Full-time RVers, Rip and Rapella Ripple, are headed to Rockdale, Missouri, in their old travel trailer (aka The Chartreuse Caboose) to attend a friend’s surprise birthday party. But surprise quickly turns to shock when a party guest is found murdered and Lexie Starr, a friend of the Ripples, is hauled off to jail as suspect number one.
Determined to exonerate Lexie, the Ripples put the Chartreuse … Chartreuse Caboose in park and their investigating tactics in drive. But more than a simple frame-up is afoot when the victim’s stepfather, who is also the local Police Chief, ignores the Ripple’s findings.
Reviews:
“Glidewell succeeds in maintaining a rapidly paced story line that dramatically builds tension, while her tongue-in-cheek sense of humor provides plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.” -Booklist on Leave No Stone Unturned
THE RIPPLE EFFECT MYSTERIES
A Rip Roaring Good Time
Rip Tide
Ripped to Shreds
THE LEXIE STARR MYSTERIES, in order
Leave No Stone Unturned
The Extinguished Guest
Haunted
With This Ring
Just Ducky
The Spirit of the Season – a holiday novella
Cozy Camping
more
I received a review copy from eBookDiscovery and this is my honest opinion. This is a fun story, but a little over the top. I think Ms. Glidewell tries a little too hard to make Rip and Rapella ‘oldsters’. I’m a 69-year-old woman and I am fluent in GPS, social media, and all the ‘new-fangled’ gadgets Rip and Rapella seem to have so much trouble with. However, with that said, I did enjoy the story, for the most part. I could have done without the victim being a sexual predator who was allowed to run loose because of his father’s connections. I think there are too many women who are dealing with the consequences of someone else’s actions for this to be an appropriate part of a cozy mystery. I did enjoy Rapella though. Some reviewers objected to her ‘stupid’ personality, but I think that’s another part of a cozy mystery. In what town, IRL, would a 68-year-old man and woman be allowed to investigate a murder? None that I know of. It’s just another time when, as a reader, you have to suspense disbelief.
A crossover between the Lexie Starr mystery series and the Ripple Effect mystery series. Rapella and Rip are going to visit new friends Lexie and Stone and stay at their B&B to celebrate the 30th birthday of Lexie’s daughter Wendy. The surprise party turns sour when a most disagreeable man is murdered while the lights go out. When they come back on Lexie is standing over a dead man weapon in hand. The police are convinced they have the culprit, but no one who knows Lexie believes she’s guilty so Rapella, Rip, Stone and company set out to find the real murderer. Complicating things are the murder took place in complete darkness and so many of the guests had motives.
Some pros a compelling mystery. Lots of suspects, multiple motives and ample opportunities. Keeps you guessing all the way to the end. The characters are genial and are an unexpected pair of mystery sleuths.
Some cons there are times of brashness and overly detailed explanations of medical and other graphic situations. This is inconsistent with the cozy genre and off putting. I’ve read other stories later in the series and I do not recall this attitude of Rapella’s letting every thought fly out of her mouth good, bad or worse.
All in all it’s a pretty good read. A very good mystery that will keep you invested with a surprise ending I didn’t see coming. Definitely worth a read.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
I love the Lexie series and this had some of the same characters, but felt that the new leads in the book were not as real or authentic like the previous series. It was still a good book to read and was enjoyable.
“received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review”