Badly Served

Teema Crowe Mystery #1

by Ripley Hayes

Her job was to look for Harry. The trouble started when she found him.

It looked like a simple task: serve divorce papers on failed businessman Harry Smith, who’s run off to rural north Wales leaving his wife with a baby and a mountain of debt. A welcome distraction from the implosion of her personal life.

But it turns out that Teema Crowe isn’t the only one looking for Harry when she — literally — trips over his body, lying face down in a pool of oil, with a knife in his back.

The police think Teema makes an excellent suspect for the murder. Her employer and her cheating ex-girlfriend know far too much about it but they aren’t telling. There’s an illegal money-lender who wants Teema silenced, and doesn’t mind hurting the people she loves, and a widow who just wants the insurance.

It’s a race against time for Teema to find out who killed Harry, before the police or the murderer find her.

217 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 2, 2022

Reviews

[Lizva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging mystery, character-driven, not too heavy

I really enjoyed this mystery. I liked the characters, especially Teema. The setting is unfamiliar to me, Northern Wales and Manchester. I liked how the author explored the theme of family. I will look for more by this author.

[Maryann Kafka · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Badly Served” is the first book in a new series from Ripley Hayes, “Teema Crowe Investigator & Process Server”. Teema Crowe had one job to do, serve Harry Smith divorce papers. But what she wound up serving was a dead Harry.

Life has taken a wild turn for Teema. She’s found her girlfriend, Cassie, of five years has cheated and they’ve now broken up. Cassie is still living in the apartment they shared. Manchester Investigations, that she helped start up, with Cassie and her brother Nick Perry, has given her no support at all. The Wales police, especially DI Carey are rude and racist and he’s doing everything to prove she’s guilty of murder. She’s gone so far as to not trust those who want to help her: Detective Chief Supt., Maldwyn Kent, Danny Owen and Inspector Sophie Harrington.

Teema has two good friends that she considers her brother and sister: Summer Bateman and Del Carlton. Summer and Del grew to be her family in the Atkinson foster home. With danger growing Del has already been attacked, because Teema shared her suspicions. Summer has gotten involved too as they both are on the run. Teema stays persistent even though she’s scared. She put’s it all on the line to save her friends and prove her innocence and bring the guilty to justice.

“Badly Served” starts a new series from Ripley Hayes with Teema Crowe, a young, black, Lesbian. For the first book of this series the author really gives an in-depth look into Teemas life. Teema finds herself facing: intolerance, racism, disrespect and hostility. She’s very intelligent when it comes to business and figuring out this puzzle of murder. She also has her own fears, insecurities, and love for those she has made a family with. There’s many moments of her feelings about her life in the Atkins foster home. As she looks back at how she was treated by Cassie’s mother and now Cassie, she struggles with a mixture of emotions, confusion and decisions to be made.

I liked this new group of characters: Summer Bateman, what will happen with her and Teema? Del Carlton and his friend Kyle and the start up business of process serving.
It was fun to have: Daniel Owen, Maldywn Kent and Sophie Harrington from the “Daniel Owen Welsh Mysteries” involved.

Ripley Hayes does well with bringing this complex, fast paced, suspenseful mystery to the page. It certainly has danger, with plenty of twists and turns, with a domino effect of guilty parties. With the “Epilogue” there’s certainly more to come, but this could have held its own as a stand alone. I’m willing to see what Ripley Hayes has planned for the next Teema Crowe story.

Just a note, there are some minor editing issues and the “Epilogue” is at the end of the last chapter and a chapter of its own. I read this story as an ARC so hopefully all will be mended.

[SandyB · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I love first-person POV mysteries, where the MC pretty much moves through the book making decisions based on limited information due to their outsider status for the investigation. If they are done well, I don’t even try to puzzle out the actual mystery myself because I’m too far into the MC’s brain and seeing it their way. This book? I couldn’t put this book down. Excellent characterization, engrossing plot line, fun setting. From the opening scene to the final reveal, it was all fantastic.

Fingers crossed Teema Crowe gets her own series because I need more of her in my life.

[Morticia_is_Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teema is an instantly likeable character, and I was rooting for her, from the start. She's had it rough, at the start of the book,and things don't get any easier. I enjoyed the setting places and descriptions,as well as the well-drawn characters. I look forward to reading more :)

[Peter Fenton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Badly Served is the first book in Ripley Hayes’ Teema Crowe book series. Set in Manchester and the beautiful countryside of Wales, the book introduces us to Teema, Hayes’ realistically crafted protagonist: a young, lesbian, Muslim female process server who is attempting to clear her name in the murder of a very suspicious, older white male. The book is exquisitely written, filled with beautifully drawn characters, a story that drives, and a mystery that holds and keeps you guessing until the end.

Teema Crowe is a refreshing diversion from the standard depiction of the literary crime solver. She is a delightfully real and flawed protagonist. You simply need her to succeed. The secondary characters are all fully imagined, each with their own unique personalities, from the homophobic cop Carvey to the highly likeable DCS Maldwyn Kent and his boyfriend Daniel Owen, and “the nasty piece of work” that is Colin Cooke.

Teema’s beautiful, personal relationships with her fellow foster siblings Summer and Del (who add a needed touch of humanity and support to Teema’s life), nicely contrast the relationship which she has with two other characters important to her, but whose names I shall not mention here for fear of giving away too much.

As a writer, Hayes is in a league of her own, having crafted a beautiful package that makes for a compelling novel and the start to a great series. One could easily imagine the Teema Crowe Books being successfully adapted for television.

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need fish and chips asap

One of the things I love about Ripley Hayes books is that the characters are always so real. They’re not the most reliable narrators, and it’s clear to the reader that they are struggling with internal issues and skewed perceptions, but it just makes you love them all the more.

Poor Teema. You have to feel for her. She just wants to love her girlfriend, work her job, and live her life. But she’s also just a little too curious, and the blind eye she’s been turning for years is starting to see too much.

Great mystery, great characters, looking forward to the next installment!

As a side note: I’ve actually never had fish and chips, but after reading this book I am desperate for them. I think that marks a sign of a great story. :)

And for fans of Daniel Owen – you get a little glimpse into how he’s holding up after the events of Too Many Fires, and dare I say a sneak peek into what might be in store for him next?

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this book

I got addicted to Ripley Hayes’s writing while reading the Daniel Owen series, and I was thrilled to see a new series… and I was not disappointed.
I loved the development of Teema Crowe (and the cameo appearances of Daniel and Mal)… the story was riveting and I felt as if I were in Wales.
I can’t wait for Book 2.

[Frances Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

I wasn't sure I thought about this book but I got into it I couldn't put it down and when I did put it down I can't wondering what was gonna happen next It actually was a very good book I can't wait to read the next book. I recommend this book

[Cj · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s a dnf at 45% for me… honestly might be me but this was just so sad and apathetic