What do you think?
Rate this book
Old Fashioned Murder
"Funny clever murder mystery!" - Amazon Reviewer"A fun and wacky read!" - Goodreads ReviewerWhitley “Whit” Leland is an out-of-work stuntwoman with an attitude. Stuck in a sleepy mountain village with her wannabe PI grandmother, Bobbie, she’s content to spend her time eating flaky pastries, mixing cocktails, and chasing after her wayward rescue dog.She also needs to keep her grandmother out of trouble, which is harder than she expects. Between rehearsals with the Ukulele Ladies, Bobbie investigates a series of seemingly unrelated accidents targeting local musicians. Whit enjoys teasing Bobbie about her true crime obsession--after all, who would go to such lengths just to win a small-town music competition?Whit gets her answer when she finds one of the Ukulele Ladies dead. Is Bobbie next on the hit list? Whit will have to use her smarts and her skills to track down the murderer before they know she’s onto them.Can Whit, her grandmother, and their rogue chihuahua find the murderer before someone else turns up dead?
252 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 23, 2022
487 people are currently reading
194 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
September 6, 2023
Very entertaining
Great characters and an awesome granddaughter-grandma sleuth duo. Quite a few humorous moments. Im excited to read the next installment right away.
Great characters and an awesome granddaughter-grandma sleuth duo. Quite a few humorous moments. Im excited to read the next installment right away.
July 3, 2025
I rounded up to two stars - I really wanted to like this book, but I struggled to get through it. I felt as if there were too many characters to keep up with, too many mysteries happening at the same time, parts of the story just missing.. I liked the grandma, but the main character wasn’t very enjoyable. I read a lot of cozy mystery books & this one just felt scattered.
January 26, 2024
Wow I really do not like Whit. She’s rude, entitled, mean, selfish. Egotistical. Basically I really really don’t like her. Bonnie her grandmother is great.
October 7, 2022
delightful
Sarcastic lead, feisty grandma, bossy overbearing step mom, brilliant dog and a tricky plot. Very fun reading. Darn good book!
Sarcastic lead, feisty grandma, bossy overbearing step mom, brilliant dog and a tricky plot. Very fun reading. Darn good book!
May 12, 2025
Give This One a Wide Berth
The best character in this book is the dog.
The main character, Whit, is unappealing; she's entitled, immature, and rude, behaving more like a 17-year-old than a woman of 29. Supposedly she is a wonderful bartender, yet she drinks like a fish; her character seemed about halfway along the path to alcoholism. (It's been my observation that few bartenders are actually heavy drinkers. They've seen too much of what alcohol can do.) I found it absolutely disgusting as well as unlikely, also, that Whit would Her grandmother, Bobbie, is interesting, but the character isn't really developed enough.
I found the constant belittling, ageist remarks casually slung into the text to be totally offputting. I nearly stopped reading due to the ageism, but then continued to find out just how many ways the author could find to disparage older adults; I stopped counting after 14, however.
The book is rife with hooks and cliffhangers; no real explanation is ever provided to the reader to explain the end of Whit's Olympic-bound career, and the threat of development of the land isn't followed up. The book ends on a cliffhanger, something I despise. If I want to read the next in a series, it's because the first book was intriguing, not because the author set me up.
I must admit that having was an interesting plot twist. It just couldn't make up for the negatives to the book, though. This is a "delete from Kindle".
The best character in this book is the dog.
The main character, Whit, is unappealing; she's entitled, immature, and rude, behaving more like a 17-year-old than a woman of 29. Supposedly she is a wonderful bartender, yet she drinks like a fish; her character seemed about halfway along the path to alcoholism. (It's been my observation that few bartenders are actually heavy drinkers. They've seen too much of what alcohol can do.) I found it absolutely disgusting as well as unlikely, also, that Whit would Her grandmother, Bobbie, is interesting, but the character isn't really developed enough.
I found the constant belittling, ageist remarks casually slung into the text to be totally offputting. I nearly stopped reading due to the ageism, but then continued to find out just how many ways the author could find to disparage older adults; I stopped counting after 14, however.
