The Unraveling of Violeta Bell

Morgue Mama Mysteries #3

by C.R. Corwin

"Irascible, fearless and unapologetic, Maddy is a heroine cozy fans will embrace."― Publishers Weekly Newspaper librarian Maddy Sprowls never gives story ideas to the editors at The Hannawa Herald-Union . She prefers to stay in the newspaper "morgue" and do her job. Then one Saturday she sees four elderly women get out of a taxicab at a garage sale. She figures that those women must hire the cabby every week to drive them from garage sale to garage sale. And wouldn't that make a great feature story for the paper? Monday morning she runs straight to the newsroom with her idea. Shortly after the story runs, one of the four women is retired antique dealer Violeta Bell. Maddy wants no part of the investigation, but before she knows it, she's on another of her infamous snoopathons. And, good gravy, enjoying every minute. Violeta Bell is an enigma. She even claimed to be the Queen of Romania. Could it be true?

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Cozy Mystery

240 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2008

Reviews

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Unraveling of Violeta Bell by C.R. Corwin is the third book of the Morgue Mama mystery series set in present-day Ohio. Maddy Sprowls has been head librarian at the Hannawa newspaper for 34 years. A newspaper library/archive is called the 'morgue'. Maddy is a feisty woman who prides herself on refusing to retire: "So I stay on, one birthday cake shy of seventy, making everyone's life just as miserable as I can."

When the newspaper converted paper files to electronic, Maddy took the paper clippings home. The file cabinets, too. She set up "my own personal morgue right there in my basement. One hundred and thirty years of Hannawa history."

As a rule, Maddy doesn't tip off reporters to story ideas. She hates their condescending responses. But when she sees a quartet of "golden girls" chauffeured around town to garage sales every Saturday, she can't resist pointing out it would make a great human-interest story. New reporter Gabriella writes the story, then is stricken with guilt when one of the shoppers (Violeta) is murdered. Was it due to the story?

Maddy is pressured into unofficially investigating. She's a clever sleuth, has solved murder cases, to Detective Scotty Grant's chagrin. She researches Violeta thoroughly, even traveling to Wolfe Island on the St. Lawrence River in Canada to meet Prince Anton, descendant of Romanian monarchy.

Persnickety, nosy and bossy she may be, but Maddy is kind and loyal, too. At the newspaper, her assistant Eric is a friend, as well as reporter Dale. Through this case, Gabriella becomes a friend, too. Maddy's personal life is enhanced by romance with Ike. While she's busy sleuthing, he pressures her to resolve a health issue.

An enjoyable puzzle with surprises. Sadly, appears to be the end of the series....wish there were more.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like it. I listened to it and the reader was excellent. But it was just too much yakking about her life -- a fine line -- and politicizing the novel. The mystery itself was good.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read

[Wynter J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun storyline. There were some elements of the narrative that made the story drag a bit. But overall, I enjoyed this murder mystery.

[Nina Cast · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing.

[James R Jackson III · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well!

My Kindle drags many books to my chair, but it's up to the reader to sort them out.. I'm glad that I sorted this one as a keeper.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the first one, and thought it okay; I skipped the second as the plot didn't seem interesting to me at all. In that respect, there wasn't anything "missing" that I couldn't infer. Maddie is intended as a feisty old gal, who (pretty much) does as she pleases. Unfortunately, by the end of the book, I decided she was a 69 year old brat; in her world, there aren't too many consequences, as she can't really be fired from her job at that age, and her significant other doesn't seem particularly confrontational. Perhaps I'm being a bit harsh with a low rating, but I'm honestly glad there aren't going to be any more Morgue Mama books.

Lorna Raver's audio narration was good, although she may have underscored Maddie's obnoxiousness a bit. The plot itself wasn't consistently credible, although I did have trouble keeping the secondary characters apart.

"At Your Own Risk" would be my recommendation.

[Kimberly Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the mystery, I liked the characters (this is the second I've read), I liked the story. But there was sure a whole lot of boring narrative.... The Red Herring was pretty good too, not at all who I suspected, but I wasn't paying attention.

