A Case of Nosy Neighbors

Diamonds in the Rough #3

by Lori Copeland

Beloved author Lori Copeland brings her own brand of quirky humor to this endearing series about three generations of women trying to build a harmonious life together under one roof. In this third and final book, Maude, Stella, and CeeCee must solve the mystery of the Peeping Toms. Who is peeking through the townspeople's windows? Copeland's readers will be amused and surprised when they discover the identity of the nosy neighbors.

Genres: Mystery, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Cozy Mystery, Contemporary

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2004

About the author

Lori Copeland was born on 12 June 1941. She had a relatively late start in writing, breaking into publishing in 1982 when she was already forty years old. Over the next dozen years, her romance novels achieved much success, as was evidenced by her winning the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award, The Holt Medallion, and Walden Books' Best Seller award. She has been inducted into the Missouri Writers Hall of Fame.

Despite her success in more mainstream romantic fiction, in 1995, she decided to switch focus. Her subsequent books have been in the relatively new subgenre of Christian romance. She has also collaborated with authors Angela Elwell Hunt or Virginia Smith on a series of Christian romance novels.

Lori and her husband of over forty years, Lance, live in Springfield, Missouri, surrounded by the beautiful Ozarks. They have three grown sons, three daughter-in-laws, and six wonderful grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters. She and her husband are very involved in their church, and active in supporting mission work in Mali, West Africa.

Reviews

[✨ Gramy ✨]

The plot and the mystery were more believable in the third book of this series. Having their privacy disturbed was a jolt to this quiet little town. The characters in this book were the draw. I enjoyed the antics by Stella and her sleuthing capabilities at her elderly age. There was a lot of criticism of others. The characters continued to grow spiritually and bond closely. Thankfully, Maude's daughter, CeeCee, finally starts growing up and making adult decisions and family obligations seriously. Since I had checked out all three books at the library, I was glad that I was able to read them all in order. This may have just been the best of the series in my opinion.

[Sarah Savoca]

The third and final book in the Diamonds in the Rough series had me laughing out loud. I love the characters and the fact that while they're all different personalities, they're a family. And family never abandons family..even if it takes some members longer than others to learn that. Family is precious, but all too often we don't appreciate it until it's too late. This book really brings that home for me, and does it with faith and humor. I reccommend this book to anyone.. especially those who want a light, but at the same time deep, read. Wish the series were longer.

[Belinda]

Time well spent! I love the Morning Shade series and this was the best one. I laughed so hard I scared the dog! The characters are funny and engaging, the setting is small town America at its best. The mysteries aren't that deep, but they are hilarious. Sprinkled with lessons about God's love and care for us. If you want deep theology, don't bother. If you want light, page-turning entertainment, read this book!

[Debbie Phillips]

I chose this book because it filled a prompt I needed for the 52 Book Club 2026 Challenge. I have not read the other two books from the series and so I don't know what character and plot things I missed from the other two books. I do plan to read the other two eventually. This funny, cozy mystery is just the kind of book I like. Though there was a mystery, it was lighthearted and not that deep, but hilarious. They must solve the mystery of the Peeping Toms. Who is peeking through the townspeople's windows? Readers, like me, should be amused and surprised when they discover the identity of the nosy neighbors. A wonderful, cozy, Christian mystery.

I'm using this book for the The 52 Book Club 2026 Challenge prompt #19 - A nosy neighbor character

[Joni]

Another reviewer nailed it:
"Time well spent! I love the Morning Shade series and this was the best one. I laughed so hard I scared the dog! The characters are funny and engaging, the setting is small town America at its best. The mysteries aren't that deep, but they are hilarious. Sprinkled with lessons about God's love and care for us. If you want deep theology, don't bother. If you want light, page-turning entertainment, read this book!"

[ChrisGA]

This book is more Christian fiction than traditional cozy mystery. The crimes are mostly harmless ....no murders. The main character struggles with life as a Christian and an author while she related to her mother-in-law and adult daughter and a menagerie of pets. Funny and touching story of untraditional family living and loving under one roof.

[Lyn Soulia-Smith]

This was a good book of three generations trying to survive together. To go on with their lives and the different challenges that they all need to handle. It was a lite mystery without the dead bodies and drama. Nice book.

[Carol]

Enjoyable, but predictable.