The book is rife with hooks and cliffhangers; no real explanation is ever provided to the reader to explain the end of Whit's Olympic-bound career, and the threat of development of the land isn't followed up. The book ends on a cliffhanger, something I despise. If I want to read the next in a series, it's because the first book was intriguing, not because the author set me up.
I must admit that having was an interesting plot twist. It just couldn't make up for the negatives to the book, though. This is a "delete from Kindle".
August 25, 2023
Crimes Galore
Ok, so the stunt woman and her dog and her grandmother are headed for grandmother's house in a small town near the mountains. Grandmother (Bobbi) wants to be a private investigator, and her first case is all the accidents happening to her elderly friends. Ms Grumpy (the stuntwoman) is placating her grandmother while trying to figure out how she can get more stunt work. Honestly, the grandmother is very cool. I love her. And once her granddaughter is finally on board that there is a crime to solve, they make a great team. Another enjoyable book.
Ok, so the stunt woman and her dog and her grandmother are headed for grandmother's house in a small town near the mountains. Grandmother (Bobbi) wants to be a private investigator, and her first case is all the accidents happening to her elderly friends. Ms Grumpy (the stuntwoman) is placating her grandmother while trying to figure out how she can get more stunt work. Honestly, the grandmother is very cool. I love her. And once her granddaughter is finally on board that there is a crime to solve, they make a great team. Another enjoyable book.
August 5, 2025
fun but lacking
Whit is a jerk. Mother a strong, smart or clever heroine. She’s a jerk who muddles along and not in a fun way. I like the townspeople, they are intriguing and worthy of a backstory. There is something about Whit’s history but it’s approached them dropped just as quickly. Could be something interesting there - but I don’t care enough about HER character to look into Book 2 of the series.
Too b many good options out there; this was just ok.
Whit is a jerk. Mother a strong, smart or clever heroine. She’s a jerk who muddles along and not in a fun way. I like the townspeople, they are intriguing and worthy of a backstory. There is something about Whit’s history but it’s approached them dropped just as quickly. Could be something interesting there - but I don’t care enough about HER character to look into Book 2 of the series.
Too b many good options out there; this was just ok.
August 5, 2025
An enjoyable read
So, I read this because I have a chihuahua, and Kit is a chihuahua. I found myself enjoying several of the other characters, and their development as a crime-solving team. There was enough humor to make me chuckle several times. I’m looking forward to continuing to read this series.
So, I read this because I have a chihuahua, and Kit is a chihuahua. I found myself enjoying several of the other characters, and their development as a crime-solving team. There was enough humor to make me chuckle several times. I’m looking forward to continuing to read this series.
February 10, 2023
Mystery, snark, action! A wonderful reading experience! Don’t miss this series.
Everything you could want in a cozy mystery series. Characters with depth. Laugh out loud antics. A plot with a twist or two. A very satisfying read
Everything you could want in a cozy mystery series. Characters with depth. Laugh out loud antics. A plot with a twist or two. A very satisfying read
March 20, 2023
A senior determined to become a PI!
A funny and entertaining story, with senior sleuths, a very smart chihuahua and lots of suspects for a couple of murders! I plan on reading more of these quirky characters and plots. A great buy and read for 99 cents!
A funny and entertaining story, with senior sleuths, a very smart chihuahua and lots of suspects for a couple of murders! I plan on reading more of these quirky characters and plots. A great buy and read for 99 cents!
May 8, 2023
Too many suspects
Loved the story and laughed myself silly at some of the dialogue! A funny dog, an elderly wanna-be private investigator and a small town cast of characters...what's not to love. I'm looking for the next book now!
Loved the story and laughed myself silly at some of the dialogue! A funny dog, an elderly wanna-be private investigator and a small town cast of characters...what's not to love. I'm looking for the next book now!
February 1, 2025
Short but sweet
Cliffhangers are good,j but this one is a bit of a tear jerker. Characters, the human and animal, are great, settings entertaining, intriguing plot, and satisfying conclusion lead the reader on to the next.
