A Dime a Dozen

The Million Dollar Mysteries #3

by Mindy Starns Clark

"He would never leave us."

Just like that, business investigator Callie Webber finds herself involved in the life of a young wife and mother whose husband has disappeared. . . possibly the victim of foul play.

"I won't go away until my husband comes back," Luisa said, her face threatening to crumble into tears once again.

"Your husband left you?" I asked.

"No," Luisa said, sniffling. "He didn't "leave." Something happened to him. And we'll stay here until we find out what that was and where he is "

Callie has come to the beautiful Smoky Mountains hoping to award a million-dollar grant to the charity set up in her late husband's honor. But in the search for a missing migrant working, a body is discovered, which puts the grant on hold and her new romance with her mysterious boss in peril. Trusting in God, Callie forges steadily ahead through a mire of clues that lead her deeper and deeper into danger.

Genres: Mystery, Christian Fiction, Christian, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Suspense

334 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Mindy Starns Clark is the bestselling author of more than 30 books, both fiction and nonfiction, and has received numerous literary honors, including two Christy Awards and RT Book Review Magazine’s 2012 Career Achievement Award. Mindy and her husband, John, have two adult children and live near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[Bo · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far, I have liked this book best of "The Million Dollar Mysteries" series. I would give it 3 1/2 stars if I could.

Although I felt the heroine still did some dumb things, there weren't as many. ;) And the writing itself seemed better. There were a few minor things in the storyline that I didn't care for, but overall, I felt it was a reasonable plot, with some interesting twists and turns. Some obvious what was going to happen, and some not-so-obvious. If you're looking for some light reading, that is also a mystery, you might enjoy this.

[Lyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I have enjoyed each of the books in this series. And the author wraps up each mystery in every book, there is a thread of mystery that has not been answered in any of them, and mostly that is of Callie's boss and now boyfriend Tom. And I know some have thought they were predictable, but so far I have not guessed all the details of any if these mysteries. While Callie reminds me of Angela Landsbury and you wonder how many crimes and murders is she just so happens to stumble across are real, it is entertaining and so far all have been good stories.

[Christy Jordan Wrenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is amazing. Clark has intertwined Callie Webber's first trip home to visit her in-laws since the death of her beloved husband. Her true reason for going is to investigate their migrant charity before her employer gifts them with a million dollars. Oh yes, there is an awful murder involved with lots of mystery. Great read!

[Smi4ever2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like these light mysteries. She's a great author.

[Lydia Howe · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's hard figuring out what to say about the books as individuals... Once again this wasn't one that would have exactly drawn me in on its own, but as part of a series it worked well. The character building that takes places makes me happy. As I write this I'm already reading the last book in the series, so I know how all the events that take place are being wound into a bigger mystery.

See, each of the mysteries is separate. And, when I began reading these books, I thought that they were all mostly on their own. But now, there's a bigger mystery that's taking place. And that's what's brilliant. Because more than the mystery I care about the world-building and the character development, and this book nails that for me.

Even though these books are only getting three stars, that's because there are some things that I don't especially like or agree with, because taken as a whole these books have captivated me and make me feel like I've gotten to know a whole new group of friends.

The mystery itself wasn't my favorite, but overall everything worked well.

[Ellen White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Callie has once again come to offer them a check for the charity work they are doing. Bringing back memories for these were the parents of her deceased husband. With visits, she still had her list to check off. Luisa husband was a migrant worker, and has disappeared. She won’t move on, till he returns, he loved her and family, and wouldn’t just leave. They open the storage locker of apples, a murder has been done, who, when and why are now the questions that are facing Callie. Great series and each can be read separately.

[Susan B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good mystery with sufficient red herrings. The romantic dialogue got a bit sappy at times.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good to know this series can get better with each book. Light reading and sweet to watch compassion conquer.

[Sherry H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good book in the series!

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The mystery is a good story, but I get a little tired of hearing the "romance" portion.

[Aleda Ellsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christian author, no swearing or sex. Romance and murder mystery.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. Tom and Callie's romance is continuing. Callie is trying to decide if a group is honest and worthy of a grant, she finds a murder along the way.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly an amazing series. I've loved every book. Mindy Starns Clark has definitely become a favorite author for me.

[Danni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book even if you haven’t had the luxury of reading the first 2 books in the series. I was asked to review this book and agreed to it and then was hoping I could get my hands on books one and two before I read book three. However, that did not happen, my library only had book three and so I decided to give it a shot without reading the first two books and then if I had too many issues I would go back and read the others.

Well let me just tell you, I felt no need to go back and read the other two books in order to understand the story. Although I loved book three enough to have the desire to want to go back and read more about Callie it is not required to enjoy this book!

Callie Webber is a private investigator that ends up back in the town of her late husband where she is investigating her former in-laws so that they can be approved for a grant by the J.O.S.H.U.A. Foundation with whom she works for. She is skeptical to return to the past and having to revisit the pain of losing her husband Brian.

While investigating for the grant she stumbles upon a whole other slew of problems, including murder, fire, and vandalism. Questions begin to form; will she be able to approve her in-laws for this grant? Who is responsible for all these crimes? And will she get all this done in time to head off on her vacation with her beau Tom? Plus….is she over Brian and able to move forward with a new relationship?

This was a great mystery and I was addicted to the story right from page one! I instantly found myself rooting for Callie and all her trials and my heart went out to her when she is dealing with the loss of Brian. The mystery was also great, I felt like I was guessing all the way through the story as to who the murderer was and how the murder took place. When I finally got to the end of the book I was surprised!! Things did not turn out like I expected they would.

As for romance, I’m not sure if this is categorized as a romance or not but there wasn’t much going on in that department. There is a lot about how Callie feels about the romance in her life but not a lot of action. There is a bit towards the end that is very sweet though!

I enjoyed reading this sweet and mysterious Christian suspense, it wasn’t as bone-chilling or action packed as I would have liked but overall I was left happy and satisfied! Great book! Looking forward to book 4.

Disclosure: I was graciously provided a free copy of this book from FIRST Wild Card Tours in exchange for my honest review and opinion. All opinions are my own.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

First posted on my blog, Legacy of a Writer.

Mindy Clarke is a new author to me, but a quick peak on Amazon.com showed me that she is really into the mysteries! I do enjoy a good mystery, myself, on occasion, and found the one Mindy created inside of A Dime a Dozen very intriguing. A bit slow-paced for me, but the plot was very intricate and well done.

Callie is a character you can’t help but get to like. With a close relationship to the Lord that you can feel just by the way she talks, I found her a really likeable character. The story is set around her trip back to her deceased husband’s home town of Greenbriar, where Callie returns on her next assignment from J.O.S.H.U.A (a foundation that donates money to charitable organizations), which is to look into the charity organization there and talk with the founder, who just happen to be her husband’ parents.

Reading how Callie walks through these hard experiences, while handling her investigation for J.O.S.H.U.A and trying to solve a mystery, I loved watching her faith in God shine through. And her budding relationship surrounding the elusive and mysterious Tom added to the story! Tom sounded like such a romantic! ;-) Everything was well plotted and portrayed in this novel, and I while I did try to put my detective skills to work and figure out “who dunnit” before Callie…I ended up being as shocked as she when the culprit was finally revealed. Great job on that.

The way this book is written reminded me a lot of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Kinda like Callie is writing in her personal journal about her events of the day (like Doctor Watson does). Not sure if the author meant it that way, but that was what popped into my head as I read this book. Brought a different feel to the first-person point of view that was neat.

As I mentioned before, I felt the whole mystery was a bit slow. Toward the middle my attention started lagging and I found myself skimming a bit, but it wasn’t for long. The last hundred pages picked up as the mystery started to come together and the culprit was discovered. If you’re a mystery genre lover, then I would definitely check out Mindy Clarke’s books!

