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Flies in the Punch Bowl
In this entertaining story rich with witty humor and clever twists, an adventurous art lover battling a tarnished past races to solve a series of high-profile art thefts in the Pacific Northwest.
Seattle’s elite are reeling from a spree of unsolved art thefts, and Annabel Riley—an adventurous art aficionado eager to rebuild her career after a wily art forger derailed it—has just entered the scene.
After witnessing a suspicious chain of events at a historic prohibition speakeasy that seem linked to the thefts, Annabel sees an opportunity to restore her reputation, but only if she can identify the culprit. With promises of glory and absinthe martinis, she convinces close friends Evan Neruda, a struggling journalist with Latin charm, and Lyla Finch, a corporate worker bee with an irreverent streak, to help her investigate the thefts.
Humorous interactions abound as their paths collide with a zany ensemble of characters. But as the friends dig deeper into the crimes, the facts become murky, the list of suspects grows, and in a startling crescendo, Annabel finds herself face-to-face with the perils of pursuing the truth.
287 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 20, 2019
5 people are currently reading
469 people want to read
About the author
Erika Simms
1 book14 followersErika Simms spent fifteen years in Corporate America before escaping to write her debut novel, Flies in the Punch Bowl. Native to Anchorage and raised in Seattle, she currently lives in Denver with her husband, where she is at work on her next book.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 19, 2019
Assigned.
Light and stylish, with humorous amateur sleuths.
Light and stylish, with humorous amateur sleuths.
July 26, 2019
What an adventure!
I have enjoyed reading about these three young , funny, smart people. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery with a sense of humor. The Seattle art and bar scene was a great back drop. Mary Ann
I have enjoyed reading about these three young , funny, smart people. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery with a sense of humor. The Seattle art and bar scene was a great back drop. Mary Ann
September 8, 2019
Flies in the Punch Bowl by new author Erika Simms is a delight! Taking place in Seattle, valuable art has been taken by unknown thieves in a string of robberies from the uber rich. Annabelle Riley, a fearless and savvy art lover, convinces two friends, Evan and Lyla to help her solve the mystery. Cleverly written, colorful characters, entertaining whodunit, and laugh out loud wittiness abound in this amusing and wonderful cozy mystery tale.
Simm’s writing clearly shows her wit and talent. It’s hard to believe this is her first novel as it is extremely well written. Great flow, amusing characters and vivid details capture the reader and it’s easy to get lost in the story. Did I mention there’s a historic prohibition speakeasy linked in to the thefts as well?
Lots of twists and clever banter throughout the story and I hope Ms. Simms is already writing a sequel. Fans of James J. Cudney and Janet Evanovich will definitely enjoy.
Thanks to Erika Simms for sending me an ARC and for your never ending patience. You are a true storyteller.
Simm’s writing clearly shows her wit and talent. It’s hard to believe this is her first novel as it is extremely well written. Great flow, amusing characters and vivid details capture the reader and it’s easy to get lost in the story. Did I mention there’s a historic prohibition speakeasy linked in to the thefts as well?
Lots of twists and clever banter throughout the story and I hope Ms. Simms is already writing a sequel. Fans of James J. Cudney and Janet Evanovich will definitely enjoy.
Thanks to Erika Simms for sending me an ARC and for your never ending patience. You are a true storyteller.
March 30, 2019
Loved this book! I can’t wait to read the next in the series once it comes out. It was a very easy read that I couldn’t put down.
September 9, 2020
Oh dear. Cliches dressed up with sparkly glitzy adjectives culled from the thesaurus are, unfortunately, still cliches, and there's one on every page, if not in every paragraph. Also, the three main characters all sound like the same person, and they keep telling each other their back stories. All this really got in the way of the mystery for me.
July 1, 2019
Where I found this book:
The book was part of a basket I won in a raffle.
What I thought about this book:
I found the main characters lovable and witty, and felt the storyline followed a creative trajectory. The bad guys were convincingly bad, yet at times I found myself rooting for them, and then at other times, when I encountered a twist, I found myself questioning whether or not I had it all wrong. In other words, it was an engaging story that kept me guessing until the end. The imagery was good, too. I could picture myself in the scene, searching for the speakeasy, spectating the "upper crust" at the high-end gallery, nibbling baguettes at the French cafe, sneaking around places they don't belong. A five star read.
The book was part of a basket I won in a raffle.
What I thought about this book:
I found the main characters lovable and witty, and felt the storyline followed a creative trajectory. The bad guys were convincingly bad, yet at times I found myself rooting for them, and then at other times, when I encountered a twist, I found myself questioning whether or not I had it all wrong. In other words, it was an engaging story that kept me guessing until the end. The imagery was good, too. I could picture myself in the scene, searching for the speakeasy, spectating the "upper crust" at the high-end gallery, nibbling baguettes at the French cafe, sneaking around places they don't belong. A five star read.
August 8, 2021
Only 1 star because it is not possible to rate a book without giving it something. I have given a few 1 star ratings before, but never because of total amateurism. This book should NEVER have been offered for sale.
OK, lesson learned. "Goodreads Author" clearly does not mean what I thought it meant. Ms. Simms, who I now know to be a self-publisher, is no more an author, than I am a movie star. I could make the insta, fb and twitter profiles -- I could even make my own agency website and rep myself -- I could "star" in my own YouTube uploaded film -- but it does mean that I really know what is involved in making a professional movie or that I understand the craft of acting.
Unfortunately, I paid for this "novel", so unlike the 24 friends and family reviews that got this entry an average rating of 4 stars, here's my take --
This is the story of 3 vapid, unaccomplished 20-somethings who, in the course of seeking the next free cocktail, basically stumble on an "art heist mystery" full of cartoonish players and manage to inveigle themselves in its solution through their incredible wit and savant-level knowledge of all matters literary, artistic and historical, while expressing themselves with a sarcasm that would perhaps sound appealing to 20-something wannabe, but really just seems stupid. This trio manages to gain entrance into exclusive clubs, infiltrate the heavily-guarded homes of the extremely wealthy and even manage to be granted interviews with the local aristocracy. They sassily talk down thugs aiming guns at them. They find an enormous, wealthy Scotsman in a kilt to win over to their cause. Ummmm, yes, ludicrous.
Now for the story-craft. Yes, none. The story is linear, so not much effort involved in keeping track of anything. The voice is first-person, but it is irritatingly dotted with "I said" -- I guess no one told Ms. Simms that she is indeed speaking to the reader in first person. The story is not of the protagonist Annabel, regurgitating it to some unseen character after-the-fact, which would be the only way that "I said" would make sense. And then there is the mystery itself, with the surprise twist at the end; there is no way a reader could even engage in trying to figure out what the pretentious and idiotic trio of Annabel, Evan and Lyla could not. They don't even discover it themselves. For some inexplicable reason, the culprit confesses all.
And then let's get to the legal part. Proving slander requires actual damage -- yes, you can file a suit for pretty much anything, but it would be tossed. So the resolution there is super weak. Then there is the criminal part. Criminals don't wax on and on incriminating themselves. Criminals kill people that stand in their way. Motives are weird, so I can actually accept the perpetrator's bizarre rationale of not wanting "outsiders" as part of his privileged world. But that's about it.
Bottom line, Ms. Simms managed to put together a book and make it look professional. Then she managed to get it on Amazon looking like the real-deal -- even making her own "publisher" to do so. But all that effort should have gone into a couple of story-writing classes. Perhaps she would have learned to show, not tell - that alone would have made the exercise more professional. Lastly, the book should have been properly edited -- so that there were no typos.
Save your $5. There a ton of really good art mysteries -- there are even a ton of books about real-life heists. Since she is working on book #2 now, let's give the "author" time to learn her craft.
