Too Big to Miss

An Odelia Grey Mystery #1

by Sue Ann Jaffarian

Too big to miss -- that's Odelia Grey. A never-married, middle-aged, plus-sized woman who makes no excuses for her weight, she's not super woman just a mere mortal standing on the precipice of menopause, trying to cruise in an ill-fitting bra. She struggles with her relationships, her crazy family, and her crazier boss. And then there's her knack for being in close proximity to dead people . . . .

When her close friend Sophie London commits suicide in front of an online web-cam by putting a gun in her mouth and pulling the trigger, Odelia's life is changed forever. Sophie, a plus-sized activist and inspiration to imperfect women, is the last person anyone would ever have expected to end her own life. Suspecting foul play, Odelia is determined to get to the bottom of her friend's death. Odelia's search for the truth takes her from southern California strip malls to the world of live web-cam porn to the ritzy enclave of Corona del Mar.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Romance

324 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Sue Ann Jaffarian is the author of the popular Odelia Grey mystery series, the Ghost of Granny Apples mystery series and the Madison Rose vampire mysteries, as well as short stories.

Sue Ann also writes the Winnie Wilde romance novellas.

Like the character Odelia Grey, Sue Ann Jaffarian is a middle-aged, plus-sized paralegal. She lives in Los Angeles.

In addition to writing, Sue Ann is sought after as a motivational/ humorous speaker. You can visit her on the web at www.sueannjaffarian.com, www.sueannjaffarian.blogspot.com, and on Twitter and Facebook.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded down. Enjoyable mystery I found browsing a book site that happens to have many subsequent novels. The plot wasn't entirely up my alley but the writing was pretty good that I think I'll read another and go from there. I'm immersed in the Poldark series which also has twelve installments and wasn't on the lookout for another series but being book-crazy as I am these things happen.

[Marfita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I'm fat, middle-aged, and a former paralegal.
I devoured this in one day. Most of the ickier bits (the death is a gritty one that's revisited through retrieved screen captures) I skimmed over. Jaffarian has created some interesting characters, many of them plus-sized which is nice to see. The mystery was a good one and there is a spot of romance, where Jaffarian falls into the fatal blunder of making the sex "the best [Odelia] ever had." Writing like that makes me want to bang my head on the desk. Every now and then I run into an author who has the ovaries to write that the sex was "pretty good ... and worth repeating to see if it got better." If it's the best, chances are it will only go downhill, you know. Real life says that sometimes it's really, really good and sometimes it's adequate and sometimes it knocks off socks you weren't even aware you had on.
Odelia's cherished friend and mentor in the plus-sized world has committed suicide. She did it on an internet camera, making it fairly obvious what happened ... or did it? Odelia has her suspicions but the police have called it suicide. Then Odelia discovers that her friend had many secrets in her life, each more shocking than the next! No! You don't say! Ahem. Was one of them the incredibly handsome but poisonous man who came to the funeral? Or the little man who attacked him, blaming him for the death?

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm usually not too big on the whole cozy mystery thing, but something about this one just hit the right buttons and had enough in the way of humor to get me through. A cool dog and grumpy cat didn't hurt things either.

Odelia is overweight, middle-aged, and happily single and all of those things seem to be pretty rare in a lot of books. Now, there is some romance in the series, but Odelia isn't absolutely dying for companionship. She has her best friend, her bestie's husband and kids who all treat her like family. Her "family" however is another story. They're basically a trash fire. Her father just lets her step-mother and step-siblings treat her like SHIT and doesn't say anything other than to defend them when Odelia has enough of it. This consistently grates on me since they have zero redeeming characteristics.

One of the other things that grates on me is how Odelia views her friend after the reveal of the secret. :| I won't go into that, but I'm glad she evolves a bit in her way of thinking in following books.

Another plus is that one of the potential romantic interests is parapalegic -- he is also the owner of the aforementioned awesome dog. I feel like that's definitely an under-represented group of people who deserve being in a wider range of books.

Nothing mind-blowing, but it was an entertaining mystery and a series I definitely intend to stick with.

