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The Idyllwild Mystery Series #1
The Great Loveda Brown
Loveda Brown thinks she's running from her hot-tempered husband, but a hidden killer in the tiny town of Idyllwild has other plans for her.
When Loveda Brown arrives in the tiny mountainside town of Idyllwild, California, as yet the Wild West of 1912, she is running from her husband. But when a body turns up the next day, she realizes she might have worse things following her…
That cold, clenched fist holds something that forces Loveda to stay in Idyllwild and use all of her wits to stop another murder from happening. Probably her own.
When Loveda Brown arrives in the tiny mountainside town of Idyllwild, California, as yet the Wild West of 1912, she is running from her husband. But when a body turns up the next day, she realizes she might have worse things following her…
That cold, clenched fist holds something that forces Loveda to stay in Idyllwild and use all of her wits to stop another murder from happening. Probably her own.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 13, 2020
About the author
Jolie Tunnell
20 books57 followersAward-winning author Jolie Tunnell brings the past to life in suspenseful historical mysteries. Bringing the flavor of the turn-of-the-century Wild West to the isolated mountain town of Idyllwild and the writhing underbelly of Old San Francisco, her books gallop to the last page.
A Southern California native, she loves on her sprawling family, forces her freeloading tomcat to cuddle, and can drink her weight in Yorkshire Gold tea.
Sign up for her extraordinary newsletter, get a free book, and settle in for a visit at JolieTunnell.com.
A Southern California native, she loves on her sprawling family, forces her freeloading tomcat to cuddle, and can drink her weight in Yorkshire Gold tea.
Sign up for her extraordinary newsletter, get a free book, and settle in for a visit at JolieTunnell.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
April 14, 2025
Loveda Brown arrived in the small town of Idyllwild, California, as a last minute detour because her ex-husband Billy was after her. She'd escaped his clutches from her ranch in Texas but somehow he was behind her. Checking into a hotel, telling the owner to keep her arrival quiet because of the person following her, and leaving the next day was her plan. But plans were made to be broken, and when a dead body was found on the outskirts of town, the sheriff visited Loveda. After all, she was the only new person in town. The body was Billy, which gave her some relief, but what he had clutched in his cold, dead hand rattled Loveda. Suddenly she needed to stay; there was a murderer on the loose and she had to discover who it was...
The Great Loveda Brown is the 1st in The Idyllwild Mystery series by Jolie Tunnell and I quite enjoyed it. Set in 1912 California, Loveda was an unusual woman, happy to travel on her own, loved her horse, Blue, and didn't need a man to rely on. She was courageous, prepared to face trouble head on, but never a gun. A different kind of cosy mystery, but fun and entertaining all the same. Recommended.
The Great Loveda Brown is the 1st in The Idyllwild Mystery series by Jolie Tunnell and I quite enjoyed it. Set in 1912 California, Loveda was an unusual woman, happy to travel on her own, loved her horse, Blue, and didn't need a man to rely on. She was courageous, prepared to face trouble head on, but never a gun. A different kind of cosy mystery, but fun and entertaining all the same. Recommended.
August 16, 2026
This story includes some language and situations which may be offensive to some. (Racist language and negative stereotyping of Indigenous people commonly used in that time and place).
Loveda Brown is on the run from her low down dirty evil ex-husband who refuses to accept the ex part of their relationship. Seeing as how the ex is not quite legal, Loveda has no choice but to flee from the dangerous man and head to Los Angeles where her uncle lives with his young daughter. Along the way Loveda is pursued by Billy Dunn, her evil ex and hops into a stagecoach to escape, losing a shoe in the process. The stage brings Loveda to the tiny mountain town of Idlewild, California where the locals cling to the remoteness and a wealthy doctor is building a resort. Loveda is accepted by innkeeper but the local sheriff is suspicious of Loveda, the only newcomer, because a local man has discovered a dead body that turns out to be none other than Loveda's ex-husband! Someone shot Billy dead and Loveda is not sad but scared because someone out there killed Billy and who knows if she's next. While preparing to leave for Los Angeles, Loveda makes some new friends and one of her new friends has unknowingly made a dangerous enemy for the friend ends up dead! The sheriff is about as capable of solving this murder as he is Billy's but Loveda knows something is wrong and the sheriff has set his sights on the wrong suspect. Loveda wants to see justice done and figure out who killed her friend but with spooky spirits, a crazy old lady running around the mountain and a giant mountain man running around, not to mention tourists, Loveda has her work cut out for her. Can she find out who killed Billy and her friend and survive?
This story was a lot of fun! I feared for Loveda after reading "The Boston Burglar" and Loveda Brown: Rattler: The Idyllwild Mystery Series, Prequel. She's still searching for home and this tiny mountain hamlet is charming but remote. I didn't expect it to be a real place populated by real life historical figures in the way El Paso was but it is indeed a real town and some of the locals in the story are based on real people. The idyllic mountain setting sounds like a good place for a sanitorium and I was surprised it went bankrupt. Turning it into a resort sounds like a good idea in theory but also not because the locals value their privacy and enjoy the remote locale as it is thank you. They fear the loss of their quiet, humble way of life. It's a little too late to turn back the clock though. It's 1912 and already automobiles are hitting the road and the stagecoach stops nearby. I fear gentrification is coming to this hamlet and the people who live in the mountains, off the land are going to be made unwelcome. Already strangers arrive and bring chaos in their wake!
The mystery got off to a slow start but picked up after the first day. I couldn't put it down. I figured out what happened and why just before Loveda did. She was clever enough to put together pieces of the puzzle I hadn't seen though and figured out from Loveda's clues.
Loveda is a great character. She's strong, brave and whip smart. She figures out how to get herself out of difficult situations even if she's running from trouble. It's not her fault the law favors snakes like Billy. She's had a tough life and is searching for a place to call home. Just when it seems she's finally found it, something happens to prevent Loveda's happiness. She's compassionate towards a woman who everyone has labeled "crazy" but antagonistic towards a male character at first. Then she comes to rely on him a little too much. Loveda thinks she's a great judge of character but she's deluding herself. She gets one or two right but everyone else wrong! She has a lot of learning to do.
Miss Nelson, the local innkeeper and Loveda's new landlady, is a grandmotherly woman. She has grit to live out there all alone with only two female servants. She grumbles a lot because she's worried the new resort will bring too many people and yet also put her out of business. How will she survive without her boarding house? I think Miss Nelson is lonely and enjoys complaining. She really does want more visitors and is happy to have a plucky young woman like Loveda staying with her. However, there came a point in the story where I didn't quite trust Miss Nelson. She lied to tourists and her servants are unorthodox to say the least. Maid Annabelle is kind to Loveda but timid and afraid of ghosts. Esme, the Black maid, is from Louisiana and seems to openly practice voodoo and believe in evil spirits. She's grumpy. I get the impression she resents Loveda for some reason and is trying to scare her off.
Sheriff Fuller isn't too bright. He seems fair but doesn't really know how to investigate the murder of outsiders. He's very much by the book. He trusts his training but doesn't seem to have any instincts. He better get used to murder investigations. The resort is bound to bring more people and therefore more crime to the mountains. Carlos Peyote, the farrier, is a man of few words. He seems reluctant to trust Loveda because she appears to be a fancy city person. He doesn't know her special skills or that she's a tough woman who has been running from trouble for several years. He's not as patronizing as the sheriff but the men judge her because she's female. Mr. Hannahs, the postmaster, is a good man but resistant to change. He and his wife founded the town and named it after their late son until Mr. Lindley cheated them out of their hard work and loving connection to their son. I can see why he's angry and against the change from tiny hamlet to luxury resort town that no longer bears his son's name. His wife's heart broke. Could he be angry enough at outsiders to shoot at first sight? He seems like a nice man and Billy has nothing to do what Idlewild, at least not that Loveda is aware of but you never know.
At first Mr. Lindley came across as an evil wealthy developer. He runs a stage coach and drives like the devil and also owns a saloon. A-ha! He has always wanted a ballroom (!) and is a man who knows what he wants and how to get it. He claims to be a self-made man yet has profited from other people's misfortune and a fire that destroyed his hotel. I was wondering if Billy had made a shady business deal with Mr. Lindley and the deal went sour because Billy was a snake. Did Mr. Lindley kill Billy? It's always the evil developer who gets offed. Maybe this time the developer is the killer? However, Mr. Lindley grows on Loveda and she thinks she's a good judge of character. If he killed Billy, Billy deserved it. I didn't really like Mr. Lindley's girlfriend, Penelope, an actress from Los Angeles. She's friendly and nice to Loveda, instantly becoming BFFs but I think Penny was bored and motivated to find a female friend to keep her company during her stay. Would she have been so welcoming to Loveda in LA? Her plot was a real shocker.
John Wyman was the last person to see Billy alive. John is a mountain man, living off the land and away from people. He's cautious about trusting people, somehow antagonizes Loveda and sparks fly. I think I sense a Pride & Prejudice relationship here. She's proud of her survival and her character assessment abilities and prejudiced against men. He's proud of his survival skills and minimalist lifestyle. So he had a drink at a saloon and made small talk with a stranger, so what? John isn't really one for small talk and his instinct told him not to trust Billy. I expect that if John killed Billy, he would have gotten rid of the body where no one would ever find it. Who is Red, the mysterious woman who lives on the mountain? Everyone thinks she's crazy but mostly harmless. She wanders around here and there talking nonsense to herself. It seems like she is mixed up in the murder somehow and Loveda needs to figure out how to get Red to trust her to get answers. Red doesn't trust easily and for some reason she hates Loveda.
So who killed Billy and why? It wasn't at all what I expected but the twist made the story more interesting.
This mystery was a lot of fun and I will be interested to see what Loveda gets up to next.
Loveda Brown is on the run from her low down dirty evil ex-husband who refuses to accept the ex part of their relationship. Seeing as how the ex is not quite legal, Loveda has no choice but to flee from the dangerous man and head to Los Angeles where her uncle lives with his young daughter. Along the way Loveda is pursued by Billy Dunn, her evil ex and hops into a stagecoach to escape, losing a shoe in the process. The stage brings Loveda to the tiny mountain town of Idlewild, California where the locals cling to the remoteness and a wealthy doctor is building a resort. Loveda is accepted by innkeeper but the local sheriff is suspicious of Loveda, the only newcomer, because a local man has discovered a dead body that turns out to be none other than Loveda's ex-husband! Someone shot Billy dead and Loveda is not sad but scared because someone out there killed Billy and who knows if she's next. While preparing to leave for Los Angeles, Loveda makes some new friends and one of her new friends has unknowingly made a dangerous enemy for the friend ends up dead! The sheriff is about as capable of solving this murder as he is Billy's but Loveda knows something is wrong and the sheriff has set his sights on the wrong suspect. Loveda wants to see justice done and figure out who killed her friend but with spooky spirits, a crazy old lady running around the mountain and a giant mountain man running around, not to mention tourists, Loveda has her work cut out for her. Can she find out who killed Billy and her friend and survive?
This story was a lot of fun! I feared for Loveda after reading "The Boston Burglar" and Loveda Brown: Rattler: The Idyllwild Mystery Series, Prequel. She's still searching for home and this tiny mountain hamlet is charming but remote. I didn't expect it to be a real place populated by real life historical figures in the way El Paso was but it is indeed a real town and some of the locals in the story are based on real people. The idyllic mountain setting sounds like a good place for a sanitorium and I was surprised it went bankrupt. Turning it into a resort sounds like a good idea in theory but also not because the locals value their privacy and enjoy the remote locale as it is thank you. They fear the loss of their quiet, humble way of life. It's a little too late to turn back the clock though. It's 1912 and already automobiles are hitting the road and the stagecoach stops nearby. I fear gentrification is coming to this hamlet and the people who live in the mountains, off the land are going to be made unwelcome. Already strangers arrive and bring chaos in their wake!
The mystery got off to a slow start but picked up after the first day. I couldn't put it down. I figured out what happened and why just before Loveda did. She was clever enough to put together pieces of the puzzle I hadn't seen though and figured out from Loveda's clues.
Loveda is a great character. She's strong, brave and whip smart. She figures out how to get herself out of difficult situations even if she's running from trouble. It's not her fault the law favors snakes like Billy. She's had a tough life and is searching for a place to call home. Just when it seems she's finally found it, something happens to prevent Loveda's happiness. She's compassionate towards a woman who everyone has labeled "crazy" but antagonistic towards a male character at first. Then she comes to rely on him a little too much. Loveda thinks she's a great judge of character but she's deluding herself. She gets one or two right but everyone else wrong! She has a lot of learning to do.
