Craks in a Marriage

Mah Jongg Mysteries #1

by Barbara Barrett

When Sydney Bonner overhears a fellow mah jongg player arguing on the phone with her husband, she realizes the couple’s “perfect marriage” isn’t all it appears to be. A few days later, the husband is found dead, his head bashed in. Fearing she’ll be considered the most likely suspect, the widow prevails upon Sydney and her three friends—Marianne, Kat and Micki—to find out who really killed him.

Though none of these four fun-loving, take-charge retirees has any training as detectives, the women agree to launch a secret investigation. As they dig under the happy veneer of their community’s social life, they find more than enough suspects, from shady ladies to resentful golf buddies, to keep them looking over their shoulders.

Could the murderer be lurking among the talent in a chaotic production put on by Sydney’s husband, who will do anything to keep busy in retirement? Could the sheriff, who may have more than a professional interest in chanteuse Kat, end up pinning the crime on the women instead? Each discovery during their investigations and their weekly mah jongg game keeps them running as they close in on the killer—but the killer may also be closing in on them.

This cozy mystery, the first in the Mah Jongg Mystery series, features four retired amateur sleuths who live in the small Florida town of Serendipity Springs, all female and all friends who play the game of mah jongg together. Though they don't set out to investigate murder, after their first experience in this story, others start looking to them to help investigate subsequent homicides and questionable accidents. In this first book, Sydney Bonner takes the lead, although she turns to her three friends for help. Though this series features four protagonists, the others will take the lead in subsequent stories. Two are married, one is divorced and the fourth, who has been single all her life while she tended to her ailing mother, now finds herself the object of the sheriff's attention in this series.

The four don't seek out murder; somehow the circumstances and those affected drag them in. Meanwhile, as they attempt to gather information, life goes on in their community in such activities as a women's club, a social group for those over 50, real estate transactions, numerous stops at the local coffeehouse, and even a shopping trip to Naples. Sydney's husband, Trip, and her friend Marianne Putnam's husband, Beau, are golf buddies who spend many a day on the course. When not there, Trip is busy seeking to build a new post retirement life, and Beau is often prevailed upon to join in Trip's latest activity, which in this first book is a town follies. Kat Faulkner has lived a frugal life until winning big in a lottery shortly after her mother's death; suddenly, Kat has money and doesn't know how to spend it. But her divorced friend and freelance writer, Micki Demetrius, does, even if it's to guide Kat through a makeover and wardrobe change for her lounge act.

This cozy mystery is the first book in the Mah Jongg Mystery series. Barbara Barrett is already published in contemporary romance. She is a member of the Mystery/Romantic Suspense chapter of Romance Writers of America. Like her protagonists, she is retired and is a resident of Florida, although she spends her summers in her home state of Iowa. She spent over three decades as a human resource management analyst with Iowa state government. She can be contacted at barbarabarrett747@gmail.com. Check her website at barbarabarrettbooks.com.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Amazon, Ebooks, Contemporary

262 pages, Paperback

Published February 5, 2018

About the author

I characterize myself as a contemporary culture junkie. Translated: I changed my undergraduate major from anthropology to American history when I learned I'd have to do field work (no air conditioning) to obtain my graduate degree, but I never lost my interest in observing current lifestyle trends. I'm a TV addict. Sitcoms are my real passion, sitcoms done well, with ensembles that click and witty writing that never fails to amuse. I love to bake chocolate chip cookies and spend my spare time playing Mah Jongg.

In my former life I was a human resources analyst, so the jobs of my heroes and heroines almost become secondary characters in my contemporary romance novels.

I was married on D-Day, June 6 (my degree's in history, remember), and have two incredible grown children and eight grandchildren who make life worth living. I spend my winters in Florida (my office allows a view of four palm trees) and my summers in my home state of Iowa. To learn more about my books, please visit my website at http://www.barbarabarrettbooks.com.

Reviews

[Jeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

For Ms. Barrett's first voyage into cozy mystery writing she did a fine job!

