Humpty Bumpkin

Country Cousin #1

by Sam Cheever

She's just a country girl who loves her dog. But her life is about to get less countrified and more...erm...homicide.

Deer Hollow is a small community built in a verdant, rolling countryside. The nearest big city is over an hour away and big city ways are rejected at the Hollow. Unfortunately, the big city isn’t the only place where bad things can happen.

Things like murder…which has a funny way of messin’ up a debutante’s day and turning a sunny Sunday in June right over onto its bucolic head.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Ebooks, Cozy, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Amazon

270 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 26, 2018

About the author

USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author Sam Cheever writes mystery and suspense, creating stories that draw you in and keep you eagerly turning pages. Known for writing great characters, snappy dialogue, and unique and exhilarating stories, Sam is the award-winning author of 100+ books.

Website: www.samcheever.com
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sam-c...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sam-Ch...
Blog: https://samcheever.com/blog/

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! Ms. Cheever writes lovable characters who are a little flawed. We all are in some way. But, this is a happy book except when dealing with death. And, sometimes, even then. There was a death which occurred on Joey's property. Even though she is still grieving the loss of her parents in an "accident" two years ago, she with the help of her faithful pitbull and a very hunky PI, she's going to prove the local PD they're wrong to think she killed him.

[Amy Haborak · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just kind of a rambling mess and it had a Scooby-Doo ending where the villain(s) was revealed literally out of the blue. Several of the characters (and their actions) were so unrealistic. It lacked a cohesive story. But, it did have a likable dog, so there's that.

[Norma Jolliffe · Rating 2 out of 5]

On Dear

Found this annoying in so many ways. First of all; 'skimming a look' got old by the 4th page. Does describing the 'squishy face' of a pitbull (my least flavoured dog breed) have to be repeated so often? Then there is the italics. Wrongly placed my friend and without logic. The real cities are not in italics but all other place names are. It's distracting and annoying and wrong. More emphasis on the dog's character than any of the human characters. Might suggest the purchase of a thesaurus and a big book of baby names as well.

[Jill · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh my this was just so bad it was almost funny.

[John Presler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joey Fulle and her pitbull, Caphy, are walking around when Caphy shows up with a clump of fur in her mouth. Caphy had found a body that somebody had stuffed into a wood chipper. When she reported the body to Sheriff Arno Willager, he asked if it was her chipper and if she knew who the dead person was. The answer to both questions was "No."

When Sheriff Willager does not seem to be getting anywhere, Joey calls her friend, Felicity. Felicity's boyfriend is a Private Investigator, but is out of town. Felicity recommends Cal's brother, Hal Amity, who is a Private Investigator, as well as a former police officer. Caphy and Joey both take an immediate liking to Hal Amity. The situation gets even more complicated when Special Agent Richard Cox of the FBI shows up and starts harassing Joey about some missing painting. It doesn't help that Joey has no idea what he is talking about.

Who is the corpse in the chipper? Who killed him and why? How is this related to the mysterious missing painting? What does the painting have to do with her parent's deaths? Can Joey and Hal untangle the mess before there are more deaths?

Sam Cheever does a wonderful job of creating complex mysteries with in-depth characters and real-life situations. She includes plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested and guessing from start to finish. This is a great start to a laid-back cozy mystery series.

[Wulfwyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joey lost her parents in a small aircraft crash. She is out for a walk her her pit bull when she notices Caphy has something strange in her mouth. This leads into a mystery with bodies piling up.
I couldn’t put down this book. From the first page I was hooked. I think it was somewhere around the 30% mark that I was gobsmacked by the thought, “Joey is me!” Only younger, better looking and braver. Hahaha. Obviously I enjoyed the heck out of Joey and Caphy, (my Caphy is a shih tzu who could easily be convinced she is a pit bull). I enjoyed this mystery so much! I’m not always big on a romance starting out in a mystery. I feel like it really has to fit the personality of the protagonist, especially when the guy is an unknown. I feel like it was Joey’s personality to be attracted to Hal. The romance did go quick but when you’re in danger feelings tend to intensify. I’m interested to see if it slows down or remains at the fast pace. I tend to believe in love at first sight so either way works for me. I’m wondering if this is going in the direction of an investigative team. That would be fine by me. I was a fan of early mystery shows like Hart to Hart and McMillan and Wife, (anyone remember those?). The mystery is fast paced with lots of action and Caphy is a big part of the story. Make time for this one!