[Andria Potter · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I often got rather sad while reading this one. The exploitation of women, especially large-sized women in this case, got pretty depressing. While there were other dark plot lines in the story, this happened to be the central theme. Justice was served in many ways, yet nothing can ever truly make up for what those poor souls went through.

There were definitely heartwarming aspects throughout, however: deep and abiding friendships; small, empowering victories (baby steps, baby!); and a sweet, protective love interest. Throw in some humor and cool pets, and the story is saved from being a downer.

I've got the next one on the WL as I want to see what other dragons Odelia slays.

Not for those that are strictly cozy readers, imo.

[Olivia · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, this one is quite difficult to review... I really liked the premise - larger, middle-aged woman who was comfortable in her own skin investigating the mysterious death of her good friend.

But it just wasn't terribly enjoyable. I wanted to get to the end so that it would be over! I couldn't just put it down without knowing the conclusion... but getting there was painful.

There was just too much extraneous description. So much fluffing wasn't necessary - I really don't need to know EVERY small detail about EVERY new space Odelia entered in to. It was frustrating to say the least.

Also, there were so so many odious people in this book! I mean, come on! How can one person meet, know and come across so many horrors in one life-time. Is that what the States is really like? From Odelia's revolting stepfamily to John Holloway & his wife, to Blaine and Michael Steele. That's just naming a few!

The one thing that really irked me was the mother who allowed her baby to be smothered right in front of her eyes! I do not have children but the feelings I have for my cat leads me to KNOW that I would kill anyone trying to hurt my baby. Full stop.

Also, Sophie! What a horrid creature. I had zero sympathy for that woman. ZERO!

I liked Odelia, until the end when she allowed herself to be outwitted mentally & physically by the villain. It was infutiating. She was weak, pathetic and dare I say it, ridiculous because of her size. She really let me down.

I'm not sure that I'll bother reading anymore Odelia Grey Mysteries. Life's too short and I've got too many other books on my list.

[Emily Dunbar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, sooooo here’s the thing. I’m embarking on a project in 2020 where I research about and read as many books as I can with fat protagonists, and my goal will eventually be to have a shelf as exhaustive as possible!! For reference! This book was the first because I needed a win and a good jumping off point. But I don’t know if I should add it to the shelf!!

Here’s the good:
1. Our main character, Odelia, is undeniably fat, and so are all her friends
2. They are all part of a fat women’s group, which doesn’t focus on weight loss, but rather living a good life with the help/advice/support of other people who understand your experiences — aka a community! We stan!
3. Odelia and many of the other fat women in the book are treated as attractive and desirable by many (even though sometimes it can be lecherous / fetishized)
4. A l m o s t sex positive? (Odelia is extremely Not, but I feel like the book’s stance/tone is or at least is trying to be)

Here’s the bad:
1. Fat stereotypes on just about every page — while I get that it may have helped the book be published, I still was gagging
2. This book is... not really that well-written. The characters are nuanced, which is Good. But the sentences themselves are often obvious and awkward. There are jokes that are just.............. not funny, and frankly embarrassing to read! Where was the editor!!!!!
3. At least one simile in every paragraph. I could build a log cabin of simile logs from this book alone. (This is the kind of sentence you’d see at least once per page. Please help.)

So, was the book good? No. Did I enjoy it? I’m honestly not sure. Was the protagonist fat and did I feel close to her and like I’d never read anything like her before? Extremely yes! And (perhaps unfortunately) for that reason, I will be placing it on the shelf. But go forth with caution, my sweet angels.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first in the Odelia Grey Mysteries by Sue Ann Jaffarian.

Too big to miss — that’s Odelia Grey. A never-married, middle-aged, plus-sized woman who makes no excuses for her weight, she’s not super woman just a mere mortal standing on the precipice of menopause, trying to cruise in an ill-fitting bra. She struggles with her relationships, her crazy family, and her crazier boss. And then there’s her knack for being in close proximity to dead people . . . .

When her close friend Sophie London commits suicide in front of an online web-cam by putting a gun in her mouth and pulling the trigger, Odelia’s life is changed forever. Sophie, a plus-sized activist and inspiration to imperfect women, is the last person anyone would ever have expected to end her own life. Suspecting foul play, Odelia is determined to get to the bottom of her friend’s death. Odelia’s search for the truth takes her from southern California strip malls to the world of live web-cam porn to the ritzy enclave of Corona del Mar.

Odelia is Big and Sassy and sooo much fun to read! Ya just have to love her! I do! She’s a winner all the way!

A well plotted mystery with characters that you will love.

https://finalchapterreadersgroup.word...

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gifted author-Bravo, October 9, 2011
By Ellen Rappaport
This review is from: Too Big to Miss (The Odelia Grey Mysteries) (Paperback)
I've previously read 2 of Jaffarians other series and loved them. This was my first book in her Ophelia Grey series and Jaffarian does it again. This author included all the characters most writers wouldn't dare to include. Thank-you Sue Ann for your consideration of all of us.
This story opened up more of each character with each passing page. I became one of them as Ophelia searched for answers regarding her friend's suicide...or was it a suicide. That's what was at the heart of this book. Emotions run high as Ophelia uncovers more of her dear friends past.
I so enjoyed this book that after losing my review twice (don't know why)I had to come back and give it a try again. This book has everything any reader could possibly want in a series and then some. I loved it and will absolutely be reading this series.
My only question is ...why did this gifted author ever work in an office at all when she has it all as an author?
Loved it and highly recommend it.
Ellen

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining read. Read the books out of order and it may have increased my liking this book. I like our intrepid protagonist - Odelia is plus-sized paralegal who stumbles upon a suicide that turns into a murder. Some of the outside plot details are a little outrageous. I like the sweet love story, the friendship, and the description. Our author is a fan of the details. Not bogging you down details but little throw aways that make the read enjoyable.

Not the tightest of tales but entertaining.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice to see a mystery author take on an important -- and frequently ignored -- issue like discrimination against people who don't fit society's physical norms. I'll read more of Jaffarian's work, for certain.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great start to the Odelia Grey series! The book had me right from the start. A perfectly written character who is thoroughly entertaining. I cannot wait to read more in the series. 4 stars

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cannot even review this excellent book right now because I just found out all the remaining books have no accompanying audiobook. I loved this book. And now I cannot read any more of them. I am angry and sad and am going to go sit in the corner for awhile and cry while the rest of the world just carries on.

Hmph!

[Maureen]

Very funny and liked the main chacacter

[☺Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too Big To Miss by Sue Ann Jaffarian is definitely not a true cozy mystery, although It does feature an amateur sleuth in BBW paralegal, Odelia Grey. It is more of a chick-lit/romance/murder mystery hybrid that reveals some pretty shocking and grisly secrets.

[Vanessa Lehan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had really high hopes for this. I love a cozy mystery and the premise sounded interesting. The biggest problem that I had here was the bland prose (sometimes described as an "easy read" but to me just feels like reading something written by a sixth grader). I also found some of the character descriptions (of the "trailer trash" and Odelia's family specifically) to be insulting, lazy, and classist.

[Jeri Hierlihy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I didn't want to put it down. Most enjoyable.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh yes, Odelia Grey is large--like 5'1" and 215 pounds. She is also middle aged and the way she looks at it, if you don't like it, you can kiss her big you-know-what. Odelia is comfortable in her own skin, however, she would like to be able to stand up for herself more. In her professional life, Odelia is a corporate paralegal who is highly regarded within her law firm--which leads to her being assigned to an attorney she can't stand. She also has relationship issues, a family that is beyond dysfunctional, and great friends. But when her close friend, Sohpie, commits suicide on-line and viewers of Sophie's website are the ones who call 911, Odelia has trouble believing that Sophie actually committed suicide. Believing that there is more to the story, Odelia begins to try to unravel the mystery. And, predictably, chaos ensues. A fun read. And did I mention that her cat is green? The bonus is that this book was free as a Kindle download. I think that I will be reading the other books in this series to see what Miss Odelia is up to--and by that I don't mean her weight.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this one. And that says a lot.

