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Thistle & Twigg Mystery #1
Thistle and Twigg
Jane Thistle is a widow who has just settled down in Tullulah, Alabama, after a long and happy life with her husband, a career military officer whose job took them all over the world. But now that she's on her own, she's just as happy to have found this delightful small Southern town to call home. Her new best friend is Phoebe Twigg, also a widow, who has lived in Tullulah all her life. Phoebe is about as different as could be from the worldly and refined Jane Thistle, but her colorful personality and warm, welcoming Southern nature make them quite a team.
The two ladies become fast friends when they stumble on a dead body while on a walk in the woods near Jane's new house. And that's not all of the mysteries interrupting the slow life in Tullulah: Someone seems to be threatening Jane's neighbor, a local old recluse who seems to have more interest in the land than in its inhabitants; a firebomb explodes in Phoebe's kitchen; and unexplainable sounds and objects turn up at the strangest times in Jane's house. Jane and Phoebe quickly become partners in investigation in Mary Saums's funny and charming---and surprising---debut mystery.
The two ladies become fast friends when they stumble on a dead body while on a walk in the woods near Jane's new house. And that's not all of the mysteries interrupting the slow life in Tullulah: Someone seems to be threatening Jane's neighbor, a local old recluse who seems to have more interest in the land than in its inhabitants; a firebomb explodes in Phoebe's kitchen; and unexplainable sounds and objects turn up at the strangest times in Jane's house. Jane and Phoebe quickly become partners in investigation in Mary Saums's funny and charming---and surprising---debut mystery.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published April 17, 2007
7 people are currently reading
615 people want to read
About the author
Mary Saums
5 books22 followersMary Saums grew up in North Alabama. Her earliest memory is of her first trip to the library at age six. Both her mother and the well-meaning librarian refused to let Mary check out the book she wanted.Mary also writes poetry and short fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
April 5, 2008
As if I didn't have enough projects, I've set myself another. I'm going to read a mystery set in each of the states of the Union, and to make it more interesting, it has to be a book by an author who's new to me.
So, to start with Alabama, I couldn't count the Anne George book I read recently. Fortunately, I had THISTLE AND TWIGG by Mary Saums waiting on
the TBR shelf. The motto for this book, and the series to come, might be "Never underestimate the power of a woman -- especially two women."
The much-traveled Thistle and the small-town, trusting Twigg each have hidden strengths that become apparent as they battle murderers and
despoilers of the environment. There is a supernatural element to the story as well, which is not a problem for me, especially as it is tied
in so well with the local history and love for the land that infuse this book.
I've spent all of 9 weeks in Alabama in my life, in WAC basic training at Fort McLellan near Anniston. Saums' fictional Tullulah is set in
northwest Alabama, but since it and Anniston both lie near National Forests, I had a memory of red clay soil and pine trees that is probably
fairly accurate. Mary Saums filled in the picture with evocative description of the land. It is not surprising that she is also a
published poet. I'll be looking forward to more of Thistle and Twigg.
So, to start with Alabama, I couldn't count the Anne George book I read recently. Fortunately, I had THISTLE AND TWIGG by Mary Saums waiting on
the TBR shelf. The motto for this book, and the series to come, might be "Never underestimate the power of a woman -- especially two women."
The much-traveled Thistle and the small-town, trusting Twigg each have hidden strengths that become apparent as they battle murderers and
despoilers of the environment. There is a supernatural element to the story as well, which is not a problem for me, especially as it is tied
in so well with the local history and love for the land that infuse this book.
I've spent all of 9 weeks in Alabama in my life, in WAC basic training at Fort McLellan near Anniston. Saums' fictional Tullulah is set in
northwest Alabama, but since it and Anniston both lie near National Forests, I had a memory of red clay soil and pine trees that is probably
fairly accurate. Mary Saums filled in the picture with evocative description of the land. It is not surprising that she is also a
published poet. I'll be looking forward to more of Thistle and Twigg.
