Talking To The Dead Guys: A Boo Done It Mystery

by Gretchen Rix

TALKING TO THE DEAD GUYS This is a Texas mystery about a dog, strong women, and small town living (or is it dying?), sort of a Texas cozy. Cue in the theme music from "Dallas." Shoot! I'll cut right to the chase. This is about how me and my sister's mastiff Boo Radley dragged me off my feet during the damned cemetery tour in Lockhart right onto a dead corpse. And that's just chapter one. Welcome to Lockhart, The Barbecue Capital of Texas, where there is more than indigestion brewing. This is the newest novel from Gretchen Rix, the author of THE COWBOY'S BABY, ARROYO and several quirky short stories.

306 pages, Paperback

First published August 30, 2012

Reviews

[Julie Howard]

This is the first book by this author that I have read or listened to but I enjoyed it, so will be checking out the rest of the series. I wasn't sure about the book at first because of the title, it sounded like it was going to be a sci-fi book with ghosts but that is not the case, I still gave it ago because the blurb sounded interesting. It is a fun mystery with interesting characters and a quirky dog that added humour to the story. Every time the main character thought she had worked out who the killer is the story would take a twist, keeping the listener hooked until the end.
Olive while on a ghost walk around the local cemetery with her dog Boo, stumbles over a dead body. Olive, Boo and her sister live in a small village and they all know the dead man. Olive can't help but ask questions, it is only have Boo sniffs out another dead body that Olive starts to worry that she might be a target because they all worked together as part of the tour. With wacky neighbours, a dog scared of its own shadow and a policemen telling them to stay out of it can the two sisters work out why there local cemetery has become a dumping ground for dead bodies? They will have to dig deep to uncover the mystery behind there friends death.
I have listened to this narrator before and like before found her to be very talented at bringing the characters to life.

[Jennie Rosenblum]

What really hooked me into this book was one of the minor characters Juan Chico (who the main character Olive guesses that his mom must have watched The Waltons – think about it!). When an author can make an intriguing back-story and a link I can relate to on a minor character – you know they are going to spend just as much effort on the entire book and this author did just that.

Tie in the Barbeque town of Lockhart (I agree Olive, Black’s is the best – unless it’s ham and then no one does it better than Kreuz!) and a rather large dog named Boo Radley, bodies in a cemetery – above ground! a nosey neighbor and it was a joy to read. The twists and turns were well done and I found myself sneaking a read whenever I could.

[Julia Walker]

I loved this book! Maybe it was that the huge mastiff dog was named Boo Radley, maybe it was the fact that the murder takes place during the Historical Society's annual fundraiser, or maybe because the characters are such fun. A twisting turning tale of murder that leaves you want to read more about the characters and their small town. Great fun for a weekend and a terrific Halloween read for those into the light side of scary!

[Tam Francis]

This is an Agatha Christie meets "Marley and Me" murder mystery. If you think animals are people too and love your dog like your sister, this is a must read. Not only does the dog Boo Radley stumble into murders, but he often leads his intrepid owners on clue-finding misadventures. It's peppered with eccentric characters and historic locales which will keep you smiling and guessing to the end.

[Gretchen]

I can't rate or review my own book. I've just re-read it in order to get the tone and characters straight before finishing the draft of its sequel TEA WITH A DEAD GAL. Also, if a writer can't read her own books, how can she expect anyone else to enjoy them.

[Jo]

This was a fun book to read, because I am from Lockhart. All of the places, streets, locations, etc. are for real.