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Small Town Trouble
In Small Town Trouble, the first in my mystery series, you get acquainted with Kim Claypoole’s irreverent ways of dealing with the peculiar characters and events that seem to follow her around. Claypoole’s misadventures begin as she leaves her home in the Smoky Mountains to help save her kooky mother Evelyn’s from financial disaster. Setting off to assist Evelyn, AKA “The Other Scarlett O’Hara,” with her newest personal crisis, Claypoole leaves her Gatlinburg doublewide and the Little Pigeon, the restaurant that she owns with her partner and sometimes best friend Mad Ted Weber as well as a steamy love affair with TV diva Nancy Merit.
Claypoole’s savior complex leads to more trouble when she bumps into an old flame in her hometown who asks for help clearing her hapless brother of a recent murder charge. In true Claypoole fashion, she gets more than she bargained for when she gets dragged into a complicated quest to find the true killer that involves topless dancers, small-town cops, a stream of backwater character and even a meeting with the Grim Reaper. We’re never sure if Claypoole can muddle her way through the murky depths of this bizarre murder mystery before it’s too late. With biting humor and wit, Small Town Trouble will leave you guessing what’s around the next corner in the quirky world of Kim Claypoole and looking forward to her next adventure.
Claypoole’s savior complex leads to more trouble when she bumps into an old flame in her hometown who asks for help clearing her hapless brother of a recent murder charge. In true Claypoole fashion, she gets more than she bargained for when she gets dragged into a complicated quest to find the true killer that involves topless dancers, small-town cops, a stream of backwater character and even a meeting with the Grim Reaper. We’re never sure if Claypoole can muddle her way through the murky depths of this bizarre murder mystery before it’s too late. With biting humor and wit, Small Town Trouble will leave you guessing what’s around the next corner in the quirky world of Kim Claypoole and looking forward to her next adventure.
248 pages, Unknown Binding
First published April 1, 2013
21 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 19, 2014
http://openbooksociety.com/article/sm...
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kim
*Beware of possible Spoilers*
small-town-trouble-jean-erhardtIt’s bad enough that her love life is a little upside down now that that they’ve taken a “breaky-poo ” but with a phone call from her hometown of Fogerty, Ohio, looks like Kimberly Claypoole is going to have to go home.
While at the restaurant, The Little Pigeon, she co-owns with her friend, Kimberly hears from her mother. Someone made an offer on the radio station that her deceased father cherished and for sentimental reasons her mother does not want to sell it.
“Mother,” I said, trying not to scream like a pig,”be reasonable. Were talking about two hundred and fifty thousand dollars for a station that’s been in the red longer than Tammy Wynette sang Stand by your Man.”
On her way home Kimberly was trying to figure out the many things that need to be brought to her mother attention, for instance her mother’s checking account and the lack of money there within, get a lawyer to handle the sale and negotiations and maybe be put on a budget. After arriving she finds out that there has been a murder, not just any murder, the victim has had a vital body part removed.
“Who would do such a thing and what did they do with it afterward,” said Kimberly Claypoole.
Then Kimberly finds out that the man trying to buy the radio station is buying up the property all around it including her friend Amy’s family place but yet no one has ever met him much less has seen him. Not even a week after refusing his offer Amy’s brother is in jail for the murder of Kimberly’s cousin. The police receive an anonymous tip implicating Amy’s brother and the weapon was found under his bed. Now Amy will have to get a lawyer and to do that they have to sell the family property. Amy has asked Kimberly to help prove her brother’s innocence.
Kimberly is beginning to believe all of this has something to do with “Jimmy’s Place” and the dancer that works there. After hanging around “Jimmy’s Place” and finding out that the dancer had been seeing both victims, Kimberly starts trailing her but when Kimberly starts asking questions, people start dying.
What is happening to this small town? The unexpected turn of events will shake loose the very core of this city and the answer to, “Where would someone keep such a thing?” will be answered and it will have you seeing things in your kitchen differently.
Will feelings override everything or will this murderer interrupt them permanently. Will Kimberly find out before its too late for herself and her friend Amy?
This story will keep you guessing up to the very end the ending is fantastic and surprising.
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kim
*Beware of possible Spoilers*
small-town-trouble-jean-erhardtIt’s bad enough that her love life is a little upside down now that that they’ve taken a “breaky-poo ” but with a phone call from her hometown of Fogerty, Ohio, looks like Kimberly Claypoole is going to have to go home.
While at the restaurant, The Little Pigeon, she co-owns with her friend, Kimberly hears from her mother. Someone made an offer on the radio station that her deceased father cherished and for sentimental reasons her mother does not want to sell it.
“Mother,” I said, trying not to scream like a pig,”be reasonable. Were talking about two hundred and fifty thousand dollars for a station that’s been in the red longer than Tammy Wynette sang Stand by your Man.”
On her way home Kimberly was trying to figure out the many things that need to be brought to her mother attention, for instance her mother’s checking account and the lack of money there within, get a lawyer to handle the sale and negotiations and maybe be put on a budget. After arriving she finds out that there has been a murder, not just any murder, the victim has had a vital body part removed.
“Who would do such a thing and what did they do with it afterward,” said Kimberly Claypoole.
Then Kimberly finds out that the man trying to buy the radio station is buying up the property all around it including her friend Amy’s family place but yet no one has ever met him much less has seen him. Not even a week after refusing his offer Amy’s brother is in jail for the murder of Kimberly’s cousin. The police receive an anonymous tip implicating Amy’s brother and the weapon was found under his bed. Now Amy will have to get a lawyer and to do that they have to sell the family property. Amy has asked Kimberly to help prove her brother’s innocence.
Kimberly is beginning to believe all of this has something to do with “Jimmy’s Place” and the dancer that works there. After hanging around “Jimmy’s Place” and finding out that the dancer had been seeing both victims, Kimberly starts trailing her but when Kimberly starts asking questions, people start dying.
What is happening to this small town? The unexpected turn of events will shake loose the very core of this city and the answer to, “Where would someone keep such a thing?” will be answered and it will have you seeing things in your kitchen differently.
Will feelings override everything or will this murderer interrupt them permanently. Will Kimberly find out before its too late for herself and her friend Amy?
This story will keep you guessing up to the very end the ending is fantastic and surprising.
May 11, 2015
3 1/2 Stars
I admit, I had a hard time getting into this story. The first half didn't really focus on any mystery part of the book. Maybe it was more character set up as this is a series? At any rate, I like the main character, Kim. She's seems to be easy going and just getting through life and has a good head on her shoulders for business. But she's got crappy judgement in the area of love, always choosing women who are married or unavailable. And her constant pining over a character who constantly avoids her felt annoying after a while. Move on, you know?
By the time the murder mystery part kicked in and Kim actually starts her amateur investigating, the book picked up for me. It a decent enough murder mystery even if I didn't feel as much curiosity about who done it as I usually do when I read a mystery.
There are a lot, A LOT, of references to pop culture from the 70's through 90's, which Kim as a character uses in her inner monologue as well as outer, but notices other characters don't get those references. My guess is some readers won't either and will miss some of the humor I think the author was trying to infuse.
Still though, overall it's an enjoyable story.
Word about the audio, the recording quality is not good at all. It sounds like it was recorded in a room with an echo. There is no actual echo, but it sounds like the person is talking from far away or on speaker phone.
I admit, I had a hard time getting into this story. The first half didn't really focus on any mystery part of the book. Maybe it was more character set up as this is a series? At any rate, I like the main character, Kim. She's seems to be easy going and just getting through life and has a good head on her shoulders for business. But she's got crappy judgement in the area of love, always choosing women who are married or unavailable. And her constant pining over a character who constantly avoids her felt annoying after a while. Move on, you know?
By the time the murder mystery part kicked in and Kim actually starts her amateur investigating, the book picked up for me. It a decent enough murder mystery even if I didn't feel as much curiosity about who done it as I usually do when I read a mystery.
There are a lot, A LOT, of references to pop culture from the 70's through 90's, which Kim as a character uses in her inner monologue as well as outer, but notices other characters don't get those references. My guess is some readers won't either and will miss some of the humor I think the author was trying to infuse.
Still though, overall it's an enjoyable story.
Word about the audio, the recording quality is not good at all. It sounds like it was recorded in a room with an echo. There is no actual echo, but it sounds like the person is talking from far away or on speaker phone.
April 26, 2014
This is the first book by Jean Erhardt that I have read, and I really enjoyed reading it.
This also happens to be the first book that I have read where the main character is a lesbian. Honestly I wasn’t sure, going into it, how I would feel about that, or if it would affect the flow of the story. I am happy to say that it didn’t.
So often with stories like this, a mystery with a romance thrown in, the author will push the mystery part of the story to the back burner and focus on the romance, but Jean Erhardt didn’t do that. She seems to have found that sweet spot between too much information and too little.
There were no overly explicit love scenes that might have taken away from the story, because there was no reason to add them in. The story was wonderful without them, and I for one am glad that the author didn’t feel the need to add more than was necessary just to try to bulk up the story a little more.
Kim, our leading lady, and her inner musings are wonderfully written, and really add to the story. But, unlike many other books that I have read (and believe me there have been many) the secondary characters were very well written as well. There are so many writers that just throw a character in there but don’t give them any kind of voice, but in this story Kim cares about them, they are the people that she loves, and we get to know them a little and find out just how strong her love for them is.
The mystery itself was nicely played out, it kept me guessing from one clue to the next and I couldn’t wait to find out how everything was going to turn out.
Overall I was very happy with this story and look forward to reading more by this wonderful author in the future.
This also happens to be the first book that I have read where the main character is a lesbian. Honestly I wasn’t sure, going into it, how I would feel about that, or if it would affect the flow of the story. I am happy to say that it didn’t.
So often with stories like this, a mystery with a romance thrown in, the author will push the mystery part of the story to the back burner and focus on the romance, but Jean Erhardt didn’t do that. She seems to have found that sweet spot between too much information and too little.
There were no overly explicit love scenes that might have taken away from the story, because there was no reason to add them in. The story was wonderful without them, and I for one am glad that the author didn’t feel the need to add more than was necessary just to try to bulk up the story a little more.
Kim, our leading lady, and her inner musings are wonderfully written, and really add to the story. But, unlike many other books that I have read (and believe me there have been many) the secondary characters were very well written as well. There are so many writers that just throw a character in there but don’t give them any kind of voice, but in this story Kim cares about them, they are the people that she loves, and we get to know them a little and find out just how strong her love for them is.
The mystery itself was nicely played out, it kept me guessing from one clue to the next and I couldn’t wait to find out how everything was going to turn out.
Overall I was very happy with this story and look forward to reading more by this wonderful author in the future.
January 28, 2014
Author Jean Erhardt has a winner on her hands with SMALL TOWN TROUBLE.
Humor, mystery and action make this story a fast paced page turner. Kim Claypool is a colorful protagonist unlike any I have recently read. The supporting characters are well written and thought out. You will find yourself hoping for and looking forward to another installment. Well done Ms. Erhardt!
Humor, mystery and action make this story a fast paced page turner. Kim Claypool is a colorful protagonist unlike any I have recently read. The supporting characters are well written and thought out. You will find yourself hoping for and looking forward to another installment. Well done Ms. Erhardt!
November 21, 2017
Thumbs down
Poorly written. This book had a lot of poor grammer with several miss spelled words. For a new reader it might be entertaining.
Poorly written. This book had a lot of poor grammer with several miss spelled words. For a new reader it might be entertaining.
Read
June 18, 2020I purchased this in e-book form after not being turned off by the sample—a good sign. In addition, it was reasonably priced and it has been a regular on the Amazon Top 100 LGBT mysteries for quite a while. Unfortunately, just after the sample chapters ended, the book began to show its weaknesses.