Cliffhangers are good,j but this one is a bit of a tear jerker. Characters, the human and animal, are great, settings entertaining, intriguing plot, and satisfying conclusion lead the reader on to the next.
May 9, 2025
Fun and drama
I enjoyed this story and the characters too. Kit, the dog was endearing and the back flips sounded impressive. One possible murder and one missing person leads to lots of drama, with some humour too.
I enjoyed this story and the characters too. Kit, the dog was endearing and the back flips sounded impressive. One possible murder and one missing person leads to lots of drama, with some humour too.
May 23, 2025
Enjoyable
This is the first book I read by Ms. Walker and it was enjoyable. The mystery was intriguing and the 2 heroines were engaging. They amateur sleuths and approached this case as such. I am looking forward to reading the next book.
This is the first book I read by Ms. Walker and it was enjoyable. The mystery was intriguing and the 2 heroines were engaging. They amateur sleuths and approached this case as such. I am looking forward to reading the next book.
September 28, 2025
Humor and action
Very funny book. A young woman trying to figure out what she should be doing has to solve a murder or two before her mother hauls her and her grandmother back to LA.
Very funny book. A young woman trying to figure out what she should be doing has to solve a murder or two before her mother hauls her and her grandmother back to LA.
November 15, 2025
This one will keep you guessing!
Loved the storyline, the setting and the variety of characters all wrapped up in a five star book! Off to download the second book in the series !!!
Loved the storyline, the setting and the variety of characters all wrapped up in a five star book! Off to download the second book in the series !!!
December 12, 2023
OLD FASHIONED MURDER is a cute, convoluted murder mystery with a lot of interesting characters to keep up with. I found it humorous and entertaining.
January 28, 2024
Interesting and entertaining
June 21, 2024
Great story snarky heroine.
Quick funny read, filled with fun characters. I’ll read more of the series. I particularly like the lead character and her bad attitude.
Quick funny read, filled with fun characters. I’ll read more of the series. I particularly like the lead character and her bad attitude.
May 6, 2025
Unlikely duo of characters solve the murder and other nefarious actions of local mature ladies.
May 6, 2025
heeft een heerlijk tempo en humor. Vond het boek niet heel spannend, maar was wel benieuwd naar het einde
May 9, 2025
Fine cozy mystery. Easy read.
May 12, 2025
This is an outstanding start to a new series. There is so much grit and sass along with a dash of misdirection as to make this a story you don't want to miss. This is a most excellent read!!!!!
May 13, 2025
meh.
I finished it so there is that. I felt like the dialog was off- she said then I said the she said. I can’t put my finger on it.
I finished it so there is that. I felt like the dialog was off- she said then I said the she said. I can’t put my finger on it.
Read
May 17, 2025Opinion is
Fune
nd exciting alw?Ys waiting for next episode part of chapter could Not put book down very fun read enjoyed!
Fune
nd exciting alw?Ys waiting for next episode part of chapter could Not put book down very fun read enjoyed!
May 22, 2025
Whitley is a stuntwoman who got professionally into trouble, now she is broke and homeless. Her mom is sending her into the mountains to look after her grandmother Bobbie, who loves solving mysteries and is getting into trouble too. When Bobbie is convinced that her friends are getting murdered because they are participating in a music competition, she and Whit join a PI to go to the bottom of the "accidents".
A fun book to read
A fun book to read
May 25, 2025
A fun murder mystery
The quirky characters in this story set in a small sleepy mountain town. All of the twists and turns kept you guessing right up to the end.
The quirky characters in this story set in a small sleepy mountain town. All of the twists and turns kept you guessing right up to the end.
Read
June 6, 2025See note
July 6, 2025
My comments are in the text. Generally enjoyable, although I do raise some questions!
July 11, 2025
While the ending was very good it couldn’t save the story. The author seemed to be trying too hard to be funny and made the characters into stereotypes who lost their personalities.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews