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Callahan Garrity Mystery #1
Every Crooked Nanny
After ten years of cleaning up the dirt on Atlanta's streets, Callahan Garrity is trading in her badge for a broom and a staff of house cleaners. But, though the uniform is a little different, Callahan soon finds herself right back in the middle of a mystery when a client's pretty, pious nineteen-year-old nanny is gone ... along with the jewelry, silver, and a few rather sensitive real estate documents. Before she knows it, the meticulous Callahan is up to her elbows in a case involving illicit love triangles, crooked business deals, long-distance scams, and a dead body. Now she has to roll up her sleeves and start some industrial strength sleuthing to solve -- and survive -- this mess.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
1709 people are currently reading
5235 people want to read
About the author
Kathy Hogan Trocheck
20 books587 followersaka Mary Kay Andrews
Kathy Hogan Trocheck is the author of critically acclaimed mysteries, including the Callahan Garrity mystery series. A former reporter for the Atlanta Journal Constitution, she is also the author of Little Bitty Lies and the Edgar®- and Macavity-nominated Savannah Blues, under the name Mary Kay Andrews.
Kathy Hogan Trocheck is the author of critically acclaimed mysteries, including the Callahan Garrity mystery series. A former reporter for the Atlanta Journal Constitution, she is also the author of Little Bitty Lies and the Edgar®- and Macavity-nominated Savannah Blues, under the name Mary Kay Andrews.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 763 reviews
October 4, 2017
This started out pretty silly. I listened to the audio version and the southern accents saved it.
March 2, 2016
Here's the thing...I actually thought the story was pretty entertaining. Had I not been Mormon myself and known how untrue a lot of the accusations in the story were I would have rated this a lot higher. The thing is, I am Mormon and I found it hard reading this story while I listened to all the false things the author said about Mormons.
I don't mind that the bad guy was Mormon...or pretending to be Mormon. We're all human and people make mistakes. Christy pretended to be Mormon because she knew that in general Mormons are usually known for their honesty. Even if she HAD turned out to be Mormon in the story it would have been fine. Just like in real life people of all religions commit crimes. Even Mormons fall and make bad choices. It doesn't mean we all are evil and are like that person who has made bad choices, but we're all still human and make bad choices.
So here are a few errors I saw. There were more but I figured I was getting a little nit-picky and decided to let those be.
. 1) Sorry, Mormons don't randomly start speaking in tongues. In fact, we don't go into trances and speak gibberish. Sorry, that's weird and you won't find that happening at any LDS ward building either.
2) You don't have to go to Utah to be baptized
3) You are NOT baptized in a Mormon temple. We are baptized in the stake center which is a bit bigger than other church buildings. Sometimes where there are no fonts people are baptized in lakes or rivers.
4) We don't believe women should be shuttled to Utah away from big cities to "preserve their innocence".
5. You CANNOT marry a person who is already dead and never married to you. We just don't do that. So, to suggest Collins is planning on marrying Christy in the temple is absolutely ludicrous. We do seal...or Marry people who have passed. This isn't just a normal marriage, it just means we seal the earthly marriage so that after this life you can be with that person after this life.
6. We don't go bragging about how much temple work we do or how much someone else does. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule and someone feels the need to brag about how often they go to the temple, but no one else cares or brags about them going.
7. If you are excommunicated it means you are no longer a member of the church. No matter if you become a member of some polygamist church who still call themselves Mormons they are NOT apart of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This means that that fake Mormon church cannot give temple recommends that are valid in a Mormon temple. This book claimed that Collier got his temple recommend in Arizona from his fundamental church. Sorry, can't happen. Since he started going to church in Georgia it is possible that he was interviewed in his new ward and got a temple recommend from his new bishop, but that wasn't what the author was implying.
8) The fundamental church is NOT apart of the Mormon church. The word was used in the book, but overall it seemed to me that the author felt they are one and the same since they both use the Book of Mormon. It's not. They are 2 separate churches. Ultimately, Collier was not Mormon. He was a fundamentalist pretending to be Mormon. Christy was not a Mormon. She just pretended she was to fulfill her own agenda.
Okay, so my main point is if Mary Kay Andrews really wanted to write about Mormons and make them the evil bad guy then hooray for her. However, by not doing a thorough research and not knowing real facts really damaged this book. She obviously has a bias of Mormons and used what she thought she knew to write her book. That would be like me writing a book on dinosaurs and instead of doing actual research on dinosaurs I just write a book on what I have read in the past (but not referencing back to those books to make sure the facts I remembered were actually correct) or maybe facts I obtained from watching on dinosaur movies. Some facts may be sort of accurate, but in the end not entirely factually based. This friends is what Mrs.Andrews book reflects. An interesting story based on not much more than her biased and skewed view of what Mormons really are.
So, want to know real facts? Perhaps when those missionaries knock on your door why don't you actually invite them in and ask. It doesn't mean you have to join the church, but it does mean you'll be given real facts instead of biased facts provided by Mrs. Andrews.
I don't mind that the bad guy was Mormon...or pretending to be Mormon. We're all human and people make mistakes. Christy pretended to be Mormon because she knew that in general Mormons are usually known for their honesty. Even if she HAD turned out to be Mormon in the story it would have been fine. Just like in real life people of all religions commit crimes. Even Mormons fall and make bad choices. It doesn't mean we all are evil and are like that person who has made bad choices, but we're all still human and make bad choices.
So here are a few errors I saw. There were more but I figured I was getting a little nit-picky and decided to let those be.
. 1) Sorry, Mormons don't randomly start speaking in tongues. In fact, we don't go into trances and speak gibberish. Sorry, that's weird and you won't find that happening at any LDS ward building either.
2) You don't have to go to Utah to be baptized
3) You are NOT baptized in a Mormon temple. We are baptized in the stake center which is a bit bigger than other church buildings. Sometimes where there are no fonts people are baptized in lakes or rivers.
4) We don't believe women should be shuttled to Utah away from big cities to "preserve their innocence".
5. You CANNOT marry a person who is already dead and never married to you. We just don't do that. So, to suggest Collins is planning on marrying Christy in the temple is absolutely ludicrous. We do seal...or Marry people who have passed. This isn't just a normal marriage, it just means we seal the earthly marriage so that after this life you can be with that person after this life.
6. We don't go bragging about how much temple work we do or how much someone else does. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule and someone feels the need to brag about how often they go to the temple, but no one else cares or brags about them going.
7. If you are excommunicated it means you are no longer a member of the church. No matter if you become a member of some polygamist church who still call themselves Mormons they are NOT apart of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This means that that fake Mormon church cannot give temple recommends that are valid in a Mormon temple. This book claimed that Collier got his temple recommend in Arizona from his fundamental church. Sorry, can't happen. Since he started going to church in Georgia it is possible that he was interviewed in his new ward and got a temple recommend from his new bishop, but that wasn't what the author was implying.
8) The fundamental church is NOT apart of the Mormon church. The word was used in the book, but overall it seemed to me that the author felt they are one and the same since they both use the Book of Mormon. It's not. They are 2 separate churches. Ultimately, Collier was not Mormon. He was a fundamentalist pretending to be Mormon. Christy was not a Mormon. She just pretended she was to fulfill her own agenda.
Okay, so my main point is if Mary Kay Andrews really wanted to write about Mormons and make them the evil bad guy then hooray for her. However, by not doing a thorough research and not knowing real facts really damaged this book. She obviously has a bias of Mormons and used what she thought she knew to write her book. That would be like me writing a book on dinosaurs and instead of doing actual research on dinosaurs I just write a book on what I have read in the past (but not referencing back to those books to make sure the facts I remembered were actually correct) or maybe facts I obtained from watching on dinosaur movies. Some facts may be sort of accurate, but in the end not entirely factually based. This friends is what Mrs.Andrews book reflects. An interesting story based on not much more than her biased and skewed view of what Mormons really are.
So, want to know real facts? Perhaps when those missionaries knock on your door why don't you actually invite them in and ask. It doesn't mean you have to join the church, but it does mean you'll be given real facts instead of biased facts provided by Mrs. Andrews.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2023
Every Crooked Nanny by Mary Kay Andrew
Callaghan Garrett mystery series #1. Originally published under the name Kathy Hogan Trocheck. Original publication date 1992.