Miss Nelson, the local innkeeper and Loveda's new landlady, is a grandmotherly woman. She has grit to live out there all alone with only two female servants. She grumbles a lot because she's worried the new resort will bring too many people and yet also put her out of business. How will she survive without her boarding house? I think Miss Nelson is lonely and enjoys complaining. She really does want more visitors and is happy to have a plucky young woman like Loveda staying with her. However, there came a point in the story where I didn't quite trust Miss Nelson. She lied to tourists and her servants are unorthodox to say the least. Maid Annabelle is kind to Loveda but timid and afraid of ghosts. Esme, the Black maid, is from Louisiana and seems to openly practice voodoo and believe in evil spirits. She's grumpy. I get the impression she resents Loveda for some reason and is trying to scare her off.
Sheriff Fuller isn't too bright. He seems fair but doesn't really know how to investigate the murder of outsiders. He's very much by the book. He trusts his training but doesn't seem to have any instincts. He better get used to murder investigations. The resort is bound to bring more people and therefore more crime to the mountains. Carlos Peyote, the farrier, is a man of few words. He seems reluctant to trust Loveda because she appears to be a fancy city person. He doesn't know her special skills or that she's a tough woman who has been running from trouble for several years. He's not as patronizing as the sheriff but the men judge her because she's female. Mr. Hannahs, the postmaster, is a good man but resistant to change. He and his wife founded the town and named it after their late son until Mr. Lindley cheated them out of their hard work and loving connection to their son. I can see why he's angry and against the change from tiny hamlet to luxury resort town that no longer bears his son's name. His wife's heart broke. Could he be angry enough at outsiders to shoot at first sight? He seems like a nice man and Billy has nothing to do what Idlewild, at least not that Loveda is aware of but you never know.
At first Mr. Lindley came across as an evil wealthy developer. He runs a stage coach and drives like the devil and also owns a saloon. A-ha! He has always wanted a ballroom (!) and is a man who knows what he wants and how to get it. He claims to be a self-made man yet has profited from other people's misfortune and a fire that destroyed his hotel. I was wondering if Billy had made a shady business deal with Mr. Lindley and the deal went sour because Billy was a snake. Did Mr. Lindley kill Billy? It's always the evil developer who gets offed. Maybe this time the developer is the killer? However, Mr. Lindley grows on Loveda and she thinks she's a good judge of character. If he killed Billy, Billy deserved it. I didn't really like Mr. Lindley's girlfriend, Penelope, an actress from Los Angeles. She's friendly and nice to Loveda, instantly becoming BFFs but I think Penny was bored and motivated to find a female friend to keep her company during her stay. Would she have been so welcoming to Loveda in LA? Her plot was a real shocker.
John Wyman was the last person to see Billy alive. John is a mountain man, living off the land and away from people. He's cautious about trusting people, somehow antagonizes Loveda and sparks fly. I think I sense a Pride & Prejudice relationship here. She's proud of her survival and her character assessment abilities and prejudiced against men. He's proud of his survival skills and minimalist lifestyle. So he had a drink at a saloon and made small talk with a stranger, so what? John isn't really one for small talk and his instinct told him not to trust Billy. I expect that if John killed Billy, he would have gotten rid of the body where no one would ever find it. Who is Red, the mysterious woman who lives on the mountain? Everyone thinks she's crazy but mostly harmless. She wanders around here and there talking nonsense to herself. It seems like she is mixed up in the murder somehow and Loveda needs to figure out how to get Red to trust her to get answers. Red doesn't trust easily and for some reason she hates Loveda.
So who killed Billy and why? It wasn't at all what I expected but the twist made the story more interesting.
This mystery was a lot of fun and I will be interested to see what Loveda gets up to next.
December 5, 2024
History, Mystery and Poppycock
Jolie Tunnell spins a fantastic tale of a spunky woman who fleas from her exhusband only to find even more trouble. When he turns up murdered, she sets put to find the culprit. Tunnel describes turn of the century Idyllwild with enchanting detail and the characters are well rounded, The plot is well planned and the story had me guessing. I read this fun book in one sitting. This was my first book by this author but it won't be my last. As the author mentions in the afterward, the story is a combination of Mystery history and poppycock and she clarifies the fact from the fiction.
