“Road to Savannah” is Book 2 in the Made in Savannah Cozy Mysteries Series
BONUS: RECIPE INCLUDED!
Carlita Garlucci has sold everything she owns and left the only home she has ever known to move to historic Savannah, Georgia. Her daughter, Mercedes, is moving with her and the women are both excited and nervous about this new chapter in their lives, having always lived under the shadow of the men in the family.
The repairs to their inherited properties are moving along nicely and everything seems to be falling into place, everything that is, except for the body they discover inside one of the buildings, the dilapidated restaurant.
Despite the fact that the Garlucci family was not even in Savannah at the time the victim was murdered, they can't prove it. On top of that, the victim, a member of Savannah Architectural Society, also known as "SAS," had been sent to the property to discuss possible construction violations.
The other members of SAS are convinced the Garlucci family murdered one of their own while Carlita is convinced that someone is trying to frame them.
Can the mother / daughter duo figure out who the real killer is, or will the police dig into Carlita's past and discover that she has her own share of secrets she's trying desperately to leave behind?
The Made in Savannah Cozy Mysteries Series does not contain foul language, sex, or gore...Just clean, cozy mysteries!"
There is some filler- parts that are described in more detail than necessary to the story- but I'm loving that these two women, previously totally required to be dependent on the men in their lives, set out to do things for themselves. They're hard workers, for sure, and I have some disbelief (having lived in and visited Savannah at different times in my life) that they can work so hard and accomplish so much during the heat of the summer when they first arrive, but the characters are unique and each is interesting. I look forward to reading the rest of the books. I'm also glad to see how many books and series the author has read. I'm put off by her claiming to be a Christian author, but she doesn't do anything in this series that suggests she has a certain religious advocacy or message. Perhaps outs her way of letting readers know that there won't be any cussing or gratuitous (or possibly even pre- marital) sex in the book. Although she allows that out happens between some people, there is nothing about it in the book (you draw your own conclusions in that regard). It's people behaving normally, with manners or not, much as people behave in the world around us. A mother and wife of a mafia member is apt to be just as normal as the rest of us with husbands and sons who prefer we cook and clean and try to live that idealized 1950s family life. But this is modern, and the mother and daughter are learning and refreshing modern skills, including segways, cell phones, and laptops, in Savannah.
Carlita and her daughter, Mercedes, make it to Savannah from Queens, with Carlita’s son Vinnie following behind, in Hope Callaghan’s Road to Savannah. As soon as they arrive, Mercedes’s new friend, Autumn, shows up to greet them. Autumn mentions that the door to the restaurant on the old property that they are renovating was ajar, but she closed it. Concerned that the squatter who was occupying their property may have moved to the restaurant, they investigate, only to find the body of a strangled woman there. When the police arrive, they Road to Savannahlearn that the murdered woman was Norma Jean Cleaver, a key member of the locally-dreaded SAS, the Savannah Architectural Society, which ostensibly exists to improve the city but really seems to exist to harass business owners who don’t conform to their own vision of the city. As they face suspicion over their involvement in the murder and fight with the SAS over opening their new businesses, Carlita and Mercedes decide they need to get to the bottom of the crime, or their lives will be uprooted.
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I enjoyed this second book in the Made in Savannah Cozy Mysteries series. Not quite as good as the first but still cute and entertaining. I enjoyed following mother and daughter on their new adventure in Savannah. I love the setting. This kept me guessing until the very end.
I love the narrator with her NY accent, Valerie Gilbert. She gives the main characters so much life! She gets 5 stars for performance!
Road to Savannah opens with Carlita and Mercedes returning to Savannah after selling their home in New York. Not there twenty four hours they find a body in one of their buildings. Carlita and Mercedes set out to solve the murder. I loved the suspense, the characters, the storyline and Old Savannah. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
Good continuation to the adventures of Carlita and Mercedes, their move to their new home and the trouble that lands in their building. Mystery not easy to solve but the culprit is caught thanks to Mercedes' curios nature. 4 stars Ms. Gilbert did another great narration as usual, love her New York accents. 5 stars
A round down piece of property in an unfamiliar city and a dead body. That makes for a very fun cozy. This series is hilarious and I love the fact the setting is Savannah, Ga. This is one crazy family but absolutely lovable!
I think this was very entertaining and I’m enjoying how these two women are taking charge of their lives. The only issue I have is that after all of the build up the case was solved in two paragraphs.
A great and easy reset when everything else gets too heavy. Character's are cute, the villains are good and they have some funny lines. Like cozy mysteries, this is cute and quick one.
Road to Savannah is the second book in Hope Callaghan’s Made in Savannah Cozy Mysteries Series. Ms. Callaghan has written a well thought out and interesting mystery, with a good story line and excellent character development. The writing style flows smoothly and is an easy read. The mystery is well throughout and there are enough suspects, twists, and turns to hold the reader’s interest. Ms. Callaghan’s descriptive writing makes the reader feel like they are right there watching the activities as they take place. This is a clean cozy mystery featuring no gratuitous sex, violence, or foul language. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-crafted cozy mystery.
Carlita Garlucci sold her New York home and she and her daughter, Mercedes, have arrived at their new home in Savannah, Georgia. Carlita’s oldest son, Vinnie, Jr., followed them to make sure they had a safe trip and to check out the properties and Savannah. Carlita and Mercedes are excited about starting their new lives and pleased with the progress Bob Lowman and his construction crew have made on the renovations. Vinnie, Jr. thinks the properties look like dumps and is concerned his mother and sister are making a big mistake. Steve Winter, the owner of Shades of Ink tattoo parlor, and his sister, Autumn, are happy Carlita and Mercedes are back in town, and help them settle in. Unfortunately, before they can even unpack, they discover the body of Norma Jean Cleaver, a member of the Savannah Architectural Society, on the floor of the building that used to house a restaurant. Detective Wayne Polivich of the Savannah Police Department questions the Garlucci family and they are concerned their mafia ties will be discovered and they will become prime suspects even though they weren’t even in town when Norma Jean was murdered. Determined to solve the murder before that can happen, Carlita and Mercedes start researching and asking questions. Autumn, also has a sleuthing gene, joins forces with Mercedes and investigate on their own. Carlita and Mercedes are sad when Vinnie, Jr. heads back to New York but are hopeful he’ll decide to move to Savannah.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Road to Savannah: Made in Savannah Cozy Mysteries series Book 2 is by Hope Callaghan. It is set in Savannah, Georgia with the main characters being New York City transplants who were also mafia women. The story is cute and lots of fun to read. Carlita and her daughter Mercedes were finally on their way to Savannah, Georgia from Queens. Vincent Garlucci, Carlita’s husband, had a deed to property in Savannah transferred to Carlita. She hadn’t known of the property but she and Mercedes had gone to look at it. They decided to renovate the property and live in Savannah. Against her sons’ wishes, Carlita had sold her house and contents and with Mercedes was packed up and on her way to Savannah. Her son Vinnie had decided to go with them to check it out and make sure it was safe for them. They also took Rambo, Tony’s dog which he had given to Carlita. Upon finally reaching Savannah, they went by the property to check with the contractor and see the apartment they were moving into. While there, they walked the property to show Vinnie and found the gate to the restaurant open. When they went in, they found the body of a murdered lady, Norma Jean Cleaver, one of the Savannah Architectural Society members. The SAS had control over architectural guidelines in the city. Who murdered her and why here?
This isn't terrible, but it's very simple and the whole mystery is just kind of meh. Two women, mother and daughter, move to Savannah in order to start a new life and escape the mob, which their family has been a part of for a long time. They're developing an old grocery store and restaurant and apartments, and happen to come across a dead body in the empty restaurant. They become the main suspects, because no one believes them that they just pulled into town. They decide that they need to solve the crime, and set out making everyone a suspect and not really gathering any clues. There's a lot of filler about cooking and remodeling and landscaping, which just doesn't add anything to the novel or the characters. How they solve the case is kind of ridiculous, and I really can't believe the police are that incompetent, but if they didn't do these semi illegal things they never would have solved the case.
I was so excited to find a series about Savannah, GA, one of my favorite places of all. Sadly, this series is a let down. It feels as if the author may have taken a trip there 30 years ago and is using vague memories to right about such a beautiful city rich with history and culture. If she wanted to ignore what makes Savannah, well, Savannah, then she should have made up a location instead of using such a well known city. Street names like Broughton, Bay, River, Lincoln, Abercorn, etc., are part of the charm, and even more so the squares- Reynolds, Columbia, Wright, Washington, and more are all part of the history. And the popular strip... makes it sound like you're in Myrtle Beach, and not a city where the entire historic district is the "popular strip". I cringed with each discrepancy wondering why an author would make a real place a fictional place? I honestly will end my reading of this series right now.