OK, lesson learned. "Goodreads Author" clearly does not mean what I thought it meant. Ms. Simms, who I now know to be a self-publisher, is no more an author, than I am a movie star. I could make the insta, fb and twitter profiles -- I could even make my own agency website and rep myself -- I could "star" in my own YouTube uploaded film -- but it does mean that I really know what is involved in making a professional movie or that I understand the craft of acting.
Unfortunately, I paid for this "novel", so unlike the 24 friends and family reviews that got this entry an average rating of 4 stars, here's my take --
This is the story of 3 vapid, unaccomplished 20-somethings who, in the course of seeking the next free cocktail, basically stumble on an "art heist mystery" full of cartoonish players and manage to inveigle themselves in its solution through their incredible wit and savant-level knowledge of all matters literary, artistic and historical, while expressing themselves with a sarcasm that would perhaps sound appealing to 20-something wannabe, but really just seems stupid. This trio manages to gain entrance into exclusive clubs, infiltrate the heavily-guarded homes of the extremely wealthy and even manage to be granted interviews with the local aristocracy. They sassily talk down thugs aiming guns at them. They find an enormous, wealthy Scotsman in a kilt to win over to their cause. Ummmm, yes, ludicrous.
Now for the story-craft. Yes, none. The story is linear, so not much effort involved in keeping track of anything. The voice is first-person, but it is irritatingly dotted with "I said" -- I guess no one told Ms. Simms that she is indeed speaking to the reader in first person. The story is not of the protagonist Annabel, regurgitating it to some unseen character after-the-fact, which would be the only way that "I said" would make sense. And then there is the mystery itself, with the surprise twist at the end; there is no way a reader could even engage in trying to figure out what the pretentious and idiotic trio of Annabel, Evan and Lyla could not. They don't even discover it themselves. For some inexplicable reason, the culprit confesses all.
And then let's get to the legal part. Proving slander requires actual damage -- yes, you can file a suit for pretty much anything, but it would be tossed. So the resolution there is super weak. Then there is the criminal part. Criminals don't wax on and on incriminating themselves. Criminals kill people that stand in their way. Motives are weird, so I can actually accept the perpetrator's bizarre rationale of not wanting "outsiders" as part of his privileged world. But that's about it.
Bottom line, Ms. Simms managed to put together a book and make it look professional. Then she managed to get it on Amazon looking like the real-deal -- even making her own "publisher" to do so. But all that effort should have gone into a couple of story-writing classes. Perhaps she would have learned to show, not tell - that alone would have made the exercise more professional. Lastly, the book should have been properly edited -- so that there were no typos.
Save your $5. There a ton of really good art mysteries -- there are even a ton of books about real-life heists. Since she is working on book #2 now, let's give the "author" time to learn her craft.
October 19, 2019
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Flies in the Punch Bowl is a fast-paced novel following the adventures of Annabel and her two side-kicks, Evan and Lila, as they attempt to solve the mystery of some stolen paintings. The trio exhibit a fondness for 1920s culture in their clothing and drink choices.
Many well-researched references to art and drink coexist with pretentious, yet witty banter that, quite frankly, became rather tiresome rather quickly. From early in the novel, it became clear that the writer would use creative similes in wordy sentences: "I shook off the memory two years expired and looked to Lila to find a conspiratorial grin spreading across her face like unrefrigerated butter on a hot summer day." The number of such similes seemed excessive.
The dialogue is used more to advance the plot than to develop character. The characters seem shallow; perhaps, this is intentional, as I was reminded of caricatures of Sam Spade while reading. As Annabel is snooping in a suspect's office, she directs Lila to "keep an eye on the office and whistle out like an Eastern bluebird atop a telephone wire if...associates emerge."
The lack of narration in favor of lengthy dialogue detracts from the novel. Readers do not get a sense of location (although we are told it is Seattle), time of year (although we are told it's November), or relationship among the three main characters. Occasionally there will be mention of some random detail -- a skateboarder, a quarter on the sidewalk, "a winged insect hovering near [her] eyebrow". I did notice more than one reference to flies and wondered if that were intentional. Personally, I prefer more descriptive narration.
