Who Killed the Queen of Clubs?

Thoroughly Southern #7

by Patricia Sprinkle

It's a high-stakes game for Hopemore, Georgia, county magistrate Maclaren Yarbrough when she investigates the murder of a bridge maven. . . . State bridge champion Edith Whelan Burkett has been dealt a string of bad hands. Not only did her husband commit suicide, he left her with a pile of debts. But all Edie's problems are trumped by her murder. Once again, Mac Yarbrough is in the thick of things.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Mystery Thriller

413 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2005

About the author

Aka Patricia Houck Sprinkle.

When I met and married Bob, he looked over our budget and demanded, "Why don’t you write a mystery to pay for all the ones you buy?" I immediately knew I wanted to put a body in a building where I’d once worked. However, being over-endowed with the Protestant ethic, I wrote "important" things first and only wrote the mystery in my spare time, so my first mystery, Murder at Markham (reissued by Silver Dagger in 2001), took thirteen years to complete. It took even longer for me to learn that any writing which gives me pleasure is important, whether fiction or non-fiction.

Since 1988 I have written twenty mysteries, four novels, and five non-fiction books. I am grateful to my readers and editors for letting me do what I enjoy most in the world. Bob has concluded that writing is not a profession, it's an obsession--my favorite vacation is to go to a place where somebody else fixes my meals and where I can write more than I do at home, without interruptions. Thanks, if you are one of the readers who keeps my fingers on the keys. I enjoy spending time with you at conferences, book clubs, and signing events.

Reviews

[Joanne Rixon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know what I was expecting from a cozy mystery set in the south but this book was hella racist. DNF

[Sandra Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series of thoroughly Southern mysteries presents a set of characters from varied socio-economic groups of Southern society in "cozy" mysteries that present satisfying puzzles, with a charming and fallible protagonist/sleuth. The author brings in Christian touches and shows affectionate family members and relationships that make the novel, though focused on murder, essentially positive. It helps that the novel is clean of sensuality and offensive language.

[Larkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sex: none
Violence: mild
Profanity: 3-4 occurrences

[Pat Welte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the characters and the setting. Southern Mystery, family, romance. I enjoyed reading this book. This is the first book I have read by this author but not the last.

[Jimmie Lee Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a little slow getting started but improved and held my interest.

[Racquel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book out of the library and now I have a new way of selecting books - I take with my smartphone and check on "Goodreads" what other readers thought. Usually my tastes concur with others, but this time... I blew it. Everyone was writing how sweet and southern the author is and her main character... How the writing is so charming... I found it ridiculous and so complicated just to remember the long list of characters she introduces to the book, no wonder she has a "list of characters" on the front page! I had to keep on skipping back and forth to check "So who is Frank? Which one is the stepdaughter's husband's sister?" The "adorable chitchat" between the main character and her family that was supposed to be so cute was utterly ridiculous. Saying to your wife or mother "Oh you're late for supper, we thought we would go to the morgue to see if you were dead" is NOT cute. Even if your mother is a detective.
My rating was 2 stars only because the English was very good and I did read it to the end. Will not read any more of the series.

[Marty · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good mystery where the murder doesn’t happen until about half way through the book. Set in Hopemore, Georgia, the story revolves around Mac Yarbrough, and her family. The story revolves around Edith Whelan Burkett, who is a leader in almost every club in town. She has had a string of bad luck: her husband committed suicide, her father suffered a near fatal stroke and is now in a convalescent home unable to speak. Everyone – including her step-daughter thinks she is rich, but her husband became addicted to pills and went through all their money to pay for his habit. …. Then she turns up murdered, and it is Mac who finds the body.

[Deb_bluerose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lighthearted Mystery Series about a sweet-ol', little southern Lady...

[Christine]

I tried to read this before Christmas--unfortunately I am now associating the book with the bout of stomach flu I got at the time--sigh. Maybe I'll finish it next year.

[Babs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book as well and how Mac helps a son prove he is innocent of killing his father and employer

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I learned about this book is that the characters were familiar and I still was interested in them after a hiatus of six years. A good mystery to the end.

[Lisa Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Southern cozy. Mac reminds me so much of my mother.

[Susan Dickey]

reread

[Nancy Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute cozy Southern mystery

[Marjorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite entertaining, if you don't count the corpse!!! Good humor.