Jolie Tunnell spins a fantastic tale of a spunky woman who fleas from her exhusband only to find even more trouble. When he turns up murdered, she sets put to find the culprit. Tunnel describes turn of the century Idyllwild with enchanting detail and the characters are well rounded, The plot is well planned and the story had me guessing. I read this fun book in one sitting. This was my first book by this author but it won't be my last. As the author mentions in the afterward, the story is a combination of Mystery history and poppycock and she clarifies the fact from the fiction.
March 14, 2021
I enjoyed this story of a spunky woman running from her husband. Her trip gets derailed when his body is found near the town where she is hiding. Loveda Brown sets out to solve her husband's murder and ends up discovering a town secret. The main character is very well written, and the setting is well detailed. I really like this character, and I can hardly wait for the next book in the series!
February 18, 2023
Shoes, gunshots, and confusion
I was amazed as I started to get into this story. There's nothing but excitement and unexpected turns. There's A hint of the West, but definitely not a western. On to the next book.
I was amazed as I started to get into this story. There's nothing but excitement and unexpected turns. There's A hint of the West, but definitely not a western. On to the next book.
November 4, 2024
The Great Loveda Brown whisks readers away to the charming yet treacherous town of Idyllwild, California, in 1912. Loveda’s flight from her hot-tempered husband quickly turns into a gripping mystery when a body turns up the very next day. Tunnell crafts an engaging tale filled with suspense and a sprinkle of humor, making for an enjoyable read!
While I appreciated Loveda's cleverness and resilience, I found the plot a bit predictable at times. The timeline had a few hiccups, and certain moments felt a touch too modern for the era, which pulled me out of the story. These quirks kept me from giving it a higher rating, but the delightful characters and the intriguing mystery kept me turning pages.
If you’re looking for a cozy mystery with a dash of sass, The Great Loveda Brown is a fun choice—just don’t mind the occasional plot twist that bends time a bit!
While I appreciated Loveda's cleverness and resilience, I found the plot a bit predictable at times. The timeline had a few hiccups, and certain moments felt a touch too modern for the era, which pulled me out of the story. These quirks kept me from giving it a higher rating, but the delightful characters and the intriguing mystery kept me turning pages.
If you’re looking for a cozy mystery with a dash of sass, The Great Loveda Brown is a fun choice—just don’t mind the occasional plot twist that bends time a bit!
October 2, 2021
If you're a fan of Phrynie Fischer and Miss Scarlett, you will adore Loveda Brown.
When Loveda Brown arrives on a stagecoach she only has one goal, to escape Billy Dunn, her nare-do-well ex-husband. With one she missing she runs into trouble right away and things only get worse. With the help of a few locals and a hunky mountain man Loveda befriends the town outcast, thwarts a local occultist, and unveils the killers. Our gun-toting, horse riding heroine does it all with her unbeatable spirit and sheer determination. This is a great read for those interested in feisty female sleuths making their way at the turn of the 20th century in a small California mountain town.
When Loveda Brown arrives on a stagecoach she only has one goal, to escape Billy Dunn, her nare-do-well ex-husband. With one she missing she runs into trouble right away and things only get worse. With the help of a few locals and a hunky mountain man Loveda befriends the town outcast, thwarts a local occultist, and unveils the killers. Our gun-toting, horse riding heroine does it all with her unbeatable spirit and sheer determination. This is a great read for those interested in feisty female sleuths making their way at the turn of the 20th century in a small California mountain town.
February 3, 2025
What a beautiful, unexpected romp through the wild west!
Equal parts "Dr Quinn: Medicine Woman" and "Murder, She Wrote", this story is perfect for fans of California history and cozy murder mysteries.
When feisty New Englander Loveda Brown finds herself pursued by an abusive ex-husband, she hides in Idyllwild, California... A quiet Western mining town in the infancy of its fabulousness. While there, Loveda crosses paths with a rag tag group of townsfolk... From the overly suspicious sheriff to the local mad woman. But not everything in Idyllwild is as it seems. And in her quest to discover how her no good ex turned up dead, Loveda may find herself on the business end of a bullet.