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author has the ability to steal me away into her worlds. There may be a mystery to solve, but I’m usually so caught up with everything else going on, that I’m almost never paying enough attention to be able to put the clues together before our leading characters puzzle it out. This was a mystery that led me on a wild chase and had solutions that I didn’t see coming. Joey was so much fun. She’s caught in a web of mysteries surrounding her family and doesn’t know which way to turn to stop the hurt. I loved the way Hal was willing to step in and protect her, help her, support her, and do it all without taking away her independence and taking over. And Caphy absolutely stole my heart. There’s something completely irresistible about a pitty grin – in real life or in my imagination.

[Lindap · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

A country girl, Joey, a rescued pit bull and a handsome detective are involved in solving the mystery as to why a murder was committed on the edge of her property. Slowly the pieces come together that it's more involved then they realize. There were twists and turns that kept me interested in finding out what the mystery was all about. I enjoyed the story.

[Darlene Riggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read as part of a collection…

Good stories; clean, entertaining, and fun to read!

I’ve been a fan of Sam Cheever’s work for quite some time. When I received an ARC opportunity for her Country Cousins Mystery Series, I instantly accepted and downloaded it. I am so glad that I did. I had previously read books 5 and 6 in the series. It was a treat to read the first two books in this series to learn a lot of the backstory. Such as how Joey met Hal and how her fur babies entered her life. There are plenty of twists and turns in each book to keep you guessing the identity of the killer. The residents in the fictional town are quite intriguing at times and interesting all the time. So true to life, both good and evil characters.

If you enjoy reading a clean, interesting, and romantic whodunit story all rolled into one book; then you need look no further as both books in this collection hits the mark.

Recommended reading? Yes, but I would rate as PG due to the topic of murder.

I received a free copy of this book from the author via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. This gift did not affect my review of the book. This review is my voluntary and honest opinion.

[Bonnye Reed]

DigitalBookSpot

[Anne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not find the characters or the story engaging. Some of the main character's actions were stilted and, frankly, not funny - although I'm pretty sure that's what the author was trying for (I stopped reading during the scene where the character faces off with another customer in a diner about a piece of pie. Just too silly - and not in a good way).

Others might enjoy this book, but I couldn't sustain interest past the first few chapters.

[Michael G. Friend · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

I enjoyed the story. Writing was good. Characters were interesting. I would definitely read more books by this author. I can recommend this book.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

If this book hadn't been rated so highly I would have given up after the first chapter. The book is written in first person, with Joey as the narrator. In Chapter 1, she calls her cousin Felicity. That conversation is written in third person. How did this escape the editor's eye? I worried that the rest of the book would be sloppy, but to my pleasant surprise, it moved at a good pace with engaging characters and a very lovable pit bulldog.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's okay

But really didn't hold my interest very well. The ending felt a bit rushed, like the author had to get it done. The story is complete which I appreciated. I like cozy mysteries and I like reading new series, but I don't think I will read any more of this series.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good read. Suspenseful and flowed well.

[Gabrielle Hashimoto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humpty Bumpkin is an entertaining mystery and the first in what looks to be a promising new series by the talented Sam Cheever. Joey lost her parents in a private plane crash a year ago and left Joey a large estate and a business. While taking her pit bull, Calphy, on their morning walk on the property, they stumble upon the body of an unknown man that has been shoved into a wood chipper on the most remote part of the estate. Although Sheriff Arno doesn’t believe Joey is guilty, he wants her to stay out of the investigation and keep any information to herself. Joey has taken this murder personally because it happened on her property and she’s determined to find out what happened, so she calls her cousin Felicity who sends her the help of an ex cop, who is now a private investigator. With the help of the sexy P.I., Hal, and her adorarable pit bull, Joey sets out to find out who the murdered man is and why he was murdered on her property. Is the murder somehow related to Joey and her deceased family or is there something more sinister afoot?
Cheever has written an intriguing, multi layered mystery with many twists and turns, some surprising revelations, and an ending I wasn’t expecting. The characters are well written and Cheever portrays a realistic small town vibe that extends to the characters as well. I enjoyed the romantic tension between Hal and Joey and am curious where their relationship will go in the future. Although this book seems to be marketed as a cozy mystery, and I did find some of the situations funny, I felt the overall story fell more into the suspenseful mystery category, considering everything that occurred, and was less like the Silver Hills Cozy Mystery series that Ms. Cheever writes, which definitely fits the bill of a cozy mystery perfectly. Having said that, Cheever’s talented story telling alone is more than enough reason to read this book as she weaves together an enjoyable, entertaining, suspenseful mystery, which while it may not be a typical cozy, is well worth the read for anyone who enjoys a well written, well crafted mystery that will keep you guessing till the end.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shoshanah Lila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspenseful Clean Romance + HEA

