The Grub-and-Stakers Pinch a Poke

Grub-And-Stakers #3

by Alisa Craig

The Grub and Stakers Gardening and Roving Club act out the Robert Service poem about Dangerous Dan McGrew to win a prize, but murder intervenes. Dittany Henbit Monk and her crew of sleuths are on the case.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Humor, Cozy, Audiobook, Canada

176 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1988

About the author

A pseudonym used by Charlotte MacLeod.

Reviews

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2022 bk 120. This book has a special place in my heart - Oswald writes a play based on a Robert Service poem. The mystery was good, solvable by the reader, but solid. What made it special was that as I was reading it, the local opera company came to the school where I worked and presented an operetta based on that same poem. As a result I had a strong visual sense and musical backdrop to the book. The characters were fun as someone is reformed by love, jealousy ensues, and harmony finally arrives to the town of Lobelia Falls. Oh - and the cookies to read this by are molasses, and if eating a meal, it must be baked beans on toast! Happy reading.

[June · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t know what to say about the dialogue. My husband said it was as though the author was trying to increase the readers vocabulary. Silly.

[Stacy Robbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humorous and fast paced

PG Wodehouse and Agatha Christie meet in this wonderful series. Thoroughly enjoyable as is everything by Charlotte Macleod. Definitely a must read.

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Grub-&-Stakers Pinch a Poke (1988) by Charlotte MacLeod writing as Alisa Craig is the third in this series. In this outing the Grub & Stakers are vying for the Jenson Thorbisher-Freep collection of theatrical memorabilia--because supposedly ownership of said collection will somehow help Desdemona Portley and the Traveling Thespians rustle up donations to restore an opera house. Besides, winning the competition will give the Grub & Stakers bragging rights in the thespian field for, oh, at least a year.

Dittany Monk (our heroine/narrator) volunteers her husband for the job of coming up with a play based on earlier times in Canadian history. He decides to work one up using the story line in the famous poem, "The Shooting of Dan McGrew." Everything is going great until the night of the play and the hero gets shot with a real bullet instead of a blank. Fortunately, he survives, but other attempts follow and the Grub & Stakers--with Dittany in the lead--must discover who the current day villain is before s/he succeeds.

Very silly. Even sillier than her silliest Professor Shandy books. Way too many people people talking in\ the oddest dialects--from Canadian policeman Sergeant MacVicar (who is apparently here straight from Scotland if his speech is anything to go by) to the Regency romance author (and aunt-in-law to our heroine/narrator) who speaks like she just stepped off the pages of her own historical drivel...er novel to the owner of the coveted collection of theatrical memorabilia who speaks like a Shakespearean actor who's permanently lost himself in his part. I suspect that the characters are meant to be charmingly eccentric, but they strike me as annoyingly weird. There is also the most inept would-be murderer ever. Tries to arrange for the hated person to be shot onstage--that goes awry. Arranges for the delivery of a venomous cobra disguised as a box of flowers--doesn't take into account that there's a dog on the premises who will sniff out the bad "bouquet." Mutters about plans where one could obviously be overheard and strews telltale bits evidence hither and yon with wild abandon--as soon as Dittany realizes who might be behind the attacks, clues are easily found.

I like Dittany and her husband very much, but a small dose of Aunt Arethusa (our Regency romance author) goes a VERY long way. On the plus side, this is more of a traditional mystery plot than some of the Craig/MacLeod books. There are definitely clues to follow and it is possible to solve the mystery before our heroine. But-for me--a very middle-of-the-road cozy mystery.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.

[Peter Barr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has the oddest dialogue of any mystery I've read. It has quirky characters and and small town Ontario (I think) location. Unfortunately, I've just finished reading the last of the Grub-and-Stakers series after finishing all of the Peter Shandy series. I didn't read them in order. In this episode, the main character, Dittany Henbit Monk solves the crime. It's a cozy mystery and unique in it's way. I recommend Alisa Craig (AKA Charlotte MacLeod) for a delightfully easy reading.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best way to describe this particular story is melodramatic, which is what I believe Charlotte MacLeod intended. The characters are even more off the top than the previous book in the series, which adds to the surrealism. Minus make-up and a real stage, the dialog is on the absurd scale as are their names and actions. If you want a little light fun, grab your dictionary and imagination, and settle in for another fun ride. There are enough twists and turns to keep your interest.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Early Bird Book Deal | When you sit down with a Charlotte MacLeod book, you have to be prepared for the absurdity, and it's been awhile since I last read her. | A little worse than most of hers, just because she threw in extra characters speaking in ridiculous flowery language. Just one or two is part of the silliness, but this went beyond.

[Linda Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mad mayhem ensues as the Grub and Stakers club try to win a Drama Festival Prize. Zany characters, zany plot, zany dialogue.
Bought this book in 1988 as a mystery of the month club. Couldn’t remember it all. What I do remember is I liked Charlotte MacLeod ( Alisa Craig) other series more,

[Virginia Kessen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery takes backseat to the humor in the Grub and Stakers books but they are a delightful read.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a delightful farce. Love the names.