[Jolene - Beauty in the Binding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Callie Webber has an eye for detail that helps her as she investigates non-profit agencies applying for grants. As Callie travels to the Smoky Mountains to investigate MORE, the non-profit agency run by the parents of her late husband, she is hesitant to confront painful memories, but expects to be able to award a million-dollar grant to MORE. Strangely, the memories are less painful than expected, but awarding the grant is not so easy. A fatal stabbing, an arson fire, and the search for a missing migrant worker complicate the situation. As Callie investigates MORE and the crime in the area, she finds herself in danger. Will she be able to finish her investigation and award the grant prior the upcoming vacation with her boyfriend? More importantly, will she make it though this investigation alive?

A Dime A Dozen is the third book in the Million Dollar Mysteries series by Mindy Starns Clark. Like the other books of the series, it features investigator Callie Webber. The book is fine as a stand-alone and gives the reader sufficient background information, but I think it is probably more enjoyable when read in conjunction with the rest of the series.

I personally don't think this should be classified as a fictional romance. Though Callie has a romantic interest, there is not a lot of romantic interaction between them. The mystery element of the story was great. I had a hint about who was behind the murders, but didn't know the why or how until the climax of the story. Although mystery and suspense, usually go hand-in-hand, I thought the suspense level was a little lacking. In my opinion, the plot moved a little slow and the suspense just never heightened for me like it should have. I also thought it was slightly unbelievable that the government agencies would hand over sensitive information so easily to a private investigator.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher as part FIRST Wild Card Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

[Christy Trever · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Dime a Dozen by Mindy Starns Clark is the third book in the Million Dollar Mystery series about Callie Webber, a private investigator working for a charitable organization that gives donations to smaller charities, but only after Callie makes sure they are worthy. Her current investigation has major emotional weight for her, as she is checking out MORE the charity formed by her former in-laws after the tragic death of their son, and her husband, Bryan. Callie is worried that visiting them will bring up old emotions and sorrows, but they welcome her with open arms, and she looks forward to being able to give them the donation. But as she investigates, she finds trouble based on a former employee whose husband disappeared four months ago and who has been abused by pranksters since ordering her to "go home." When the bodies start piling up, Callie has to use all of her abilities to track down who is behind the murders before MORE can be approved for their million dollar donation. On top of the investigation, Callie is dealing with her growing feelings for her mysterious employer, Tom. Clark's books are always entertaining and filled with characters you'd love to know in real life. The writing is fast paced and Clark manages to keep readers guessing without going over the top. I wish I had read the previous books in the series to really understand the intensity of Callie and Tom's connection, but I can't wait to read the next book, A Quarter for a Kiss, to see what happens next in this exciting series!

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so enjoyed reading this book. Callie Webber has returned to Greenbrier WV where she is investigating a non-profit that her in-laws have started. They are in line to receive a substantial grant, and she is now working with the J.O.S.H.U.A. Foundation who can make it possible. She has to face a lot of what she shared with her husband Brian, he was killed her in a tragic accident on the lake.
While investigating to give the grant to help the migrant apple pickers, she stumbles on some discrepancies. She also finds out that one of the Migrants has gone missing and it looks like he has abandoned his family. As the investigation continues, there is a murder, stink bombs in cars, and a fire on Luisa's trailer.
You will have a hard time putting this book down, through out it all you find a strong faith in God prevailing with most of the Characters. I also like how Callie is facing her past and how a new relationship may be in the works for her!
Don't miss this one, I know that it is a reissue, but it is wonderful!

I received this book from the Publisher Harvest House, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second time I've read 'A Dime a Dozen' (I read an older edition years ago) and I've loved it both times! I've read a lot of books by Mindy Starns Clark and I've enjoyed most (if not all) of them!

Callie Webber investigates charities to see if they qualify for a donation from the J.O.S.H.U.A. Foundation. In 'A Dime a Dozen' she goes to North Carolina to award a million dollar grant to a charity that her late husband's parents started in his honor.


