A Risky Undertaking for Loretta Singletary

Samuel Craddock Mystery #8

by Terry Shames

A FAVORITE SERIES CHARACTER FINDS HERSELF IN HARM'S WAY. After using an online dating site for senior citizens, town favorite Loretta Singletary--maker of cinnamon rolls and arbiter of town gossip--goes missing. Chief Samuel Craddock's old friend Loretta Singletary--a mainstay of the Jarrett Creek community--has undergone a transformation, with a new hairstyle and modern clothes. He thinks nothing of it until she disappears. Only then does he find out she has been meeting men through an online dating site for small-town participants. When a woman in the neighboring town of Bobtail turns up dead after meeting someone through the same dating site, Craddock becomes alarmed. Will Craddock be able to find Loretta before she suffers the same fate? Finding out what happened to Loretta forces him to investigate an online world he is unfamiliar with, and one which brings more than a few surprises.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Crime

264 pages, Paperback

First published April 23, 2019

About the author

Terry Shames is the award-winning, best-selling author of eleven Samuel Craddock mysteries. Her first book, A Killing at Cotton Hill won the Macavity Award for Best First novel Her books have been shortlisted for the Strand Critics Award, Lefty awards, and won the RT Reviews Critics award. The eleventh in the series, The Troubling Death of Maddy Benson, October, 2024, was an Amazon Editor's Pick and won a starred review in Library Journal.

In 2024, she debuted the Jessie Madison thriller series, with Perilous Waters. In March, 2025, she published Out of Control, a suspense novel.

Terry is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers.

She lives in Southern California with her husband, her dog Monty and her cat Max.
For more visit her website at www.Terryshames.com.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first saw Loretta's name in the title of the new Samuel Craddock series, I was absolutely delighted. Loretta Singletary is one of those supporting characters in a series who makes a return to it a must. Of course, I dearly love Samuel Craddock, the main character, and he is one of the fictitious characters I'd most like to meet, but he does need a stellar supporting cast who make Jarrett Creek a destination of return time and time again. Fortunately for readers, author Terry Shames is a master at creating intriguing characters who are never stagnant but are always evolving, with their Texas charm masking a strength and determination of achieving their goals, be they good or bad. Even Samuel's new puppy, Dusty, adds to our enjoyment of and telling of the story.

It seems that Chief of Police Samuel Craddock isn't the only one in Jarret Creek with romance on his mind. His new relationship with Wendy, whom he met at a Thanksgiving dinner his then girlfriend Ellen couldn't attend, is giving Samuel new pause for wonder at how being in sync with another human being can be so thrilling again. When long-time friend Loretta Singletary stops by Samuel's house to speak to him about the annual goat rodeo in town, Samuel is surprised she's not bringing baked goods like she usually does, and she's dressed up as if going somewhere special. She even has a new haircut and is wearing make-up. But, Samuel has no idea what has sparked Loretta's new interest in her appearance until she turns up missing. Then he learns that his old friend, whom he had taken for granted as a pillar of the community and predictable down to the delicious cinnamon rolls she bakes has joined the 21st century by signing up for a senior citizens' online dating service. While allowing for the fact that Loretta was spreading her wings into new territory outside of Jarrett and her beloved Baptist Church, Samuel knows that Loretta would not have just taken off without informing someone. No matter what newly enlightened attitude Loretta was adopting, she was still a highly responsible person and a thoughtful mother, friend, and community member. When another older woman using the same dating site as Loretta turns up missing and then dead, Samuel and his new, efficient deputy Maria Trevino start investigating on a urgent schedule of combing through Loretta's dating profile and interviewing anyone who might have any useful information. The investigation is a great police procedural to follow. The Chief of Police at Bobtail, the other town where the missing woman was from, is most cooperative with Samuel, as they work towards finding the person they think is responsible for both disappearances and the one death. Samuel is desperate to find Loretta and not have her name added to the dead. There are lots of interesting items that come up during the investigation of the dating site, some of concern about a Jarrett Creek member of the site, but there is nothing more surprising than the ending of this tale. Shames has given readers a magnificently mastered twisted treat of a finale.

