Puzzle at Peacock Perch

by Suzanne Rudd Hamilton

Can a group of senior amateur detectives solve the mystery and find their missing neighbor?

Willow Wisteria disappeared, but not without a trace. Now it’s up to Madame Sleuth and the members of the Secret Senior Sleuths Society of Peacock Perch to find out what happened to her. They’ve set aside their bingo and bridge games and daily tennis and pickle ball matches to investigate “The Case of the Vanishing Vixen.” They’ll use all their cunning, life experience and the knowledge from their former occupations to follow the trail of gossip and social media posts about Willow to gather clues and find suspects with means, motive and opportunity.

In this first book in the Secret Senior Sleuths Society of Peacock Perch Series, these seniors are tasked with a genuine puzzle and their original investigation of many. People think retirement communities are quiet with sleepy residents, but in fact, Peacock Perch is a typical senior village full of misdeeds and mystery that keeps the detectives very busy. And they know just where to look.

Large Print Edition.

186 pages, Paperback

Published November 15, 2021

About the author

A friend once told me "Love what you do and you will never work a day in your life."

I always wanted a mantra that I could truly believe and live every day. I spent my first career in journalism, public relations, real estate, and marketing, trying to find my bliss. But other than raising my children, I only had bouts of loving my various careers. It never lasted, but you have to make a living.

Now I'm in my second career, the search has ended. I moved from Chicago to the year-round warmth and gentle breezes of Southwest Florida. And I am doing things I have always wanted to do, just for the love of it. I am writing fictional novels, children's books, short stories, and essays that relate and retell everyday life experiences in a fun-filled read. I am writing, directing, and acting in a series of mystery "whodunnit" plays. And I am continuing my first love of singing. Now, I have a mantra. I am happily living my best life, as I know it.

I write what I feel and whatever pops into my head, across many genres, with a singular identity...I like to tell everyday people's stories through fiction with heart, humor, and humanity, and all the flaws, choices, and discovery that come with their individual journey.
I invite you to come along for the ride with me and meet some interesting people you may know or would like to know. It may even be you. I promise to try to make you laugh, love, and feel, and I will try not to bore you. I would be honored to be your guide. Welcome.

Reviews

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of the Gladdy Gold series (except the last book, I pretend it does not exist hahaha), so when I saw this book description, senior sleuths, I knew I had to read it!

"Willow Wisteria disappeared, but not without a trace. Now it’s up to Madame Sleuth and the members of the Secret Senior Sleuths Society of Peacock Perch to find out what happened to her. They’ve set aside their bingo and bridge games and daily tennis and pickle ball matches to investigate “The Case of the Vanishing Vixen.” They’ll use all their cunning, life experience and the knowledge from their former occupations to follow the trail of gossip and social media posts about Willow to gather clues and find suspects with means, motive and opportunity."

I do have to admit I had to get into the book. Simply because the book does not use regular names for the characters but they have code names. So I had a bit more trouble keeping up with who was who. I do like the concept, but there are many characters and thus many code names. The leader of the group Madame Sleuth is a mystery lover, so she is the perfect one to lead the sleuth group. It was fun to see each of them use their experiences in life or former professions to try and solve the case. The names are explained at the beginning of the book.

I thought it would be a Cozy Mystery, but with a few 18+ insinuations here and there I would more place it under Standard Mystery. Nothing bad or explicit, but it never happens in Cozies, so yeah Standard. It is a rather short book, you can finish it up in 1,5 to 2 hours. For a first one not bad at all, but if there will be a second one I would love to have more pages as I did found it short. There aren't many Senior Sleuth books out there that I know of, so yeah a very welcome new series!!

[Kymm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading ARC's, especially when they're from authors that are new to me and with the help of BookSirens I'm able to find some of the best. When I read the description for "Puzzle at Peacock Perch" by Suzanne Rudd Hamilton sounded like a cozy mystery that was right up my alley. How could I resist a group of senior sleuths in a retirement community out to investigate the goings on within their own ranks?

In "Puzzle at Peacock Perch" a group of seniors set out to figure out what happened to one of their own who hasn't been seen in weeks. Where could she be? Is she away on vacation, or is there foul play at hand? These feisty seniors are sure to get to the bottom of things and they do so in a charming and often humorous way! I enjoyed the storyline very much! I found myself chuckling more than normal with some of the dialogue between these spunky seniors.