Callahan Garrett owns a cleaning company and though she is no longer a cop, she often takes on investigation work. When cleaning a house of a former college alum, Callaghan is hired to find the missing nanny who seems to have stolen money, jewelry and business paperwork.
A private investigator looks for clues and answers using contacts and friends via 1992 methods. A bit aged with seemingly irrelevant details that didn’t make sense to me on why they were included. A bit too much graphic violence in a beating. Several plot twists that moved the suspicion from one to another. Amateur side-kicks and the cleaning crew add depth.
Read for a bookclub. We all agree we liked parts of the writing and would try some of the author’s newer stories but probably would not make time to finish this particular series given our already extensive tbr counts.
Callaghan Garrett mystery series #1. Originally published under the name Kathy Hogan Trocheck. Original publication date 1992.
Callahan Garrett owns a cleaning company and though she is no longer a cop, she often takes on investigation work. When cleaning a house of a former college alum, Callaghan is hired to find the missing nanny who seems to have stolen money, jewelry and business paperwork.
A private investigator looks for clues and answers using contacts and friends via 1992 methods. A bit aged with seemingly irrelevant details that didn’t make sense to me on why they were included. A bit too much graphic violence in a beating. Several plot twists that moved the suspicion from one to another. Amateur side-kicks and the cleaning crew add depth.
Read for a bookclub. We all agree we liked parts of the writing and would try some of the author’s newer stories but probably would not make time to finish this particular series given our already extensive tbr counts.
June 10, 2013
I had a hard time getting into this book because I was unable to read large chunks of the book at a time. I was also bothered by the way she wrote about the teachings and beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a member of that church I noticed discrepancies in what she was writing about and the actual beliefs of the 'mormon' church. She should have used a member of the church to proofread her story.
September 1, 2016
That was...terrible? Awful? Horrible? Ridiculous? Offensive? Pick a synonym for bad and it would be accurate. Then add in cliche as a descriptor and you'd have this book in a nutshell. And yet I felt the need to finish it. Partially out of curiosity over whether it could get any worse (it could) and partially because at some point I was close enough to the end that I couldn't not finish. Sometimes that Little Engine that Could syndrome gets the best of me. I'm willing to admit to that.
The mystery portion of the story was mediocre and probably would have been okay if it hadn't been so cliched and flimsy. I picked out the killer the moment he appeared. Not that I ever quite understood his motivation - even after it was somewhat explained in detail - but whatever. I read a lot of mystery type books. I learned long ago that it's not a bad thing to figure out the who of the whodunit if the overall journey is fun or well written. None of that applied in this case. Instead there was a lot of character introductions combined with not much else that led to a lengthy discussion between two characters explaining the previous 300 pages.
The characters were ALL stereotypes. Name a Southern person stereotype and it was there - the fly fishing, laid back, lawyer/judge/morally decent character? Check. The almost crazy loose canon who probably carries a gun (though not always) and is missing teeth? Check. The white debutante former sorority girl who marries money? Check. The nosy, busybody mother who cooks comfort food? Check. The down on her luck, barely making ends meet lead female character who makes stupid decisions but winds up solving everything? Check. All that was missing was a banjo player named Bubba.
On a side note: I have only a little knowledge of Mormons and their religion, but holy cow were those stereotypes and portrayals offensive. It's called research. It's what good authors do instead of relying on preconceived notions and made up ridiculousness. I don't care when this book was written (early 1990s), there is no excuse for at least not making use of the library to get facts.
The mystery portion of the story was mediocre and probably would have been okay if it hadn't been so cliched and flimsy. I picked out the killer the moment he appeared. Not that I ever quite understood his motivation - even after it was somewhat explained in detail - but whatever. I read a lot of mystery type books. I learned long ago that it's not a bad thing to figure out the who of the whodunit if the overall journey is fun or well written. None of that applied in this case. Instead there was a lot of character introductions combined with not much else that led to a lengthy discussion between two characters explaining the previous 300 pages.
The characters were ALL stereotypes. Name a Southern person stereotype and it was there - the fly fishing, laid back, lawyer/judge/morally decent character? Check. The almost crazy loose canon who probably carries a gun (though not always) and is missing teeth? Check. The white debutante former sorority girl who marries money? Check. The nosy, busybody mother who cooks comfort food? Check. The down on her luck, barely making ends meet lead female character who makes stupid decisions but winds up solving everything? Check. All that was missing was a banjo player named Bubba.
On a side note: I have only a little knowledge of Mormons and their religion, but holy cow were those stereotypes and portrayals offensive. It's called research. It's what good authors do instead of relying on preconceived notions and made up ridiculousness. I don't care when this book was written (early 1990s), there is no excuse for at least not making use of the library to get facts.
April 10, 2021
I listened to the audiobook version and loved the Southern drawl some of the characters had. It is obvious that this series was written almost 30 years ago and I enjoy noting the little things that reminded me of those times.
This doesn't affect the mystery in any way. It could have been written yesterday and I was hooked by this entry in the series as well.
This doesn't affect the mystery in any way. It could have been written yesterday and I was hooked by this entry in the series as well.
October 24, 2016
Review: Every Crooked Nanny! Basic InfoFormat: Kindle/Audio Pages/Length: n/a Genre: Cozy Mystery Reason For Reading: Challenge At A GlanceLove Triangle/Insta Love/Obsession?: No Cliff Hanger: No Triggers: n/a Rating: 3.5 stars Score SheetAll out of ten Cover: 7 Plot: 7 Characters: 8 World Building: 8 Flow: 8 Series Congruity: n/a Writing: 7 Ending: 8 Total: 7 In DepthBest Part: Miss Inez! Worst Part: Quick! Thoughts Had: Yes flufffffffff ConclusionContinuing the Series: Yes Recommending: Yes Short Review: Oh cozy mystery. First, Edna, my favorite character for sure, she "accidentally" does a lot of things i like! I liked the MC, bit of a wimp at first, but you grow to like her and she grows as well. I am eager to see how the mass turns out. The ending... i saw it coming, but i didn't see how deep it was going to be. Everyone got their karma in the end, which i always like. Norma Jean is a riot, "You know i like my mt dew with breakfast". I like the hint of romance between the MC and Rufus' owner! The ending was a bit too quick for me, she really ramped up the mystery, then just cleaned it up quick. Misc. Book Boyfriend: Pass. Best Friend Material: Edna!
August 13, 2020
I can't understand how someone who was a police officer turns out running a cleaning business but I guess some of us need a different way of life. Callahan had a few day of one disaster after another and to get beat up by Mormons. WTH!!! There was some funny moments and sad ones as well. Then there were those moments that I swear if I were in this story some people would need to get a beat down. LOL I was happy how it all came together in the end.
July 11, 2021
I enjoy police procedural & detective novels. Yes, give me all the details of how you solved the crime! Especially when the lead is a semi-tough, big-hearted young woman--ex-sorority girl & ex-cop--with a smart-mouthed mama & many quirky friends. Fun & entertaining.
June 30, 2020
I'm still on the search for a new "cozy" mystery series to sink my teeth into, but in the mean time, this is a good "Light and Fluffy" summer read for me. Although I liked this story well enough, I can't say the characters made all that much of an impression on me. Although I think a maid/private detective makes a perverse kind of sense. Maids see everything.
This is the second "fur vault" I have encountered this month. Read my review of B is for BurglarB is for Burglar to see what that means!
I'm having some ambivalent feelings about this story line. the plot seemed unnecessarily convoluted with several red herrings thrown in for good measure. When the killer was revealed it seemed very random, that was a bit of a turn off for me. I might read another book in this series, but I don't think I will be in any hurry. I really wish I could give this thing 2.5 stars. It's better than "ok" but I'm not really sure I'm ready to commit to as strong a word as "like."
This is the second "fur vault" I have encountered this month. Read my review of B is for BurglarB is for Burglar to see what that means!