The author does occasionally include description of interior settings, but seems more intent on dropping details of fabrics and creators of furnishings than what the room looks like. Since this reader lacks knowledge of 1920s furnishings, it is ineffective.
Despite its shortcomings, the novel is entertaining and succeeds as a quirky fun read.
Flies in the Punch Bowl is a fast-paced novel following the adventures of Annabel and her two side-kicks, Evan and Lila, as they attempt to solve the mystery of some stolen paintings. The trio exhibit a fondness for 1920s culture in their clothing and drink choices.
Many well-researched references to art and drink coexist with pretentious, yet witty banter that, quite frankly, became rather tiresome rather quickly. From early in the novel, it became clear that the writer would use creative similes in wordy sentences: "I shook off the memory two years expired and looked to Lila to find a conspiratorial grin spreading across her face like unrefrigerated butter on a hot summer day." The number of such similes seemed excessive.
The dialogue is used more to advance the plot than to develop character. The characters seem shallow; perhaps, this is intentional, as I was reminded of caricatures of Sam Spade while reading. As Annabel is snooping in a suspect's office, she directs Lila to "keep an eye on the office and whistle out like an Eastern bluebird atop a telephone wire if...associates emerge."
The lack of narration in favor of lengthy dialogue detracts from the novel. Readers do not get a sense of location (although we are told it is Seattle), time of year (although we are told it's November), or relationship among the three main characters. Occasionally there will be mention of some random detail -- a skateboarder, a quarter on the sidewalk, "a winged insect hovering near [her] eyebrow". I did notice more than one reference to flies and wondered if that were intentional. Personally, I prefer more descriptive narration.
The author does occasionally include description of interior settings, but seems more intent on dropping details of fabrics and creators of furnishings than what the room looks like. Since this reader lacks knowledge of 1920s furnishings, it is ineffective.
Despite its shortcomings, the novel is entertaining and succeeds as a quirky fun read.
May 24, 2019
3.5 stars. Flies in the Punch Bowl was an engaging, fast-paced novel about amateur investigators trying to solve a recent series of local art thefts. The main characters— Annabel, Evan, and Lyla— were witty, cunning, and clever with their laugh-out-loud humor and witty comebacks. The trio found themselves in trouble at the turn of every page. I’d recommend this book to anyone with a sense of humor looking for an entertaining mystery involving a determined set of novice crime fighters.
*Thanks to Wynkoop Press, Erika Simms, and Goodreads for the copy of this book
*Thanks to Wynkoop Press, Erika Simms, and Goodreads for the copy of this book
March 22, 2020
I wanted to like it more than I did. These meddling kids barely solved the mystery, and mostly through luck and pluck. I half admire their gumption, and half think they should stay home after being so explicitly uninvited. [return]The writing is lively and full of metaphors. I just wish the protagonists were a little more competent in their mystery solving - the real mystery is why they kept getting in the way with so little to go on.
September 20, 2019
I had a hard time getting into this book. The banter is so trendy that I had trouble following some of it, being a little (!) older and living in a more rural/small town area. I thought that it would hook me quicker, but as I found myself at 25% and then 40% into the story and not really getting caught up in it, I skipped over to the end and decided to call it quits with the time invested. Meh.
June 13, 2019
“Flies in the Punchbowl” is a brisk, energetic mystery, which is reminiscent of a caper style adventure.
Read full review in the 2019 June issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2019 June issue of InD'tale Magazine.
June 9, 2019
Too millennial for me
Although the humor was often good, it was just too young for me. I couldn't get lost in this book. It's fairly entertaining.
Although the humor was often good, it was just too young for me. I couldn't get lost in this book. It's fairly entertaining.
June 10, 2019
Delightful read. Witty, fun, and filled with clever similes. Great beach book.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews