Named 2016 Best Mystery Series by Texas Association of Authors. When Madison Reynolds finds herself widowed and penniless before forty, she does the only thing she knows to do – she packs up her teenage twins and moves back home with her eighty-year-old grandmother. Life in The Sisters, Texas has not changed much since she’s been gone, but at least her best friend Genesis is there to soften the … friend Genesis is there to soften the transition back into small-town life.
To make ends meet, Madison opens In a Pinch Temporary Services. Her first real client is Ronny Gleason, but when she shows up for the first day of work at the Gleason Poultry Farm, Madison makes a gruesome discovery. The dead body she finds belongs to Mr. Gleason. When a local man is arrested for murder, Madison takes on the job of proving his innocence. Even though she is not a private investigator, both mothers are desperate: Lucy Ngyen to clear her son’s name, and Madison to pay her bills. But as she begins asking questions around town, her interference is not welcome.
With a daughter determined to go back to Dallas, a son settling into small town life, a feisty grandmother who knows all the town gossip, bill collectors calling, and now someone trying to keep her silent, Madison has no time for re-kindling her high school crush with police chief Brash deCordova. She has her hands full just trying to stay alive.
If she survives her amateur investigation, Maddy has a decision to make. Will she go back to her life in Dallas, or will she build a new life here in The Sisters?
Read the Full Award-Winning Series, in Order. FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
Book One: Chicken Scratch
Book Two: When the Stars Fall
Book Three: Stipulations and Complications
Book Four: Home Again: Starting Over
Book Five: Genny’s Ballad
Book Six: Christmas in The Sisters
Book Seven: The Lilac Code
Book Eight: Wildflower Wedding: With a Killer Reception
Book Nine: To Be Announced
All available FREE in Kindle Unlimited!more
I recommend it even though I only gave it 3 stars, well written and definitely kept me turning the pages to solve the mystery. A tiny bit of romance between the local sheriff and our returning home town girl was done with just enough teasing that you wanted to know more. There is a murder to solve, and someone is also trying to kill our girl. In spite of all the resolved conflicts in the end, I still was left wanting to know if she and the sheriff had a chance!
Seemed like a good premise, but it was a fail.
I just didn’t have the stomach to proceed further than 15 or so pages in. The author knows her chickens, but I didn’t really want to learn about it. Chickens with the murdered body almost sent me flying to the privy.
Chicken Scratch by Becki Willis is the first book in the Sisters Texas Mystery Series. This book is an easy read that will keep you turning the pages. This is the first book that I have read by this author and I can definitely say I enjoyed it. I liked the fact that it wasn’t overly complex and as easy enough to follow along with.
The characters were interesting and I found myself connecting with them quite quickly. The story progressed well – it wasn’t he lost exciting but it certainly kept me reading to find out who the killer was.
As the first read by this author it was a nice gentle introduction and I can certainly say I will be reading more by her in the future.
I enjoyed this cozy mystery. I found the main character to be relatable and the circumstances beset upon her to draw the reader in emotionally. The book was paced well and had a good push and pull within the plot. I was pleased to find out this is the beginning of a series and look forward to continuing on in it.
I enjoyed reading this book. The characters were real life down to earth people. The mystery was solved as a stand alone book, but the character’s lives will continue developing in the next book.
Enjoyed very much. Will follow .
Loved it except I wanted it to end in a different way.
I read this book to my husband on a cross country road trip. You know the book is good when you are upset because you have to stop reading because you need gas. We laughed and truly enjoyed the stand alone mystery. The ending was a little abrupt but we’re still looking forward to the next book in the series for our next trip.
5 Stars
Chicken Scratch is the first book in The Sister, Texas series by Becki Willis. It is such a great cosy mystery- and also my introduction to Ms. Willis’ work. I really enjoyed this story, it was such a fun read- well woven, with a fantastic plot, a great pace, interesting and quirky characters, well-developed suspense, originality, lively action and antics, and witty humour.
Madison Reynolds returns to her hometown after losing everything. Her husband. Their business. Her home. Her friends. And her savings. She had nowhere else to turn, so she packed up her twins and moved in with her 80 year old grandmother- till she can get back on her feet. She decides to start a temp business- doing whatever she needs to pay the bills. Her first real job involves working at a poultry farm, not her ideal choice of work- but beggars can’t be choosers. Her first day was going quite well- till she discovers a dead body. The body of the man who hired her. And so, this story begins. When it’s discovered that the man had been murdered, an arrest is made. But then Madison gets an unexpected call from the accused man’s mother, pleading with Madison to investigate the murder and clear her sons name. Maddy knows she’s no PI, but she can’t afford to be turning away paying jobs- so she agrees. What happens when someone seems to have it out for Maddy? Is she getting too close to the truth? With several dangerous situations that threaten her life- Maddy will need to put the pieces together and figure it all out, before it’s too late. Who killed the chicken farmer and why? All these answers and other intriguing details can be found by reading this fun mystery. So, grab yourself a copy and dive in!
This may be my first read from Ms. Willis- but it certainly won’t be my last! I can’t wait to explore more of her work!
Thank you, Becki Willis!
This is the first book in a series and is really enjoyable to read. The setting is unusual, the characters are interesting, and the plot is well thought out and holds the attention of the reader. There is a hint of romance, and a horrifying murder to solve.
Unique setting, & you quickly learn a lot, possibly more than you want to, about chicken farms. Main character with great adaptability. Good cast of characters.
Love, love, love “The Sisters” series!
I only gave this book 3 stars because the setting for the mystery–a multi-housed mechanized chicken factory–was original and the author provided some interesting insights into this environment. Unfortunately, though, the author couldn’t seem to make up her mind weather she wanted to write a plausible and interesting mystery or a cozy populated by Southern small town stereotypes.
The book also suffered from what I think of as an “OMG ending”. These are those endings created in that moment of panic when authors realize they need to wrap the book up asap because they’re fast approaching their time, page, or word limit. The Chicken Scratch ending was wild a flurry of activity what will leave those who enjoy a good mystery, a good cozy, or combination of the two disappointed.
This is my first book by this author. It is a suspense book that brings everything that I enjoy in this type of book. This book pulled me in from the beginning and it was engaging. The characters made me feel as if I was part of the story. Madison has found herself with no money and a widow to boot. She packs her daughter up and they move back home with her mother. What will happen when her small business brings more than income to her life? Great characters. I highly recommend this book.
I enjoyed it. I plan to read the rest of the series. CCTV
This was a good mystery. Enjoyable characters.
It had a little of everything. Funny, romance,thriller. How mothers are the strongest people.
Loved it! Didn’t guess the villian. Can’t wait to read the next one.
I enjoyed this mystery. Learned about the commercial raising of chickens. Not something I’d like to do. The main character is a plucky woman whose husband died so she who had to work hard and be creative to keep her family afloat.