Did You Declare the Corpse?

Thoroughly Southern #8

by Patricia Sprinkle

Georgia magistrate MacLaren Yarbrough is bound for Scotland to explore her genealogical roots along with her friend Laura, not to mention a tour group full of unusual travel mates. But when two empty coffins mysteriously appear in the church in the small town where the group is staying-though none of the locals have died-things take a turn for the macabre. And when the bodies of two Americans are discovered occupying the coffins, MacLaren finds herself back on the job. Can she tie it all together, before she winds up in a coffin of her own?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Cozy, Fiction

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 7, 2006

About the author

Aka Patricia Houck Sprinkle.

When I met and married Bob, he looked over our budget and demanded, "Why don’t you write a mystery to pay for all the ones you buy?" I immediately knew I wanted to put a body in a building where I’d once worked. However, being over-endowed with the Protestant ethic, I wrote "important" things first and only wrote the mystery in my spare time, so my first mystery, Murder at Markham (reissued by Silver Dagger in 2001), took thirteen years to complete. It took even longer for me to learn that any writing which gives me pleasure is important, whether fiction or non-fiction.

Since 1988 I have written twenty mysteries, four novels, and five non-fiction books. I am grateful to my readers and editors for letting me do what I enjoy most in the world. Bob has concluded that writing is not a profession, it's an obsession--my favorite vacation is to go to a place where somebody else fixes my meals and where I can write more than I do at home, without interruptions. Thanks, if you are one of the readers who keeps my fingers on the keys. I enjoy spending time with you at conferences, book clubs, and signing events.

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this entry in the series. Mac was on vacation in Scotland and it was fun reading about her trip. These poor heroine's in cozy series, can't go anywhere without finding a body. The story was a bit different as you knew about the body near the beginning but not who the victim was until they got back to that part of the story. It's been a while since I read a book in this series but this was different from the other ones and I really liked it.

[Armelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Georgia magistrate Maclaren Yarbrough joins a young friend on what turns out to be a rather questionable bus tour of Scotland. The entire tour set up is fairly unbelievable- which is obvious to everyone, including the main character. Although we theoretically get an explanation by the end, it doesn't convince me. I don't understand how they even booked the tour since it was a fake tour in the first place. Anyway...

After meandering around Scotland, not even trying to follow the tour itinerary, they end up in a wildly out of the way small town, with plans to stay for 4 days. During their stay there's not one, but two murders, which the nosy heroine manages to solve.

Then she's sad because the trip is over and she's going to miss all of these people she's been complaining about (and suspecting). Even the criminals (not the murderer -there are even more crooks in this tour group.)

I haven't read any of the other books in the series-and I'm not going to go looking for them. I didn't care for the heroine, and most of the other major characters were downright unlikable. And yes, as others have noted, the Scots dialect was annoying and patronizing.

There's a lot going on - the dynamics of the tour group, the various hidden agendas of the people on the beat up old bus, the music, the hill walking, the fraud, the murders, the kitten, the hidden pasts., the little school-hating red haired girl, the ne'er-do-well spoiled son of the hotel owner and on and on....

Even the author is confused. At one point the main character says something about being so excited about getting to Auchnagar by the next afternoon - but they then go to Edinburgh for two days.

Not recommended.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rearranged my reading schedule so that I could finish this book and add it to the ones being given away at Gaithersburg Book Festival. Several years ago I picked up the first book in this series at a thrift store because of the title. Last month I read the final book in the series. Both were decent cozy mysteries and good enough that I was happy to scoop up this one when I got the chance.

I think this book is my favorite of the three I have read. I love travel mysteries and Scotland but I also enjoyed the characters. The first book in the series included the deaths of Laura's parents -- Laura being Mac's travel companion for this book. Two librarians from Calgary-- a city that I lived in as a child -- were enjoyable characters. The brief stop at the 5 Sisters of Kintail made me smile because I got this book from Katekintail. And I was able to figure out parts of the mystery early on but not the whole thing. It was well written and quirky and fun.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my favorite authors but this is not her finest work. Too much Scottish scenery, Scottish history, Scottish tourism. If the book were about 100 pages less the story would have been more enjoyable and moved much quicker.

Still, interesting characters and a great solution to the mystery. And,of course, MacLaren are the leader of the investigation. She’s caught up as a bystander dragged into murder. As usual.

[Rick Daniels]

First of the series I read. Really kept me interested and I am reading the rest of the series

[M. Zimmerschied · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first time reading a Patricia Sprinkle novel. It was okay and I’d read another. This isn’t an author I foresee specifically looking for though based on this story.

[Grey853 · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was one of the most unpleasant books I've read in the cozy genre. The main character MacLaren Yarbrough does nothing but complain about being given a free trip to Scotland. I really disliked her unkind and judgmental descriptions of the other people, too. She reminds me a lot of Beaton's Agatha Raisin, another character I dislike.

Plus, she does a phonetic dialogue when the Scots talk. It made it really difficult to read that part.

This is one series I won't be trying again.

[Marylu Sanok · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly good mystery novel that had an interesting heroine. The story is billed on the cover s a Thoroughly Southern Mystery. The story, however, takes place in Scotland and there is no way that I see Scotland as being southern.

there are twists and I didn't see the end coming which is something I admire about a mystery book.

Worth the read and I may look for other books by the author

[Jill Entinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series from Patty. This particular book takes place in Scotland and, although the Scottish influence was interesting, I missed the southern quirks of Georgia that are so humorous in the rest of the series.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was well written, took us through Scotland, had humor and a heck of a mystery from page one until the ending. I've been 'catching-up' with this series and am glad I am. They are as well-written as I had remembered.

[Arlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Mystery - Fun for anyone planning to take a trip with a tour company! It's great to have a protagonist who is over 50!

[Judith · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not stand the phonetically written Scottish words. It spoiled the whole story for me. I skimmed most of the book.

[Babs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved seeing Mac go to Scotland and she helps out there to solve a murder.

[Geraldine Redmond]

I just started reading this one. I like this series, give a look at small town life in the south today.

[Suzanne Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great fun read for ligth mystery.

[Nancy Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable southern mystery series.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written mystery. Mac was a bit grumpier than usual--maybe it was the jet lag...

[Deb_bluerose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lighthearted Mystery Series about a sweet-ol', little southern Lady...