“A CHRISTMAS CON WITH AN ELVIS-LOVING STING OPERATION CREATES PLENTY OF LAUGHS, ROMANCE, AND SUSPENSE”Wall Street Journal bestselling author Larissa Reinhart brings her Cherry Tucker fans a novella prequel to the award-winning, best-selling, Cherry Tucker Mystery, PORTRAIT OF A DEAD GUY. For the sassy, Southern artist Cherry Tucker, a stay at the Heartache Motel will require quick wits and a … require quick wits and a sharp lookout for crooked characters wanting to give her a very “Blue Christmas.”
“For a fun, Elvis-loving mystery treat, no place is better than the Heartache Motel. Follow the clues to Christmas filled with cozy mystery at its best.” — Nancy J Parra, Author of the Baker’s Treat Mysteries and the Perfect Proposal Mysteries
Sassy Southern artist Cherry Tucker and her poker-loving boyfriend, Todd, pop into Memphis to help Todd’s cousin who’s been hustled out of his savings, right before Christmas. Staying at the shady Heartache Motel, Cherry can’t tell a shill from a mark and fears everyone is playing them for chumps. Cherry and Todd quickly find themselves in a dangerous sting that could send them to the slammer or mark them as pigeons from cons looking for an even bigger score.
For a fun-filled romp through a gritty gambler’s view of Memphis, grab Cherry’s Christmas caper today!
Originally published in HEARTACHE MOTEL, Three Interconnected Mystery Novellas.
“I was laughing out loud and couldn’t stop turning the pages.” – Gigi Pandian, Author of the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery Series
“It is the perfect rainy day, sunny day, I don’t feel like getting out of bed book. Have your Happy Holidays with a 5-star humorous mysteries!” – Heather Haven, Author of the Humorous Alvarez Family and Persephone Cole Vintage Mysteries
A Cherry Tucker Mystery Series
- A CHRISTMAS QUICK SKETCH (prequel)
- PORTRAIT OF A DEAD GUY
- STILL LIFE IN BRUNSWICK STEW
- HIJACK IN ABSTRACT
- THE VIGILANTE VIGNETTE
- DEATH IN PERSPECTIVE
- THE BODY IN THE LANDSCAPE
- A VIEW TO A CHILL
- A COMPOSITION IN MURDER
Other series by Larissa Reinhart
Maizie Albright Star Detective:
- 15 MINUTES
- 16 MILLIMETERS
- NC-17
- 17.5 CARTRIDGES IN A PEAR TREE
- 18 CALIBER (2020)
A Finley Goodhart Crime Caper:
- PIG’N A POKE (prequel)
- THE CUPID CAPER
Related subjects include: con artists, organized crime, women sleuths, gambling, heists, comic crime caper, Memphis, Elvis, amateur sleuth books, small town humor, Southern humor, comic (humorous) crime and mystery, Christmas, mystery novella, short story (single author), novella, humor, small town and rural.
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Hilarious short read!
This is a prequel to the Cherry Tucker series. It was hilarious and kept me guessing until the end on who knows what and who is in on what. We have Elvis’s everywhere along with elves and drag queens, and a great con. I was literally laughing out loud. The whole Cherry Tucker series is a lot of fun and this fit right in with all the res!!
I received an ARC. This is my honest review.
This is a quick read where you will meet Cherry and Todd. You will get a taste of their craziness. You will also get to see their goodness as they stop off to help Todd’s cousin, who has gotten himself into a real mess. If you like cozy mysteries with sass and fun, I would like to suggest that you check out the Cherry Tucker series. I think you may be in for some surprises and some laughter. If you think you met some interesting folks in Tennessee, just wait till you get to Halo, Georgia. You are in for a real treat! I received an ARC of this book, but my opinion is my own and given freely. Hope y’all enjoy!
I first read A Christmas Quick Sketch as part of a delightful short anthology called Heartache Motel and recently reread it as an ARC from Larissa Reinhart. Both times it kept me in stitches. Had this been the first sample of Larissa Reinhart’s writing that I experienced, it would have guaranteed that I would be reading more about Cherry Tucker, but I was already a fan when I read it so it just reinforced my love for Cherry and provided some background for an incident that is referred to often. I adore Todd. Cherry’s luck will never be great, but the books are great fun with lots of heart and A Christmas Quick Sketch is a perfect example of that fun.
I am actually giving this novella 4-1/2 stars. The time period for this piece is before the other Cherry Tucker mysteries are written, and the only re-occurring characters are Cherry and Todd. This novella takes place in Vegas and involves poker, a mystery for Cherry to solve, and the usual Vegas background. I had forgotten until I read this how much I really do like Todd. He is an unambitious sweetheart of a guy. Because it was a novella, the mystery was quickly solved and the new characters didn’t have time to develop. Larissa Reinhart is a gifted writer, and I am waiting (not so patiently) for the next Maizie Albright mystery to be released. Overall, a good read.
A Christmas Quick Sketch by Larissa Reinhart is a cute Christmas novella. Larissa writes a cute story which will keep you entertained and laughing out loud throughout the book. This was a quick and delightful read. It has mystery it has laughs and a romance too what more can you ask for? This is very well written and the characters are well defined. I highly recommend this series you will not stop laughing.
Cherry Tucker and her boyfriend Todd are off for Memphis to help Todd’s cousin. Things get crazy as Cherry isn’t sure whom she can and can not trust. This is a wonderfully written story that is very delightful to read. It is so funny!! I enjoyed this very much. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Cherry finds herself going with her boyfriend Todd to and amateur poker tournament in Las Vegas but along the way they have to stop in Memphis to help his cousin Byron after he loses big in a poker game. They stay in a pretty sleazy hotel called the Heartache motel in Memphis. There is graffiti on a sign saying “this place is plain ol’sleazy, Are you ready for this?”
Cherry and Todd must seek out a high stakes poker game for Todd to try and get enough winnings to get Byron out of trouble or his wife will divorce him and there will be no Christmas for Byron’s children.
Cherry and Todd were hooked up with the people that can make the game happen and hopefully not get caught because it’s illegal to gamble in Memphis.
There are several major players in this novella and keeps you completely guessing who are the real crooks or who is in on a sting operation set up to get the crooks.
There are a few hints along the way, see if you can guess before all is revealed. I loved this novella and any Cherry Tucker fan will too. It’s a great first read for anyone who has never read the Cherry Tucker mysteries. The only main characters in this novella are Cherry and Todd the rest are making first time appearances.
I was given an ARC for a fair and honest review
“I hope you learned something from this, Byron. You, too, Todd.” “It’s not worth the risk without a big reward, baby.” Todd shrugged. “If you don’t understand, I can’t explain.”
A Christmas con game? And who’s who and who’s on what side? And why does it smell like peppermint in here? Cherry and Todd stay at the Heartache Motel as part of a sting that could help Todd’s cousin or get them all in a Blue Christmas funk if it doesn’t go down the way they expec…hope it will.
Here’s to Ms Larissa Rheinhart and her Cherry Tucker series! It’s been too long since we’ve been watching over their shoulders…I for one feel very happy to have them on the drawing board again! Highly Recommended 5/5
[disclaimer: I received this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed it]
Santa Elvis having a Blue Christmas? This novella takes place before the first Cherry Tucker full length novel, and out of the Halo Georgia world that the series takes place in. Todd (whom you know if you’ve read any of the series books,) and Cherry make a pit stop in Memphis on their way to Vegas for a Poker Tournament. They get caught up in a illegal gambling ring and Cherry decides to play sleuth. Needless to say, she gets in a little over her head. There is some humor in this smart mystery. The mystery itself isn’t too complex, but there are more than enough suspects to keep you wondering. It is a novella so there isn’t as much time with character development, but there is enough to get a good sense of the characters. While Cherry and Todd are the only returning characters, some of the other favorites are mentioned. There are a couple surprises. It’s a light-hearted, clean and safe read for teens and up.
Larissa includes wonderful characters and surprise twists. I love a good sting and this was definitely a good one.