The Merry Wives of Maggody

Arly Hanks #16

by Joan Hess

Maggody, Arkansas (pop. 755) is perceived of as a two-bit hick town, filled with one-bit hicks. But Mrs. Jim Bob Buchanan seeks to change that perception with her latest scheme—a charity golf tournament. This presents a bit of a challenge, since no one in Maggody plays golf and there is no course. But when the prize for the first hole-in-one is announced—a top of the line bass boat—nearly everyone in town develops a new-found interest in the sport. The town goes golf crazy, trying to learn the sport in time to win the bass boat, with limited success and maximum domestic disorder. Sheriff Arly Hanks, who has better things to worry about, just wishes it would all go away.

When a small-town golf instructor wins the bass boat on the first day of the tournament, it looks like all the excitement is over. But the next morning, when he’s found dead, sitting in the parking lot in the front seat of the bass boat, the prize is once again up for grabs and nearly everyone in town is a murder suspect.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Humor, Mystery Thriller, Comedy, Cozy

338 pages, Hardcover

First published June 9, 2009

About the author

Joan Hess was the author of both the Claire Malloy and the Maggody mystery series. Hess was a winner of the American Mystery Award, a member of Sisters in Crime, and a former president of the American Crime Writers League. She lived in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Joan Hess also wrote a mystery series under the pseudonym of Joan Hadley.

Series contributed to:
. Crosswinds
. The Year's 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories
. Malice Domestic
. Deadly Allies
. Sisters in Crime

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this 16th book in the Maggody series, Mrs. Jim Bob Buchanon - the stuck up mayor's wife - organizes a golf tournament to benefit 'golf widows' (a term she misunderstands). The book can be read as a standalone.



*****

To organize her tournament, Mrs. Jim Bob convinces a local moonshiner/pot grower to allow his property to be used for a temporary (very makeshift) golf course. She also bullies a ship retailer to donate a beautiful fishing boat (repossessed from a jailed drug dealer) as the prize for the first hole-in-one. The big boat is displayed in the parking lot of the local supermarket, where it's almost a tourist attraction.



The golf tournament - especially the boat - attracts a mixed bag of entrants including professional golfers, would-be pros, college students, high schoolers, and an ex-con. The players bring along spouses, parents, managers, acquaintances, and so on. In addition, many Maggody husbands and wives enter the tournament, though they've never played golf in their lives.




Tommy Ridner, a golf pro from nearby Farberville, makes a hole-in-one on the first day and can't stop bragging about it...to everyone's annoyance. Unfortunately for Tommy he's soon found dead on the fishing boat, his head bashed in with a golf club. Soon afterwards Tommy's best friend is killed in a similar fashion.

Chief of Police Arly Hanks investigates the crimes with some help from the Farberville sheriff.



It's not that easy though because Arly's pregnant, not feeling too well, and missing her boyfriend Jack, who's far away for work. In addition, the suspects - just about everyone connected with the tournament - are often drunk, high, elusive, and untruthful.

Much of the charm of the Maggody series lies in the fun characters like: Brother Verber - the local pastor who preaches fire and brimstone but secretly loves 'sacramental wine' and soft porn;



Ruby Bee - Arly's nosybody mom who runs the local diner/motel and likes to 'help' with investigations;



Estelle - the beehive-coifed beautician who hangs out with Ruby Bee;



Raz Buchanon - whose pig Marjorie has her own favorite television shows;



and the cleaning girl, 'Perkin's eldest' - who vacuums a guest's room while wearing (only) loafers and a tie.



In addition, descriptions of the many inbred Buchanons that populate Maggody are very amusing.