Instead of the svelte beauties typical of murder investigations in this genre, we have an overweight perhaps average-looking woman in Odelia trying to piece together an apparent suicide of her close friend Sophie.

Not only is inspirational and successful Sophie one of the last persons one would expect to commit suicide, there are other details about her that only come to surface after her death, throwing Odelia into a tailspin.

There’s much suspense in this especially as surprises keep popping up, making for more questions than answers.

If you’re like me and are ready for a change from the Barbie-look-alike women dressed more for the runway than a murder investigation, give this one a try. You won’t be disappointed.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a free kindle download and I had never heard of it, so I didn't come into it with any particular expectations. But I like mysteries, so why not?

I was quite pleasantly surprised - this was a fun read. I liked the characters, I thought the plot was interesting, and the whole background - the relationship of overweight women to society - was so true!

Another thing I enjoyed was the relationship between the amateur detectives and the police. The primary police officer on the case was smart and caring and was portrayed as a real person as well, and one who paid attention to the information the amateurs gathered and their theories. Along with that, the amateurs actually told him what they found!

I liked it - I'll certainly read the next one.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since I read two of the later books in this series I've been eager to find earlier titles. This is book #1. In it we meet Odelia Grey, a 40 something single paralegal who is a plus-sized sassy woman. In this first story Odelia gets involved in the whys of the suicide of her good friend, Sophie London, a large beautiful woman who is the advocate for overweight women everywhere. But something doesn't seem right that confident Sophie would kill herself, even though she did so on camera in front a hundreds of internet viewers. Teaming up with wheelchair bound Greg, whom she meets in this book, Odelia sets out to learn the facts. Along the way she is surprised by all the unknown details of the secret life Sophie had been living for years. I was surprised at the end when all was revealed.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was at a BBW Bash, and happened to meet the author. In fact, after I bought a copy of her book and had her sign it for me, I won another during a lecture she was giving. Luckily for me, the copy that was later stolen was NOT the signed one!

I haven't gotten to read her other books yet, but they are on my list of books to get soon!

–--------------------------------------

Since I wrote this review in 2007, I've read each "Odelia" and "Granny Apples" books as they came out. I still love them, and will read as many as Sue Ann cares to write!

[Shawn Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this murder mystery. Odelia Grey is a great character. I loved that she is plus sized. I felt that Sue Ann Jaffarian had the insecurities of a plus size woman down pat. Even though I figured out who down it halfway into the book; I still was not sure until the end. There are alot of suspects that I was left wondering to the end. I loved this positive role model for women of any size and of any age. I have the next book in this series on order at the libray and I can't wait to get.

[Mark Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

How have I missed this series before? When plus size paralegal Odelia Grey's friend kills herself with a gun, the police think it is an open and shut case. But Odelia isn't so sure, especially when all kinds of secrets begin to come to light. There was a bit more about adult web sites and Odelia's love life then I truly wanted to know, but I definitely plan to read more.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting start to a series. I just saw it at the library and decided to try it on a whim.

Odelia Grey is a large lady, a paralegal whose best friend has just committed suicide. Odelia doesn't think he friends would have done that and so starts digging into her friend's background. She uncovers a large can of worms - adult websites, sleezy businesses and practices, prostitution - and finally sorts out what happened.

The characters were very good, and there was quite a bit of humor between the detective work. I'll try the next in the series.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, Was I surprised by this book! This is the first of a series of 4 by author-Sue Ann Jaffarian and boy was I on end trying to discover "who dun it", in fact I even tried reading the end of the book and the answer wasn't at the end but mixed-up or mixed with the "near end?"
Anyhow...I was impressed!

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good read. I liked the main and secondary characters - many seem the kind of people you usually meet -, the humour, the focus on a variety of feelings and emotions that surpasses the romantic couple.
The heroine and the hero, both physically not according to the canon, are witty and heartwarming and very interesting from the human point of view.

[Sue Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good I had to read the second one....Bet you can't read just one.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this mystery series. Odelia makes me giggle :)

[Dru · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny and good. Will probably try to find more in this series and by this author.