Widowed and officially retired, EUGEENA PATTERSON throws herself into organizing the neighborhood association. This presents a great opportunity to re-connect with old friends and get to know new neighbors like recently widowed Amos Jones, that is until Eugeena stumbles upon her estranged neighbor’s dead body. Eugeena’s daughter is fingered as a prime suspect, but where is she? Determined to find … she?
Determined to find her missing daughter, Eugeena and Amos sort through a list of neighbors with shady or unknown backgrounds. The more she searches, the more Eugeena becomes unsure about this neighborhood association idea. Someone closer than Eugeena thinks, wants to keep it that way.
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DEEP FRIED TROUBLE by Tyora Moody is the first book in the Eugeena Patterson Mysteries series. It’s the story of love of family, friendships, community, new attractions and murder.
Eugeena Patterson is a widow who recently retired from teaching. She thinks she is going to have time on her hands and time to relax – until she found Mary dead. And then another neighbor turns up dead. What has happened to their neighborhood?
As president of the recently formed neighborhood watch, she feels compelled to work towards protecting the neighborhood and friends she’s known for years. She also feels she needs to get justice for her old friend – the one that she’d been estranged from for way too many years.
Add to the mixture that her youngest child, Leesa, shows up with not the one grandchild she knew about, but with two grandchildren in tow having recently given birth to a son. Leesa soon does a disappearing act leaving Eugeena to care for two small babies and an unexplained stash of cash. Plus there’s Porgy, Mary’s dog, which she feels compelled to care for. Her the one that never allowed a dog in the house much less on a bed.
Thank goodness for Amos, her next door widowed neighbor! Feeling stirring that she thought were long put the sleep, she puts those on hold while asking for his assistance. As a retired police officer, he can find out things and have ideas on how to handle situations that Eugeena doesn’t have a clue about.
DEEP FRIED TROUBLE is a quick read that will have you asking how long before the second book in this series will come out. You can’t help but fall in love with Eugeena – both her actions and her thoughts. I love the way the inspirational comments were wrapped within the story while others left me laughing at some of Eugeena’s comments to God. If you are a member of her family, you know you are loved and she would always be on your side, but that she wasn’t going to take no bull from you either. You know where you stand with Eugeena and I love that.
The mystery of the murders was well thought out with several suspects leading one in many directions. All of which took me in the wrong direction as proven when the murderer was reveals, which is exactly what you want in a book.
I would recommend this book to anyone that loves a great, well-written story that keeps you entertained, smiling and scratching your head because you were proven wrong in the end. I will be checking this author out more and looking forward to the next book in this series to see what adventures Eugeena will have.
The character Eugeena Patterson is a special character and I just can’t see anyone not loving this lady. Especially people who love older people. She’s the funniest little old lady and her nosy ways helps her find the truth of matters. I guarantee you will leave this entire series wanting more.
An Engaging Mystery with Uncertain Infatuations
I enjoyed reading this story, which has some of the most diverse and relatable characters with some being off the wall, adding much humor. Protagonist Eugeena Patterson, a retired widow and the president of the neighborhood watch association, is suddenly thrust into a murder mystery, and the plot becomes even more intriguing when Leesa, her aloof daughter shows up, adding more drama to an already stressed-out Eugeena. The story is filled with some twists and turns, secrets and lies, revelations, scandal, and deception, slowly building up to an ending you will never see coming, reminding us that the key to having a good relationship, is not to sweat the small stuff. I liked the mutual respect Eugeena and Amos had for each other. And the twins Annie Mae and Willie Mae Brown added some comedy-relief. As for Leesa, the jury is still out. You will enjoy reading this narrative. I am looking forward to reading Eugeena Patterson Mysteries Book 2 and hope Amos will be there with Eugeena with both of them solving more crimes by becoming arm-chair private investigators.
A true cozy, and great read.