December 14, 2008
A mild, Southern cozy. The two main characters have potential to be more interesting but this story was not engaging. Mystical and Native American elements seemed rather out of place but may be appealing to some readers.
May 24, 2011
Jane Thistle moves to Tullulah, Alabama after her husband, Colonel Thistle dies. She chooses Tullulah, a town which she had passed through years earlier while moving their household to another military base to which her husband had been posted, because of it beauty and quietude. The town had stayed in her head for many, many years.
A snake moves through her house with the movers on her first day in her new home prompting her to purchase some bullets for her pistol. She was a peaceful person, but didn't feel the need to take unnecessary chances living on the edge of a wildlife refuge and privately owned forest on the other sides. Jane meets Phoebe Twigg at the sporting goods store and while the two women are as different as can be imagined, a solid friendship is struck up.
Jane expresses an interest of purchasing a parcel of her neighbor's property to her Realtor and manages to overcome his obvious reluctance to approach Cal Prewitt. They pass several No Trespassing signs only to be shot at in his front yard. This concluded her desire to purchase any of his property.
Cal shows up on Jane's porch that night in a highly inebriated state and the two of them get to know each other over tea. He invites her to visit his house and property the next day. He shows her his firing range and tells her she is free to use it whenever she would like.
Jane takes Phoebe to the range with her, Phoebe has no experience with guns and Jane thinks she would have a good time learning how to shot. Instead of a peaceful afternoon together they find a man shot behind some large rocks at the end of the range...and Cal has disappeared.
Phoebe house is firebombed shortly after she and Jane have dinner together and this sets the pair into motion to discover what exactly is going on in the small town of Tullulah.
Jane and Phoebe really are two entirely different characters. I must admit that I was a little skeptical when I first began reading Phoebe's narrative, but soon I began to really appreciate that the two of them were perfect foils for each other. They are delightful women and I hope that this series continues. I would love to see what other situations these two might end up in together. I heartily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys feisty older characters with interesting personality quirks.
A snake moves through her house with the movers on her first day in her new home prompting her to purchase some bullets for her pistol. She was a peaceful person, but didn't feel the need to take unnecessary chances living on the edge of a wildlife refuge and privately owned forest on the other sides. Jane meets Phoebe Twigg at the sporting goods store and while the two women are as different as can be imagined, a solid friendship is struck up.
Jane expresses an interest of purchasing a parcel of her neighbor's property to her Realtor and manages to overcome his obvious reluctance to approach Cal Prewitt. They pass several No Trespassing signs only to be shot at in his front yard. This concluded her desire to purchase any of his property.
Cal shows up on Jane's porch that night in a highly inebriated state and the two of them get to know each other over tea. He invites her to visit his house and property the next day. He shows her his firing range and tells her she is free to use it whenever she would like.
Jane takes Phoebe to the range with her, Phoebe has no experience with guns and Jane thinks she would have a good time learning how to shot. Instead of a peaceful afternoon together they find a man shot behind some large rocks at the end of the range...and Cal has disappeared.
Phoebe house is firebombed shortly after she and Jane have dinner together and this sets the pair into motion to discover what exactly is going on in the small town of Tullulah.
Jane and Phoebe really are two entirely different characters. I must admit that I was a little skeptical when I first began reading Phoebe's narrative, but soon I began to really appreciate that the two of them were perfect foils for each other. They are delightful women and I hope that this series continues. I would love to see what other situations these two might end up in together. I heartily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys feisty older characters with interesting personality quirks.
June 12, 2016
This southern cozy is a mystery with a twist – there is a supernatural air about it. Jane Thistle, widow, is a new resident of Tullulah, Alabama, and finds the small town a delight from the get-go. Her friendship with Phoebe Twigg seems a bit odd at first, since the two women are so different, but maybe that is why they get along so well. But circumstances seem to thwart their every move – they find a dead body, are nearly caught in an explosion, and are the subject to other threats. The ladies are determined to get to the bottom of things, but if they will succeed before anyone else is hurt remains to be seen. And, speaking of seen, could those “people” that Jane is seeing really be ghosts from a bygone era? An interesting mystery with likable characters, this first novel in the series leaves a bit to be desired as far as character development is concerned, but is it a promising beginning.
