A posh party. The highest stakes. And more than a little danger….A secretive philanthropist books Betty Snickerdoodle’s brand new inn for her elite, ultra-private holiday poker tournament. With the hefty fee she’s offering, it seems like Christmas has come a few days early–especially since the inn’s not even open yet!But Bea Sickles–the savvy, 70-something ex-poker pro turned author behind … ex-poker pro turned author behind Betty Snickerdoodle–smells trouble.
“Might be a special gift from Santa,” Bea says. “Or we might be getting a scam in our stocking.”
The set-up is undeniably odd. And as the tycoons settle in for their high-stakes vacation, the shindig starts to look even stranger–especially when the organizer unveils the tournament’s bizarre rules. Bea’s so certain there’s something fishy about the fat cats and their game, she buys in for $50,000, just to keep an eye on them.
But a poker scam is hardly the only suspicious thing about these whales. Before long, shocking accidents start happening–and Bea and Angela, her clever young business partner, start to wonder if what looks like an “accident” might instead be murder….
A Sleuth Is Born is book two of the Betty Snickerdoodle cozy mystery series, which blends mystery, light humor, and adventure. It can be read as a stand-alone or as a sequel to book one, The Return of Betty Snickerdoodle.
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Bea Sickles, aka Betty Snickerdoodle, keeps getting better and better. She continues to be a hoot! In this particular story, Bea or Betty has bought an Inn that will hold Bettycon, a fan convention on all things Betty Snickerdoodle-related. Before the Inn is officially open, a poker tournament hostess approaches Angela to inquire if the Inn can step in for their usual venue, which was destroyed in the 2018 Camp Fire. Angela immediately agrees, although Bea is naturally suspicious. The tournament has all kinds of twists and turns and the beginning of a romance. The series is funny, smart, witty and laugh out loud mysteries. The characters are engaging and would become my friends if they were actual people. Can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Original and funny, Bea is a hoot!
I ran across this author through another author’s promotion. I am so glad that I did. After reading book 1 of ‘A Betty Snickerdoodle Mystery’ series, I was anxiously to begin reading book 2. I am happy to report that Bea is just as insightful, feisty, and productive octogenarian again in this tale. She is able to read people well. I guess that is a really important asset as a card shark as well as junior detective!
The other main characters that were introduced in book 1 are back again and just as, if not more, interesting than before. I cannot wait to see how Angela will handle her love interest(s). Hopefully that will be a big part of the next book in ‘A Betty Snickerdoodle Mystery’ series.
I don’t give away spoilers in my reviews, so, you will just have to read the book to experience for yourself all the intrigue and details. I do not believe you will be disappointed. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good cozy mystery with a splash or two or three of romance. I am looking forward to reading more from Pepper Frost.
Inasmuch as I was gifted an advance reader’s copy of this book; this review is my voluntary and honest opinion.
Bea and Angela are at it again. Then throw in Foxy! What a twist and turn! I would have never guessed the ending ! Pepper Frost is a genius! It is a must read!
Bea/Betty and Angela are back and this time they are living and running the Inn preparing for the Betty Snickerdoodle convention. But a group with a high stakes poker game wants to use the Inn before it opens. This brings a whole new set of interesting characters to the Inn giving Bea some experience in sharpening her PI skills. Aseem is there and Angela is still oblivious to his interest. Pat, the San Francisco PI joins to help with Bea’s PI training and also to provide security for the game. Office McGregor, from the local police, is not opposed to the rag-tag amateur sleuths helping since the town doesn’t have much of a police force. I’m sure we’ll see plenty of him in the future. Angela doesn’t seem like the sharp business woman she should be but by the end she has definitely had a learning experience and had her eyes opened. Bea is super sharp. She is such an awesome character. She seems to know everything that’s going on at all times and if she doesn’t, she’s quick to adjust to correct things. Fun adventure and looking forward to many more with Bea/Betty.