[Lyn Soulia-Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed most of the book. I found myself lost a few times on who was what or who did what. I did finish the book. It was good for the most part. Maybe I am just old. Give it a read.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

The middle book in the Grub and Stakers series, featuring (but not limited to) Dittany and Osbert Monk and a cast of lovable eccentrics from Lobelia Falls, Ontario. This time, the Travelling Thespians are engaged in putting on a play so as to win a priceless collection of theatrical artifacts being hawked off by a local collector. In the process, someone gets non-fatally shot in the foot and the dauntless Dittany must find out who did it.

All the features of a typical Alisa Craig cozy are here (winner of the unusual name contest for this book: Leander Hellespont) but I was a bit more bothered than usual by Arethusa Monk's Regency or Restoration or whatever it is language. Too many forsooths and methinks to be natural.
Craig also seems to have forgotten what the drinking laws are like in Canada. Another of her books has someone buying liquor in a supermarket, and here we have the local innkeeper offering free cocktails. People have been hanged for less.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

#3 in The Grub and Stakers series.

When Jenson Thorbisher-Freep announces an amateur theatrical contest, the women in the Grub-and-Stake gardening club race to join in. They enlist Osbert Monk as their playwright--not only is he married to their club leader Dittany Monk, but he's famous the world over as Lex Laramie, bestselling novelist of Westerns. Taking the legend of Dangerous Dan McGrew as his inspiration, Osbert delivers a rough draft faster than the Pony Express. Now all the Grub-and-Stakers have to do is cast it. To play McGrew, Dittany picks town cad Andrew McNaster, who has recently improved his manners in an attempt to woo Osbert's aunt, Arethusa. The gunslinger's performance gets a bit too real on opening night, though, when his prop bullets are replaced with real ones, and claim the toe of a fellow thespian.

[Linda Brue · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the publisher:
"Lobelia Falls was abuzz about the Scottsbeck drama competition. The Grub-and-Stake Gardening and Roving Club intended to win it with a dramatization of "The Shooting Of Dan McGrew". The house lights went down, the footlights went up... and someone tried to make opening night the leading man's final curtain!"

This is the third book in the Dittany Henbit Monk & Osbert Monk series, but the first I've read, although I have several of them in hardback book club editions. I enjoyed her other series much more than this one, mostly because it is not easily read, and I do the majority of my reading at night, when I'm tired. I can't readily explain why this was too "wordy" except to say that 15 words are used to say something that could have been related with 5. And the names! (Except I did enjoy "Andy McNaster" the villainous innkeeper.)

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another zany contribution to the mystery genre, this one has many things to recommend it, not least of which being Arethusa's incredible cortege of beaus, her reaction to "Thusie" and the dead tarantula, Osbert's Dangerous Dan McGrew play, and the wonderful way the neighbors all pitch in wherever and whenever needed. I loved Daniel and Andy's roles, although I could easily see where it was headed. I was beginning to feel sorry for Andy, because I was pretty sure his cause was hopeless, so this resolution worked fine for me. Wonderful read.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever wondered about the origins of Dangerous Dan McGrew? You know, from the famous poem by Robert Service? Okay, maybe not a FAMOUS poem, but a good one. In this funny story, the Grub-and-Stakers decide to act out the play in the hopes of winning a literary competition. Naturally, things don't go as planned, and someone winds up dead. I really like Alisa Craig and I wish her books were more available. I really recommend this one.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dittany and the other garden club members (with the help of Dittany's writer-husband Osbert) go all in to win a play contest. They must write an original play, do all the scenery and costumes, and put it on in a very short time, but of course Lobelia Falls is up to the challenge. But when it comes to dealing with stink bombs, cobras and bullets substituted for blanks, Osbert and Sgt. MacVicar must take charge, and find out who is after the blood of the lawyer who's playing the hero.

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cozy mystery written in a hilariously funny vaudevillian style was very enjoyable. Filled with crazily named characters with a wide variety of unique personalities and wide vocabularies, it is a rolicking read from start to finish if you are familiar with any of the old vaudeville plays or movies.

[Kathryn McCary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vintage Craig/MacLeod: lots of silliness, a plot which depends entirely on absurdities, characterization by caricature. . .if you like MacLeod's work (and I do), this one is a winner. And, as in all the Grub & Stakers, there are some interesting views of how writers work and think.

[Marilyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

i had a hard time getting through this book. It was written in dialect, romantic fiction dialect. The twist to find the criminal was clever. The cover says Charlotte MacLeod writing as Alisa Craig. I think this was a book from a mystery book club. It is not worth your time.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

The role reversal of the previous villain is interesting but this tale is not as involved with the many women in the town as the first in the series.

[Cindy Grossi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reminded me a lot of the Carolyn Hart characters, but with a Canadian twist. Nice cozy mystery with some archaic twists of the tongue.

[Mare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is one of my favorites (I have them in paperback and now on my Kindle). They are so humorous. The mystery is good but it is the crazy characters that I love.