When Skye Denison left Scumble River years ago, she swore she'd never return. But after a bout with her boyfriend and credit card rejection, she's ...
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reviews
Apr 09, 2011
The
rated it: 
Denise Swanson had me laughing so hard tears rolled & rolled... & rolled again! This series is hysterical. Skye is friggin' hilarious!
My favorite was the Cow Chip Bingo. I had to wipe the tears away. It was unbelievably uproarious!
I would combust into fits of laughter telling anybody & everybody about the wickedly delicious Scumble River series.
Watching Skye Denison return to her hometown was enjoyable. Skye is definitely well loved & is welcome w/ open arms. Of cou More...
My favorite was the Cow Chip Bingo. I had to wipe the tears away. It was unbelievably uproarious!
I would combust into fits of laughter telling anybody & everybody about the wickedly delicious Scumble River series.
Watching Skye Denison return to her hometown was enjoyable. Skye is definitely well loved & is welcome w/ open arms. Of cou More...
Nov 21, 2010
Babs
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Thought I may have read this one before, but nothing was familiar about the story line. I have read other books in the series, but this is apparently the first book. It concerns a young woman who has to return to her small home town in central Illinois after some setbacks in her life. Too make matters worse, she has to live down her remarks as valedictorian of her graduating class of 12 years ago, were she was vowed to leave the small town and small minds. The towns folk will not let her liv
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Mar 02, 2011
David
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Don't read the author biography prior to reading the book. If you do then you realize a lot of the heroine is autobiographical; and then at least for me it becomes hard to look past the pretentious, self-indulgent portrayal that is supposed to pass off as charm.
The heroine is constantly shown to be smarter than everyone else, and ALWAYS know just the right thing to say to put everyone in their place. You know when you have an argument with someone and then like ten minutes later in More...
The heroine is constantly shown to be smarter than everyone else, and ALWAYS know just the right thing to say to put everyone in their place. You know when you have an argument with someone and then like ten minutes later in More...
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Feb 01, 2011
Sheri
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Murder of a Small Town Honey ( Denise Swanson)
Murder/Mystery. Skye Denison left her rural , Illinois town of Scumble River and hoped to not look back. But things did not work out for school psychologist Skye in New Orleans. She was fired from her job and broke up with her boyfriend.
What she comes home to is a dead body, the elderly host of a childre'ns show, or so it appears. Upon medical exam turns out it is a beautiful young woman, a woman with a hidden past. Soon Skye's brot More...
Murder/Mystery. Skye Denison left her rural , Illinois town of Scumble River and hoped to not look back. But things did not work out for school psychologist Skye in New Orleans. She was fired from her job and broke up with her boyfriend.
What she comes home to is a dead body, the elderly host of a childre'ns show, or so it appears. Upon medical exam turns out it is a beautiful young woman, a woman with a hidden past. Soon Skye's brot More...
Feb 24, 2011
Pam
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AUTHOR: Swanson, Denise
TITLE: Murder of a Small-Town Honey
DATE READ: 02/20/11
RATING: 4/B
GENRE/PUB DATE/PUBLISHER/# OF PGS: Mystery/2000/Signet/293 pgs
SERIES/STAND ALONE: #1 Scumble River Mystery
TIME/PLACE: Late 1990's/ Scumble River, IL
CHARACTERS: Skye Denison/school psychologist
FIRST LINES: When Skye Denison was forced to return to Scumble River, Illinois, she knew it would be humiliating, but she never dreamed it would be murder.
COMMENTS: N More...
TITLE: Murder of a Small-Town Honey
DATE READ: 02/20/11
RATING: 4/B
GENRE/PUB DATE/PUBLISHER/# OF PGS: Mystery/2000/Signet/293 pgs
SERIES/STAND ALONE: #1 Scumble River Mystery
TIME/PLACE: Late 1990's/ Scumble River, IL
CHARACTERS: Skye Denison/school psychologist
FIRST LINES: When Skye Denison was forced to return to Scumble River, Illinois, she knew it would be humiliating, but she never dreamed it would be murder.
COMMENTS: N More...
Sep 06, 2011
Georgiann
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When Skye Denison left Scumble river years ago . She swore she,d never come back. Now jilted by her boyfriend , fired from her job and her credit cards maxed out. She reluntantly came home. Her godfather got her a job as the new school psychologist and she,s determined to keep a low profile. But an army of small town busybodies and well meaning family members can,t wait to give her advice and pry into her life. But when Skye discovers the elderly beloved childrens t.v program star dead and it t
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Feb 25, 2009
Kim
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I can't help it. At heart, I am a cozy girl. I love series like this because I become attached to the characters and comfortable with them. They are good, quick reads that leave me feeling happy when I'm done reading them. I may figure out who the killer was, but there is almost always a surprise thrown in that I didn't catch. I also like that in this series, as in many cozy series, that because they are based in the same location for every book, I get to know an area of the country I knew noth
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Jun 06, 2009
Britt
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This book wasn’t bad. This is the first book in a murder mystery series starring a woman, who, after being fired from her job and left at the altar, returns to her hometown and takes a psychologist job for the local school system. Soon after arriving back in town a woman is murdered and her brother is accused, so she has to solve the mystery to clear his name. Not bad, but certainly not memorable either. There was also a little too many psychology details thrown in, but that was to be expec
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Sep 22, 2008
Brendan
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Swanson's tale of a school psychologist forced into detection when her brother is accused of murder whisks along at a sprightly pace. The main character is interesting if a bit one-sided (a hair-trigger feminist from a small town, she's angry with everyone).
The author does a decent job setting up the small town atmosphere of busy-body townsfolk and a character slinking home after burning her bridges. At the same time, there aren't very many (if any?) likeable people in the town. S More...