Just a good, clean, cozy little mystery you can't help but keep turning the page! Carlita and Mercedes return to Savannah to continue their new life but when they arrive they find the body of one of the local Savannah Architectural Society members dead inside their soon to be restaurant. A new adventure begins as it's suggested that Carlita may have something to do with the death. Carlita is driven to clear her name while Mercedes and Autumn spring into action to help! Not a long read but definitely worth every page. Each character is fun and have their own personalities to bring to the adventure. You won't be disappointed if you're looking for that special book you can literally relax to!
The series continues with excitement and mayhem when Carlita, Mercedes and son Vinnie head back down to Savannah. Just when they think that death and the mob are behind them, they find a body in one of their shops. The biggest issue-it is a member of SAS who was trying to block them from having a pawnshop in the building stating it would bring in riff-raff. One issue I have had with this story is that Bob tells Carlita that he has found some boxes up in the attic while they were doing the remodeling. Why mention this when it will not be part of the story? Maybe for a later book? Regardless, this is a great read for a cozy mystery reader!
Carlotta and Mercedes return to Savannah with Vinnie in tow. The girls are pleased with the contractor's progress and Vinnie is impressed despite his misgivings....until they find a body in the building....and the cops are looking at Carlita. The women plus their new friend Autumn start their own investigation and figure out who and why...still keeping the family's Mafioso background a secret. Fun fast moving cozy mystery in the new Savannah series
read as part of Cozy Mysteries Collection: Home & Holiday Edition a nice light cozy mystery while there is a murder to be solved ( as with all cozies) not much time is spent dwelling on it more was on transition to life in Savannah. I preferred this to the GardenGirls stories also in the collection ... not sure why but these characters seemed a little less whiny.
The Garlucci family has just buried their Patriarch, Vincent. His dying request to his wife,Carlita , was to get his family away from the mafia! Carlita and Mercedes travel to property left to them secretly, to assume a new lifestyle. Upon arrival, a dead body is found in one of their empty properties. Who is the dead person? Why was she left in one of their properties? Who is the killer and what is the motive? This is a great cozy mystery. Hope has done it again! Love her books. Give it 5 stars and recommend it to anyone who likes cozy mysteries.
This is the second book in the Made in Savannah cozy mysteries. The story starts with Carlita & her daughter Mercedes moving to Savannah, Georgia to start a new life. Her oldest son Vinnie decided to help them move so he could "check out" their new home. Not long after they arrive and get moved in, they discover a body in one of their buildings. Hope Callaghan has a way of pulling you into her stories from the beginning! I was gifted this book in return for an honest review.
This is the second story I've listened to by this author. Love this series so far. I listened to the audiobook version and felt this was a great story, with a great narrator. TBH, Valerie Gilbert is my #1 favorite narrator, and I would recommend her to anyone and everyone interested in audiobooks. Similar to book one, this was a cute, fast-paced story that kept me entertained/interested the entire time. I'm definitely interested in listening/reading other stories by this author. On to book 3.
A light hearted written murder mystery of a mother and daughter who have left the mob life in New York for a quieter life down in Savannah only to arive to a dead body in their hopefully new business venture. Who could it be and why is it there ? Read and find out what happens to thier hoped for quiet new life.
Carlita and Mercedes are on the way to their new lives in Savannah, and even got Vinnie to follow them down so he could check things out for himself. Not in town for more than a couple of hours, and they find a dead body on their new property. Vowing to clear their names and their new friends lead to another hilarious romp through historic Savannah.
The second in the series bring Carlita and her daughter Mercedes from moving from New York to Savannah Georgia. A murder takes place and Mercedes and Autumn become close and a friendship is begun and a murder is solved. A real page turner and the reader is moved through the book on an adventure curve the read will enjoy.
This is the first novel in a very entertaining series. The characters are humorous and easy to like. The stories flow and are riddled with action packed adventure, along with a body, here and there. This book was well written and has a good edit job. If you enjoy cozy mystery series, give this one a try.
Can't get any better than this. Mafia, Savannah, and like able characters. Carlita, Mercedes, and Vinnie had only been at their new place two hours and are already faced with a murder.
This was an interesting story. Murder mayhem and moving. The family finally made the move from New York to Savannah. Even Vinnie came along to make sure they would be safe. Fun filled entertainment for everyone.