I'm having some ambivalent feelings about this story line. the plot seemed unnecessarily convoluted with several red herrings thrown in for good measure. When the killer was revealed it seemed very random, that was a bit of a turn off for me. I might read another book in this series, but I don't think I will be in any hurry. I really wish I could give this thing 2.5 stars. It's better than "ok" but I'm not really sure I'm ready to commit to as strong a word as "like."
May 10, 2014
Mary Kay Andrews, aka Kathy Hogan Trocheck, makes me laugh. Her whimsy gets to me every time. This story begins a private detective series starring the owner, Callahan Garrity, of a housecleaning service call House Mouse. Callahan used to be a cop in Atlanta and situations pull her into trying to find out who murdered the nanny of a sorority sister acquaintance who's married a nouveau riche guy who is almost too smarmy to tolerate. Callahan's mother, Edna is also a character in the tradition of other Southern women whose looks seem to hide how smart they are, until they open their mouths.
Callahan's former relationships with different members of the police force add interest to her efforts to solve the mystery, but what is most refreshing is how she uses her crew of house cleaners to dredge up clues that finally enable her to come through in the end, but not before she has to endure a biopsy for a breast lump and Edna is abducted by the murderer. All's well that ends well, however, including the little bonus that it looks like, in future stories, Callahan's love life appears to be looking up. I'll have to read the second book in the series to find out.
Callahan's former relationships with different members of the police force add interest to her efforts to solve the mystery, but what is most refreshing is how she uses her crew of house cleaners to dredge up clues that finally enable her to come through in the end, but not before she has to endure a biopsy for a breast lump and Edna is abducted by the murderer. All's well that ends well, however, including the little bonus that it looks like, in future stories, Callahan's love life appears to be looking up. I'll have to read the second book in the series to find out.
October 16, 2023
The plot/mystery is a good one as long as you don't want to think too much. But I could not believe all of the racist (against several races) and homophobic content. I kept thinking it couldn't get any worse....and it just kept getting worse. I had to quit reading without finishing it
Her later books don't have any of this, but this bigotry came from somewhere so she evidently just got better at hiding it.
If she had truly reformed her bigoted beliefs, she would be completely ashamed of this book and would have either pulled it from publication or edited it. Instead, it was recently reissued under her pen name (Mary Kay Andrews) with cover art that coordinates with her recently written titles. Disgusting and telling.
Her later books don't have any of this, but this bigotry came from somewhere so she evidently just got better at hiding it.
If she had truly reformed her bigoted beliefs, she would be completely ashamed of this book and would have either pulled it from publication or edited it. Instead, it was recently reissued under her pen name (Mary Kay Andrews) with cover art that coordinates with her recently written titles. Disgusting and telling.
August 12, 2022
This book is one to miss. I’m ashamed to say that I finished it. I was looking for something light and funny. It had funny parts and it could have been a fun story, but WOW, I didn’t know books with so much bigotry were still in circulation. First, one of the characters used the “N” word several times. I couldn’t stomach that. Next, almost everything she said about the “Mormon Church” was completely inaccurate and totally degrading to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This author needs to actually do some research and should take this book out of curculation. I don’t recommend this book.
September 17, 2018
This “Cozy Mystery” had more nasty language than I thought necessary for a cozy :(
I have read 4 other Mary Kay Andrews novels and they were enjoyable “beach” reads.
This was very disappointing
The cover states Mary Kay Andrews writing as Kathy Hogan Trocheck. Hmmm???
I have read 4 other Mary Kay Andrews novels and they were enjoyable “beach” reads.
This was very disappointing
The cover states Mary Kay Andrews writing as Kathy Hogan Trocheck. Hmmm???
June 14, 2020
What a fun cozy mystery! 1st in a series, just started the second!
June 27, 2022
Offensive, Offensive, Offensive! Shame on the author, shame on the narrator. Free use of the N word. I will not finish this book and will not read another by this author.
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February 17, 2023The narrator Hillary Huber is fantastic. I listened at 1.2x. The story was light, not quite a cozy but in that family of books. Not my usual read, but sometimes I like something lighter than my standard dark thrillers and mysteries.
There was some humor that made me smile. The story itself was a basic cozy-type mystery about a missing nanny who stole from her employers and slept with the husband (not a spoiler -- it's all told in the first chapter or two.)
Because this is a 20+ year old book, there's some things that we now expect in mysteries that aren't there (like cell phones!) but I could over look that. The characters were fun. I wasn't quite sold on the ending, though everything was wrapped up neatly. I would listen to the next in the series when I need another light story.
March 2, 2020
My first read by the author under this name. This series seems pretty cute. I believe all of it is on Hoopla, my library app, and I have downloaded the first few to listen to on the commute or to walk. I like the main character and think she would be fun to hang with. The setting is familiar as I have family in GA and I lived in Atlanta for awhile. It was fun revisiting some of the area while enjoying this read. I will continue on to book 2.
I have marked this one 3 stars...might be a 3.5 tho. I did enjoy it over several afternoon walks at the dog park. I am looking forward quite a lot getting to know the characters even more thru the rest of the series. Especially Garrity. She is a great character I connected to from the start.
I have marked this one 3 stars...might be a 3.5 tho. I did enjoy it over several afternoon walks at the dog park. I am looking forward quite a lot getting to know the characters even more thru the rest of the series. Especially Garrity. She is a great character I connected to from the start.
April 28, 2017
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup. (live 6/26/2017)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2qo6uKC
The Series:
So the quick of the series is that Callahan used to be a police officer but now she owns a cleaning service. She and her crew keep stumbling upon strange disappearances and murders and it pulls her back into that investigative lifestyle because Callahan cannot let things go. lol She's a little abrasive, determined, and has a kind heart even if she tries to hide it a little. I'm really enjoying her and the people that surround her.
You can tell these titles are older---they originally came out in the 90s and it shows in a few spots with the investigation/dialogue but it wasn't bad and worked for me overall. So a bit about each of the three I've listened to so far!
This Book:
I had a lot of fun with Every Crooked Nanny. The mystery easily pulled me in and the characters kept my attention as they try to figure out the disappearance of a client's nanny and get caught up in the salacious happenings of the family. It was fun meeting Callahan and her crew of cleaners. They're...eclectic to say the least and keep me laughing. It was a great introduction to the series.
The Narration:
Hillary Huber was a new to me narrator and I synced up with her narration easier than any other I've tried so far. I finished listening to each of these in about 2 days which is really fast for me when it comes to audiobooks. The narration was just fantastic. Easy to fall in to, excellent distinction between characters, the male voices were nicely done, pacing was great. I have no complaints at all with the narration. I've already put a hold on the rest of the audiobooks at the library :)
May 12, 2013
I was surprised that this was a first novel. I had just read Irish Eyes and had to go back and read the first Callaham Garrity book. I think the library had to search long and hard to find this 1989 novel, but it was worth it. Set it Atlanta, Callahan Garrity owns House Mouse, a cleaning service, but she has been a police detective who quit to set up a detective business, and she can't seem to leave that behind her. When she runs into a Tri-Delt sorority sister through House Mouse whose nanny has just been murdered, the plot quickly thickens as they say. The supposed Mormon religion of the nanny plays a part in the plot, and Trocheck research LSD background thoroughly. Skillfully blended into the mix were city government political maneuvering that keep the reader guessing. I want to read more of Trocheck's Callahan Garrity books.
November 10, 2023
Story was ok and I was quite liking it — that is until one of the characters started using multiple racial slurs and there seemed to be no problem with that by the other characters. It took place in the 1980s in Atlanta and there was no excuse for that woman’s remarks. She was just mean and racist and really ruined the book for me. Plus, I am not a Mormon, but even I know that what Andrews wrote about Mormons and their practices and the Church of Latter-Day Saints is incorrect. I thought authors had to do some research, but apparently not. I don’t plan to read any more of this author’s ‘works’.
January 16, 2017
This was an enjoyable read which took me on a nostalgic romp through my hometown of Atlanta. I knew every street and most of the places mentioned and like many of the characters, I briefly worked in Rich's Department store. The over-the-top stereotypes (think Designing Women) were annoying, though, as were some unlikely scenarios.
I listened to the audio version narrated by Hillary Huber who is a master at her craft and does great southern accents. Unfortunately, I don't think she's spent any time in Atlanta. Beaufort should be pronounced "bew fert" and no one EVER says the L in Dekalb.
I listened to the audio version narrated by Hillary Huber who is a master at her craft and does great southern accents. Unfortunately, I don't think she's spent any time in Atlanta. Beaufort should be pronounced "bew fert" and no one EVER says the L in Dekalb.
April 25, 2013
This is a reissue of the first in a series that Mary Kay Andrews, as Kathy Hogan Trocheck, wrote in the 1990's. So, this female detective does things old school - no cell phones, no GPS. Actually, it made the book even more fun. She writes wonderful characters with great dialouge and all with a Southern twist! The fact that she makes you laugh is just icing on the cake! Light, fun reading perfect for a bit of an escape.
September 11, 2021
Not my favorite book by this Author. Lots of unnecessary profanity and some adult natured material.
February 21, 2024
3.5 stars
March 29, 2021
What more do you expect from a cozy mystery from the early 90s? Mary Kay Andrews’s writing has obviously gotten a lot better in the last 30 years, this was her debut novel, but it was still entertaining and I’ll read some more of the series. Very Stephanie Plum-ish but Southern instead of Jersey. I got a lot of laughs out of it.
3.5 ⭐️
3.5 ⭐️
February 9, 2019
My part of the world saw an average seven inches of snow on Monday 2/4/2019. My part of the world doesn’t know what to do with seven inches of snow. Lots of cancelled work. Lots of idle time. Another 4 – 6 predicted by tomorrow morning, 2/9/2019. More on Tuesday 2/12 and maybe again 2/14. So, grump, I’ll take some down time.
My favorite genre is mysteries, and has been since I was a little kid and got my hands on my first Nancy Drew. And my adoration runs to quirk: The Man from U.N.C.L.E, The Saint, and many even lesser-known titles have pride of place on my shelves. And of course I’ve started collecting Organizer sleuths and clutter-crazed criminals: so far, I’ve only gotten my hands on Mary Feliz, but that will change once I’ve completed the proper research.
I decided to branch out when I found Every Crooked Nanny by Mary Kay Andrews at a library sale. Always my downfall, library sales. Ms. Andrews’ who-done-it is set in Atlanta, which I like because of my father’s side, roots in Louisiana, both Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Her detective is female, which I like because I’m an obnoxious feminist. Her gumshoe is a retired police detective, a common element of a good mystery, who’s starting fresh with a new career, also a common element of a good mystery. The new career is in housekeeping, which I don’t think is so common. But it appealed to me because one of the ways I explain my work as a Professional Organizer is that “I come in so the housekeepers can come in behind me.” I also cheerfully admit “I don’t do squirt bottle.”
OHMIGOSH I DIDN’T LIKE IT.
I have seldom had such a strong reaction to a book. But I found just about everything about it dislikable: the detective is sour, prickly and disillusioned well beyond jaded. The victims EARNED it. The who-done-it of the who-done-it was preposterous. The supporting cast of characters feel like time-warped caricatures of anything from Blanche Devereaux and Paula Deen to everything Trae Crowder demolishes, and the relationships among them are often ugly. Do I know what I’m talking about concerning stereotypes? Only secondhand: I’ve spent some time in Florida, and met plenty of the relatives. But it’s ENOUGH.
And I got no sense of Atlanta, a city I’ve never visited but which is on my wish list: when I say I have family ties, I mean I want to see the streets named after my ancestors. Only thing I know better now about Atlanta are some street names.
This was the first in this series. I wish I liked it enough to give #2 a try, but I don’t. I don’t even like it enough to keep it. So off to a lovely little coffee shop in Mt. Vernon, WA which has a lending library – I owe it a book from almost a year ago… if I can just remember which shop it is. Another mystery.
