What do you think?
Rate this book
E.J. Pugh #1
One, Two, What Did Daddy Do?
The Family that dies together... Everyone in the small, tightly knit community of Block Cat Ridge Texas, knows everyone else's business. And everyone is stunned by the slaying of the well-liked Lester family, minus its youngest member, in their own home. Apparently loving husband and father Roy did the bloody deed -- before turning the murder weapon on himself. The Pughs were the Lesters' nearest neighbors and closest friends. In fact, sharp-tongued housewife/romance writer E.J. Pugh first discovered the bogies... and four-year-old Bessie Lester, who may have witnessed the carnage. But Bessie isn't speaking. And E.J. may be the only one in Black Cat Ridge who believes th is case is not closed... and that a murderer still walks among them all.
202 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1992
2 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Susan Rogers Cooper
35 books27 followersSusan Rogers Cooper is an American mystery novelist. A self-proclaimed "half fifth generation Texan; half Yankee", she sets her novels in Texas (the E.J. Pugh and Kimmey Kruse novels) and in Oklahoma (the Sheriff Milt Kovak novels). She is currently living in Central Texas, coming up with fresh new ways to get her characters into trouble.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 8, 2020
A novelist stay-at-home mom must face the murder of her neighbors and friends.
It's not really a classic detective story : the investigation is not very thorough and the key to the enigma, obvious, is put before the reader's eyes very quickly. But the story is pretty well constructed and the tone of the story rings true.
It is also easy to read and quite short.
I liked the other series by Susan Cooper (Shériff Milt Kovac), this one has the same writing qualities, the same humor and is also pleasant to read.
It's not really a classic detective story : the investigation is not very thorough and the key to the enigma, obvious, is put before the reader's eyes very quickly. But the story is pretty well constructed and the tone of the story rings true.
It is also easy to read and quite short.
I liked the other series by Susan Cooper (Shériff Milt Kovac), this one has the same writing qualities, the same humor and is also pleasant to read.
November 29, 2009
This is a very intensely emotional book, surprisingly so, since solving the mystery is a tad illogical. But maybe it's more like life!
EJ Pugh and her family are best friends with their neighbors. The parents and the kids clicked and they were wonderful friends. One morning it's EJ's turn to take the kids to school and discovers the whole family murdered except for the four year old girl. It looks like the husband killed them and then killed himself. The horror and grief EJ feels is overwhelming. Their concern that the husband did not do this is dismissed by the police except for one woman detective.
As EJ copes with grief, the remaining child, her own life, and concerns, she pursues trying to find out the why of this horror. And puts her own family in danger.
This book is compelling, not because of the whodunnit but because of the characters interactions with each other; it brings home the horror and grief we usually see sensationalized on television.
EJ Pugh and her family are best friends with their neighbors. The parents and the kids clicked and they were wonderful friends. One morning it's EJ's turn to take the kids to school and discovers the whole family murdered except for the four year old girl. It looks like the husband killed them and then killed himself. The horror and grief EJ feels is overwhelming. Their concern that the husband did not do this is dismissed by the police except for one woman detective.
As EJ copes with grief, the remaining child, her own life, and concerns, she pursues trying to find out the why of this horror. And puts her own family in danger.
This book is compelling, not because of the whodunnit but because of the characters interactions with each other; it brings home the horror and grief we usually see sensationalized on television.
November 22, 2022
Foul language
February 3, 2025
A good read a bit gory but tempered with humour.
August 12, 2016
Contemporary “Cozy” but much darker
#1 in the E. J Pugh series
E. J. Pugh discovers her best friend Terry, who is her neighbor as well, has been murdered in an apparent murder suicide. The entire family is slaughtered with the exception of four year old Bessie but E. J. cannot believe that the father, her husband’s best friend is responsible. She takes it upon herself to investigate.
I started out thinking this book was going to be a typical cozy mystery, but it’s not…it’s much darker. An entire family is murdered, a traumatized child becomes mute, a ruthless killer still remains at large. It is these attributes that make this book an intense, suspenseful read. My only qualm is that the ending was not as good as the journey there.
#1 in the E. J Pugh series
E. J. Pugh discovers her best friend Terry, who is her neighbor as well, has been murdered in an apparent murder suicide. The entire family is slaughtered with the exception of four year old Bessie but E. J. cannot believe that the father, her husband’s best friend is responsible. She takes it upon herself to investigate.
I started out thinking this book was going to be a typical cozy mystery, but it’s not…it’s much darker. An entire family is murdered, a traumatized child becomes mute, a ruthless killer still remains at large. It is these attributes that make this book an intense, suspenseful read. My only qualm is that the ending was not as good as the journey there.
October 2, 2008
ONE, TWO, WHAT DID DADDY DO? - Ok
Cooper, Susan Rogers - 1st in E. J. Pugh series
Besides being a wife and mother of three, E, J. Pugh maintains a career as the writer of suacy bodice rippers. Her world is thrown into turmoil when her next door neighbors are killed. The police say it was murder-suicide, but E.J. knows that's impossible and sets out to see justice served.
A good lead up but weak wrap. Cozy.
Cooper, Susan Rogers - 1st in E. J. Pugh series
Besides being a wife and mother of three, E, J. Pugh maintains a career as the writer of suacy bodice rippers. Her world is thrown into turmoil when her next door neighbors are killed. The police say it was murder-suicide, but E.J. knows that's impossible and sets out to see justice served.
A good lead up but weak wrap. Cozy.
Read
December 3, 2012light humor, good
April 19, 2022
This book is so emotionally intense that everything else disappears. The end is a total shocker. This author has some real talent.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews