Review/Giveaway: Eggs in a Casket by Laura Childs

Blurb: The ladies of the Cackleberry Club are always ready to serve—whether they’re cooking up breakfast or sniffing out a bad egg.

While Petra handles the breakfast rush at the Cackleberry Club, the café’s other two owners, Suzanne and Toni, head to Memorial Cemetery to help prepare for its 150th anniversary celebration. But as they search the winding paths for the historical society tent, they discover something else out of place: the body of ex-prison warden Lester Drummond lying facedown in someone else’s freshly dug grave.

In the small town of Kindred, everyone knows everyone, and Lester was no exception. Suzanne knew him as the creepy guy who made unwanted advances on her friend Missy Langston. But now it appears the man was hiding a few secrets… and at least one of them was worth killing for.

As the case cracks open, there are plenty of suspects to consider—from recent parolees to Missy herself, who Suzanne and Toni saw speeding away just before they found the body. Now, with a cemetery celebration in the offing, and the local authorities in over their heads, it’s up to the Cackleberry Club to unscramble the clues and clear their friend’s name.

Review: Laura Childs' Cackleberry Club mysteries is one of my favorite concepts for a cozy series. A trio of ladies who run a café that specializes in eggs and becomes a local gathering spot for the citizens of Kindred...imagine the juicy gossip that could be overheard in a small town where everyone knows everybody else's business?

Things are really hopping for the Cackleberry Club as Suzanne, Toni and Petra are preparing for the 150th anniversary celebration of the Memorial Cemetery. While unloading the car of large floral baskets, Toni's umbrella takes flight. As they chase it all over the cemetery, Suzanne discovers the body of former prison warden Lester Drummond, "borrowing" someone else's grave. The prime suspect ends up being Suzanne's friend Missy (who had issues with the victim along with several others), who had nearly crashed into Suzanne and Toni fleeing the cemetery as they had been driving in. When the local sheriff is taken out of commission as well, it's up to Toni, Petra and Suzanne to catch a killer. The killer's reveal takes place during a severe storm with Suzanne and her horse Mocha on a thrilling, life-threatening ride.

One of my favorite things about any Laura Childs mystery is how atmospheric they are; I always feel like I'm a part of the action. A favorite scene in this book takes place during a spooky candlelight tour of historic graves (a tiptoe through the tombstones!) Creepy, campy fun at it's best!

I can't imagine anything more enjoyable than chatting with the ladies of the Cackleberry Club over coffee and a delicious pastry, and I eagerly look forward to their next adventure. In the meantime I'm planning to try out some of the yummy recipes at the end of this book, starting with Cranberry Muffins!

* I received a copy of this book from the author with the request for a review.

GIVEAWAY: Comment on this post by noon EST on January 22, and you will be entered for a chance to win a hardcover copy of Eggs in a Casket.  Two (2) winners will be chosen at random.  U.S. entries only.