Miss Ruffles Inherits Everything / Nancy Martin - 3***

[Book Concierge]

Miss Ruffles Inherits Everything – Nancy Martin
3***

From the book jacket: Rich and flamboyant Honeybelle Hensley, the most colorful character in Mule Stop, Texas, dies a suspicious death and enrages the whole town by leaving her fortune to the most undeserving recipient – her dog. The incorrigible Miss Ruffles is a Texas cattle cur, not a cuddly lapdog, and … likes nothing better than digging up the rose garden, chasing off the UPS man, and terrorizing the many gentleman callers. But now Miss Ruffles is in danger, and it’s up to Sunny McKillip, the unwilling dogsitter, to keep her safe.

My reactions:
This was just the kind of cozy mystery I needed: charming, fun, and an easy read. Loved the antics of this small Texas town’s residents. Sunny was up to the challenge, despite being new to “this different planet” (i.e. Texas). She’d barely arrived in town from Ohio to be the admin assistant to the new dean of the local college when he was fired shortly thereafter, and Honeybelle took Sunny on as her own personal assistant.

Martin populates the story with disgruntled relatives, cat-fighting garden ladies, ambitious politicians, and even a couple of hired thugs whose boss wants significant money. And then there’s the young almost-attorney (as soon as he passes the bar), whom Sunny finds rather delicious. Oh, but he’s taken … or is he?

I didn’t find anything on Martin’s profile indicating she’s a native Texan, or even a frequent visitor, but she sure as heck captured the Texas-small-town vibe!

The ending was a bit over-the-top ridiculous, but I was enjoying the party too much to care.

Goodreads shows this as book #1 in a series of Miss Ruffles mysteries. But it’s been 10 years since it was written and there is no sequel … yet.


LINK to my review

[Theresa]

So glad you liked it! And of course, Miss Ruffles herself steals your heart.

[Book Concierge]

I've had dogs like that. I recall Beauregard who chewed the leg off our picnic table ....