For me, this book combined two of my favorite things: Mah Jongg and mystery.

Welcome to Serendipity Springs, Florida. You will meet four fun and fabulous retired ladies who get together once a week for a game of Mah Jongg. When another woman's husband is murdered they work to uncover who could've murdered him before his wife is arrested for the crime.

I was given an eARC by the publisher through NetGalley.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the first in the new Mah Jongg Mysteries, set in Serendipity Springs, Florida. Sydney, Kat, Marianne and Micki are friends who play mah jongg at one table together and are enjoying their retired life in this quiet town. Olivia Schwimmer plays at another table and doesn't socialize much with the other ladies; she is a more competitive player. All of that changes when Olivia's husband is found murdered off of a path in broad daylight. When Olivia asks Syd and the other three ladies to investigate who might have killed her husband, the women begin to discover how many cracks are in the Schwimmer marriage. But Olivia is not the only one with a motive. The ladies find leads that the Sheriff can't seem to uncover, much to his dismay.

Overall, the book was an enjoyable read. It was different to have four protagonists. While the book description states that Syd is the lead, the other characters are well-developed--especially for the first in the series. They had nice, identifiable personalities and I wanted to pull up a chair and join them for a cup of coffee. The mystery had some nice twists and a couple red herrings. While most of the book was at a comfortable pace, I felt like the ending was too rushed.

**Thanks to NetGalley and Backlit PR for a complimentary copy of this book. My review is voluntary..

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four friends get together with others each week to play Mah Jongg (and occasionally meet for coffee, lunch etc - but without the rest of the Mah Jongg players), they are all retired, two of them are married (Sydney to Trip and Marianne to Beau) and two are single (Kat and Micki), everything is peaceful and the same week in and week out until Sydney over hears one of the other players (Olivia) having an argument with her husband.  Even that wouldn't normally ruffle the calm of Serendipity Springs only the husband winds up dead, and not only dead but murdered, with Olivia scared that the police will pin the murder on her Sydney, Marianne, Micki and Kat agree to do some nosing around (purely to help the beleaguered Police Officer Rick Fromero ... who appears to have fallen for Kat in her guise as a lounge singer). As if that isn't enough Trip has decided to put a mixed talent show on (nicknamed the Follies) and Sydney knows from past experience that she will end up doing more than muttering supportive words!

It looks as though Serendipity Springs will never be the same again.

This took a little while to get going, but once the characters were "bedded in" so to speak, picked up speed and I will be reading more in this series!

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Craks in a Marriage by Barbara Barrett, is the first book in Mah Jongg series. A fun group of seniors, Kat, Syd, Marianne and Micki, help co player Olivia solve her husbands murder before she is arrested. This book is a fun read, with intelligent older women. I found this book to be a quick read, with well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you love fun cozy mysteries like I do, than I recommend this book.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the author for an honest review.

[Katreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

CRAKS IN A MARRIAGE by Barbara Barrett
The First Mah Jongg Mystery

Sydney Bonner and her friends enjoy their weekly Mah Jongg game, even if they do have to put up with the annoying Olivia. Yet when Olivia's husband is found murdered, it's Sydney the widow turns to in order to find out who killed her husband. Believing she's out of her element and not wanting to get in trouble, as well as not being completely sure of Olivia's innocence, Sydney asks her friends if they will join her in discretely looking into things. Now between playing mah jongg, clipping coupons, and avoiding her husband's new project, Sydney and her friends will try to catch a killer!

CRAKS IN A MARRIAGE is a fun start to a fresh new series. I love how the four friends actually discuss if they really want to get involved in a murder investigation, and consider the bad things that could happen! Of course they do decide to discretely look around, but for the most part they do it intelligently and actually contact the police when necessary.

These women of a certain age are smart, attractive, and fun. They know what they want in life and actively go out and pursue it. I enjoy the relationships of both Sydney and Trip as well as Marianne and Beau; couples that have been married for some time who show love, understanding, and annoyance with each other! The mystery is interesting, although the discovery of the actual killer could have been flushed out a bit more.