The author does a decent job setting up the small town atmosphere of busy-body townsfolk and a character slinking home after burning her bridges. At the same time, there aren't very many (if any?) likeable people in the town. S More...
May 30, 2010
Elaine
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Although in parts, there was too much detail (what they ate, etc.), it was a good mystery. Leaves the reader guessing. Light romance which doesn't lead to anything steamy.
Because her brother Vince is charged with the murder of Honey and she doesn't believe he's guilty, Skye tries to prove his innocence. At her new job as psychologist for the local elementary, middle and high schools, she is met with reticence and hostility. Several people are looking suspicious.
Because her brother Vince is charged with the murder of Honey and she doesn't believe he's guilty, Skye tries to prove his innocence. At her new job as psychologist for the local elementary, middle and high schools, she is met with reticence and hostility. Several people are looking suspicious.
Sep 23, 2011
Jenn
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Not bad. I'd read several more of this series, starting with the latest, so I'm all out of order. Scumble River sure has some rude assholes in it, though. I mean, Skye was 18 when she made that bitchy statement. How didn't do something stupid at 18. But beyond that, I couldn't believe how many people commented on her weight. And beyond that, that she didn't tell them to go @*&$ themselves.
Aug 29, 2009
Vicky
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Damns! I have the entire series of Scrumble mysteries so I feel obligated to read them. This book was poorly written with badly defined characters. I kept reading it though despite the ridiculous premise. And to have skey remember word for word a one-time heard speech 12 years prior? Come on! I can only hope book 2 is better.
Oh, and the use of song titles for chapters? Had nothing to do with the plot. Terrible.
Oh, and the use of song titles for chapters? Had nothing to do with the plot. Terrible.
Sep 30, 2011
Adrienne
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Has enough quirky characters in a small town, all having secrets to be found. The reader doesn't need to think to read the story. Slows a bit with history of the town but on a whole it was a decent story as the author gives you the characters history. It takes time to uncover the bad person but keeps you turning the pages to learn who did it. Love the mother daughter power struggle, done well without whining or harping on the topics.
Oct 19, 2009
Debb
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Enjoyed this murder mystery in small-town Northern Illinois (but NOT Chicago). Well written and funny and captures the essence of small-town life, like remembering your valedictory address about small-minded small town dwellers who you were leaving behind. . . .when you return almost 2 decades later. I want to read MORE.
Mar 18, 2010
Carla
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This was a light-hearted fun book. A woman regrettably moves back to her small home town and becomes a school psychologist for all 3 schools. She accidentally stumbles across the murder of a woman who was the host of a children's TV show. This was the first in a series and I have ordered the next 2.
Nov 20, 2009
Stephanie
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I think the idea behind this story is good. I think the author needs to do better character development. I felt like the author just brushed the surface of each character. I'm guessing that she must do better in the next books because there are so many more books in this series.
Apr 25, 2009
Angela
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Each and everyone of these books in her series are great fun. I love her books. They are set in illinois and the spoon river drive features in one of them. for a fun group of books, read them all. the book rack (used book store behind county market has them)
Jan 24, 2012
Amanda
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I actually started this book on 1/21 - pretty quick read, and likeable heroine - a school psychologist in a small town she grew up in, left, and had to return to for lack of better options. Will continue to the next in the series.
Nov 15, 2011
Radz
rated it:
Boo.
Ok mystery, pretty bad writing, absolutely horrible ending. It was a little too much on the tying-it- all- together -and -explaining-what-happened-and-why ending.
Most of the book felt like she wrote the sentences because "that's how mystery books go". And the chapter titles were irritating.
And it always seemed like the voice should be Skye's. I would be reading and my mind would read it as Skye's voice. Then, next sentence, I would realize it was th More...
Ok mystery, pretty bad writing, absolutely horrible ending. It was a little too much on the tying-it- all- together -and -explaining-what-happened-and-why ending.
Most of the book felt like she wrote the sentences because "that's how mystery books go". And the chapter titles were irritating.
And it always seemed like the voice should be Skye's. I would be reading and my mind would read it as Skye's voice. Then, next sentence, I would realize it was th More...
Oct 18, 2010
Elaine
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a little lame on the ending, and why, oh, why, do we have to have the heroine attracted to the guy who comes on like a total jerk? Still, it mostly kept my attention, and I *might* read another one by the same author.
Jun 07, 2009
La
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What a fun little bit of fluff! While the writing was not great, the story and characters stayed with me. That's the sign of a great story to me, so I will search her out again and see if the writing improves!
Dec 15, 2009
Shannon
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I like this book however there were a ton of things the author left out (which could have been on purpose) and things happened SO fast at the end!!! Kind of bugged but I did like it.
Mar 16, 2009
bella
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This series is a lot of fun, and a quick read. Not quite as heavy on the imagination as the Stephanie Plum series, and not quite as unbelievable for the relationship male lead either.
Sep 29, 2011
Janice
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cute, will probadly read more. Skye Denison returns home to Scumble River 10 years after trashing the town in her valedictorian speech.
Sep 27, 2011
Liz
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This is a light, fun mystery. It is my go to series when I want an entertaining and sometimes humorous break.
Mar 21, 2011
Karen
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I so much enjoy reading this series. Her characters are fab! Her main character's sense of humor is wonderful!
Jan 20, 2012
Debbie
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Skye moves back to her home town, as school psychologist, and gets involved in solving murder
Oct 31, 2011
Karolyn
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I enjoyed this mystery. I could relate to the main character, being a special education teacher myself.
Dec 17, 2010
Jeanette
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This book had some potential, but the main character was childish and the supposed romance had absolutely no spark or chemistry.
Jan 18, 2009
Flowergirl
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Good basic mystery - I enjoyed it and would probably read this author again.
