A Pour Way to Dye

Soapmaking Mystery #2

by Tim Myers

Benjamin Perkins's family has owned the Where's There's Soap boutique and the lot it's on for years - or so they thought. Earnest Joy, the jeweler next door, is claiming he won the land from Benjamin's grandfather in a long-ago poker game. And he's ready to collect immediately. While this dirty laundry is hung up for a very public viewing, Benjamin goes to visit Earnest and finds him dead - a bar of the family's homemade soap clutched in his hand. As the automatic prime suspect, Benjamin is perhaps the only one who can clear his name.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction

329 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2006

About the author

Also writes under the pseudonyms Elizabeth Bright, Melissa Glazer, Chris Cavender, and Jessica Beck.

Tim Myers is the author of dozens of short stories published in mystery magazines and anthologies. He lives with his family near the Blue Ridge Mountains he loves and writes about. He is the award-winning author of the Agatha nominated Lighthouse Inn mystery series as well as over seventy short stories. Tim has been a stay-at-home dad for the last twelve years, finding time for murder and mayhem whenever he can.

Series:
* A Lighthouse Inn Mystery
* A Candlemaking Mystery
* A Soapmaking Mystery

Reviews

[Karissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It all starts with an unexpected fence and a missing grandpa. Two families who have been feuding for ages are at an impasse over a parking lot. The soapmaking business in front of the parking lot is run by the Perkins family who depends on the lot for parking and business deliveries and the jewelry-making business behind the lot is run by the Joy family who would like nothing more than to see the Perkins' shop put out of business. As the family 'fixer' Ben Perkins is determined to get to the bottom of who actually owns the parking lot in question. During the course of his investigation he stumbles upon Earnest Joy dead with a bar of his family's soap clutched in his hand. As the prime suspect in Earnest Joy's murder he is even more determined to find out who really killed him, where his grandfather has gone, and why the Joy family is adamant the parking lot is theirs.

I enjoyed this book tremendously. It was a gentle mystery that slowly plods along allowing us to get to know the characters and their lives. It is told from the Perkins' side of the issue and they are a large clan who value family, hard work, and ethical behavior. They squabble and love just like all big families and are endearing because of it.

Perfect book for a stormy afternoon or a trip to the beach.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is the second book in the great cozy mystery series. it's actually a cozy with the male protagonist. in this book we return to the small fictional town of Harper's Landing, North Carolina. which is the setting of all of Tim Myers books, or at least the ones I've read so far. in this book which is about Benjamin Perkins, the owner of his family's soap shop and soap baking business after the passing of his father. Ernest Joy, the Perkins pesky neighbor and fellow business owner, isn't being very neighborly and kind. he claims own part of Where There's Soap, the families soap shop in soap making business, what you want in a poker game. Ben gets into an argument with Ernest and his bullheaded son, Andrew. later he tries to smooth things over, book discovers Ernest's shop door open, and Ernest lying on the floor, clutching a bar of soap from Ben's shop in his hand. Ben decides to look into the case after his ex-girlfriend and town police officer, Molly Wilkins, tries to arrest him for killing Ernest. there's also a budding romance between Ben and Diane, the woman who runs the mystery bookstore in town. Ben is her best and favorite costumer. I have enjoyed this mystery and I have enjoyed the few other books that I've read from this particular author.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

#2 in the series. Can't say I liked it, can't say I didn't. It was just meh.

The feud is on the the Joy's. Their fence extends into the Where There's Soap's parking lot....and old Ernest Joy says the lot is rightfully his -won it in a poker game. Words are exchanged. Ernest is murdered. And Ben has put himself up there as a suspect. He has to clear his name, no matter what.

So in my estimation, Ben is something of a hothead. He's pushy and seems to have no boundries.
Is this because he's the eldest child? Or just because he's a bit of an 'I know best' type. And no spoiler here, but he sure can move on quickly from heartache. He just did not seem to be a character that I could embrace or get into.

As for the mystery, well, there were big clues as to what was going on that I sure did pick up on, but Ben didn't till the end. Maybe he just isn't as smart as he thinks he is :).

[Genevieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series the first book I thought was great but this one is even better. Benjamin has a standing running battle with the owner of the jewelry store next door. When the owner is killed Benjamin goes to the head of his ex girl friends Molly's (who is the police) list of suspects. Benjamin has to clear his name while juggling his family, the store and his love life. The characters in this book are great. I love Benjamin and his family and their dynamics. The little details and great conversations make you feel like you could just meet them on the street. The mystery is great and the side story lines keep it a great cozy.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the jeweler next door to Where There's Soap is found dead the first suspect is Ben Perkins. His family owns Where There's Soap and there have been problems between them. Ben is trying to clear his name but he seems to be everywhere that he shouldn't be.

[Amy Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars rounded up. I enjoyed this book a lot, but slightly less than book one due to the heavier romance subplots in this one. However, I love Ben and his family SO much. What a fun cast of characters, a fascinating cozy theme, and a great mystery.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good cozy read. Clever mystery and Ben had his work cut out to find the truth.

[Soc Page]

milled soap recipe and instructions

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 - Good

[Mary Shafer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I kept changing my mind on who was the killer. I was wrong all the way through the book.

[Michelle Randall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tim Meyers has become one of my favorite authors, and to think, I wasn't sure to begin with that I would like a male cozy mystery writer.

I began with his Candlemaking series, and was amazed at how well written and how well he understood the candle making craft when writting that series.

Now I have moved on to his soap making series, and the Perkins family clan. I am again amazed at how well he understands the craft of soap making, and then there is the family clan, that I can just imagine being a part of in each book.

This series is also well written and just so easy to get into, to want to read and to be part of the book and to enjoy the craft of soap making. There are tips at the end of the book on making your own soap, and at this time of year, I think I might just have to try them.

As I finish this series, Tim Meyers has another series I am working on collecting so that I can read them, the Lighthouse Inn Mystery.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who would have thunk it? A cozy not only starring a male but written by one. It's a first for me but I was surprised that it was as good as it was. Ben Perkins is the "problem solver" for the Perkins family business, the Where There's Soap boutique. He finds that his back parking lot has been fenced right up to the back door by the business in back of theirs, a jewelry store owned by Earnest Joy, an old adversary of the family. Earnest claims he owns the property and has proof. When Ben goes to confront Earnest, he finds him dead with a bar of soap in his hand. Ben has to find out who did the murder and why and then try to get his parking lot back. The book was interesting and moved right along. The family is irritating but so is mine at times so it was pretty good. I liked it.

[Grey853 · Rating 2 out of 5]

During an ongoing and nasty property dispute between a jewelry store owner and Ben's family soap-making business, the neighbor is murdered. Ben becomes the prime suspect, so naturally he has to find the real killer.

Personally, I didn't like Ben much. He seemed more like a petulant teenager than a grown man. Plus, his grandfather was a very irresponsible and flaky.

I didn't find the actual mystery very interesting, either. It was an easy read, nothing particularly bad, but not great, either.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I am a dork and I love cozies about crafting. That said, the ending of "A Pour Way to Dye" really surprised me. It's a cute, fun series.

I enjoy the soapmaking mysteries by Tim Myers more than I enjoy his candleshop series, but he's got other fun works written under his pseudonyms (Lucy Lawrence, Chris Cavender, etc.).

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm starting to have a hard time with his family. In this book it's all about, well, you're the fixer-fix it. How unrealistic! (Okay I know, none of it is truly realistic, but come on!)

Otherwise I am still working my way through the series and have enjoyed it enough to continue. I prefer Mr. Myers' candle-making series to this one, but they are still fun books to read.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

#readforkimberly is killing me this month finding books I didn't write reviews for. I'm sure this was a fun, quick read as most books by Tim Myers are. I enjoyed the soap making in the book as well.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

The mystery itself is fine and well-plotted; I simply could not stand the characters or their hideous love lives. It does have soapmaking recipes and tips so that's nice.

ETA: the reveal about the bar of soap at the end is awful. I'm still mad at how ridiculous it was.

[Pam]

08/11/08 rec via bookmooch

[Janell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple, uncomplicated murder mystery with pleasant characters. Except for the murderer, of course! :-)

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one's soapmaking (with the obligatory tips), and again, he has a different sort of hero to the others of his I've read.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good series!

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The character Ben is about as determined and tactless as a bulldog, but this is an interesting read. Interesting plot. I enjoy this series and Tim Myers Lighthouse series.