Excellent characterization, an interesting background (I really want to learn to play Mah Jongg now), and subtle humor make CRAKS IN A MARRIAGE an enjoyable series debut.

FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.

[Jessica Robbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.

Strong start to a new series. We get to meet a group of four women who live in a small town in Florida where they are each either retired or housewife's meaning their schedules are flexible. They all play mah jongg together which is nice new twist for a cozy series that I was enjoying as several rules are listed throughout. Things are great until one of their fellow players is accused of killing her husband so she asks them to help clear her name since they are so in tune with the gossip network around town. What follows is a comical investigation as this group tries to keep spouses ignorant while still trying to save the day. This is a must read for fans of cozy mysteries and I personally am looking forward to the next installment. I really enjoyed it so I give it 4/5 stars.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned how to play mah jongg a few years ago and I play weekly with a group of women over 55, so the premise of this book really appealed to me. I read the sample and was encouraged enough to buy the book.

I enjoyed the mystery. It was an average cozy, better than some but not brilliant. Having a group of women as the amateur detectives instead of just one was a good way to proceed.

The descriptions of the mah jongg tables with the different types of players definitely resonated with my experiences: the one who knows all the rules, the one who always gets phone calls and stops the game while she talks, the ones who are more interested in talking than in the game...

However, the book started with a player getting Mah Jongg on a $0.75 hand: "two flowers and 2018 in all three suits". That hand doesn't exist on the 2018 card, and there are no hands worth more than $0.60. So I can't help wondering how accurate some of the other descriptions in the book might be. In a different session there was mention of one player being East but a different player having 14 tiles to start the game. That threw me out of the story, wondering if there are tables where East doesn't start the game.

[Charlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great characters

A great cast of characters. This group of women gives me hope for my own retirement even if it is more than 10 years away.

[Sat BIr Kaur Khalsa · Rating 3 out of 5]

light read

Fun read for light comfortable enjoyment. Nice deceptions and descriptions. If life could always go so smoothly we could read more books.

[Claire Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's the "love" not so hate relationship with the lawman & of course the corpse and finally whodunit....I didn't guess that one. Good, fun, quick read.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this first book in the Mah Jongg series!

The characters are great, quirky and likeable. They're well-developed and complex. I really enjoyed them.

The setting descriptions were mostly good. I'm a little tired of reading that someplace is "the jewel of..." but other than that, they were well done and not too wordy.

I enjoyed the plot quite a bit and did NOT know who the villain was this time before it was revealed.

All in all, I will definitely be reading more in this series!

[Deana Dick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love a book that is full of intrigue, gossip and exciting characters. Rumor is going around that someone is having an affair. Now people have heard who it is, but others don’t want to know. They believe in giving a person a benefit of the doubt, but that doesn’t stop the gossip spreading throughout the community.

My heart beat so fast when the victim was identified by his wife. You could feel the tension as the body was revealed and the moment that the spouse knew her life was forever changed. It was a very well written scene and made me think of how difficult it would be to go through such a traumatic event like that. The question now is who is the killer? Sydney and her friends are persuaded in a way to try to find out who killed someone’s husband. I loved that these ladies were retired and all set to have a fun and enjoyable life, but what do you do when someone you know is in trouble?

The stakes are high in this first in a series and the author does a great job of giving us a collection of unique characters. The four friends have their hands full as suspects start to pop up. I loved how they gathered information and slowly went through intricate and damaging evidence. As the investigation grows, there is another big goings on in the town. I couldn't wait to hear all the details of the folly that Sydney's husband is in charge of. It is the talk of the town and suddenly people wan to be a part of it. I had to laugh at one of the acts that was booked for the show. It is a funny moment that lightens the mood in the story.

Will Sydney and her friends solve the murder before the sheriff stops their snooping? I enjoyed the story and how well it flowed. The characters are interesting and I absolutely loved the four women turned sleuths that take investigating serious. You are in for a treat with this well written mystery that is neatly wrapped up at the end. I have to say the ending was tense and I loved how it kept me on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend this new series.