My favorite genre is mysteries, and has been since I was a little kid and got my hands on my first Nancy Drew. And my adoration runs to quirk: The Man from U.N.C.L.E, The Saint, and many even lesser-known titles have pride of place on my shelves. And of course I’ve started collecting Organizer sleuths and clutter-crazed criminals: so far, I’ve only gotten my hands on Mary Feliz, but that will change once I’ve completed the proper research.
I decided to branch out when I found Every Crooked Nanny by Mary Kay Andrews at a library sale. Always my downfall, library sales. Ms. Andrews’ who-done-it is set in Atlanta, which I like because of my father’s side, roots in Louisiana, both Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Her detective is female, which I like because I’m an obnoxious feminist. Her gumshoe is a retired police detective, a common element of a good mystery, who’s starting fresh with a new career, also a common element of a good mystery. The new career is in housekeeping, which I don’t think is so common. But it appealed to me because one of the ways I explain my work as a Professional Organizer is that “I come in so the housekeepers can come in behind me.” I also cheerfully admit “I don’t do squirt bottle.”
OHMIGOSH I DIDN’T LIKE IT.
I have seldom had such a strong reaction to a book. But I found just about everything about it dislikable: the detective is sour, prickly and disillusioned well beyond jaded. The victims EARNED it. The who-done-it of the who-done-it was preposterous. The supporting cast of characters feel like time-warped caricatures of anything from Blanche Devereaux and Paula Deen to everything Trae Crowder demolishes, and the relationships among them are often ugly. Do I know what I’m talking about concerning stereotypes? Only secondhand: I’ve spent some time in Florida, and met plenty of the relatives. But it’s ENOUGH.
And I got no sense of Atlanta, a city I’ve never visited but which is on my wish list: when I say I have family ties, I mean I want to see the streets named after my ancestors. Only thing I know better now about Atlanta are some street names.
This was the first in this series. I wish I liked it enough to give #2 a try, but I don’t. I don’t even like it enough to keep it. So off to a lovely little coffee shop in Mt. Vernon, WA which has a lending library – I owe it a book from almost a year ago… if I can just remember which shop it is. Another mystery.
January 3, 2022
And I am off and running for 2022, with an early series Andrew wrote under appointment another name. Entertaining unless you're a Mormon (a lot of them are clucking here about how Andrews misinterprets their beliefs), and/or if you are looking for a"cozy" read - - there are a few too many naughty words here to make that portion of the readership happy. Personally I'm more bothered by the preposterous ending which has Our Heroine busting out of hospital to save someone while still under the influence of heavy medications. But it's a fun series that I was happy to find available in ebook form via the library's Libby app. And by the way, if you're not using Libby you should be!
P.S. To the kid who thinks I don't like naughty words, and called me a hater--you need to learn to read a review. What I said was that a "portion of the readership" don't like them. Personally, my favorite cuss word is sh*tf*ckmothergoddamn. Got that?
P.S. To the kid who thinks I don't like naughty words, and called me a hater--you need to learn to read a review. What I said was that a "portion of the readership" don't like them. Personally, my favorite cuss word is sh*tf*ckmothergoddamn. Got that?
August 31, 2013
To be clear, this is not the cover of the book that I bought which is bright yellow and has the same title and the author's real name - Mary Kay Andrews. Not a bad book if you are into 90's retrospective. What I hated was this was re-packaged and sold as a fresh NEW book from Mary Kay Andrews. The cars are old (would not still be on the road), all research is done by land line phone (no cell phones), the prices of items (like housecleaning) were too cheap, the outfits were all wrong for modern times. I cannot fathom that someone couldn't go through and tweak a few items to update the book, but even that pales in comparison to the fact that they slapped on a new cover and called it a new book! I was duped, I want to pay the 90s price for this book instead of what I actually paid. This kind of bait and switch is wrong on EVERY level - shame on YOU!
June 13, 2013
4-1/2 stars: I am so glad that I stumbled upon this book! It was so much fun. I listened to the audiobook and Hilary Huber does a great job narrating. The story itself is interesting and the characters are great. Callahan is multi-faceted and her mother is a hoot. I will definitely be listening to the next book in the series. Well worth the audible credit but also worth reading if you don't do audiobooks.
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