Equal parts "Dr Quinn: Medicine Woman" and "Murder, She Wrote", this story is perfect for fans of California history and cozy murder mysteries.
When feisty New Englander Loveda Brown finds herself pursued by an abusive ex-husband, she hides in Idyllwild, California... A quiet Western mining town in the infancy of its fabulousness. While there, Loveda crosses paths with a rag tag group of townsfolk... From the overly suspicious sheriff to the local mad woman. But not everything in Idyllwild is as it seems. And in her quest to discover how her no good ex turned up dead, Loveda may find herself on the business end of a bullet.
August 12, 2026
I loved this book, as I've enjoyed all of Jolie Tunnell's books.
What an engaging story. Loveda is travelling away from her husband (now ex-husband) as he was a cruel man. Loveda ends up in Idyllwild, CA, not intending to stay. But when she finds out that her ex (Billy) had found her and mysteriously been shot, she figures she needs to stay and find out what happened. But the little inn she is staying at has its own secrets and Loveda gets caught up in a bizarre series of events that she cant seem to figure out.
This was a fun and actually historic book, which made it that much more interesting to read.
I highly recommend this book. You'll love it!
What an engaging story. Loveda is travelling away from her husband (now ex-husband) as he was a cruel man. Loveda ends up in Idyllwild, CA, not intending to stay. But when she finds out that her ex (Billy) had found her and mysteriously been shot, she figures she needs to stay and find out what happened. But the little inn she is staying at has its own secrets and Loveda gets caught up in a bizarre series of events that she cant seem to figure out.
This was a fun and actually historic book, which made it that much more interesting to read.
I highly recommend this book. You'll love it!
December 18, 2020
This murder mystery book was a real treat to read. It’s the perfect length to easily read in one sitting. The plot easily held my attention and has the right number of twists and turns in it to go along with the mystery and drama. The author has a wonderful command of descriptive writing that really enhanced the reading and made the scenes and characters jump from the page. This is my first time reading this author and I’m delighted that I chose to read the book after being drawn in via the blurb.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 17, 2026
This one started kind of rough for me, but in the end, I am glad I stuck with it. I enjoyed the way the author wrote the characters, and I liked the rural setting. I was a bit disappointed that Loveda didn't actually solve the mystery she was told whodunnit in a letter. I think it is much more satisfying when the protagonist figures it out. To watch all the clues tumble into place for them is one of the best parts of reading a mystery. Having said that, I was still entertained and would read more by this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2026
This is the first book in the Loveda Brown series, although there are prequels which are helpful in establishing her backstory. Set in 1900s America, we meet her on her way to relatives, stopping in a tiny town called Idyllwilde and getting involved in a murder investigation and derailing her journey. This if full of interesting characters, plenty of plot development on the way to solving the crime and a believable depiction of the Wild West. Loveda is an engaging heroine and there are obviously more adventures in store for her.
March 16, 2021
This introductory novel to The Idyllwild Mystery Series is intriguing, suspenseful and quick-paced. It is filled with an assortment of interesting characters as well as beautiful settings. As courageous Loveda flees from Texas to California, she thinks she’s escaping trouble. Instead, she encounters more peril than she ever could have imagined. I look forward to reading what happens to her next in Book 2 of the series.
May 3, 2025
I've read the first two books in the series and have found them to be entertaining, easy reads. Loveda finds herself in a rural community with secrets and murder. During the first book she is escaping from a bad marriage and in the second is starting to put down roots in her new home. Providing a historic backstory when automobiles and independent women were a novelties, the mysteries have unpredictable endings that keep the reader engaged in the story from beginning to end.
October 22, 2021
Idyllwild, California, 1912 Loveda Brown is travelling to LA to stay with family but she believes she is being followed by her ex-husband, Billy Dunn. The sheriff suspicions are raised when he is found dead. Can Loveda discover the guilty party or will there be more deaths.
An entertaining historical mystery. A good start to a new series.
An entertaining historical mystery. A good start to a new series.
February 18, 2022
Tough and Tender
Loveda Brown attracts the worst kind of people because she is so tender and accepting. She survives because she is tough and resilient.
You’ll bounce back and forth as Loveda herself does. A whirlwind of death and danger, a group of interesting characters and many surprises move the story along.