The first person narration is likeable enough, as is Kim Claypoole herself and her high school buddy Amy (why she doesn’t jump Amy’s bones is the real mystery here). But initially the story is put together kind of floppily—flopping in a scene here, flopping a flashback in there—when it needs to be much smoother. There is even a flashback within a flashback at a fairly important juncture in the story. And Erhardt does not seem to know exactly when to end a chapter, so she ends them often.
Still, I was not that disappointed until after the sample ended, when I realized that the actions and the motivations of the characters—especially Kim and her mother—were overblown. Way too much ado about way too much nothing. It was as if Erhardt was determined to make this story a mystery so she had to have her protagonist ponder on every little thing, even though there was really nothing there to ponder about. In a nutshell, Kim Claypoole’s mother, who is in dire financial straits, was having a tizzy wondering why someone wanted to buy a radio station she owned for way more money than it was worth. Then Kim herself gets into a tizzy when she finds out that the prospective buyer had given her mother an alias. Then, when the buyer doubles his offer, Kim refuses to sell because she thinks he is up to no good. Just sell the damn thing and go on back to Gatlinburg and your dreadful relationship!
It is only when one of Kim’s cousins—who worked at the radio station—is murdered and castrated that she really has reason to start pondering. That’s when the mystery begins, not earlier. The solution to the mystery is best left undescribed. In fact, it was only when the solution was revealed that I began wondering if the book was meant to be high farce or just plain cozy comedy. I don’t think it was.
In short, the book turned out to be kind of a mess. But that brings us to another mystery. As I mentioned earlier, this book has hanging out with better ones in the Amazon Top 100 LGBT mysteries for months. She also has far more ratings and reviews than most “new” authors. Why? I’m afraid it doesn’t speak well for the critical acumen of its readership for this book to have made such an impression.
There are quite a few low-priced e-books that have samples that don’t suck. Somehow, Erhardt has gotten plugged into the lesbian mystery readership very early in her career. If your first book is a true winner, this is great. If it is mediocre or worse—as Small Town Trouble is—it may spell trouble for the next book in the series. If I were the author, and I’m not, I would revisit this one. Again.
Note: I read the e-book version of this novel that was available in March, 2014.
Another Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
The first person narration is likeable enough, as is Kim Claypoole herself and her high school buddy Amy (why she doesn’t jump Amy’s bones is the real mystery here). But initially the story is put together kind of floppily—flopping in a scene here, flopping a flashback in there—when it needs to be much smoother. There is even a flashback within a flashback at a fairly important juncture in the story. And Erhardt does not seem to know exactly when to end a chapter, so she ends them often.
Still, I was not that disappointed until after the sample ended, when I realized that the actions and the motivations of the characters—especially Kim and her mother—were overblown. Way too much ado about way too much nothing. It was as if Erhardt was determined to make this story a mystery so she had to have her protagonist ponder on every little thing, even though there was really nothing there to ponder about. In a nutshell, Kim Claypoole’s mother, who is in dire financial straits, was having a tizzy wondering why someone wanted to buy a radio station she owned for way more money than it was worth. Then Kim herself gets into a tizzy when she finds out that the prospective buyer had given her mother an alias. Then, when the buyer doubles his offer, Kim refuses to sell because she thinks he is up to no good. Just sell the damn thing and go on back to Gatlinburg and your dreadful relationship!
It is only when one of Kim’s cousins—who worked at the radio station—is murdered and castrated that she really has reason to start pondering. That’s when the mystery begins, not earlier. The solution to the mystery is best left undescribed. In fact, it was only when the solution was revealed that I began wondering if the book was meant to be high farce or just plain cozy comedy. I don’t think it was.
In short, the book turned out to be kind of a mess. But that brings us to another mystery. As I mentioned earlier, this book has hanging out with better ones in the Amazon Top 100 LGBT mysteries for months. She also has far more ratings and reviews than most “new” authors. Why? I’m afraid it doesn’t speak well for the critical acumen of its readership for this book to have made such an impression.
There are quite a few low-priced e-books that have samples that don’t suck. Somehow, Erhardt has gotten plugged into the lesbian mystery readership very early in her career. If your first book is a true winner, this is great. If it is mediocre or worse—as Small Town Trouble is—it may spell trouble for the next book in the series. If I were the author, and I’m not, I would revisit this one. Again.
Note: I read the e-book version of this novel that was available in March, 2014.
Another Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
January 10, 2014
I'm sure you guys know, I RARELY ever give a book a bad review. I hate doing it, I hate that I cannot be like everyone and sugar coat it when I don't like a book. I get the whole "You're an author too, what if someone tore your book apart?" thing as well. I however, am an adult. If there's a legitimate issue with my book I will look into it without a problem. I take my review writing seriously. And I won't sugar coat my opinions and don't expect anyone else to do that concerning my works.. so with that being said...
This book follows Kim Claypoole who fancies herself a real life Nancy Drew. After a couple of people in her hometown are murdered in a serial killer manner, she sets out to find out who did it, since the police have collared someone, she doesn't believe did it.
I'm almost sure this book was supposed to be a murder mystery, however, the murder mystery takes a back seat to the main character's sex life. the first 48% of the book is the main character whining and complaining about her girlfriend not returning her calls. Okay, we get the main character is a lesbian we don't need half a murder mystery pointing this fact out to us.
Another twitch worthy thing for me, is the insistance of the author to have the full names of every character everytime they're brought up ("I called Bud Upton and Bob Upton called me back.") regardless of how many times it shows in a single sentence.
at about 50% in, this book completely lost my interest. I tried to finish it, but I just couldn't keep listening to how much the main character wanted to do her high school best friend while looking for a murderer.
For the record, there are only minor errors in the work, and I'm sure there's a lot of people that will enjoy it,
I however, did not.
I give this book 1 of 5 paws
March 13, 2014
Kim Claypoole leaves behind her business and part time lover in the Smoky Mountains to go to the aid of her elderly mother who is experiencing financial troubles. When she arrives she is drawn into a series of murders and is asked by an old flame to help prove her brother's innocence. They then embark upon an adult Nancy Drew meets Scooby Doo attempt to solve the riddle.
Okay, so maybe Scooby Doo is a little cruel! I really enjoyed the opening three or four chapters of this book in which Kim's slightly dysfunctional but nonetheless loving relationship with her mother is explored. Mum is obsessed with Gone with the Wind and lives in a run down version of Tara. The rooms of the house are even named after characters! I thought this was a lovely touch, especially as Gone with the Wind just happens to be my all time favourite book! I also found these chapters to be incredibly funny and witty and I was expecting an AMAZING read. Unfortunately the book seemed to seriously flounder after this stage and I have had to think long and hard about why, because on the surface all of the elements are there: Kim's on/off relationship with a married T.V star called Nancy Merit, her potential to rekindle her teenage romance with also married Amy, a series of murders...However I think the author makes the mistake of wandering off too much from the story line and waffling. So much so, that by the time the second murder occurred, I had forgotten that the victim even existed, let alone cared about the fact that he was dead!
I also do not see the point or relevance to her relationship with Nancy. Kim seems to spend the whole book attempting without success to get hold of her via the telephone. If I had written this, I would have cut Nancy from the plot entirely and focused on her budding relationship with Amy, which was definitely more interesting - although I would have liked them to actually get down to business, at least once!
As for the murder mystery element, well because the author rambles on so much then I think this really suffers. It could have been great, it could have been exciting, but in the end came across very amateurish.
Would I read the rest of the series? No. However if you like cozy mysteries that are light on action but get resolved in the end and contain slapstick humour then it might be worth giving it a go.
Okay, so maybe Scooby Doo is a little cruel! I really enjoyed the opening three or four chapters of this book in which Kim's slightly dysfunctional but nonetheless loving relationship with her mother is explored. Mum is obsessed with Gone with the Wind and lives in a run down version of Tara. The rooms of the house are even named after characters! I thought this was a lovely touch, especially as Gone with the Wind just happens to be my all time favourite book! I also found these chapters to be incredibly funny and witty and I was expecting an AMAZING read. Unfortunately the book seemed to seriously flounder after this stage and I have had to think long and hard about why, because on the surface all of the elements are there: Kim's on/off relationship with a married T.V star called Nancy Merit, her potential to rekindle her teenage romance with also married Amy, a series of murders...However I think the author makes the mistake of wandering off too much from the story line and waffling. So much so, that by the time the second murder occurred, I had forgotten that the victim even existed, let alone cared about the fact that he was dead!
I also do not see the point or relevance to her relationship with Nancy. Kim seems to spend the whole book attempting without success to get hold of her via the telephone. If I had written this, I would have cut Nancy from the plot entirely and focused on her budding relationship with Amy, which was definitely more interesting - although I would have liked them to actually get down to business, at least once!
As for the murder mystery element, well because the author rambles on so much then I think this really suffers. It could have been great, it could have been exciting, but in the end came across very amateurish.
Would I read the rest of the series? No. However if you like cozy mysteries that are light on action but get resolved in the end and contain slapstick humour then it might be worth giving it a go.
July 23, 2014
The first of Jean Erhardt's Kim Claypoole Mystery Series, Small Town Trouble is a quirky, quick-reading murder mystery. Restaurant entrepreneur Kim is happily living her life and managing her Gatlinburg restaurant, The Little Pigeon, with her business partner when she gets a call from her mother. Evelyn, whom Kim somewhat affectionately refers to as Scarlett O'Hara, has received an offer for the local small town radio station that her late husband owned. Evelyn's not quite sure what to make of the offer and so Kim is called back home. (To Tara. No, really! Well, at least that's what Kim calls her mother's estate.) As soon as Kim arrives in Fogerty, Ohio, Evelyn tells her about the grisly murder of the town's topless bar owner. Not only has he been murdered, but he has also been dismembered - and he's just the first. Small Town Trouble unfolds as Kim gets more and more deeply involved in her past, the mystery of who is trying to purchase seemingly worthless Fogerty properties for hugs sums of cash, and the need to figure out who is killing townspeople.
The character of Kim Claypoole is an interesting one. She's smart-mouthed and sarcastic, unapologetically unpolished. Her rough-around-the-edges personality is endearing in its rarity. As a reader, she is a narrator and a character who doesn't feel like someone you have met before - and one that you are happy to have made the acquaintance of.
The story is a fast read and is engaging. However, it's a little unpolished and, at times, clunky. The narrative is sometimes easily identified as coming from a new author. That said, it's packed with potential and promise! The threads that the author left hanging at the end of the last chapter are enticing. I'm left wanting to find out what's next for Kim and how the complicated bonds she has with two married women are going to either unwind or entangle her further.
This review is purely the opinion of this reader. I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The character of Kim Claypoole is an interesting one. She's smart-mouthed and sarcastic, unapologetically unpolished. Her rough-around-the-edges personality is endearing in its rarity. As a reader, she is a narrator and a character who doesn't feel like someone you have met before - and one that you are happy to have made the acquaintance of.
The story is a fast read and is engaging. However, it's a little unpolished and, at times, clunky. The narrative is sometimes easily identified as coming from a new author. That said, it's packed with potential and promise! The threads that the author left hanging at the end of the last chapter are enticing. I'm left wanting to find out what's next for Kim and how the complicated bonds she has with two married women are going to either unwind or entangle her further.
This review is purely the opinion of this reader. I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 19, 2014
Amateur sleuth Kim Claypoole is quite a character. In the first paragraph of this debut mystery novel by Portland, Oregon author Jean Ernhardt, Kim is on her way from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, to her mother's place in Fogarty "to kick some butt". Mother, Evelyn, likes to believe she's Scarlett O'Hara, particularly after too many Manhattans. Tara is what Kim calls her mother's "scaled-down model of the plantation as architecturally conceived by the Beverly Hillbillies."
Evelyn has run out of funds, but an offer on her late-husband's radio station (run by his three sons, Kim's cousins, and bleeding money) may save her. So Kim leaves her business partner Mad Ted in charge of their restaurant, and her new girlfriend Nancy (Tennessee's resident Martha Stewart), to help her mother with the financial transaction.
Once in Fogarty, Kim learns that Jimmy Jacobs, the local topless bar owner, has been found with his throat slit. A couple days later, Kim's cousin Abbott is found similarly murdered at the radio station. What the hell is going on? And what is the connection between Jimmy and Abbott? And let's hope it doesn't happen to other members of the family!
When Rick Rod Delozier is arrested for the murders, Kim teams up with his sister Amy, an old friend from junior high and high school, to try to figure out why people are getting murdered in Fogarty. Their wild ride through Fogarty and environs takes them to redneck taverns, drive-through beer joints, topless bars, and the field behind the radio station, where--Lo!--yet another body is discovered.
This is a light and lively, fun read from a talented writer (who could probably succeed at stand-up comedy if she didn't have a day job)! I look forward to more from Kim Claypoole. The next installment is due out in just a couple of months, so stand by.
Evelyn has run out of funds, but an offer on her late-husband's radio station (run by his three sons, Kim's cousins, and bleeding money) may save her. So Kim leaves her business partner Mad Ted in charge of their restaurant, and her new girlfriend Nancy (Tennessee's resident Martha Stewart), to help her mother with the financial transaction.
Once in Fogarty, Kim learns that Jimmy Jacobs, the local topless bar owner, has been found with his throat slit. A couple days later, Kim's cousin Abbott is found similarly murdered at the radio station. What the hell is going on? And what is the connection between Jimmy and Abbott? And let's hope it doesn't happen to other members of the family!
When Rick Rod Delozier is arrested for the murders, Kim teams up with his sister Amy, an old friend from junior high and high school, to try to figure out why people are getting murdered in Fogarty. Their wild ride through Fogarty and environs takes them to redneck taverns, drive-through beer joints, topless bars, and the field behind the radio station, where--Lo!--yet another body is discovered.
This is a light and lively, fun read from a talented writer (who could probably succeed at stand-up comedy if she didn't have a day job)! I look forward to more from Kim Claypoole. The next installment is due out in just a couple of months, so stand by.
February 2, 2014
Mysteries with a Southern flair are one of my favorite ways to pass the time. Reading Small Town Trouble was a whole lot of fun and late night page turning. Kim is a character that quickly wormed her way into my heart with her snark and fearless nature. Bunky the dog and her crazy mother Evelyn are two more characters that really reached out and practically took a breath and jumped right out of the book. (I secretly think my dog Tadpole may be a distant relation of Bunky's. Snorting and Cheerio munching are two of his favorite pastimes.)
I am still reading this delightful mystery and I can't put it down. From the glimpses into the rocky romantic life that Kim is navigating between two married women and the murder of her cousin and a local topless bar owner (both weenies lopped off!) she has an interesting road ahead of her. Who would want to kill these two men and separate them from their manly bits? The plot is thickening as a mysterious man offers Amy (one of Kim's flames) money for her family's old farm and her mother Evelyn money for the old radio station. Neither of which looks important on the outside, but sometimes the more you look, the more you find. Even in a small town where nothing is what it seems. Trouble is afoot and Kim is going to find out who stands the most to gain from murder and mayhem.
For a great adventure full of quirky and lovable characters you need to give this novel a try. I can't wait to read more adventures with Kim and her wackadoodle family. Awesome sauce read!
5/5
I am still reading this delightful mystery and I can't put it down. From the glimpses into the rocky romantic life that Kim is navigating between two married women and the murder of her cousin and a local topless bar owner (both weenies lopped off!) she has an interesting road ahead of her. Who would want to kill these two men and separate them from their manly bits? The plot is thickening as a mysterious man offers Amy (one of Kim's flames) money for her family's old farm and her mother Evelyn money for the old radio station. Neither of which looks important on the outside, but sometimes the more you look, the more you find. Even in a small town where nothing is what it seems. Trouble is afoot and Kim is going to find out who stands the most to gain from murder and mayhem.
For a great adventure full of quirky and lovable characters you need to give this novel a try. I can't wait to read more adventures with Kim and her wackadoodle family. Awesome sauce read!
5/5
May 3, 2014
I come from a very small town myself, a town of around 150 people. Small Town Trouble was a book I figured I could relate too easily. Oddly, I was able to do just that- except for the murder part. We didn't have any dangerous killers going around to the local nude bar, slitting throats and slicing off the "winkies" of our male population. Yes, you read that right!
I did struggle a bit at the beginning, but it was only because Kim's mother was referred to by the word "mother" or by her name Evelyn, so I found myself thinking I missed a key player in the story line. Once I got that straightened out, I found that the characters were developed well. Each of them very real and believable, to the point that some characteristics reminded me of people from home.
Small Town Trouble does not fully focus on murder, it does however focus on the struggles and life of Kim Claypoole. There are many "flashbacks" throughout the novel, that helps build Kim's character. It is hard not to give to much away. This book has the mystery, the odd murders, and the personal life struggles that I enjoy in a novel. I would suggest that any male that reads this book might think about staying away from area's that include bars with women showing off their "booballabies".
So, snuggle up, get comfortable and get ready to find out why people are being killed, who is this mysterious Mr. White that is paying lots of money for land, and what is so important that someone would kill for it!
I did struggle a bit at the beginning, but it was only because Kim's mother was referred to by the word "mother" or by her name Evelyn, so I found myself thinking I missed a key player in the story line. Once I got that straightened out, I found that the characters were developed well. Each of them very real and believable, to the point that some characteristics reminded me of people from home.
