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Purple Sage Mystery #3
Celebration in Purple Sage
Jolie Wyatt has just had her world turned upside the in-laws are coming back to town. Edith and Will Wyatt are perfectly kind, decent people, but Jolie has always felt that in their eyes she pales in comparison to their son's first wife. And Jolie's panic over the arrival of Matt's parents isn't helping their own relationship much, either.
The reason for the homecoming is tiny Purple Sage's Centennial Celebration and reunion of former residents, including several of the German soldiers who were interned at the POW camp nearby during World War II. Also returning for the reunion is Matt's ex-wife, Cecily, who is just a little too charming and elegant for Jolie's comfort.
Jolie is up to her ears in family crises both real and imagined, but she may go under when murder enters the picture. Vera Meece, one of the celebration organizers, is shot to death, and Jolie's good friend Sheriff Mac Donelly is seriously wounded. Trying to uncover a motive for the brutal attacks, Jolie must look to the past to prevent the killer from striking again.
The reason for the homecoming is tiny Purple Sage's Centennial Celebration and reunion of former residents, including several of the German soldiers who were interned at the POW camp nearby during World War II. Also returning for the reunion is Matt's ex-wife, Cecily, who is just a little too charming and elegant for Jolie's comfort.
Jolie is up to her ears in family crises both real and imagined, but she may go under when murder enters the picture. Vera Meece, one of the celebration organizers, is shot to death, and Jolie's good friend Sheriff Mac Donelly is seriously wounded. Trying to uncover a motive for the brutal attacks, Jolie must look to the past to prevent the killer from striking again.
- GenresMystery
246 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1996
1 person is currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Burnett Smith
10 books9 followersThe late Austin (TX) author Barbara Burnett Smith is best known for her novels set in the fictional Texas town of Purple Sage. She wrote cozies. Titles of her books were taken from Zane Grey book titles and slightly modified.
A friend of hers, Jan Grape, says, "You don't want to make someone sound absolutely perfect, but Barbara was." She is greatly missed by the mystery writers community and her friends.
On February 19, 2005, Barbara and her husband, Gary Petry, drove to San Antonio to rescue an Airedale terrier. On the way back, they stopped at a local mystery bookstore and the dog jumped out of the car. But they had difficulty coaxing him back. It was dark and raining, and Smith, who was wearing dark clothing, stepped into the street. She was hit by a car and taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced brain-dead. On Sunday, in accordance with her wishes, her organs were donated to others.
Smith wrote mysteries, taught mystery writing, and worked as voice-over talent on Austin radio commercials. She also owned Catalyst Training & Development, a company that ran communication training classes and workshops. She was a former president of the international Sisters In Crime literary group.
Cooper, author of the Texas-based E. J. Pugh and Kimmey Kruse series of mysteries, who first became friends with Smith in 1989, remembers that she had a powerful effect on the Black Shoes. "One thing Barbara said going in was that she didn't want to do this group unless anything negative that was said, something positive had to be said to balance it out. And she was absolutely right. It was the most successful group I've ever been in. We were able to concentrate not just on the negative, as so often happens in writing groups, but on what was working, too."
Smith, whose real name was Barbara Jo Petry, is survived by her husband Gary, her son W.D., three stepdaughters, nine grandchildren and step-grandchildren and her brother, Bruce.
A friend of hers, Jan Grape, says, "You don't want to make someone sound absolutely perfect, but Barbara was." She is greatly missed by the mystery writers community and her friends.
On February 19, 2005, Barbara and her husband, Gary Petry, drove to San Antonio to rescue an Airedale terrier. On the way back, they stopped at a local mystery bookstore and the dog jumped out of the car. But they had difficulty coaxing him back. It was dark and raining, and Smith, who was wearing dark clothing, stepped into the street. She was hit by a car and taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced brain-dead. On Sunday, in accordance with her wishes, her organs were donated to others.
Smith wrote mysteries, taught mystery writing, and worked as voice-over talent on Austin radio commercials. She also owned Catalyst Training & Development, a company that ran communication training classes and workshops. She was a former president of the international Sisters In Crime literary group.
Cooper, author of the Texas-based E. J. Pugh and Kimmey Kruse series of mysteries, who first became friends with Smith in 1989, remembers that she had a powerful effect on the Black Shoes. "One thing Barbara said going in was that she didn't want to do this group unless anything negative that was said, something positive had to be said to balance it out. And she was absolutely right. It was the most successful group I've ever been in. We were able to concentrate not just on the negative, as so often happens in writing groups, but on what was working, too."
Smith, whose real name was Barbara Jo Petry, is survived by her husband Gary, her son W.D., three stepdaughters, nine grandchildren and step-grandchildren and her brother, Bruce.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 26, 2015
Purple Sage, Texas is celebrating its Centennial and Jolie and Matt Wyatt are enjoying their reconciliation (although they haven't bothered to actually remarry.) Matts parents breeze into town to enjoy the festivities and bring with them Matt's first wife, Cecily. When one of the celebration's organizers is murdered and the town's sheriff shot and left for dead, Matt, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, becomes the acting sheriff's Number One Suspect.
The story is exceptionally well plotted, and the reveal is one I certainly never saw coming. The town is so well depicted I think I could find my way around.
This is the third in the late Barbara Burnett Smith's Jolie Wyatt Mystery series, and they just keep getting better. Even though it's almost 20 years old, it's definitely worth your while.
The story is exceptionally well plotted, and the reveal is one I certainly never saw coming. The town is so well depicted I think I could find my way around.
This is the third in the late Barbara Burnett Smith's Jolie Wyatt Mystery series, and they just keep getting better. Even though it's almost 20 years old, it's definitely worth your while.
March 23, 2024
Purple Sage is celebrating its Centennial and Matt is on the committee. The head of the committee is Vera Meece whose pet project is the POW camp that was active during WWII. When she is murdered at the site and the Sheriff is shot and left for dead Matt is suspected, being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Jolie gets involved since the Sheriff’s Dept. seems to be having problems without its leader. I have no issues with her investigation as a journalist and the plotting of the mystery. My problem with this is the personal side. Jolie and Matt have gotten back together just after their divorce was finalized but haven’t remarried yet. Her in-laws are in town for the celebration and Matt’s ex-wife and male friend are with them. Jolie is a mass of insecurities and whiny. I really felt sorry for Matt on all fronts. He has been working on his issues that helped cause the separation, but Jolie just whines. Her loyalty to Matt in solving the mystery is at first her only means of supporting him. I really hope her character issues improve in the next volume.
April 18, 2019
As a cozy mystery, this one is just ok. I have a little trouble with the protagonist, being kind of whiny and jealous and petty. Although I might have acted the same in like circumstances, I find it rather unbecoming in the "heroine" of the story (my romantic opinion). I found the solution to the mystery fairly surprising, and quite unbelievable; thinking about today's society maybe not so unbelievable.
January 3, 2025
Jolie Wyatt is finding herself in the sights of a local officer and can't seem to shake him. The in-laws are visiting and so is the ex-wife. What a wonderful time, not. Good clean mystery.
August 25, 2014
PROTAGONIST: Jolie Wyatt, radio news
SETTING: Small town in Texas
SERIES: #3 of 5
RATING: 3.25
WHY: It's the 100th anniversary of the founding of Purple Sage, Texas, and the whole town is involved in organizing a wonderful celebration. The head of the festivities is Vera Meece, who is found murdered at the German POW camp that she had been curating. I was quite surprised that I finished the book, because I normally don't care for books featuring an amateur sleuth in a small town. The characters were relatively realistic, and Smith's writing flows very well.
SETTING: Small town in Texas
SERIES: #3 of 5
RATING: 3.25
WHY: It's the 100th anniversary of the founding of Purple Sage, Texas, and the whole town is involved in organizing a wonderful celebration. The head of the festivities is Vera Meece, who is found murdered at the German POW camp that she had been curating. I was quite surprised that I finished the book, because I normally don't care for books featuring an amateur sleuth in a small town. The characters were relatively realistic, and Smith's writing flows very well.
January 3, 2011
Definitely an author of whose books I would like to read more.
March 31, 2011
well done misdirection, nice ending
September 23, 2013
enjoyable. slightly different feel than the previous books, still good.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews