State Fair

Benni Harper #14

by Earlene Fowler

"Each Benni Harper mystery is better than the previous" ("Midwest Book Review")

Folk art museum curator, rancher, and sometime sleuth Benni Harper returns with a long-awaited new mystery that has her attending the San Celina Mid-State Fair-a place for caramel apples and 4-H calves, colorful quilts and homemade jams, and maybe just a little murder...

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Quilting, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

288 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2010

About the author

Earlene Fowler was raised in La Puente, California, by a Southern mother and a Western father. She lives in Southern California with her husband, Allen, a purple pickup truck, and many pairs of cowboy boots. She is currently working on the next Benni Harper mystery.

Series:
* Benni Harper Mysteries
* Love Mercy Johnson Mystery

Reviews

[Janell · Rating 2 out of 5]

As one of my favorite mystery series, I've almost always rated the books in this series with at least 4 stars. This time, however, the story spent more time on the agenda of racism and the possibility of murder as a hate crime than the mystery or its investigation. Every few pages, the main character was either thinking about or discussing with someone her concern about racism. Rather than giving just enough to make me think about the issue (as has been done with other topics in previous books), I felt like I was being force fed an elephant and incapable of independent thought. The end result was a pretty thin plot.

Plus, every other page had lengthy fair descriptions of some kind: food, events, activities, etc. etc. etc. etc. It felt incredibly redundant at times.

This series includes some of my favorite characters but this time they felt really flat with little interaction going on between them. The sections where Benni was with her Aunt were definitely the best moments and had some humor, but it was far too little and only made you sigh when it quickly changed again into the racist agenda of the book. And I truly missed the usual interaction between Benni and Gabe.

Regardless, this is still a favorite series and I hope there will be more in the future.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a while since I read a Benni Harper/Ortiz mystery but the characters are all there: Benni, Chief of Police Ortiz and his grown son Sam, Benni's Gramma Dove, Blind Harry's Book Store and all the rest. It is time for the County Fair (not State as stated in the title) and the whole agricultural community is involved as well as the craft community and the quilters who exhibit in the museum of which Benni is the manager. The new fair manager is a member of the Black community and there are those who are not happy at his appointment. The Ebony Sisters, a black quilting group, have replicated a well known story quilt and are exhibiting it along with a collection of black cloth dolls. There are all the tensions of a two week fair, misunderstandings, mistakes, and jealousies.
Dove's sister Garnet is on a visit from Arkansas and Benni is told off to escort her around the fair to keep her out of Dove's way. The sisters do not get along well, never have. While touring the Family Farms exhibit Benni and Garnet discover a body in one of the exhibits. The body is wrapped in the Ebony Sisters' quilt and there is a suspicion that the death is a racially motivated action aimed at discrediting the new fair manager. Much of the discussion in the book centres around racial concerns and the feelings of minority people who may be feared as well as distrusted by those around them. It is, of course, particularly appropriate considering events in the US currently.
The plot is good, hints are there if you are trying to solve the murder, and there is plenty of humour as well as realistic descriptions of small town life. The fair is just about perfect with the only thing left out being Those Little Doughnuts. We don't seem to have quite as much deep fried food as they do but otherwise it's the same fair you went to wherever you lived.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a little lighter novel that made the reader want to go to a state or county fair to see the sights and eat the food. There were a lot of descriptions of fair life as Benni volunteers there and finds a dead body. Aunt Garnet is out for a visit and seems to be channeling Miss Marple and Jessica Fletcher both as she assists Benni in looking for the killer. It seems to be racially motivated and I was a little annoyed with her naivete, especially since "Arkansas Traveler" involved hate crimes and was rather powerful in its evocation of prejudice. I thought it a little disingenuous that Benni has a Hispanic husband and long-time best friend and spent summers in Arkansas with black friends and has never really considered racial issues and their impact on people of color. It seemed a strange theme after the previous book. That having been said, this was another fun romp with the quirky characters we've grown to love as Benni finds the murderer and is caught in a perilous situation.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love this series even if it takes me a while to get back to it. It takes place along the Central Coast of California so I get to visit my old stompin' grounds. There's the quilting aspect in the periphery and that always makes me want to find a class somewhere to learn how to do it myself. And then there's always a great mystery to solve along with Benni.
This one has racial aspects along with white supremacists causing havoc, something the little town of San Salinas hasn't really had to deal with before. Or at least this out in the open. Murder and mayhem and the MidState Fair....
Awesome!