For me this would have easily been a 5-star read had the characters had actual names, rather than aliases, as the author chose to give them. She did put a list and picture of each character at the beginning of the book, but if you're reading on an e-book format it's hard to go back and forth to see who's who. To me, the characters are the most important part of a cozy book or series and getting to know them is paramount to enjoying the series. Maybe it was me, but with the aliases I had a hard time remembering if that character was male or female, good or bad. I get why the author chose to go this route, but I would have preferred real names, but that's me.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and as a senior myself it was funnier than heck. This book is a great example of just because there's snow on the roof doesn't mean there's no fire in the furnace. I'd say for a great trip into the mind of an active senior community and all that goes on, other than the usual Bingo, Bridge, gossip and rumors, this is the book/series for you. It's a quick read, it took me less than a day to read and I believe if you're a fan of the cozy mystery genre and love to read about sassy, active seniors who decide to try their hand at investigating it's golden age gold! Happy Reading!

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

My full review can be found here: https://thereadingwife.com/puzzle-at-...

[Korinne Tande · Rating 5 out of 5]

An entertaining read….especially since I am old enough to live in Peacock Perch! When I first began my teaching career, I lived in a very small community. And, like Willow Wisteria, everyone knew my business and what they didn't know, they often made up… and of course, shared with their neighbors. This was long before cell phones so the storytelling often took place at the post office or at one of the two other businesses in the area: a gas station and a small grocery store which had a lunch counter. The author does a great job of demonstrating how stories spread with not much attention to the truth. I enjoyed the alliteration as it was a comical approach to the story. In fact, there was an astronomical amount of amusing alliteration. The various viewpoints presented by the characters added to the story's charm since nothing was ever what it seemed to be with many characters not who they said they were or who they appeared to be. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Amy Friedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. The group were headed in the right direction and unfortunately they were stopped in the middle of their investigation. I was unhappy about that. They gave in volintarily their information over even though they didn't need it. no spelling mistakes. It was fun to read that even you get older you can still do things and not sit around and think their life is over. It was very interesting. I wouldnt call it cozy but it was a good read very worth it,

[Diane Edbauer · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Puzzle at Peacock Perch' by Suzanne Rudd Hamilton is a fun read about senior citizens and their shenanigans. A fellow resident, Willow Wisteria went missing and the fellow senior citizens were determined to solve the mystery. I especially like the descriptions of the characters in the beginning of this book. Each character is quirky and humorous making the story especially interesting. This is a book is a first-rate easy read for a quiet afternoon.
I received this book from BookSirens with the understanding that I would give an honest review. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I enjoy a good mystery and jigsaw puzzles. The cover attracted me with the title and the puzzle pieces. I was unfamiliar with the author. This was a quick read. I felt like there was a lot of jumping around with clues. All the sleuths had assigned names which were hard to keep straight. A senior community, over 50, 55, 60, or 65, I was never sure. Easter eggs are hidden for the next book in the series. I will read that one due to curiosity. I found spelling and grammar errors, which are hopefully corrected. Recommend if you want a light mystery.

[JACKIE K · Rating 4 out of 5]

What really goes on at senior living residences? I’m sure there’s lots of bingo, bridge, arts and crafts and move nights. One of the best kept secrets is a group of intelligent, detail-oriented men and women who have formed a crime solving society known only to its members. While there may be others, I have discovered one such group in Florida at Peacock Perch. The leader is an alliteration loving woman, who deploys many covert devices in the search for truth and monitors her troops carefully. Thus begins a new series filled with fun and frolic and colorful,characters. Is Willow Wisteria missing or murdered? Admittedly, there are many sleuths with amusing aliases to sort through and lots of suspects. I expect that names will become easier with familiarity in future books. I love the portrayal of smart active seniors, who are ready for adventure and enjoying life. Long live this series!