Unfortunately, much of the fun is missing from this book. The murder investigation plods along; the secrets revealed aren't too interesting; and the characters are flat and not as entertaining as usual. I got a few laughs but - all in all - the book isn't as good as previous entries in the series.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

I haven't read any of the books in this series in a long time and only remembered that I didn't much care for it, but couldn't remember why. I was lazy when I went to the library and didn't feel like going downstairs to the stacks, so I just grabbed this off of the new book rack. As soon as I started reading, I remembered why. Every single person in the series is so unpleasant and Arly, the main character so depressing and passive. On top of that everyone in the town is a caricature - either a hayseed/inbreed mutant or redneck sumbitch. It ended up being a skim through to find out whodunit.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

We listened to the audiobook and did not like the reader's voice--it just wasn't for us. That problem made it difficult to enjoy this story of loony people who are having a golf outing for an outlandish reason. Murders and mayhem result and Arly is the police chief in charge. Since I have enjoyed the Clair Malloy books, I would be willing to give another Arly Hanks book a try and just read it silently.

[Ladysatel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another rousing tale of the misadventures of the Buchanons in Maggody, Akansas. Sheriff Arly Hanks has her hands full when Mrs. Jim Bob (Barbara Buchanon Buchanon) decides to have a golf tournament to aid all the poor, suffering golf widows. Maggody does not have a golf course, nor anyone who plays golf. However, with missionary fervor Mrs. Jim Bob soldiers ahead and manages to create a golf course our of Raz Buchanon's marijuana field. She also coerces the local boat seller to put up a top of the line bass boat as a prize for the first hole-in-one. Various and sundry characters sign up for the tournament and the fun begins. Wives sneak off to practice playing golf. Husbands do the same without telling their spouses. One calamity after another ensues and two people are murdered. Ruby Bee spots someone at the festivities and goes into a funk. Sheriff Hanks tries to untangle the web of occurrences and solve the murders. A shocking revelation of a personal nature ends this book. Will Maggody ever be the same?

A good read for fans of this zany community.

[Mommalibrarian · Rating 2 out of 5]

"It had never been a quaint little town with ivy-coated cottages. The locals weren't charmingly eccentric; they were surly, ornery, and opinionated."
Once again I have misjudged how long it will take the library to come up with my book request and this was all that was available while I was out of town. This is the Arly Hanks, small town in the Ozarks policewoman series. The number of characters which the author is not making fun is limited to the main character and maybe her mother owner and cook at the local cafe. Lots of hillbilly references without using that word. Of course a murder or two but nothing that would make you feel any sadness. It will be two years til the main library where all the books anyone could ever want were housed will be reopened. In the meantime all the books are in storage and have to be requested. I can stop by the branch everyday on the chance they have arrived or wait for at least a week for the mail notice to arrive.

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

A trip to Maggody is like no other place. Mrs. Jim Bob, the mayor's wife, decides to hold a charity golf tournament, and who better to benefit than those poor golf widows. The fun ensues. From the wonderfully named Buchanons to the idiosyncrasies of the townspeople, Arly Hank, local law enforcement, has her hands full. Plus her mom, Ruby Bee, has begun acting weirder than normal. Arly has to track down the killer of the winner of the bass boat (he got a hole in one), find out why her mom is acting so weird, and decide what to do about a personal dilemma. (her boyfriend is on location in South America and can't be reached) Second murder turns out to be winner's best friend.

This is the place where I have a problem. I am so tired of mystery writers deciding to spice things up to throw in a second murder. Can't we just deal with one at a time; this isn't gang wars or a drive by. Other than that the trip to Maggody was fun.

[Dianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

For the first time in this long running series, I did not finish one of these books. I didn't even care enough to see if Arly had chosen to have her baby, what happened to Jack or what was going to happen to the myriad of characters running through this slow paced flop.

I didn't care about any of these characters -for one reason, there where just too many of them so they were written on the thin side.

Learning about golf is like watching paint dry -learning how the Maggody people play it is like watching termites eating wood.

Stick with the earlier books and don't try to read them back to back!

[Imjussayin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Merry Wives of Maggody - Arly Hanks 16

In A Nutshell:More madness in Maggody, Arkansas. The most reverent Mrs. Jim Bob Buchanan is hosting a fundraising golf tournament. It's a town without a golf course, but a boat as the prize. Then Chief Arly Hanks finds the winner on his prize. Dead.

More than one death happens during the golf tournament. But residents of Maggody don't want to stop the competition. There is a boat at stake. Nevermind that the residents of Maggody, all 755 cannot play golf.