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite cozy series. I really like the characters and even if I figure out the mystery early in the book I like the story and hearing what the people are up to. The one negative about this book is the high number of spelling errors, words left out or duplicate words in a sentence, etc. I find that kind of thing distracting, I guess that books on tape would be good because you wouldn't see the errors. Hopefully the publishers will get some of these things corrected before the book comes out in paperback.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another of my favorite authors! I so much enjoyed this one about Benni and her adventures with her family in a California small town. Her husband is the police chief and she has her hand in so many pies she ultimately winds up in the middle of a murder mystery. Her mysteries are light, not graphic and always full of family humor. Delightful!

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read all of the Bennie Harper mysteries by Earlene Fowler. They are easy read sand I always know that Benni is not going to listen to her husbands warnings. She is very noisy. I love herGrandma. dove and all the friendly people in her home town.

[Nancy H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this series featuring Benni Harper. In this story, Benni and her aunt find a body in one of the exhibits at the San Celina Mid-State Fair. There are nasty undertones at the fair already, because the highly competent and deserving fair manager, Levi, was the first African-American to have that position, and some of the white supremacist racists in the county did not want him to have that position. When the body was found wrapped in a valuable African-American quilt, Benni and her aunt knew that it was supposed to stir up even more trouble for Levi. Little did they know that there was much more going on under the surface, and it took putting themselves in danger before they figured things out.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a fan of fairs, but Aunt Garnet was a hoot!!

[jimtown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I set aside the book I'd been reading, The Big House, when I found this latest Benni Harper mystery by Earlene Fowler the day Travis and I went to the library. State Fair was so new, it was a 14 day book. I read it in three.


I believe I've read all thirteen previous quilt titled novels in this series. I's been a while since I've read one though; there was a gap where Fowler wrote a stand alone novel, Love Mercy, which I've not been able to get my hands on yet.


I like Benni Harper. She's a five foot one energetic curator of a museum who gets into lots of other things, especially crimes. She seems to have a knack for finding dead bodies! Her husband Gabe is chief of police and luckily he can almost always keep her grounded.


The thing I noticed this time especially is at the beginning of almost all the Benni Harper books, we get a huge dose of background information. I guess it's helpful to make each book stand on its own, but I find it just a tad bit distracting after reading so many of the series. Once past that the story begins
though, watch out! It's non-stop action. Benni barely stops to take a breather now and then.

One more thing that always strikes me about Benni is that she seems able to eat large elaborate meals of exotic foods. While the images of the foods dance in my mind, I wonder what the average person would look like if they ate like Benni?

Here's a little example of some of Benni's food choices from State Fair:
"I faced a dizzying array of choices for my snack. Garlic fries and a hot dog on a stick or a tri-tip sandwich steak with salsa? A deep-fried burrito or a giant barbecued turkey leg? Australian battered potatoes or pan-fried Chicken? I could eat tri-tip steak or fried chicken anytime so I sprang for the hot dog on a stick. Besides it was the easiest thing to eat while walking back to my truck."


It's a busy time of year in San Celina county. The State fair is having its week long run and everyone is overextended. Benni's grandma, Dove has been calling to complain about her sister's visit. A special quilt from is stolen from a display at the fairgrounds the first day. Benni tries to just do her job and stay out of things for once but the quilt makers are all members of the museum and friends of hers.


Benni's Aunt Garnet is actually the one to see the legs first, sticking out from under a rusty truck shell that was part of a family farm display. Benni thought that it was funny she hadn't noticed that in the winning display the day before. Oh shoot! Benni's hunch was right and it was a real dead body and not just part of the display. Worse yet, the victim was wrapped in the missing quilt. He was also dating the new controversial fair manager's daughter.


Could these two incidents possibly be connected? And could be race related wonders Benni? Her old friend and admirer, Hud has jurisdiction over the fair and Gabe has to step back and let him do his job with Benni as always in the thick of things. This time she has a little help getting into trouble. Aunt Garnet all of the sudden wants to play amateur sleuth.