[Alice Hazelbaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a departure from the way most cozy mysteries are written, and I admit, it took a little getting used to. It’s written from the perspective of 15 different members of the Secret Senior Sleuths Society, a group of (you guessed it!) seniors living in a active adult community in Florida! Madame Sleuth is the presiding investigator and each member has been given a code name based on their prior occupation. They begin with the case of the Vanishing Vixon, Willow Wisteria, as she has been reported missing for a few weeks, says the local gossip. Follow each “detective” as they investigate using their skills and area of expertise. It’s a look at the way the senior community works, with laughs aplenty! I received a free advance copy and write this review voluntarily.

[Mary Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read about a group of senior citizens who being to investigate the disappearance of another resident in their retirement community.

I enjoyed the pseudonyms given to each member of this investigation team. It added to the fun. Based on their experiences and careers, each one is tasked with a separate thread to unravel. Each chapter is from a team's perspective and I found this made it more fun to read.

This was very enjoyable and I look forward to reading what their next investigation entails.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mickey Kay Troxell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well written book with a lot of humor, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I didn’t struggle to finish it because of the way it was written, but I was grateful to have reached the end. I will read more books from this author for sure, just not in this series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Terri McClean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys,the Bobbsey Twins and the Group of Five have all gotten older and moved into the same community.

What a fun book, I could easily picture each of the group members. My mum lives in one of these communities and I had no problems placing her and her friends in each place. Definitely makes you take a secound glance at that group of seniors sitting , playing cards.

This is terrific book to read for those times you just want a light hearted mystery filled with slightly zany ,charming, characters . I want to be in that community in a few years! I hope the author continues the series.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from BookSirens. The story takes place at a senior retirement community and involves a group of mystery obsessed seniors. They use code names to hide their real identity and to stress there strong points. Delving into gossip, utilizing hidden cameras, breaking and entering, and directly questioning neighbors aid in gathering information. The story is written with humor, contains red herrings, and stars unique characters. It was a fun read and ended with hints of a mystery to come.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC free from VRO and this is my voluntary honest review.
Great book!
Well written!
Interesting characters!
Fun read!
A page turner!
Read! Enjoy!

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this from Book Sirens for an honest review. It was a cute cozy, but it would have been better if there weren't so many typos and formatting issues. Interesting story, though, and in the future I may check out others by this author. I recommend.

[Laura Lipton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and humorous story from VRO, about a bunch of senior sleuths who are trying to solve a mystery of the disappearance of one of the seniors.
It includes a twist in the solving of the case.

[Kate Wells · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unusual angle - we see the mystery through the eyes of multiple characters. Received as a complimentary copy from the author in return for an honest review.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the way this author wrote the book because I realot got engrossed in the story and I could picture everyone speaking at the meeting. The vivid description of each sleigh I could really picture the way they were acting and you could feel their emotions so much I felt like I was there in the community home with them.

[Shelly Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rather enjoyed that the book began with pictures and short biographies on each character. Each character brings their own personality into the story. I really like the idea of a Secret Senior Sleuths Society. The writing was fun, and the characters were funny. This is a terrific book to read for those times you just want a light hearted mystery filled with slightly zany ,charming, characters. This was fast book to read, and very light hearted. What a fun book, I could easily picture each of the group members. I want to be in that community in my older years! I have the author’s second book cued in my kindle to continue the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book to review. All opinions my own.

[Betsy Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puzzle at Peacock Perch is book one in A Secret Senior Sleuths Society Mystery series written by Suzanne Rudd Hamilton.
This story is told from several participants viewpoint with many participants in this Senior Sleuth Society. This retirement community in Florida is home to many retired folks from all over the country who have had many occupations over the years. Each of the fifteen members puts their detective skills to work based on their previous occupation which is a big help in finding clues to this current mystery. We never truly know the real identities of the detectives because Madame Sleuth has given them all interesting names: Daring Detective, Captain Cluemaster, Inspector Instinct, Newshound, Magnolia Mastermind, Chemical Cluist, Delta Snoops, Private Eyes, Queens Quister, Master Mayhem, Sherley Sparks, Mystery Minx, Sir Red Herring, and Smoking Gun.
The current mystery was that a resident of Peacock Perch, Willow Wisteria, was missing and had not been seen for several weeks. Madame Sleuth deemed that this was a mystery that the Society, using their vast skills, could solve and she called it The Case of the Vanishing Vixen.
The detectives were divided into teams working together to find clues then report back to Madame Sleuth. This book was a quick read and I look forward to seeing how the author weaves the next tales set in Maple Bay.
I was given a free copy of this book for review and the opinion is my own. #PuzzleAtPeacockPerch #ASecretSeniorSleuthsSociety #SuzanneRuddHamilton

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

The majority of books I read fall in the cozy mystery category. I thought Puzzle at Peacock Perch was going to be a cozy mystery, but it was different than I expected. I had a hard time trying to keep track of the characters when the story didn't use their 'real' names. The code names made it too difficult for me to follow. I think that was my biggest problem with the book. Typically, the best part of cozy mystery books is the feeling of getting to know the characters. With all the code names, that just made it difficult. The mystery itself was interesting, but I didn't like how it ended. The characters weren't allowed to know the ending. And if one did, they were misled. I guess for me that was very unsatisfying. I like to read books that have endings that satisfy (happy or not, but closure) the characters too. Maybe this type of book just isn't for me. I'm sure lots of people like those aspects that I didn't. I liked the setting in the retirement community, and I liked how active and smart the characters were. I just need more connection with characters and endings that are more straightforward.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Terri Swick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book and look forward to more from this author

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Fraxinus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where is Willow Wisteria? Puzzle at Peacock Perch is the story of a merry band of sleuths who band together to figure out what happened to this grumpy old woman with a penchant for younger men, online shopping and picking fights with bartenders.

This book was a great start, to what I hope will be a fun series! I really enjoyed the premise, the mystery was intriguing and I enjoyed the various voices. Although, like any ensemble piece, some of the narrators were far more interesting than others and I look forward to unravelling those mysteries as well. If you enjoyed Murder She Wrote, but thought that what it needed was additional kooky characters--- you are going to love this book!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Carlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing concept for a mystery series, self-appointed amateur detectives living in a senior community in Florida. In this first book a resident has gone missing leading to much discussion and detection by the Senior Sleuths. Everyone has a code name including sleuths and suspects. Very clever. From the beginning the format reminded me of mystery dinner theater plays. The author admits at the end that she first wrote it as a play for her fellow seniors at a community in Florida that they first acted out on Zoom during the pandemic. I enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing how the author expands on this concept.

I was fortunate to receive an Advanced Review Copy from BookSirens and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cozy mystery about a group of sleuthing seniors is full of humor. It was a lighter read than The Thursday Murder Club (which I also really enjoyed). The author explains why the characters are given code names but I still would have liked to see regular names used. Somehow, the aliases just wouldn’t stick for me and made following character development difficult. That was the main reason for a 4 🌟 vs 5 🌟 review. The seniors had me laughing and kept my interest the whole way through. The story moved at a good pace and had a strong plot. I will read more by this author and recommend this book.

I received a review copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

[Delphia Von Heeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puzzle at Peacock Perch is Book 1 of the Secret Senior South Society by Suzanne Rudd Hamilton. This senior community has quirky characters where the sleuthing members all use code names like: Madame Sleuth, Daring Detective, Captain Cluemaster, you get the picture. This mystery is pure fun. The "case" involves the missing Willow Wisteria whom no one likes. These senior sleuths think that they are up to the task. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Emmy McCabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Secret Sleuth Society is a group of seniors in a senor community that like solving mysteries. Willow Wisteria hasn't been seen for two weeks. Not many people were fond of Willow, she liked to be the center of attraction and cause trouble for the staff. The society decided they needed figure out what happened to Willow, but, since she really didn't have any friends, they had to interview neighbors and staff. This is a fun quick read with lots of twists, curves and u-turns!!

[Andrea A · Rating 3 out of 5]

My thanks to Book Sirens for the free copy.

Cute easy cozy read. A group of senior citizens citizens who adapt colorful names tries to solve the disappearance of their friend Willow. Each section is told from a different perspective which was a bit confusing and choppy for me. The colorful na
es made me feel like I was reading a book with the characters of Clue. Just Ok for me.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happened to Willow Wisteria??? The Secret Senior Sleuths Society of Peacock Perch will find her though, won’t they??? The FBI wasn’t too happy with that though, or was it??? I enjoyed this story and recommend the book.

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in a unique style with multiple sleuths each one contributes to the solving of the missing Willow. With plenty of twists, u-turns and red herrings it is a quick fun read.