While dealing with the issue of online dating, this story delves into an area of it too often neglected, that of senior citizens using this avenue to meet people and prospective partners. Senior citizens are especially vulnerable, with people preying on them for their money and family maybe being miles away. But, this isn't the tale of frailty or tragedy. It's actually a wonderful look at Loretta becoming more than just a taken-for-granted, reliable person. It's a wake-up call for her friends, especially Samuel, who consider her a close friend and yet haven't the first clue about how Loretta feels as an individual woman and just how generous her baking for everyone is. The book gives a new depth to many of the characters, just when you think you couldn't love them any more. For me, A Risky Undertaking for Loretta Singletary is a landmark story in the Samuel Craddock series, from which there are so many more stories waiting to be told. Of course, Terry Shames all along has led us deeper and deeper into the community of Jarrett Creek, making it impossible for readers to ever get enough of its residents and their stories.

[J.R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

When his neighbor and longtime friend Loretta Singletary goes missing smalltown police chief Samuel Craddock is plunged into a foreign world and a heap of worry.
Craddock had noticed some subtle changes in Loretta's hairstyle and dress prior to her disappearance. Despite concern raised by her church friends, he isn't particularly bothered until he realizes she's been using an online dating site. His concern increases after another woman who'd been using the same dating site is found dead on a lonely country road.
Sam and his deputy Maria Trevino (a stellar addition to the cast for this reader) move forward in search of clues, including conference with police in the jurisdiction where the other woman lived. A novice at the game, Craddock sets up a sting posing as a woman on the dating site, which leads to some unusual encounters.
Meanwhile, a pushy new Baptist minister, who has his own secrets, is posing an unnecessary distraction by attempting to horn in on the annual Goat Rodeo, which has always been the province of the local Catholic priest.
Sam's pup Dusty sniffs out a clue along the way, but it may only be apparent to dog-lovers.
A worthy addition to the series.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, police chief Samuel Craddock doesn't take it very seriously. He's known Loretta Singletary all his life--how could she just disappear? But soon he realizes that she's not the only woman in the rural Texas area who's disappeared--and when the other woman is found dead, everyone realizes that something bad might have happened to Loretta. Very few people know that the long-widowed Loretta has just entered the world of internet dating in a small way. In a way, her friendship with the chief acts against her; he's too involved to keep his objectivity. Another terrific book by Shames.

[Kevintipple · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Risky Undertaking for Loretta Singletary is the eighth book in this long running and very good series. This time Chief of Police for Jarret, Texas, Samuel Craddock becomes increasingly concerned about the disappearance of his neighbor and friend, Loretta Singletary. Until he really sat back and thought about it, he hadn’t paid much attention to the fact that in recent weeks Loretta started dressing different and had a new hair style. Loretta Samuel Craddock was used to how she was, her routines such as the one that included her walking over from her house early in the morning bringing home made cinnamon rolls warm from her oven, and the fact that she kept her life fairly private. She is not one to talk about her personal business or share a lot of confidences so he wasn’t paying much attention to the changes she was doing in recent weeks.

Then she upset the routine by going missing and can’t be found anywhere. The easy explanations of Loretta taking a trip to visit family, shopping with a friend, don’t fit. Loretta is gone and no one has a clue where she has gone. By poking around a bit in her home and asking a lot of questions of everyone in her life, Samuel Craddock begins to piece together the idea that she has signed up for one of those dating sites. In her case, one that caters to seniors and folks that live in small towns. A little research also convinces him that such sites are dangerous for anyone and that is especially true for the older folks.

When another woman in a nearby town is killed, Chief of Police Samuel Craddock’s fear almost becomes flat out panic. The other woman’s personal circumstances mirrored Loretta’s and she used the same dating site. If the local church going folks would quit arguing over the long tradition of the goat rodeo, Chief Craddock would sure appreciate it as there is far more important matters at stake.