Humpty Bumpkin by Sam Cheever

As a person who enjoys country living myself, I'll admit the title of this book set me back a little. Since the author also pokes fun at other things and businesses in the same vein of humor, it takes the sting out of the title. This is what is called a “Cozy Mystery” which is a misnomer implying something warm and fuzzy. Yes, there is humor in this story along with a lack of foul language or gratuitous, graphic sex, but very bad things DO happen in this book. Five, yes 5 murders, attempted murder, violent attacks by the perpetrator and people in supposed positions of trust against the main characters; that was just against people. A dog was also shot while defending her mistress. There was also smuggling, stealing, obstruction of justice, betrayal and assassination of character. This is considered something a granny would enjoy, then she would be one blood-thirsty granny. That being said, I did enjoy trying to solve the mystery along with Hal and Joey using the clues left behind. I also enjoyed the villains being brought to justice and that the main character was able to find closure after her parents' deaths and repair their damaged reputations. The fact that this story took place in and around a small town, makes it no less of a suspense story than one set in “The big city”. In fact, I find it even more shocking because everyone knows everyone else and has done so for years. The entire town and outlying community are in this complex almost like extended family relationship of relying on one another and watching out for or just plain watching each other, so how something like this could have happened is absolutely shocking. If I were naming this genre, I would call it Suspenseful Clean Romance and me hooked. There is plenty of plot, in a well-built setting and characters with layers with a happy ending. Hmm, Granny has good taste in books if I say so myself.

This has been voluntary feedback of a Booksprout reviewer copy, read with voice assistant technology.
by Shoshanahlila

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joey Fulle and her pit bull Caphy (short for Cacophony) live alone in the house she inherited when her parents were killed, just outside of the small town of Deer Hollow. When they go walking in the woods, Caphy finds a body. The local sheriff Arno isn't all that capable, worries that this happening on her property might be a "message" to Joey, and tells her to keep out of it. Eventually Joey calls her cousin, who arranges for her boyfriend's brother, a private detective, to come to Deer Hollow and keep Joey safe - and also, of course, to help her investigate. He is a hunk, and Joey is attracted to him. Their investigation lead to a couple of attempts on their lives - or at least Joey's life - and it all appears tied up in some mysterious article that her parents were alleged to have hidden before their deaths. Joey finds it hard to accept that her beloved parents might have been mixed up in anything 'shady', but realizes that they kept a lot from her. Her inability to accept anything even slightly negative about her parents gets a bit tiresome. A stolen valuable appears and then is stolen again, and the plot gets just a bit confusing. This was an interesting read - good enough for me to buy the second book in the series. It remains to be seen if I'll continue after that, as there are several more books in the series.
One peculiar thing: the names of towns and some of the roads are italicized for some reason I never did figure out.

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joey is a very wealthy heiress. Both parents died in an airplane accident. She inherited a mansion, lots of money and a business which she basically ignored for the past 2 years.

The rumor in town is that her late parents were involved with smuggling.

So, when a body is shoved through a wood chipper on her property, it is possible someone from the past is sending a message. A very bloody message. And there are no pieces large enough to identify the body.

The body was found by Joey’s dog, a pit bull who enjoys licking nearly everyone she meets. But the dog is also a protector for Joey.

Joey hires a private investigator to come to her aid. Hal is a professional and he promises to help her untangle all the knots in the string of recent events.

I liked a lot of this story. I cringed at a lot of this story. And I got tired of some repetitive phrasing in this story.

This is the first book I have read by this author. The character development is well done. The reader gets to know the people involved in the story.

The plot is interesting. At times, I felt words were added in order to add words,

Joey and Hal have a lot of near death misses. It is evident there is a murderer in the area and that murderer has little care for the number of bodies.

If a reader is seeking a fun mystery with humor and puzzles which hold your interest, you should give this book a try.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a story! One surprise after another. Lots of twists and turns. Joey Fulle is a complicated young woman. She's struggling with coming to grips with the death of her parents when all kinds of things begin to happen. She's confronted by an FBI agent and doesn't know what to make of it. She has no knowledge of what he is harassing her about. But he scares her and one of her good friends recommends she contact a private investigator she knows. And it's a good thing she does. The two of the are drawn into a dark mystery.

The PI named Hal is very likeable and good. He has good investigative skills and good instincts. Thank goodness because Joey gets very emotional and he is the steadying hand to keep her calm. It's not long before she becomes aware that her life is in danger. She is threatened and she still doesn't know why. She eventually realizes it has something to do with her dead parents. More mysteries to unravel. She and Hal keep tracking down leads, but are confronted by the local police who tell her to stay out of it. It's their job to solve the crime that has ended up on her property, i.e., a dead body who has been chewed up by a grinder.

Well there are so many little stories imbedded in this major story, covering small town gossip and old relationships, that the book kept me eager to find out what happened next and trying to guess where the plot would go next. Excellent writing! I recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery!

[Julia Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aside from the fact that pieces of a dead body are found in a wood chipper and spread around the site, this is a really fun cozy mystery. It isn’t graphic, so the gore is short and simply stated, but none the less hard to get around. Joey, recently orphaned at the age of 24 when her parents die in a plane crash, discovers the body parts while walking her dog through the woods on the property she inherited. Being a small town where everyone knows each other, it comes as a surprise that the body can not be identified simply because someone is missing. Joey is not going to spend her life scared and having known the Sheriff since High School is determined to hurry up and solve the murder so she can go on with her life. Enter the handsome, smart PI Hal from Indianapolis. Do I sense a budding romance? As Hal and Joey discover pieces of the puzzle they find links to her parent’s death and evidence that Joey is not safe.

Despite the silly name, this is a well written, solid cozy mystery. The relationship between Joey and her dog, Caphy is just the thing to make any dog lover rejoice. The characters are for the most part fun and of course, there are the quirky small-town characters that everyone either loves to hate or are just plain weird. This is a great easy read that will leave you feeling glad you read it.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew that a book that contains such a gruesome murder could be so cosy ? A trip to Deer Hollow is just the ticket you need if you are looking for a good mystery to solve combined with great characters who exchange witty banter.Joey Fulle and Hal Amity are a delightful, believable couple and I wish I could find a real hunk with smarts like Hal in my age bracket lol. The story moves at just the right pace and it kept me intrigued the whole time.The mystery is multi layered as it involves not only a murder but secrets from Joey 's past concerning her parents business. I love the way Ms.Cheever deals with the issues Joey faces when the crime opens up old wounds she had hoped would stay closed.And I love how real Hal is.He is just the right amount of brains and brawn . And of course I'm thrilled there's a dog too!Caphy is a leading lady in her own right. This book is one of those that you can lose yourself in the make believe world and feel you are there standing right next to the people involved as the plot unfolds.This is the first stop at Deer Hollow but it won't be my last .Kudos to the author for giving me another series to add to my reading bucket list !👍👍☺

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh what a fun series this is going to be. At least that’s the impression I get after reading Humpty Bumpkin. This is a wonderfully written storyline where country folk and city folk meet up in a funny yet suspenseful whodunit.

When someone is found murdered in the wooded area of Miss Joey Fulle estate, in the country town of Deer Hollow, she wants answers. Trouble is, the local cop won’t keep her in the loop. So she hires a PI, who turns out to be a sexy hunk named Hal. From the point Hal arrives, we go on a wild adventure to find a killer, while stumbling onto more mysteries and intrigue along the way.

With the help of an overgrown pooch named Caphy, the folks that hang out at the only town diner (that is known for its Banana Pie), the grouchy owner of Mitzner Landscaping and several of the other local townsfolk, Hal and Joey muddle on. But as they end up with more questions and than answers things really start to heat up.

2 Thumbs Up for this fast paced fun and exciting whodunit.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a reader of cozy mysteries and will put a book down that doesn't capture my attention. This book remained in my hands or near me all day long and I read it every free minute that I had.

Joey is a captivating character that has you liking her from the moment she is introduced. She has spunk, spitfire, and is all heart (especially for her canine companion). The story starts out with a body found on her property and it points in one direction until that suspect appears to be cleared by the police. As the story continues, you find that current murder somehow ties into the mysterious death of Joey's parents which was listed as an accident, but is more and more looking like murder. With the help of hunky PI Hal and her pitbull, Joey tries to uncover the mystery before she becomes the next victim.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book to read by this author. The main character in Joey who lost her parents in a private plane crash several years earlier. Joey with her pit bull mix, Caphy moved into her childhood home sheltered in while grieving her lose. Then a dead body appears on her property. Joey is determined to find out who that person is. She hires a PI, Hal Amity, recommended to her by a friend. Together they try to solve the mystery. In doing so, Joey’s life had been threatened several times. The town sheriff is not happy with her interference in his investigation. This book has the makings of a good murder mystery: murder, mystery, intrigue plus some twists and turns in solving the murder.
Joey has issues dealing with her parents death: accident or was it murder. This is the first book in the series and all the answers are not revealed in this one book. It was an easy read which held my interest from page one to the end.

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an enjoyable start to what will hopefully be another great series from Sam Cheever. This book is part mystery and part romance, although for me (a more 'mature' male reader) I found that the romance aspect sometime got a little bit in the way of the mystery.
Having said that it is still a very good story with lots of twists and turns and excitement, and surprises! There are also some interesting peripheral characters.
The main characters are are quite well drawn, but I have to admit that I didn't really feel that I knew them properly by the end of the book, but hopefully as we hear more of them in the rest of the series, we will understand them better. Having said that I am comparing the character development with that found in other of Sam's books, which is a very high target to aim for.
I did receive an advance of the book from the author.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joey Fulle is out on her property walking her dog when the dog takes off and returns with a human hand.
With a dead person on her property, and her godparent next door missing. Many events start happening that surrounds her parent's death a couple years earlier. Including the return of an obsessed FBI Agent.

This turned out to be an enjoyable story. I had doubts in the first couple of chapters as the MC continuously obsessed and fantasized over the PI that her cousin sent to help try to find out the who and why someone was killed there.

Once the story moved away from that focus. I found it to be a well written story with defined characters, a strong plot, and some humor. At the end of the story, the MC and PI do start to form a relationship. But I was okay with that as the story had pretty much ended and they had been through several life and death situations already.

[Judy Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me just start out by saying I've never read a Sam Cheever book that wasn't AMAZING! What a gift she has with words! Another very enjoyable read that was one I sat down and read from start to finish. This story starting Joey and Hal is no different, and the story revolves around Joey trying to discover whether or not the death of her parents in a plane crash was an accident or murder...You get your good guys, bad guys, characters (well developed) that you love to love and love to hate, twists and turns and the mystery you yearn, all in a well written, fast paced story! Fun, interesting, easy read that you will be so glad you picked up! No spoilers here, just know, that you won't figure this fun mystery out until the very end! Why are you hesitating? Get this NOW!

[Scot · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would not recommend this book. The main character is self-centered and often acts like a spoiled middle schooler even though she is presented as a rich, gorgeous young twenty something living alone in a beautiful mansion in the boondocks with her simply adorable pit bull. She constantly does things she thinks are cute or clever, and perhaps the author thinks so too. I do not.

Characters are shallow, the story rambles, and the ultimate ending was illogical and several characters' behaviors did not make sense in light of it. This irritated me even more. Okay, the dog was cute. Two pages of that would have been sufficient. I won't be reading more about what's up with Joey and her hot P.I. boyfriend at her mansion in Deer Hollow.

[Genevieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this start to a new to me author and series. The story line had a side story as well as the main murder. Of course a little bit of romance helps flush out the book.
Joey is a fun main character who doesn't do all the crazy things that a lot of main characters in cozy mysteries do. Instead of investigating on her own she actually hires a private investigator who is very handsome, nice and sexy. I really enjoyed meeting the people of Deer Hollow.
The story line moved quickly and hand a few twists to it. I didn't really like the cop in the series. He doesn't seem to do much but lets Joey give him all she learns.

This is a series I will continue with and a new author that I am going to read a lot more of.