Small Town Trouble does not fully focus on murder, it does however focus on the struggles and life of Kim Claypoole. There are many "flashbacks" throughout the novel, that helps build Kim's character. It is hard not to give to much away. This book has the mystery, the odd murders, and the personal life struggles that I enjoy in a novel. I would suggest that any male that reads this book might think about staying away from area's that include bars with women showing off their "booballabies".
So, snuggle up, get comfortable and get ready to find out why people are being killed, who is this mysterious Mr. White that is paying lots of money for land, and what is so important that someone would kill for it!
April 6, 2014
I wholly enjoyed this book. I loved the main character’s quirky outlook and inner dialogues. This is the first book I have read where the protagonist is lesbian. Her sexuality does not over-ride the story in any way, rather I felt the story, and the situations Kim found herself caught up in, benefitted from her insights and her innate personality.
The mystery kept me reading and guessing. Kim methodically chased the clues while simultaneously juggling the needs and concerns of the people in her life dearest to her. This book contains no explicit sexual scenes, but the humanness and spontaneity of feeling within the book felt real and believable to me. Kim and the other supporting characters are multi-faceted individuals with believable concerns and motives. I enjoyed the interactions of the various players and feel that I came away at the end with a better understanding of what makes people so infinitely diverse and fascinating. This is an entertaining mystery that I also found to be enlightening in a surprisingly tasteful way. The book was not really what I expected from reading the blurb, as I expected a heterosexual heroine, but I am happy to report, it gave me a reading experience that actually exceeded my expectations. I am looking forward to Kim Claypoole’s next mystery adventure.
This book was provided to me in exchange for my honest review.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
The mystery kept me reading and guessing. Kim methodically chased the clues while simultaneously juggling the needs and concerns of the people in her life dearest to her. This book contains no explicit sexual scenes, but the humanness and spontaneity of feeling within the book felt real and believable to me. Kim and the other supporting characters are multi-faceted individuals with believable concerns and motives. I enjoyed the interactions of the various players and feel that I came away at the end with a better understanding of what makes people so infinitely diverse and fascinating. This is an entertaining mystery that I also found to be enlightening in a surprisingly tasteful way. The book was not really what I expected from reading the blurb, as I expected a heterosexual heroine, but I am happy to report, it gave me a reading experience that actually exceeded my expectations. I am looking forward to Kim Claypoole’s next mystery adventure.
This book was provided to me in exchange for my honest review.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
August 31, 2016
There are so many ways to develop character in a story. A few are interactions with other characters, dialogue, reaction to environment, actions within the story, character’s revelations about other characters, and more. Jean Erhardt has used all the above and created such a rich protagonist, you are sure you have met her somewhere before.
A well-developed setting can also reveal character. How she fits or does not fit in that time and place. In Small Town Trouble, we learn of the character’s history by how the character fits in that setting. That world is her world, including language, colloquialisms, and comfort level with others in that place. The author immediately pulls us in and even if this world is unfamiliar, we are there, with Kim Claypoole. Just as I settle in next to her financially challenged, Manhattan drinking mother, someone is murdered, a mysterious buyer wants the family’s radio station, and Kim is caught in the middle. Jean Erhardt, in setting up this world so honestly and fully, creates plausibility of Kim’s methods and skills to get involved and follow the clues. Even better, we see a deeper side to Kim, her complexities, imperfections, motivations and character strength. Although some plot elements are not as strong as character and setting, you will want this multifaceted southern Ohio woman to be your best friend.
A well-developed setting can also reveal character. How she fits or does not fit in that time and place. In Small Town Trouble, we learn of the character’s history by how the character fits in that setting. That world is her world, including language, colloquialisms, and comfort level with others in that place. The author immediately pulls us in and even if this world is unfamiliar, we are there, with Kim Claypoole. Just as I settle in next to her financially challenged, Manhattan drinking mother, someone is murdered, a mysterious buyer wants the family’s radio station, and Kim is caught in the middle. Jean Erhardt, in setting up this world so honestly and fully, creates plausibility of Kim’s methods and skills to get involved and follow the clues. Even better, we see a deeper side to Kim, her complexities, imperfections, motivations and character strength. Although some plot elements are not as strong as character and setting, you will want this multifaceted southern Ohio woman to be your best friend.
September 1, 2016
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
Small town trouble is a murder mystery with a side of romance. The story revolves around Kim who when her mom gets in a financial bind and needs some guidance, she heads home to the small town she grew up in. Kim ends up in the middle of a murder mystery with her 7th grade crush Amy as her sidekick. Together they stir up enough trouble to get all the wrong attention. Which is where all the fun truly is in this story.
The book has all the right characters and all the oddities that you would find in a small town story. Including Kim’s very dramatic and needy mom, her bossy business partner Ted, and a few not so classy ladies from the strip joint in town.
The only part that I struggled with in this story is the introduction chapters….they were cluttered and confusing and I was really worried about how I would read the whole book. There was so much information given and in a strange, almost forced way. I was a bit worried at this point, but I read on. After the intro chapters the book seemed to really pick up its flow and I was able to move past the confusion and really enjoy the story.
This book is a fun read, the author has developed the main character’s well enough that you can relate to them well. The plot was fun and I really could not guess who committed the murders up until the culprit was revealed.
Small town trouble is a murder mystery with a side of romance. The story revolves around Kim who when her mom gets in a financial bind and needs some guidance, she heads home to the small town she grew up in. Kim ends up in the middle of a murder mystery with her 7th grade crush Amy as her sidekick. Together they stir up enough trouble to get all the wrong attention. Which is where all the fun truly is in this story.
The book has all the right characters and all the oddities that you would find in a small town story. Including Kim’s very dramatic and needy mom, her bossy business partner Ted, and a few not so classy ladies from the strip joint in town.
The only part that I struggled with in this story is the introduction chapters….they were cluttered and confusing and I was really worried about how I would read the whole book. There was so much information given and in a strange, almost forced way. I was a bit worried at this point, but I read on. After the intro chapters the book seemed to really pick up its flow and I was able to move past the confusion and really enjoy the story.
This book is a fun read, the author has developed the main character’s well enough that you can relate to them well. The plot was fun and I really could not guess who committed the murders up until the culprit was revealed.
February 8, 2014
I came to the book not knowing how I would feel. I had read mysteries in the past, but not too many of them. I have found that you either have the easy to read mysteries where you can tell the author has enjoyed writing and just let the story flow, but then you can have those mysteries where the author has laboured to make themselves look clever in what they produce.
Fortunately, Small Town Trouble is the former, though while it is easy to read and the story flows well, you can tell that Jean Erhardt has worked hard to make it look this way.
I found the characters interesting but, more importantly, I found them believable. They were definitely believable, and I found myself caring about what happened to them.
The setting was interesting to me, as I am in the UK, so I usually see things which are set in the obvious places, such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, etc. It’s good to know that there are other places and other characters around the US, and the southern charm shone through.
The writing itself was excellent, the best compliment I can give is that I didn’t keep pausing due to writing hiccups. I look forward to future books by Jean Erhardt and congratulate her on this one.
Fortunately, Small Town Trouble is the former, though while it is easy to read and the story flows well, you can tell that Jean Erhardt has worked hard to make it look this way.
I found the characters interesting but, more importantly, I found them believable. They were definitely believable, and I found myself caring about what happened to them.
The setting was interesting to me, as I am in the UK, so I usually see things which are set in the obvious places, such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, etc. It’s good to know that there are other places and other characters around the US, and the southern charm shone through.
The writing itself was excellent, the best compliment I can give is that I didn’t keep pausing due to writing hiccups. I look forward to future books by Jean Erhardt and congratulate her on this one.
November 2, 2014
If you're looking for something in classic mystery-detective style, this is the book for you. Kim Claypoole is every bit the smart, witty narrator you expect in a story like this.
I really liked the different characters and their interactions with Kim. They were just this side of over-the-top, which is exactly what I would expect and want in a mystery novel, especially one written with women in mind. Kim's sense of humor and her random pop culture references were also spot on.
I didn't have any real concerns with the novel. There weren't any obvious bad stereotypes, and the cliches were ones I anticipated (and belong in this kind of story). It was a little hard to get into at first, and the real action didn't start until partway through. I would have liked it to happen a bit sooner. Also, though I think it fit the character, I was a little distracted by her almost constant thoughts on other women's bodies.
Overall, I mostly just found this to be a fairly typical genre book. Nothing stood out to make me either love or hate it. However, I still feel good about recommending it to mystery lovers.
I give it 3.5 stars.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Amy
I really liked the different characters and their interactions with Kim. They were just this side of over-the-top, which is exactly what I would expect and want in a mystery novel, especially one written with women in mind. Kim's sense of humor and her random pop culture references were also spot on.
I didn't have any real concerns with the novel. There weren't any obvious bad stereotypes, and the cliches were ones I anticipated (and belong in this kind of story). It was a little hard to get into at first, and the real action didn't start until partway through. I would have liked it to happen a bit sooner. Also, though I think it fit the character, I was a little distracted by her almost constant thoughts on other women's bodies.
Overall, I mostly just found this to be a fairly typical genre book. Nothing stood out to make me either love or hate it. However, I still feel good about recommending it to mystery lovers.
I give it 3.5 stars.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Amy
April 14, 2015
Protagonist Kim Claypoole has returned to her small-town home to help sort out her mother’s errant finances. But murder’s in the air, Kim’s big-town girl-friend/lover isn’t returning her calls, and that high-school friend she once practiced kissing with is looking particularly attractive right now. With so many plotlines, it’s not surprising the protagonist has to stop and smoke a favorite cigar, ponder her multiple options, and drink good wine and bad beer on numerous carefully described occasions.
The narration has a nicely noir-ish feel, dialog is believable and humorous, and twists and turns abound. Readers might feel the rug yanked from beneath them just as the protagonist does, and not “the fluffy kitchen rug where Nancy and I had mamboed... in my dream.” The cops, of course, will arrest the wrong guy, and “I hate it when that happens,” says the Chief, after a suitably gruesome showdown. But there are plenty of other characters filling out the scenes, ready and waiting perhaps for more in this series. Meanwhile, this first novel is a tale of many people, many red herrings, many cigars and beers, and much comedic timing, plus dark mystery and romance.
Disclosure: I won a copy and I offer my honest review
The narration has a nicely noir-ish feel, dialog is believable and humorous, and twists and turns abound. Readers might feel the rug yanked from beneath them just as the protagonist does, and not “the fluffy kitchen rug where Nancy and I had mamboed... in my dream.” The cops, of course, will arrest the wrong guy, and “I hate it when that happens,” says the Chief, after a suitably gruesome showdown. But there are plenty of other characters filling out the scenes, ready and waiting perhaps for more in this series. Meanwhile, this first novel is a tale of many people, many red herrings, many cigars and beers, and much comedic timing, plus dark mystery and romance.
Disclosure: I won a copy and I offer my honest review
August 21, 2016
If you’re looking for something in classic mystery-detective style, this is the book for you. Kim Claypoole is every bit the smart, witty narrator you expect in a story like this.
I really liked the different characters and their interactions with Kim. They were just this side of over-the-top, which is exactly what I would expect and want in a mystery novel, especially one written with women in mind. Kim’s sense of humor and her random pop culture references were also spot on.
I didn’t have any real concerns with the novel. There weren’t any obvious bad stereotypes, and the cliches were ones I anticipated (and belong in this kind of story). It was a little hard to get into at first, and the real action didn’t start until partway through. I would have liked it to happen a bit sooner. Also, though I think it fit the character, I was a little distracted by her almost constant thoughts on other women’s bodies.
Overall, I mostly just found this to be a fairly typical genre book. Nothing stood out to make me either love or hate it. However, I still feel good about recommending it to mystery lovers.
I really liked the different characters and their interactions with Kim. They were just this side of over-the-top, which is exactly what I would expect and want in a mystery novel, especially one written with women in mind. Kim’s sense of humor and her random pop culture references were also spot on.
I didn’t have any real concerns with the novel. There weren’t any obvious bad stereotypes, and the cliches were ones I anticipated (and belong in this kind of story). It was a little hard to get into at first, and the real action didn’t start until partway through. I would have liked it to happen a bit sooner. Also, though I think it fit the character, I was a little distracted by her almost constant thoughts on other women’s bodies.
Overall, I mostly just found this to be a fairly typical genre book. Nothing stood out to make me either love or hate it. However, I still feel good about recommending it to mystery lovers.
August 23, 2016
Reviewed by Julie
For Read Your Writes Book Reviews
Small Town Trouble was a cute book. It had some small chuckle moments that I thought could have been expanded on but it was a good read. Not a great one, but good. Kim Claypoole is a lesbian who comes home to Fogarty, TN to help her mother sort out some financial issues she's having. Kim winds up helping to solve some murders that happen. Her antics are a subdued version of Stephanie Plum in the Janet Evanovich series. Kim is on a break from her lover who happens to be a married TV celebrity. Kim hangs out with her old school chum who she's still attracted to but is also married so she restrains herself. Kim has a goofy family from this little hick town but all is right in the end when the murders get solved.
Source: Publisher
For Read Your Writes Book Reviews
Small Town Trouble was a cute book. It had some small chuckle moments that I thought could have been expanded on but it was a good read. Not a great one, but good. Kim Claypoole is a lesbian who comes home to Fogarty, TN to help her mother sort out some financial issues she's having. Kim winds up helping to solve some murders that happen. Her antics are a subdued version of Stephanie Plum in the Janet Evanovich series. Kim is on a break from her lover who happens to be a married TV celebrity. Kim hangs out with her old school chum who she's still attracted to but is also married so she restrains herself. Kim has a goofy family from this little hick town but all is right in the end when the murders get solved.
Source: Publisher
May 27, 2014
This is the first time I have ready anything by this author but I will definitely read more of her books. The style in which the author writes caught my attention right away as did the characters. I could see a little of myself in Kim Claypoole's mother. The interaction between characters drew me in and the plot moved along nicely and kept me involved. This was one book that I wanted to keep reading without a break to see what happened. There was always a twist and turn with the story and the murders. The ending was a surprise to me. I will say that if you have a problem with same sex relationships then this book is not for you, although the relationships are not flaunted but nicely woven into the book as a part of a characters life.
Bottom line I liked this book. Jean Erhardt is a talented author.
Bottom line I liked this book. Jean Erhardt is a talented author.
March 22, 2017
Plot was ok, but references made the book feel dated and not in a good 'retro' kind of way. More like, 'I know exactly when this book was written based on the multitude of pop culture references'. Mid 90s if you're curious.
Edit: Wow, I was way off, this book was published in 2013... Now I'm really confused. Were the pop culture references a way to indicate just how behind the times the small town was, or was the book supposed to be based in that time period? The fact that nobody had cell phones or even seemed to be aware of technology really threw me off. So two options stick out. A) The author based the book in that time period on purpose, but didn't clearly set the stage, or B) The book was actually written in the 90s and only recently published without any attempt to update the content. Neither is particularly flattering.
Edit: Wow, I was way off, this book was published in 2013... Now I'm really confused. Were the pop culture references a way to indicate just how behind the times the small town was, or was the book supposed to be based in that time period? The fact that nobody had cell phones or even seemed to be aware of technology really threw me off. So two options stick out. A) The author based the book in that time period on purpose, but didn't clearly set the stage, or B) The book was actually written in the 90s and only recently published without any attempt to update the content. Neither is particularly flattering.
April 9, 2014
"Of course I have a problem with authority figures, but that's beside the point." A cigar-smoking, womanizing, food and beer-loving, deeply flawed anti-hero detective. I love this character. Hits a lot of noir themes, but the bulls don't gum it up as much as I like them to. I highly recommend this book to lovers of the noir form.
"It was tempting, but so were a lot of other things that would eventually rot one's soul." That line could have been straight out of the late, more philosophical works of Dashiell Hammett. Think "Thin Man," not "Red Harvest." Although this story shares the early Dashiell hope that there are bulls out there, somewhere, who can set things right.
"It was tempting, but so were a lot of other things that would eventually rot one's soul." That line could have been straight out of the late, more philosophical works of Dashiell Hammett. Think "Thin Man," not "Red Harvest." Although this story shares the early Dashiell hope that there are bulls out there, somewhere, who can set things right.
January 31, 2014
"Small Town Trouble" by Jean Erhardt is fast paced and funny. Kim Claypoole returns to her small home town, twenty-five miles east of Cincinnati, to help her mother, Evelyn, make an important decision. Someone wants to buy the local radio station, which used to belong to Kim's deceased father, and he's offered Evelyn a ridiculously huge sum of money. It sounds too good to be true to Kim, who decides to check out the prospective buyer. But, as she noses around, she gets involved in two murder investigations and places herself in extreme danger.
August 18, 2015
I have to go with a max of three for this book. The story was pretty good and it was definitely a fun read but there were just so many editing errors that I can't go any higher. It's also really dated. The book was published in 2013 but it reads like something that was written in the early 90s and not updated to bring it up to date.
There are lots of jokes and pop-culture references that are likely won't be understood or appreciated by anyone not at least in their 40s. Luckily for me, that's where I fit so I got a kick out of them.
There are lots of jokes and pop-culture references that are likely won't be understood or appreciated by anyone not at least in their 40s. Luckily for me, that's where I fit so I got a kick out of them.
November 28, 2013
This isn't quite a cozy but sort of borders on one. Interesting characters, strong female lead with a very quirky family. Fun read, some laugh out loud parts and reads pretty quickly. I enjoyed trying to figure out what was going on and would never have guessed who was behind all the murders and other happenings!
January 30, 2014
What a fun little read! Loved the quirky characters.
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