A Risky Undertaking for Loretta Singletary by Terry Shames is another excellent entry in the long running series. The author skillfully weaves together a complicated tale of increasing suspense and mystery as the pages go by. Along the way there is plenty of background detail in two secondary storylines regarding life in Small Town Texas and how everyone knows your business. Those secondary storylines work to relieve the suspense a bit and provide a dash of humor here and there while not slowing down the overall pace of the book.

Make sure you take the time to return to the world of Samuel Craddock and Jarrett, Texas. You will be glad you did.
A Risky Undertaking for Loretta Singletary: A Samuel Craddock Mystery
Terry Shames
http://www.terryshames.com
Seventh Street Books
http://www.seventhstreetbooks.com
April 2019
ISBN# 978-1-63388-490-8
Paperback (also available in eBook format)
272 Pages
$15.95


Material supplied by the good folks of the Dallas Public Library System.


Kevin R. Tipple ©2019

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a lot of book series, you get a few books in and you feel like you’ve spent enough time with the characters. But not with this one—I’m always eager for the next book to come out. One of the regular characters was possibly in peril throughout most of this book, and although I missed her presence it made it hard to put down. There were plenty of good sub plots and red herrings and well developed one-time characters to flesh out the narrative, and give the story that small town flavor. But, of course, Samuel Craddock and his line of thought was the big draw here, and it didn’t disappoint as he tried to balance objectively doing his job with his deep concern for a friend.

[Vontel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first time I've run across the series. This book is the 8th in the series, taking place in small town Texas, by the McCavity winning author. I must have requested this book after reading a review and/or recommendation. Quite enjoyable, although some elements were foreshadowed, but still surprises to be had. Would be interesting to see where the series began & the characters' beginnings & developments.

[Abibliofob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it was the fact that it's a series about a small town chief of police that got me started with Terry Shames books. I have loved every single one of them so far and this the latest is no exception. This time Samuel has to wrap his mind about the fact that there is online dating, and more than one site. He also has to learn that people aren't necessarily truthful online.... Although the crimes in this series aren't very nice I still find the books entertaining, Shames has developed some really good characters.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy this series and this was a pretty good addition. The mystery is what has happened to Loretta? I did suspect the culprit early on and felt Samuel was a bit behind the curve. Still, I like the characters and these are always fun. I love the addition of Dusty, too.

[Julie Stauss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable story. Had a hard time putting it down!

[Marty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading the stories about this small town in Texas. I lived for a short time in an area not far from San Antonio where these books take place.
The stories are written at a good pace and believable. Who knew so much crime.
I look forward to the next book.

[Coralee Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book opens peacefully with Samuel and Wendy enjoying a day spent on the bluebell trail and the peak of the season. Their relationship is still new, and they still see each other with the tint of early attraction. This seems like the last peaceful interlude before Samuel's life gets a sudden jolt. His longtime friend, Loretta has disappeared.

This is Loretta's story. A fan favorite, she personifies a certain type of Southern woman, who was satirized by Dana Carvey's 'church lady'. Pious, strict, judgemental, with a fondness for gossip Loretta opened the first book in the series and has appeared as a sounding board in each subsequent novel. Samuel has been too involved with Wendy to notice Loretta's not so subtle changes. A new hair style, a younger wardrobe, and a secret smile indicate something is different.

Loretta stops by to ask Samuel to 'fix' the Goat Rodeo 'situation'. The new Baptist minister feels the Catholic Church should not have a monopoly on an event that is so popular. Samuel declines to get involved. After turning her request down Loretta seems to be shunning him. She has not been seen for four days. When he learns that a woman in Bobtail has also gone missing, Samuel begins to believe something is very wrong. His investigation leads him to the world of internet Senior Dating and possible 'catfishing'. Throughout the book, his reflections on his relationship with Loretta become more and more insightful. For me, the key point was when he realized that Loretta has paid for all the ingredients in her baking, never once complaining about costs, and that Samuel has taken her for granted; for years. This realization may have come too late. The other missing woman is found dead.

Dusty, Samuel's new pup adds to A Risky Undertaking. His puppy manners, or lack of manners, brings humorous release to the mounting tension. Samuel has a smart doggie handful, one that should become a strong companion in future novels.