I like this book. It is only the second one that I have read. I think I like Arly Hanks, but I am not sure why. She is smart but wishy-washy. Perhaps it's the Brit in me rooting for the underdog.

There are some strong characters. One of my favourites is Ruby Bee, Arly's mother. The humour hinges on most of the cast being disagreeable and the inbred hick stereotype. There is a danger with that growing thin. So, I would approach future novels with caution for that reason.

Entertaining.

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Book Rating

Sexual Content: U
Language: U
Violent: U
Would I read the next one or reread ?: Perhaps

My rating system (* = star)
0* Could not finish this book (waste of time)
1* Finished the book but didn't like it.
2* Finished the book it was okay.
3* A good read worth your time.
4* An excellent read often with a novel concept or unusual plot.
5* A great read. A prominent example of the genre

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm sad, now that I'm done reading/listening to the Arly Hanks/Maggody series. This was another fun and funny story, but I was hoping that there would be more of a wrap-up, perhaps an emotional final scene. Instead, it just ended. No closure. Sigh.

Having read/listened to all 16 of the books in the series in order, I can say a few things about them:

1) They were very consistent. They were all fun and funny, and the characters were dependable.
2) They needed to be read in order. Each book referred to events and characters from the previous books.
3) They made you want more.
4) They left out a lot of information about Arly's history:
- Where did she go to college, and what did she study?
- What was her ex-husband's name?
- Where did she meet her ex-husband?
- What did she do when she lived in New York?

Oh well, since Joan Hess is dead, we'll never know. Sigh, again.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute. The mayor's wife hears about golf widows on TV and assumes they are needy widows, so she organizes a charity golf tournament in Maggody. Being the small Arkansas town that it is, they just mow 40 acres of pasture. She convinces a boat dealer to donate a boat to attract golfers, advertising that the boat will go to the first person to get a hole-in-one. The dealer assumes nobody will actually win it. Most of the tournament consists of drinking copiously and bickering. The morning after the first day of the tournament, the guy who scored a hole-in-one is found dead in the boat, his head beaten in with a golf club. There is another murder the next afternoon, with the body being found (also head bashed in by a golf club) in a motel room in the seedy establishment run by Arly's mother. Arly has the usual fun with the local mutant population while she figures it all out.

[Rachel N. · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the 16th and last book in the Maggody series Mrs. Jim Bob has decided to host a charity golf tournament for golf widows. A golf course is roughly formed in Raz's pasture, which still contains marijuana and poisonous snakes, and an expensive bass boat is put up as a prize for the first hole in one. Several locals want the boat and they start learning how to play golf but when the tournament starts out of towner Tommy Ridner makes the first hole in one. Tommy is soon murdered and chief of police Arly Hanks is on the case. I would have liked more of the book to be told from Arly's POV since she is supposed to be the main character. I am a bit sad that this is the last book in the series. These books aren't deep but are good for a light mystery set in a zany town.

[Reading Fury · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have spent the last few years with Arly Hanks, and she never has failed to delight. Her deadpan narrative and zingy comebacks to her mother, boss, the mayor, and anyone else who is both tedious and tendentious gives a vicarious victory to anyone stuck dealing with opinionated people who are not as smart and powerful as they think they are. This novel is the last in the series, and I shall miss Arly. Each installment introduced us to various and wildly named members of the Buchanan family, but my favorite has been Raz and Marjorie, his prize pig whom he treats more tenderly than any human. Now that I think of it, out of the whole Buchanan crew, Marjorie has the most "normal" name and behaved circumspectly in public, which is more than the rest of the family can say. Anyway, when we last left Arly, she had not yet realized she was pregnant. This story picks up with her grappling a bit with her newfound knowledge. Decisions must be made, and for once Ruby Bee cannot s/mother Arly into anything. But before personal events take over, Arly gets to solve one more mystery, and it is a good one. The women of Maggody once again unite to take on their husbands, and of course there is mayhem. Had the pregnancy subplot not been a significant subplot, this would have been simply another fun read. Ruby Bee cooks up some great food, Estelle's hair is taller than ever and her fashion sense colorful as always. Hizzoner and Barbara Jean Buchanan Buchanan spar off, with it a given that himself is in the wrong (because he is) and that Barbara Jean will come out on top. There you would be wrong. Hizzoner does not win, but Barbara Jean also gets her tushy handed to her. She needs to develop wider reading tastes and to do real research before foisting her plans on others: namely a charity golf tournie to benefit what she believes to be deeply grieving women--aka golf widows. Good fun, some ugly murder slightly graphically described, but as always the plot is carried by the characters and their usual interactions. However, this wasn't just another book in the series. It was the final book, the conclusion. I don't know if Joan Hess planned to write anymore Maggody books. From Malpractice in Maggody to this book, 4 years passed. The reader had to wait four years to find out how Arly would react to her pregnancy and what trajectory her life would take. Sadly, Merry Wives alludes to the conclusion but doesn't actually narrate it. We can only hope that Arly and her love unite, and that Arly can turn in her badge to concentrate on things more in line with her hopes and goals in life. It was a great run filled with humor, common sense clap backs, and cast of characters that you would like to meet (but not live near). Had there been a concrete ending to wrap loose ends, Merry Wives would have been more fulfilling. That alone kept it from five stars in its genre. Hess passed away in 2017, so we have to take as is what she gave. This series livens up the idea of cozy mysteries without veering into cutesy romance, Dickish hard boiled or unsettling thriller genres. Arly is intelligent, feisty, and relatable. She has been a pleasure to ride along with while solving mysteries and butting heads with life.

[Kyrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a little sorry that this is the last book in the series because the writing and plots have improved so much. It's a good way to end it, though.

There's a golf tournament, the men and women are both scrambling to learn to golf to win. Yes, it's kinda screwy because Mrs. JimBob has taken it into her head to hold it to raise funds for golf widows.

In the background is the mystery of who Arly's father is.

There's a lot of things as Maggody lurches into the 21st century. Or maybe the 20th, they're not real progressive.

And a murder or two.

[Nancy Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I am becoming a hard audience to make laugh, Maggody is a strange town and it is filled with weird characters. This storyline seemed all over the place but at the end I had figured out who did it times two, and who Fredrick was. I guess sadly if weird/eccentric is seen on a daily basis it becomes normal.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chief Arly Hanks is in charge of keeping the peace in the crazy town of Maggody. This is where strange things and then even stranger things happen. Husbands and wives who know nothing of the game of golf are pitted against each other on the roughest golf course ever. This series keeps on getting funnier and funnier.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

You're just gonna love your visit to Maggody! Where else could you meet folks like Ruby Bee, Mr and Mrs Jim Bob, Bopeep Buchanan and Chief of Police Arly Hanks? They've got quite a story to tell, so just grab a glass of iced tea, sit back and read to your heart's content. You'll be glad you did!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all the other Maggody books, this one is a hoot. The names alone are cause for hilarity. This was one of my favorite in the series - a bit more meat to it. It does not make me want to visit Arkansas!

[Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Joan Hess writes it, I read it. This book was no disappointment. The characters are so alive. The humor is wonderful. So many quotable lines. Of course the story is good and the mystery wraps up in an surprising way. I enjoyed this book more than most Maggody books and I enjoy them all.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

About a little town in Arkansas, Maggody, the Chief of Police Arly, her Mom the local bar owner and a cast of idiotic characters. Truly LOL

[Nancy Cook-senn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arly solves the murders of the visiting golfers, and plans to live happily ever after.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe a bit sillier than some in the series: could anyone seriously believe golf widows needed charitable support? However, I continue to find Joan Hess's books good, light-hearted fun.

[Fiona Forthe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot in this one isn't really much and the ending doesn't make a lot of sense. But the characters and setting are fun to read about.

[Lky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a fun book. A little on the ridiculous, hard to believe side, but fun none-the-less.

[Leezie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been reading Joan Hess for over 20 years now and honestly she never disappoints.

[Sheryl Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very entertaining with outlandish character names and redneck humour.

[Stefanie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

""

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the mayor’s wife decides to host a golf tournament in the tiny town of Maggody, Arkansas to raise money for golf widows, the townsfolk have mixed feelings. While it will draw in tourist dollars, the town doesn’t actually half a golf course or any locals who know how to play. That doesn’t stop the enthusiastic Mrs. Jim Bob Buchanon from bullying her way into rounding up volunteers, a patch of land to fix up, and a $40,000 bass boat to offer as a prize for the first person to hit a hole-in-one. When the winner is found beaten to death in the boat later that night, Mrs. Jim Bob’s already controversial tournament takes an even nastier turn.

The Merry Wives of Maggody is a funny book filled with eccentric characters like the Buchanon clan who are saddled with names like Bopeep, Bony (for Bonaparte), Falutin, Chikeeta, and Middlin. The protagonist, thirty-year-old Sheriff Arly Hanks, is ambivalent about the tournament as she has her own personal issues to deal with. Needless to say, Arly has more suspects than she needs, and even more attitude from arrogant, demanding players, never mind the Buchanons. Smart-mouthed Arly is an endearing character, though, who gives as good as she gets.

The large number of characters (I think there were at least a dozen in chap. one) made it difficult to keep them straight at first, however, author Joan Hess does a good job of developing each of the major players. If you love golf and humorous mysteries, then this book would be a great choice.

[Danie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alrighty then. It could just be me, but with every new Maggody book it seems as though the residents get crazier and crazier. (There also seem to be a bunch of new Buchanan in this novel).

But, the citizens of Maggody are why I read this series. Not a hard boiled mystery, but not really a cozy either. Perhaps a new category of mysteries, a crazy. The plot itself is hilarious. Mrs. Jim Bob (the Mayor Jim Bob's wife) decides to organize a golf tournament for poor neglected golf widows (totally misinterpreting and misunderstanding what a golf widow is). Of course, there's no golf course in Maggody so they use Raz Buchanan's back pasture, and since Raz always has something going on that may not be entirely legal there's that zany subplot. Not to mention both Ruby Bee and Arly Hanks (the Chief of Police, actually the whole police force in Maggody) get interesting subplots of their own as well.

As usual all the various plots wind together nicely as Hess progresses with the story. Using first person for Arly and third person for all the other action in town. A combination that I've never ever seen done as well as Hess does it. It's so seamless that as a reader I barely realized that it's going back and forth. A great read, but the others, all 15 of them should be read first or you'll be totally lost.

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Merry Wives were anything but (they seldom are in Maggody!). With a few exceptions they are either bullied or bullies. This particular episode had of course a murder to solve, but it also evolved the character of our friendly Chief of Police, Arly Hanks. We were able to get background on her and her parents, which has never been presented before. We also see the classic Buchanon skills in action, meet a few swindlers and cheats, and in a turn of events that is new to this series, a murderee who is likable in a gruff sort of way. Often the Maggody books introduce a character, give us a little glimpse into their personality, then kill them off. We usually don't regret their passing, as they are not nice people.

The victim here was not really nice either, but he was likable. Actually there were 2 victims, both of whom were likable in their own way.

The entire premise was set up around a golf tournament to benefit "golf widows", and the only dissatisfaction that I might have comes from that. Read the book to find out why!

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doing good works, and getting the ladies of town to help, is a full-time job for Mrs. Jim Bob Buchanan. While watching Oprah, she sees a weeping golf widow. Filled with sympathy, she organizes a fund-raiser to help these poor women. What sort of a fund-raiser will be appropriate? Why, a golf tournament, of course, in spite of the fact that Maggody doesn't have a golf course and no one in town has ever played golf.

When Mrs. Jim Bob Buchanan bullies the local boat dealer into donating a truly remarkable fishing boat as the grand prize for the first hole-in-one, it all gets a little crazy. Unfortunately, it gets crazy enough that somebody gets killed and Chief of Police Arly Hanks has to stop mooning over her personal problem long enough to find the killer.

Plenty of laughs and an easily solved mystery make this a quick, fun read for a summer day.