I received a copy of this book from The Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. The review is my own opinion.

[Evie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Struggling. Won’t finish

[Linda Rorex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Mah Jongg Mysteries series by Barbara Barrett. Sydney Bonner is a mah jongg enthusiast living in Serendipity Springs, Florida. Sydney overhears another player, Olivia Swimmer arguing with her husband over the phone. Olivia’s husband is found dead days later with his head bashed in. Olivia becomes the prime suspect in her husband’s murder. Olivia pleads with Sydney and her three friends, Marianne Putnam, Kat Faulkner and Micki Demetrius to prove her innocence and find the real killer. None of the four ladies have training as detectives, but they have insider knowledge of the town’s social circles giving them a unique edge. Their investigation leads them through golf course gossip, shady real estate deals, and a chaotic town talent show. Sydney’s husband Trip adds comic relief with his retirement antics, while the local sheriff may have more than a professional interest in Kat. As the women dig deeper in the investigation, they realize the killer might be closer than they think and watching their every move. This cozy mystery story of four spirited retirees turned amateur sleuths to help solve a shocking murder that disrupts their peaceful community. With a murder victim tied to their inner circle, these sharp and spirited friends plunge into a twisty investigation filled with secrets, gossip, and plenty of mah jongg banter.

[Linda Rorex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Mah Jongg Mysteries series by Barbara Barrett. Sydney Bonner is a mah jongg enthusiast living in Serendipity Springs, Florida. Sydney overhears another player, Olivia Swimmer arguing with her husband over the phone. Olivia’s husband is found dead days later with his head bashed in. Olivia becomes the prime suspect in her husband’s murder. Olivia pleads with Sydney and her three friends, Marianne Putnam, Kat Faulkner and Micki Demetrius to prove her innocence and find the real killer. None of the four ladies have training as detectives, but they have insider knowledge of the town’s social circles giving them a unique edge. Their investigation leads them through golf course gossip, shady real estate deals, and a chaotic town talent show. Sydney’s husband Trip adds comic relief with his retirement antics, while the local sheriff may have more than a professional interest in Kat. As the women dig deeper in the investigation, they realize the killer might be closer than they think and watching their every move. This cozy mystery story of four spirited retirees turned amateur sleuths to help solve a shocking murder that disrupts their peaceful community. With a murder victim tied to their inner circle, these sharp and spirited friends plunge into a twisty investigation filled with secrets, gossip, and plenty of mah jongg banter.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

New cozy series excite me. This one is a little different than my usual, as the main characters are somewhat wealthy retirees. Well, one is a lottery winner, but all have winning personalities and a competitive streak. They also appreciate a bit of gossip, no matter how strongly they protest.
When the husband of one competitive mah jongg player is discovered dead in the woods, even though she has not been the best of friends to the rest, four ladies take a crack at playing detective to keep her from being wrongfully convicted of murder.

Not only do these senior sleuths repeatedly remind each other that they don't really have a clue how to go about this, they decide not to tell their husbands what they are up to. Of course, they must also stay out of the way of law enforcement, doing their own investigation.

Sydney's husband, Trip, hasn't yet adjusted to a retirement schedule and is over his head in organizing a variety show. This means everyone the couple knows must also contribute in some manner. This gives us more insight into each character's personality, and may provide some clues and red herrings to chase.

A fun read that is a great start to a delightful series!

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia's husband has been murdered while out for his daily jog; she fears that she will be the main suspect. Enter four Mah Jongg players, who dislike Olivia but dislike injustice even more.

I fancy the concept of four senior sleuths working together to solve a mystery for someone of whom they are not fond but yet feel some empathy. Their method of narrowing the field until they had one suspect made sense though I questioned a couple of their discards. I also raised an eyebrow at their lack of respect for the sheriff - even though they eventually realized that he wasn't as adrift as they had thought, they continued to investigate despite the sheriff's direction to cease their probing. The two husbands, in contrast, to the wives seemed caricatures and I could easily have done without their presence. Hopefully, they will calm down in the next book.

Recommended.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Syd hears a fellow Mah Jongg player Olivia arguing with her husband she is concerned and when the husband is murdered she is very concern as Olivia is the main suspect But she doesn't believe Olivia killed her husband. When Olivia ask Syd and 3 of her friends (all Mah jongg players) to investigate her husband's death they decide to see what they can find out. Unfortunately the detective on the case is not happy when he finds out what they are doing. But they find out he is more mad because they found out things that his employees didn't. This is the first in the Mah Jongg Mystery series and it is not a bad start. I love the characters and especially their husbands. The writing was smooth and let the story flow. I enjoyed the book and look forward to the next book in the series.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

CRAKS In A Marriage by Barbara Barrett

Four retiree ladies who play Mah Jong are all swept into solving a murder of one of the ladies whose husband was found dead. Olivia, had asked her four Mah Jong ‘friends’ to help find who had murdered her husband. These 4 ladies ended up retrieving more info than the police dept had. The women handed over 5 suspects they thought had a motive to murder Olivia’s husband.

This was a light read and very easy to read. I loved the many plot twists in trying to figure who the killer was.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in the series. The main characters are Sydney, Marianne, Katrina and Micki. These 4 friends decide to help a friend whose husband is murdered. Olivia is afraid she she will be arrested for the murder just because she is the wife. They start to investigate and then the Sheriff figures out what they trying to do and tells them to stop. But can they before someone gets hurt

[J Shu · Rating 3 out of 5]

A foursome of mah jongg players is asked by another player to investigate the murder of her husband, as she fears she'll be targeted by the sheriff for commiting the crime. The quartet uses every means they can think of to find the real murderer. Can they figure out who wanted the husband dead? Fun, quick read.

[April Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friends are a must, especially if you get dragged into murder solving. This first of the series was so much fun. Maj Jongg references throughout, along with tea and coffee made for an enjoyable read. I did not guess 'Who dun it' until the reveal. Even then, it was a surprise! Highly Recommended.

[Stacey Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

What could be better than Mahjong, mystery, and murder? Craks in a Marriage is an average cozy mystery. Although it is not as riveting as some, it is a light read, especially for those who enjoy their weekly games of Mahjong and the friendly and humorous connections that the game brings to our lives. Since it is a series, I may try the next one in hopes that the plot is a little more exciting.

[Gaby CR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me gustó que al ser personas de la tercera edad había variedad en las personalidades y que varias estaban casadas, ya que normalmente en este tipo de historias la protagonista suele tener también intereses amorosos, y si hay en este libro quien los tiene pero al ser varias protagonistas hay diversidad.

[Eve · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were too many characters that I could not tell apart, tons of useless descriptions. For some reason, gangs of seniors do not do it for me (and I am a senior myself). I was bored and skipped to the end..... no surprise: the main character confronts the killer alone, nearly dies, the police appears and save her. So.... a formulaic cozy mystery in a small town. The plot was OK.

[Vicky Coughlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a mahjong lover it was a given I would get this book and am I glad I did. This was such a great story and so well written. It was such a pleasure to read. Not spoilers but I strongly recommend this book.

[Gert Mohr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Game of mystery

Small, quiet retirement community isn't so quiet. Seniors pulled together to solve a crime butt heads with everybody. This delightful cast of characters carry off an investigation that even the police can't solve. Loved it from start to finish.

[Kathleen Marcucci-Vekassy]

Murder and Mah Jong

I love the dynamics of these 4 friends as they sleuth their way to help a not so friendly friend prove her innocence in the murder of her husband. Really enjoyed this book.

[Grace · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was fairly boring and average and unbelievable.
It was hard to guess how it was going to end because facts just kept appearing rather than being fed before they were needed.
I did love the mahjong elements.
Finished in the air between Bangkok and Sydney.

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book up because it was listed in my weekly mahjong newsletter and I thought it might be fun to read a mystery book that has some mahj in it. It was just so poorly written that it took me ages to get through it.