Shames twist at the conclusion was masterful. Recommended for all who enjoy suspenseful well plotted mysteries.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. 2.5 or 3 stars.

I discovered this on the new release shelf at the library and liked the idea of a murder mystery written by an old woman. I love cozy novels! Initially, I enjoyed the book. There was a positive portrayal of a Catholic priest, an easy slow pace and a sense of innocence that let me fall into the story.

However, around page 40, the narrator gives a impromptu homosexual morality lesson and reminds readers that it is "narrow-minded" to assume men are romantically attracted to women and vice versa. The narrator (an old Texas male sheriff) isn't "into" religion and frequently mentions having sex (or thinking about having sex) with his new girlfriend. No explicit details, but still. No sweet old fashioned morality. And there is some weird cultural Texas stuff.

The Catholic characters are generally treated respectfully and were definitely treated better than the crazy/cheating Baptists. But there was still a pointed reference to the Catholic sexual abuse scandals and how "zealously" church officials defended "pedophile priests".

It was also depressing at times as the older characters struggled to handle computers, do simple tasks with technology and connect with the younger generation - including their own children.

Annoyingly and confusingly, the old sheriff seems to overshare private case details at times. And at other times, he leaps into danger without backup and without sharing valuable discoveries with others in law enforcement.

Minor punctuation/grammar errors found in the text. For example, the quotation marks on page 205.

Read this book just to officially finish it. I will not seek out another book by this author.

[Viva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel sad that this is the last one in the series for now. The setting is a small town in Texas. The protagonist is chief of police Sam Craddock and the series deals with small mysteries in the town but to me it's more to do with the people in town. The mysteries are all low key affairs without a lot of action and the cliched edge of the seat thrills. But I like it more because it's a series about the people in town. The author is a great writer with an ability to put you in the town and next to the characters and animals that she creates. If you like small town dramas you will love this series.

In this mystery Loretta Singletary (friend and neighbor) of Sam Craddock has gone missing. What's worse is that another woman turns up missing soon after. Sam and his deputy Maria Trevino will leave no stone unturned to track down the missing women.

And in parallel is another story of the goat rodeo. The Catholic priest in town is usually the person in charge on running the rodeo. But this year the new Baptist preacher wants to muscle in and both sides want Sam Craddock to side with them. Sam would normally get the no nonsense Loretta to deal with this but she's gone missing and what's worse is as Sam looks into this affair he finds something very wrong with one of the parties involved.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

#8 in the Samuel Cradock mystery series. This 2019 series entry by author Terry Shames is a good addition to the series and a fun read. The ending seemed to suffer from hasty editing, however, with faulty plot lines. For example, it reads as though the phone call from the pizza palace was meaningful but the time line is long and what was the purpose in faking the location of a phone call.

A controversy over the upcoming goat rodeo brings Loretta Singletary to the doorstep of Samuel Craddock, the police chief of Jarrett Creek, Tex.. As a longtime friend, Samuel can’t help noticing Loretta’s updated wardrobe and hairstyle, but she becomes defensive when he tries to compliment her. When Samuel later realizes he hasn’t seen Loretta in days—she regularly brings him baked goods—his concern evolves from the worry about an unintended faux pas to that of her whereabouts. Samuel learns that Loretta began using an online dating site for small-town residents and was going to meet someone before she disappeared. Through the course of his investigation, Samuel wades into the foreign terrain of online dating. His anxiety builds when another woman from a nearby town disappears and turns up dead after meeting someone through the same site.

[Darcia Helle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just can't find any love for this book.

I haven't read any of the others in the series, and this book doesn't work as a stand-alone.

The story jumps right in, which is fine, but we're never given any details about our narrator at all. I knew his name because of the book's description. I had no idea whether he was old, young, tall, short, etc., until about page 50 when he's filling out an online form and needs to add his hair color, which is gray, so I got that he's an older man.

The overall tone of the book feels very much 1950s-ish, so I initially thought this must be a historical fiction series. But people have cell phones and computers, so I know it's modern.

Then the investigation starts, and the chief behaves like a bumbling idiot. He's completely clueless as what internet dating sites even are or how to find them. At that point, I just couldn't go on.

If you're interested in reading this book, I highly recommend starting at the beginning of the series, and that way this stuff might make more sense to you.

*I received a review copy from Amazon Vine.*

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I eat these books up, from the very first ("A Killing at Cotton Hill"). Terry Shames has a way of drawing you into what seems at the beginning like it might be a little sleepy -- and then, somehow, you are staying up finishing the dang thing the night you started it.

Widower Samuel Craddock is the sheriff in Jarrett Creek, Texas, and the next-door neighbor of Loretta Singletary. Like all the characters in this series, Loretta has developed and changed along the way. In this book, she's the focus, as Samuel realizes that her disappearance might not be the lark he took it for originally.

The writing is simple and clear yet riveting. There is always meat in Terry Shames's stories. I highly recommend this series. I've read them in order and suggest doing that if you can: The characters and their relationships develop, and you grow into the community. But I suspect any one of them can stand alone.

[Judy Alter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Throughout seven books now, Samuel Craddock's voice has remained consistent and strong--wise and slightly wry, down-home and unpretentious. He's the least likely hero of a mystery series--over-age, widowed, puzzled by much of the modern world, but as this entry in the series shows, still frisky enough for a little bedroom action. The title of this new entry in the series would indicate that Loretta Singletary, Samuel's neighbor and longtime friend, is the center of the action, but not so. Loretta has mysteriously disappeared, and Samuel remains at the center as he searches for her, with a search that reaches desperation. Unlikely plot twists involve a dating service for seniors from small towns and a religious rivalry in a small town. Thanks to Terry Shames, I couldn't get another thing done this past weekend, because I was glued to this book. One of my favorite series.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading one book in this series for a mystery book group, I forgot all about the series. But I think this was a very interesting book and I will be looking for other books in this series by Terry Shames. The setting, a small town in central Texas, and the citizens of the town make the books both interesting and insightful. This part of the United States is very slowly changing and the changes are uncomfortable for the hard-core Baptists who live in the town. It is hard to imagine living in a small town where everyone knows your business and has an opinion about it. But even some of the older citizens are embracing change, dying their grey hair and experimenting with Internet dating (scandalous to the other married ladies). The author is gentle with these people who cling to traditional values.

[Linda Brue · Rating 5 out of 5]

A RISKY UNDERTAKING FOR LORETTA SINGLETARY, Terry Shames, 2019
Samuel Craddock is the chief of police in Jarrett Creek. Nothing much but the usual small-town crime is going on when it's brought to Craddock's attention that his old friend Loretta Singletary hasn't come home. She hasn't been gone long, so he's inclined not to worry too much, but several things seem to be 'off' about her leaving. Another day goes by, and he discovers that Loretta had joined a local online dating group. When a woman in the neighboring town of Bobtail goes missing after joining the same dating service, Craddock gets very worried, indeed. He is finding that his investigation doesn't go so smoothly when he is personally invested in the crime, as he is feeling guilty for not noticing changes in his friend and feeling that he has taken her for granted. When the other woman is found dead, he can think of nothing else but finding Loretta. A lot of good stuff here about the vulnerability of middle-aged and senior women who are looking for companionship. And a rip-roaring good story besides. Even though I think I was a bit ahead of Chief Craddock, I had the wrong person in mind for the killer at first. Good from beginning to end!

[Viccy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samuel Craddock, police chief in Jarrett Creek, is in love, but when he notices his good friend and neighbor, Loretta Singletary, has not been by recently with a plate of cinnamon rolls, Craddock begins to worry. What has happened? Where is Loretta? Craddock discovers she has recently joined a dating website. Then another woman in Buffalo Springs disappears and her body is found on the side of the road. Craddock knows there is little time left to find Loretta and rescue her. This is a charming series with great attention to detail about life in a small Texas town in the Hill Country. The characters are charming and well-defined. Recommended.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let say that I love the Samuel Craddock series. And this was another good story/mystery.
But I was a little put out with how Baptists are portrayed in this story.
I am Houston TX born and raised, and I was brought up Southern Baptist. I was very active in a Baptist church 1980s and 90s, as a teen then as an adult. I don't think the portrayal is an accurate one, at least in my experience.
Other than that, the story is a good one.
Loretta, a neighbor of Sheriff Craddock disappears, he finds out she has recently entered the world of On-Line dating...is that the reason of her coming up missing?
A good story. I just was unhappy with the way Baptists were shown.

[CR · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Review: This is another one I have not read the first books to it. But I think I have gotten used to Jessica sending these to me. You know I love a cozy mystery no matter where it sits in the series. This one was great it kept me guessing until the very end and I so SO have to check out the first 7 books in the series. I really hope to get more from this author and this series soon. I could see Hallmark movies & mysteries creating a ton of movies with a lot of these. It would be freaking fabulous!!

In closing this is just another great cozy mystery that I really loved.

[Dave B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was unaware this was part of a series featuring the character Samuel Craddock, but my lack of familiarity did not change my enjoyment of this mystery. It is a very quick read, and it drew me in immediately. I was more drawn to the locale and supporting characters, but the book is well paced, building my intrigue and keeping it until the end. Not a lot of useless procedural details or unnecessary, intricate descriptions, just a great rainy-day, lose yourself in a fun book sort of read. I truly enjoyed it and will be seeking out more in the series.

[Cindy Dyson Eitelman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost skipped this book, thinking it was a deviation in main character/POV from Sam to his next-door neighbor, Loretta. Luckily I took a second gander at it!

It was as good as all the Samuel Craddock books have been, which is saying a lot. The only thing I'm not looking forward to is completing the series. They're really good mysteries and typically have a subplot or two that gives the author a chance to highlight a societal ill or expose a personal grievance. Of course, I can't tell you what that is for this one.

Too bad! Gives you a chance to find out for yourself.

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the beginning of this novel to be slow and I almost stopped reading it. But then it picked up and became an interesting read. The characters are all so so and Dusty the dog is just too much nuisance. The plot is actually good and moves quite well and kept my interest. The major complaint is that I found the print just too small to make for a comfortable read. And no, I do not need to get my glasses or eyes checked.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

When sixty-something Loretta Singletary updates her hairstyle and dresses in more trendy clothing, no one in Jarrett Creek, Texas, thinks twice about it, especially her friend Chief Samuel Craddock. In A Risky Undertaking for Loretta Singletary by Terry Shames, Loretta is a reliable mainstay of the close-knit community. Then one day she disappears. The chief sets out to discover where she is and how she got involved with online dating.

[Tasula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting whodunit about Sam Craddock's close friend Loretta joining on online senior singles site and suddenly disappearing. Is there a connection? Another woman disappears. Connection? Craddock and other law officers investigate. I thought Craddock was a little slow on the uptake on this one. And one of the characters was a really obnoxious minister whose rants were hard to take, but Craddock was patient with him (ugh). Of all the books in this series, this was my least liked.

[Sandybear76]

set in Jarrett Creek, TX. Loretta is a popular older lady in town for her baked goods and smiles. But people around town realizes that they haven't see Loretta in a few days. The sheriff begins inquires but he only finds that she has recently changed her hair, and has signed up for online dating. The the sheriff learns that in the next town over another lady is missing.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love this series, and Loretta is one of my favorite characters in it. She decides to doll herself up a little, and get on a dating website, but soon after, to the dismay of all, she has disappeared. Chief Samuel Craddock is on the job, searching every clue to the mystery, while dealing with the town’s every day issues like which church gets to handle the goat rodeo this year.

[Sue King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to read these books in mostly one sitting. I feel the weather, Dusty and his antics, the fear of fleeing from the gun shots, cars screeching to a halt and poor Loretta shackled to the kitchen and cooking. It was a fun read and a let down when I go to bed and it’s over and know when I get up I’ll not have it to read. Much fun!