As always an amusing romp through San Celina with Benni Harper, courtesy of Earlene Fowler. One thing I noticed in this book that made me feel a little better, was that I spotted four mistakes missed in editing. Even the experts can overlook things and it's well worth having someone else read your manuscript to check it for errors before publishing but it adds a human factor to the writing to catch a mistake occasionally.

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

State Fair is the 14th book of the Benni Harper mystery series by Earlene Fowler. The series is set in the 1980s in fictitious San Celina on California's Central Coast; for this story, the setting is the annual Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles CA.

Benni has attended and actively participated in the state fair all her life. She has many happy memories from past fairs, including riding horses with her father in parade, and eating her favorite junk foods.

This year her many duties at the fair include judging 4H, looking for a quilt stolen from an exhibit, and keeping her great-aunt Garnet company. Garnet is visiting from Arkansas, staying with Benni's Gramma Dove, and they quarrel constantly. Aunt Garnet is normally a constant complainer, yet when Garnet discovers a murder victim at a fair exhibit, Garnet seems to really be enjoying herself.

Throughout their strictly unofficial investigation of the murder, Aunt Garnet continues to surprise Benni with her cop slang and knowledge of forensic procedures, learned from watching TV shows.

As usual, Benni's good friend Detective Hudson (Hud) and her husband Police Chief Gabriel Ortiz (Gabe) insist that Benni stop trying to solve the murder. But Benni has a soft heart and cannot help feeling pity for the young people affected.

The crime scene suggests a racial motive for the murder, and Benni learns there is more prejudice in San Celina than she had realized.

When Garnet isn't hot on the trail of a killer, Benni senses there is something seriously disturbing Garnet, that she will not reveal. Benni tries to find out by calling her great-uncle in Arkansas, but he says only that Garnet will reveal it in time. When the family does finally learn Garnet's news, they draw even closer together in support.

This is a feel-good novel about friendship, loyalty, love and family, and oh-by-the-way a murder mystery and police investigation into a chop-shop thrown in, with a moral lesson on bigotry. It's easy to tell the good guys from the bad guys, but plot wrinkles keep a few secrets until the end. In an ironic plot twist, Gabe and Hud have to reverse their "stay away from police business" position completely, and ask Benni to play a critical role in a sting operation.

I definitely recommend reading this mystery series in order, since the evolving relationships between the main characters carry the series. The series starts with Fool's Puzzle; next book after State Fair is Spider Web. For more information about Earlene Fowler and her Benni Harper series, visit her website: http://www.earlenefowler.com

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been reading Earlene Fowler's cozy mysteries for a number of years. Each is named after a quilting pattern that relates to the subject matter. In this case it's the Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles, just outside the fictional town of San Celina (which is fairly obviously San Luis Obispo).

Benni's aunt Garnet is visiting from Arkansas, and just happens to be right there when a murdered youth is found in one of the family farm competition exhibits. This youth, Cal, had a troubled background ... which included time with a white supremacist gang. Despite Benni's determination to stay out of investigating things on her own, Aunt Garnet basically drags her into the matter.

A subplot involving racist threats against Levi, the first African-American general manager of the fair, as well as some fascinating history on black cloth dolls and African-American story quilts, brings the whole thing together.

Fowler creates a town and situations populated by people readers feel as though we know (especially if we've read many of the books). While the tales do stand alone, it helps to have read several of them in order to be well-acquainted with recurring characters -- and their frustration with Benni's involvement in police work (her husband, Gabe, is the city police chief) where she has no real expertise but instinct.

When the whole plot came together at the end for the "whodunnit," I admit to being somewhat surprised! I had kind of pegged the "bad guy" early on ... but not for the reasons that were revealed. This is one of the reasons I so enjoy Fowler's books; you can pretty much expect the unexpected.

[Amelia in PDX · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 14th book in the Benni Harper series.

Benni is overseeing the special showing of traditional African American quilts at the state fair. One special quilt is on loan for the exhibit and it goes missing. This quilt is irreplaceable, although they will try to make a similiar quilt from photos, there is no way to replace it. In addition to that racial prejudice ia raising it's ugly head this time around, and Benni is finding out that she is even receiving it some herself. Add to all of Benni's regular routine and the fair, Benni's great aunt and decided to visit stayingwith Dove and Benni is doing most of the chauffeuring around of Great-Aunt Garnet. Garnet is not being her usualy self - to the extent that Benni is thinking that maybe she might be dying... Add to the stress, Benni finds another body and the body is found wrapped in the missing quilt, which is now ruined. Benni is discovering that the more she hears the more the assumed reason for the murder of Cal is not making sense. Will Benni be able to make sense of it all before the fair closes and everyone disperses to where ever they came from? Read & find out.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

For Benni, the annual San Celina Mid-State Fair is a much anticipated break in her normal routine of overseeing museum exhibits, temperamental artists and stubborn cattle. Even her police chief husband Gabe Ortiz, takes time from his busy schedule to enjoy the fair's activities and exotic fried foods.

This year there is a special showing of traditional African American quilts cosponsored by the folk art museum and the Ebony Sisters Quilt Guild. When the exhibit's main attraction - a replica of a story quilt made by quilting icon Harriet Powers - is stolen, Benni and her visiting Aunt Garnet suspect it is more than mere thievery.

My thoughts: I have enjoyed the last 3 of the Benni Harper titles very much. This one explores the small town setting with the overtones of the wide wide world. Ethnic diversity is all around us and how sometimes we, the Caucasian majority in 1997, thought we understood the struggle and most times we had no idea the pain and hardship.

This story again shows us the power of friendship and family. And reminds us that there are times we must trust in each other and the Lord to see us through.

[Marty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 13th or 14th in the Benni Harper series, but you don’t have to know anything about the previous books to enjoy this one. The title is a bit misleading.. The book is about a Mid-State Fair in a fictional county near the real place of Paso Robles, California. Things start going wrong when a famous quilt is stolen – and later found wrapped around a dead body in one of the family farms exhibits. Not only is Benni drawn into the mystery surrounding the murder, but she finds she has to deal with difficulties between her grandmother and her great aunt. The aunt, --Aunt Garnet, is visiting from Arkansas. She and her sister usually are arguing and trying to out-do the other. This year, however, something is wrong and Benni is caught in the middle of the family problems as well.

I didn’t really expect much from the book, but I had a pleasant surprise. It was an enjoyable read. The characters were well-drawn, No one was beyond belief and everyone was someone you would like to know. I especially got a kick out of Aunt Garnet when she started to relax a bit. A good story- a fun read with lots of twists and turns.

[Abby Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this book just as one looks forward to the arrival of old friends at a dinner party. It had all the great elements and characters of a Fowler mystery, but at times it felt as though the author were trying too hard to capture her characters when all she needed to do was to just let them be. I particularly found the conflict between Dove, (Benni's grandmother) and her aunt Garnet to be a not only well over the top, but a bit grating as well, and I saw it not as humorous, but almost cruel, and rather than 'laugh along,' I found myself wanting to wrap Garnet in warm hug and handknit shawl.

The mystery itself wasn't all that strong, or compelling--we were told repeatedly as to why we should care, rather than shown. I felt like the book could have been longer, with more pages devoted to character development of her new folks population her story, and a revisiting and maturation of the ones who have existed since the very begining of the series.

[Carrie]

The newest installment of the Benni Harper mysteries just couldn't keep my interest. I ended up mostly skimming the book. I'm afraid Fowler's book, Love Mercy, ruined the Benni Harper series for me. Love Mercy is set in the same town and has some of the same characters, but takes place about 10 years later. (Benni Harper series was set in the 90's, Love Mercy is present day.) By showing the characters from the other series ten years down the road, Fowler removed part of the reason for reading the Benni Harper books. Knowing what happens, or more importantly, didn't happen in Hud's life was a real spoiler, for example. The fact that I didn't really care for Love Mercy that much contributes, I'm sure. Overall, this is disappointing since the Benni Harper mysteries were some of my absolute favorites.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this because of the setting-actually a county fair-in California. This is the newest of the Benni Harper mysteries and the setting is great and Benni and her family are interesting and likeable characters. I hadn't read one of these for a long time and there are so many characters that for a while I found all their inter relationships rather confusing. Race relations play a big part in this novel. A good "cozy" series-someday I'll have to go back and read (in order) all the ones I'v skipped. Have to admit this book left me with a big craving for corn dogs and elephants ears!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books by Earlene Fowler never fail to satisfy and "State Fair" is no exception. An interesting story line with a good plot and subplots, multi-dimensional characters, and lots of informative tidbits about a variety of subjects. I really enjoyed this book and felt like I was meeting up with some old friends. I'm looking forward to "Spider Web" next. Earlene has a special style that really isn't reminiscent of anyone else's writing. She's one of my very favorite authors. I highly recommend this book.