Loveda Brown attracts the worst kind of people because she is so tender and accepting. She survives because she is tough and resilient.
You’ll bounce back and forth as Loveda herself does. A whirlwind of death and danger, a group of interesting characters and many surprises move the story along.
August 7, 2022
Cozy mystery
For fans of cozy mystery. The plot moves at an irregular pace, and Loveda is an unlikely heroine. The ending doesn’t quite wrap all the details. The author does a good job pointing the blame here and there, though not giving a plausible reason for Penny’s murder. A good read of uneven quality.
For fans of cozy mystery. The plot moves at an irregular pace, and Loveda is an unlikely heroine. The ending doesn’t quite wrap all the details. The author does a good job pointing the blame here and there, though not giving a plausible reason for Penny’s murder. A good read of uneven quality.
November 10, 2024
A cosy mystery set in Idllwyld Caliifornia in 1912. Loveda iss escaping from an exhusband who thinks he is still her husband.She is worried that he will find her but the next day he is found dead. Loveda is a suspect and must stay in town until the matter is cleared up
I look forward to reading the rest if the series
I look forward to reading the rest if the series
May 8, 2025
I loved the book. I found it at the right time when I needed a lift. This is a fun to read mystery with interesting and quirky characters. Loveda Brown is a woman with a mind of her own but sometimes she is confused about who to believe. I thank Jolie Tunnell for a well written book about a reluctant heroine who will land on her feet.
July 8, 2021
Interesting
This is the story of a woman escaping from an evil abusive man only to land in a community where strange events happen. There is murder, mystery and voodoo with a touch of madness.
This is the story of a woman escaping from an evil abusive man only to land in a community where strange events happen. There is murder, mystery and voodoo with a touch of madness.
July 9, 2021
Western Cozy Mystety
This novel really didn't resonate with me. It is like a Western cozy mystery with too many characters. Felt contrived. The main character was not so great, more annoying. Not my cup of sasparilla.
This novel really didn't resonate with me. It is like a Western cozy mystery with too many characters. Felt contrived. The main character was not so great, more annoying. Not my cup of sasparilla.
July 30, 2021
Chapter set up
Wonderful storytelling. The first part follows the main character but then you find each chapter starts with each character in the book and its relationship to main character and the mystery. Really liked it
Wonderful storytelling. The first part follows the main character but then you find each chapter starts with each character in the book and its relationship to main character and the mystery. Really liked it
August 20, 2021
Wild West Meets the Roaring Twenties
Multiple murders perpetrated by one insane person are finally solved in the end, but Loveda barely makes it out alive. Definitely finishes as a page-turner.
Multiple murders perpetrated by one insane person are finally solved in the end, but Loveda barely makes it out alive. Definitely finishes as a page-turner.
February 20, 2022
Good book
I liked the story in this book. At first I was unsure about it. But after I read some more I started to like the main character. I felt like this book would make a good old fashioned Western movie.
I liked the story in this book. At first I was unsure about it. But after I read some more I started to like the main character. I felt like this book would make a good old fashioned Western movie.
June 9, 2022
Charming
A fun romp in the San Bernardino mountains in 1912.
The characters are well developed and sympathetic.
Plot lines are intricate enough to keep you from putting the book down until you are done.
A fun romp in the San Bernardino mountains in 1912.
The characters are well developed and sympathetic.
Plot lines are intricate enough to keep you from putting the book down until you are done.
April 26, 2024
Great Read!
Really enjoyable book. I really liked this book. I felt like I easily slipped into a historical town I've been too! And yes, that mountain climb is tough.. I liked the story line.
Really enjoyable book. I really liked this book. I felt like I easily slipped into a historical town I've been too! And yes, that mountain climb is tough.. I liked the story line.
January 7, 2021
A very fun and exciting murder mystery. I am a big fan of a good who-done-it mystery so this was right up my alley. The characters are well hashed out and each with just enough to have you thinking that they are the guilty party. A good weekend read.
June 19, 2021
Cute. I figured it out when the picture surfaced.
June 25, 2021
Interesting, but lacking enough character development to draw me into a series. Some good action. Plot is well developed, although almost unbelievable.
November 28, 2023
Great little mystery.
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