While Callie's there, she finds herself investigating a disapperance and putting herself in danger.

I loved 'A Dime a Dozen'! There was romance, mystery, and suspense. the story was entertaining and held my attention to the end (and left me wanting to continue the story... even though I have previously read it).

I definitely recommend 'A Dime a Dozen' if you enjoy mystery novels that have romance and are very entertaining!

*I received a complimentary copy for my review. The opinions I've expressed are my own.*

[Kathleen Meacham · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Mindy Starns Clark's books and this series because she always keeps things clean and christian. It is great to know when I start reading a book that I won't have any "unpleasant surprises" i.e. sex, foul language, etc., and that I will have a good mystery plot to try and solve. Unfortunately, I thought A Dime a Dozen was just O.K. because it took too long to get up to speed. It felt like we were never going to get all of the groundwork laid, so we could get to the true meat. And laying that groundwork just didn't seem all that interesting to me. I certainly enjoyed the first 2 books in this series much more, and am still looking forward to reading the last two as well. Also, if you are a typo freak like me, you will notice that sometimes words are missing. A little disappointed this time around, but still love MSC.

[Vlady Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those writing-styles that enumerates the minutiae of life. 'I got up, I went to the bathroom, I washed my teeth, I combed my hair' etc. etc. etc.

When done badly it can be excruciatingly painful to read. When done well - as it is in this case - it in no way distracts from a good mystery.

It has uncompromisingly Christian views, unlike people who claim to be Christians except for the one hundred and one Christian ethics they don't uphold because it doesn't suit their particular life-style.

I was tickled by the fact that the seasonal out-of-state workers in America are called migrants.

And very impressed how Government bodies - I'm not sure whether State or Federal - as well as other volunteer and charitable organisations - work to help these people, who can be exploited being captive employees so to speak.

[e.d. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a lot of Mindy's books when I was younger(by like two years but still...) So I was kind of disappointed when I finally got around to reading this book. The book was written, to me, in a sort of detached way. Even though it was told in first person, from protaganist Callie's perspective, everything kind of seemed to be told as just details. But a part of me wanted to keep reading just to find out how it ended and the romance between Tom and Callie was sweet.

[Mark Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Callie is looking at the non-profit her in laws started to honor the memory of her late husband. But her home coming is anything but peaceful when a stink bomb goes off in the local church and a body is found nearby. Once again, the plot is great, and the development for Callie is very good.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Marie French · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot and story line were very good, but there was way too much description of every little thing the main character did. I ended up skimming through a lot of it just so I could get back to the story line.


Spoiler Alert:

Otherwise, nice story, and the boyfriend sounds wonderful.

Oh, I missed why the hubby (from an earlier book?) died. What happened there? Maybe just a line or two about how/why he died would be nice.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book stars a lawyer/detective who works for a philanthropist investigating charities who apply for a grant from the foundation. If everything checks out, then she gets to give them a big check. Along the way, she keeps running into mysteries, and solves them while investigating the charities at the same time.

[Karen Hsu · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some reason, I was very emotionally attached to Callie in this book. Her struggles with overcoming her husband's death was very touching and real. It was exciting to watch her move on to open up to Tom. :) The mystery part was not as exciting as the last book in the series (#2), but it was still just as suspenseful.

[Michael crage · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the next to final book of the million dollar mysteries series and was the best so far. After reading them, I would recommend reading the wholes series from the first to the last in order. I am anxiously awaiting the last book of the series. The books - especially the last one - were good as stand alone novels, the series is better.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot of detail if you are interested in how to qualify a nonprofit for a large donation from J.O.S.H.U.A. The story was okay after the first fourth of the book. This story just was not as interesting as I remember the last two stories being, so maybe I will read further in this series.....

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by Mindy Starns Clark and was pleasantly surprised. I've been disappointed by Christian Fiction in the past, but this was a good mystery. I'll look for her others in the series.