Violeta Bell is a presumptuous heir to the Romanian Throne. She is one of a group of four older (senior) women who go Garage Sale hunting every week with the same cab driver Eddie. After an article appears in the local newspaper, Violeta is murdered, and Eddie is being framed for it.

As it turns out Violeta was once the Prince Presumptive, who everyone thought died in a boating accident, where no body was ever found....... This is a part of the Red Herring......

Maddy Sprowles is the Morgue Mama (Newspaper Librarian) who helps to solve the mystery of Violeta's murder......

[Donna Jo Atwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second Morgue Mama Mystery. I haven't read the first. Morgue Mama is Newspaper Librarian Maddy Sprowls, who oversees the Hannawa Ohio Herald-Union. She manages to thrust herself into a mystery about the death of Violetta Bell, a elderly woman she met at a garage sale (Maddy is 69 years young. And crabby. But with a heart of --well, something harder than butter.)
Violetta Bell has been an antiques dealer--and claimed to be the rightful queen of Romania. But some of her antiques are on the shady side, and Romanian Royalists are looking at someone else. So why was she killed in her frilly undies in her condo complex gym? Oh, and who did her in?
If you are looking for realism, this probably isn't it. But it was fun.

Task 5.8

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book because it was in the damaged book section at the local book store. I don´t think I would have found it if not since I never browse the mystery section. I am glad I found it though. Maddy is so quirky and familiar. I thought the story of Violeta Bell was interesting and I love how Maddy came across all the information. I had always thought the murder was who it was since the very first meeting but it was intersting to see what she did and where she went to get the evidence and find out the killer.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

As Carl noted in his comment a certain suspension of disbelief is required here, as is the case with many amateur sleuth/cozies. Nonetheless, it is a fun series and I always enjoy them for what they are.

Especially as a native Ohioan (Puritan Square?!!!) and a librarian.

Lorna Raver did a nice job on the narration here -- a few character slips but overall nice voicing of elderly protagonists (something, imho, that narrators rarely do well.)

[Michele Minor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good mystery where Maddy Spowls is the libraian for the local newspaper. When she sees a group of four women who travel together to local garage and estate sales driven by the same young man. When one of the women winds up murdered in her condo Maddy immediately investigates her murder and comes up with suprising facts about the life of Violeta Bell who believed that she was the heiress to the Romanian throne. This is a page turner that keeps you wondering who did it.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maddy is in her early sixties and is the librarian for the local Ohio newspaper. She sees a group of women "garage saling" on a Saturday morning and proposes an article to the editor. Soon after the article is published one of the women is found murdered. It is nice to see a "who done it" with a hero who isn't typical. Maddy solves the mystery but not before she explores antiques, sleep apnea and Romanian royalty!

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

lst person amateur detective, "Morgue Mama" Maddy Sprowls (sp?). She's a newspaper librarian. Very fun--sarcastic, "old-lady" wit. Good sidekicks. This one involves murder of an older lady (who turns out to be so many other things)--consider Romania, royalty, and antiques. 3rd in series. Comfort read--I recall laughing with this series, too.

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the late middle aged, all too human, wisecracking heroine. sarcasm and humor. mystery. I just did not like the way she came up with 'who done it'. The clues were not fully revealed and so she seemed to pull it out of a hat.

[Karen Glass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maddy Sprawls, 69 year old newspaper librarian and sleuth is the protagonist of this cozy mystery involving four garage sale hunters and their driver. The mystery leads to Romanian royalty. Good but light.

[Mary Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The heroine of this book is a cranky 69-year-old librarian at a newspaper. She's a "Morgue Mama". The mystery involves the murder of Violeta Bell who had laid claims to the throne of Rumania.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

So sorry to see this series end. I truly enjoyed the crabby librarian!

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the surprising twists of the characters

[Susie · Rating 3 out of 5]

These Morgue Mama books about Dolly Madison Sprowls are entertaining, light, fast reads. Just enjoy the romp.

[scherzo♫ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cliche without a second thought:

"Clearly this minister wouldn't have known that woman in that purple jar from Adam."

[Colleendearborn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skimmed it. Decent audio reader; got it from Overdrive. Like the premise of a newspaper librarian as protagonist. . . and an older main character, too.