[Cindy]

Love Lori Copeland books! ❤️

[Amy]

A fun audiobook series.

[Elaine]

LOL - Laughing out loud! At the outset of the book, Maude is mildly chagrined when she has sweet thoughts about Sherman - the doctor, thinking that her late husband wasn't yet cold in the grave. That is until she remembers "that wasn't entirely true. Herb had been dead nineteen months. If he wasn't cold yet something was dreadfully wrong."

Maude's warnings to Stella to be careful on the ice paid off and Stella remains upright. Too bad Maude didn't. Along with a cast on her leg, she's had surgery on her wrist.

There's a new guy in town. Yup another one that Cee might be interested in. Perhaps he'll turn out to be a better prospect than the last bozo new to town who loved his own juvenile pranks and had never grown up. Maude is worried about it though and who can blame her?

Oh Oh, what's Stella up to this time? Bless her heart.

CeeCee had said she would help her mother type the book she'd been working on when she had her surgery. However, Cee is tied up helping out at Rick's kennel and hardly helping Maude at all. Maude let CeeCee live with her and she supported her during Cee's desperate times and that's pretty much the thanks Maude feels she's getting from her daughter during her own need. Maude could guilt her into helping but then the help wouldn't be as appreciated.

This series isn't primarily about the cases to be investigated and solved but about relationships, love, and dealing with each other's foibles. It's about how we can't do everything by ourselves. We weren't meant to be self-sufficient. "No man is an island."

[Anne Hawn]

This is a delightful read. Stella, the 87 year old heroine, is as unconventional as she can be, but her claim to fame is solving mysteries. She and the local sheriff have to find the peeping toms that are threatening the citizens of Morning Shade. No one can find a trace of the scoundrels and the only description is that they are incredibly ugly.

Stella's daughter suffers a mishap which leaves her with a broken ankle and while she is on the table, the doctor also operates on her wrist badly crippled from carpal tunnel syndrome. Since she is home bound, Stella has to drive herself and companions to their community service jobs and manages to do it in such a way that they spend the whole time in fervent prayer.

Add to that the problems of Stella's unwise granddaughter who seems on the verge of another unfortunate romance with the local kennel owner and you have more than enough laughs and tears to take you away from your everyday concerns. The book is easy to read and very entertaining.

[Kimberly]

Book 3 in A Morning Shade Mysteries. There is a case of peeping toms disturbing the good citizens of Morning Shade and 87 year old Stella is bound and determined to solve the case. When she is not conducting stakeouts or strolling the streets late at night looking for the perpetrators, she still remains quite busy. She is driving her friends to community service, adopting a pet snake and issuing out citizen's arrest left and right. If that's not enough, Maude is in a cast and needing more help than she cares to admit and CeeCee is head over heels in love with the new vet in town; who is all sorts of sleazy. This was a quick fun read, even though I figured out the mystery half way through!

[Val]

Another Morning Shade mystery. I was not as impressed with this one. As usual set around Stella, her mother-in-law Maude and daughter CeeCee. Someone is spying on Stella's neighbours and it is starting to become frightening. Nobody can guess who it is until near the end. This is a very light crime story. Nice if you know the characters and are following the series but nothing to really get your teeth into.

[Elizabeth Meadows]

This book was so much fun! I loved it just as much as the first two in the series, even though I predicted the perpetrators fairly early in the story. The characters are so great (especially 87 year old Stella) and I wish there were more books in this series.

[Diane Miller]

A continuing story with updates on all the original characters and new characters added. Small town life and too much time on your hands!!

[Kim]

These start slow, but I enjoy them because they are mysteries where no one dies. This one ended particularly funny!

[Julie]

A cute christian mystery. I listened while I cleaned the boys bedroom and finished the banner for camp. At least I didn't have to worry about inappropriate crap.

[Amanda Shenk]

Gonna start this one tonight!

[Heidi]

I have really enjoyed this series. 3 women of varying ages all in the same house....it caused me to laugh a time or two :)

[Lydia Granger]

Really enjoyed - loads of humor.

[Shannon]

loose ends at the end...hope another is forthcoming

[Lucy Bilik]

This was a humorous light read. Very much enjoyed it!

[Kurt]

The solution to the mystery was TOO OBVIOUS, but still an easy, cozy read.