June 29, 2016
A very promising first book in a series, this one had me laughing out loud in places. Our two heroines - Jane Thistle, very British former military wife and Pheobe Twigg, Southern woman of the Steel Magnolia variety - are both charming and have distinct voices and points of view. This is important because the book alternates between them as narrators and getting both of their versions of the same event is quite entertaining! This one is certainly an unusual cozy and as the story developed I was pretty surprised by both the additional information we learn about Jane and her background and the somewhat supernatural twists added in. But overall - I felt like the two ladies were well written and fleshed out enough they felt real and distinct from each other and the central mystery was a good one. Great first book and I can only hope the others in this series continue this strong start!
May 17, 2019
#1 in Thistle and Twigg Mysteries
288 pages, cozy mystery - South, ghosts
Jane Thistle has just moved to town after being widowed by her husband, the Colonel. She's picked the house for having a reputation for ghosts and a neighbor who isn't right in the head - or so the town rumor goes. She becomes fast friends with Phoebe, who she is teaching to shoot, and fast friends with Cal, the reclusive neighbor. Strange things are happening...including a dead body, a firebomb, ghosts, and some shady characters in town. Meanwhile, Cal wants Jane to inherit his land on one main condition - she has to care take for it and appoint someone to care for this special place.
I really enjoyed this book! Jane is serious but doesn't take herself too seriously, loves nature, and can see beyond the living world. Oh yeah, and kinda...BA for lack of a better term! Although the book never dives into that as much as I wanted it too. Phoebe is her antithesis: zany, goofball, lovable, and her heart is totally in the right place. Cal's place and the Native American history are such a cool part of the story. And while I'm not even slightly a gun person, Jane's knowledge and...background...are really fascinating, too. I will say that the ending sort of came out of nowhere, but overall, I enjoyed the story and all the various aspects going on.
If you are into fictional Native American history, mysteries, cozy mysteries, zany-ness, the South, nature, or paranormal...you'd enjoy this book. That's how much was going on yet for the most part all tied together in this story. Despite all that, it was an easy read and easy to focus on even while SO TIRED this week.
I'll go 9 of 10 overall and 4.5 of 5 for readability! Check it out.
For more reviews, check out bedroopedbookworms.wordpress.com!
288 pages, cozy mystery - South, ghosts
Jane Thistle has just moved to town after being widowed by her husband, the Colonel. She's picked the house for having a reputation for ghosts and a neighbor who isn't right in the head - or so the town rumor goes. She becomes fast friends with Phoebe, who she is teaching to shoot, and fast friends with Cal, the reclusive neighbor. Strange things are happening...including a dead body, a firebomb, ghosts, and some shady characters in town. Meanwhile, Cal wants Jane to inherit his land on one main condition - she has to care take for it and appoint someone to care for this special place.
I really enjoyed this book! Jane is serious but doesn't take herself too seriously, loves nature, and can see beyond the living world. Oh yeah, and kinda...BA for lack of a better term! Although the book never dives into that as much as I wanted it too. Phoebe is her antithesis: zany, goofball, lovable, and her heart is totally in the right place. Cal's place and the Native American history are such a cool part of the story. And while I'm not even slightly a gun person, Jane's knowledge and...background...are really fascinating, too. I will say that the ending sort of came out of nowhere, but overall, I enjoyed the story and all the various aspects going on.
If you are into fictional Native American history, mysteries, cozy mysteries, zany-ness, the South, nature, or paranormal...you'd enjoy this book. That's how much was going on yet for the most part all tied together in this story. Despite all that, it was an easy read and easy to focus on even while SO TIRED this week.
I'll go 9 of 10 overall and 4.5 of 5 for readability! Check it out.
For more reviews, check out bedroopedbookworms.wordpress.com!
October 25, 2019
The first time Jane Thistle came to Tullulah, Alabama, she knew that she’d return one day. There’d been a connection to the place right from the start, like she belonged (unlike all the places she’d been as a career military officer’s wife – always a temporary situation.) So when her husband passed away, she sold up and relocated to the outskirts of the small town in an old house near a wildlife preserve.
She met her first friend, fellow widow Phoebe Twigg, while buying ammunition for her handgun and shotgun, and met her closest neighbor, Cal Prewitt, that same day when he fired a warning shot over the hood of the car she was traveling in up his driveway. However, the relationship with Cal slowly ironed its way out and they, too, became good friends. When Jane and Phoebe find the dead body of an unidentified young man on Cal’s property, the ladies team up to prove Cal’s innocence, and find themselves a target of the killer as well.
This is the first book in the Thistle & Twigg Mystery series, and it really was a delightful story. It is a quiet, gentle read at first but is laugh-out-loud funny much to do with the way the author alternates the point-of-view between the two ladies for some of the same scenes. Jane’s reserved British manner matched up with Phoebe’s homespun, southern charm is very entertaining. I have lived in the South most of my life and some of Phoebe’s turns of phrase surprised even me. If I had been reading an eBook version I would have worn out the highlight function saving some of the funny sayings. The mystery and resolution was solid, but it is really the 60+ year old heroines that shine. There is some interesting paranormal activity in the storyline but it is pretty minimal. Jane can see ghosts but sightings are few and far between. There is some assistance in advancing the story from the other side. I recommend this book to cozy mystery readers that enjoy more mature protagonists and don’t mind the presence of paranormal elements.
November 9, 2018
This was a delightful gem! Two mature women become friends in Tallula, AL and face danger, ghosts, a blown up kitchen, and the protection of a nature preserve. The author cleverly rotates chapters, splitting the perspective between the two women. It is funny when they recount their reactions to a dead body they found; both say the other screamed and carried on while they were calm. Jane Thistle has a lot of guns and is a good shot. Phoebe Twigg doesn't own a gun until after shooting practice with Jane and the explosion that destroys her kitchen. Both women need their guns when the beautiful untouched forest across from Jane's house is threatened by bad guys. Both women are interesting: Phoebe is a local with Southern oozing out of her and Jane has secrets about her past and her ability to see ghosts. This is the first book in a charming cozy mystery series.
November 20, 2018
This is not great literature by any means, but it's a very charming book with delightful characters. The POV shifts between the two main characters, Phoebe and Jane. Some other reviewers found this confusing, but the two characters have such different voices, I thought it was very easy to tell if it was Jane or Phoebe narrating each chapter.
There's little bit of supernatural in here and generally, I'm not a big fan of that type of stuff, but somehow, in this books, it works and it adds to the overall value and uniqueness of the story.
I had a very good time reading this book.
There's little bit of supernatural in here and generally, I'm not a big fan of that type of stuff, but somehow, in this books, it works and it adds to the overall value and uniqueness of the story.
I had a very good time reading this book.
August 17, 2022
Good plot although she never explained the Jack Blaylock connection. Lots of ghosts and woo-woo stuff if you are into that. The writing, or perhaps it's the editing, is very good. The story is not full of typos and missing words. My biggest complaint is Phoebe. I did not care for this character at all. I understand Saums was going for oil and water characters but I think she could have done this without making Phoebe a ditzy librarian with poor grammar.
September 6, 2023
I really liked Jane, but Phoebe was just a horrid old witch. I have no use for people who don't like dogs, especially old ones. The Native American lore was interesting. Looking forward to the next one.
July 10, 2025
Intrigue, murder, mysterious happenings and ghosts, plus charming characters, special settings and more. All the things that make for a good book.
However, it lacked depth, in my opinion. There was a lot of redundancy and some of the scenes dragged on a bit.
I’m still glad I read it.
However, it lacked depth, in my opinion. There was a lot of redundancy and some of the scenes dragged on a bit.
I’m still glad I read it.
June 1, 2018
I'm not sure I'll follow up with the series.
March 11, 2020
The overall rating shows around 3.7. I'd say it's about right. Cute cozy mystery. Not a page turner.
August 28, 2021
A fun summer read.
November 4, 2021
Ok, but not my style. I felt like it was a little too cutesy (and a tad preoccupied with the fact that the 67-yr-old widow knew how to shoot guns). It just wasn’t my style.
June 12, 2023
It was ok, it got long at the end. I consider it a mystery and very light reading.
June 21, 2023
Absolutely delightful!
What a wonderful book! It’s not only about two friends but a mystery with Native American history and some exciting action. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
What a wonderful book! It’s not only about two friends but a mystery with Native American history and some exciting action. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
July 31, 2023
Fun characters and lots of Native American lore made this mystery set in small town Alabama and featuring two senior ladies an enjoyable read.
July 19, 2024
the last 50 pages were pretty eventful, but i was bored for the majority of the book. it had some good messages though
January 2, 2017
What a fun book and crazy cast of characters!
August 16, 2009
Hilarious reading about two oddly compatible women from completely different backgrounds (one Southern, the other British) set in North Alabama. Part mystery, part ghost story, part Native history and folklore Mary Saums tale of murder and intrigue in the Alabama backwoods is reminiscent of the late Anne George's wonderful books but uniquely different.
New to the town of Tullulah, former Englishwoman and widow of a U.S. Army Colonel, Jane Thistle moves into a historic home the townspeople of Tullulah believe is haunted. Many years before Jane happened upon the little town and found its charm irresistible. After her husband dies she leaves Florida to move there. On her first day she meets Phoebe Twigg, also a widow and a retired library employee (children's librarian!). Bonding immediately they become fast friends. Jane also meets her neighbor, Cal Prewitt and his black retriever mix Homer. Cal has a secret and after Jane and Phoebe discover a body on his property the two women find themselves right in the middle of some dangerous activities involving gunplay, murder, ghosts, and deception.
Mary Saums is also the author of the Willi Taft mysteries and is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime (a non-profit organization for the advancement of women in mystery fiction). She also writes poetry and short stories, and has a particular distaste for Mozart. See her web site (NOTE: IT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED) www.marysaums.com.
New to the town of Tullulah, former Englishwoman and widow of a U.S. Army Colonel, Jane Thistle moves into a historic home the townspeople of Tullulah believe is haunted. Many years before Jane happened upon the little town and found its charm irresistible. After her husband dies she leaves Florida to move there. On her first day she meets Phoebe Twigg, also a widow and a retired library employee (children's librarian!). Bonding immediately they become fast friends. Jane also meets her neighbor, Cal Prewitt and his black retriever mix Homer. Cal has a secret and after Jane and Phoebe discover a body on his property the two women find themselves right in the middle of some dangerous activities involving gunplay, murder, ghosts, and deception.
Mary Saums is also the author of the Willi Taft mysteries and is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime (a non-profit organization for the advancement of women in mystery fiction). She also writes poetry and short stories, and has a particular distaste for Mozart. See her web site (NOTE: IT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED) www.marysaums.com.
January 28, 2013
There is more to Jane Thistle than meets the eye. Seemingly a little old widow woman who has moved to Tullulah, Alabama, a small town that has been hunting her since she first drove through it years before. She moves into an old haunted house on the edge of a wildlife refuge and quickly becomes good friends with Phoebe Twigg. Jane also manages to befriend the cantankerous Cal Prewitt, her eccentric neighbor and the owner of a piece of untouched wilderness. When Jane and Phoebe find a body on Cal’s land, Cal becomes the chief suspect in the murder. Jane is determined to prove him innocent and so starts the adventures of Thistle and Twigg.
The two heroines are completely opposite in character. With Phoebe what you see is what you get, but Jane has many hidden secrets which the reader becomes privvy to – but has not been revealed to Phoebe yet.
A lot goes on in this not so cozy cozy – there are ghosts, ghost hunters, Native American mythology, bombs, land protection, kidnapping, unlikely friendships and a dog. All the elements I need for a great story. My only complaint is that I didn’t like the way the story kept cutting between the points of view of Jane and Phoebe. Yhat is a tiny niggle in an otherwise great debut series.
The two heroines are completely opposite in character. With Phoebe what you see is what you get, but Jane has many hidden secrets which the reader becomes privvy to – but has not been revealed to Phoebe yet.
A lot goes on in this not so cozy cozy – there are ghosts, ghost hunters, Native American mythology, bombs, land protection, kidnapping, unlikely friendships and a dog. All the elements I need for a great story. My only complaint is that I didn’t like the way the story kept cutting between the points of view of Jane and Phoebe. Yhat is a tiny niggle in an otherwise great debut series.
October 17, 2011
This was a lovely book to read. The format was slightly different in that it alternates narrative between two new friends and how they encounter and solve mysteries including murders.
A new widow, Ms. Jane Thistle moves to a town in Alabama that she discovered while moving with her husband from military base to base during their long life together. Jane has the ability to see and speak with ghosts. This ability is shown to us, the readers, in a peaceful and joyful manner. This is not a scary ghost story. This is a story of history, spiritual awareness, and friendships that can last from now to eternity.
A lonely widow, Ms. Phoebe Twigg meets her new best friend while Jane is buying bullets. Rather than being put off, this sheltered Lady decides it is time to buy herself some bullets. A strong friendship is being born. Mind you Phoebe doesn't own a gun but that is besides the point.
This book has love, humor, and adventure. I reacted very strongly to some of the action as I believe the author wished me to do. She would not be unhappy, I think.
I have purchases her next book and will look forward to meeting my new friends, Jane and Phoebe again.
A new widow, Ms. Jane Thistle moves to a town in Alabama that she discovered while moving with her husband from military base to base during their long life together. Jane has the ability to see and speak with ghosts. This ability is shown to us, the readers, in a peaceful and joyful manner. This is not a scary ghost story. This is a story of history, spiritual awareness, and friendships that can last from now to eternity.
A lonely widow, Ms. Phoebe Twigg meets her new best friend while Jane is buying bullets. Rather than being put off, this sheltered Lady decides it is time to buy herself some bullets. A strong friendship is being born. Mind you Phoebe doesn't own a gun but that is besides the point.
This book has love, humor, and adventure. I reacted very strongly to some of the action as I believe the author wished me to do. She would not be unhappy, I think.
I have purchases her next book and will look forward to meeting my new friends, Jane and Phoebe again.
January 29, 2016
An enjoyable enough cozy mystery and not at all what I was expecting.
Jane Thistle starts a new life in a small Southern town of Tallulah and meets her new best friend Phoebe Twigg and both are soon embroiled in an overlapping series of mysteries that while not overly original or complicated work well to drive the story along.
The real point of the book, as is the case in most cozy mysteries is more about the characters and the world they inhabit than in the actual mystery itself.
Both main characters are entertaining and fun to get to learn, though Jane Thistle flutters dangerously close to the edge of being a Mary Sue and Phoebe Twigg comes perilously close to being a cartoony stereotype, both characters are saved by how engaging they are and how they click together.
You don't really get much of a feel for the town itself, but the land that Jane moves to takes on a life of it's own and is far more real feeling than any of the people in the book.
I did find the use of Native American history and culture to be a bit forced but I'm willing to see how it plays out in future books before making up my mind fully about it.
Jane Thistle starts a new life in a small Southern town of Tallulah and meets her new best friend Phoebe Twigg and both are soon embroiled in an overlapping series of mysteries that while not overly original or complicated work well to drive the story along.
The real point of the book, as is the case in most cozy mysteries is more about the characters and the world they inhabit than in the actual mystery itself.
Both main characters are entertaining and fun to get to learn, though Jane Thistle flutters dangerously close to the edge of being a Mary Sue and Phoebe Twigg comes perilously close to being a cartoony stereotype, both characters are saved by how engaging they are and how they click together.
