good chuckles on a good winter's day!

[Jocelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rating. Quirky characters inhabit this entertaining cosy mystery. The Pleasant Inn is reminiscent of Fawlty Towers in some respects, plenty of humour, an enjoyable read.