[Lianne]

I continue to enjoy the Benni Harper series. I once lived in San Luis Obispo County so it's always fun to see which local details the author includes in each new title. This time she uses the setting of the Mid State Fair in Paso Robles. Earlene Fowler weaves elements of Black History, her visiting aunt from Kansas, deep-fried everything in the food stalls, and memories of Benni's experience of being a 4H participant into this latest rambunctious romp. She nicely captures the annual cattle drive over the 13th street bridge into the fairgrounds.

[Cyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good chick lit book, beach read, and family safe for the most part. Benni is married to a cop and finds herself mixed up in murders or mysteries. I found the characters of her grandmother and her sister to be amusing as they bicker and Benni gets stuck in the middle. The writing is clear but not necessarily riveting. There are questions of race in this book and many sides are brought in with bi-racial kids and how they see themselves and are seen in society. Quick and fun read, I am reading more.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Benni Harper Ortiz is busy with the local county fair, which she's loved since she was a child. When a young man is found dead, intimations of racism cloud the fair, which has its first African-American director. Benni should be too busy keeping her visiting great aunt Garnet out of grandmother Dove's hair, but Garnet has apparently had a personality transplant: the prim, scolding woman Benni has always knows has loosened up and wants to help investigate the murder.

[Donna in Southern Maryland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to give this a 4 star rating, mainly because of all the typographical errors - several of which were so jarring I was stopped cold.

Other than that, I enjoyed the story, but thought the ending could have been more fleshed out. It will be interesting to see how the addition of more family members will effect Benni & Gabe.

I also really like the character of Hud. If Gabe had not come along, he and Benni would have made a fun couple. We need to find him a companion!

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy, have I missed Benni and her clan! Reading this book felt like I came in contact with a friend I hadn't seen in years!!
I loved, loved, loved the sewing marathon! How Fowler was able to discuss black hair and "kitchens" so correctly, I'll never know. But it really had me laughing out loud. That scene reminded me of sitting around my grandmother's table in the summer with all my aunts helping cook dinner! My job was to "pick the green beans". Good memories!!

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My sister lent me this book, the 17th in a series we both like a lot. A fun, light, murder mystery with the same characters that are further developed in each book, so best to read them in order. The heroine is an independent woman, raised on a ranch, widowed and remarried to the police chief in a small CA town. She is also the curator of a folk art museum and there is always some quilting trivia in them.

[Lynn Lerch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Benni Harper mystery that holds you until the end. The story takes place at the County Fair where Benni finds a body. Aunt Garnet (Dove's sister) is visiting from Arkansas and they can't find out why. Dove and Garnet mix like oil and water...Dove's sure that Garnet is out to get her cornbread recipe. Benni takes on the entertaining of Garnet when they find the body and get really involved. Garnet keeps getting Benni furter in trouble with skin heads, rich exhibitor's etc.

[Beck · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of many books I've read from the Benni Harper Series. This is not my favorite work by Earlene Fowler, however, I enjoyed this mystery's focus on racial prejudices in Central California. I'm surprised that it took 12 books in the series to finally reach this topic.

Usually I can overlook a few typos, but this book was so riddled with errors that I wonder if anyone actually proofread it.

[❂ Murder by Death · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another solid entry in a great series! Benni's nutty family is at it's best, and the murder mystery is a good one with an ending I found satisfying for not being the predictable heroine-does-something-stupid-to-solve-the-mystery type of ending. The state fair wasn't my favourite setting, but really that's just me being picky. I'm looking forward to reading the next one, while also being disappointed about being caught up and no longer having a backlog of Benni books to look forward to.

[Bonnie Drummond · Rating 5 out of 5]

State Fair book #14 of A Benni Harper Mystery is a end of summer must read book. A story that will make you look at the world around you and the people. Find the truth about a murder and try to put the past in the past.

[Elissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good continuation of the series, although it dragged a little. I really enjoy the characters.