You don't really get much of a feel for the town itself, but the land that Jane moves to takes on a life of it's own and is far more real feeling than any of the people in the book.
I did find the use of Native American history and culture to be a bit forced but I'm willing to see how it plays out in future books before making up my mind fully about it.
December 24, 2011
I had asked the librarian for a mystery that involved an elderly protagonist. She suggested Thistle and Twigg by Mary Saums. This is a new author for me, but after reading the blurb on the cover, I decided to try the book.
I would classify this as a cozy mystery. The title refers to two 65 year old women, Jane Thistle and Phoebe Twigg, who meet when Jane moves to Tulullah, Alabama. The story is written with different chapters told from either Jane or Phoebe's point of view, and it is like listening to two people tell a story to you at the same time. Even the same event can be seen quite differently.
Of course there is a murder, bad men, guns, intrigue, and ghosts. Well, I am not sure the ghosts are an "of course" element...but somehow they seem to fit in just fine in this cozy story.
A fun read!
I would classify this as a cozy mystery. The title refers to two 65 year old women, Jane Thistle and Phoebe Twigg, who meet when Jane moves to Tulullah, Alabama. The story is written with different chapters told from either Jane or Phoebe's point of view, and it is like listening to two people tell a story to you at the same time. Even the same event can be seen quite differently.
Of course there is a murder, bad men, guns, intrigue, and ghosts. Well, I am not sure the ghosts are an "of course" element...but somehow they seem to fit in just fine in this cozy story.
A fun read!
September 20, 2009
Amusing tale of Jane Thistle's arrival in tiny Tallulah, Alabama. A somewhat odd mix of mystery and mysticism, it works. Jane is a recent military widow, age 67. Her interesting life is alluded to early in the book, but we don't find out what that is until later on. The events of the book unfold very quickly after Jane's arrival in Tallulah (she forms "dear" friendships very quickly) - a dead body, sacred Cherokee artifacts/places, and the surprising end. Jane is a sharpshooter -- there is much made of guns through the book, which I admit I didn't enjoy and didn't really why that extent was necessary - although maybe it'll be explained in later books.
Jane and Phoebe (a Tallulh native) were engaging characters, as were the ghostly characters. I'll be getting the sequal from the library!
Jane and Phoebe (a Tallulh native) were engaging characters, as were the ghostly characters. I'll be getting the sequal from the library!
July 26, 2008
This book falls squarely in the "Southern Cozy" genre and while in places it seemed to take itself a bit too seriously and the author seemed to want to throw everything but the kitchen sink in as far a themes go, overall, it was a quick and fun read. I loved the alternating voices of Jane Thistle, the 67 year old British widow and the Phoebe Twigg, the 65 year old Alabama native who befriends Jane who has just moved to Tullulah (I think that's how it's spelled), Alabama. If the author could spend a bit more time developing these two characters and their relationship, this could be a really fun series. I'll definitely look into additional books in this series.
May 8, 2008
A wonderful debut with a winning twist on the southern cozy. I don't usually like fantasy or woo woo atmosphere in my mysteries but this one was great fun! The book features 2 very different southern heroines with one thing in common...they are over 60 and fearless. As they investigate murder, firebombs and inexplicable sounds and objects moving in the house they become good friends and the guardians of some very special places in the forest. I'm anxious for my next Amazon order with the next few books in this charming series.
November 6, 2009
Jane Thistle's arrival in small Tullulah, Alabama, is noted by many, as she has quickly purchased the old Hardwick place, haunted by all accounts. Phoebe Twigg welcomes her immediately and a friendship ensues between the women. When the hermit Cal Prewitt makes overtures to his new neighbor about purchasing his land, Jane jumps at the chance. The melding of mystery and magic in Tullulah is wonderful--from the teens who want to "ghostbust" out at the Hardwick land to other unearthly visitors, Jane's introduction to town is an exciting one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews